Simple Kolkata Style Chicken Biryani

Enjoy this simple traditional Kolkata-style chicken biryani with your family and friends.

Ingredients:

Chicken Marinade

2 kg chicken

2 tbsp mustard oil

1 tbsp salt

1 tbsp ginger paste

1 tbsp garlic paste

4 tbsp plain yogurt

1 tsp biryani masala

½ tsp red chili

Potatoes

4 tbsp cooking oil

1 cup onion

7 potatoes

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp turmeric

¾ tsp red chili powder

Biryani Base

8 cloves

6 cardamoms

2 cinnamon sticks

¼ cup onion

1 cup water

1 tsp kewra water

1 ½ tbsp biryani masala

½ cup fried onions

5 green chilies

4 tbsp powdered milk

1 ½ tsp kewra water

1 tsp rose water

2 tbsp ghee

2 tbsp saffron water

2 tbsp fried onions

Rice

2 cinnamon sticks

10 cloves

4 cardamoms

2 bay leaves

½ tsp shah jeera

½ tsp ginger

6 cups basmati rice

Instructions:

1. Coat chicken leg and thigh pieces with mustard oil, salt, ginger paste, garlic paste, plain yogurt, biryani masala, and red chili

2. Mix well and set aside to marinate for 30 minutes

3. Drizzle cooking oil in a large pot and add thinly sliced onion

4. Fry the onions until golden brown then remove from heat

5. Cut potatoes in half and add to the pot along with salt, turmeric, and red chili powder

6. Fry the potatoes for 2 minutes and remove them from heat

7. Stir in cloves, cardamoms, cinnamon sticks, sliced onions, and marinated chicken pieces

8. Fry for 3 minutes

9. Pour hot water over and toss the potatoes back in the pot

10. Add kewra water, and mix in biryani masala

11. Cover with lid and cook for 20 minutes on low heat

12. In a separate pot, add cinnamon sticks in salted water along with cardamoms, bay leaves, shah jeera, and ginger

13. Let the spices steep for about 3 minutes then strain out of the water

14. Add basmati rice that has been soaked for 30 minutes

15. Cover with lid and cook for 5 minutes on high heat

16. Remove the lid and transfer the rice out and set aside

17. Add a hand full of fried onions to the chicken pot along with powdered milk and green chilies

18. Add the cooked rice on top of the chicken

19. Pour kewra water, rose water, and saffron water over the rice

20. Add ghee and fried onions

21. Seal the pot with foil paper then cover with a lid

22. Cook for 35 minutes on low heat

23. Remove from heat and gently mix before serving

24. Ready to enjoy!