Lucknow Biryani

Lucknow Biryani~

Lucknow biryani is also called Awadh Biryani. Lucknow Biryani is a form of Pakki Biryani. Pakki means 'cooked'. Both the meat and rice are cooked separately and then layered and baked. The process also lives up to the name Biryani in Persian meaning 'fry before cooking'.

It basically has three steps. First, the meat is seared in ghee and cooked in water with warm aromatic spices till meat is tender. The meat broth is drained out. Second, the rice is lightly fried in Ghee, and cooked in the meat broth from the previous step. Third, cooked meat and cooked rice are layered in a Handi (pan). Sweet flavors are added. The Handi is sealed and cooked over low heat. The result is a perfectly cooked meat, rice, and a homogenous flavor of aromatic meat broth, aromatic spices and sweet flavors.

Ingredients for lucknow biryani:

• 3 kg of chicken meat,
• 1 kg of basmati of rice,
• 1 cup of chopped onion,
• 2 tablespoons of ginger paste,
• 1½ tablespoon of garlic paste,
• 1 tablespoon of cumin paste,
• 1 tablespoon poppy seed paste,
• 1 tablespoon of peanut paste,
• 1 teaspoon of red chili powder,
• 1 teaspoon white pepper powder,
• 1 cup of chopped tomatoes,
• ½ cup of apricot,
• 1 cup of beresta,
• ½ cup of spearmint,
• 1 cup of soya bean oil,
• 100 g of butter,
• 1 cup of sour yogurt,
• ¼ cup of sweet yogurt,
• 1 teaspoon of hot spice powder,
• ½ cup of chopped pistachio-raisins,
• 1 cup of dense milk,
• 10-12 pieces of green chili,
• hot spices (4 sticks of cinnamon, 4 pieces of large cardamom, 6 pieces of cloves, 8 pieces of fenugreek, 2 pieces of bay leaves, ½ teaspoon of nutmeg-mace, 1 teaspoon of cumin, 1 teaspoon of coriander seed) cover all the hot spices with the clean thin cloth and make like a zip bag.

Instructions for lucknow biryani:

1. At first cut the meat into medium pieces, wash it and drain out the water properly and rub with the sour-sweet yogurt & red chili-white pepper powder and keep it for 25-30 minutes.
2. Heat the oil and fry the onions on a large pan, stir it until it is brown color and pour all the paste spices with chopped tomatoes and stir it some time.
3. Then pour the meat and stir it occasionally until it fragrant and add the 2 cups of hot water & spices bag, stir it very well and cook it until it is tender.
4. Then add the hot spices powder & some beresta when the broth is reduced and take out the spices bag and stir it some time and take it out from the stove and keep aside.
5. Now wash the rice and sieve it properly, boil the water on a saucepan then pour the rice, salt & hot spices bag. When the rice is half-cooked, sieve to drain out starch properly and keep aside some time with the cover.
6. Now pour in the biryani saucepan some meat, some rice, some beresta, some green chili & some spearmint and make the 2-3 layers follow the same way.
7. Then pour the milk & butter and spread the chopped pistachio & raisins on the top of the layers then seal it with the aluminum foil & lid. Cook it over low heat for 20-25 minutes. Then take it out and pour on a serving dish.
8. Lastly, serve it warm and enjoy the lucknow biryani