Kerala Style Chicken Biryani

Name: Kerala Style Chicken Biryani
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 50 g ghee or oil; 30 g ginger, peeled, roughly chopped; 30 g garlic, peeled; 2-3 green chillies (adjust to taste); 300 g onions, 2 large, sliced; 500-600 g chicken, boneless, cut into 3-4 cm pieces; 1 cup (approx. 100-120 g) ground Kerala style biryani masala; 1 tsp salt, or to taste; 200 g tomatoes, 2 medium, roughly chopped; 100 g plain full-fat yogurt (or coconut milk for dairy-free); 100 g water; 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped; 1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped; 300 g Basmati rice or Kaima rice, rinsed until water runs clear; 600 g water (for cooking rice); 2-3 green cardamom pods (optional, for rice); 2 cloves (optional, for rice); 1 small cinnamon stick (optional, for rice); For Garnish (optional, stovetop recommended):; 1 medium onion, thinly sliced, fried until crispy; 1/4 cup cashews, fried; 2 tbsp raisins, fried; 2 tbsp ghee

Thermomix recipe: Kerala Style Chicken Biryani. Ready in 75 minutes. Serves 4. Step-by-step Thermomix instructions on Chef Amai.

Ingredients

50 g ghee or oil
30 g ginger, peeled, roughly chopped
30 g garlic, peeled
2-3 green chillies (adjust to taste)
300 g onions, 2 large, sliced
500-600 g chicken, boneless, cut into 3-4 cm pieces
1 cup (approx. 100-120 g) ground Kerala style biryani masala
1 tsp salt, or to taste
200 g tomatoes, 2 medium, roughly chopped
100 g plain full-fat yogurt (or coconut milk for dairy-free)
100 g water
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped
300 g Basmati rice or Kaima rice, rinsed until water runs clear
600 g water (for cooking rice)
2-3 green cardamom pods (optional, for rice)
2 cloves (optional, for rice)
1 small cinnamon stick (optional, for rice)
For Garnish (optional, stovetop recommended):
1 medium onion, thinly sliced, fried until crispy
1/4 cup cashews, fried
2 tbsp raisins, fried
2 tbsp ghee

Instructions

For the garnish (optional, best done on stovetop for crispiness): Heat 2 tbsp ghee in a pan. Fry thinly sliced onion until golden and crispy. Remove and set aside. In the same pan, fry cashews until golden, then raisins until puffed. Remove and set aside. Clean and dry Thermomix bowl.
Place ginger, garlic, and green chillies into the clean and dry Thermomix bowl. Chop 5 sec / Speed 7. Scrape down sides of bowl.
Add 50 g ghee or oil and sliced onions to the bowl. Sauté 8 min / 120°C / Speed 1 (Reverse). Remove measuring cup and place simmering basket on lid to allow evaporation.
Add chicken pieces, 1 cup ground Kerala style biryani masala, and 1 tsp salt to the bowl. Sauté 5 min / 120°C / Speed 1 (Reverse).
Add chopped tomatoes, yogurt (or coconut milk), 100 g water, mint leaves, and coriander leaves to the bowl. Cook 20 min / 95°C / Speed 2 (Reverse). Place simmering basket on lid instead of measuring cup for evaporation.
Pause, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with the spatula to ensure even cooking and prevent sticking. Check thickness and adjust liquid if needed. Continue cooking for another 10 min / 95°C / Speed 2 (Reverse) or until chicken is tender and masala is thick. Transfer the cooked chicken masala to a separate serving bowl and set aside.
Rinse the Thermomix bowl. Add 600 g water, and optional whole spices (cardamom, cloves, cinnamon) to the bowl. Insert the simmering basket with the rinsed rice. Cook 18 min / 100°C / Speed 2. The rice should be cooked al dente.
Carefully remove the simmering basket with the cooked rice. Discard whole spices if used. Fluff the rice with a fork.
To assemble the biryani, gently layer the cooked rice over the chicken masala in the serving bowl. Garnish with the fried onions, cashews, and raisins. Serve hot.

View this recipe on Chef Amai — convert any recipe to Thermomix format at chefamai.com.