Chicken Biriyani - in Pressure Cooker

Do you get food dreams? Yes, you read it right, I did mean food. I get them...quite often. It happens usually when I don't get to eat something that I badly want to. In this case it was Chicken Biriyani. So much so that I could see the fluffy rice, tender chicken pieces and caramelized onions...sigh. Being in that part of the world where an Indian take out is not at all an easy option, I had to either make it myself or ask someone else to make it for me. 

Disclaimer: For those looking for the authentic biriyani recipe, this is not the one. This recipe is with the normal white rice and made in a pressure cooker. 

Serves: 4

What you need:

• Rice: 2 cups
• Water: 2 1/2 cups (the rice I use needed less water)
• Medium sized Chicken pieces: 1kg or less
• Eggs: 4 nos, boiled
• Red Onions: 1 big or 2 small - thinly sliced
• Small/pearl onions: 5 nos
• Green Chilly: 3 small ones - randomly chopped
• Ginger-Garlic paste: 1 tsp
• Turmeric: a pinch
• Red Chilly Powder: 1/2 tsp
• Garam Masala/Chicken Masala: 1 1/2 tsp
• Finely chopped coriander: 2 tbsp
• Ghee/Oil
• Salt

Whole spices:

• Cloves: 6-7 nosCinnamon - a medium piece
• Cardamom: 3-4 nos
• Bay leaf: 5-6 medium sized leaves
• Fennel/Cumin seeds: 1/4 tsp

To Marinate:

• Turmeric: a pinch
• Red Chilly powder: 1/2 tsp
• Ginger-Garlic paste: 1/2 tsp
• Garam Masala/Chicken Masala: 1/2 tsp
• Thick curd: 1 tbsp
• Salt: 1/2 tsp

Marinate the chicken with these ingredients and keep aside for at least 30 minutes.

How to make:

• Wash and soak the rice.
• In the pressure cooker, heat 1 tsp oil/ghee and fry the whole spices for a minute.
• Add the small/pearl onions and fry then in medium heat for 4-5 minutes. Mash them slightly.
• Add 3/4th of the sliced onions and the green chillies. Saute for a minute.
• Add the ginger garlic paste. Saute till the raw smell goes and onions are golden brown in color.
• Add the masala powders, mix well. Add a few tablespoons of water and mix again.
• Now add the marinated chicken pieces to the cooker and mix, ensuring that the onion masala coats it well.
• Add enough salt. Check the taste and add more salt/ masala powder if necessary.
• Cook the chicken in medium heat till it is half done - it takes about 5-6 minutes.
• Now, drain the soaked rice and add it to the cooker. Add 2.5 cups of water and mix well. If you feel the water is less when compared to the quantity of the rice and chicken, add half a cup more.
• Check the salt and masala again and add if necessary.
• All 1/2 tsp ghee to this and mix well. 
• Once this boils, turn down the flame to low and close the cooker with the lid.
• You now have two options - Either put the whistle on and cook the biriyani for two whistles. Or do not put the whistle and cook the biriyani with the lid on for 20-25 minutes.
• While the biriyani is getting cooked, take a pan and fry the remaining sliced onions in a tsp of ghee till it is caramelized.
• Once the biriyani is ready, take it out of the cooker and place it in a serving bowl. Cut the boiled eggs into two and place it over the biriyani. Garnish with chopped coriander and the caramelized onions.
• Serve with curd or onion raitha.