Thalassery Biryani
Photo: Sheetal, CC BY 2.5
Thalassery biryani is the Malabar coast's own take on the rice-and-meat classic, and it breaks a few rules. The rice is small-grained khaima or jeerakasala, never basmati, and it takes on the aroma of the spices as it cooks. The chicken goes into a tomato-based masala raw, with no oil, so it stews in its own juices before being layered with the rice.
Instructions
Wash the rice in water and drain it completely.
Heat the ghee and dalda in a kadai, add the drained rice, and fry it for a few minutes.
Pour in water at a ratio of 1¾ parts water to 1 part rice. Add the cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, bay leaf, poppy seeds, star anise and lime juice, then cover and simmer until all the water has been absorbed.
Heat the coconut oil with a little ghee in a deep kadai. Fry the onions, cashews and raisins until caramel in colour, then set them aside.
Cook the tomatoes with a little water and no oil in a deep kadai until soft. Add the ginger, garlic, green chiles and shallots, and stir until the raw smell is gone. Stir in the fennel, cumin, turmeric, mace and red chile powder.
Add the chicken, cover, and cook until almost done, stirring now and then so it does not stick. Do not fry the chicken first.
Stir in a quarter of the fried onion mixture, the garam masala, coriander and mint, and keep the heat low. Cook until the chicken and masala come together into one thick mixture.
Mix the rice with the remaining onion mixture, food colour and saffron milk. Layer the masala and rice in a heavy dish and seal the lid tightly with maida dough or a dishcloth.
Cook on a very low flame with hot coals or charcoal set on the lid. Serve when done.
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