Bawarchi Style Chicken Dum Biryani
Bawarchi Style Chicken Dum Biryani
Ingredients
For the Fried Potatoes
- 1/2 cup refined oil, as needed for frying
- 1/4 cup fried onion
- 1/4 teaspoon red food colour
- 500 g potatoes, peeled, halved or quartered
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
For the Chicken Curry Base
- 1/4 cup refined oil, from frying potatoes
- 2 bay leaf
- 2 black cardamom
- 1 cinnamon stick, 2-inch piece
- 1 star anise
- 1/2 blade mace (jayvitri)
- 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds (shahi zeera)
- 1/2 teaspoon cubeb pepper (kabab chini)
- 2 tablespoons ginger garlic paste
- 1 tablespoon green chilli paste
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 tablespoon Kashmiri red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon spicy red chilli powder
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 cup curd (yogurt), whisked
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 3 kg chicken, cut into pieces
- 1 cup fried onion
For the Biryani Spice Blend (ground)
- 5 dry red chillies
- 6 green cardamom
- 2 black cardamom
- 1 cinnamon stick, 1-inch piece
- 1 blade mace (jayvitri)
- 1 star anise
- 1/4 nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds (shahi zeera)
- 1 tablespoon dried rose petals
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
For Layering the Biryani
- 1/2 cup fried onion
- 4 green chillies, whole
- 2 tomatoes, sliced
- 1/2 cup coriander leaves, chopped
- 1/4 cup mint leaves, chopped
For the Rice
- 750 g Basmati rice, soaked for 30 minutes
- 3 L water, for boiling
- 2 bay leaf
- 1 cinnamon stick, 2-inch piece
- 4 green cardamom
- 1 black cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon cubeb pepper (kabab chini)
- 1/2 blade mace (jayvitri)
- 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds (shahi zeera)
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 1 tablespoon refined oil
- 2 lemon slices
- 1/4 cup coriander leaves
- 1/4 cup mint leaves
For the Biryani Flavoring Mixture
- 1/2 cup milk, warm
- 1 teaspoon kewra water
- 2 drops metha attar (sweet essence)
- 1/4 teaspoon saffron strands, soaked in warm milk
- 1 tablespoon biryani masala powder
- 1/4 cup chicken oil, from cooked chicken curry
- 1/4 teaspoon red food colour, mixed with 1 tablespoon water
- 2 tablespoons refined oil
Instructions
- 1
Heat refined oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. Add fried onion and stir until fragrant. Stir in red food colour until well combined.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Add the peeled, halved or quartered potatoes to the pot. Fry until they are lightly browned and coated with the colour. Season with salt while frying. Remove the fried potatoes from the pot and set aside, reserving the oil in the pot.
⏱️ 10 min
- 3
In the same pot with the remaining oil, add the whole spices for the curry base: bay leaf, black cardamom, cinnamon stick, star anise, mace, caraway seeds, and cubeb pepper. Sauté briefly until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
⏱️ 2 min
- 4
Add ginger garlic paste and green chilli paste to the pot. Cook, stirring constantly, until the raw smell disappears and the paste is fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.
⏱️ 3 min
- 5
Stir in the powdered spices: coriander powder, turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chilli powder, and spicy red chilli powder. Mix well. Add 1/4 cup of water to prevent the spices from burning and to form a thick paste. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
⏱️ 3 min
- 6
Reduce heat to low and stir in the whisked curd (yogurt) gradually, ensuring it doesn't curdle. Mix until fully incorporated and the mixture becomes a smooth curry base. Increase heat to medium and cook until oil separates.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
Prepare the biryani spice blend: On a plate, combine dry red chillies, green cardamom, black cardamom, cinnamon stick, mace, star anise, nutmeg, cumin seeds, caraway seeds, dried rose petals, and fennel seeds. Grind these into a fine powder using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.
⏱️ 5 min
- 8
Add the freshly ground biryani spice blend to the curry in the pot. Mix thoroughly. Add salt to taste and stir well.
⏱️ 2 min
- 9
Add the chicken pieces to the pot. Mix well to coat the chicken completely with the masala. Add 1 cup of fried onion and mix again.
