When it comes to Biryani, everyone has their palates set and no matter what kind of new style you bring on, the biryani enthusiasts will not budge about their favourite type. That’s when Muradabadi Chicken Biryani enters the scene and unites all the Biryani lovers with a delicious amalgamation of spices that steals hearts away.
To prepare this recipe, wash and soak the rice for half an hour. Then, in a large bowl, add the chickens and pour a little vinegar over it and set aside for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, wash the onions, green chillies, tomatoes, coriander leaves, bay leaves, and ginger under running water and chop them up separately.
After the 10 minutes, wash the chicken and spread a layer of the ginger paste over it. Set aside. Now, take a large cotton cloth and put the one sliced onion, 2 green chilies, ginger, garlic, 4 cloves, 2 green cardamoms, 1 black cardamom, 1/2 tsp of cumin seeds, dagad fool, cinnamon, 1 bay leaf, and 5 peppercorns, hing and mace on it.
Gather the edges to form a potli. Now, take a pressure cooker and add the water along with the garlic chicken in it. Sprinkle 2 tbsp of salt and add in the potli. Cover the lid and cook for 1-2 whistles. Turn off the flame and let the pressure out naturally.
Take the potli out after squeezing it out. Then, transfer the broth and the chicken to a large bowl and set it aside. Now, heat oil in the same pressure cooker. When the oil is hot enough, add cumin seeds, bay leaf, cardamom and cloves and let them splutter.
Next, add the chopped onions along with the ginger and garlic paste and saute them till the onions turn golden. Then, add the chopped tomatoes, green chillies, cumin powder, red chillie powder, coriander powder and salt. Saute them all and mix well.
Now, add the prepared chicken pieces, with garam masala powder, mint leaves, coriander leaves and the lemon juice. Pour in the chicken broth and bring it to a boil. As the broth starts boiling, add the half of the soaked basmati rice and cook it for 1-2 whistles.
Let the pressure release naturally, then, uncover the lid. Divide the mixture into two bowls and pour red and yellow food colouring into each. Mix well. Then, in a degchi, add the remaining rice with water, garam masala powder and salt. Cook it till it's soft and done.
Finally, layer the rice using a deep-bottomed pan. Place layers of the prepared rice and top it with ghee and lemon juice. Set side with a closed lid for 10-15 minutes and then give it a good stir to mix it all well. You can use your hand to mix it all and then, sprinkle chopped coriander leaves.
Transfer it to a serving pot and enjoy the delicious Biryani!