Must Try Bohri Biryani Recipe

December, a month of snow, feasts and endless parties. We dig house parties during December along with the hot cocktails, games and the food served. Though many like to experiment with various cuisines, if there is one dish that is loved by all is Biryani.

Each region in India has its own style of making delicious biryanis based on the region’s culinary history and palate. Likewise from the very popular Hyderabadi biryani to Malabar Biryani from Kerala, everyone of us has a favorite Biryani recipe.

We have in our previous blog, covered the various types of Biryanis . However, this time, thought of bringing to you a delicious Bohri recipe from fellow foodie, Shabnam Khanbhai. Having learnt the recipe from ma-in-law, Shabnam has made this Kacchi Biryani recipe for years for delighted friends and family. Hence why not try and make it for your next house party and earn accolades? A delicious Bohri food recipe, this one will win hearts.

Ingredients

1 kg chicken

2 cups basmati rice

200 gms ghee

4 big onions thinly sliced

3 tomatoes finely chopped

3 big potatoes

400 gms Curd 

1 cup chopped coriander and mint

1.5 tbsp ginger garlic paste

2 tsps green chilly paste

2 tsps red chilly powder

2 tsps dhania powder

1 tsp haldi powder

1 tsp garam masala powder

4-5 cloves

8 black peppercorns

2 pieces cinnamon

2 elaichis

2 tsp jeera

1 heaped tbsp finely chopped/crushed garlic

Tej patta 2 nos

2 pinches Kesar soaked in 4 tbsps warm milk

Method

Wash and drain chicken, marinate with garlic, ginger and green chilly paste. Further, add salt to taste and mix. Meanwhile slice onions finely. Next, cut potatoes into big cubes and pierce with fork and soak in water. Add ghee in a kadhai on fast flame. When hot, add the sliced onions and fry. Keep stirring to  brown nicely. Next, Rremove from the Ghee and spread on plate to cool.

Grind the fried onions in a mixer coarsely and put into the marinated chicken. Add curd, tomatoes, chopped coriander mint and the rest of the masalas into the marinated chicken.

Heat the same ghee again and add the drained potatoes. Fry till golden brown and remove on another plate. Next, in the same ghee add the jeera, garlic and 1 tej patta and fry till golden brown. Pour this hot mixture over the marinated chicken immediately and mix thoroughly. 

Further, Llet it sit till you boil a vessel full of water, a little oil, 1 tej patta and 3 tbsps of salt. Once the water boils add the rice and cook till al dente. Drain water and keep aside. Spread the marinated chicken in the bottom of the vessel then add two thirds of the rice onto it. 

Pour the kesar milk over the top and add the rest of the rice. Cover tight with a full lid, put a heavy weight on top of lid and cook over medium low flame for 35-40 minutes. Touch the bottom with wet finger after 30 minutes to check. If it makes a sizzling noise, switch off flame, else continue for 5 more minutes. 

Besides, for variations  one can add 5-6 Alubukhara / badams/ cashews / apricots / kewra water / little mace / rose petals in the chicken marinade. Moreover, if you like the biryani a little oily increase ghee to 250 grams.

Serve with bundi raita / dahi kachumber / plain onion, cucumber tomato kachumber / cabbage onion tomato dahi.