⏱️ 5 min
- 10
Cover the pot with a lid and allow the chicken to cook partially in the curry until the gravy thickens and the chicken is about 50-60% cooked, about 20-25 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
⏱️ 25 min
- 11
While the chicken is cooking, prepare the rice. In a separate large pot, bring 3 liters of water to a rolling boil. Add whole spices for the rice: bay leaf, cinnamon stick, green cardamom, black cardamom, cubeb pepper, mace, and caraway seeds.
⏱️ 10 min
- 12
Add salt and refined oil to the boiling water. Add lemon slices, coriander leaves, and mint leaves. Add the pre-soaked Basmati rice to the boiling water. Cook the rice until it is approximately 70-80% done (al dente, with a slight bite). This will take about 5-7 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min
- 13
Drain the par-cooked rice immediately using a colander. Do not overcook the rice.
⏱️ 2 min
- 14
Once the chicken curry is partially cooked, layer the previously fried potatoes on top of the chicken in the pot.
⏱️ 2 min
- 15
Spread a layer of fresh ingredients over the chicken and potatoes: 1/2 cup fried onion, whole green chillies, sliced tomatoes, chopped coriander leaves, and chopped mint leaves.
⏱️ 3 min
- 16
Carefully layer the par-cooked rice evenly over the fresh ingredients.
⏱️ 2 min
- 17
Prepare the flavoring mixture: In a small bowl, combine warm milk, kewra water, metha attar (sweet essence), saffron strands (soaked in warm milk), and biryani masala powder. Mix these ingredients well.
⏱️ 3 min
- 18
Pour this milk-saffron mixture evenly over the rice in a circular pattern. Drizzle the chicken oil (collected from the cooked chicken curry), the red food colour mixture, and the 2 tablespoons of refined oil over the rice.
⏱️ 2 min
- 19
Cover the pot tightly with a lid. For traditional dum cooking, seal the edges of the lid with dough. Cook on high heat for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to very low and cook for 25 minutes (dum cooking).
⏱️ 30 min
- 20
After 25 minutes, turn off the heat and let the biryani rest, undisturbed, for at least 15-20 minutes before opening the lid. This allows the flavors to meld and the rice to finish cooking perfectly.
⏱️ 20 min
- 21
Gently fluff the biryani with a fork, mixing the layers slightly before serving. Serve hot with raita or salad.
⏱️ 2 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Bawarchi Style Chicken Dum Biryani
For the Fried Potatoes
- 1/2 cup refined oil, as needed for frying
- 1/4 cup fried onion
- 1/4 teaspoon red food colour
- 500 g potatoes, peeled, halved or quartered
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
For the Chicken Curry Base
- 1/4 cup refined oil, from frying potatoes
- 2 bay leaf
- 2 black cardamom
- 1 cinnamon stick, 2-inch piece
- 1 star anise
- 1/2 blade mace (jayvitri)
- 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds (shahi zeera)
- 1/2 teaspoon cubeb pepper (kabab chini)
- 2 tablespoons ginger garlic paste
- 1 tablespoon green chilli paste
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 tablespoon Kashmiri red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon spicy red chilli powder
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 cup curd (yogurt), whisked
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 3 kg chicken, cut into pieces
- 1 cup fried onion
For the Biryani Spice Blend (ground)
- 5 dry red chillies
- 6 green cardamom
- 2 black cardamom
- 1 cinnamon stick, 1-inch piece
- 1 blade mace (jayvitri)
- 1 star anise
- 1/4 nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds (shahi zeera)
- 1 tablespoon dried rose petals
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
For Layering the Biryani
- 1/2 cup fried onion
- 4 green chillies, whole
- 2 tomatoes, sliced
- 1/2 cup coriander leaves, chopped
- 1/4 cup mint leaves, chopped
For the Rice
- 750 g Basmati rice, soaked for 30 minutes
- 3 L water, for boiling
- 2 bay leaf
- 1 cinnamon stick, 2-inch piece
- 4 green cardamom
- 1 black cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon cubeb pepper (kabab chini)
- 1/2 blade mace (jayvitri)
- 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds (shahi zeera)
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 1 tablespoon refined oil
- 2 lemon slices
- 1/4 cup coriander leaves
- 1/4 cup mint leaves
For the Biryani Flavoring Mixture
- 1/2 cup milk, warm
- 1 teaspoon kewra water
- 2 drops metha attar (sweet essence)
- 1/4 teaspoon saffron strands, soaked in warm milk
- 1 tablespoon biryani masala powder
- 1/4 cup chicken oil, from cooked chicken curry
- 1/4 teaspoon red food colour, mixed with 1 tablespoon water
- 2 tablespoons refined oil
Instructions
- 1
Heat refined oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. Add fried onion and stir until fragrant. Stir in red food colour until well combined.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Add the peeled, halved or quartered potatoes to the pot. Fry until they are lightly browned and coated with the colour. Season with salt while frying. Remove the fried potatoes from the pot and set aside, reserving the oil in the pot.
