Name: Chicken Berry Britannia
Prep time: 90 min
Cook time: 60 min
Ingredients: 300 g Basmati Rice; 2 tsp Sea Salt; 1/2 Lime (juice); 500 g skinless boneless free-range chicken thighs (each cut into 3 pieces); 20 g Fresh Ginger (peeled and grated); 25 g Garlic (peeled and grated); 1½ tsp deggi mirch chilli powder (This is an Indian chilli powder); 2 tsp fine sea salt; 2 tsp ground cumin; 1½ tsp garam masala; 2 tbsp lime juice; 100 g full-fat greek yogurt; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 3 green chillies (each cut into 4 long strips); 3 cm fresh root ginger (cut into fine matchsticks); 100 g crispy fried onions (Follow the link to make them ... but you can buy them); 6 large fresh mint leaves (chopped); 5 g fresh coriander leaves (chopped); 20 g unsalted butter; 3 tbsp double cream; Large pinch saffron (toasted in a dry pan, then mixed with 2 tbsp boiling water); 35 g dried cranberries (Or other dried fruit of your); Raita to serve (optional)

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Chicken Berry Britannia

This is quite time consuming … but is well worth it

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Recipe Type Chicken

Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Servings people

Equipment

Biryani pot or flameproof casserole – with a lid

Ingredients

For the Rice

300 g Basmati Rice
2 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 Lime juice

For the Base

500 g skinless boneless free-range chicken thighs each cut into 3 pieces
20 g Fresh Ginger peeled and grated
25 g Garlic peeled and grated
1½ tsp deggi mirch chilli powder This is an Indian chilli powder
2 tsp fine sea salt
2 tsp ground cumin
1½ tsp garam masala
2 tbsp lime juice
100 g full-fat greek yogurt
2 tbsp vegetable oil
3 green chillies each cut into 4 long strips
3 cm fresh root ginger cut into fine matchsticks
100 g crispy fried onions Follow the link to make them … but you can buy them
6 large fresh mint leaves chopped
5 g fresh coriander leaves chopped

For the Topping

20 g unsalted butter
3 tbsp double cream
Large pinch saffron toasted in a dry pan, then mixed with 2 tbsp boiling water
35 g dried cranberries Or other dried fruit of your
Raita to serve optional

Instructions

First, soak the rice – put it in a large bowl and cover generously with water. Using your fingers, gently move the rice around in the water to remove the starch, being careful not to break up the grains. Allow the rice to settle, then pour off the water. Repeat twice with fresh water, then cover with fresh water and soak for 45 minutes.
For the base, put the chicken in a bowl. Mix all the remaining ingredients together, add to the chicken and turn to coat. Cover and put in the fridge to marinate.
Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Pour 2 litres boiling water into a large pan and add the salt and lime juice.
Transfer the chicken and marinade to your biryani cooking pot or casserole and warm through over a low heat while you cook the rice.
Drain the soaked rice, then tip into the boiling water and stir well. Boil for 4-5 minutes until three-quarters cooked. You can tell when it’s reached this stage by taking a grain between your forefinger and thumb and pressing down on it with your nail; it should still be slightly firm and break into 5 or 6 pieces. Drain the rice; you don’t need to shake it dry as a little extra moisture helps during cooking. Put it in the biryani pot/casserole on top of the chicken.
In a small pan, warm the butter and cream for the topping until the butter melts. Mix together, then trickle it evenly over the rice, followed by the saffron mix. Scatter the cranberries over the top.
Cover the biryani pot/casserole tightly with 2 layers of foil. Set over a high heat for 2-3 minutes until the foil puffs up and you see a little steam start to escape. Put the lid on, transfer to the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes. Let the biryani stand, still covered, for 10 minutes before serving with raita, if you like.

Notes

This is straight out of the new and rather excellent Dishoom cook book (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dishoom-Bombay-Love-Shamil-Thakrar/dp/1408890674)

Chicken Berry Britannia (Biryani)