Sindhi Biryani

Prep Time: 30 minutes                                                                        Serves: 8

Cook Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes

Ingredients:

½ kg Basmati rice, soaked for 30-60 mins

6 +4 whole green chilies

4 Tbsp fresh coriander leaves

½ cup cooking oil

2 large onions, sliced thinly

4 large tomatoes, sliced

1 Tbsp whole mix spices1

2 Tbsp ginger garlic paste, heaped

2 tsp chili powder, heaped

2 tsp salt, leveled

1 kg chicken cut into 12 pieces

2-3 potatoes, cut into quarters

1 cup yogurt, whisked till smooth

½ tsp garam masala powder

10-12 dried plums soaked in warm water

Fresh coriander leaves, chopped

Fresh mint leaves

¼ tsp yellow food color

Directions:

1.      Boil rice in water + 2 Tbsp salt + ½ tsp black cumin + a bay leaf. Cook till rice is 3/4^th of the way done. Drain and set aside.

2.      Grind together 6 green chilies along with the fresh coriander. Add just a splash of water to help the grinder going. Set aside.

3.      In a pan, heat the oil and fry the sliced onions, constantly mixing, till dark brown. Take out the fried onions and spread them on some paper towels. When dry, crush them coarsely with your hands.

4.      In the same pan used before, add the tomatoes, ginger garlic, the grinded chili coriander mix, the whole spices, red chili powder and salt. Constantly mix with a wooden spoon. When the tomatoes turn mushy and oil appears on the surface, add in the chicken pieces, potatoes, and half cup water. Mix. Cover the pan and leave to cook on low heat.

5.      When the chicken is half done, add the yogurt, fried onions, garam masala powder, and the 4 whole green chilies. Mix well, cover and leave to cook till both chicken and potatoes are tender.

6.      Grease the bottom of a bigger pot with a spoon of oil. Transfer half of the boiled rice. Top with the entire chicken mix. Spread it. Sprinkle the fresh coriander and mint leaves + the dried plums. Top it off with the rest of the boiled rice. Spread it and press the rice with the back of your spoon.

7.      With the end of your wooden spoon, make holes in the rice, going ¾ of the way down. In these holes spoon in the yellow food color mixed in some water.²

8.      Cover with a tight lid and place on very low heat for about 15-20 minutes to steam.

9.      Mix and serve immediately with mint raita and fresh cucumber salad.

10.  Enjoy!

Notes

1.      Whole spices include: 1 bay leaf (tayz pata), 2 cinnamon sticks, 4-6 black cloves, 4-6 black peppercorns, 3-5 green cardamom pods (hari illachi), 2 black cardamom pods (bhari illachi), 1 tsp cumin seeds (sabat zeera)

2.      This is optional, it’s the way I do it. Alternatively, you can just pour the food color mixed in little water, in just one go over the rice.

Recipe source: The amazing Shireen Anwer