Asian Recipes - Thai Biryani Recipe

Ingredients

• 6 chicken thighs, skinned

• 2 tbsp /30 ml butter

• 5 cups/1.25 L rice

• 6 cups /1.5 L water

• 3 tbsp/45 ml vegetable oil

• 3 tbsp/45 ml salt

For the condiment:

• 2 small red chilies, sliced

• 2 small green chilies, sliced

• 1/4 cup/60 ml palm sugar

• 4 tsp/20 ml white sugar

• 2 tsp/10 ml salt

• 1 cup/250 ml vinegar

Spice Mix for the chicken and the rice:

• 1 tbsp/15 ml Thai chili flakes

• 1 1/2 tsp/7 ml pepper

• 2 tsp/10 ml coriander powder

• 1 tsp/5 ml cumin powder

• 1 tsp/5 ml turmeric powder

• 1 tbsp/15 ml salt

Spice Mix for marinating the chicken:

• 2 tbsp/30 ml ginger, finely minced

• 2 tbsp/30 ml garlic, finely minced

• 2 large shallot onions, finely minced

• 6 tbsp/90 ml plain yogurt

Seasoning:

• 4 green cardamom pods

• 3 cloves

• 2-inch/5 cm cinnamon stick Pinch saffron in 3 cups/750 ml very hot water

Serves 4

---

Method:

1. Combine the spice mix ingredients for the chicken and rice and set aside. Preheat an oven to 350°F/180°C. Prepare all remaining ingredients and have at hand.

2. In a medium-size bowl, combine the ginger. garlic, shallot onions and 1 tbsp/15 ml of the spice mix. Add the yogurt. Marinate the chicken thighs in this mixture for 1 hour.

3. While the chicken marinates, combine the rice, water, oil and 3 tbsp/45 ml salt in a heavy, deep pot. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat and cook the rice, covered, until the water is absorbed (about 15 minutes).

4. Gently separate the grains of rice with a fork. Cover the rice to keep it hot while you complete the recipe.

5. In a heavy, deep frying pan or casserole with a lid, melt the butter over medium-high heat and then cook the chicken pieces until golden brown on both sides. Remove the chicken pieces and reserve them on a plate.

6. Add the cardamom pods, cloves and cinnamon stick to the hot butter, and stir in the remaining spice mix. Add half of the cooked rice and gently stir to combine it with the fragrant butter. Fold in the remaining rice and layer the chicken thighs deeply in the rice.

7. Bring the saffron water just to a boil and pour it over the rice, Close the pot tightly and finish cooking in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes.

8. Meanwhile. in a small non-reactive pan, combine the ingredients for the condiment and bring them to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and simmer until reduced by half. Pour the sauce into a non-reactive serving bowl.

9. 7, Serve the chicken rice garnished with the crisply fried shallot onions and accompanied by the chili-vinegar sauce condiment. Garnish with crisply fried shallot onions.