On 7th March 2016, This was Dinner…
I’m not obsessed with the stats on the blog, I just love doing it, but what I always notice when I’m making sure I’ve replied to my comments is that a Jamie Oliver Lamb Biryani post is my most popular and still gets plenty of views weekly.
So every time I notice it I think ‘I must make that again’. I finally decided to make a chicken one instead after organising my old recipes last week when I came across this Delicious magazine recipe which claims to be ‘The Best Chicken Biryani’.
I must admit, the lamb one was better but this was still good. You won’t forgive me for all the washing up later either.
A bit of prep before – one to two days before…
Halve some chicken thighs.
Bash & finely chop 6 garlic cloves.
Roughly chop 2 green chillies.
Peel & Grate some fresh ginger.
Get Greek yoghurt, hot chilli powder, sweet paprika, ground coriander & ground turmeric ready.
Mix everything (apart from the chicken) together then stir in the chicken pieces. Cover and chill.
Get Set…
- Halve some chicken thighs
- Bruise 6 cardamom pods
- Finely slice a couple of onions & coat in plain flour
- Toast some cashew nuts
- Chop some coriander
- Get vegetable oil, basmati rice, saffron, ghee*, cloves, milk, bay leaves, cumin seeds, ground nutmeg, star anise, tomato purée & salt ready
Throw it together…
Soak the rice in cold water for an hour.
Heat about 1cm of the oil in a pan and cook the onions for 2-3 minutes until golden, do in batches. Remove to kitchen paper.
Heat more oil in a large pan. Add cloves, cinnamon, cardomom, bay leaves, cumin seeds, nutmeg & star anise and allow everything to release their aromas then add the chicken, along with the marinade.
Cook for 5 minutes then add tomato purée and salt. Simmer for about half an hour until the chicken is cooked. Keep warm over a low heat and add water if required but you don’t want the sauce runny.
Soak the saffron in a little milk.
Cook the rice in boiling, salted water for a few minutes then drain and stir in the ghee.
Heat more of the ghee with some water in a casserole pan with a lid.
Put a third of the rice in the bottom of the pan, drizzle with saffron milk then scatter some of the onions. Pop on half of the chicken then repeat finishing with rice and onions on top.
Pop the lid on and turn up the heat to start the steam then turn down low and cook for 20 minutes.
Scatter over the coriander and cashews.
Dish it up…
Just a big old couple of spoonfuls with a beer!
I loved the onions done like this so much that I’ve used the method again since.
** I couldn’t get my hands on any ghee so I just boiled some butter for around 3 minutes then reduced the heat. It produces a foam which disappears. After about 7 to 8 minutes a 2nd foam appears and the butter turns brown. Strain and use this liquid.
This was dinner... 