While there are various delicacies across the globe that provide quite a wholesome experience, few dishes are as therapeutic as an authentically done Dum Matka Biryani.
Right from creating magic with a fine blend of spices for the meat, to preparing the flavorful rice. And from layering the rice and meat together with precision to infusing smoky goodness with coal, the process of piecing together a biryani surely brings in a sense of calm.
Of course, this heightened sense of joy is elevated further as you dig into this biryani.
While I have been experimenting with several types of biryani for quite some time, it is only recently that I tried my hands at making it in a clay pot. And oh boy! That makes a world of difference. So here’s me sharing my joy with you in the form of my recipe (for sharing biryani is too gracious an idea and I’m quite a selfish prick when it comes to that)
This is a three-part recipe wherein we first prepare the chicken, then rice, and then layer them together to prep for dum.
Dum Matka Biryani Recipe | Serves 2
Ingredients:
- For Chicken
- Oil – 2 tbsp
- Chicken (on the bone) – 500 gms
- Garlic paste – 2 tbsp
- Ginger paste – 1 tbsp
- Coriander powder – 1 tbsp (heap)
- Red chilli powder – 1 tbsp
- Garam masala – 1 tbsp
- Turmeric – 1 tbsp
- Curd – ½ cup
- Salt – to taste
- Onion paste – medium-sized onion (2) or large onion (1)
- Tomato paste – 2-3 medium
- Green chillies – 4 to 5 (per your taste)
- For Rice
- Basmati Rice – 1 glass
- Cloves – 4 to 5 units
- Green cardamom – 2 units
- Black peppercorn – 4 to 5 units
- Coriander & mint leaves – a handful
- For Layering
- Ghee – 1 tbsp
- Coal
- Fried onions – 2 units (medium-sized)
- Coriander & mint leaves – a handful
- Saffron infused milk
Instructions:
- For Chicken Gravy
- Marinade the chicken with 1 tbsp of garlic paste for about 30-45 minutes
- In a karahi or a deep pan, heat 2-3 tbsp of oil on high flame, add the chicken pieces to it and fry till the colour changes to whitish tinge from pink.
- Add a tbsp of ginger & garlic paste, roughly chopped green chillies, and continue frying till the raw smell of ginger goes away.
- Add the onion paste and sauté it for about 3-4 minutes. Then add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder – sauté it till it becomes fragrant.
- Then add the tomato paste (you could instead finely chop them too). Cook till the tomatoes are soft and mushy, and oil starts separating.
- Add the beaten curd, give it a nice mix, and simmer the heat down to medium flame, and cook for about 4-5 minutes. You’ll notice an oil layer forming on the gravy now.
- Add salt to taste, garam masala, and cumin powder. Mix well and add a cup of water. Place a lid on it and cook until the chicken is done (approx. – 10 minutes) If you find the masala is dry for your liking, add some more water and allow a boil.
- Once done, add coriander leaves to the gravy, mix it well, and keep aside.
- For Rice
- Thoroughly wash the rice and remove any excess starch. Allow it to soak in water for 30 minutes. Drain the water after 30 minutes and keep the rice aside.
- Pour about 3 glasses of water in a pan, season it with salt and ghee. Give it a stir.
- Add the cloves, green cardamom, black peppercorns, mint, and coriander leaves. Allow it to boil.
- Add the soaked rice and let it cook only about 90%. Drain the excess water and keep the rice aside.
- For Layering
- In a clay pot (or any thick bottomed vessel), evenly place a layer of rice. Top it with some fried onions, coriander & mint leaves. Pour some saffron-infused milk. And then layer it with some chicken and gravy.
- On this layer of chicken & gravy, place another layer of rice along with fried onions, coriander, and mint leaves. With a generous serving of saffron milk. Repeat as many times as necessary.
- Ensure that the first and the layer is always rice with the chicken and gravy layered between them.
- Once done, place a small bowl in the centre of the top layer. Put a tbsp of ghee in it. Add live charcoal to ghee. Cover immediately with a lid to give it a smoky flavor for a minute. Remove the lid, remove the bowl containing ghee and coal.
- Cover with the lid again and cook it further on low flame for 30 minutes. Voila, your dum biryani is ready.
Do give this Biryani a try and let us know how it works for you.
Bhukkad Balak 