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"