Tandoori Chicken Biriyani

Indian and South Asian Biryani comes in many forms. This aromatic, fragrant, Tandoori Chicken Biriyani is Biryani with a unique taste and flavour. The best and perfect Biryani for a great celebration or a family gathering. 

Tandoori chicken 

Ingredients

1kg Chicken (with bones)
3 tbsp chopped mint leaves
3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
3 green chili 
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp turmeric powder 
2 tsp red chili powder 
2 tsp ginger garlic paste
3 tbsp yoghurt/curd (whipped)
2 tbsp Tandoori masala powder 
2 tbsp olive oil (or vegetable oil) + extra for brushing
1/4 tsp red food colour (optional)

Directions

1. Grind mint leaves, coriander leaves, green chilies and 1/4 tsp salt together using an electric grinder or mortar and pestle.
2. Wash the chicken and cut into pieces. Make deep cuts or incisions in each piece.
3. Wipe it using a clean kitchen towel to remove extra moisture.
4. In a bowl, add the ground mint and coriander leaves paste and the rest of the ingredients and mix all together to make a paste. 
5. Coat this paste well with the chicken pieces and let it marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight in the refrigerator. (Marinating for long will give a better taste.)
6. Preaheat oven to 200 degrees Celcius for 10 minutes.
7. After the chicken has been marinated, shake off excess marinate paste and place them on the grilling rack in the oven. Brush some oil over the chicken pieces.
8. Place a tray below that to save liquid draining from the chicken. 
9. Bake or grill the chicken for 30 minutes. Flip the chicken and bake for another 30 minutes or until done. 
10. Once baked keep it aside and prepare the gravy.

The biriyani gravy

Ingredients

300g onions (sliced thin)
vegetable oil for deep frying onions
3 tsp ginger garlic paste
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 1/2 cup yoghurt /curd (whipped)
2 tsp Red chili powder 
1 1/2 tsp salt 
2 tbsp Tandoori masala powder 
1 tbsp lime/lemon juice
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves 
2 tbsp chopped mint leaves
4 green chillies
1/4 cup water 

Directions

1. Crush or grind the chopped coriander leaves, mint leaves and green chilies together. Set aside until use. 
2. Deep fry the sliced onions until it is light brown and keep it aside.
3. In the same oil, keep 6 tbsp oil in the pan and put the rest away.
4. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for few seconds.
5. Then add red chili powder, turmeric powder, tandoori masala powder, lemon juice, salt, whipped yoghurt and the crushed coriander leaves paste. Mix well and add the water. Close and let it simmer for 2 minutes.
6. Add the Tandoori chicken pieces and close the lid and cook for 2 minutes in medium heat.
7. Flip the chicken pieces after 2 minutes and cook for another couple of minutes.
8. When the oil starts to seperate in the gravy, turn off the heat. 
9. Now gravy is ready and now cook the rice.

Cooking the rice

Ingredients

750g basmati rice 
2 1/2 litre water 
3 cardamoms
3 small sticks of cinnamon
3 cloves
2 tbsp chopped mint leaves
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves 
4 tsp salt

Directions

1. Soak the rice in water for an hour. Drain and set aside.
2. Add water to the pan you are going to cook the Biryani. Then add rest of the ingredients to the water. Close the lid and let it come to a boil.
3. When the water is boiling add the soaked and drained rice.
4. Close the lid and stir occasionally. Cook the rice until it is 80% done. Drain the water once done.

Preparation of the Tandoori chicken Biryani

Ingredients

Chicken gravy
Deep fried onions
Semi cooked rice
2 tbsp melted ghee
1/2 cup milk 
1/4 tsp orange food colouring (optional)
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves 
2 tbsp chopped mint leaves 

Directions

1. Remove half of the semi cooked rice from the saucepan. 
2. Then put a layer of the gravy with chicken pieces.
3. Crush the fried onions and put half of it over the gravy.
4. Sprinkle 1 tbsp of ghee over the crushed onions. 
5. Now layer the rice that was taken out.
6. Mix the orange food colouring with the milk and pour it over the layered rice.
7. Add the remaining fried onions, chopped coriander leaves, mint leaves and lemon juice over the rice.
8. Close the lid very tight (if the lid is not tight enough, put foil around the lid to make it very tight) and cook on a medium heat for 15 minutes. (It is better to keep changing the position of the pan to prevent the bottom burning)
9. When the rice is fully cooked, take off the heat and serve hot!!