Bangladeshi Kachhi Biryani

Biryani is one of the most popular food item in allover the world. In every part of the World, it has its variation and name. The exact origin of the dish is uncertain,though. There are many types of biryani, whose names are often based on their region of origin. For example, Sindhi biryani developed in the Sindh region(now Pakistan), Hyderabadi biryani developed in the city of Hyderabad in South India, Lucknowi Biryani developed in the city of Lucknow, even my hometown. Kolkata has its own style of Biryani, too. Even, outside India, many countries have adapted this food item as their own and changed it someway according to their taste.

But, there are mostly two ways of this biryani can be cooked. One is Kachhi Biryani and another is Pakki Biryani. In Kachhi Biryani, where Kacchi means raw, here raw meat of chicken or goat or lamb marinated in selected spices and then cooked with rice together in one pot till both meat and rice are cooked. In Pakki Biryani, meat is marinated and cooked separately and then cooked with rice in one pot till done.

I've shared Hyderabadi Style Biryani recipe before, an One Pot quick Biryani recipe and Kolkata style Chicken Biryani(pakki Biryani) before in this blog, today I'm going to share a Kachhi Biryani recipe which I follow. It's Bangladeshi style recipe which I love for Kachhi Biryani, hope you all will love it too. Do not worry seeing this long list of ingredients. As its a shahi(royal) recipe, its need quite a lot of ingredients to cook but the process is really simple. In this recipe, marination plays a key role as the meat is not cooked before, we have to marinate the meat really well for at least 5-6 hours or overnight if possible. You can make this biryani with goat or lamb meat nut this time I've made it with Chicken. The process is same for both. So, lets move on to the recipe....

You Need : :
Basmati Rice : 500 gms.
whole Chicken : 800-900 gms, cut into medium chunks
Potato : 3-4 nos, if small keep it whole, if big, cut into halves
Oil : 2 tblsp.
Ghee : 2 tblsp.
Warm water : cup
Milk Powder : 1/4 cup
Aloo Bukhara/dried prune : 7-8 nos.(optional)
Turmeric Powder : 1 tsp.
Beresta(fried onion) : 1/3 cup

For marination ::
Yogurt/dahi : 3 tblsp.
Ginger-garlic paste : 2 tblsp.
Green Chilli paste : 1 tsp.
Salt : 1 tsp.
Garam Masala : 2 tblsp.[Take 1/2 tsp. shah jeera, 2 cinnamon, 3 cloves, 3 cardamoms, 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds, 7-10 black pepper kernels - grind to powder]
Turmeric Powder : 1 tsp.
Red Chilli Powder : 2 tsp.
Nutmeg Powder : 1/2 tsp.

Beresta(Fried Onion) : 1/2 cup
Kewra Water : 1/2 tsp.
Mustard Oil : 1 tblsp.

How To ::

Preperation 1 : Making Beresta :- Thinly slice 3-4 medium size onions, deep fry them in oil till golden brown and then remove on paper towel.
Preperation 2 : Making garam masala :- Take all the spices in a grinder and griend into a powder.
Preperation 3 : Marinate potatoes with little salt and turmeric powder. Keep aside for 10 minutes and fry in oil for couple of minutes till golden brown.
Preperation 4 : Making of milk mixture :- In a large cup, take 1/2 cup warm water, add ghee and milk powder in there, mix well everything with a whisk. Keep aside.
Marination : Mix all the ingredients under "For Marination" in a large bowl, then add the meat pieces and mix well everything. Marinate for at least 5-6 hours or if possible overnight.
Cooking : In a large pan, boil enough water and add the rice along with few bay leaves and 1 tsp. salt. Cook the rice till it is 50% done, Drain and rinse in cold water, keep aside.
Take a large heavy bottomed vessel, place marinated meat at the bottom of the vessel. Add the fried potatoes on top of the meat, arrange aloo bukhara or dried plums on top, over that spread the cooked rice.
Pour the milk mixture all over the rice. Sprinkle some Yellow food color or few saffron strands soaked in milk over the rice. Lastly spread 1/2 of the fried beresta on top.
Cover the lid, seal it lightly. Now place a flat iron tawa on heat and on top of that place the vessel. Cook for 10 minutes on high then turn the heat to low and continue cooking for another 10 minutes.
Remove form heat when meat and rice both are cooked. Kachhi biryani is done.