Indian cuisine is well known for its distinctive use of unique spices in its dishes! Biryani is no exception. This is my number ONE favorite Indian dish of all time. I can eat this dish every single day, no complain! Follow my recipe and you’ll see why.
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs chicken breast or thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 tbsp coriander
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1 tbsp turmeric
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/4 tsp cloves
- 1/8 tsp star anise powder
- 5 bay leaves
- 1 tsp Himalayan salt
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 tbsp ginger, grated
- 1 tbsp garlic, grated
- 1 potato, sliced into thin wedges
- 2 roma tomatoes, sliced into thin wedges
- 3 1/2 cups basmati rice
- 7 cups of water or more
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup mint, finely chopped
- 1 tsp saffron
- 1 cup caramelized onions
- 2 tbsp butter, melted
- 1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup mint leaves, finely chopped
- 1 jalapeno, finely chopped
Directions:
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and place in a bowl.
- Add the next 11 ingredients, coriander, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, chili powder, cardamom, pepper, cloves, star anise, bay leaves, and salt to the bowl with the chicken. Mix well.
- Add the yogurt, oil, ginger, and garlic. Mix with the chicken. Marinate overnight.
- Arrange the marinated chicken into a single layer on the bottom of the pan.
- Layer the potato wedges on top of the chicken. Then add the tomatoes on top of the potatoes.
- In a separate pot, add water, salt and bring to a boil. Add the rice and cook for about 7 minutes without cover.
- Using a slotted spoon, drain and scoop the rice and place on top of the tomatoes. Add the chopped cilantro, mint, and jalapeno.
- Top with caramelized onions, saffron and butter.
- Cover with lid to make sure no steam will come out. One trick is by placing aluminum foil in between the pot and the lid.
- Turn the heat to medium high for 7 minutes then turn down to low for 45 minutes to an hour.
How to make caramelized onions:
- Peel and slice the onions thinly (long strips).
- Deep fry until brown.
- Stir frequently to make sure the onion is evenly cooked. Be patient it will take a while for the onions to brown.
- Drain in paper towels.
Note:
I used Mexican saffron because it’s a lot cheaper than Spanish saffron you can use whichever you prefer.
