Thalassery chicken dum biriyani

The name thalassery biriyani originated from Thalassery, a town in the Malabar (north) side of Kerala. The rice used for this biriyani is known as kaima/jeerakashal, a small grain variety with a fragrance. The important point in this biriyani preparation is the usage of "bista" (fried onion) instead of raw onion in the masala.
 It is a spicy flavourful biriyani and once you have tasted I'm sure you can't stop eating it again and again.

Ingredients : 

• Chicken :  700 gm
• Curd : 1/4 cup
• Turmeric powder : 1/4 tspn
• Chilly powder  : 1 tspn

 For Rice :

• Jeerakashala rice / Kaima  : 3 cup
• Onion sliced : 1/2 cup
• Cinnamon / patta: 1 stick
• Cardamom / elakka  : 4
• Cloves / grampoo  : 4
• Lemon juice : 2 tspn
• Water : 4.5 cup
• Ghee : 1/4 cup
• Salt

For Masala :

• Onion sliced : 5
• Ginger : 1" piece
• Garlic : 10 cloves
• Green chilly : 3
• Tomato chopped : 2
• Garam masala : 1 tspn
• Coriander leaves : fistfull
• Mint leaves : fistfull
• Ghee
• Oil
• Salt

To garnish:

• Fried cashew : 10
• Fried kismis : 10
• Fried onion  : 1/4 cup
• Garam masala : 1/2 tspn
• Coriander leaves, Mint leaves  : 2 tblspn

Method :

Rice:

• Wash and soak rice for 30 minutes.
• Drain it and keep aside.
• Heat a pressure cooker with ghee.
  
  

• Add cinnamon (patta), cloves(grampoo) and cardamom(elakka).
• Add sliced onion and fry it for a few minutes.
• Now add drained rice and saute it well till it becomes crispy.

• Add hot water (4.5 cups) and mix it well.
• Now add salt and lemon juice.
• Close the cooker with its lid and keep it on a high flame till the first whistle.
• Switch off the stove and when the pressure goes off, fluff up the rice gently.

Masala :

• Marinate the cleaned chicken pieces with curd, turmeric powder and chilly powder. Keep it aside for 15 minutes.
• Make a paste of green chilly, ginger and garlic. Set aside.

• Now heat a pan with ghee and oil (you can use either ghee or oil.)
• Fry both cashews and kismis .Drain it and keep aside.

• Now add the sliced onion to the same pan and fry till it turns brown in colour.
• Drain it and keep aside. Take 1/4 cup of fried onion and keep it separately with fried cashews and kismis.
• Now add chopped tomatoes to the same pan and saute it well. 

• Now add ginger, garlic, green chilly paste and saute it well till the raw smell leaves.
• Add mint and coriander leaves.
• Now add garam masala powder.

• Add marinated chicken pieces and mix it well with all other ingredients.
• Add fried onion and mix it well.

• Now add enough water and cook it on a medium flame.

How to make dum:

• Take a biriyani pot or vessel. 
• Add one layer of chicken masala.
• Now add one layer of cooked rice.
• Add a few fried cashews, kismis and fried onion.
• Sprinkle garam masala powder. 
• Add chopped mint and coriander leaves.
• Repeat the same for the remaining rice and chicken masala.
• Now close the pot with its lid and you can make a seal with maida dough too.
• Keep it on a hot tawa .
• Keep the stove in simmer mode for 20 minutes.
• Now open the biriyani pot. Yea, you will feel heavenly with the pleasant smell of biriyani.
• Serve it with raita, pickle, papad.

Note:

• Kaima rice (jeerakashala/Kerala biriyani rice) is a small grain variety with a fragrance. It will give an authentic smell and taste to the biriyani.
• Kaima rice is available in all super markets. I got it from Reliance fresh, Chennai.
• Frying of onion is an important step. You can use ghee or oil. I used both ghee and oil. Reserve 1/4 cup of fried onion for garnishing.

Sending this recipe to beulahs event