Spicey Indian Rice Dish?

Question

I worked with a wonderful woman from India and she used to bring in this awesome basmati (sp?) rice dish with chicken or beef and vegies-a few jalapenos and curry maybe??? It was a super labor intensive recipe but I cant find it anymore... Anyone have any ideas? Thanks!

Answer 1

I think you are looking for what is known as "Biryani" in India. Biryani is a dish made by layering meat and rice with a number of different spices thrown in. Its made in different styles in different parts of India and one of the most popular forms of this dish is the Hyderabadi Biryani.

I can give you a recipe but its a little complicated so try only when you have some time.

Take about 500 gms of assorted chicken (almost 1 pound) - boneless as well as with bones. Cut into small pieces.
Deep fry 1 large onion cut into long slices. Cool.
Take about 1/2 cup of yogurt, a bunch of mint leaves, a bunch of coriander (cilantro) leaves, 3-4 green chillies and the above fried onions and grind them in the food processor. Do not make a paste - just run them in the chop mode.
Add 2-3 cloves, 1-2 cardamoms, 1/2 inch cinnamon, some saffron mixed in a tablespoon of warm water into this mix, and marinate the chicken in all of this for 6-8 hours. Also add salt to taste in the marinade and some garam masala powder (you can get it in Indian stores but if you dont have any, don't add).
Par Boil about 2 cups of rice in water with a bay leaf, some cloves, 1 cardamom - cook like pasta - till the rice is still hard in the middle, drain.
Now layer the pan first with about 1/4 cup of oil, add the marinated chicken with all the marinade, layer rice on top of the chicken. Use a heavy bottom pan for this. Cover the pan with aluminum foil tightly and then cover the pan with its lid. This will make sure no steam escapes the pan when cooking. Place on medium high flame for about 10 mins, turn the range to low and cook covered like this for 35-40 minutes.
People in India believe that the biryani calls you once its done with the aroma that emanates when it is completely done. Normally this takes about 35-40 minutes. Open the lid carefully and stir the chicken into the rice from the bottom of the pan. Serve with some cold yogurt or mint raita and enjoy!!

Answer 2

Measure 1 cup of 817 Elephant® Brand Basmati rice into a 1 quart bowl.
Wash and drain the rice several times, stirring rice with your fingers until the water no longer clouds up.
Drain out the water and refill the bowl with fresh water. Allow to soak for a minimum of one hour. (allow to soak overnight, if possible)
Bring 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil in a medium sauce pan. Add 1 teaspoon salt and 1-2 tablespoons of margarine or butter.
Drain the washed rice and pour into the boiling water. Stir a few times with a wooden spoon. Do not over stir, or you'll break up the grains.
Return to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer and cover.
Cook over very low heat for about 15 minutes or until the water is absorbed. Stir once, cover again, and let it sit for another 5-10 minutes before serving.

Answer 3

Chicken Biryani


INGREDIENTS
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 small potatoes, peeled and halved
2 large onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
2 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 (2 inch) piece cinnamon stick
3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken pieces cut into chunks
2 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, diced
1 pinch powdered saffron
5 pods cardamom
3 whole cloves
1 (1 inch) piece cinnamon stick
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 pound basmati rice
4 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
DIRECTIONS
In a large skillet, in 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (or ghee) fry potatoes until brown, drain and reserve the potatoes. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet and fry onion, garlic and ginger until onion is soft and golden. Add chili, pepper, turmeric, cumin, salt and the tomatoes. Fry, stirring constantly for 5 minutes. Add yogurt, mint, cardamom and cinnamon stick. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally until the tomatoes are cooked to a pulp. It may be necessary to add a little hot water if the mixture becomes too dry and starts to stick to the pan.
When the mixture is thick and smooth, add the chicken pieces and stir well to coat them with the spice mixture. Cover and cook over very low heat until the chicken is tender, approximately 35 to 45 minutes. There should only be a little very thick gravy left when chicken is finished cooking. If necessary cook uncovered for a few minutes to reduce the gravy.
Wash rice well and drain in colander for at least 30 minutes.
In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil (or ghee) and fry the onions until they are golden. Add saffron, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick, ginger and rice. Stir continuously until the rice is coated with the spices.
In a medium-size pot, heat the chicken stock and salt. When the mixture is hot pour it over the rice and stir well. Add the chicken mixture and the potatoes; gently mix them into the rice. Bring to boil. Cover the saucepan tightly, turn heat to very low and steam for 20 minutes. Do not lift lid or stir while cooking. Spoon biryani onto a warm serving dish.

Answer 4

It's called biriyani and though it is labor intensive, it's delicious! You can find a ton of recipes by google-ing "biriyani recipes" or trying www.recipesindian.com

Good luck.