A Little Indian Flavour

Feeling a little bit sick of the chinese food, so today made chicken briyani rice for dinner. The origin of Briyani Rice is said to be from the Indian army where the soldiers have to move from one place to another leaving no time for making meals. So they only have one main meal a day, which is dinner. The marinade chicken and rice layered on top of the chicken will be put in a pot. The pot will be tied to the side of an elephant together with a stove. By the time the army reach the camp site in the evening, the food will be ready.

The rice I am cooking is going to be the easy version. The original called for the rice to be cooked in a pot, but I will be using a rice cooker to save effort.

Briyani Rice

Ingredients
2 cups rice
Water or broth
4 cloves
4 cardamon
1/2 stick cinnamon
1/2 star anise
1 tsp tumeric power
1 tsp salt
half onion sliced
2 tbsp oil or ghee

Method

1. Heat the oil, fry the onion for 2 mins, then add in cloves, cardamon, cinnamon and star anise. Next add in the washed rice and mix the rice with the spices and onion.

2. Pour the well mixed rice and spices into the rice cooker and add water or broth to the 2 cups mark.

3. Add salt and tumeric powder then close the cover and cook rice.

4. You can add sultanas and cashew nut to the cooked rice too. As garnish you could add parsley and fried onion.

Briyani chicken

Ingredient

2 chicken legs

Half onion sliced

2 tbsp oil/ghee

Marinade

3 tbsp yogurt

1 tsp meat curry paste/garam masala

1 tsp salt

1/2 stick cinnamon

Method

1. Marinade chicken leg with marinade mixture for 1 hour.

2. Heat oil and fry onion until fragrant. Add cinammon stick and fry for another min.

3. Add the chicken and the rest of the marinade mixture and bring to boil then turn down to low fire and cook for half an hour.

4. Serve with the briyani rice.