CHICKEN BIRYANI

If you've been to coastal Kenya, you already know it's a crime not to have eaten biryani. I mean if we had a food ambassador ( a food that makes us look good) this would be it. Biryani will have you smacking lips, licking fingers. What's not to love? This dish is packed with flavors that are complex and it's savoriness is what we all hope to have everyday.

For a little background, biryani is a middle Eastern dish that can be found in countries like India, Pakistan; both having their own version of it. Swahili biryani is also a type of biryani that is pretty common. Biryani is a rice and meat dish but what makes it special is the additional ingredients that go into it. Most people shy away from making it because of the steps but this easy to follow recipe is here to make it totally doable. We believe in you!

The key to good biryani is in what we call the rojo. The rojo is the curry. The curry carries (😊) the meat and is yogurt based hence the thickness. In terms of meat, you can choose among beef, mutton, chicken or whichever cuts of meat you prefer. Theres also veg biryani; thats how versatile this dish can be. Good quality rice is also key, so keep that in mind.

So instead of waiting until you're in coast to get good biryani, here's how to make it at the comfort of your kitchen and not worry about dissatisfied cravings anymore😊

Ingredients

500 gms biryani rice

1 whole chicken cut in quarters

500 ml mala

2 tsp pilau masala

1tsp salt

Juice from 1/2 lemon

4 potatoes halves

3 onions cut into rings

3 carrots grated

1tsp garlic grated

1 tsp ginger grated

1 satchet tomato paste

1/2 tsp yellow food coloring

Instructions

In a bowl put the chicken pieces. Add in the mala, ginger, garlic, salt, pilau masala, carrots, mix properly and allow to marinate for 30 minutes

Heat oil up to medium heat and deep fry the onions until brown. Be careful not to burn them as that will cause bitterness in the dish. Set aside

Coat the potatoes with a bit of the food coloring then deep fry. Set aside.

Place a sufuria on medium heat and add the chicken marinade to it. Add a cup of water and allow to simmer.

Add tomato paste to the simmering curry, cover at let it reduce. In about 30 minutes, the curry

will have started forming, keep stirring to avoid it sticking to the bottom of the pot and burning.

Add the potatoes and onions and stir. Once it's thick, add lemon juice and turn off heat.

For the rice, boil 1 litre of water in a sufuria, add a pinch of salt and cumin powder, and a tsp of oil. Once it's boiled, add in the rice. Cook in medium heat until water is almost completely evaporated. Poke holes in the rice and add in the food color. Once water is evaporated, turn off the heat. Fluff rice with fork.

Serve it up hot and enjoy this decadent meal.

TIP: one way to know the rojo is done, the oil separates from the curry and forms a layer on the top.

Also, I don't add oil when it comes to this particular dish because I find broiler chicken, which I use in this pretty oily.