Bezawada Biriyani: Fried Chicken Biriyani

Unless the Hyderabadi Dum Biriyani. Bezawada biriyani is easy to make and doesn't need a lengthy marination for chicken. This biriyani is very famous in most of the Andhra non vegetarian restaurants. All you need to do is slice the chicken into small pieces i would prefer you to use the thigh or a breast part of the chicken.You can get it separately from super markets, you could use the fresh or a frozen piece. As this is a fried chicken biriyani, you gonna fry the chicken pieces first and then prepare the masala. The assembling is much similar how you did for the hyderbadi Dum Biriyani.

Though i make varieties of biriyanis, my all time favorite biriyani variety is the fried chicken biriyani as it is rich in spice and taste and it doesn't need absolutely a side dish to serve with, as it has a ample gravy masala along the chicken pieces in the biriyani. So, if you ever want to surprise your guests, your best choice would be the Bezawada Biriyani, may be a Raita will make this is as a perfect combo for your party. Here you go with the making :)

Ingredients:
For Marinating Chicken:

• Chicken cut as small pieces- 1 Lb/ ¾ Kg
• Chili Powder- 1 Tspn
• Coriander Powder- 1 Tspn
• Turmeric Powder- ½ Tspn
• Oil- To Deep Fry
• Lemon juice- ¼ Cup
• Ginger Garlic Paste- 2 Tspn
• Curd- 1 Tspn

To Cook Rice:

• Basmati Rice- 2 Cups (Soaked in water for atleast 1 hour)
• Cardamoms- 5 Nos
• Cloves- 4 Nos
• Bay Leaves- 2 Big
• Star Anise- 3 Nos
• Water- As needed
• Salt- To Taste

Other Ingredients:

• Fried onions( deep fry until it turns crispy)- 1 Cup
• Onion- 1 Sliced
• Tomato- 1 Sliced
• Green Chilies- 3 Nos
• Garam Masala- 2 Tspn
• Milk- ¼ Cup
• Saffron- few
• Rose Water- 1 Tspn
• Maida- 1 Cup
• Ghee- 2 Tspn
• Coriander Leaves- a Bunch
• Mint Leaves- a Bunch

Method:

• Soak the saffron in the milk and keep aside.
• In a separate pan mix the chicken pieces with all the ingredients under “for marinating chicken” and keep for half an hour, after half an hour deep fry the chicken and keep aside.
• In a pan, pour water, when it starts boiling add the spices listed under “to cook rice” and salt. Add the basmati rice and cook for a while. The rice should not be fully boiled. It should be 70% done. So, when you press it, it should be little hard and that’s the correct texture else getting the right biriyani is difficult.
• After its half cooked, drain the rice and keep aside.
• Now in a separate pan, add the ghee and saute the onion until it becomes soft, now add the tomato and green chilies,ginger garlic paste and saute again until the masala smell goes from it.
• Add the 1/2 tspn of curd and saute again, add the coriander,mint leaves and now add the fried chicken to it and give a stir.Switch off the stove.

 

Assembling the pan:
Please refer the Hyderabadi Dum Biriyani as its the same process.

• In the heavy bottomed pan, pour ghee at the bottom and spread it evenly, now, add the cooked masala chicken.
• On top of it, add the drained rice and top it again with crispy fried onions and again top it with rice. Overall the chicken should be at the bottom and the rice and onions should be on the top.
• After all the rice is layered pour the soaked saffron milk and on top of it, add the rose water it gives a good flavor.
• Close the pan tightly and make a maida dough, now, close the pan with the lid and press the maida dough around the lid to make it tight.
• Now, keep the pan in the stove in high flame for about 5 minutes and change it to low flame and cook in low flame for about 15 minutes.
• After the set time, let it stand for about 5 minutes. Serve hot with raita.

Tips:

"You can add the orange color mixed in water instead of using the milk soaked with saffron.

Adding rose water is optional however if you use, it gives an extra flavor to the recipe.

Adjust your spice level as per your need.