⏱️ 10 min - 3
In the same pot with the remaining oil, add the whole spices for the curry base: bay leaf, black cardamom, cinnamon stick, star anise, mace, caraway seeds, and cubeb pepper. Sauté briefly until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
⏱️ 2 min - 4
Add ginger garlic paste and green chilli paste to the pot. Cook, stirring constantly, until the raw smell disappears and the paste is fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.
⏱️ 3 min - 5
Stir in the powdered spices: coriander powder, turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chilli powder, and spicy red chilli powder. Mix well. Add 1/4 cup of water to prevent the spices from burning and to form a thick paste. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
⏱️ 3 min - 6
Reduce heat to low and stir in the whisked curd (yogurt) gradually, ensuring it doesn't curdle. Mix until fully incorporated and the mixture becomes a smooth curry base. Increase heat to medium and cook until oil separates.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Prepare the biryani spice blend: On a plate, combine dry red chillies, green cardamom, black cardamom, cinnamon stick, mace, star anise, nutmeg, cumin seeds, caraway seeds, dried rose petals, and fennel seeds. Grind these into a fine powder using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.
⏱️ 5 min - 8
Add the freshly ground biryani spice blend to the curry in the pot. Mix thoroughly. Add salt to taste and stir well.
⏱️ 2 min - 9
Add the chicken pieces to the pot. Mix well to coat the chicken completely with the masala. Add 1 cup of fried onion and mix again.
⏱️ 5 min - 10
Cover the pot with a lid and allow the chicken to cook partially in the curry until the gravy thickens and the chicken is about 50-60% cooked, about 20-25 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
⏱️ 25 min - 11
While the chicken is cooking, prepare the rice. In a separate large pot, bring 3 liters of water to a rolling boil. Add whole spices for the rice: bay leaf, cinnamon stick, green cardamom, black cardamom, cubeb pepper, mace, and caraway seeds.
⏱️ 10 min - 12
Add salt and refined oil to the boiling water. Add lemon slices, coriander leaves, and mint leaves. Add the pre-soaked Basmati rice to the boiling water. Cook the rice until it is approximately 70-80% done (al dente, with a slight bite). This will take about 5-7 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min - 13
Drain the par-cooked rice immediately using a colander. Do not overcook the rice.
⏱️ 2 min - 14
Once the chicken curry is partially cooked, layer the previously fried potatoes on top of the chicken in the pot.
⏱️ 2 min - 15
Spread a layer of fresh ingredients over the chicken and potatoes: 1/2 cup fried onion, whole green chillies, sliced tomatoes, chopped coriander leaves, and chopped mint leaves.
⏱️ 3 min - 16
Carefully layer the par-cooked rice evenly over the fresh ingredients.
⏱️ 2 min - 17
Prepare the flavoring mixture: In a small bowl, combine warm milk, kewra water, metha attar (sweet essence), saffron strands (soaked in warm milk), and biryani masala powder. Mix these ingredients well.
⏱️ 3 min - 18
Pour this milk-saffron mixture evenly over the rice in a circular pattern. Drizzle the chicken oil (collected from the cooked chicken curry), the red food colour mixture, and the 2 tablespoons of refined oil over the rice.
⏱️ 2 min - 19
Cover the pot tightly with a lid. For traditional dum cooking, seal the edges of the lid with dough. Cook on high heat for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to very low and cook for 25 minutes (dum cooking).
⏱️ 30 min - 20
After 25 minutes, turn off the heat and let the biryani rest, undisturbed, for at least 15-20 minutes before opening the lid. This allows the flavors to meld and the rice to finish cooking perfectly.
⏱️ 20 min - 21
Gently fluff the biryani with a fork, mixing the layers slightly before serving. Serve hot with raita or salad.
⏱️ 2 min