Kachchi Biryani

It was created after Aurangzeb appointed Niza-ul-Mulk as the new ruler of Hyderabad. He took the recipe with him and it spread to other parts of India. The flavour and aroma are one of a kind. Delicious! Another Authentic Biriyani of Hyderabadi origin. The term 'Kacchi Biryani', refers to the meat being marinated in yogurt and cooked along with the rice in a sealed pot.

Ingredients

• 1 kg Chicken legs
• 600 grams Basmati rice
• 4 medium Sliced onions
• 10 grams Ginger paste
• 12 grams Garlic paste
• 8 grams Red chilli powder
• 1 bunch Coriander leaves
• 1 bunch Mint leaves
• 4 nos. Green chillies
• 5 nos. Cardamoms (green)
• 6 nos. Cloves
• 2 inches Cinnamon
• 5 grams Peppercorns
• 3 grams Mace
• 200 grams Curds
• 3 tblsp Lemon juice
• 100 ml Milk
• 2 grams Saffron
• 100 ml Oil
• 30 ml Ghee
• As per taste Salt

Step By Step

❖ Pick, wash and soak the rice for 30-40 minutes. Heat oil in a pan and fry the sliced onions till golden brown. Keep aside.

❖ Finely chop the coriander and mint leaves. Grind the green chillies to a fine paste.

❖ Soak the saffron in warm milk. Grind mace, green cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon and peppercorn to a fine powder.

❖ In a bowl, mix together well beaten curds, red chilli powder, salt, ginger-garlic paste, green chilli paste, mint and coriander leaves, lemon juice, powdered spices and fried onions (crush the onions before adding them).

❖ Rub the chicken legs with this marinade and marinate it for 2 hours.

❖ Boil atleast 5 ltrs of water with a little salt.

❖ When the water starts boiling add the soaked rice.

❖ In the meantime, transfer the marinated chicken into a deep bottomed pan which has a tight lid.

❖ Once the rice starts boiling, drain the water and layer the rice over the marinated chicken in the deep pan.

❖ Sprinkle the saffron-milk mixture over the rice and chicken. Add the ghee.

❖ Cover the pan with the lid and cook on a high temperature till it just starts steaming.

❖ Then cook on a medium flame till the chicken is tender and all the moisture is absorbed.

❖ Transfer the contents gently into a serving dish. Serve garnished with mint leaves and ginger.