Avoid using excess turmeric powder as it may change the color of the biriyani"

 

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Whole chicken Masala Fry

I was thinking to post this recipe from a very long time. This is one of the best and unique chicken as its cooked as whole with all the masala. When I got the recipe from my Amma I wasn't very sure if I get as tasty as my Amma does because I was much confused if it will get cooked well in the center of the chicken,however I just followed the exact instruction from her and I was very much surprised that it was very similar like hers. She does it just like in short time and its one of my favorite from her cookbook. My Bf tasted it for the first time and he became a fan too :) I made this with the Cornish hen which is available in most supermarkets ( if its frozen you may have to put it in the hot water until it becomes smooth). As I made with the cornish I didn't attempted to clean anything inside the chicken.

If you are using the fresh organic chicken then you have to clean it well inside and outside with turmeric and salt and you can step into making it. The only difficult part in this case would be the cleaning and the main factor involved here is the patience, as we want all the sides to cook properly it takes a little more time than the usual chicken recipes. But one thing I can assure you is well, “the taste”. Yes, definitely you will never compromise on making something else once you tasted thie whole chicken masala fry. Here comes the making :)
 

Ingredients:
 
To Marinate:

• Chili Powder- 3 Tspn
• Coriander Powder- 4 Tspn
• Salt- To Taste
• Turmeric Powder- 1 Tspn

For Masala:

• Large Onion- 2 Sliced
• Garam Masala- 1 Tspn
• Ginger Crushed- a small lemon size
• Garlic Crushed- 5 Pods
• Green Chilies- 4 Nos
• Tomatoes Sliced- 3 Nos
• Coriander Leaves- a bunch
• Thick Coconut Milk- 1/2 Cup
• Hot Water- 1/4 Cup
• Cashew Paste- 3 Tspn
• Soya Sauce- 1 Tspn
• Ghee- 2 Tspn
• Oil- 2 Tspn
• Curry Leaves- Few

Method:

• Marinate the whole chicken with the ingredients under “to marinate” and keep aside for at least 1 hour.
• Deep fry 1 large onion chopped until it turns crispy in ghee and keep it aside.
• In a big thick bottomed vessel,pour oil and add the other 1 onion sliced,tomatoes,green chillies and crushed garlic and ginger and sauté well until it combines well.
• Add garam masala and add the marinated chicken and give a light stir for the masala to get into the chicken.
• Add hot water (a little) into the sides of the chicken and give a smooth stir.
• Close the vessel with the lid and cook it covered for 3 minutes.
• Reduce the flame to low and again flip the chicken and add the coconut milk (a little) and give a stir and again cook it covered for 5 minutes.
• At this stage the chicken must have cooked as 3/4th stage.Now repeat adding the hot water and coconut milk and flipping up and down the chicken until the chicken is fully cooked.
• After you are done with adding the entire hot water and coconut milk, do not cook it covered, just cook it uncovered for the gravy to become thick.
• You will now see the gravy thickened and the best way to check if the chicken is cooked would be pricking it with the fork and if goes smooth into it then it means you are done.
• At this point, in a separate pan, add oil and soya sauce and saute for a minute.
• Add this sauce to the cooked chicken( add it on the top) and few curry leaves and coriander leaves.
• Give a quick stir at the end.
• Assemble the chicken, by keeping some masala as the base for the chicken in the plate and on top of it,keep the chicken and then pour the remaining masala on top of it.Serve as whole to rice or chappathi.

Tips:

"Since we are cooking the chicken along with the gravy, always keep the flame as low so that it will not burn at the bottom.

At first when you begin, you will find it hard, and confused as the chicken gets separated from the masala but once the curry gets thickening pour the curries from the sides and pour it to the top of the chicken at regular intervals so that the chicken will observe the masala.

Handle the chicken with care while flipping it, as there may be chances for the wings or legs to break.Hence use essential utensils ( I used 2 large spoons for flipping the chicken).

Do not add the coconut milk and hot water as a whole in one time, add it in regular intervals it is a must, as the chicken gets cooked by doing that way."

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Palada Pradhaman

Palada Pradhaman the name says it all, its similar how you make the Ada Pradhaman. The difference is you make that with the jaggery and here we use the milk instead, its similar to how you make a simple semiya payasam. Its one of a very famous dessert served in most temples in Kerala and even served at weddings. The taste is really incredible that we have it at home with the Boli( a kerala dessert). The making is very simple as its not as lengthy as how you made the Ada Pradhaman. I really love the one which i tasted in "Padmanaba Swamy"  temple at Trivandrum. Omg! its just awesome,if anyone visiting that temple, do not forget to get that prasadam from the temple.

