Thalassery Biryani

Ingredients

• - 2 cups khyma or basmati rice
• - 400g chicken or mutton
• - 3 large onions
• - 2 tomatoes
• - 1/2 cup yogurt
• - 4 tbsp ghee
• - Whole spices
• - Fresh mint and coriander
• - Salt to taste

Method

1. Marinate chicken: Mix 750g chicken with 1 cup yogurt, 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, 2 tsp red chilli powder, half tsp turmeric, 1 tsp biryani masala and salt. Marinate 2 hours.
2. Make fresh masala: Grind 6 shallots, 6 garlic cloves, 1-inch ginger, 4 green chillies and 1 tsp fennel to a coarse paste. This fresh masala is the hallmark of Thalassery biryani.
3. Fry birista: Slice 3 large shallots. Deep fry until dark golden. Drain. Reserve oil.
4. Parboil Jeerakasala rice: Wash 2.5 cups Jeerakasala rice. Soak 20 minutes. Boil in salted water with whole spices 5-6 minutes. Drain.
5. Cook chicken: In a heavy pot heat reserved oil. Add fresh ground masala and fry 4 minutes. Add marinated chicken and cook 10-12 minutes.
6. Add tomatoes: Add 3 chopped tomatoes. Cook 6 minutes.
7. Layer rice: Spread parboiled rice over the chicken.
8. Add garnishes: Add birista, generous amounts of fresh mint and coriander, 4 tbsp ghee and saffron milk.
9. Seal and dum cook: Seal pot with dough. Cook on tawa — high heat 5 minutes then lowest heat 35 minutes.
10. Serve: Rest 10 minutes. Thalassery biryani is known for its unique fragrant Jeerakasala rice. Serve with raita and pickle.