Also known as kodi vepudu biryani this is a delicious biryani variety from Andhra restaurants. Chicken is stir fried and layered with biryani rice.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Cook time: 45 minutes
  • Total time: 60 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Andhra

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 green chilies (optional)
  • 1 cinnamon (small)
  • 2 cloves
  • 1 green cardamom
  • 12 to 15 cashews (or 2.5 tbsp almond flour)
  • ½ kg chicken ((bone-in or boneless))
  • 1 to 1½ tablespoons lemon juice
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric
  • ½ to 1 tablespoon red chili powder ((kashmiri, adjust as needed))
  • 2 onions (large, or 1 heaped cup cubed (coarsely crushed))
  • 1½ teaspoon ginger garlic paste
  • 1 tablespoon ghee (solid)
  • Salt (to taste)
  • 2 tablespoon Coriander
  • 2 inch Cinnamon piece (thin)
  • 6 to 8 Cloves
  • 4 green cardamom (/ elachi)
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds (/ Jeera / jeelakara)
  • ¼ teaspoon Fennel seeds (/ saunf (optional))
  • 2 cups rice
  • 3.5 cups water (or stock)
  • 2 to 3 tablespoon Oil
  • Salt (as needed)
  • Turmeric (as needed little only)
  • ½ teaspoon red chili powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoon biryani masala powder ((any ready made will do))
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
  • ¼ cup curd (fresh, / yogurt (do not use very sour one))
  • 2 onion (medium, (1 cup sliced))
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 inch Ginger (or ginger garlic paste 1.5 tsp)
  • 1 green chili
  • ½ cup pudina (/ mint (loosely measured))
  • ½ cup coriander ((loosely measured))
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 star anise
  • 1 strand mace
  • ½ teaspoon shahi jeera
  • 3 green cardamoms
  • 4 cloves

Method

Make chicken fry

  1. Marinate the chicken with ingredients mentioned under marinade. If you want you may leave it overnight in the refrigerator.
  2. On a low flame, cook the chicken till it is soft cooked and tender. 2 tbsp water can be sprinkled if the chicken turns dry while cooking.
  3. Heat oil in a pan, add the cooked chicken & cashew powder. Fry until the moisture evaporates and the masala turns darker and aromatic. Taste test to adjust salt. Keep this aside.

Make biriyani rice

  1. Heat oil in a pot and Add bay leaf, 3 green cardamoms, 4 cloves, 1 inch cinnamon stick, star anise, ½ to ¾ tsp shahi jeera. Add the ground paste and saute until the raw smell is gone.
  2. Add curd, biryani masala, turmeric, coriander powder, red chili powder and saute until oil begins to seperate.
  3. Pour water and adjust salt to your taste. Add rice and cook on a medium heat until the rice is 90% cooked.(Rice is still soggy.)
  4. Lower the flame completely, Seal the pot with a foil or a moist thick kitchen cloth.
  5. Dum it on a hot tawa for 12 to 13 mins. If you have a induction cook top, then you can cook on number 2 to 3 for 15 mins. Let rest for 10 to 15 mins.

Layering chicken fry biryani

  1. Transfer half of the rice to a serving bowl. Layer half of the chicken fry over the rice. Repeat the layering alternately with rice and chicken once more. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with raita and salan.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.