Rayalaseema Biryani
Dry-masala Rayalaseema biryani — bone-in country chicken or mutton marinated in a paste of roasted dry red chillies, poppy seeds, fresh coconut, fried onion, ginger, garlic, and whole spices, then cooked with par-boiled rice in a dum-sealed vessel without the layered Hyderabadi technique. The biryani is drier and more intensely spiced than Hyderabadi or Kolkata styles; the ground masala paste coats every grain of rice in a deep red, aromatic crust and the country chicken's fat releases into the rice during dum cooking. Made at weddings and festivals across Kurnool, Kadapa, and Anantapur districts; its heat level is not for the faint-hearted.
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Recipe
Ingredients
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2 cups | Basmati rice |
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500 grams | Chicken , cut into pieces |
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1 cup | Yogurt |
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2 tablespoons | Ginger-garlic paste |
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2 | Onion , thinly sliced |
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2 | Green Chili , slit |
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1 teaspoon | Turmeric powder |
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2 teaspoons | Red chili powder |
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1 teaspoon | Garam masala |
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1 teaspoon | Coriander powder |
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1 cup | Mint , chopped |
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1 cup | Cilantro , chopped |
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3 tablespoons | Oil |
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2 tablespoons | Ghee |
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1 | Lemon , juiced |
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1 | Cinnamon stick |
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4 | Clove |
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4 | Cardamom Pod |
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1 teaspoon | Cumin , seeds |
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4 cups | Water |
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— | Salt , to taste |
Instructions
- 1 Wash and soak the basmati rice in water for 30 minutes, then drain.
- 2 Marinate the chicken with yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masala, coriander powder, and salt. Set aside for 30 minutes.
- 3 Heat oil and ghee in a large pot. Add cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and cumin seeds. Sauté until fragrant.
- 4 Add sliced onions and green chilies. Cook until onions are golden brown.
- 5 Add the marinated chicken to the pot. Cook until the chicken is browned and cooked through.
- 6 Add mint leaves, coriander leaves, and lemon juice. Stir well.
- 7 In a separate pot, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add the soaked rice and cook until 70% done. Drain the rice.
- 8 Layer the partially cooked rice over the chicken mixture in the pot.
- 9 Cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook on low heat for 15-20 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the rice to finish cooking.
- 10 Remove from heat and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Tips
For extra flavour, use whole spices in the oil first.