White Chicken Biryani

Biryani - The name in itself says that it is a royal dish among all the other rice preparations of India. It is served on all auspicious and special occasions. When it comes to Biryani, one can understand by the tempting aroma and fragrance of the dish, how much effort the cook has put into it. From the frying of the onions just to a particular golden colour, the proper usage of saffron, the cooking of the meat till tender, the addition of the spices and curd, the layering of the rice, putting the biryani on dum to the final serving of the Royal Biryani. There are many varieties of Biryani, but today I'd like to share my White Chicken Biryani with you all which is actually a combination of Dum Biryani and Yakhni Pulao.

Ingredients:-

• 1 kg chicken
• 2-3 onions (sliced)
• 4 potatoes (peeled & cut into big cubes)
• ½ kg rice 
• ½ cup oil    
• 1 tbsp cashewnuts (ground)
• 2-3 green chillies (ground to paste)
• 1½ tsp black pepper pdr
• 2 tbsp all spice pdr
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 cup yoghurt (whisked)
• ½ tsp saffron 
• 1 cup milk
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• 1 bayleaf
• salt to taste

Method:-

• Deep fry onions in oil to a pale golden colour. Drain and keep aside.
• To the same oil add potatoes and fry on slow flame till tender.
• Wash the rice and soak in water for 15-20 minutes. 
• Boil water in a vessel along with cumin seeds, bayleaf and salt.
• Add the rice but remember to leave the rice slightly underdone.
• Drain the rice and keep aside.
• Add saffron to warm milk and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a wok and add to it chicken, ginger-garlic paste and fried onions. Mix well. 
• Now, add salt and black pepper pdr. Saute well for 5 minutes until the chicken becomes light brown in colour.
• Add all spice pdr, green chilli paste and cashewnut pdr. Mix well.
• Add ¾ cup water and simmer till chicken is tender. 
• When chicken is done, turn off the flame and add whisked yoghurt and fried potatoes. Mix well.
  
• Layer cooked rice on top of the chicken.
• Sprinkle the saffron milk on the rice.
• Cover and cook on slow flame for 5-10 minutes.
• Serve hot with salad or raita.

Notes:- 

• While frying onions, add a pinch of salt. This speeds up the frying process.
• You may boil the chicken a day before the cooking to make it easier the next day.
• Do not overcook the rice or else it will become mushy.

Happy Cooking!!