THALA AJITH BIRYANI RECIPE WITH

CHICKEN

Who doesnt love thala right? His interest in food and cooking is so well
known and his biryani has become legendary in the sets where he works.

This recipe was published long time back in Kumudam magazine where
director Venkat Prabhu and actress Parvathy Nair describe the procedure
of how to make thala style biryani. Venkat Prabhu states that thala uses
only basmati rice for making biryani and never uses any ready made
biryani masala.

Its a dum style biryani where a masala is cooked and partially cooked rice
is added and put on dum. Here is what you will need for the Thala Ajith
biryani masala.

For ingredient
measurements and instructions for Thala Ajith Biryani, scroll to the
bottom of the page.
First, soak the basmati water in lots of water and set aside.
Now, Lets make the Biryani Masala.

Heat ghee and oil in a pan and add in the spices. Add in the onions and
cover the pan with a lid. I believe Ajith covers and cooks everything and
also cooks only on a medium heat. Thats his secret to good biryani I
believe.
So cover the pan and cook until the onions are brown. Open the lid and
saute once in a while so the bottom of the pan doesnt burn.

Now, add in the ginger garlic paste once the onions are brown. Cover the
pan again and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Let it brown. Saute in the
middle to avoid burning.

Now add in the coriander leaves and mint leaves and saute for a minute
briefly.

Add in the tomatoes and the green chillies. Saute briefly and cover the pan
with the lid and let the mixture cook for 2-3 minutes.

Add in the spice powders ( turmeric, red chilli ) and the salt. Mix well.

Add in the chicken and beaten yogurt. Mix well. Slightly increase the flame
and cover with a lid. Cook for 20 minutes stirring occasionally. No need to
add water. The chicken will cook in its own liquid and juices.

In the mean time, bring a big pot of water to boil. Add in little oil, salt and
lime juice. Add in the soaked and drained rice.

The chicken will be cooked in the mean time. Reduce the flame to sim.

Cook the rice until 80% done. The rice should still be firm and little hard
slightly in the middle.Drain the rice. Save the hot water remaining (kanji
thanni) for putting dum. Add the drained rice to the pan.

Mix the rice and the chicken masala. Now, we are ready for dum.

Take a dosa pan and place the biryani pot on the dosa pan. Cover with a lid
and place hot water (the drained water / left over rice water (kanji thanni) )
on top.

Put the flame of the stove on low and let it cook in dum for 15 minutes.
Open the pan after 15 minutes, add in the ghee and gently mix the biryani.
Put in dum for 5 more minutes.

Thala Ajith biryani is ready! Enjoy Thala Ajith biryani!

T HAL A AJI T H BI RYANI RECI PE W IT H CHI CK EN

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PREP TIME
20 mins
COOK TIME
45 mins
T O TA L T I M E
1 hour 5 mins
Recipe for Thala Ajith biryani. Chicken biryani recipe. Recipe adapted from a tamil magazine. Dum style Chicken Biryani /
Thala Biryani.
Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
Recipe type: Biryani
Cuisine: South Indian
Serves: 4

I N G R E D I E N TS
Spices

2 cardamom
2 cloves
2 Cinnamon
Ginger Garlic Paste
Grind to a paste the following:
10 cloves garlic
2 inch piece ginger
cup water
For Chicken Masala
2 Tablespoon Ghee
2 Tablespoon Vegetable / Sunflower Oil
2 medium sized Onion, sliced
6 sprigs Coriander leaves, chopped
6 sprigs Mint leaves, chopped
2 Tomatoes, chopped
4 Green Chillies, sliced
teaspoon Turmeric Powder
1 Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
1 Teaspoon salt
cup fresh yogurt (curd)
3 teaspoon Ghee ( for mixing at last)
750 grams Chicken with bone
For Cooking Rice
3 litres water

2 Cups Basmati Rice, soaked (500 ml)

Juice of 1 lime
2 teaspoon vegetable / sunflower oil
1 teaspoon salt

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Heat ghee and oil in a pan and add in the spices. Add in the onions and cover the pan with
a lid. Cover the pan and cook until the onions are brown. Open the lid and saute once in a
while so the bottom doesn't burn.
Add in the ginger garlic paste once the onions are brown. Cover the pan again and cook for
another 3-4 minutes. Let it brown. Saute in the middle to avoid burning.
Add in the coriander leaves and mint leaves and saute for a minute briefly.
Add in the tomatoes and the green chillies. Saute briefly and cover the pan with the lid and
let the mixture cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add in the spice powders ( turmeric, red chilli ) and the salt. Mix well.
Add in the chicken and beaten yogurt. Slightly increase the flame and cover with a lid.
Cook for 20 minutes stirring occasionally. No need to add water. The chicken will cook in its
own liquid and juices.
In the mean time, bring a big pot of water to boil. Add in little oil, salt and lime juice. Add
in the soaked and drained rice.
The chicken will be cooked in the mean time. Reduce the flame to sim.
Cook the rice until 80% done. The rice should still be firm and little hard slightly in the
middle.Drain the rice. Save the hot water remaining (kanji thanni) for putting dum. Add the
drained rice to the pan.
Mix the rice and the chicken masala. Now, we are ready for dum.
Take a dosa pan and place the biryani pot on the dosa pan. Cover with a lid and place hot
water (the drained water / left over rice water (kanji thanni) on top.
Put the flame of the stove on low and let it cook in dum for 15 minutes. Open the pan after
15 minutes, add in the ghee and gently mix the biryani. Put in dum for 5 more minutes.
Switch off the flame. Biryani is ready!