Thalassery Chicken Dum Biryani

Thalassery Chicken Dum Biryani

          Thalassery, is a small city famous in its vast heritage. A biryani from thalassery is one of the most popular dishes in the Malabar community, go ahead and try it out............

For video of this recipe, please visit the following link.........

Ingradients:

For the Chicken Masala

1.    Chicken cut into pieces – 5oogms.

2.    Onions- 4 sliced.

3.    Green Chilies – 5-8 depending on spice level.

4.    Ginger paste – 2 tsp.

5.    Garlic paste - 2 Tbsp.

6.    Tomato – 2 big chopped

7.    Curd -1/4 cup.

8.    Coriander leaves.

9.    Mint leaves.

10.  Garam Masala Powder –  1 Tbsp.

11.  Lemon juice – 2 tsp.

12.  Ghee – 100 gms.

13.  Pepper powder – ¼ tsp.

14.  Chilly powder – 1 tsp.

For Ghee Rice

1.    Kyma rice/ jeerakashala rice –  2 cups.

2.    Cinnamon – 1 inch

3.    Cardamom – 4

4.    Cloves  - 4

5.    Ghee – 1 table spoon.

6.    Salt

7.    Water – 3 cups.

For grarnishing:

1.    Cashew nuts - 1/4 cup.

2.    Raisins – 1/4 cup.

3.    Fried onion.

Other ingradients:

1.   Rose essence – 1/2 tsp.

2.   Saffron mixed in 1 tbsp milk (optional).

3.   Coriander leaves – handful chopped

4.   All purpose flour – 1 cups

5.   Water – required

Method of Preparation:

a.   To make garnishing items:

1.   Heat ghee in a pan. ( you can also use ghee with sunflower oil)

2.   Fry cashew nuts, raisins and onion. And keep aside.

b.  To make the chicken masala

1. Clean the chicken pieces well.

2. Take a large pan, large enough to contain the chicken and the rice. ( Same pan that we can put dum.)

3. Heat ghee in a pan. Add tomato, green chilies, ginger paste and garlic paste, fry till the raw smell is gone.

4. Add the chicken pieces and the required amount of salt to this and mix well. Cook covered for 15 minutes on a medium low flame till cooked through. The chicken should not overcook.

5. Sprinkle some coriander leaves and curry leaves. Also add pepper powder, garam masala, chilly powder, turmeric powder, lemon juice, curd and cashew nut paste.

6. Transfer half portion of fried onion. Close the lid and cook it a low flame for 5 mins. Take the pan off the flame and keep aside..

c.To make the ghee rice

1. Wash the rice till the water runs clear. Drain the rice using a colander, till all the water is gone.

2. Heat ghee in pan.

3.Add the whole spices – cinnamon, cardamom and cloves to the pan and saute 1 min.

4.Add the drained rice and fry for 5 minutes.

5. Add salt and boiling water to the rice. Water should be added in the proportion 1 cup rice – add 1 3/4 cup water.

6.  Add 2 tbsp of masala to the rice. It gives nice flavor to your rice.

6.Bring the flame to a simmer, lid the pan and cook till all the water is absorbed and the rice is cooked.

Assembly

1. Now that the chicken and the rice is cooked it is time for the assembly ( Dum).

2. Take the big pan in which we cooked the chicken. Sprinkle some coriander leaves and fried onion. Layer 1/2 of the rice over the chicken.

3. Sprinkle some caramelized onions, mint, coriander leaves, cashews and raisins over it.

4. Spread remaining rice over it.

5.Sprinkle some coriander leaves and a little garam masala powder some caramelized onions, mint, cashews and raisins over the rice.

6.Dot the rice with the saffron- milk color some places and pour 1 tsp of the rose water over the rice.

7. Repeat this process.

8.  Make a dough out of the all purpose flour with some water ( like chappathi ).

9. Close the vessel with the layered biryani and seal the edges of the lid with this dough, there should not be even the slightest opening and the briyani should cook and the flavors should meld together. Spread coal over the lid and cook it in a low flame for 5 mints.

10.  Do not have coals here there are two other ways to do it.

a. Stove top method – Place a tawa or a frying pan on the lowest burner of your stove. The flame should be at the lowest setting. Place the biryani vessel on top of the frying pan and let cook for 20 minutes or so.

b. Oven method – Preheat the oven to 200C. Place the biryani vessel in the oven and let bake for 40 minutes.

11. Keep the pan for 1-3 hours. Break open the seal. The smell will be amazing.

12. Serving of thalassery biriyani is also different. Take two pieces of chicken with some masala. Then spread two to three spoon of rice. Level it and sprinkle some coriander leaves, some caramelized onions,cashews and raisins over the rice.

12. Serve the biryani hot with some raitha, dates pickle etc.
13. Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!