TOUR DE INDUS

 Hello ladies and gents this is the Viking telling you that today we are talking about

Andhra Style Chicken Biryani

Usually we go for Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani, but this time when I heard of Andhra Style Biryani, we ordered both to spot out the difference between those. I loved the Andhra Style Biryani and as a foodie I could smell the ingredients used in that Biryani and thought of trying out. Finally tried out for my Diwali Lunch, it was awesome.

Ingredients:

• Chicken – ½ kg
• Onions – 2 nos (medium size)
• Long grain / Basmathi Rice – 2 ½ cups (¼ kg) (I have used Jeera rice)
• Curd / Yogurt – ½ cup (2 ½ tbsp)
• Cloves – 5 nos
• Cardamom – 3 nos
• Cinnamon – 2 nos (2”inch stick)
• Bay leaf – 3 nos
• Star Anise – 4 nos
• Coriander leaves – two fistful;
• Mint leaves – two fistful
• Ginger-garlic paste – 3 tbsp
• Green chilies – 5 nos
• Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
• Coriander powder – 2 tsp
• Pepper powder – ½ tsp
• Salt to taste
• Oil – 2 tbsp
• Ghee/Clarified butter – 2 tbsp.

Preparation:

1. Clean and chop the chicken to large pieces. Keep it aside.
2. Peel and finely chop the onions and keep it aside.
3. Wash and finely chop the mint and coriander leaves, keep it aside.
4. Slit the green chilies into two equal halves and keep it aside.
5. Heat oil and ghee/clarified butter in a pressure cooker, add in the spices (cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf and star anise) and cook until they start turning dark in color.
6. Add in the onions along with ginger-garlic paste and green chilies. Cook until the onion turns golden brown.
7. Add in the chopped mint and coriander leaves, cook until they turn dark green in color.
8. Add in the coriander powder until raw smell goes off and pour in 1/2 cup of water, let it boil and thicken.
9. Add in the chicken pieces followed by turmeric powder and little salt. Cook for few mins or until the chicken turns pale white in color.
10. Pour in the curd/yogurt followed by pepper powder and cook for few mins or until it gets blends well with the chicken.
11. Clean the rice, drain the water and keep it aside.
12. Pour in a cup of water and cook until the chicken is half-cooked.
13. Add in the rice along with 4 ½ cups of water, allow it to boil.
14. Pour in 2 tsps of lemon juice, give a stir, cover with the lid and wait for 2 whistles.
15. Remove the lid when the pressure subsides, give a stir and serve hot.