Ambur Chicken Dum Biriyani / Ambur Star Hotel Biriyani !!!

Ambur (place in vellore, India) is very well known for Biryani, a tasty rice dish; varieties of chicken dishes; non-vegetarian curries, etc., sweet dishes like Gulab Jamun, Gajar ka halwa and Mutanjan (a dessert in Muslim weddings after the feast). Ambur have become popular since the reign of Nawabs of Arcot. So, I thought of making the special ambur chicken dum briyani on the eve of Ramadan.

This recipe is inspired by “Star Hotel”, it is the popular restaurant in Ambur. This biriyani is cooked by seeraga samba rice, which looks like tiny / small size rice, it is having more flavor & taste. This biriyani also prepared with mutton. Also refer: Hyderabad Chicken Dum Biriyani; Mutton Dum Biriyani; Mugali Mutton Biriyani; Restaurant style Mutton Biriyani; Tamilnadu Style Chicken Biriyani; Malabar Fish Biriyani;

Marination Time : 15 minutes / an hour

Cooking Time : 30 minutes

Recipes Cuisine : South India

Ingredients:

Oil – 2 – 3 tbsp

Onion – 1 no. large

Tomato – 1 no. small

Red chili paste – 2 tsp (soak the chilies in hot water & grind it)

Green chili – 3 nos.

Bay leaves – 2

Cinnamon – 1 large stick

Cardamom – 5 nos (crushed)

Star anise – 2 nos

Black pepper – ½ tsp (crushed)

Cloves – 5 nos.

Poppy seeds – 1 tsp

Unsalted butter – 1 tbsp

Ginger – garlic paste:

Ginger – 1 large pieces
Garlic – 7 cloves
Green chilies – 2
Cilantro – 3 strand

Chicken Marination:

Chicken – 500gms

Turmeric powder – 1 tsp

Salt – 2 tsp

Curd / yogurt – ½ cup

Rice preparation:

Basmathi Rice – 500 gms

Salt – ½ tsp

Sombu / anise seed – ½ tsp

Bay leaves – 1no.

Cardamom – 2 nos

Cinnamon – 1 small stick

Cloves – 2 nos

Mint & cilantro leaves – 1 tbsp

Garnishing:

Cilantro & mint leaves – handful

Method:

Step 1:

Marinating Chicken:

First clean the chicken & remove the moisture by using paper towel.
Start to mix the turmeric, salt & yogurt / curd in a large bowl.
Add the chicken to the mixture and marinate it for at least 15 minutes / an hour in the refrigerator.
Now keep the large pan on low heat, add oil, whole garam masala, green chili & saute it for a minute.
Add the ginger garlic paste & saute it for 2 minutes or until raw flavour goes off.
After that add thinly sliced onions & fry until golden brown.
Add tomato, cook until mushy, now add red chili paste, add marinated chicken & cook the mixture for 10 minutes.

Step 2:

Rice Preparation:

Soak the basmathi rice for 30 minutes with enough water.
Boil the water in a large pot, add cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, mint, coriander leaves, bay leaves & salt.
Now drain the water from the soaked rice & add to the boiling water.
Turn off the flame, when the rice half cooked; drain water & wash the rice in the cool water for a minute (prevents rice from over cooking)

Step 3:

Layering the Dum Biriyani:

Now layer cooked chicken masala with the half cooked rice over top of it.
Garnish with handful of cilantro & mint leaves and cover it with tight lid.
Cook it on high flame for first 10 minutes.
After that cook it on dum, for another 15 – 20 minutes on very low flame.
Serve it hot & enjoy with onion raitha & brinjal curry.

Hints:

For dum biriyani use heavy bottomed utensil / nonstick.
Don’t worry if you are not having tight lid, cover the pan with news paper / muslin cloth & close it with lid [or] keep heavy vessel over top of the lid (this helps for perfect dum, without releasing pressure).