How to Boil Water Desi Style: Chicken Biryani

Ingredients:

4 big Onions, finely sliced as above

6 big Tomatoes, chopped like above

1 packet Shan Special Bombay Biryani Masala

Take out all the whole spices that come in the packet. What you will be left with is the masala powder and a few dried plums.

Add to it 2 tsp Red chilli powder and 6-8 dried Plums (extra)

1 1/4 kg long grain Basmati Rice, washed and soaked for at least 30-40 mins.

2 tbsp Ginger-Garlic paste

2 kg Chicken, bone-in, cut into 3 inch pieces

4-5 medium size Potatoes, cut into 2-3 inch cubes

2 tbsp Yogurt

1/2 cup oil

3 tbsp lemon juice

3 tsp Salt (for boiling rice)

3 tbsp Vinegar (for rice)

3-4 tbsp oil (for rice)

Directions:

Pour 1/2 cup oil in a non-stick pot; add sliced onions to the cold oil. Turn heat to medium-high. Fry until onions start to turn slightly brown. Add ginger-garlic paste. Fry for 1 min.

Add chicken. Stir until the outside of the chicken looks done (5 mins).

Add all spices (except salt) and the dried plums. Mix well.

Add tomatoes. Mix well. The tomatoes will add water to the curry. Now add the potatoes. (Sorry!! No picture). Stir occasionally, until water from tomatoes reduce halfway. (4-5 mins)

Add yogurt and green chillies. Mix well. Cover with lid, and turn heat to medium. Cook for 5-7 mins, until the oil separates from the curry and chicken and potatoes are cooked through.

Add lemon juice and freshly chopped coriander. Mix well and turn off heat.

In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Add salt.

Drain the water in which the rice has been soaking. Add the soaked rice to the boiling water; stir with a light hand once.

Check rice after 2 mins of boiling; it should have a significant bite to it.

Add vinegar. (Make sure to keep the heat to a medium-low at this point because the vinegar causes the boiling rice water to rise.) Stir once.

Let boil for another 2-3 mins, until you press the rice grain between your thumb and finger, and there's a slight toughness to it. (If you eat the rice at this point, there should be a slight bite to it.)

Drain the rice. Transfer back to the same pot.

Follow the following directions if only making boiled rice:

Pour 3-4 tbsp oil onto rice.

Using a fork, toss the rice very lightly until the oil is mixed well.

Put the pot on an old tawa (to stop the rice from burning at the bottom; also helps spread the heat). Cover the lid of the pot with a small kitchen cloth (this helps steam accumulate, in which the rice will cook). Turn heat really low, and cook for 15 mins. Turn heat off, and let the rice rest for 5 mins.

Take lid off and separate rice, with a very light hand, using a fork.

Serve with any curry.

Back to the Biryani Recipe:

In a larger pot, spread half of the boiled rice at the bottom. On top of rice, pour half of the chicken and potato curry.

Layer with rest of rice, (leaving just a few handfuls out) and chicken.

Add to the handful of rice your choice of food color, mix and layer on top of the chicken. (You can also layer the rice over the chicken first, then add food color, even 2 or 3 different colors.)