Kolkata-Style Chicken Biryani | Half The Sugar, Twice The Ginger

1× Recipe

Ingredients

Tap to tick off

Chicken Marinade

1 Roasting Chicken
Whole
2 Tbsp Red Chilli Powder
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
2 Tbsp Mustard Oil
1 Tbsp Cumin Powder
1 Tbsp Garam Masala
1 Tbsp Biryani Powder
1 Tbsp Chicken Masala
1 Tbsp Fine Salt
½ Tsp Black Pepper
1 Tsp Turmeric Powder
2 Tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
1 Tsp Coriander Powder
2 Tbsp Curd

For Frying & Cooking

2 Tbsp Mustard Oil
4 Potatoes
Quartered
4 Red Onions
Sliced
1 Cup Cilantro
2½ Cups Basmati Rice
5 Cups Water
¼ Cups Cashew
1 Cinnamon
Stick
1 Tsp Cumin Seeds
1 Tsp Ghee
4 Cardamom Pod

For Finishing

2 Tbsp Mustard Oil
2 Pinches Saffron
2 Tbsp Milk
8 Eggs
2 Tomatoes
Diced
2 Tsp White Sugar
2 Tsp Fine Salt

Method

In a large bowl

1 Roasting Chicken
Whole
2 Tbsp Red Chilli Powder
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
2 Tbsp Mustard Oil
1 Tbsp Cumin Powder
1 Tbsp Garam Masala
1 Tbsp Biryani Powder
1 Tbsp Chicken Masala
1 Tbsp Fine Salt
½ Tsp Black Pepper
1 Tsp Turmeric Powder
2 Tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
1 Tsp Coriander Powder
2 Tbsp Curd

Carve a whole chicken, removing skin.

Combine chicken pieces with red chilli powder, lemon juice, mustard oil, cumin powder, garam masala, biryani powder, chicken masala, fine salt, black pepper, turmeric powder, ginger garlic paste, coriander powder, and curd.

Mix well and let it marinate covered in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

In a large pan

2 Tbsp Mustard Oil
4 Potatoes
Quartered
4 Red Onions
Sliced
¼ Cups Cashew

Hard boil the eggs, peel them, and set aside. In fresh mustard oil, shallow fry the eggs until they have a slight golden crust.

Heat mustard oil over high heat and shallow fry the quartered potatoes until they are golden brown. Set aside on paper towels to drain.

In the same oil, fry the onions until they are caramelized and brown. Set aside.

Turn heat down to medium, and in the same oil, fry the cashews until golden. Set aside.

In a rice cooker, or large pot

1 Cup Cilantro
2½ Cups Basmati Rice
5 Cups Water
1 Cinnamon
Stick
1 Tsp Cumin Seeds
1 Tsp Ghee
4 Cardamom Pod

Wash basmati rice thoroughly. Drain the soaked rice and add it to the water with the ghee, cilantro, and whole spices (cinnamon stick, green cardamom pods, and cumin seeds)

Cook the basmati rice until it is 80% done, then strain and set aside.

In a large frying pan

2 Tomatoes
Diced
2 Tsp White Sugar
2 Tsp Fine Salt

Heat mustard oil over high heat and fry the marinated chicken pieces until they are almost cooked. Add salt and sugar to taste.

Add tomatoes halfway through the cooking process and cook until they are soft.

In a large pot

2 Pinches Saffron
2 Tbsp Milk

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, spread a layer of ghee at the bottom. Add half of the cooked chicken as the first layer. Spread half of the rice over the chicken. Add half of the fried potatoes, half of the caramelized onions, and half of the fried cashews.

Repeat the layer with the remaining chicken, rice, potatoes, onions, and cashews. Finish with the deep fried eggs and saffron milk on top.

Cover the pot with aluminium foil to seal the edges and a tight-fitting lid to trap the steam. Cook on a low heat for about 20-30 minutes until everything is fully cooked and the flavours have melded together.

Gently mix the biryani before serving to distribute the layers.