Karachi Chicken Biryani (Shan Karachi Beef Masala Recipe)

Chicken Biryani has got to be --- hands and feet all down --- the most highly demanded, the most awaited, and the most lovingly consumed dish in my family. And that's not just in my family, it's true for Desi families (Indians and Pakistanis) all over the planet! It's time consuming and takes quite a few steps to make. To make my life easy, I use a spice mix, readymade fried onions, canned tomato puree, and often I cook the Korma (masala curry) (used to season the rice) a day ahead of time. 

So, what's special about Karachi Chicken Biryani to be specific? Karachi is my hometown. It's the City of Lights! And the city of grrreat biryani! Karachiwalas (citizen of Karachi) know their Chicken Biryani and they do not settle for anything less. The spices need to be right. We're talking wafting aroma of green chilies. Sharp! The right size and quantity of potatoes! Perfectly salted! Aloo Bukharas (dried plums)! And OMG! The chicken! Of course! I am getting very, very hungry! SO, I am getting down to preserve this recipe on my blog - of the way I do it - forever! 

I make no claims that I am doing this perfect! I could give anything to have an authentic plate of steaming Karachi style Chicken Biryani any day! But let's do this!

INGREDIENTS

Long grain rice, soaked, 6 cups
Note: I used low glycemic long grain white rice with a two hour recommended soaking time. Check your grain's recommended soak time.
Chicken, 14 large pieces
Fried Onions, 1 cup
Note: Packaged fried onions used
1 medium sized onion, thinly sliced and fried (for garnish)
Potatoes, 4 medium sized, peeled and chopped
Yogurt, 1 cup
Tomato puree, 1 cup
Note: Canned tomato puree used
Shan Karachi Beef Biryani spice mix, 2 heaping tablespoons
Note: Photo of the spice mix is at the very end of this post. And yes, I am using a "beef" masala for a chicken biryani. This spice mix contains large spice flakes and pieces. There are whole cardamom pods, whole pepper corns, and dried plums too. So, I add my own spices ahead. Adding too much Shan will make it bombshell spicy.

Additional Spices:
Salt, keep handy as we go
Red Chili powder, according to your spice tolerance
Coriander powder, dhaniya powder, 1 1/2 tablespoon
Ginger and Garlic paste, 3 tablespoons
Turmeric powder, haldi, 1/2 tablespoon
Dried Bay leaves, tez patta, 2 one inch leaves
Curry leaves, 7-8
Green cardamom, hari ilaichi, 7-8 pods
Cloves, long, 7-8 pieces
Black peppercorns, sabut kali mirch, 7-8 pieces
Black cardamom pods, kali bari ilaichi, 3 pieces
Cinnamon sticks, dalchini, 2 sticks one inch each
Green chilies, hari mirch, 7-8 or more
Cilantro, dhaniya, fresh chopped, generous amounts
Dried Alu Bukhara (plum), 7-8 pieces

STEP ONE: BOIL RICE 

1. Boil 6 cups rice in about 12-15 cups water.
2. Add 5 teaspoons salt, 7-8 curry leaves, 2-3 green chilies, 2-3 green cardamoms, 1 black cardamom, 2 cloves, 2 black peppercorns, and a teaspoon of oil to the boiling pot.
3. Check the rice, and strain them when a grain splits into two in your palm.

STEP TWO: PREPARE KORMA (CURRY MASALA)

To save time, I make the korma a day before. So on the day of Chicken Biryani, I boil rice, heat up the korma (add a little water if it is too tight), and layer and mix.

1. Marinate chicken for about an hour in Shan Karachi Beef Masala (2 heaping tablespoons), ginger and garlic paste, 3 teaspoons salt, the additional spices mentioned above, yogurt, and 2 cups cooking oil (I used canola). 
2. After an hour of marination, set the chicken to cook for a good 10-15 minutes on high heat, stirring the contents thoroughly to avoid sticking.
3. Add potatoes.
4. Grind fried onions into a paste, using enough water, and then add it to the chicken. Continue to cook for 5 minutes, stirring thoroughly. 
5. Next, add tomato puree and continue cooking all the way until oil separates in the pan. Check if those potatoes are soft! 
6. Do a taste check for salt and adjust.
7. Throw in green chilies, add a cup of water and simmer cook for 5 minutes on medium heat, then set aside. 

STEP THREE: LAYERING & "DUM"

1. In a super big cooking pot, spread the entire korma with chicken.
2. Now spread the rice over it.
3. Then, spread 2 cups fresh chopped cilantro (dhaniya), fresh fried onion, and some fresh green chilies on the korma layer.
4. Cover with a lid and set on medium heat. Allow steam to build up and evaporate the liquid in the korma during this time. The aroma of fresh chilies and cilantro will infuse in the rice. This is called "Dum" (steaming) in Urdu. You'd hear a sizzling sound as the korma cooks and it would get louder towards the end.

STEP FOUR: COLORING, MIXING, AND SERVING

1. Once Dum is completed, open the lid. 
2. In a small bowl mix a tablespoon of water and a heaping pinch of orange food color powder.
3. Pour the liquid orange color in one section of the rice.
4. One section should stay white, untouched.
5. After a while, use a spoon to mix up the orange color in the orange section.
6. And the remaining portion is where you start mixing the rice up. This makes sure that the final dish is a mix of white, orange, and korma stained (yellowish) rice in the final dish. 
7. Use a large spatula type spoon to serve the rice into a large platter / dish. Begin by spreading out the korma stained yellow rice and chicken pieces first, and follow with the orange ones, and then the white ones.