Served with Salan and Raita. Murg Awadhi Biryani is a fragrant and flavorful Indian dish from Lucknow, featuring tender chicken and aromatic basmati rice layered with spices, herbs, and saffron-infused milk. It's slow-cooked in a sealed pot to ensure the perfect blend of flavors and textures, resulting in a rich and satisfying meal.
:
For Marination:
500 grams chicken, cleaned and cut into pieces
250 grams curd (Dahi)
15 grams ginger garlic paste
10 grams turmeric powder
6 grams red chili powder
6 grams biryani masala
Salt, to taste
For Rice:
500 grams basmati rice, soaked for 30 minutes
4-5 cups water
1 bay leaf
2-3 green cardamom pods
2-3 cloves
Salt, to taste
For Biryani Masala:
6 grams cumin seeds
6 grams coriander seeds
1-inch cinnamon stick
3-4 green cardamom pods
3-4 cloves
1 black cardamom pod
12 bay leaves
Other Ingredients:
3 tablespoons ghee or oil
2 large onions, thinly sliced
2 tomatoes, chopped
130 grams fried onions (for garnish)
Fresh coriander leaves, chopped (for garnish)
Fresh mint leaves, chopped (for garnish)
Saffron strands soaked in warm milk (for color and aroma)
Instructions:
Marinate the Chicken:
1. In a bowl, mix chicken with Curd (Dahi), ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chili powder, biryani masala, and salt. Marinate for at least 12 hours or overnight for best results.
Prepare Rice:
1. Cook the soaked basmati rice in a large pot of boiling water.
2. Add bay leaf, green cardamom pods, cloves, and salt to the water.
3. Cook the rice until it is 70-80% cooked. It should still have a slight bite to it.
4. Drain the water and set aside.
Biryani Masala:
1. In a pan, dry roast cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cinnamon stick, green cardamom pods, cloves, black cardamom pod, and bay leaves until fragrant.
2. Grind the roasted spices to a fine powder. This is your biryani masala.
Assemble the Biryani:
1. In a large heavy-bottomed pan or biryani pot, heat ghee or oil.
2. Add thinly sliced onions and sauté until golden brown.
3. Remove half of the fried onions for later garnishing.
4. Add chopped tomatoes to the remaining onions and cook until tomatoes are soft.
5. Add marinated chicken and cook until the chicken is partially cooked.
6. Add the biryani masala and mix well.
7. Layer the partially cooked rice over the chicken mixture.
8. Sprinkle fried onions, chopped coriander leaves, and mint leaves over the rice.
9. Drizzle saffron-infused milk over the top.
10. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and cook on low heat for about 2025 minutes or until the chicken is cooked, and the rice is fully cooked.
Serve:
1. Gently fluff the biryani with a fork.
2. Serve Murg Awadhi Biryani hot, garnished with more fried onions, chopped coriander leaves, and mint leaves.
Enjoy the rich and aromatic flavors of Murg Awadhi Biryani with your favorite raita or a side of Curd (Dahi)!
