Kerala Chicken Biriyani (Malabar Kozhi Biriyani)

Ingredients:

1. Chicken – 1 kg
2. Basmathi Rice(Jeera Rice) – 1 kg
3. Onion – 6
4. Ginger – 50 gms
5. Garlic – 8
6. Green Chilly – 4
7. Curd – 1 cup
8. Kus Kus (poppy seeds) – 2tsp
9. Garam Masala powder – 3 tsp
10. Coriander leaves – 2tbsp
11. Pudina leaves – 2 tbsp
12. Curry leaves – 2tbsp
13. Lime juice – 2 tbsp
14. Dalda (Ghee) – 250gms
15. Cashew nuts -2tbsp
16. Raisins – 2tbsp

For Making garam masala powder

1. Cloves – 4
2. Cardamom – 6
3. Shah jeera (caraway seeds) – 1 tsp
4. Cinnamon stick -1 inch piece
5. Nut meg (jathika) -1/4 piece
6. Mace (jathi pathri) – 1 tsp

Preparation:

1. Soak rice for 15 minutes.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add half of chopped onions and saute till it changes its color. Add ginger- garlic-green chilly paste, chopped green chilly and saute well.
3. Add biriyani masala powder and once smell comes, add chicken pieces to it and stir well. Add curd, kus kus, salt ,1/2 cup water and allow it to cook on medium flame.
4. Once chicken is half cooked, add lime juice, chopped curry leaves, coriander leaves and pudina leaves. Once gravy becomes dry, remove from heat.
5. Heat ghee in a pan and add the remaining chopped onions and fry to golden brown.fry cashews and raisins in the same ghee and keep aside.
6. In the same pan, add rice to it and fry for 5 ?10 minutes.Add required amount of water(double the quantity of rice),salt .cover and cook till done.
7. In a large pot, layer the chicken pieces first then sprinkle garam masala powder over it, put a second layer of rice and then put garam masala powder,fried onions, cashews,raisins and repeat this until everything is used up. Sprinkle fried onions and coriander leaves on top.
8. Leave on low heat to keep it warm.
9. Serve with Raita and pappadam.