Kolkata Biryani

Kolkata Biryani

Kolkata Biryani

The Nawabi biryani of Kolkata — aromatic basmati with a whole potato (the signature addition), boiled egg, and very lightly spiced meat, much more fragrant and restrained than Hyderabadi. No food colouring.

Cuisines

Bengali

Best for

Lunch Dinner

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Recipe

Prep: 20 min Cook: 40 min Total: 60 min 2-3 servings

Ingredients

basmati rice 2 cups Basmati rice
Chicken 500 grams Chicken , cut into pieces
Potato 2 medium Potato , peeled and halved
ghee 2 tablespoons Ghee
vegetable oil 2 tablespoons Vegetable oil
Yogurt 1 cup Yogurt
Onion 1 large Onion , thinly sliced
ginger-garlic paste 1 tablespoon Ginger-garlic paste
turmeric powder 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
red chili powder 1 teaspoon Red chili powder
coriander powder 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
garam masala 1 teaspoon Garam masala
Bay Leaf 2 pieces Bay Leaf
cardamom 4 pieces Cardamom , green
Clove 4 pieces Clove
cinnamon stick 1 inch Cinnamon stick
Saffron 1 pinch Saffron , strands
Milk 1/4 cup Milk , full-fat
to taste Salt To taste
Cilantro Fresh Cilantro , chopped

Instructions

  1. 1 Wash and soak the basmati rice for 30 minutes.
  2. 2 Boil the potatoes with a pinch of turmeric and salt until half-cooked, then drain and set aside.
  3. 3 Heat oil in a pan and fry the sliced onions until golden brown, then set aside half for garnishing.
  4. 4 In the same pan, add the ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, and salt, and sauté for a minute.
  5. 5 Add the chicken pieces and yogurt, and cook until the chicken is half-cooked.
  6. 6 In a separate pot, bring water to a boil with bay leaves, green cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon stick. Add the soaked rice and cook until 70% done, then drain.
  7. 7 In a heavy-bottomed pot, layer the potatoes, chicken mixture, and half-cooked rice.
  8. 8 Warm the milk and dissolve saffron strands in it, then pour over the rice.
  9. 9 Drizzle ghee over the top, sprinkle garam masala, and add the reserved fried onions.
  10. 10 Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and cook on low heat for 20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
  11. 11 Garnish with fresh coriander leaves before serving.

Tips

For extra flavour, use whole spices in the oil first.