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Chicken Dum Biryani Kolkata style | How to make Chicken Biryani at home

Kolkata Style Chicken Dum Biryani is light and fragrant with aromatic biryani masala. Succulent chicken pieces with sweet-scented long grain basmati rice is a combination to die for. Unlike other biryani this Mughlai influenced Kolkata chicken biryani is loaded with potatoes and eggs making it even more irresistible. Learn how to make authentic Kolkata Chicken biryani by following this step by step recipe.
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time1 hour
marinaton1 hour
Course: dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Bangladeshi, Indian
Keyword: biryani basmati rice, biryani masala recipe, chicken biryani recipe, how to make biryani at home, how to make chicken biryani at home, step by step biryani recipe
Servings: 6 people
Author: Arpita@Gastronomic Bong

Equipment

  • large thick bottomed pan
  • Deep pan for preparing the Chicken
  • mixer grinder
  • Muslin cloth/cheese cloth

Ingredients

  • 1 kg Chicken
  • 3 large Onions thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup Yogurt
  • 1 1/2 tbsp Ginger-garlic paste
  • 1 tsp Chilli powder
  • 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
  • 2-3 Potatoes washed, peeled
  • 1 cup Milk (warm)
  • 2-3 Bay leaves
  • 1-2 tsp Sugar/sweetener
  • Salt as per taste
  • 3-4 tbsp Oil/Ghee
  • 1 tsp Kewra water

For the Rice

  • 500 gms Good quality Basmati Rice Wash and soak the rice for 30 minutes
  • 1 tsp Ghee
  • 2 Bay leaves
  • 5-6 Black peppercorn
  • 1 inch Cinnamon
  • 2-3 Green cardamom
  • 3-4 Cloves
  • 1 tsp Shahi jeera
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • Water to boil the rice

Biryani Masala

  • 2 tsp Shahi jeera (caraway seeds)
  • 1 tsp Aniseeds (fennel seeds/saunf)
  • 1 Black Cardamom
  • 6-7 Green cardamom
  • 1 inch Cinnamon
  • 7-8 Cloves
  • 1/2 floret mace
  • 1/2 Nutmeg
  • 8-10 Black Pepper

Other Ingredients

  • 2-3 tsp Kewra water (4-5 drops of Kewra essence)
  • 15-20 strands Saffron
  • 2-3 tbsp Warm milk
  • 4-5 tbsp Melted Ghee
  • 1/4 cup Pistachios optional
  • 4 Free range eggs boiled
  • 2 Onions thinly slices (optional)
  • Oil for frying the onions

Instructions

Make the Biryani Masala

  • Heat a skillet and dry roast all the ingredients under biryani masala on low heat for 3-4 minutes.
  • Take it off the heat and let it cool.
  • Add it to a mixer grinder and ground it into a fine powder. Biryani masala is ready. Store it in an airtight container.

Making the Chicken

  • In a large bowl add the chicken, yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt and marinate for at least 1 hour or over night is better.
  • Heat 1 tbsp of oil/ghee in a large thick bottomed on medium heat and fry the potatoes until golden brown. Drain and remove from the oil and keep it aside.
  • In the same pan add another 2-3 tbsp of oil or ghee. Add the bay leaves and sliced onions and fry until soft and light brown in colour.
  • Now slowly add the chicken along with the marinade and fry the chicken along with the onions on medium-high heat for 12-15 minutes.
  • Now add the potatoes, 2 tbsp of biryani masala along with 1 cup of warm milk and 1/2 cup of water and mix everything well. Cover and cook the chicken and potatoes on medium -low heat stirring frequently for 20-30 minutes.
  • Cook the chicken and potatoes until it's almost done. And you see the oil floating on top. The chicken curry is supposed to be on the drier side, so if its too watery you can simply rank up the heat and cook until you get the desired consistency.
  • Finally add kewra water and mix well. Take it off the heat, cover and keep it aside for layering.

Making Birista (crispy fried Onions)

  • Heat oil in deep frying pan to medium heat to deep fry the thinly sliced onions. Add the onions and fry them on a steady heat stirring occasionally.
  • Once the onions starts turning golden stir frequently or else it will burn from the bottom. When the onions turn golden brown drain and place it on a kitchen towel. Keep it aside and let it rest for some time.

Prepare the Biryani Rice

  • Let's start by making the masala potli (spice bag). In a muslin cloth add bay leaves, cinnamon, green cardamom, black cardamom, cloves, shahi jeera (caraway seeds), black pepper. Tie a tight knot into a potli.
  • Heat a large pot of water along with the spice bag, salt and ghee. bring it to a boil.
  • Now slowly add the rice to the boiling water and cook until its 70 percent cooked.
  • Remove the spice bag and drain the water. Spread it on a large plate and keep it aside as we start with the assembly.

Assembling the CHICKEN BIRYANI (2 ways Oven version and Stove version)

  • First start by soaking the saffron in warm milk and keep it aside.
  • For the Oven version: Preheat the oven to 175° C. Grease 1 tbsp of ghee in a large ovenproof casserole. Now add a layer of rice at the bottom. Then top it up with few pieces of chicken and potatoes. Then sprinkle with some birista (crispy fried onions), some saffron milk, biryani masala and melted ghee and pistachios.
  • Now continue with the same process of layering until you are done with the chicken and the rice. Finally, place the boiled eggs sprinkle with the rest of the saffron milk, birista, kewra water and the rest of the melted ghee. Then cover with aluminium foil and tightly close the lid and cook it in the oven for 40 minutes.
  • For the gas version: follow the same procedure only in a large metal pot with lid. Finally seal the lid with dough. Place the large metal pot on a wide pan and cook it on the lowest heat for 30-40 minutes. Switch off the flame and keep it rested for 10 to 15 minutes.

Notes

You know what guys I would love to see your creations. If you have tried this recipe, just click a pic and tag me @gastronomicbong or #gastronomicbong on Instagram or on Facebook.