SIMPLE CHICKEN PALAU
Serves 6 Preparation time 1 hour
Ingredients
1 kg Basmati Rice or any other Good Rice. (wash and soak for about 1 hour)
2 kgs chicken cut into fairly big pieces
3 bay leaves
2 teaspoons spice powder or garam masala
½ kg tomatoes chopped
3 small sticks of cinnamon, 4 cloves, 5 cardamoms
1 nutmeg flower / Star Anise
2 cups oil or ghee
Salt to taste
6 green chilies ground
3 tablespoons ginger garlic paste
2 teaspoons chillie powder
½ kg onions sliced finely
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
½ cup fresh mint leaves
1 cup curds / yogurt
Wash the chicken and marinate with the spice powder, green chillie paste, curds / yogurt, half the quantity of ginger garlic paste and turmeric powder for half an hour.
Heat the oil or ghee in a large vessel and add the cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg flower / star Anise, remaining ginger garlic paste and onions and sauté for some time. Add the chopped tomatoes, mint leaves and chillie powder and simmer till the oil separates from the mixture and the tomatoes are reduced to pulp. Add the marinated chicken and salt and cook for 10 minutes till the chicken is done. Remove the chicken pieces and keep aside. Now add sufficient water to the gravy in the vessel so as to get about 7 glasses of liquid. Add the rice and cook till half done. Now add the cooked chicken and mix well. Cover and cook on low heat till all the liquid is absorbed and the Biryani is almost dry. Serve hot with Curd Chutney.
