Chicken Yakhni Pulao

Delicious and aromatic chicken pulao with full of essence and flavors. This recipe is lip smacking chicken pulao where Basmati Rice is cooked in flavorful chicken stock infused with spices. You can serve it plain or with raita or salna.

Ingredients : 

For chicken broth :

• Chicken - 1 kg
• Garlic - 4 cloves
• Ginger - 1 inch 
• Onion - 1 medium
• Cumin - 1 tsp
• Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp
• Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
• Bay leaf - 2
• Cloves - 5 to 6
• Cinnamon - 1 inch
• Pepper cones - 1/2 tsp
• Star anise - 1
• Black cardamom - 1
• Cardamom - 4
• Salt - 2 tsp
• Water - 4 cups

For pulao :

• Basmati rice- 2 cups
• Oil - 4 tbsp
• Butter - 1 tbsp
• Onion - 1 medium size
• Cumin - 3/4 tsp
• Bay leaf - 1
• Pepper cons - 8
• Cardamom - 3
• Cloves - 4
• Ginger garlic paste- 2 tsp
• Mace powder - 1/4 tsp
• Nutmeg powder- 1/4 tsp
• Curd - 4 tbsp
• Sugar - 3/4 tsp
• Green chilies - 4
• Salt to taste

Method :

• In a pot take cleaned chicken preferably with bone as it gives more flavour to the pulao and bigger piece as we will be cooking the chicken twice. Add all other ingredients for broth.

• Cook it for 8 mins on high heat and 15 mins on low heat. Meanwhile wash and soak basmati rice for half an hour.

• Take out the cooked chicken on to a plate and set aside. Filter the broth and discard the residue.

• In a pan heat oil and butter. Add sliced onion and saute till translucent. Add the whole spices and saute.

• Add ginger garlic paste and saute till raw smell goes away. Add the cooked chicken pieces and saute well. Add powdered mace and nutmeg.

• Beat curd with sugar and add to the pan and saute on low flame. Add whole green chilies and saute for a minute(add more green chilies as per spicy required and you can slit them too).

• Add the reserved 4 cups of chicken stock and let it come to a boil. Then add drained basmati rice and cook until water is reduced on high heat.

• Cover the lid and cook on low flame for 10-15 mins. You can place the pan on hot tawa and dum the pulao. Let it rest for 20mins before opening the lid.

• Flavorful yakhni pulao is ready. Serve it hot.

Chicken Fried Rice

Chicken Fried rice that is super easy to make and delicious. Chicken fried rice is a popular dish at chinese restaurants, its indo chinese version has become one of the favorite of Indians. This is a complete meal recipe to make at home with leftovers such as cold rice, eggs, boneless chicken pieces and frozen or fresh vegetables. You can use beans, carrot, capsicum, white cabbage, red cabbage, green peas, corn, spring onions.
Following is the recipe for chicken fried rice. Meatless version is egg fried rice and vegetable fried rice. For Egg fried rice, just skip the meat and increase the number of eggs by 6. For vegetable fried rice, skip the eggs and meat by increasing quantity and variety of vegetables.

Ingredients :

• Basmati Rice - 1 cup
• Boneless Chicken - 150 gms or 1/2 cup diced
• Eggs - 2
• Onion - 1
• Beans - 6
• Carrot - 1 small
• Capsicum - 1/2 small
• Garlic - 1 tbsp chopped
• Soy Sauce - 1 tbsp
• Salt to taste
• Pepper Powder as per spiciness
• Oil - 3 tbsp

Method :

• Step 1 : Wash and soak basmati rice for half an hour. In a vessel boil 2 cups of water. Add salt and drained rice. Cook till rice is 80% cooked. Strain and keep aside to cool down.

• Step 2 : In a bowl break eggs and beat them. Add salt, pepper powder and mix well. Pour the mix on a tawa and scramble the eggs. Take it out on to a plate. ( You can even add eggs to the vegetables when it is cooked and scramble it.)

• Step 3: Take diced chicken and season with salt and pepper. In a kadai heat 1 tbsp oil. Add diced chicken and saute it till chicken is cooked. Transfer it to a plate.

