New Delhi: The "Festival of Sacrifice" or Bakrid, also known as Eid-Ul-Adha, is a prominent Islamic holiday that is celebrated all over the world. This day falls on the tenth day in the last month- Dhu-al-Hijjah, of the Islamic Lunar Calendar. It celebrates the completion of the yearly Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and remembers Prophet Ibrahim's obedience in offering his son Ishmael as a sacrifice at Allah's behest. Muslims typically sacrifice a sheep or a goat to mark this day.
To celebrate this day with your friends and family, here are some delicious biryani dishes that you can try.
1. Chicken Biryani (By Executive Chef Vivekananda Saha, The Westin Resort & Spa, Himalayas)
Ingredients:
For Marination:
- Chicken – 500 gms
- Salt – to taste
- Shahi Jeera – 2 tsp
- Cardamom – 4-5 no
- Cinnamon – 1 small piece
- Turmeric – 1+1/2 tsp
- Chilli powder – 1tbsp
- Mace (javitri) powder – a pinch
- Garlic paste – 1 tbsp
- Ginger paste – 1 tap
- Green chilli – 2 no’s
- Browned onion – 3/4 cup
- Mint leaves – 1 cup, Curd – 1+1/2 cup
- Oil – 1/4 cup
For rice:
- Water – 3 litre
- Salt – 3 tbsp
- Cardamom – 3-4 nos
- Green chilli – 1 no
- Basmati rice (soaked) – 2 cups
- Water from Blanched Rice – 1 cup
- Saffron – a very small pinch
Dough – for sealing
Method:
- Wash and soak the rice for 30 to 45 minutes. Place the saffron in a bowl and add 3 tbsp of boiling water and let it sit till the saffron releases its colour.
- Wash and pat dry the chicken and add it to a bowl. Add all the remaining ingredients mentioned under marination and mix them well.
- Separately add water to a deep vessel or handi and bring to a boil. Add salt, cardamom, green chilli and let it boil for 5 minutes.
- Drain the water from the rice and add it to the boiling water and stir lightly for 2 mins & turn off the gas. Strain the rice through a sieve and retain the water from the rice.
- Scoop half the rice and spread it at the bottom of a deep vessel. Carefully place the marinated chicken on top.
- Now cover the chicken with the remaining rice.
- Add 2 cups of water from the strained rice.
- Drizzle the saffron water on top.
- Now using any dough, apply it to the edges of the vessel and cover the vessel with the lid. Press the lid gently so that the dough seals the lid to the vessel.
- Now place this vessel on high heat for 2-3 minutes and then lower the heat and cook for another 10-12 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and let it sit for 10 minutes before you open and serve it hot.
2. Mahi Kofta Biryani (By Chef David Mondal, Oudh 1590)
Ingredients:
- Rice - 200gm
- Catla Filet - 150gm
- Boil Potato - 20gm
- Chopped Onion - 40gm
- Chopped Tomato - 35gm
- Green Chilli Chopped - 2 pieces
- Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 small spoon
- Coriander Powder - 1 teaspoon
- Cumin Powder - 1 teaspoon
- Kashmiri Chilli Powder - 1 teaspoon
- Mix Garam Masala - 1/2 teaspoon
- Biriyani Masala - 1 teaspoon
- Saffron - 5 strands
- Keowra Water - 1 teaspoon
- Meetha Attar - 2 drops
- Rose Water - 1 teaspoon
- Refined Oil - 50ml
- Ghee - 1 tablespoon
- Milk - 20ml
- Sugar - 1/2 teaspoon
- Mawa - 15gm
- Corn Flour - 1 teaspoon
- Kasuri Methi - 1 teaspoon
Method:
- First, boil the fish with some salt; debone the fish after.
- Then add the boiled potato, chopped chilli, chopped coriander leaf, salt, garam masala, chopped ginger, kasuri methi and corn flour. Mix them well and make the little kofta balls (4pcs)
- Now fry the koftas in refined oil.
- In another pan add some refined oil. Pour the chopped onion and fry until it turns golden brown.
- Then add tomato to it.
- Add the ginger and garlic paste and pour all the spices with little water.
- Now add the koftas.
- Add the boiled rice.
- Now pour the saffron milk, biryani masala, kewra water, rose water, meetha attar, and ghee and put the biryani in dum over low heat.
- Mahi Kofta Biriyani is ready to serve.
3. Chicken Dum Biryani (By Chef Ali, The Old Delhi Restaurant)
Ingredients:
For the marinade:
- 500 grams of chicken, cut into pieces
- 1 cup plain yoghurt
- 2 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon biryani masala powder
- Salt to taste
For the rice:
- 2 cups basmati rice
- 4 cups water
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 green cardamom pods
- 4 cloves
- 1-inch cinnamon stick
- Salt to taste
For the biryani:
- 3 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter)
- 2 onions, thinly sliced
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 1 teaspoon biryani masala powder
- 1/2 teaspoon saffron strands, soaked in 2 tablespoons of warm milk
- Fresh coriander leaves, chopped for garnish
- Fresh mint leaves, chopped for garnish
Instructions:
- In a bowl, combine the chicken pieces, yoghurt, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, biryani masala powder, and salt. Mix well to coat the chicken evenly. Allow it to marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight in the refrigerator for better flavour.
- Rinse the basmati rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Soak the rice in water for about 30 minutes, then drain and set aside.
- In a large pot, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add the soaked and drained rice, along with bay leaves, cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon sticks, and salt. Cook the rice until it is 70-80% cooked (parboiled). Drain the rice and set aside.
- In a separate large heavy-bottomed pot or deep pan, heat ghee over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and sauté until they turn golden brown and caramelized. Remove half of the onions from the pot and set aside for garnishing.
- To the remaining onions in the pot, add the marinated chicken. Cook the chicken on medium-high heat until it is browned and cooked through. Stir in the chopped tomatoes and biryani masala powder. Cook for a few minutes until the tomatoes are softened.
- Layer the partially cooked rice evenly over the cooked chicken in the pot. Drizzle the saffron-infused milk over the rice. Sprinkle the reserved caramelized onions, chopped coriander leaves, and mint leaves on top.
- Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and reduce the heat to low. Allow the biryani to cook on dum (slow cooking on low heat) for about 25-30 minutes. This will ensure that the flavours blend and the rice is fully cooked and infused with the aromas.
- After 30 minutes, turn off the heat and let the biryani rest, covered, for an additional 10 minutes.
- Gently fluff the rice with a fork, taking care not to break the grains. Serve the Chicken Dum Biryani hot with raita (yoghurt dip) or a side salad.