Ambur Chicken Biryani Recipe |How to make authentic Star Ambur Biryani

Ambur Biryani is one of the famous food recipes of South India which emerged during the Nawab of Arcot's regime. This was served for the army of Carnatic as it was difficult to prepare Rotis or Parathas to cater to the need of lakhs of jawans. Today, it is served in all Muslim weddings along with Chicken Kebabs & sweet dishes.

This biriyani gets its name from Ambur - located in the Vellore distric tof Tamil Nadu  also known as the leather district of South India. 





I had tasted this biryani when I was in bangalore .Googled for this recipe & found an authentic version followed the same with few minor changes.

Its taste is distinct than the usual hyderabadi dum biryani which I make often.
Pls refer the tips given at the end of the post



Few points I would like to mention:

1.It has an unique appetizing taste and the rich spicy taste lies in the preparation method & mixing of the ingredients at right proportion. 
2.This biriyani can be made in a pressure cooker/stove top  so it saves a lot of time. 
3.The key ingredient is dried chilli paste and few whole spices. 
4.Unlike other biryanis it doesnt have lots of spice powders 
5.Preferably use jeera rice or small grain rice for this biryani 



Follow the recipe with exact measurements to relish the authentic ambur taste & delight your family with yet another wonderful biryani..:)

Ingredients:

Chicken - 300 gram (I had used boneless)
Oil - 1/2 cup
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Curd / Yogurt - 1/2 cup + 1 tblspn
Onions - 2 large sliced thinly (reserve a handful of onions)
Garlic Paste - 2 tblspn
Coriander Leaves - a small handful chopped finely
Mint Leaves - a small handful chopped finely
Ginger Paste - 2 tblspn
Tomatoes - 2 large sliced thinly
Dry Red Chillies - 4
Kashmiri Red Chillies - 5

Whole spices

Cinnamom - 1 large stick
Cardamom Pods - 5
Cloves  - 5
Saunf - 1 Teaspoon

Rice:
Seeraga Samba Rice/ jeera rice - 2.5 cups
Salt to taste
Water lots of it to cook rice




Method:

1.Wash seeraga samba /jeera rice very well. Set aside. Soak both types of dry red chillies in hot water for 5 mins. Drain and make it into a smooth puree. keep aside.



2.In a cooker /kadhai heat oil & ghee Saute the whole spices mentioned above nicely on the hot oil and ghee,

3.Add a drop of curd and stir it then add a tablespoon of ginger garlic paste and stir a little.Add in coriander leaves and mint leaves. Saute for a min.

 

4.Now add in the chicken and toss well on high heat for 5 to 7 mins till it is golden.Add in onions and tomatoes. Saute for 3 to 4 mins. They will cook down and leach out some water.



Now add in the dry red chilli paste and mix well.Add in 1/2 cup of curd and salt. Mix well. Cover the pot and cook on low heat for 10 mins.

5.Meanwhile bring about 8 7-8 cups of water to boil. Add in salt to it and when it boils add in rice. Mix well. Cook it for 7 to 8 mins. When you taste it the rice should have a bite in it. 
Once it is 80 percent cooked, drain it & keep aside.



6.Simultaneously add 1/4 Cup of hot water and mix the chicken well then close lid for some time.Now add half cooked rice to the chicken when the chicken gravy becomes little thick and stir them well without breaking the rice grains.Add the Half Cooked Salted Rice.



FINAL STAGE OF DUM

7.Cover lid by sticking it with some big foil or placing a weight on top of it to restrict the steam from escaping and place it on a very slow flame.
Next place this vessel on top of another flat pan or tawa, so that the bottom of the pan doesn’t come in direct contact with the heat source. And cook it for 15 mins then add fried onions on top.



The Taste Rich Ambur Chicken Biryani is ready now, so serve it with brinjal masala and raita.



Tips :

Don’t add too much of spices.
Marinate the chicken with curd for 30 minutes to make it soft.
Don’t add the rice when there is lots of water in the chicken.
No Green Chillies, Turmeric Powder and Basmati / Long Grain Rice.
The amount of tomatoes should always be lesser than that of the onions.