Chicken Biryani With Cucumber Raita

This is a recipe for a delicious and authentic Chicken Biryani. I have combined and modified a few recipes to create this, and after trial and error I am very happy with it. There is a lot of preperation involved, but well worth the effort! Enjoy!

• Ready In: 3 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup butter
• 2  medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2  large red onions, chopped finely
• 2  garlic cloves, chopped finely
• 2  teaspoons  fresh gingerroot, grated
• 1⁄2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1  teaspoon  chili flakes
• 1  teaspoon ground cumin
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1  medium tomatoes, peeled and cubed
• 3  teaspoons plain yogurt
• 3  teaspoons fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
• 1  cinnamon stick
• 4  chicken breasts, cut into cubes
• 1  large red onion, finely chopped
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 2  whole cloves
• 1  cinnamon stick
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1  cup basmati rice
• 2  cups chicken bouillon
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1  cucumber, peeled and seeded, then chopped into chunks
• 2  small onions, finely chopped
• 2  garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1⁄2 tablespoon  fresh gingerroot, grated
• 2  tablespoons of fresh mint, finely chopped
• 3  tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 1⁄2 cups plain yogurt (at least 2%)

Directions

1. To make the Raita, blend together the cucumber, onion, garlic, ginger, mint, and lemon juice. Pour the mixture into a bowl, and add yogurt. Stir together until smooth, and then refrigerate.
2. We want to create brown butter. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat for ~15 minutes, stirring constantly, until the butter turns a light brown colour. Set aside.
3. In a large non-stick skilled, add 2/3 of the brown butter over medium heat. Add the potatoes and cook until browned, then remove and set aside.
4. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until onion is very soft, stirring occasionally.
5. Add your ground chili, chili flakes, ground black pepper, ground turmeric, ground cumin, ground cardamom, salt, and tomatoes. Cook for 5-10 minutes stirring frequently.
6. Reduce heat to a low setting, and add yogurt, mint, and the cinnamon stick. Cook covered until ingredients are very soft and tomatoes mixed inches Stir occasionally, allow 30-45 minutes for this step. Add a small amount of water if the mixture is sticking to your skillet.
7. Wash rice and set aside to drain in a colander until needed.
8. Add the chicken breast cubes and mix in the sauce to coat it, then cover and cook for another 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
9. In a large skillet or pot, heat the remaining browned butter, then add onion and cook until golden. Add ground cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick, ground ginger, and rice (drained earlier) Mix until the rice is well coated.
10. Heat chicken bouillon and salt in a pot to boiling, then pour into the rice mixture, stirring well.
11. Add the chicken mixture and potatoes to the rice, and carefully mix together.
12. Heat to a boil, and then cover, turning heat to very low. Allow 20 minutes to cook rice.Serve immediately with Raita (Naan is also a good addition to the meal).