Chicken Dum Biryani

Name: Chicken Dum Biryani
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: hyderabadi
Ingredients: 1.5 cup basmati rice (soaked for 30 minutes and drained); 600 g chicken (bone-in medium pieces); 0.75 cup yogurt (plain, whisked); 3 pcs onion (medium, thinly sliced); 2 pcs tomato (medium, chopped); 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste; 3 pcs green chili (slit); 0.5 cup mint (loosely packed leaves); 0.5 cup coriander leaves (chopped); 3 tbsp milk (warm); 6 pcs saffron (soaked in warm milk); 2 tbsp ghee; 0.5 cup oil (for frying onions); 2 pcs bay leaf; 4 pcs green cardamom; 4 pcs cloves; 1 inch cinnamon (stick); 0.5 tsp shah jeera; 0.5 tsp red chili powder; 1 pinch turmeric powder; 0.5 tsp garam masala; 1 tsp coriander powder; 1 tbsp lemon juice; 0.25 tsp salt (for chicken masala); 6 cup water (for parboiling rice); 0.5 cup whole wheat flour (for sealing the pot)

RATING

4.6/5(215)

TASTE SCORE

10/10

Fragrant basmati rice layered with spiced chicken, mint, and saffron milk, then sealed and cooked on dum until every grain turns aromatic. This celebratory biryani tastes rich and deeply satisfying without needing a heavy hand with oil.

PREP

35m

COOK

55m

SERVES

1 KATORI

921 cal

SERVINGS

METHOD · 9 STEPS

prep · ~30 min
Soak the rice and saffron.
1.Rinse the basmati rice until the water runs mostly clear.
2.Soak the rice in fresh water for 30 minutes, then drain well.
3.Soak the saffron in warm milk and set aside.
TIPLong grains stay separate when soaked first and drained well before parboiling.
fry · ~12 min
Fry the onions until deep golden.
1.Heat the oil in a heavy pan over medium heat.
2.Add the sliced onion and fry, stirring often, until deep golden and crisp.
3.Lift the onions out and let them drain; reserve the flavored oil.
TIPPull the onions out just before they look fully done because they darken more as they cool.
mix · ~15 min
Marinate the chicken.
In a large bowl, mix the chicken with yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala, lemon juice, 0.25 tsp salt, half the mint, half the coriander leaves, 1 tbsp fried onions, and the green chili. Coat well and let it stand while you start the rice.
boil · ~10 min
Parboil the rice.
1.Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a large pot.
2.Add bay leaf, green cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and 0.5 tsp salt.
3.Add the drained rice and cook until it is about 70 percent done, with a slight bite in the center.
4.Drain the rice immediately and spread it lightly so it does not keep cooking.
TIPThe rice must stay undercooked here so it finishes perfectly during dum cooking.
saute · ~15 min
Cook the chicken masala.
1.Heat ghee and 1 tbsp of the reserved onion oil in a heavy pot.
2.Add shah jeera and let it sizzle for a few seconds.
3.Add the chopped tomato and cook until soft and pulpy.
4.Add the marinated chicken and cook on medium heat until the chicken loses its raw color and the masala thickens.
5.Add 0.25 cup water only if the masala looks too dry.
TIPKeep the masala thick, not watery, or the biryani will turn sticky.
assemble · ~4 min
Layer the biryani.
1.Spread the chicken masala evenly in the pot.
2.Top with the parboiled rice in an even layer.
3.Scatter the remaining fried onions, mint, and coriander leaves over the rice.
4.Drizzle the saffron milk on top.
knead · ~5 min
Seal the pot for dum cooking.
Mix the whole wheat flour with enough water to make a soft dough. Roll it into a rope, press it around the rim of the pot, and cover tightly with a lid to seal in the steam.
simmer · ~35 min
Cook the biryani on dum.
Place the sealed pot over very low heat and cook for 25 minutes. Rest it off the heat for 10 minutes before opening the lid.
TIPUse the lowest heat possible so the bottom does not scorch before the rice finishes cooking.
serve
Fluff gently and serve.
Break the seal, fluff the rice from the sides with a flat spoon, and lift the biryani gently so the layers stay visible while serving.

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 to a deep golden brown, not light gold; they continue darkening after you remove them and give the biryani its signature sweetness.
2
Drain the parboiled rice as soon as it reaches about 70% doneness, or it can turn mushy during dum.
3
Keep the chicken masala fairly thick before layering; excess liquid will steam the rice instead of finishing it cleanly.
4
Use a heavy-bottomed pot or place a tawa under the biryani pot during dum to protect the bottom from scorching.
5
Let the sealed biryani rest for 10 minutes off the heat so the steam settles and the grains firm up before fluffing.
6
When serving, lift from the side and bottom with a flat spoon so each portion gets both masala and rice without breaking the grains.
7
The chicken can be marinated a few hours ahead in the refrigerator for deeper flavor and more tender meat.