Chicken Biryani
When you open the lid of a pot containing good biryani—the Indian equivalent of arroz con pollo or paella—the smell should drive you wild: chicken (or lamb), butter, and spices should dominate, followed by the subtle aroma of basmati rice. When it’s prepared correctly, it seems to me, you can even smell the salt. This is one of India’s—indeed the world’s—great dishes, and yet too often in restaurants it is underwhelming, underspiced, and made without care. The spice mixture makes the dish exotic, but though it must be made carefully it isn’t difficult. (The chicken isn’t browned, which actually makes it easier than many similar preparations.) One key is to use real butter (in sufficient quantity; I’m sure the ultimate biryani has more butter than this version) and good spices: cardamom in the pod, whole cloves, cinnamon stick, and real saffron. Good coarse salt doesn’t hurt either and, needless to say, the better the chicken, the happier you’ll be when you bite into it. It’s also important to leave the lid on as much as possible. I’m not one of these people who believes that rice must be cooked undisturbed (on the contrary, I think it stands up to all kinds of abuse), but in this instance you want to make sure the chicken cooks fairly quickly and that as much of the aroma as possible remains in the pot. The goal, remember, is to smell everything. Serve with Dal (page 433) or any Indian-style vegetable.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Put 2 tablespoons of the butter in a deep skillet, flameproof casserole, or wide saucepan with a lid. Turn the heat to medium-high and wait a minute or so. Add the onion, along with some salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens without browning, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the spices and cook, stirring, for another minute.
Step 2
Add the rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is glossy and all ingredients are well combined, 2 or 3 minutes. Add the stock, chicken, and some more salt and pepper and bring to a boil; cover and adjust the heat so the mixture simmers.
Step 3
Cook, undisturbed, for about 25 minutes, then check. When the chicken and rice are both tender and the liquid has been absorbed, turn the heat off and re-cover. (If either chicken or rice is not quite done, add a little—no more than 1/2 cup—boiling water and re-cover with the heat still on.)
Step 4
Meanwhile, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the almonds if you’re using them (if you’re not, simply melt the butter) and brown them very lightly, just for 3 minutes or so. Pour this mixture over the biryani, sprinkle with a bit more salt, and re-cover; let rest for another 2 or 3 minutes. (You can keep the dish hot at this point in a 200°F oven for up to 30 minutes without sacrificing its quality.) Take the pot to the table, uncover, and serve.
