Kozhikode Biryani
Biryani is a non-vegetarian dish most popular in south India and can be prepared in different ways. In Kerala, Kozhikode Biryani is most famous which has got appreciation from world wide. Though it takes some effort and time, it tastes really good when prepared in traditional copper or brass vessels. In fact Kozhikode is famous for its biryani and other non-vegetarian items. Here I am telling you, how it can be made at home. Both normal hearths and oven can be used for this type of preparation, but not gas stoves.
Ingredients:
Biryani rice - 1 kg
Curd - 1 cup
Chicken - 1 kg
Green chillies - 25
Crushed ginger - 2-2.5 table spoon
Crushed garlic - 2-2.5 table spoon
Onion sliced - 250 g
Ghee - 250 g
Raisins - 3 table spoon
Cashew nuts - 3 table spoon
Cinnamon - 5 pieces of 1 inch length each
Curry leaves cut into small pieces - 2-3 tsp
Coriander and mint leaves cut into small pieces - 2 tablespoon each
Lemon juice - 1.5-2 table spoon
Coriander grinded - 2 table spoon
Kuskus grinded - 2 table spoon
Shah jeera - 1 table spoon
Cardamom - 7-8
Nutmeg - 1/4
Mace - 1.5-2 tsp
Cloves - 5
Maida or wheat powder - 2 cup
Salt - As needed
Method of preparation:
1. Take rice in a container. Add sufficient amount of water (needed to half cook the rice), salt and 4 pieces of cinnamon to it and boil it well.
2. When rice is half cooked, spread the rice to one or two big plates and keep it open.
3. Grind or make a powder of the contents of biryani masala i.e. cloves, mace, nutmeg,cardamom, sha jeera and 1 cinnamon.
4. Heat some ghee in a pan and fry cashew nuts and raisins in it. Take them out and fry half amount of sliced onion till it is golden brown in colour. In the remaining ghee, cook the rest of sliced onions. Keep it aside and heat the remaining ghee in the same pan.
5. Take the brass or copper container and spread that cooked onions at the bottom first. Then add chicken, ginger, garlic, lemon juice, 3 types of leaves chopped, coriander grinded, kuskus grinded, curd, half of biryani masala and salt and mix them well.
6. Spread half of the prepared rice on the top of it.
7. Equally spread fried cashew nuts, raisins, brown onions and the remaining masala powder on the top of it. Spread the remaining rice on the top of it.
8. Pour heated ghee on the top of the rice equally and cover the brass container with its lid tightly.
9. Make a paste using maida or wheat by adding some water and stick it on the fringes with your fingers tightly i.e. the area where lid and container contact, so that moisture content won't escape through it as steam.
10. If you are using ordinary hearth, bake it in low flame for 15 minutes and then place it in the hot hearth for 45 more minutes. You can use coconut shells for this purpose. i.e. Total 1 hour is needed.
11. You can open the container and stir the contents well.
If you are using oven, you can bake it in 400 degree Fahreinheat in the beginning and 325 degrees in the next 45 minutes.
Serve it hot with pappad and raita. You can also add a boiled egg as whole for each serving plate.
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