• Step 4 : In the same kadai heat 2 tbsp oil. Add chopped garlic and saute till raw smell goes away. Add sliced onion or white sping onion and fry till translucent.

• Add chopped beans and carrot and saute for 2 mins. Add sliced capsicum and fry for a minute. Vegetables should be cooked but still crunchy and not soft.

• Add salt, pepper powder, soy sauce and saute for a minute.

• Step 5 : Add scrambled eggs, cooked chicken, mix and saute for a minute for all the flavors to get combined.

• Add cooked rice and mix everything well. If using add green spring onions now.

• A pretty complete meal in itself is ready to be served.

Fish Biryani with Hamour Fish (Dum method)

Fish Biryani is absolutely delicious recipe cooked with fish of your choice. Fish is cooked in yoghurt and spices and then layered with rice and cooked in process of dum.

Ingredients :

• 1 Kg Hamour Fish (sliced)

For the Marinade :

• Ginger Garlic Paste : 2 tsp
• Lemon Juice : 2 tbsp
• Turmeric Powder : 1/2 tsp
• Salt : 1/2 tsp

For the Masala :

• Onions (Thinly Sliced) - 4 large
• Tomatoes (Sliced) - 2 medium
• Green Chilies  - 4
• Yogurt - 1 cup
• Ginger-Garlic Paste - 2 tbsp
• Hara Masala - 1/2 cup
• Chili Powder - 1 tbsp
• Coriander Seeds Powder - 1 tsp
• Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Garam Masala Powder - 1 tsp
• Knorr Hyderabadi Biryani Powder - 1 tbsp(optional)
• Salt to taste
• Lemon Juice - 2 tbsp
• Oil - 1/2 cup

For The Rice:

• Basmati Rice - 2 1/2 cups
• Cardamom Pods - 4
• Cinnamon - 1" stick
• Bay Leaves - 2
• Cloves - 4
• Salt to taste

For The Garnish :

• Fried Onions (Sliced And Deep Fried) - 1/2 cup
• Coriander Leaves as needed
• Mint Leaves as needed
• 1/2 Cup Milk
• Saffron Strands 
• 1 Tbsp Ghee

Method :

• In a bowl mix the marinade ingredients and marinate the fish in it. Cover and keep aside. Wash and soak basmati rice for half an hour.
• For hara masala grind equal amount of pudina-corriander and chillies as per desired spiciness.

For the Masala :

• In a pan heat oil. Add thinly sliced onions and slit green chillies. Fry till golden brown.
• Add tomatoes. When soft add salt, ginger-garlic paste, dry spice powders,salt and fry for a minute.
• Add hara masla, yoghurt and mix well. Add lemon juice and mix well.
• Adjust the seasoning according to your taste.
• Lower the flame and drop in marinated fish pieces by laying it separately. Pour in the remaining marinade. Do not stir.
• Cover the lid and let the fish cook on low flame till done. In between slowly turn each fish and let it cook on other side.
• Once fish is done, turn off the heat and gently remove fish pieces from masals and keep on a separate plate. Mix the masala well.

For the rice: 

• In a seperate pan heat 6 cups of water. Throw in the whole garam masalas and salt.
• When the water comes to boil, add the rice and let it cook on high, uncovered till the rice is half cooked. Strain it.
• Meanwhile keep all the ingredients ready for garnishing. Wash and chop pudina & corriander leaves. Soak saffron in warm milk.

For Dum Process :

• Take a heavy bottomed and wide pan. For layering we need three layers of half-cooked rice and two layers of masala. So divide accordingly.
• Start layering one portion of rice followed by a layer of masala. Sprinkle some fried onions, pudina-corriander leaves.
• Add another layer of rice followed by remaining masala.
• Add last layer of rice and pour saffron milk and ghee evenly. Now place the cooked fish pieces on top & garnish with remaining fried onions and pudina-corriander leaves.
• Cove the pan with a tight lid to ensure no steam escapes.Keep the flame on high for 2 mins and turn it to low and cook till steam starts forming on top for approximately 10-15 mins. Switch off the flame.
• Let it sit for another 10 mins. Open the lid and remove the fish pieces to a separate plate. Mix all the layers together well. 
• Serve hot with the fish pieces. It goes well with onion raita.