Chicken Dum Biryani With Raita (In a Pressure Cooker)

Prep Time: 1hr 10min
Soak Time: 30min
Cook Time: 35min
Total Time: 2hr 15min
Yield: 4-5 Servings

Ingredients

500 Grams Chicken bone-in, cut into medium sized pieces
3 Cups Basmati Rice, wash & soak in water for 30 minutes
2 Medium Sized Onions, sliced thinly
Salt to Taste
1/2 Tspn Black Cumin Seeds(Shahjeera)
2-3 Small Cinnamon(Dalchini) Stick
6-8 Green Cardamom(Ellachi) Pods
2-3 Bay Leaves
4-5 Cloves(Lavang)
10 Cups Water
1 Tspn Oil
1 Tblspn Mint(Pudina) Leaves & Cilantro(Kothmir) Leaves, chopped
1 Tspn Lemon Juice
1/2 Tspn Garam Masala Powder
4 Tblspn Butter/Oil/Ghee
1 Tspn Butter/Ghee

Masala For Marination

1 1/2 Tblspn Red Chilli Powder
Salt to Taste
4-6 Green Chillies, slit on one side
1 Tspn Turmeric Powder
1 Tblspn Gingergarlic Paste
2 Tblspn Lemon Juice
1 Tspn Garam Masala Powder
1 Cup Yogurt(Curd)
3 Tblspn Mint(Pudina) Leaves, chopped
3 Tblspn Cilantro(Kothmir) Leaves, chopped

For Raita

1 Cup Thick Yogurt/Curd
1 Medium Sized Onion, finely chopped
1 Green Chilli, finely chopped
1 Small Sized Tomato, discard the pulp(with seeds) & chop into small cubes
1/4 Cup Cucumber; peel, discard the seeds & chop into small cubes
1 Tblspn Cilantro(Kothmir) Leaves, chopped
1/4 Cup Water(optional)
1/4 Cup Milk
1/8 Tspn Chaat Masala Powder (optional)
Salt to Taste


Directions

• Wash chicken pieces with a pinch of turmeric powder under running water & drain.
• Heat 4 tablespoons of butter (instead of  4 tablespoons of butter; you can also use 2 tablespoon oil + 2 tablespoon butter/ghee) in a pan on medium flame, add sliced onions. Fry them until golden brown & crisp. Turn off the flame & transfer only fried onions to a bowl. 

• In a bowl; add chicken pieces, all masala ingredients & combine well. Cover & let it rest for atleast an hour (refrigerate overnight for best results).

• Now add the marinated chicken, 3/4th of fried onions to remaining oil/ghee in the pressure cooker & combine well. Keep aside.

• In a large pot add 10 cups of water, shahjeera, ellachi, lavang, bay leaves, dalchini, 1 teaspoon oil & bring it to a boil on a medium high flame. 

• Now add soaked basmati rice (before adding rice drain soaked water completely), salt(to taste) & cook until its 40% done( approximately 3-5 minutes).

• Drain the rice using a strainer & layer the rice evenly over the marinated chicken in the pressure cooker.

• Sprinkle 1 tablespoon cilantro leaves, 1 tablespoon mint leaves, remaining 1/4th fried onions, 1/8 teaspoon garam masala powder, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon butter & close the cooker lid. 

•  Turn on the flame to high for 5 minutes, then to a medium flame for 5 minutes & finally turn to low flame for 8-10 minutes (Note: It can make anywhere from 0 to 4 whistles, do not worry even if it does not whistle). 

• Turn off the flame & let the pressure release naturally. Open the lid.
• Serve hot with mirchi ka salan & raita.

For Raita

• In a mixing bowl whisk yogurt & add all the ingredients listed. 
• Mix everything well & garnish with a cilantro leaf. 
• Serve with biryani or pulao.