Kannur Chicken Biriyani

Ingredients:

1 kg chicken, cut into medium pieces

3 cups jeerakashala rice / kaima rice/ basmati rice

5 onions, sliced

1 piece ginger

8 garlic cloves

6-8 green chillies

2 large tomatoes, chopped

2 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp garam masala

1/4 cup coriander leaves

3 tbsp mint leaves

2 tbsp lime juice

6 cups boiling water

1 inch piece cinnamon

3 cloves

3 cardamoms

4 tbsp ghee

10 cashew nuts

2 tbsp raisins

4 tbsp oil

salt to taste

Preparation:

1. Wash the rice and keep it aside to drain.
2. Crush garlic, ginger and green chillies together and keep it aside.
3. Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add the sliced onions and saute till transparent.
4. Add crushed garlic-ginger and green chilly paste and saute well.
5. Add chopped tomatoes, mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes.
6. Add coriander powder, turmeric powder, salt , mint leaves and 2 tbsp coriander leaves and mix well.
7. Add cleaned chicken pieces, mix well and cook for a whistle. Switch off the flame.
8. Once the pressure is gone, measure out 1 cup of chicken stock from the cooked chicken masala and keep it aside.
9. Add remaining coriander leaves and lime juice to the chicken masala and cook on high flame till the masala is almost dry and coats the chicken.
10. Add 1/2 tsp garam masala and switch off the drain.
11. Heat ghee in a large pan and add 1 sliced onion and fry till brown and keep it aside. Fry the cashew nuts and raisins and keep it aside.
12. In the same pan, add the cinnamon, cloves and cardamoms and fry for a minute.
13. Add the drained rice and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add boiling water to the rice and when water starts to boil, add the salt and reduce the flame to low and cook covered till done.
14. When rice is cooked and water is completely dried, add the chicken stock and mix well.
15. In a large thick bottomed pan, spread the chicken masala, then half the cooked rice.
16. Then sprinkle half of the fried onions, raisins, cashew nuts, 1 tsp garam masala and few chopped coriander and mint leaves.
17. Add the remaining rice and sprinkle remaining fried onions, raisins, cashew nuts, 1/2 tsp garam masala and chopped coriander leaves on top.
18. Close with a tight lid and cook on low flame for 15-20 minutes.
19. While serving, take off the rice into a serving plate and spread the chicken masala on top of it. Serve hot with raita ....

Recipe adapted from The Big Sweet Tooth...