Malabar Chicken Dum Biryani Recipe - Aromatic & Flavourful One Pot Meal
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Indian
Serves: 5 People
Ingredients
Making Garam Masala
  • Whole cardamoms- 10
  • Whole cloves- 3
  • Whole cinnamon- 2-inch slice
  • Whole Mace- 1
  • Fennel seeds- ½ tbsp
To Crush
  • Garlic cloves- 6
  • Fresh ginger- 3-inch slice
  • Green chilies- 5 or based on your spice level
Making Chicken Masala
  • Oil left after frying onions- 3 tbsp
  • Ghee- 3tbsp
  • Chicken legs or bone-in pieces- 8 large pieces
  • Onions, sliced- 4 (I used yellow onions)
  • Crushed ginger-garlic-green chilies
  • Salt- 2 tsp
  • Tomato, chopped- 1, large
  • Fried onions- 1 cup
  • Garam Masala- 1½ tbsp
  • Yogurt- ½ cup, slightly sour
  • Lemon juice- 2 tbsp
  • Cilantro, chopped- ½ cup
For Cooking Rice
  • Ghee- 3 tbsp
  • Dried bay leaves- 2
  • Whole cardamom- 3
  • Whole cinnamon- 1-inch slice
  • Mace- 1
  • Kaima or Basmati rice- 2 cups, soaked & rinsed
  • Warm water- 3½ cups
  • Salt- 1½ tsp (add enough salt while cooking rice)
For Layering
  • Garam masala- 1 tsp
  • Saffron- 10 strands soaked in 2 tbsp milk or water
  • Fried onions- 1 cup
  • Cilantro, chopped
  • Mint leaves, chopped
  • Roasted cashew nuts
  • Roasted raisins
Instructions
Prep Work
  1. Fry 2 thinly sliced onions in oil till they turn golden brown. Keep the onions aside.
  2. Save the oil that's left after frying onions.
  3. I've taken 4 large yellow onions, slice the onions even & thin.
  4. To a blender jar, add garlic, ginger & green chilies, grind to a coarse paste, don't make into a smooth paste.
  5. Green chilies will impart the required heat to this biryani so add more if you want this biryani very spicy.
  6. For making garam masala, I've roasted the above mentioned whole spices & fennel seeds till they got aromatic. Let cool down & grind to a fine powder. This can be made ahead of time & stored in an air-tight container.
Making chicken masala
  1. Place a large wide pan over medium heat, add the oil that's left after frying onion & ghee.
  2. Add the sliced onions, saute till onions turn translucent.
  3. Add the chicken, cook for a few minutes.
  4. When the chicken turns white add 1½ tsp salt & combine well, cook for a few minutes.
  5. Add the crushed garlic-ginger-green chilies, combine well & cook till the raw smell of the garlic-ginger goes away.
  6. Add the tomato, cook for 2 minutes.
  7. Add yogurt & cook covered till the chicken has almost cooked through.
  8. Add the fried onions, combine well & cooked covered till the chicken has cooked through.
  9. Add 1½ tbsp garam masala combine well & cook for a few minutes.
  10. Save 1 tsp garam masala, will be added while layering.
  11. Finally, garnish with chopped cilantro.
  12. Take the pan off the heat & keep the chicken masala covered.
Cooking Rice
  1. I've taken basmati rice, ideally kaima or jeerakasala rice has to be used.
  2. Soak the rice in water for 15 minutes, after that take the rice in a strainer & rinse well under running water.
  3. Place a saucepan over medium heat, add ghee.
  4. Add dried bay leaves, whole cardamom, cinnamon & mace; saute for a minute.
  5. Add 1 sliced onion, saute till translucent.
  6. Add soaked & rinsed rice, roast the rice for 3 minutes.
  7. For 2 cups rice, I've added 3½ cups warm water, combine well.
  8. Add 1½ tsp salt.
  9. Enough salt has to be added to the rice, otherwise the biryani will taste bland.
  10. Cook covered for 12 to 15 minutes till the rice has turned fluffy, don't over cook the rice.
  11. Take the pan off the heat & keep the rice covered.
Layering the chicken masala & rice
  1. Soak 10 saffron strands in 1 tbsp water for 5 minutes.
  2. Roast cashew nuts & raisins in ghee or oil.
  3. Have fried onions, chopped mint & cilantro ready.
  4. I've used the same large pan used for making chicken masala.
  5. Chicken masala has to be the bottom layer.
  6. Spread cooked rice over the chicken masala.
  7. Evenly spread 1 tsp garam masala over the rice.
  8. Add the saffron water, top with fried onions, chopped mint, cilantro, cashew nuts & raisins.
  9. Close the pan tightly with an aluminum foil & with the lid.
  10. Dum cook over low heat for 10 minutes.
  11. After dum cooking, let the biryani rest for sometime.
  12. While serving, uncover the lid & gently combine the chicken masala & rice.
  13. Enjoy the mesmerizing aroma of this biryani.
  14. Serve the biryani on a plate, enjoy with raita, pappadam & pickle.
Recipe by Cooking with Thas - Smart Cooking, Smart Living at https://thasneen.com/cooking/malabar-chicken-dum-biryani-recipe-aromatic-flavourful-kerala-one-pot-meal/