Biryani

Biryani, biriani, or beriani (Nastaliq script: بریانی; Devanagari script: बिरयानी; Bengali script: িবিরয়ানी) is a family of primarily South Asian dishes made from a mixture of spices, rice (usually basmati), meat/vegetables and yogurt. It was spread through out the Middle East and South Asia (and Southeast Asia to an extent) by Muslim travellers and merchants, and is very popular in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. The name is derived from the Persian word beryā(n) (بریان) which means "fried" or "roasted". There are many kinds of biryanis and each kind has a uniqueness about it. Pre-mixed biryani spices from different commercial names are easily available in markets these days, which reduces the preparation time though the taste differs considerably.

This is a brilliant dish to make for friends because you can leave it to cook for an hour, and end up with the complete meal in one dish. Choose a light accompaniment, like a green salad, because it’s quite filling. I tend to use canned chickpeas, but if you want to use dried you’ll need to get organised the day before, to soak them in cold water overnight then, next day, simmer for 20 minutes until tender.

No preparation required.

Serves 4.

Ingredients:

1. 1 Red pepper chopped
2. 1 yellow pepper chopped
3. 2 small onions chopped
4. 3 teaspoons coriander powder
5. 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
6. 1 bunch fresh coriander leaves washed and finely chopped
7. 1 teaspoon olive oil
8. 8 pieces of skinless boneless chicken thighs
9. 2 green chillies sliced and chopped with seeds intact
10. 3 cloves of garlic minced
11. 1 cup soaked chickpeas
12. 1 cup basmati rice
13. 1 big lemon juice
14. 11/2 cups of chicken stock

Directions:

1. Preheat a non-stick casserole in the oven to 400 degrees Farenheight
2. Heat a pan with 1 teaspoon of olive oil.
3. Add 8 pieces of boneless, skinless chicken thighs and toss till brown.
4. Remove the chicken thighs from pan and set aside.
5. In the pan, fry chopped onions, red and yellow peppers till the ends turn brown.
6. Add chopped fresh coriander, minced garlic, 1 cup of soaked chickpeas, 1 1/2 teaspoon salt, 3 teaspoon coriander powder, and mix.
7. Add 3 cups of chicken stock, rice and lemon juice
8. Bring to boil
9. Transfer the contents of the pan into the pre-heated casserole.
10. Spread the cooked chicken over the rice mixture and cover.
11. Put the non-stick casserole back in the oven and bake for 50 minutes at 400 degrees Farenheight.