Kozhi Choru / Malabar Chicken Rice

Ingredients:

1 kg chicken
2 medium onions, sliced
2 green chillies, slit
4 garlic cloves, crushed
small piece ginger, crushed
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp fennel powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 bay leaf
2 cardamoms
4 cloves
1 cinnamon
7-8 peppercorns
1 tbsp ghee
1 tbsp oil
2 cups basmati rice/ jeerakasala rice
2 cups water
salt to taste
chopped coriander leaves


Preparation:

1. Cut the chicken into small pieces, clean it and keep it aside.
2. Wash and soak the rice in water for 30 minutes. Drain the water and keep it aside.
3. Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan and saute sliced onion and green chillies with little salt till transparent.
4. Add ginger and garlic and saute till raw smell is gone.
5. Add chopped tomatoes and cook till soft and mashed.
6. Add coriander powder, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and fennel powder, mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes.
7. Add the cleaned chicken pieces and mix well. Sprinkle in the garam masala and cook on low flame till it releases stock and is 80 % done.
8. Meanwhile, heat ghee in a large pan and fry cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf and peppercorns.
9. Add drained rice to this and saute for 4-5 minutes on medium flame till crisp.
10. Add the water with salt and cook covered on low flame till the water is absorbed by the rice.
11. Add the rice into the cooking chicken and stock and mix well. Then cook it covered on low flame for another 15 minutes or till completely cooked.
12. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with raita, pickle etc…