Mia Patel
Hyderabadi chicken dum biryani is an aromatic and delicious Indian dish with juicy chicken in layers of fluffy rice, fragrant spices, and fried onions. It is believed that biryani originated in Persia and was brought to India by the Mughals. There are two ways to prepare chicken dum biryani: the Kachi method and the Pakki method. In the Kachi method, raw ingredients are marinated and placed at the bottom of a utensil, layered with partially cooked rice, saffron, sealed, and cooked slowly. The Pakki method involves cooking the meat and rice separately and then layering them with saffron and cooking them for a shorter time. The preparation involves marinating the chicken with spices and other ingredients, layering partially cooked basmati rice over it, and cooking it slowly, trapping the steam to retain the aroma.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Preparation time | 2 hours |
| Marinating time | 1-3 hours or overnight |
| Cooking time | 35 minutes |
| Ingredients | Chicken, basmati rice, yogurt, salt, red chilli powder, biryani masala, turmeric, green chillies, ginger garlic paste, cardamom powder, lemon juice, ghee, coriander leaves, saffron, kewra water, rose essence, mint leaves, cinnamon stick, cardamoms, cloves, bay leaf, star anise, shahi jeera, birista, oil |
| Utensils | Mixing bowl, heavy pan, griddle, tawa, pot, oven-safe bowl |
| Techniques | Frying, marinating, baking, dum cooking |
| Serving suggestions | Raita, baghare baingan, mirchi ka salan, Hyderabadi tomato egg curry, kheer, falooda |
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What You'll Learn
Marinate the chicken for at least 2 hours or overnight
To prepare the chicken for marination, slice 500 grams of onions thinly and deep fry them in oil until they turn a deep brown colour. This should take around 20-25 minutes. Set half of the fried onions aside for later. Next, make the marinade by adding 2/3 cup (165 ml) of yogurt, 3/4 teaspoon of salt, 1 to 1-1/2 teaspoon of red chilli powder, 1 to 1-1/2 teaspoon of biryani masala, 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric, 2 slit green chillies, 1-1/4 tablespoons of ginger garlic paste, 1/2 teaspoon of cardamom powder, and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to a mixing bowl. Mix all the ingredients together and taste the marinade. Add more salt if needed. Then, add the chicken to the marinade and mix well. Cover the bowl and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight or for at least 2 hours. The longer the chicken is left to marinate, the more tender and flavourful it will be.
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Wash and soak the rice for 30 minutes
Wash the rice thoroughly with water a few times until the water runs clear. This is an important step as it removes the excess starch from the rice, preventing it from becoming sticky and mushy during cooking. Drain the water and soak the rice in fresh water for at least 30 minutes. Soaking the rice helps it absorb moisture, resulting in longer grains that are firm and separate, rather than sticky.
While the rice is soaking, you can prepare the chicken and other ingredients. It is important to time this step correctly so that the rice is ready to be cooked when the chicken is marinated and ready to go into the biryani.
For the chicken, you can follow a simple marination process by adding yoghurt, salt, red chilli powder, biryani masala, turmeric, green chillies, ginger garlic paste, cardamom powder, lemon juice, and chicken to a mixing bowl. Mix the ingredients well and adjust the salt to taste. Cover the bowl and refrigerate it for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight, to allow the chicken to absorb the flavours and become tender.
In addition to the chicken, you can also prepare fried onions, which are a key ingredient in Hyderabadi chicken dum biryani. Slice onions thinly and deep fry them in oil until they turn a deep brown colour. This process takes about 20-25 minutes. Set the fried onions aside as they will be used later for layering the biryani.
Once the rice has soaked for 30 minutes and the chicken has been marinated, you can move on to the next step of cooking the rice and assembling the biryani.
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Fry the potatoes and onions
To fry the potatoes and onions, start by heating oil in a pan. Deep fry the potatoes until they are golden brown. Drain the excess oil and set the potatoes aside. In the same oil, add the onions and fry them until they turn golden brown. This should take around 20-25 minutes. Set half of the fried onions aside for topping and layering.
