Indian cuisine · Dough, Pasta & Rice

Thalassery Biryani

Kerala biryani made with short-grain jeerakasala rice, chicken, and cashews and raisins toasted in ghee.

Ingredients · for 6 servings

• 1 kg boneless chicken thighs
• 600 g basmati rice (or substitute jeerakasala rice)
• 3 large onions
• 3 tomatoes
• 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 4 green chilies (long, mild variety)
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 bunch mint
• 100 g cashews
• 100 g raisins
• 6 tbsp ghee
• 1 lemon, salt

Instructions

1. Toast the cashews and raisins in 2 tbsp ghee for 2–3 min until the nuts are golden and the raisins have plumped up, then set aside.
2. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces; slice two onions into fine strips and fry in the same ghee for 10 min until golden brown, setting a third aside for garnish.
3. Add the ginger-garlic paste, chopped chilies, turmeric and diced tomatoes, cook down for 6 min, then add the chicken with plenty of chopped mint and salt and cook covered for 15 min until the sauce clings thickly to the meat.
4. Rinse the rice only briefly and toast it in 2 tbsp ghee with the third, finely chopped onion for 2 min until every grain glistens.
5. Pour in 1 l boiling salted water and the juice of half a lemon, and let it steam covered over low heat for 12 min until the liquid is absorbed.
6. Layer the rice and chicken in the pot, top with the remaining ghee, cashews, raisins and fried onions, dum-cook sealed airtight for 20 min, and fluff gently before serving.