A plate of biryani served with the accompaniments such as thaalcha, onion raita and chicken fry would definitely makes my world better. Like Dindigul Thalapakatti biryani, this Coimbatore’s Angannan biryani(from Angannan, the oldest biryani house in coimbatore) is one of the greatest gift from Tamilnadu to biryani lovers. For many decades, this restaurant has served only biryani and its accompaniments. Seasoning the biryani with garlic and green chilies is their signature touch which is good for digestion.

I learned this recipe from a cooking show in a tamil channel. I noted it down in my diary long before and just today thought of making it. It came out extremely delicious and I served it along with chicken tikka and onion raita.

INGREDIENTS:

½ kg chicken

½ kg basmati rice

3 large onions (thinly sliced)

4 to 5 green chilies

Handful of chopped coriander leaves

Handful of chopped mint leaves

Whole garam masala (1 bay leaf, 1 small cinnamon stick, 2 cloves, 2 cardamom, 1 star anise, little nutmeg)

TO GRIND:

1 cup pearl onion (shallots)

6 to 8 green chilies

Juice from ½ lemon

1″ ginger piece

4 to 5 garlic pods

Whole garam masala ( 1 small cinnamon stick, 2 clove, 2 cardamom, 1 star anise)

2 tablespoons thick curd

A pinch of turmeric powder

INSTRUCTIONS:

Boil the water, required for cooking the rice. Follow the instruction given in the rice pack for cooking the rice. I used 1½cup water for 1 cup rice.

Soak the basmati rice in water for half an hour.

In a blender, add all the ingredients given under “to grind” and blend it to smooth paste. Add this blended paste to chicken, mix well and marinate it for atleast half an hour.

In a large pan, heat 3 tablespoons of ghee and 3 tablespoons of oil. Add the whole garam masala items and fry for a min.

Add the sliced onions and fry till it becomes golden brown. Then add the marinated chicken, green chilies, chopped coriander leaves, chopped mint leaves and salt. Mix well and cook for 5 min (chicken may leave water).

Then add the hot water(required amount to cook the rice) and set the flame to medium. When the water comes to single boil, add the soaked rice, mix well, close the pan tightly and cook for 10 min.

When the rice is half cooked, place the pan on dosai tava and keep the tava on low flame. Dum cook it for 10 more min or till the rice is cooked fully.

Serve hot with raita and enjoy.