Chicken Biryani - mom style in pressure cooker

My first taste of Biryani is from my mom's kitchen. She used to make amazing biryani even before I knew the concept of restaurants and carry outs. She is my true inspiration when it comes to cooking(just cooking :P he he he).

 I have tasted and made many biryanis later but for me My mom's is the best when it comes to Chicken biryani. Today I made this dish the same way my mom used to make with very slight changes. Try it out and I bet this will become your favorite too....

Ingredients

For Marinade

2lbs Chicken
1 cup thick Yogurt
1 tbsp Red Chilli powder
1 1/2 tbsp Ginger garlic paste
1 tsp Shai Jeera
1 tbsp Gram masala
1 tsp Cumin seeds
Salt per taste(may be a tsp to 2. I usually go by my hand)

For Biryani

4 cups Rice
5 cups Water
3 tbsp + 2tbsp Butter or ghee
4 tbsp oil
5 or 6 curry leaves
2 large Onion chopped length wise
1 big Tomato sliced length wise
10 Green chillies slit length wise
1 1/2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1 big bunch of coriander/cilantro (discard the roots and use tender stems and leaves)
1 small bunch mint leaves(just the leaves)
1 tbsp red chill powder(adjust per you spice level)
1/2 tbsp coriander powder
1 tbsp garam masala
Salt per taste
2 tbsp Fried onions crushed
4 tbsp warm milk

Tempering

 2 tsp Cumin seeds
4 star anise broken into pieces (Anasapuvu)
1 tsp nutmeg powder (Jajikaya)
6 small barks of Mace (Javetri)
2 tsp Saunf/Fennel seeds(Sopu)
4 cardamom pods crushed
6 cloves(Lavangam)
2 inch cinnamon stick
6 Dried Bay leaves
1 tsp Sahajeera
1 tsp turmeric

For Garnish (Optional)

2 tbsp coriander/Cilantro leaves

Method

Mix all the marinade ingredients except for chicken to a thick paste in a small bowl. Marinate the chicken in the marinade paste mixutre and set aside for an hour. Wash the rice, drain all the water and set aside.
Lightly crush the tempering ingredients except for the bay leaves in a mortar pestle. Heat 3 tbsp butter and oil in a pressure cooker on medium high heat. Add in the tempering ingredients and let them splutter. Add in the curry leaves and slit green chillies. Let them fry for 30 seconds. Add in the onions and little salt. Fry the onions till they are dark golden brown in color(caramelize in cooking terms). Add in the ginger garlic paste and fry for another minute. Add in half the coriander leaves, mint leaves. Fry for a minute or two.
Add in the marinated chicken and cook for 10 minutes. Now add the water, red chilli powder and garam masala powder. Let the water come to a boil. Check the taste and adjust the seasonings.

Add in the rice, rest of the coriander and mint leaves, 2tbsp butter, milk and crushed fried onions. Give it a good gentle stir.
Now close the cooker lid and let the pressure come out a little bit. Then place the whistle. Once you hear one whistle, turn the heat to low, take the pressure cooker aside and place a tawa or dosa pan on heat. Place the pressure cooker on top top of the tawa. This way you can stop the rice from being burnt at the bottom as the cooker is not on the direct flame at this point. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes on low heat. Turn off the heat and let the cooker rest till all the pressure is gone.

Take the lid off, garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with raitha and/or any gravy curry. I made Chicken Chalna as a side gravy dish for Biryani.