This Biryani Comes Sans The Popular Raita And Basmati Rice

With Chettinad biryani, one doesn’t ask for raita.

Published On Mar 09, 2021 | Updated On Mar 07, 2024

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The Chettinad biryani is loaded with spices but won’t set your mouth on fire. In fact, this dish is full of surprises.

It doesn’t follow the ‘biryani’ conventions one is familiar with therefore there is no raita, no basmati, no saffron, no dry fruits and no ghee. 

Instead of raita, the Chettinad biryani is accompanied by Ennai Kathirikai, a tangy preparation of brinjals enhanced with spices. Ennai is oil and Kathirikai means brinjal in Tamil. The oil doesn’t float on the surface but is soaked by the ingredients during the cooking process. 

Basmati is almost synonymous with biryani. But, Chettinad biryani exclusively uses Seeraga Samba, a short-grained fragrant rice. The grain resembles cumin seeds or jeera which is known as Seera in Tamil and Samba is the sowing period which is usually August-September.   

So what is the x-factor of Chettinad biryani? A rich and perfectly balanced combination of spices, this biryani is an antidote to the stereotype that spice equals a fiery or intensely pungent taste.

Chettinad in Tamil Nadu was a strategic location for the spice trade. Its residents, the Chettiyars, prospered in the business of peppers and chillies with countries in Southeast Asia and the Arabs. Some food historians believe that biryani was introduced on the Malabar Coast by these Arab traders.

The cuisine reflects the richness and diversity of spices available here, and Chettinad biryani encapsulates its many influences. Chicken is favoured over mutton because fowl meat is tastier in this region and lends itself well to the spices.

Dry spices are hand ground and they follow the traditional dum-style of biryani preparation. Rice is combined with meat, seasoned with spices and allowed to cook on a slow fire in an Uruli, a traditional cooking pot in South India. The Uruli is covered and sealed with dough, allowing the meat to tenderise in its own juices while releasing the flavours to coat each grain. Chef Jinesh Joseph, who works with the Marriott International chain, shares the Chettinad Biryani recipe for you to try at home:

  1. 500 gms Seeraga Samba rice, soaked for an hour
  2. 500 gms chicken
  3. 250 gms onion, sliced
  4. 500 gms  tomatoes, sliced
  5. 3-4 cardamom, whole
  6. 3-4 cinnamon, whole
  7. 2-3 bay leaf
  8. 2-3 mace
  9. 3-4 green chillies, slits
  10. 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
  11. 1 tsp chilli powder
  12. 1 tsp turmeric powder
  13. 1 tbsp curd
  14. Sunflower oil for cooking
  15. Salt to taste
  16. ½ litre boiling water
  17. Dough for sealing the utensil
  18. For the Biryani Masala:
  19. 3-4 nos of Kalpasi
  20. 3-4 nos of Marathi Moggu
  21. 2 nos Cardamom
  22. ½ tsp Green fennel seeds
  23. 1-2 nos cinnamon sticks
  24. 1-2 star anise, whole
  25. 1-2 bay leaf, whole
  • Hand grind the ingredients of biryani masala and keep them aside.
  • In a deep-bottomed pan, add five tablespoons of sunflower oil. Put the onions and cook in medium flame till they turn brown.
  • Add cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaf, mace and gently stir till the spices start releasing their aromas.
  • Next, add ginger garlic paste, fresh chilli, tomatoes, chilli powder and turmeric. Cook till all the ingredients combine.
  • Now, add the biryani masala and curd and let it cook for two to three minutes.
  • Put the chicken and gently stir until each piece is coated with the masala. Let the chicken cook for at least 10-15 minutes till it is partly done and imparts its flavours to the masalas.
  • Finally, add the rice and water. Add salt to taste. Bring this to a boil.
  • Now cover the utensil. Place a heavy object on the cover, put the flame on low, seal the cover with dough and allow the biryani to dum-cook for about 10 mins.
  • Turn off the flame and let it rest for 30 minutes before removing the seal and serving.

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