Kannur Chicken Biriyani

Hey Dear Lovely Readers Today is Treat for you and me both lolz
For Me???? Coz I not doing that big big typing hehe
And for you?? Coz U People dont have to Read My Long Typed Text!! What A Relief Eh?? Yea Yea :D

This Guest Post is from non other than our lovable co blogger Rafeeda From The Big Sweet Tooth  Regular Readers Of Rafeeda's blog and other co bloggers will know What a Gem Person She Is.  She is always there to reply your mails and comments so nicely and quickly as well. She is a active blogger mother of 2 kids and busy with Works and Family etc etc, We never know until we step into some1's shoes!! True!! I can just assume how busy she can be throughout the day but still she is a passionate blogger Thats what I know to the core.

I Had asked Rafeeda for a Guest Post long back, Though it took some time, but she dint forget my request and mailed me asking for confirmation so that she can work on for guest post Isnt It Sweet??? But After that She was kept busy at times, or either I was busy Thats how life goes on............

Coming back to the guest post
Im Happy to Rafeeda Decided To Do a Guest Post of Biriyani, coz I havent yet added any rice varieties to my blog. No Reason though!! But still Im gud at taking my own sweet time in doing things lolzz

Lets take a Look At the Delicious Biriyani and with  How much simplicity Rafeeda Has Put up for us :)

Salaam to all lovely readers of Shweet Spices...

This is Rafeeda who blogs at The Big Sweet Tooth. I am so glad to be doing this guest post for Aara. When she requested for the post, I did not think much, but the problem was from my side that I took quite a long time to finalise the recipe and find time to do her post. Apologies, Aara, hope you understand!!! Those who read her blog on a regular basis, can understand that she is a very sweet and down to earth person. The posts she does are very simple but hatke, where you find some or the other twist in her recipes!!!

Me, being from Kerala, I had decided that I would give her a very traditional recipe to go with my background. I really wanted to give her a dessert, but unfortunately I am on a ban and I am unable to give it to her, despite my blog name - which is very much the way I am!!! However, I decided on giving her a delicious biriyani. 

In our home, it is kind of compulsory on Friday that we have anything that is not what is made on normal days - it has to be biriyani, ghee rice, fried rice and some non-veg curry. Otherwise, it never feels like a Friday!! Since we have it that way, I always try different recipes over the weekend, so that we don't eat the same biriyani every Friday. The beauty of Kerala is that each place has their own version of the biriyani. This version is adapted from a book that my HD had gifted me when he came back from his trips from Inida, which is called "Non Vegeterian Recipes by Zubeida Ubaid". She is a well-known chef in Kerala, specialised in Malabar cuisine. Kannur is one of the north-most district in Kerala. I had made this biriyani for the first time adapting to our tastes, and it was a really tasty one. Do try it to know it yourself!!! :)

Kannur Chicken Biriyani

Serves 5-6

Ingredients:

3 cups basmati rice

1 kg chicken, cut into meduimm sized peices

3 tbsp oil

4 large onions, slliced

2 tbsp ginger paste

2 tbsp garlic paste

6 green chillies, crushed (increase for spiciness)

2 large tomatoes, chopped

2 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp garam masala powder

3 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped

Juice from 2 limes

1 inch pc cinnamon

2 pcs cardamom

3 cloves

6 cups of boiling water

1 tbsp mint leaves

Salt to taste

4 tbsp ghee

1 small onion, chopped

6-8 cashewnuts

2 tbsp raisins

Some chopped coriander and mint leaves for dum

Method:

Wash the rice well and leave to drain. In a pressure cooker, heat half the oil and add the chopped onions and saute with a pinch of salt till soft. Add the ginger garlic pastes, chillies and tomatoes and cook for five minutes. Add the coriander powder, turmeric powder and half of the coriander leaves and mix for a couple of minutes. Add the chicken peices, mix well and cook for a whistle. Switch off and let the pressure go by itself.

Once the pressure is gone, measure out one cup of chicken stock and set aside. Add the remaining coriander leaves and the lime juice. Switch on the flame and cook on high till the masala is almost dry and coats the chicken. Add 1/2 teaspoon of the garam masala and switch off the flame. 

In a large saucepan, add the ghee. Fry the sliced onion till brown and set aside. Fry the cashews and raisins and keep aside. Into this ghee, add the whole masalas and fry for a couple of minutes till an aroma spreads in the kitchen. Add in the drained rice and fry the rice for a couple of minutes more. Add the hot water into the rice. Keep the flame on high till the water boils completely. Add in the mint leaves and salt, and keep rice on lowest flame till completely cooked. Keep mixing the rice in between to ensure full cooking. 

Once the rice is cooked and the water is completely dried, add in the chicken stock and mix well. In a deep dry pan, spread the chicken masala, then half the rice. Then sprinkle half the fried onion, cashews and raisins, half the remaining garam masala, and some chopped coriander and mint leaves. Add the remaining rice and then sprinkle on top all the remaining of the dum ingredients. Keep the lid tightly closed and cook on low flame for 15-20 minutes. 

While serving, take off the rice into a platter and spread the chicken Masala on top of it. Serve hot with raita, pappad, and pickle!!!

Wasnt That Simple and interesting???  

Thank you so much Rafeeda For Time Taken  from your busy schedule and doing a blog post for me :) And there is no need for apology as bloggers we know it isnt really simple to manage a blog as simple it presents to the world. I Really know much time I take for typing out things for blogs :) and Im Doubtful, If in future I get busy with my life, Will I be able to manage my blog the same way as u guys do??? Big Question mark????? 

Let my life answer it on its on :D For now Big Big Hugs to Rafeeda hope we get more n more occasions to interact with each other.  Jazak Allah for Everything :)