Bohri Chicken Biryani

Name: Bohri Chicken Biryani
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: indian
Ingredients: 600 g chicken (bone-in, cut into medium pieces); 1.25 cup basmati rice (soaked 30 minutes and drained); 3 pcs onion (medium, thinly sliced); 0.75 cup yogurt (plain, whisked); 2 pcs tomato (medium, chopped); 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste; 3 pcs green chili (slit); 0.25 cup mint (fresh leaves); 0.25 cup coriander leaves (chopped); 1 tbsp lemon juice; 2 tbsp ghee; 1.25 cup oil for frying (for frying onions); 2 pcs bay leaf; 1 inch cinnamon (broken into pieces); 4 pcs green cardamom (lightly crushed); 4 pcs cloves; 0.5 tsp cumin seeds; 6 pcs black peppercorns; 1 pinch turmeric powder; 0.5 tsp red chili powder; 1 tsp coriander powder; 0.5 tsp garam masala; 0.5 tsp salt (for the chicken masala); 6 pcs saffron (soaked in warm water); 2 tbsp water (warm, for soaking saffron)

RATING

4.6/5(85)

TASTE SCORE

9/10

Fragrant rice layered with spiced chicken, yogurt, herbs, and golden onions gives this Bohri-style biryani its rich, festive character. It cooks up with deep flavor, gentle warmth, and tender grains that stay separate.

PREP

35m

COOK

55m

SERVES

1 KATORI

665 cal

SERVINGS

METHOD · 10 STEPS

prep · ~30 min
Soak the rice and prep the biryani ingredients.
1.Wash the basmati rice until the water runs mostly clear.
2.Soak the rice in fresh water for 30 minutes, then drain well.
3.Slice the onions thinly, chop the tomatoes, slit the green chilies, and whisk the yogurt.
TIPDrain the soaked rice well so it parboils evenly and the grains stay separate later.
rest · ~15 min
Soak the saffron.
Put the saffron in warm water and let it stand while you cook the biryani. This helps the color and aroma spread evenly through the rice.
fry · ~12 min
Fry the onions until golden.
1.Heat the oil for frying in a wide pan over medium heat.
2.Add the sliced onions and fry, stirring often, until deep golden and crisp.
3.Lift them out and spread on a plate so they stay crisp.
TIPPull the onions out just before they turn dark brown because they keep cooking from residual heat.
saute · ~1 min
Cook the whole spices in ghee.
Heat the ghee in a heavy pot. Add cumin seeds, cinnamon, green cardamom, cloves, and 1 bay leaf; cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
saute · ~8 min
Build the chicken masala base.
1.Add half of the fried onions and cook briefly.
2.Add ginger-garlic paste and green chilies, then sauté until the raw smell fades.
3.Add chopped tomatoes and cook until soft and jammy.
4.Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, and salt.
simmer · ~20 min
Cook the chicken in the masala.
Add the chicken pieces and mix well to coat. Stir in the yogurt, mint, coriander leaves, lemon juice, and 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook on medium-low heat until the chicken is nearly done and the masala is thick.
TIPKeep the masala fairly thick at this stage so the biryani does not turn wet during dum cooking.
boil · ~8 min
Parboil the rice.
1.Bring 5 cups water to a boil in a large pot.
2.Add the remaining bay leaf, black peppercorns, and salt for parboiling rice.
3.Add the drained rice and cook until the grains are about 70 percent done.
4.Drain the rice immediately.
TIPThe grain should break with a firm center; overcooked rice will turn mushy on dum.
assemble · ~3 min
Layer the biryani.
1.Keep the chicken masala in the heavy pot as the bottom layer.
2.Spread the parboiled rice evenly over the chicken.
3.Top with the remaining fried onions and drizzle over the saffron water.
simmer · ~20 min
Cook the biryani on dum.
Cover the pot tightly and cook on very low heat until the rice is fully done and the flavors meld. Let it sit off the heat for a few minutes before opening.
TIPSet the pot on a tawa or heavy pan if your stove runs hot; it protects the bottom layer from scorching.
serve · ~1 min
Fluff gently and serve the biryani hot.
Lift the rice from the side with a flat spoon so every serving gets both rice and chicken without breaking the grains too much.

PRO TIPS

What to keep in mind.

7 tips from the recipe — small details that make a real difference to the final dish.

1
Fry the onions in batches so they brown evenly and turn crisp instead of steaming.
2
Let the fried onions cool fully on a plate before layering; trapped steam will soften them.
3
Cook the chicken masala until the oil and yogurt mixture looks thick, not saucy, before adding rice.
4
Parboil the basmati only until the grain has a firm white core; it finishes cooking on dum.
5
Use a tight lid or seal the pot with foil to keep the saffron aroma and steam inside.
6
Rest the biryani 5 to 10 minutes after dum so the rice firms up and lifts in long grains.
7
When serving, scoop from the edge downward to keep the rice separate and bring up chicken from the bottom.