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Chicken Dum Biryani (Murg Biryani)

Chicken Dum Biryani (Murg Biryani)

5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Marinating Time 2 hours
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 4
Cuisine: India
Calories: 260
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For Beresta (Fried onion):
  • 1 large onion
  • Oil for frying
For the rice:
  • 600gr Basmati rice
  • 1 teaspoon caraway seeds (shah jeera)/ cumin seeds
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tablespoon oil/ Ghee (clarified butter)
  • 2 teaspoons of salt approximately
For the chicken marination:
  • 1kg chicken skinless cut into large pieces
  • 3 tablespoons of oil
  • 1 large onion finely chopped
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3-4 green cardamoms
  • 1/2 cinnamon stick
  • 3-4 cloves
  • 2 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste
  • 125g plain Greek yoghurt
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
  • 2 tablespoons homemade Biryani Masala
  • Salt to taste
For the garnish:
  • 1 cup Beresta (fried onion)
  • 1/2 cup warm whole milk
  • 1 tsp Saffron threads
  • 1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons mint leaves finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon of rose water
  • 2/3 tablespoons Ghee

Method
 

Beresta (Fried Onion):
  1. Cut the onion to thin julienne.
  2. Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onion in batches and fry them until golden.
  3. Spread them on a plate to air dry and they will turn crispy.
Rice preparation:
  1. Wash the rice under the running water until clean water comes out.
  2. Put a large pot with 3 litres of water on high heat. Add salt and taste. The water has to be slightly salty. Add oil, bay leaf and caraway seeds.
  3. When the water starts boiling, add the rice, stir everything well and let it cook for about 6 minutes. The rice should be cooked 80% or you can check by pressing a grain of rice between two fingers, it should be cooked still firm in the middle.
  4. Drain off the rice to a strainer and set it aside.
Chicken preparation:
  1. In a large bowl put the chicken pieces and all the ingredients for the marination except onion and the whole spices (bay leaf, cardamoms, cloves and cinnamon stick). Mix everything very well to coat all the chicken pieces. Let it marinate for 3 hours or overnight into the fridge.
  2. Put a large heavy-bottomed pan with oil or Ghee on medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add all whole spices and chopped onion.
  3. Fry the onion until golden and marinated chicken. Stir everything well and cover the pan. Let it cook on low flame until the water has absorbed, thick gravy is left in the pot with oil separated and the chicken is cooked.
Layering and Cooking Chicken Dum Biryani:
  1. Sprinkle some Beresta (fried onion), chopped coriander and mint leaves over the chicken gravy.
  2. Layer the rice over the chicken gravy. Again, sprinkle Beresta (fried onion), chopped coriander and mint leaves.
  3. Drizzle saffron milk mixture and Ghee all over the rice. Sprinkle with Kewra water (optional) and cover the pot with aluminium foil. Then put the lid over it and make sure to seal the pot completely.
  4. Let it cook on low flame for 20 minutes, then turn off the flame and let it rest for about 10 minutes before serving.
  5. Serve this delicious flavourful chicken biryani with Raita (Yoghurt Sauce).

Notes

Tips and Tricks:

  • If you are going prepare it on a gas stove, use an old frying pan or Tawa over the stove and then put the sealed pot on it for the final step (Dum).
  •  You can also make it in the oven. In this case, you have to use an oven-proof pot. After sealing the pot with aluminium foil put it into preheat the oven and cook it at 160C for 20-30 minutes.
  • It is recommended to layer the Chicken Biryani if you are going to make a large quantity. Before layering the rice keep aside half of the chicken curry. Layer half of the rice then repeat layering chicken curry and rice with all the garnish ingredients (saffron milk mixture, coriander- mint leaves, Beresta).