Monday, March 3, 2008

Chicken Biryani II with Seeraga Samba

When does a simple lunch become a special Lunch? when there is Biryani on the menu ofcourse.




Photobucket
Seeraga Samba Rice






Back home Biryanis, Pulavs, flavored rice were all cooked with table rice or seeraga samba rice a tiny grain that grows to thrice its size when cooked. Biryani cooked with seeraga samba according to me taste way better than that cooked with Basmati rice. Chicken Biryani with Thayir Pachadi, heaven on a plate on a sunday afternoon :)






Ingredients
1. 1 lb Chicken preferably with bones cut into pieces
2. 1 1/2 Raw Seeraga Samba rice clenaed and soaked for atleast 1/2 hour (Rice:Water 1: 2 1/2)
3. 1 Cup Green Peas
4. 1 1/2 Medium Red Onion sliced thin
5. 10 garlic cloves and 2 inch piece of ginger chopped fine in a food processor
6. 2 Red tomatoes chopped fine
7. 6 Green chilies split
8. Whole Spices - bay leaf, star anise, 3-4 cloves a small piece of cinnamon, fennel seeds and curry leaves
9. 1/2 Cup Mint leaves
10. 1/2 Cup coriander leaves
11. 1 tsp chicken masala powder (optional)
12. 1 tsp turmeric powder (optional)
13. 2 tsp oil + 1 tsp ghee

Method
1. Heat oil + ghee in a pressure cooker and when hot add all the whole spices and when they turn color add the green chilies saute for a minute
1a. If not using pressure cooker set the rice to cook in a separate pot and let it cook about 3/4 and set a heavy bottomed pan and follow step 1
2. Add the onions and saute till translucent.
3. Add the garlic ginger and saute till raw smell goes
4. Add the powders if using follwed by the mint and coriander leaves and saute till they wilt
5. Now add the chicken, salt and saute for about 3-4 minutes
6. Add the chopped tomatoes and saute and let everything cool till the tomato turns mushy.
7. Add the peas followed by the rice and mix well with the spices (proceed to step 7b if using cooked rice)
8. Now add the required amount of water and let it come to a boil, now set the heat to just below medium and wait for the rice to cook to about 3/4th of the way, mix add a dab of ghee
9.Close the lid and put the weight on and cook for about 8 minutes and switch off the heat

7b. Alternately if using the cooked rice, add the peas saute till for 3-4 minutes then the rice, add it to the pot mix well, add a dab of ghee on top and set in a preheated 350F oven and cook for 10 minutes, take out mix and cook for 5 more minutes and remove from oven.

Serve with raita of choice.


Biryani recipes
Chicken Biryani with Basmati
Shrimp Biryani


Samba Rice on FoodistaSamba Rice

Novel Reading:
In Cold Pursuit - Sarah Andrews
One of the best mystery books in recent times.

18 comments:

  1. Oh my goodness, ISG! From the humble oven-fry to this amazing meal fit for a king (or queen!). Next time I want to be queen for a day, I am going to pack my bags and head south ;)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I never tried chicken briyani with seeraga samba. It looks very delicious and as you said chicken briyani with raitha for sunday lunch OMG it is heaven. You have a nice blog.

    ReplyDelete
  3. That sure is heaven on a plate!! Looks absolutely delicious! :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. amma makes veg biriyani with seeraga samba and I love it. The chicken fry looks good to ISG..can you post that recipe as well?pls pls pls

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wow the biryani looks yummy,the rice -new to me, looks are similar to that of Ponni rice, the chicken looks delicious!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I am so tempted to wipe that plate clean!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I would love to try this rice! i recently found the kilajira variety of rice from West Bengal, which again is very short, but highly fragrant. I wonder if these are similar varities, especially given the words seeraga and jira in their names! Lovely looking biryani, btw!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Linda, you are definitely welcome! If Biryani makes you feel like a Queen come on over we can make the best there is :)

    Shriya, Welcome! If you do have Seeraga Samba try it and see how delicious it turns out.

    Kalai, it sure is, our own delicious heaven.

    Shankari, seeraga samba is great for tomato rice, yes definitely Veg. Biryani too. Recipe for the chicken fry coming up soon :)

    Dhivya tempting for sure yes!

    Purnima, the grains are much smaller than ponni. Chicken fry was indeed delicious, recipe coming up soon.

    Rachel, come on over.

    Musical, the names do sound a lot similar! If kilajira is also real short grained rice than maybe they are the same, will see if I can find some here and compare. I generally use Basmati but taste and flavor compared to that is incredible and it does not tend to dry up too.

    ReplyDelete
  9. YUM!! Indo, this is best dish you have ever posted girl. Looks delcious. I have never seen that rice though, might use Basmati. Good one Indo, thanks for posting!:)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Indo, that's such a yummy plate of food...never cooked with that rice though .

    ReplyDelete
  11. Biriyani looks delicious. I remeber when there was a party in my parents place and if it is biriyani, it was a big hit.
    I din't know about Seeraga Samba Rice. Will looks out for it next time.

    ReplyDelete
  12. God, you are making me drool Indo... I have never heard of this rice, then again, I am very ignorant when it comes to different varieties of rice... Will look out for this one in the store!

    ReplyDelete
  13. NEVER seen that rice but biryani looks soo comforting

    ReplyDelete
  14. Wow, I know my father raving about seera samba but never cooked with it. Do you get it in US..

    Yes you are so right.. Biryani and kuruma for sunday - the perfect lunch...

    ReplyDelete
  15. Wow briyani with seeraga samba is nostalgic ,when amma makes veg briyani with it v loved it ... Please let me know in whc kind of store we can find it at US n wt is it called .i stay at edison NJ . waiting for your reply....

    ReplyDelete
  16. Senthil, sorry to disappoint you. I am not sure where exactly you can find seerga samba. I bought them along from back home. You might first want to try those numerous Indian stores in Edison first. I have seen SriLankan samba rice but not sure if they are the same. Good Luck.

    ReplyDelete
  17. thanks for the reply.. i will hunt for it n let u know.. we are frm kovai... thx :-)

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for stopping by. Appreciate you taking the time.
Comments embedded with links, spam and in poor taste will not be published.