Thalassery Home-Style Chicken Biryani
The fragrant Malabar biryani of Thalassery, layered with slender jeerakasala rice, spiced chicken and a caramelised onion masala, finished on slow dum.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 70 min
- Total
- 110 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Hard
- Calories
- 520 kcal
Equipment
- •Heavy-bottomed biryani pot (dum pot)
- •Wide pan for rice
- •Frying pan for onions
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- fat
- 20 g
- carbs
- 58 g
- fibre
- 3 g
- protein
- 27 g
- calories
- 520 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Boil the soaked jeerakasala rice with whole spices and salt in water until 80% cooked. Drain and spread on a tray.
- 2
Heat ghee (clarified butter) and coconut oil in a large pan. Fry some sliced onions until deep golden and crisp, then set aside.
- 3
In the same pan, quickly fry the cashews and raisins. Remove and set them aside separately.
- 4
Fry the remaining onions until soft. Add ginger-garlic paste and green chillies, cooking until the raw smell goes away.
- 5
Add chopped tomatoes and cook until soft and pulpy. Stir in biryani masala powder and cook for 2 minutes.
- 6
Add the chicken pieces and mix well. Cover and cook until nearly done, about 15 minutes.
- 7
Stir in whisked yoghurt and half the mint and coriander leaves. Simmer until the sauce thickens around the chicken.
- 8
In a heavy dum (steam-cooking) pot, spread half the chicken masala and half the rice. Top with fried onions, herbs and ghee.
- 9
Layer the remaining chicken masala and rice on top. Finish with fried onions, cashews and raisins.
- 10
Cover tightly with a lid, sealing with dough or foil if needed. Place on low heat or over a griddle.
- 11
Cook on dum for 20 to 25 minutes without opening the lid. Let it rest for 10 minutes.
- 12
Gently mix and fluff the layers from bottom to top just before serving.
Chef's tips
Jeerakasala rice cooks faster than basmati, so watch the boiling closely to avoid mushiness. Fry the onions to a deep golden brown for authentic flavour. Let the biryani rest after cooking so the layers settle.
Ingredient substitutions
- jeerakasala rice → kaima rice or, if unavailable, thin basmati
- dough seal for dum → tightly fitting lid with a damp cloth wrapped around the rim
Storage
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days; keep rice and chicken layers together.
Reheating
Reheat covered in a pan on low heat with a few drops of water, or steam briefly to restore moisture.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Boiling the rice too long so it turns mushy after dum.
- •Skipping the resting time, which causes the layers to fall apart when served.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Thalassery Home-Style Chicken Biryani?
Sign in to save this recipe to a collection. Bookmarking works without an account — it stays on this device.
Sign in for collectionsSimilar recipes
Dishes with the same spirit, spice level and course.
More from Kerala
Cooking that shares the same kitchen and pantry.
Recipes using similar ingredients
Use what you already bought for this recipe.
