Chicken Or Shrimp Biryani Recipes

CHICKEN BIRYANI

Steps:

• In a large skillet, in 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (or ghee) fry potatoes until brown, drain and reserve the potatoes. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet and fry onion, garlic and ginger until onion is soft and golden. Add chili, pepper, turmeric, cumin, salt and the tomatoes. Fry, stirring constantly for 5 minutes. Add yogurt, mint, cardamom and cinnamon stick. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally until the tomatoes are cooked to a pulp. It may be necessary to add a little hot water if the mixture becomes too dry and starts to stick to the pan.
• When the mixture is thick and smooth, add the chicken pieces and stir well to coat them with the spice mixture. Cover and cook over very low heat until the chicken is tender, approximately 35 to 45 minutes. There should only be a little very thick gravy left when chicken is finished cooking. If necessary cook uncovered for a few minutes to reduce the gravy.
• Wash rice well and drain in colander for at least 30 minutes.
• In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil (or ghee) and fry the onions until they are golden. Add saffron, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick, ginger and rice. Stir continuously until the rice is coated with the spices.
• In a medium-size pot, heat the chicken stock and salt. When the mixture is hot pour it over the rice and stir well. Add the chicken mixture and the potatoes; gently mix them into the rice. Bring to boil. Cover the saucepan tightly, turn heat to very low and steam for 20 minutes. Do not lift lid or stir while cooking. Spoon biryani onto a warm serving dish.

CHICKEN OR SHRIMP BIRYANI

Steps:

• Rinse rice and place in medium bowl; add enough cold water to cover rice and let stand 10 minute.
• While rice is soaking, heat oil in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat; add cumin seed; cook and stir 30 sec.
• Stir in onions, garlic and ginger; cook 5 minute or until crisp-tender, stirring constantly.
• If using chicken add now; cook and stir 2 minute (If using shrimp, add at the same time as you add the rice).
• Drain rice and add to chicken mixture with remaining ingredients; mix well; cover; bring to boil.
• Simmer on medium-low heat 25 minutes, add peas and cook another 5 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed (some rice cooks more quickly to be sure you don't overcook).
• Remove from heat; let stand 5 minute.

CHICKEN BIRYANI

Steps:

• Remove and discard the skin from the chicken legs and breasts. Cut each leg into drumstick and thigh, and quarter the breasts.
• To prepare the marinade paste, peel and coarsely chop the garlic, ginger, and 3 onions. Place in a blender with the cloves, peppercorns, cardamom seeds, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, poppy seeds, mace, 1 teaspoon salt, and the lemon juice. Blend to a smooth paste. Turn into a large bowl, add the yogurt, and mix well.
• Dry Roasting: Spices are often dry-roasted before use. It is best to do this over medium heat in a preheated small, heavy, cast-iron frying pan. No oil is used; the spices are just stirred around in the pan with a wooden spatula until they brown lightly. Roasted spices develop a heightened, nutty aroma. They can be stored for several months in an airtight jar.
• Peel the 3 remaining onions, halve lengthwise, and slice finely. Heat the oil in a large heavy-based frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add the bay leaves and cardamom pods. Fry for 10 to 15 seconds. Add the sliced onions and fry, stirring, for about 10 minutes or until brown and crisp, but not burned. Remove with a slotted spoon, squeezing out as much oil as possible. Reserve the oil, cardamoms, and bay leaves. Add 2/3 of the fried onions to the marinade paste and mix well. Drain the rest on paper towels and set aside for garnishing.
• Pierce the chicken pieces with a fork and add to the bowl of marinade paste; mix well. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight, turning the chicken occasionally.
• Transfer the chicken and marinade to a large heavy-based cooking pot or pan. Bring slowly to a boil, cover, lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Lift out the chicken pieces with a slotted spoon and place them in a 6-quart casserole dish; cover and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Crumble the saffron into the warm milk and set aside to soak.
• Boil the marinade paste, stirring, over a medium heat, until reduced to 9 to 10 tablespoons. Spoon the paste over the chicken. Cover again.
• Pour about 3 quarts water into a large cooking pot or flameproof casserole. Add 3 teaspoons of salt and bring to a boil. Add the rice, bring back to a boil, then simmer for precisely 5 minutes. Drain the rice in a colander, then place it on top of the chicken in the casserole.
• Pour the saffron-infused milk over the rice, streaking it with orange lines. Sprinkle the reserved cardamom, bay leaves, and oil over the rice (retaining 1 tablespoon oil, for frying the raisins, if using). Cover the casserole dish with foil, cut 2 inches wider than the rim of the dish. Now put the lid on and use the protruding foil edges to seal the dish as best you can by crinkling it and pushing it against the sides. Bake in the oven for 1 hour.
• To prepare the garnishes, if including raisins fry them briefly in the reserved oil. Lightly toast the almonds if you wish. Quarter the hard-cooked eggs lengthwise, or cut into slice.
• Spoon the rice and chicken onto a large warm platter. Sprinkle with the fried onions, raisins, almonds and hard-cooked eggs. Serve hot.

SHRIMP BIRYANI

Steps:

• Wash the rice in several changes of water and drain. Cover generously with fresh water and leave to soak for 30 minutes. Drain.
• Halve the shrimp crossways. Sprinkle the garlic, cumin, turmeric, cayenne, black pepper, and 1/3 teaspoon salt over the shrimp and rub the seasonings in. Cover and set aside.
• Pour the oil into a heavy, medium pan and set over medium-high heat. When hot, put in the shrimp and stir them around for 2-3 minutes or until they are just opaque. Remove with a slotted spoon and put in a bowl. Turn off the heat. Add the lemon juice and cilantro to the bowl of shrimp. Stir to mix and taste for balance of seasonings.
• Put the cardamom and chicken stock into the pan used for cooking the shrimp and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom to release the seasonings. Add the drained rice, 1/2 teaspoon salt if the stock is salted and 1 teaspoon if it is not, and bring to a boil again. Cover tightly, turn heat to very, very low, and cook 25 minutes. Put the shrimp and accumulated juices over the top of the rice, cover quickly, and keep cooking another minute. Turn off the heat. Stir gently to mix and keep covered until needed.