Kharachi baryani

Ingredients:

Biryani Masala:

- ½ cup oil

- 2 small or 1 large onion, thinly sliced (~250g)

- 4 tbsp ginger & garlic paste

- 2 lb chicken with bone, cut into medium pieces

- ¾ cup plain yogurt

- 2-3 teaspoon salt (to taste)

- 1 pack Shan Bombay Biryani Masala

- ½ pack Shan Sindhi Biryani Masala

- 3 russet potatoes, cut into ½" slices (~550g)

- 1-2 large lemons, thinly sliced (100-150g)

- ¾ cup dried aloo bukhara (plum)

- 6 tomatoes, cut into thin slices (600g)

- 6-8 green chilies, cut into long slices (serrano preferred)

- 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

- 1 cup chopped fresh mint

Rice:

- 4 cups Sella rice(800g)

- 12 cups water

- 1-2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Layering:

- ¼ tsp yellow or orange food color mixed in 2 tablespoon cold water

Raita for serving (optional):

- 2-3 cups plain yogurt

- 1 cucumber, finely chopped

- 1-2 teaspoon cumin seeds

- Pinch of salt

Instructions:

Prep:

- Prepare all the ingredients

- Wash and rinse the rice 5-6 times until the water becomes clearer, and soak it in cold water

- Slice and chop all the vegetables, and gather everything else in front of you

Biryani Masala:

- Heat the oil in a large pot

- Add the onion and cook it on medium high heat for 8-10 minutes until it becomes golden

- Add the ginger & garlic paste and saute for 1-2 minutes until it no longer smells raw

- Add the chicken, and cook on high heat for 5 minutes

- Add the yogurt, salt, Bombay Biryani Masala, Sindhi Biryani Masala, and potatoes. Stir and fry on high heat for 2-3 minutes

- Add the sliced lemon

- Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the potatoes are just cooked through (but not fully soft).

- Halfway through cooking the potatoes, add the dried aloo bukhara and green chilies, and stir them in

- Once the potatoes are just cooked through, remove the lid. Keep the heat on low, and layer the sliced tomatoes on top of the masala.

- Cover the pot with the lid and cook for about 10 min on low heat to soften tomatoes

- Remove the lid and cook for 2-3 more minutes on medium heat. Then turn off the heat

Parboiling rice:

- Follow the instructions given on the package of the rice to boil it in water with salt, but reduce the cooking time to ~75% and check frequently after the 50% mark

Layering:

- To a clean, large heavy bottomed Dutch oven pot, add a third of the rice on the bottom. Drizzle over some food color (mixed in water) and sprinkle over a third of the remaining cilantro and mint

- Then add a layer of half of the biryani masala

- Repeat with another third of the rice, food color, cilantro, mint. Add the remaining biryani masala, and add a third and final layer of rice, food color, cilantro and mint on top

Steaming / Dum:

- Use the back of a large spoon / dowel to poke 3-4 holes through the layers of the biryani

- Wrap the lid of the pot in a large tea towel and cover the pot. Place it on a small burner on medium heat, and put some weight on top of the lid (e.g., a mortar and pestle). After 5 minutes, reduce the heat to the lowest setting

- Allow the biryani to steam for ~20 minutes.

- Turn off the heat and let the biryani rest for 5 minutes

Serving:

- Make the raita by mixing together the ingredients

- Serve the biryani while hot with the cold raita, and enjoy!!

Note: Please read the blog post above in order to get this recipe right. You will find pictures of each step, important tips, and answers to frequently asked questions about the rice and steaming.