Sindhi Biryani is known to have originated from the Sindh province of Pakistan. A fragrant delicious dish made with rice and spiced meat. This biryani can be prepared with lamb, chicken, beef or even seafood. Don’t let the list of ingredients intimidate you in preparing this dish. It is very easy if you follow the recipe outlined below. In the end, it is worth the effort as it will leave you and your loved ones speechless. All you can hear them say is “hmm...” or “nodding their heads" in appreciation while their mouths are filled with this delicious spiced rice.
I was intrigued by the name of this dish and researched on it. Prepared it for the very first time on 9th July 2014, to celebrate my niece Veruschka's birthday. It was her 26th birthday and being an autistic child, she was special to the family. Little did we know that it would be her last birthday on earth. She passed away suddenly on 24th May 2015 in her sleep. To honour her life on earth and cherish her beautiful memories, I prepared this dish again on 9th July 2015. Loved and enjoyed every bite of the fragrant spiced rice. A truly scrumptious dish. Life is short so celebrate each and every day with your loved ones through food.
I was intrigued by the name of this dish and researched on it. Prepared it for the very first time on 9th July 2014, to celebrate my niece Veruschka's birthday. It was her 26th birthday and being an autistic child, she was special to the family. Little did we know that it would be her last birthday on earth. She passed away suddenly on 24th May 2015 in her sleep. To honour her life on earth and cherish her beautiful memories, I prepared this dish again on 9th July 2015. Loved and enjoyed every bite of the fragrant spiced rice. A truly scrumptious dish. Life is short so celebrate each and every day with your loved ones through food.
Sindhi Biryani
(Serves 8)
Chicken Marination
Ingredients:
1 whole chicken (deskinned and cut into pieces)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper powder
1 tablespoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (grated)
1/2 teaspoon star anise powder (grind in mortar pestle)
1 tablespoon garam masala powder
4 cloves garlic (minced)
1/2” ginger (grated)
juice of half a lemon
salt
Method:
Wash chicken pieces, dry with absorbent paper towel. Marinate chicken with the ingredients listed above for an hour.
Rice
Ingredients:
3 cups basmati rice
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon caraway seeds or cumin seeds
5 sprigs of mint leaves (chopped)
handful of coriander leaves (chopped)
4 green chillies (cut into rounds)
1 lemon (cut into round thin slices)
1/4 cup milk heated with a pinch of saffron
1/4 cup melted ghee
salt
Method:
Soak rice for 30 minutes while you cook the chicken.
Chicken Preparation
Ingredients:
2 large onions (sliced, around 4 cups)
3 large potatoes (quartered)
2 large tomatoes (quartered)
8 peppercorns
4 green cardamoms
1 black cardamom
3 cinnamon sticks (1.5” each)
3/4 cups curds
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup oil
salt
Method:
Heat oil in a deep wide bottomed pan and saute onions till golden brown. Remove some onions aside for garnishing. Add the marinated chicken and fry well for sometime in the onion mixture. Then add curds, stir and mix nicely. Add water, cover pan and let chicken cook on medium heat.
In the meantime, bake potatoes in a preheated oven of 400 F or 200 C with salt and little olive oil, around 30 minutes.
Cook the rice in boiling water with a bay leaf, caraway or cumin seeds and salt. Rice should be partially cooked around 75%. Drain water and keep the rice ready for the next stage of cooking.
When chicken is almost cooked and gravy thickens, add tomatoes, baked potatoes and salt. At this stage we have to lower flame and add the rice. Don't worry about the gravy, it will be absorbed by the rice. It should be fairly thick.
Layer all the rice on top of the chicken with brown onions, green chillies, mint, coriander leaves and lemon slices. Pour saffron milk in spots over the rice along with melted ghee. Cover and cook on very slow heat (dum) for 20 minutes. (Seal lid along the edges with aluminium foil and place a heavy weight on top of the lid.) Serve biryani with green yogurt sauce.
Green Yogurt Sauce
Ingredients:
1 cup curds
handful of mint leaves
handful of coriander leaves
2 spicy long green chillies
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
salt
Method:
Grind all the above ingredients in a blender. Serve green yogurt sauce with biryani. This chutney goes well with seekh kebabs too. Delicious sauce!!!
(Serves 8)
Chicken Marination
Ingredients:
1 whole chicken (deskinned and cut into pieces)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper powder
1 tablespoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (grated)
1/2 teaspoon star anise powder (grind in mortar pestle)
1 tablespoon garam masala powder
4 cloves garlic (minced)
1/2” ginger (grated)
juice of half a lemon
salt
Method:
Wash chicken pieces, dry with absorbent paper towel. Marinate chicken with the ingredients listed above for an hour.
Rice
Ingredients:
3 cups basmati rice
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon caraway seeds or cumin seeds
5 sprigs of mint leaves (chopped)
handful of coriander leaves (chopped)
4 green chillies (cut into rounds)
1 lemon (cut into round thin slices)
1/4 cup milk heated with a pinch of saffron
1/4 cup melted ghee
salt
Method:
Soak rice for 30 minutes while you cook the chicken.
Chicken Preparation
Ingredients:
2 large onions (sliced, around 4 cups)
3 large potatoes (quartered)
2 large tomatoes (quartered)
8 peppercorns
4 green cardamoms
1 black cardamom
3 cinnamon sticks (1.5” each)
3/4 cups curds
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup oil
salt
Method:
Heat oil in a deep wide bottomed pan and saute onions till golden brown. Remove some onions aside for garnishing. Add the marinated chicken and fry well for sometime in the onion mixture. Then add curds, stir and mix nicely. Add water, cover pan and let chicken cook on medium heat.
In the meantime, bake potatoes in a preheated oven of 400 F or 200 C with salt and little olive oil, around 30 minutes.
Cook the rice in boiling water with a bay leaf, caraway or cumin seeds and salt. Rice should be partially cooked around 75%. Drain water and keep the rice ready for the next stage of cooking.
When chicken is almost cooked and gravy thickens, add tomatoes, baked potatoes and salt. At this stage we have to lower flame and add the rice. Don't worry about the gravy, it will be absorbed by the rice. It should be fairly thick.
Layer all the rice on top of the chicken with brown onions, green chillies, mint, coriander leaves and lemon slices. Pour saffron milk in spots over the rice along with melted ghee. Cover and cook on very slow heat (dum) for 20 minutes. (Seal lid along the edges with aluminium foil and place a heavy weight on top of the lid.) Serve biryani with green yogurt sauce.
Green Yogurt Sauce
Ingredients:
1 cup curds
handful of mint leaves
handful of coriander leaves
2 spicy long green chillies
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
salt
Method:
Grind all the above ingredients in a blender. Serve green yogurt sauce with biryani. This chutney goes well with seekh kebabs too. Delicious sauce!!!
Green Yogurt Sauce
Baked Potatoes