Lucknowi biryani

Shaheen Ali’s Lucknowi murgh biryani is an Awadhi preparation of chicken, basmati rice, yogurt and a coconut-khuskhus paste. The chicken cooks first, then rice and aromatic finishing ingredients are layered over it for sealed dum cooking.

The rice is washed and soaked. Chicken is massaged in a mixing bowl with hung curd, lemon juice, red chilli powder, turmeric, coriander powder and salt. Oil is heated in a handi with bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, cardamom, black cardamom, star anise, nutmeg, mace and shahi jeera before finely chopped onion is softened.

Ginger-garlic paste, slit green chillies and portions of the mint and coriander join the onion. The chicken and its marinade are added and stirred as they cook. Fresh grated coconut, milk-soaked khuskhus and the milk are ground in a mixer jar, then added with fresh cream. The mixture is combined, seasoned and cooked under a lid.

Separate water is heated with lemon juice and oil for the rice. Salt is added as the soaked, drained rice cooks partway, then it is drained through a colander and spread on a tray. A large handi is placed over an iron tawa, with curd at its base, then the chicken mixture, ghee and rice. Ghee, saffron milk, the remaining herbs, lemon juice and kewra water finish the layers.

Aluminium foil and a lid seal the handi. A separate saucepan of boiled water is placed on the lid to supply heat from above while the tawa heats from below. After dum cooking, one side of the foil is opened and the biryani is mixed carefully. It is served with Burani raita and pickled onions.