Add depth and flavour to chicken biryani with a touch of the sea, says Asha Maharaj.
Serves 6
Ingredients:
12 chicken portions (thighs and drumsticks)
Marinade:
250ml (1 cup) plain yoghurt
15ml (1 tbsp) garlic paste
15ml (1 tbsp) ginger paste
60ml (4 tbsp) roasted masala
15ml (1 tbsp) garam masala
125ml (½ cup) tomato purée
Rice and lentils:
300g (1½ cups) basmati rice
10ml (2 tsp) salt
2 bay leaves
4 cardamom pods
4 cloves
4 cinnamon sticks
125ml (½ cup) brown lentils
Other:
3 potatoes, peeled and quartered
Salt
5ml (1 tsp) yellow food colouring
Oil, for deep-frying
185ml (¾ cup) ghee
1 large onion, sliced
15ml (1 tbsp) fennel seeds
7 curry leaves
12 prawns, heads off and deveined
125ml (½ cup) chopped fresh mint and coriander
Method:
1) Remove the skin from the chicken portions and place in a large bowl. Combine all the marinade ingredients, pour over the chicken and set aside to marinate.
2) Combine the rice, salt, bay leaves and spices. Cover with 500ml (2 cups) water, bring to the boil and boil for 10 minutes. Drain.
3) Rinse lentils and boil separately until cooked but firm. Drain.
4) Toss potatoes in salt and food colouring until evenly coated. Heat the oil in a large, ovenproof pan and fry the potatoes till crisp.
6) Remove potatoes, heat ghee in the same pan and fry the onion till soft.
7) Add the fennel seeds, curry leaves, chicken with its marinade, prawns, rice, lentils, potatoes and chopped fresh herbs and stir to mix.
8) Cover with a lid and bake in a preheated oven at 200ºC for 30 minutes.