Chicken pulao

 chicken pulao is mildly spiced and is not heavy like the chicken biryani. It is best to serve it with a good onion raita. 




Ingredients:

• 1 ½ to 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 large onion thinly slices
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 medium tomato chopped
• Salt as needed
• Pinch of Turmeric
• Handful of chopped mint/ pudina
• Few coriander leaves chopped
• 1 ½ cups rice (prefer basmathi)
• 2 ½ cups water

dry spices

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 Star anise

• ½ tsp jeera

• 8 cloves

• 1 inch cinnamon

To Marinate

• 250 grams chicken

• ¾ tsp ginger garlic paste

• ¼ to ½ tsp red chili powder

• Generous pinch of turmeric

• Salt as needed

• 1 tsp oil

• 1 ½ to 2 tbsp. Curd / yogurt 

Method:

1. Wash rice and soak for 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.
   
2. Marinate chicken with ingredients mentioned under to marinate. Set this aside till we use it. 
   
3. Heat a pot  with oil, add spices along with saunf and saute till it begins to smell nice.
   
4. Add onions, green chili and fry till lightly golden. Fry ginger garlic paste and fry until the raw smell disappears.
   
5. Add marinated chicken and fry until it turns pale and white. This takes around 3 to 4 minutes. Take care not to burn.
   
6. Add tomatoes, salt and turmeric. Fry until the tomatoes turn mushy, pulp and looks completely cooked. Add mint and coriander leaves and fry until it smells good for a minute.
   
7. Make sure tomatoes are cooked, blended well with the mixture, then water.
   
8. When it comes to a boil, add salt and rice.
   
9. cook until the rice is done completely. Towards the end. Simmer the flame and cover the pot. Cook on a low flame for 3 to 5 minutes. Fluff up after 5 minutes.serve with raitha.
   

Chicken briyani

Ingredients:

dry spices to Temper

• 1 bay leaf
• 3 green cardamoms
• 4 to 6 cloves
• Small Cinnamon stick
• 1 Star anise
• ½ tsp. shahi jeera

marinate

• 1 ½ tbsp curd/ yogurt

• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste

• Salt as needed

• ¼ tsp. turmeric

• ¼ tsp. red chili powder

• ½ to ¾ tsp biryani masala  

Other ingredients

• ½ kg chicken
• 2 cups basmathi rice
• 3 ¼ water  
• 2 tbsp. Oil
• Salt as needed
• 1 medium tomato  
• 1 ½ tbsp curd
• 12 mint leaves / pudina finely chopped
• coriander leaves from 12 stems finely chopped
• 1 ½ ginger garlic paste
• 2 green chilies sliced or chopped
• 1 large onion sliced thinly
• ¼ tsp. red chili powder
• 2 tsplease chicken briyani masala

Instructions

1. Soak rice for at least 20 to 30 minutes. If using normal rice (not basmathi) soak it for 30 minutes.
   
2. Marinate chicken using ingredients under marination. Set this aside.
   
3. Add oil to a kadai and heat it. Add the dry spices and saute till they begin to sizzle.
   
4. Add onions and fry till they turn  light golden, add ginger garlic and fry till the raw smell goes off.
   
5. Add chicken and fry till the color changes.
   
6. Add chopped tomatoes, corinader, pudina and salt.fry until chicken cook soft.
   
7. Pour water and bring it to a boil.
   
8. Drain off the rice completely and add it to the cooker.
   
9. Cook till the water very little is left, cover the lid and turn on the flame to very low. If using basmathi rice, cook it for about 3 to 5 minutes,a If using normal rice that is slightly on the harder side to cook allow it to whistle onces,transfer it immediately to a wide utensil to prevent turning mushy.
   
10. Granish with coriander leaves and boiled eggs.Serve chicken biryani with onion raita.