Easy to follow, step-by-step, most detailed guide to cook a Hyderabadi chicken dum biryani in your kitchen
Prep Time25 minutesmins
Cook Time1 hourhr10 minutesmins
Resting Time4 hourshrs
Total Time1 hourhr35 minutesmins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: dum biryani, hyderabadi chicken biryani, hyderabadi chicken dum biryani, hyderabadi dum biryani
Servings: 4people
Author: Samrat Roy Chowdhuri
Cost: Rupees 350
Equipment
Pressure cooker or cooking pot to dum the biryani
Pot to cook the rice
Wok/Kadai to fry onions
Bowl big enough to prepare the marinade and marinade the chicken overnight
Ladles
Serving Plates
Ingredients
For Cooking the Rice
600grambasmati riceIndia Gate
4piecescardamom
2piecesbayleaf
2piecescinnamon
6piecescloves
8piecespeppercorn
1piecestar anise
1piecemace
0.5piecenutmeg
1tbspoil
salt
Marinating the Chicken
1kgchickenon the bone, bigger sizes than normal curry cuts
1tbspoil
1tspturmeric powder
30gramsbiryani masalastore bought
200gramscurdshould be well beaten for consistency
2inchginger
10podsgarlic
5piecesgreen chillies
1cupcoriander leaveschopped, small cup
1cupmint leaveschopped, small cup
For the Dum
4piecesonionsmedium sizes
4tbspoilto be used for frying onions or preparing brown onions
2tbspgheedesi cow ghee is preferred
0.5tbsprose water
0.5tbspkewra water
1cupmilkoptional, small cup
10strandssaffronor optionally a pinch of food color
Instructions
Wash and Marinade the Chicken
Wash the chicken and let the water drain out
Prepare a paste of ginger, garlic, green chillies
Take a bowl and prepare a marinade with the ginger, garlic, green chilly paste prepared in the previous step, curd, turmeric powder, salt, biryani masala, and oil
Ensure that the marinade is consistent and there is no lump
Pour the marinade over the chicken pieces and massage properly to ensure that marinade is evenly spread.
Cover and refrigerate overnight or a minimum of 4 hours
Pull out the marinaded chicken from the refrigerator and let it thaw for an hour
Take rice, wash and keep it soaked for minimum 30 minutes and maximum 45 minutes
Prepare the Brown Onions
Thinly slice the onions
In a wok or kadai, pour oil and once the oil is hot, drop the onions
Fry till the onion is golden brown
Keep aside in a bowl
Cook the Rice till 70% Done
In a pot, add water along with all the whole spices, oil and salt and allow the water to come to a boil
Once the water boils, check if the water is salty. If not, add more salt to ensure that the water is seasoned properly. It should taste like sea water
Drain and add the rice. Keep a careful eye as the rice cooks faster
Drain the rice and keep aside once it is 70% cooked
Layering the Rice and Chicken and Preparing for Dum
In a biryani pot, brush some ghee at the bottom. You may use oil as well
Add the marinaded chicken and ensure that part of every chicken piece touches the bottom of the pot
Add some brown onions, chopped coriander and mint leaves on top
Carefully toss half of the rice on top of this
Repeat by adding some brown onions, chopped coriander and mint leaves
Toss rest of the rice
Add the remaining brown onions, chopped coriander and mint leaves
Soak the saffron strands in milk and pour over the biryani
Add ghee, rose water and kewra water
Close the lid and seal the pot
Cook on high for 10 minutes
Cook on low flame for around 20 minutes
Switch off the flame
Allow to Rest and Serve Hot
Allow the covered pot to rest for another 10 to 15 minutes
Carefully lift the lid and serve hot with raita and salad
Notes
Tomatoes are not used in Hyderabadi dum biryani
Chicken is never cooked and then layered in Hyderabadi biryani
Brown onions, coriander and mint leaves are an integral part of the recipe