Edition Super-Mom: On special demand!

I love my Mom, just ‘coz she makes the most yummilicious biryani in the world (and maybe for some yet-to-explore other reasons too)!!! <Eeks!>

To all my friends and family who’ve been pestering me to share the recipe, here’s to the most lip-smacking, aromatic and finger-licking biryani in the world… Put your drool guards on.. and read on!

 

Ingredients

The compulsions:

• Long-grain Basmati rice – 1 kg
• Chicken drumsticks – 8
• Sliced onions – 2 (big)
• Finely chopped tomatoes – 2 (medium)

The flavour enhancers:

• Ginger
• Garlic
• Red chilli powder
• Black pepper powder
• Cinnamon powder
• Oil – 4 tbsp
• Pure ghee – 1 tbsp
• Lemon juice – 1 tbsp
• Salt – to taste

The aromatic secrets:

• Home-made garam masala -> psst… exceptionally tasty, secret recipe
• Saffron strings soaked in 1 tsp of milk

Whole:

• Bay leaves
• Cinnamon sticks

Crushed:

• Mace / Javitri
• Clove pods
• Whole black pepper

Chopped:

• Green chillies
• Coriander leaves

Serves: 6 (if you’re just eating biryani ;))

 

Rice rice baby:

— 1 cup rice: 2 cups water

— 1 kg rice: ?? (Double the amount of water) 😀

• Set water to boil in a pan.
• Add oil, salt, cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, javitri/mace.
• Add some golden brown onions to it.
• When water starts boiling, add immediately-washed basmati rice to boiling water. The trick is not to soak the rice.
• Let it boil in high flame, till the level of water reduces. Then simmer the flame.
• Stir to check if almost cooked.
• At this point, add pure ghee as droplets in different spots, and saffron milk. Do not stir.
• Allow it to continue cooking.
• Add freshly chopped coriander.
• Keep the rice aside.

 

 

Chicken spa:

• It’s chicken spa time – Clean, wash, remove fat and slit the chicken properly (so that the spa chemicals, namely masala/spices seep in)
• Fry onions in a pan, till golden brown.
• Take out and keep it aside for garnishing.
• Take another portion of onions, fry till transparent.
• Add chopped ginger, garlic, chillies. Add tomatoes. Stir well. Keep aside. – easy, simple! 😉
• To the same pan, add little oil. Add sliced chicken to it. Cover it for some time, till it leaves/releases water.
• Cover it and let it fully cook, on medium fire.
• Sprinkle cinnamon powder, black pepper powder, red chilli powder and home-made garam masala.
• Add the most obvious white powder (hell yeah, salt!)
• Add chopped coriander leaves.
• Mix everything well.. and at last, pour lemon juice on each piece. Be careful to evenly distribute the juice, without confining it to one portion.

 

 

Let’s give some ‘dum’:

Dum is the art of covering the cooked biryani for an extended period, to let the aroma and essence of every spice seep through the mix for a romantic flavour-play!

— > Add the cooked rice to the chicken pan and cover it tightly for dum.

— > Before serving, mix well, and this is when you see the different colours and flavours of biryani basking in the magical fragrance of Mom-made Biryani!

 

#FancyThrills a.k.a. Garnishing:

Garnish with golden brown onions.

 

Buy 1 Get 1 FREE:

Free raita recipe: 

• Onions, tomatoes, coriander leaves – finely chopped.
• Add the above to beaten curd.
• Salt to taste + red chilli powder.

 

 

Rating:

Aroma: 11/10

Tate: 11/10

Presentation: 11/10

Secrecy (for keeping the recipe hidden for years): 2/10

Overall rating: 100/10 <no wonder my Math, Accounts, Tax profs hated me!>

 

Read – Drool – Eat – Share – Thank my Mum!

 

                                                                                                                                       Your’s truly,

                                                                                                                                     Biryani lover!!!