How to make Thalassery Biryani (Malabar Biriyani) Chef Rajeesh receipe

Thalassery biryani is one of the quite popular biryanis. It is known for its unique aroma and taste. It comes from the unusual variety of rice called Jeerakasla. Thalassery biryani originated from the malabar region of Kerala. Unlike the other kind of popular biryanis where basmati rice is used, thalassery biriyani is made using a premium quality short grain rice. This rice is also known as kaima rice or biriyani rice in Kerala.

Biryani masala made from a unique blend of kerala spices is another contributor to one of this most amazing & flavorful biriyani. If you are not accessible to the jeerakasala rice, then you may try this with aged basmati rice.

The process of making thalassery biryani is not much different from the Pakki Hyderabadi biryani except the usage of tomatoes her. However the method of cooking Jeerakasala or kaima is different from cooking basmati rice. You have to use half cup of ghee to make it more flavourful.

Preparation for thalassery chicken biryani

The ingredients for biryani masala powder are: 1 star anise(small), 4 green cardamoms, 4 cloves, a 2 inch cinnamon stick, 2 strands of mace, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ½ teaspoon shahi jeera, 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, 1 red chilli, and ½ teaspoon peppercorns. Clean all the spices. Then put them in a blender jar. Roasting is optional as the powder will be roasted later with the chicken. Grind everything into a fine powder. Then keep it set aside.

Add 3 to 4 tablespoons of ghee to a biryani pot. Then fry the cashews until they turn light golden. Add the raisins. Then cook them until they become plump. Move both to a plate. It will be later used for garnishing.

In the same pan, add the onions. Fry them evenly until golden or light brown. This step can be skipped if you are using store bought fried onions. But onions fried in ghee give a better aroma. Set the onions aside with the cashews and raisins. These will also be used for garnishing later.

Making thalassery chicken biryani

Some ghee will be remaining in pan now. In the remaining ghee, add the sliced onions. It will be for the gravy. Fry them until golden. Then add ginger garlic and green chili paste. This recipe uses no red chili powder. All the heat comes from green chilies. Two green chilies are enough. Freshly made paste works best. Sauté until the aroma turns nice and strong. Add the cleaned chicken. Then sauté it for 2 to 3 minutes until the chicken turns pale. Add turmeric and the biryani masala prepared earlier. Cook on low heat for another 2 to 3 minutes. Cover the pot. Let it cook for 2 to 3 more minutes. The chicken should start turning slightly tender. Start adding tomatoes, salt, and curd. Sauté for 2 minutes. Then lower the heat and cover again. Cook it until the chicken becomes fully tender. Stir occasionally. It will stop the gravy from burning. The gravy will be thick by the end. Chicken naturally releases enough moisture on low heat. It will help it to cook itself completely.

While the chicken cooks, begin preparing the biryani rice. The method is almost the same as making Malabar nei choru. Wash the rice. Then drain it well. Traditional Malabar biryani uses Jeerakasala rice. It needs no soaking or draining. Basmati rice can be used if that rice is not available. Wash and soak basmati for 30 minutes. Then drain it. On another burner, bring water to a boil.

How to make thalassery biriyani

Heat a pot with 1 to 2 tablespoons of ghee. Then sauté the whole spices. Add the drained rice and sauté for 2–3 minutes. Add salt and then pour in hot water. Cold water should be avoided because it makes the rice sticky. Stir gently.

Cook on medium heat until the water is mostly absorbed but the rice still looks wet. Lower the heat, cover the pot, and cook until all the water is absorbed and the rice turns dry. At this point, the rice is about 90% cooked. If the rice feels undercooked, then sprinkle a little warm water and continue cooking.

By now, the chicken gravy should be ready and thick. Add mint and coriander leaves on top of the chicken and spread the chicken mixture evenly.

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

Layering malabar chicken biriyani

Layer half of the rice over the chicken. Then sprinkle a little garam masala, some fried onions, and mint. Add the remaining rice on top. Sprinkle coriander leaves, mint, fried onions, cashews, and raisins. Pour ghee mixed with a little rose water over the top.

Cover the pot with a tight and heavy lid. If the lid isn’t tight enough, seal it with foil or a thick, damp cloth. Place a steel plate over the top and set a heavy object on it.

Heat an old tawa or griddle until very hot. Place the biryani pot on the tawa and cook for 12 to 15 minutes on medium heat. Let the biryani rest afterward. By this time, the moisture in the gravy should have evaporated.

Serve Malabar biryani with onion raita. While serving, make sure each portion has an even amount of rice and masala.