Chicken Biryani 🍗 Hyderabadi Dum 🇮🇳 (Dum Biryani)

Description

Fragrant, layered rice and juicy spiced chicken steamed together for tender bites and saffron-butter aroma 🍚✨.
Hook: Proper dum method at home — fluffy grains, no mush, restaurant perfume ⚡

Ingredients

• Chicken & Marinade
• 🍗 Bone-in chicken (thighs/drumsticks), pieces: 1 kg (2.2 lb)
• 🥛 Thick yogurt: 200 g (¾ cup / 7 oz)
• 🫚 Ginger–garlic paste: 30 g (2 tbsp / 1 oz)
• 🌶 Kashmiri chili powder (mild): 2 tsp (6 g / 0.21 oz)
• 🌕 Turmeric: ½ tsp (1.5 g)
• 🌿 Biryani masala: 1–1½ tbsp (9–14 g)
• 🍋 Lemon juice: 1 tbsp (15 ml / 0.5 fl oz)
• 🧂 Salt: 1½ tsp (9 g)
• 🌿 Mint, chopped: ¼ cup (10 g); 🌿 cilantro, chopped: ¼ cup (10 g)
• 🧈 Ghee or neutral oil: 2 tbsp (30 ml / 1 fl oz)
• 🧅 Fried onions (birista), crushed: 150 g (1½ cups / 5.3 oz)
• Rice & Aromatics
• 🍚 Aged basmati rice, rinsed & soaked 30 min: 500 g (2½ cups / 17.6 oz)
• 💧 Water for boiling: 3 L (12 cups)
• 🧂 Salt for rice water: 1½ tbsp (27 g)
• 🌿 Whole spices: bay leaves 2, green cardamom 6, cloves 6, cinnamon 1 stick, peppercorns 8–10
• 💛 Saffron: big pinch soaked in 3 tbsp (45 ml) warm milk
• 🧈 Ghee (for layering): 3 tbsp (45 g / 1.6 oz)
• 🌿 Extra mint & cilantro: a handful

Preparation

1. 1️⃣ Marinate chicken: Mix all marinade items; coat 🍗 chicken. Rest 30–240 min (overnight best).
2. 2️⃣ Parboil rice (70%): Boil 💧 water with 🧂 salt + whole spices. Add soaked 🍚 rice; cook 5–6 min until grains are long with a chalk-white core. Drain well; discard spices.
3. 3️⃣ Layer: In a heavy pot (or Dutch oven), spread ½ tbsp ghee. Add all marinated chicken in an even layer. Top with parboiled rice. Drizzle saffron milk, remaining 🧈 ghee, scatter 🧅 fried onions + 🌿 herbs.
4. 4️⃣ Dum cook: Seal lid (tight lid or foil; optional dough seal). Heat high 5 min, then low 25–30 min until chicken is cooked and steam puffs from edges. Rest 10 min.
5. 5️⃣ Serve: Gently fluff from the sides. Plate with raita and lemon.

Total Time

🕒 Prep: 20 min (+ marinade 30–240 min; soak 30 min)

🔥 Cook: 45–55 min

⏳ Total: ~35 min active

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