Bezawada Biriyani | Fried Chicken Biriyani | Easter Special

Hope all had a great Easter,we had a good one too.Kids were on spring vacation last week but were sick one after the other with cold and cough.Though vacation was mostly at home and went to church.Easter is the most awaited break to have all non veg delicacies.Bezawada biriyani is a form of biriyani,popular in some regions of Andra Pradesh.Bezawada is the older name of Vijaywada city in Andra Pradesh(source: wiki) and so I assume that this a popular biriyani from Vijaywada.I found this recipe here and was glad to have tried it.Though I have tried the Hyderabadi Chicken Biriyani,both biriyani have a unique flavor of its kind and  tastes delicious too.In this biriyani,the chicken pieces are first marinated and then its fried(deep or shallow).I know its late to post as a Easter special recipe but this can be tried on any occasions.If you love chicken and you like biriyani,then go ahead and give this a try !!!

Preparation time ~30 minutes 
Cooking time~ 30 minutes
Serves~ 4 adults
Ingredients
for marinating chicken
chicken 1 lb
kashmiri chilly powder  1 tsp
spicy chilly powder 1/2 tsp
ginger garlic paste 2tsp
turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
lemon juice 2tsp
salt

for cooking rice
basmati rice 2 cups
bay leaves 2
star anise 2
cadamom 5
cloves 5innamom 1 " strands(2)
water 3 cups
ghee 3tbsp
salt

for chicken masala
onion 1 sliced large
tomato 1 chopped
garam masala 1.5 tsp
green chillies crushed 3
ginger-garlic paste 2tsp
cilantro chopped 1 tbsp
mint leaves chopped 1 tbsp
yogurt/curd 1tbsp
salt 

for garnish
chopped cilantro 2tbsp
mint leaves 2tbsp
fried onions 1 cup

Method

FOR FRYING CHICKEN

• Cut the chicken in pieces and wash the chicken in under running water.Drain the water in a colander and then marinate the chicken with the ingredients listed under marination for minimum half an hour or overnight.Heat oil in a pan and when the oil is hot,add the marinated chicken in batches.Fry the chicken until light brown and crisp.Drain on a plate.

FOR COOKING RICE

• Wash and soak the basmati rice in water for 20-30 minutes.Heat ghee in a pan and add the drained rice.Fry the rice until slightly brown.Switch off flame.Boil  3cups of water(use the soaked water) in a cooker or deep pan  with salt,whole spices-cinnamon,cloves,cardamom,star anise and bay leaves.Add the roasted rice and cook on medium flame till all water is absorbed.Switch off flame and remove from heat.

FOR MASALA

• Heat a pan and add oil.When oil is hot,fry the sliced onion(for garnish;I took 2 medium onions) until golden brown(if using store brought fried onion then omit this step).Drain on a plate and keep aside.In the remaining oil add about a tbsp of oil and add sliced onions for masala and saute until  until translucently done and add the crushed green chillies,ginger-garlic paste.Saute until the raw smell disappears.Add in the chopped tomato and saute until the tomatoes becomes mushy alongwith chopped coriander leaves and mint leaves.Add the garam masala and turmeric powder.Finally add the yogurt and salt.Slide in the fried chicken pieces.Leave covered for 3 minutes on low flame until the masala is well coated.Switch off flame.

ASSEMBLING

• In the same pan,add the cooked chicken,layer with half of cooked rice,chopped coriander leaves,mint leaves and fried onions.Repeat another layer of rice with chopped mint and coriander leaves and fried onions.Cover and seal the edges with maida,cook on low flame for 15 mins.Switch off flame and leave for another 20 minutes before you serve.Enjoy with raitha and pappad !

NOTES
* You can bake the biriyani in an oven proof pan at 350 degrees F after final assembling and covering with foil paper.Bake for half an hour  instead of stove top method.
* This biriyani doesn't make use of fried raisins and cashews but you can always add a few if you wish.

For more chicken recipes,click here.
For more biriyani recipes,click here.