Eid-ul-Fitr is one of the most important festivals for Muslims. Fitr means to break and it signifies the breaking of the fasting period. It is a show of joy at attaining spiritual prosperity after a month of fasting. Eid-ul- Fitr is the time for peace, spirituality, contemplation and brotherhood.
Eid-ul-Fitr brings a lot of happiness and excitement. Women cook special Eid breakfast with various types of dishes, sweets and deserts. Families get together for feast and a lot of yummy dishes are cooked for guests.
Biryani is one of the most delicious dishes on the eve of Eid. Biryani is the only dish liked by all members of the family. No Pakistani Eid feast is incomplete without the presence of Biryani. Biryani takes many forms and recipes and has many methods for cooking. Biryani is the delicacy of Muslims. Chicken Biryani is rapidly becoming the most popular and preferred biryani in Pakistan especially on the eve of Eid-ul-Fitr. Here is the most simple and aromatic recipe of chicken Biryani.
The ingredients that you will require to make spicy and aromatic yummy biryani include:
- Rice 1 kg
- Chicken 1 Kg
- Clarified butter 2 cups
- Onions 4(sliced)
- Ginger paste 2 tbsp
- Garlic paste 2 tbsp
- Red chili powder 2 tbsp
- Turmeric powder ½ tbsp
- Salt 1 tbsp
- Cinnamon sticks 3
- Green cardamom 6
- Cloves 6
- Ripe tomatoes 2 (chopped)
- Yogurt 1kg (beaten)
- Fresh Coriander hand full (roughly chopped)
- Mint leaves hand full (roughly chopped)
- Green chili (4slit)
Now come towards cooking direction:
01. First of all, heat clarified butter in a pot. Now add the whole spices and sliced onion and fry till they get light brown.
02. Add ginger paste and garlic paste and again fry it until it releases aroma. Then add chicken and cook it nicely till the oil starts to float.
03. Now mix in well beaten yogurt and tomatoes. Cook for sometime till the tomatoes are a bit pulpy.
04. Add red chili powder, turmeric, salt and also add one cup of water.
05. Simmer on low flame until the oil starts to float.
06. Now add fresh coriander, mint leaves and green chilies, fry it again for few minutes and take it off the blame.
07. Now fill a large pot with four liter water, salt, one stick of cinnamon, two green cardamom and three cloves. Bring it to a rolling boil.
08. Add rice to boiling water and cook till ¾ done. Meanwhile strain the clarified butter from the chicken grave and keep aside.
09. Strain the rice in a strainer.
10. Now start layering which is the most important aspect of any biryani.
11. Spread a little clarified butter from the chicken gravy in a large pot.
12. Spread a layer of rice over it. Spread chicken with little gravy on the rice. Top it with another layer of rice. Then add another layer of chicken and finish it with last layer of rice on the top.
13. Now sprinkle the clarified butter on the top all over the rice.
14. Spread a thick cloth over the mouth of the pan and cover it with a tight lid.
15. Heat a griddle pan and place the pot on it.
16. Steam the biryani over the low flame for about 15 minutes.
Now serve hot and spicy chicken biryani with raita and cold drinks. Make the Eid dinner and lunch more special by cooking chicken biryani by following the above mentioned recipe.
Enjoy hot and spicy chicken Biryani with your all family members on the feast on the eve of Eid-ul-Fitr 2013.
