Chicken Dum Pukht Biryani

    

The origin of the Lucknow Dum Pukht Biryani dates back to the 1780's and was popular at the time of Nawab Asaf-Ud-Daulah, the erstwhile ruler of Awadh. "Dum" means to "breath in" and "pukht" means "to cook". So this process of cooking when basmati rice is cooked with layers of marinated chicken or meat in a heavy bottomed pan, sealed with dough, on a low heat is known as Dum Cooking. The food is cooked in its own juices and steam, allowing all the spices and herbs to fully infuse the meat and rice, preserving the nutritional elements at the same time.

Ingredients - 

Chicken  pieces - 1/2 kg
Rice Basmati - 1 1/2 medium size bowl (300-350 g)
Onions - 3
Tomato chopped - 1
Garlic minced - 2 tbsp
Ginger minced - 1 tbsp
Green chillies  minced - 2-3
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Cumin Powder - 2 tbsp
Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Whole garam masala ( cumin seed, nutmeg and mace crushed - 1/2 tsp each, green cardamom-3, black cardamom-1, cinnamon stick- 1 inch)
Bay leaf -2
Clarified butter (pure ghee) - 2 tbsp + 1 tbsp
Oil - 2 tbsp
Saffron strands - 2-3 soaked in little warm milk
Warm Water - 1/2 cup
 Salt - to taste
For marination -
Curd 1/2 cup, turmeric- 1/8 tsp, ginger-garlic paste-1 tbsp,
 red chilli powder-1/2 tsp, garam masala -1/2 tsp, salt-1/2 tsp
For garnishing-
Onion - 1 large (cut into thin slices and fried crisp)
Cashews - fried few

                       
Method -  
1. Clean the chicken, put half of the fried onions and all 
    the masala listed for marination, rubbing nicely on the 
    chicken. keep it for 2 hours.
2. Clean, wash  and soak the rice in a deep pan for 8-10 
    minutes. Put it to boil, adding little salt in it. Keep 
    checking and drain the rice when it's 3/4th done,  add 1
     tsp of clarified butter (pure ghee) in it to prevent it from   
     sticking, remove it from heat and open the lid of the pan 
     to prevent it from cooking further.
3. Heat a deep and heavy bottomed karahi and put the oil 
    and ghee into it. Put the bay leaf and the whole garam
    masala and when it has crackled put onions into it and
    fry it until it turns golden.
4. Add the minced ginger, garlic, chillies and tomato with 
    all the dry masala and stir fry it.
5. Add the marinated chicken and fry it until the oil has 
    separated. Sprinkle some water in between if necessary
    and cover and let it cook until the chicken is tender and 
    no gravy is left in it. Put in on a very low heat.
6. Take the par boil rice and spread it over the chicken, mix
    it softly with the chicken and the masala. Spread the     
    saffron milk, sprinkle the warm water also over it.
    You can also use the drain water from the rice instead 
     of using warm water.
7. Cover the karahi with a foil paper and tightly cover it 
    with a lid. You can also secure the lid with a wheat dough 
    (mix water and wheat flour to a dough). Let it be on a low 
    flame for 5-7 minutes, remove and keep a tawa over the
    flame and place the biryani on the tawa for 5-7  minutes,
    take out the wheat dough or the foil just before serving 
    and garnish it with the remaining fried onions and 
    cashews. Serve it hot with raita or salad.
8.  I prefer to mix the rice and the chicken before putting 
     on 'Dum' because this way every grain of rice will absorb
     the masala and aroma of the chicken. 

   For the Layered Biryani - 

        

If you want to make a layered biryani then remove the chicken from the karahi after its cooked, spread little ghee on the karahi. Make a layer of half of the rice, sprinkle half of the soaked saffron milk and few cashews and fried onion on the rice and spread the chicken over the rice. Now spread remaining layer of rice over the chicken and then remaining saffron milk and the garnishing on it. Just take care that first and last layer should be of rice only. This way you can make many layers of rice, garnishing, chicken and then again rice and so on if you have greater quantity of ingredients with you. Cover the karahi with a foil paper and the lid and let the biryani be on dum for few minutes and serve it hot.