Main Course: Kachhe Akhni ki Dum Murg Biryani

Here you go!

So finally I made this Biryani with pictures (Sorry due to poor light the pictures are not refine, you may find the pictures little dull).
So there are three versions of Biryani in HYDERABADI STYLE.  This one is a huge hit and most loved one from all three versions.  Specially prepared for all sorts of function.  For making this Biryani the steps are simple but absolutely important. Each steps have to be timed in a manner and there shouldnt be delay, in short to make it more precise and effective you need a HELPING Hand.  I sincerely Thank my Mother Meher Sultana, my greatest help and my Cousin Sister Rukhsana Begum, who is greatest chef for sharing this recipe.

So here is what all you need:

For RICE:
1 kg - Good Quality Basmati Rice (I made this with Daawat and it will surely not let you down)

2 tbsp - Pure Ghee (Clarified Butter) 

1 seeds - Nutmeg (Javitri)

2-3  Mace (Jauth)

1 Stick - Dalchini (Cinnamon)

3-4 - Hari  Elachi (Green Cardamaom)

2-3 - Laung (Cloves)

1- Tejpatta (Small Bayleaf)

1 tsp heaped - Shah Zeera (Carraway Seeds )

3-4 sprigs - Pudina (Mint leaves)

2-3 sprigs - Hara Dhaniya (Corriander leaves)

1 tbsp - Salt

Water 3 times the quantity of rice (We will cook the Rice by Draining method until rice is 2/3rd cooked, Chawal mein 2 Kani honi Chahiye). 

NOTE: you will only start cooking rice when your marinated meat is kept for marination almost 1 hour before.

Method:
1] Wash and Soak rice for 30 minutes.
2] After the meat marination is done almost 1 hour and it is set for giving Dum, start cooking rice by adding all the above ingredients in water along with rice.

3] Cook it until you get '2 KANI' in Rice.

4] Immediately drain (you should not delay else rice will over cook). And add the layer of rice on top of Marinated meat in a broad vessel to be used for giving DUM.

NOTE: for cooking Rice always use Larger vessel 2 times the Quantity of Rice and water.

For Kacchi Akhni (Raw meat marinate):
3 - Kanda Pyaaz (Medium Onions) thinly Sliced
4 tbspl - Refined cooking oil

Fry the onions until golden brown in oil.

Spread it over a thali nicely ensuring they are not lumped together to make it crispier (Fired onions are called 'BRISTA'

for MARINATE

1 - Skinless Chicken (approx 1.250kgs in weight) medium cut

1tsp -Mace and Nutmeg powder (1 Nutmeg seeds and 2 mace) grinded in fine powder

1tsp - Hari elaichi powder (Green Cardamom Powder)

500 gms - Dahi (Curd)

3-4 - Hari Mirch ka paste (Green chillies paste)

2 tbspl - Ginger Garlic Paste

1/2 tsp - Haldi (Turmeric Powder)

1 1/2 tsp - Garam Masala Powder (made from 4 Green cardamoms, 2 cloves, 2 cinnamon, 2-3 Peppercorns)

2 tsp - Lal mirch powder (Red Chilli powder)

Salt to taste

1 tbsp - Asli Ghee (Clarified Butter)

1 tsp - Shah Zeera

1 tbsp - Akkha Garam Masala (1 Cinnamon, 3 green cardamom and 2 cloves)

3-4 sprigs - Pudina (Mint leaves)

2-3 sprigs - Hara Dhaniya (Corriander leaves)

1-2 sprigs - Soya, shepu (Dil leaves)

* The recipe adds Powdered Garam Masala and Whole garam masala in which Green cardamom is more)

METHOD:

1] Clean wash and drain chicken.

2] Mix all of the above masala in chicken except Ghee.  

3] Add the mint, corriander and Dil leaves in the marinated meat.

4] Leave it for marination for approximately 1 hour

5] from the fried onions remove half onions and crush them with hands. retain other half for later.

6] Mix the crushed onions in the marinate along with 4 tbsp oil in which you have fried onions

7] In a broad cooking vessel in which you will give dum.  Spread ghee evenly in the vessel and then pour the marinated meat in it. Meanwhile your Rice should be on stove for cooking.

8] Keep these 4 things ready
- 1 cup milk in which few Kesar strands (Saffron) is dissolved,

- Remaining fried onions,
- 1 lemon juice,
- 2-3 sprigs each of corriander and mint leaves chopped

9] In the vessel over marinated meat, add the rice and then sprinkle fried onions

10] Sprinkle chopped Corriander and Mint leaves, Sprinkle with fingers the saffron dissolved milk evenly along with lime juice.

11] Put some more Ghee on top of the rice.

12] Take the Lid and cover the vessel tightly, use kneaded dough to seal the sides of vessel and the lid.

13] On a high flame give dum for about 10 minutes.

14] Remove Vessel from flame, keep a griddle on flame and return back the vessel on griddle and on slow flame continue giving Dum for about 30 minutes. If you are using larger chunks of chicken then 40 minutes will be dum time.

15] After dum process cut the dough and remove lid from the vessel.  Mix well

16] Serve hot with Veg Raita and Mirchi Ka Saalan.



SHUKRIYA.....