The onions will slowly start to brown and change colour to a deep cocoa. Keep sauteing every couple of minutes, as the onions in the corner of the pan will brown faster. Keep moving and mixing the onions.
You can also add spices to the onions while frying. Saute the onions with spices such as bay leaf, star anise, shahi jeera, cloves, and cardamom.
The fried potatoes and onions will be layered with the chicken and rice, along with other ingredients such as coriander leaves, mint leaves, kewra water, rose essence, and saffron-soaked milk.
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Layer the chicken, rice, potatoes, onions, and spices
Layering the chicken, rice, potatoes, onions, and spices is an important step in making Hyderabadi chicken dum biryani. Here is a detailed guide on how to do it:
Prepare the Chicken and Rice
Before layering, the chicken and rice need to be prepared. Marinate the chicken for at least 1 hour, or overnight for more tender and juicy meat. The rice should be washed, soaked in water for 30 minutes, and then boiled until it is 75% cooked.
Layering Process
Now you are ready to begin the layering process:
- Place the chicken in a large pan, creating an even layer at the bottom.
- Sprinkle half of the fried onions over the chicken.
- Add a layer of cooked rice on top of the chicken and onions.
- Add the fried potatoes, coriander leaves, mint leaves, kewra water, rose essence, and saffron-soaked milk.
- Top with another layer of rice.
- Drizzle ghee over the rice and add the remaining fried onions.
- Cover the pot with foil and a tight lid to trap the steam and cook the biryani.
Cooking the Biryani
After layering, the biryani is cooked using the "dum" process. This involves sealing the pot to trap steam and cooking the biryani slowly. It can be cooked on a stovetop or in an oven. On a stovetop, cook on medium heat for 12 to 15 minutes. In an oven, preheat to 180 degrees Celsius and cook for 15 to 25 minutes.
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Bake for 30-40 minutes at 390F or 200C
Once you have prepared your Hyderabadi chicken dum biryani for baking, cover the pot with foil to trap the steam or dum. Then, place a tight and heavy lid on top. If your lid is not tight-fitting, place a heavy pot on top of the lid.
Preheat your oven to 390°F or 200°C. Bake your Hyderabadi chicken dum biryani for 30 to 40 minutes. The baking time will vary slightly depending on the depth of the casserole or pot used. If your chicken is too moist after baking, place it back in the oven for another 10 minutes.
After baking, place the biryani over a thick, hot griddle or tawa. Set the flame to medium-high so that the flame reaches all over the diameter of the casserole. Cook for 20 minutes. Then, reduce the flame to the lowest setting and cook for exactly 15 minutes. Turn off the flame and let the biryani rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
Finally, garnish your Hyderabadi chicken dum biryani with fresh chopped coriander leaves and serve with raita.
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Frequently asked questions
Marinate the chicken for at least 1 hour, but for the best results, leave it overnight in the refrigerator.
You will need chicken, basmati rice, yoghurt, salt, red chilli powder, biryani masala, turmeric, green chillies, ginger garlic paste, cardamom powder, lemon juice, ghee, oil, saffron, kewra water, rose essence, coriander leaves, and mint leaves.
First, deep fry the potatoes (if using) until golden brown, then set them aside. Next, add onions to the oil and fry until golden. Set aside half of the fried onions for topping. Then, marinate the chicken with yoghurt, salt, red chilli powder, biryani masala, turmeric, green chillies, ginger garlic paste, cardamom powder, lemon juice, and half of the fried onions. Leave to marinate for at least 1 hour. Meanwhile, wash and soak the rice for 30 minutes, then boil it with whole spices and salt until it is 75% cooked. Drain the rice and set it aside. Now, take a large pan and add the chicken at the base, followed by layers of cooked rice, fried potatoes, coriander leaves, mint leaves, kewra water, rose essence, saffron milk, ghee, and fried onions. Cover the pot with foil and a tight lid to trap the steam. Bake in the oven at 390F or 200C for 30-40 minutes, then reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cook for another 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the biryani rest for 20-30 minutes before serving.
