17/09/2026
Chicken Angara Biryani
Ingredients
For the Chicken
* 1 kg chicken
* 4 medium onions, fried (birista)
* 2 large tomatoes, pureed
* ½ cup thick yogurt
* ⅓ cup ginger, garlic & green chilli paste
* 2 tbsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
* Salt to taste
* 2–3 tbsp Angara Masala Powder (or to taste)
* 1 tsp Kasoori methi, crushed
* Juice of ½ lemon
* ¼ tsp orange food colour (optional)
* ½ cup oil
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Aromatic Spice Mix
* 2 mace blades
* 4 green cardamoms
* ½-inch cinnamon stick
* ¼ whole nutmeg
Method: Dry roast on low flame until fragrant. Cool completely and grind into a fine powder.
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Angara Masala
* 2 tbsp coriander seeds
* 1 tsp cumin seeds
* 1 tsp black peppercorns
* 4 whole dried red chillies
* 4–5 green cardamoms
* 2-inch cinnamon stick
* 4–5 cloves
*8-10 cashew
* 8-10 Almonds
Method: Dry roast everything on low flame until aromatic. Cool and grind into a fine powder.
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For the Rice
* 4 cups basmati rice, soaked for 30 minutes
* 1 tbsp salt (or to taste)
* ½ lemon
* 1 tsp shahi zeera
* 1 cinnamon stick
* 1 black cardamom
* 4–5 cloves
* 1 bay leaf
Boil the soaked rice in plenty of water with all the above spices until 70–75% cooked. Reserve ½ cup rice water before draining.
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For Layering
* Fresh coriander, chopped
* Fried onions (birista)
* Aromatic spice mix
* ½ cup reserved rice water
* Separated chicken oil from the gravy
* Food colour mixed with a little kewra water (optional)
* 2–3 tbsp ghee
* Cold smoke (charcoal)
