YOU WILL NEED:
700g skinless, boneless free range chicken breasts or 8 thighs, cut into chunks
Marinade – marinade the chicken over night if possible
1 cup yoghurt
½ t turmeric
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 t grated ginger
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
1 tomato, chopped
15 g mint, chopped
1 piece of cinnamon / 1 t ground cinnamon
3 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
1 bay leaf
2 star anise
2 cloves
1 cup basmati rice, par boiled
2 hard boiled eggs (optional)
3 medium potatoes, sliced fairly thick and rubbed with ½ t turmeric
3T vegetable oil
1 x 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
1 large onion, peeled and sliced
25 g butter
5 green cardamom pods, lightly ground
1 t cumin
1 t coriander
½ t paprika
½ t cinnamon / 1 stick
2T curry powder (optional)
(You can but a pack of Biryani Spice Mix that has all these spices in)
2 t ginger, grated
2 garlic cloves, grated
1 t garam masala
1 cup yoghurt
500 ml chicken stock
PREPARATION:
Marinade your chicken overnight if possible. If you don’t have the time let your chicken marinade whilst you prep the balance of your ingredients.
Preheat your oven to 180 ° C
Melt the butter in a large pan, add the aromatics (or biryani spice mix) – ground cardamom, cumin, coriander, paprika, cinnamon, curry powder and cook until they release their oils – about 30 seconds.
Add the onions and fry until soft, for about 5 minutes. Add the grated ginger and garlic and the cook for a further minute or 2. Add the tomatoes and cook for a minute. Add the chicken pieces and cook through for a few minutes. Add the chicken marinade and if necessary a bit more yoghurt
At the same time slice the potatoes, season with turmeric salt and pepper and fry until ¾ cooked in vegetable oil and set aside to drain.
Now assemble the biryani in an oven proof dish
Use half the rice, chicken, potatoes and eggs and layer each one on top of the other. Repeat with the other half of your ingredients. Pour over the stock. Cover tightly with a lid or tin foil and bake for 30 minutes. Make sure your chicken is cooked through.
Serve with the yoghurt raita
