CHETTINAD CHICKEN BIRYANI

Ingredients:

Chicken pieces with bone - 3/4 kg (750 g)
Basmati rice - 4 cups (740 gms)
Onion large sized (sliced) - 3 nos
Tomato large sized (chopped) - 3 nos
Mint leaves (chopped) - 1 bunch
Coriander leaves (chopped) - 1/4 bunch
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Curd - 1/4 cup
Coconut milk - 2 cups
Fried cashewnuts - 20 nos
Water - 4 cups
Bay leaves - 2 nos
Oil - 5 to 6 tbsp

Masala to grind:

(Grind below ingredients to smooth paste)
Green chilli - 10 nos
Ginger chopped - 2 pieces
Garlic cloves - 8 nos
Cinnamon stick - 2 piece
Cardamom - 3 nos
Cloves - 6 nos
Water - 1 tsp

Method:

•  Marinate chicken pieces with ground masala paste, chopped mint leaves and 1/4 tsp turmeric powder.
• Mix 2 cups of coconut milk with 4 cups of water.
• Soak basmati rice in coconut milk and water mixture for half an hour.
• Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan with lid, when oil is hot add bay leaves and onions. Saute onions until they are slightly browned.
• Now add the marinated chicken along with masala & mint leaves to the sauted onions and fry until the chicken turns pale in color.
• Next add the chopped tomatoes, curd, red chilli powder and rest of turmeric powder to the pan.
• Saute well until tomatoes are cooked, add few tbsp of water to the pan, stir well everything.
• When light gravy is formed, reduce heat, cover pan with tight lid and leave chicken to cook in gravy for 10 mins.
• After 10 mins add coconut milk & water mixture from soaked basmati rice and required salt for making biryani to the gravy.
• Turn the heat to high and bring the biryani gravy to boil.
• When gravy starts boiling add soaked basmati rice to the pan and stir well.
• When 1/2 of water is absorbed by the rice, reduce heat to low, cover pan with tight lid and cook biryani rice until tender.
• Finally garnish chettinad chicken biryani with coriander leaves and fried cashew nuts.
• Serve hot with onion raita, plain salna and boiled egg.