How to Make Biryani Rice

Ingredients

• Chicken pieces or chicken breast, cut
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• Oil
• 1 tomato, diced
• Parsley
• Cilantro
• Biryani spices (if unavailable: 1 tsp curry + 1 tsp turmeric + 1/2 tsp mixed spice + 1/2 tsp ground ginger or fresh grated)
• 3 tablespoons plain yogurt
• Basmati rice or Mansaf rice
• Fried nuts or toasted nuts for garnish
• Saffron (optional)
• Recipe for biryani rice by a friend and cook on Shou Tabkhin Al-Youm:
• رسمية مجذوب
• Click the name (رسمية) to visit her profile on our site and enjoy her delicious recipes
• For more rice recipes from Rasmiya see Chinese-style rice with fish fillet

Method

1. Heat the oil in a pot, add the onions and sauté until softened.
2. Add the chicken pieces or chopped breasts and cook, stirring, until their color changes.
3. Add the garlic, spices, and salt and leave for 5 minutes, stirring.
4. Add the yogurt, tomatoes, cilantro, and parsley and stir, then cover the pot for a short time until the chicken is well cooked and only a little liquid remains.
5. If using basmati rice, soak it in hot water for ten minutes, then parboil it in salted water until three-quarters done or for 7 minutes, and drain it. Then place the drained rice over the chicken, mix gently and immediately cover the pot so the rice steam does not escape, because we need it to finish cooking the rice.
6. Leave the pot on low heat for 15 minutes, a quarter of an hour.
7. If you wish to add saffron, dissolve it in a very small amount of water and add it over the cooked rice before covering the pot.
8. If using mansaf rice, wash it well and drain it, then add it to the chicken without soaking or parboiling. Use two cups of water for each cup of rice and cook it by the usual method.
9. After the rice is cooked, turn off the heat under it. Then heat a piece of charcoal over the fire until it is well red, place it in a piece of aluminum foil and leave the foil open over the rice, put a spoonful of oil on the charcoal, then cover the pot again for a few minutes to get the smoky aroma (this step can be omitted).
10. Turn the biryani rice onto a wide serving plate or a tray much larger than the pot.
11. Garnish it with nuts or fried onions.
12. Rasmia Majzoub
13. For more rice recipes from Rasmia, here is Chinese rice with fish fillet.