Hyderabadi Dum Chicken biryani

Hyderabadi Dum Chicken biryani

by Hb ~ Monday, January 4, 2010

I know I was missing in action for a while(Not sure how many of you noticed that!)Since I don't have any excuses for going away like that, let me continue with the usual blabbering. First of all, let me wish you all a fabulous new year. Last year wasn't very eventful for me, except for starting this cute space for myself. Well, that is a reason to celebrate no?
I have to tell you what happened last month. I was on my monthly visit to Hyderabad(which happens to be my hometown), it felt like I was looking at it for the first time. I gawked at it like one of those enthusiastic tourists. Early morning, driving alongside the Necklace road and staring at those roads which were our hang-out places then, I felt blessed. I suddenly sensed a feeling of ectasy , which was never this strong in all those years of living there. I saw Hyderabad beyond it's pearls, biryani and charminar. I felt proud.
This post is an ode to the most charming city in the entire world according to me.When the world is welcoming the baby year with sweet dishes, I am doing it with a spicy and aromatic Hyderabadi Dum Biryani.

For marinade:
Curd - 1 cup
Lemon juice - 4 tb spoons
Chilly powder - 1/2 tb spoon
Chicken - 1/2 kg(Cut to medium size pieces)
Turmeric powder - 1 tea spoon
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tea spoon
Pudina/Mint leaves - 1 bunch
Salt - 1 tb spoon(adjust)
Masala powder - 1 tea spoon
Oil - 1 tb spoon
Fried/Browned onions - 3 tb spoons
(Slice 4-5 medium sized onions vertically and fry them in generous amount of oil. This will be used through out the preparation of this dish)

Masala powder
Cloves - 4
Cardamom - 3
Cinnamon stick -1.5 inch

For the rice part:
Rice(Basmati rice is ideal) - 1 .25 cup
Green chillies - 4-5(slit length wise)
Bay leaves - 3-4
Salt - 1 tb spoon
Water - 2-2.25 cups

For Layering
Ghee - 2 tb spoon
Pudina - 1 bunch
Beet root juice(for coloring)
Oil - 2-3 tb spoon
Fried/Browned onions - 5-6 table spoons
Toasted cashewnuts - 6-7

Preparing the marinade:
1. Clean the chicken pieces thoroughly. Now make 1-2 slits on each piece and set aside.
2. Mix curd,lemon juice,g-g paste,masala powder,pudina leaves,salt,chilli powder and turmeric powder. Now add the chicken pieces and combine.
3. Let the marinade rest for about 30mins - 1 hour.
4. In the mean while slice the onions vertically. Fry them in enough oil till they brown evenly. Add half of them to the marinade and combine.
5. Half the cashewnuts and roast them in ghee/oil till they turn to a nice brown.
5. Boil some beetroot pieces with just about enough water so that beetroot imparts it's color to the water. Strain and set aside.
5. Cook the rice along with salt, green chillies and bay leaf till it is 3/4 cooked. This took about 15 mins for me over stove top. The rice should be moist.(I wish I had picture of the rice then)
6. After the chicken is marinated, cook it for about 30mins over stop top on simmer flame. Chicken should turn soft by now.
6. Now the fun part. Take a wide vessel, I used pressure cooker. Rub some oil in the bottom. Now layer some rice then place some curry. Sprinkle some mint leaves, oil and place layer of rice. Now add curry evenly and layer with rice. Sprinkle fried onions and some ghee. Do this until you are left with no rice/curry/onions/pudina/oil. Now pour in some beetroot water all over.
7. Place this over stove top. Cover with a lid and place a large vessel containing water on top(This acts as the weight for the dum). Simmer and let it cook for about 15-20 mins.Alternatively you can seal the lid with some nicely kneaded dough.

After 15mins switch off the flame and look at how as you dig into each layer, aroma and niceness spread all around. The rice is infused with all the spices and the meat is succulent, each flavor complementing another. I served it with carrot raita. You may serve with Mirchi ka salan or plain raitha.

PS: The pictures don't do justice to the taste of the preparation :( I'm just getting accustomed to the new camera.

The preparation of this dish was easily the most laborious by far. Trust me, every bit of the effort is worth it.