My Take On BIRYANI- Simple and Healthy

Hello Beautiful ladies,
I'm back with a different type of post than what I usually do.
I love Biryani and this love made me experiment and learn how to make it. Being a student I don't want to spend 2/3 hours on preparation and cooking. So I'm always on the look out for a simple and hassle free techniques. Also I want it to be the most healthy. I like light and low oil preparations.
So this is my take on the very popular dish Biryani. . The below quantities make Biryani for two . .Only two tablespoon of oil is used and a bit of ghee for greasing. .So it's a healthy choice for all of those Moms who want a healthy meal for their kids. :)

Ingredients :

• Chicken  ( 5/6 moderately sized pieces)
• Rice :5 cups  Basmati or Good quality Dehra Doon Rice
• Onion -2 chopped finely. .Grate 1 onion into a paste or use a mixer to make onion paste
• Garlic- 1 medium sized
• Ginger- a little finely grated into paste
• Everest Shahi Biryani Masala -this is available at all grocery stores and malls. This makes Biryani like 4-5 times . .Its pretty cheap. It was like 25 rs. . In this masala you have the spices and flavours already infused. The garam masala and all other spices are blended propportionately so you do not need any other spices at such which makes it easy to use. :)
• Chilli paste or Chilli Powder and turmeric powder (¼ th of a teaspoon)
• Tomato Sauce / Tomato Puree
• Yogurt
• ¼ cup of warm milk and soak some saffron to infuse the biryani with color. I hate the artificial color used in Shops
• 1/2 drops of Meetha Attar
• Optional :You can add boiled eggs and boiled potatoes if you want when you layer the rice and chicken.

Now the Biryani would be best if you could marinate the chicken overnight but if you cannot, 2-3 hours before cooking would be fine too. .

Marinating the chicken

In a bowl put the clean chicken and add 2 tablespoons of yogurt, 1 tablespoon of tomato puree,onion paste, garlic paste, ginger paste, 2 teaspoon of Shahi Biryani Masala,  ½ teaspoon chilli paste or powder(this depends on individual preference),turmeric powder, salt as per taste . .Mix everything and cover the chicken with the paste.Cover the bowl with a lid or foil and keep in refrigerator for marinating overnight or at least 3 hours.The yogurt and the spices will soften the chicken and make it easier to cook the next day.

Marinated Chicken

Making The Rice:

Clean rice with water till clean from all impurities and soak in water for 30 min . Then in a large utensil add rice and fill the utensil to its ¾ th with fresh water,add the juice of a freshly squeezed lemon and salt. . The lemon will keep the rice from becoming  lumps. Keep a close watch and just before the water boils turn off the heat and separate the water from the rice and let the rice cool down by spreading it on a plate, preferably under a fan.

Rice

The Main Item . .Chicken:

In a kadhai take 2 tablespoon of oil and a little sugar. This will give a nice reddish color to the gravy. Now take the chopped onions and fry them till golden. Add half tablespoon of tomato puree. Now take out the marinated chicken and slowly add all the chicken pieces and the masala mix in the bowl. Mix a little water if required. . Now You can add a bit of chili powder and salt if needed. The great thing is that in the traditional method the most difficult part is the chicken but in this recipe it is the least difficult. Now stir occasionally and when oil seems to be extracted from the mixture (About after 5 mint's) add a cup of water(more if you have just marinated it for 3 hr) and cover the kadhai with a lid and let the chicken cook itself in the gravy. After 15 mint's check if the chicken is cooked and also the taste of the gravy. Add salt if needed. If chicken is not yet cooked add more water and leave the lid for another 10 minutes or till chicken is cooked thoroughly. Reduce the gravy as too much gravy will ruin the biryani. It should be creamy and not runny.

Final Step: 

Now take a large saucepan or Handi and grease it with a little bit of Ghee . .Place some bay leaves on the bottom of the Handi/ Saucepan (I prefer Aluminum ones) and then with the rice divided in 3 equal quantities spread one of such part as the bottom layer . . Place half of the chicken pieces on top of the bottom layer . .This makes the second layer . Top it with the second part of the rice. Then add the remaining pieces of the chicken on the fourth layer and top it with another layer of rice. Then add the gravy on top of all the layers. Sprinkle 1/2 drops of Attar. And then sprinkle the Saffron infused milk generously. Close the lid and then place an old tawa on the Gas and on top of it place this Handi. This will ensure that the bottom layer does not burn. After 5 min's carefully open the lid and mix the contents as to provide heat to all the contents . .Do this two times and then remove from heat. Serve hot. .

Chicken Biryani

Hope you like this method . .Today I made this biryani and my Sis totally loves it. We sometimes garnish it with Cashews and Raisins. . :)
Serves 3 adults . .
Please leave feedback on how you like it and whether you want to see these kind of posts in the future.
SGD
Pics:Google images