As I really wanted it simple and fast, I used the ready made ada which is store brought, but I used the small ones for making Palada Pradhaman remember it makes difference.The traditional method involves in two ways either by making it in uruli( a broad thick vessel) or in a pressure cooker. The one I made is the pressure cooker method. Which is easy and time consuming as well. Just one thing to make sure is if you are using the store brought ada always remember to wash and soak in hot water for about 10 minutes before you are getting into action :)

Ingredients:

• Ready made Rice Ada- 1 Cup
• Milk- 5 Cups
• Sugar- 2 Cups
• Cardamom Powder- 1/2 Tspn
• Ghee- 2 Tspn
• Condensed Milk/Milk Maid- 3 Tspn
• Cashews- few(optional)
• Raisins- Few(optional)

Method:

• Wash and soak the ada hot water for at least 10 minutes.
• Cook the ada in water of 2 cups and cook until it becomes soft.Drain and keep aside.
• In a pressure cooker, add the ghee,when it melts add the sugar and keep until its melted completely.
• Add the milk and the cooked ada and cook for 1 whistle.
• Open the lid and cook uncovered for another 20-30 minutes until it becomes thick.
• Add the condensed milk/milk maid and cardamom powder to it and stir for 2 minutes.
• Fry the cashews and raisins separately in ghee and add it to the payasam.

Tips:

"Usually in the traditional method, cashews and raisins are not used, so adding that is complete optional.

Adding condensed milk will give a good taste however its optional too.

Adjust the sugar as per your requirement, you can add the extra sugar at any point."

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Erissery - Pumpkin With Green Gram Dal curry

I am fulfilling the sadya recipes in my blog. Yes, Erissery is one among them. Its a very healthy vegetarian recipe with the ingredients as pumpkin and green dal. It makes a much taste difference,as it has a mild sweet and a little spicy. When i say it has a different taste it applies for its texture as well. Usually this recipe is little more liquid kind, however the one i made is thick. I like this one as better,but its your choice,it all depends how much water you use. Erissery is the most popular recipe in Trivandrum,mostly served in Sadyas for Vishu or Onam.

Traditionally, its made with with yam, unripe plantains and pigeon peas apart from using pumpkins. The one i made is authentically made in cities like Trivandrum and my amma just uses the raw plantain,pumpkin and the green gram. If you have not tasted this recipe you will definitely love making it again as it has a rich taste and coconut aroma. Its a ultimate treat for vegetarians :) If you are confused in making something different to your family,just go for this.
 

Ingredients:

• Raw Plantain- 1 Sliced as cubes.
• Pumpkin- 1 1/2 Cup Sliced as big cubes.
• Green Gram Dal- 1/2 Cup
• Turmeric Powder- 1/4 Tspn
• Coriander Powder- 1/4 Tspn
• Green chilies- 3 Sliced

To Grind as Paste:

• Coconut shredded- 1/4 Cup
• Garlic pieces- 2
• Cumin Seeds- 1 Tspn

To Temper:

• Coconut Shredded- 1/4 Cup
• Mustard Seeds- 1 Tspn
• Urud Dal- 1 Tspn
• Curry Leaves- Few
• Coconut oil- 1 Tspn

Method:

• Pressure cook the green gram dal for 3 whistles with water and keep aside.
• Grind all the ingredients under “To grind as paste” and keep aside.
• Add the green chilies and cubed pumpkins to the cooked green gram dal and pressure cook again for 1 whistle.
• After its all cooked, keep the flame low and add the grounded paste and turmeric,coriander powder and cook until the masala smell goes from it.
• In a separate pan, add all the ingredients except coconut and sauté well for a minute, switch off the flame and in the same heat add the shredded coconut and saute until it turns little brown.
• Add this to the cooked curry and give a stir.Serve hot with rice.

Tips:

"When adding pumpkin add water to the pressure cooker if needed.

As I mentioned I made it dry, however if you want to make it watery add water while at any point of cooking."

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