Delhi Ki Biryani

This recipe was given to me by a Nepali house maid, who belonged to Uttarakhand. She learnt cooking during her stints in various Delhi homes, where she happened to also work in a high class Muslim homes, where she learnt how to make their authentic family recipe. She happened to be working for a friend’s family in Bangalore and seeing my love for biryani, shared the recipe.

Its amazing how most muslim families always have that one Biryani recipe that passes on from one generation to the next and Biryani from each of these homes are always distinct in flavors and delicious in their own way. Its beautiful when some people are ready to share their recipe so more people can enjoy the dish. After all, food flavors are worth sharing.

By the way, talking about distinct flavors, I hope you do know that adding spices at different times also changes the flavor of the biryani. A lot of people disagree with my point but actually that’s a fact. When you follow my biryani recipes, Please do make sure that you pay attention to what’s added when, because if you happen to switch ingredients entering a dish, it does change the taste which is a noticeable change. Please do share recipes with your friends and family when you like something you tried. Its food, it always tastes better when you share  😉  .

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Delhi Ki Biryani

A recipe made by Muslim families in Delhi.

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Cuisine

Indian, Mughlai

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

30 minutes

Passive Time

45 minutes

Servings

people MetricUS Imperial

Ingredients

• 2 Lbs Chicken [with bones] cut to medium to small size pieces
• 3 No. Onions Medium size, sliced
• 3 TBSP Ginger garlic paste
• 1 tsp Red chili powder
• 1 tsp Garam Masala Powder For homemade check the masala section
• 1 TBSP Coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1/4 tsp Nutmeg powder
• 1 cup Yoghurt whisked
• 4.5 cups Long grain Basmati Rice Washed and soaked for 20 minutes
• 6 cups Meat/ Chicken Stock
• 6-7 TBSP Lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp saffron strands
• 1/2 tsp Caraway seeds
• 2 No. Star Anise
• 1 No. Cinnamon stick Medium size
• 3 TBSP screwpine water Kewra, Add a pinch of yellow/orange food color if you desire
• 1/2 cup Coriander leaves chopped
• 1/2 cup Mint leaves chopped
• 8 No. Green chilies chopped/ sliced
• 60 gms Ghee
• 2 tsp Salt More or less according to your taste
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup Coriander leaves + Mint leaves For the Rice

Cuisine Indian, Mughlai Prep Time 15 minutes Cook Time 30 minutes Passive Time 45 minutes Servings people MetricUS Imperial Ingredients 2 Lbs Chicken [with bones] cut to medium to small size pieces 3 No. Onions Medium size, sliced 3 TBSP Ginger garlic paste 1 tsp Red chili powder 1 tsp Garam Masala Powder For homemade check the masala section 1 TBSP Coriander powder 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder 1/4 tsp Nutmeg powder 1 cup Yoghurt whisked 4.5 cups Long grain Basmati Rice Washed and soaked for 20 minutes 6 cups Meat/ Chicken Stock 6-7 TBSP Lemon juice 1/2 tsp saffron strands 1/2 tsp Caraway seeds 2 No. Star Anise 1 No. Cinnamon stick Medium size 3 TBSP screwpine water Kewra, Add a pinch of yellow/orange food color if you desire 1/2 cup Coriander leaves chopped 1/2 cup Mint leaves chopped 8 No. Green chilies chopped/ sliced 60 gms Ghee 2 tsp Salt More or less according to your taste 1/2 cup olive oil 1/4 cup Coriander leaves + Mint leaves For the Rice

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Instructions

1. Heat 2 TBSP of oil in a heavy based pan. Add onions and fry till golden brown. Take 2 TBSP out to garnish later. Leave the rest in the pan and add ginger garlic paste. Fry till the raw smell goes away.

   
2. Add chicken and salt and fry for about 7-8 minutes till the moisture evaporates.

   
3. Add chili powder, garam masala, turmeric powder, coriander powder and nutmeg powder. Mix and fry for few minutes.

   
4. Add around 1 cup of chicken stock and cook covered on medium slow flame for around 10 minutes till chicken is cooked. Add coriander leaves and green chilies. Mix well.

   
5. Add Yoghurt and Mint leaves. Cook till just about ½ cup gravy is left.

   
6. Now to cook Rice: Take another pan and add 1 TBSP oil. Add caraway seeds, cinnamon stick and star anise. Add the remaining meat/ chicken stock. Add another 6 glasses of water. Add salt, coriander leaves and mint leaves. Let the water come to a boil.

   
7. Drain the water from the soaked rice. Add the rice to boiled water. Boil for around 10 minutes. Once the rice is 70% cooked, drain the water.

   
8. Assemble the steaming hot rice on the top of the cooked yakhni.

   
9. Add ghee, lemon juice and kewra water. Also add saffron strands and fried onions kept aside for garnishing.

   
10. Cover the pan with a cotton cloth followed by the lid. Keep in a preheated oven at 350F for 40 minutes.

    
11. Serve with onion raita on the side. ENJOY!!!

    

Recipe Notes

• In case you do not have Mutton/ chicken stock, you could also use chicken stock cubes, 2 cubes boiled in 6 cups of water should fulfill the requirement of 6 cups of chicken stock.