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1 hour 10 minutes
Zaynab Paruk’s chicken biryani
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Zaynab Paruk’s chicken biryani
Serves 6 to 8 
Medium
1 hour, plus 1 1/2 hours’ marinating time
1 hour 10 minutes Ingredients
- 380 g uncooked basmati rice
- 2 onions, finely sliced
- ¾ cup oil
- 5 small potatoes, peeled and quartered
- 1 cup plain yoghurt
- 1 fresh tomato, chopped
- 2 t crushed garlic
- 1 t ground ginger
- 4 T lemon juice
- 2 t ground cumin
- 1 t ground coriander
- 1 t ground turmeric
- 2 t salt
- 1 t red chilli powder
- free-range chicken pieces (4 drumsticks, 2 thighs, 2 breasts)
- ½ t saffron
- 2 sticks cinnamon
- 4 elachi (cardamom pods)
- 1 x 400 g can masoor (red lentils)
- 4 green chillies, halved lengthways
- 2 free-range hard-boiled eggs (optional)
- 2 T ghee
- 1 T fresh coriander chopped For the dhai, blend:
- 4 T plain yoghurt
- ¼ cup milk
- 1/2 bunch of coriander
- 1/2 cup mint leaves
- 1 lemon, juiced
- green chilli, to taste
- salt, to taste
- papaar, for serving
- chopped salad, for serving
Method
1. Rinse the rice a few times and soak in water for at least 20–30 minutes.
2. Fry the onions in the hot oil until golden. Drain on kitchen paper and cool. Set aside ¼ of the fried onions to decorate.
3. Fry the potatoes in the same oil used for the onions until soft, then drain on kitchen paper and set aside.
4. Place the fried onions, yoghurt, tomato, garlic, ginger, lemon juice, cumin, coriander, turmeric, salt and chilli powder in a blender and blend until smooth.
5. Rinse and drain the chicken. Place into a large bowl and add the marinade, half the saffron, chillies, 1 cinnamon stick and 2 elachi. Mix well and marinate for at least 1 hour.
6. Drain the lentils, rinse and set aside.
7. Boil the rice with the remaining elachi, cinnamon and 1 t salt for 7–8 minutes, or until about 70% cooked. It should be tender but still have a bit of a bite. Drain and set aside.
8. Place half the oil from frying the onions and potatoes and the ghee in a heavy-based saucepan. Add the marinated chicken and cook until 90% cooked.
9. Add the chopped coriander and scrape the sides of the saucepan using a spatula. Spread the lentils on top, followed by half the potatoes, then half the rice. Add the remaining potatoes and place the peeled and halved boiled eggs (if using) on top of the rice. Cover with the remaining rice.
10. Mix the remaining saffron with hot water and pour over, then spread over the fried onions. Sprinkle with 1–2 t ghee and 1/2 cup cold water. Seal the saucepan tightly with foil.
11. Cook over a high heat for 5 minutes until sizzling. Reduce the heat to low and steam for 30–35 minutes until all the moisture has evaporated.
12. Garnish with the remaining onions and serve with the dhai, chopped salad and paapar.
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Videographer: Barry de Villiers
Photographer: Shavan Rahim