Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Chicken Biryani Conquered

I have never in my life made chicken Biryani. I haven’t even seen one being made. Basically my relationship with chicken Biryani is that of a completely finished product.
Add to that the fact that both Aman and me completely drool over this dish. And since Bangalore has some awesome places which make out of this world Biryani, it never struck me that I should try my hand at cooking this dish.

Now this Thursday I had this brilliant brain wave where I felt like cooking Chicken Biryani myself. It was one of those days when I behave like one overtly devoted wife and want to pamper my pati dev no end. When I suggested the same to him he almost fell of his chair. There was this stunned expression on his face. Not that I am a bad cook and all that.

The reason which he then explained to me in the most earnest way was that he absolutely loves Chicken Biryani and he couldn’t let me play with his deep affection for the same. What if it didn’t come out well, what if it didn’t taste good, what if I forced him to eat it no matter how it tasted, aah too many questions!!!

I couldn’t believe my ears. How could he question my culinary skills? Not that I am an out of this world cook but then I am not bad too. In fact I am quite good, or so the people who have tasted my creations can say (I am fishing for compliments, Anu, Kanu and Nidhi, listening??)

So the wounded me, wiped the silent tear and got down to making Rajma Chawal, which by the way was oh so delicious. (I am not bragging, Aman plz tell them!!!). With this Aman thought that the Biryani tale would be over for good. But me had better ideas.

The very next day, after office I straight went to the nearest mall to buy chicken. Now this is something I have never done before for the reason that I can’t stand the smell.
This time I had a reason and even the smell couldn’t deter me. After having taken a thorough tutorial on “How to make Chicken Biryani” from a friend (god bless her), I was all set.
Aman usually comes home very late, so the idea was to make it, taste it and shove it in the dustbin if it wasn’t good.
If it was good then present it with all the fanfare.

But on this day he decided to come home on time, and with that he caught me in the process on making it. His expressions changed; the same incredulous look. But being the nice soul he is he silently stepped out of the kitchen muttering a hushed prayer.
Post that, I got on to the Biryani with a rejuvenated vengeance. Finally after an hour of sweating and puffing the “Biryani” was ready. And it did look quite good. I wish I had clicked some pictures!!!

I served and waited, and he took his time to come to the dinning table (for obvious reasons). He sat, my hear skipped a beat. He tasted and I almost fainted. And then he smiled, ah that lovely smile and then he hugged me. He said it was delicious. Had he not seen me making it he wouldn’t have believed I could have made it.
Woah, what a relief!!! And then I ate some too and trust me guys it was awesome.

So, who wants to eat the Iya special Chicken Biryani??

41 comments:

Just call me 'A' said...

I want to eat please...I'm a HUGE biryani fan. giv me biryani anytime and I'll eat it. in fact I have some store bought biryani in my fridge which is not great but I will still finish every morsel of it.

Recipe, Recipe, Recipe, Recipe, Recipe, Recipe, Recipe! :)

Aman said...

Hey...it was awesome...

She doesn't brag about her cooking talent but trust me she is an awesome cook...

Testimonial for Rajmah - Babes they were out of the world....

Anonymous said...

Congrats ! Congrats ! Congrats !

SD said...

I do! Tell me when should I drop in? And don't you think its mean of you not to share the recipe here?

Kanupriya said...

मैं कनुप्रिया, "confessions of shopaholic" (this is my recent bible you know :D) पे हाथ रख कर कसम खाती हूँ कि श्रीमती इया मल्होत्रा बहुत ही स्वादिष्ट दाल मखनी और पालक पनीर बनाती है. इस बात में कोई शक नहीं है कि श्रीमती इया एक बेहतरीन कुक है :-)

Iya said...

@ Just Call me A - anytime babes, i will happily cook for u..

@ Aman - ahmm, someone is being all honest on my blog!! me likes it..

@ Hobo - Thanks!!!

Iya said...

@ Goofy Mumma - drop in when ever u like, i will surely make some for u.. recipe, was very simple, will put it up..

@ Kanu - Srimati Iya Malhotra aapki aabhari hain..lol..
now the we will be neighbors soon, here’s hoping for many more lunches and dinners together..

Mama - Mia said...

me!! when do i come over?! :)

cheers!

abha

~anu~ said...

conquered!!!! way to go! :) yeah i can be testimonial to the fact that you are an excellent cook. i guess iya's forte is not merely cooking delicious food (that's important and she gets full points for that) but also presentation.. and not to forget sometimes naming them too! i remember some ten years back she made some nimbu-paani, added some mint to it, served in a splendid looking glass with crushed ice and called it tropical summer drink and others went wowwww! :)
good job iya! :)

Anonymous said...

man o man o man
n now you start cooking biryani? why weren't u adventurous enough while i was in blore?
n whats with all the biryani obsession by bloggers? there is a mention of it now in either every post or comment.
you owe me a biryani on my next visit to blore!

Solilo said...

Iya, I love Biriyani. Mutton Biriyani is my favorite though Chicken would do too. So send my way. :))

Congratulations! mission accomplished.

Cynic in Wonderland said...

niceeeeeeee. recie?

chandni said...

Same thing at our place. the difference being the Boy made the biryani, I pitched in with mirchi ka saalan and raita. Total hyderabadi style....cooked in dum...

hey u're in delhi...we should meet :)

Iya said...

@ Abha – now.. come over now!!

@ Anu – u don’t seem to forget that, do u… what kids we were and what fun we had, Tropical summer and all that.. and thanks for the unabashed compliments you just showered on me..

@ Masood – I have loved biryani all my life… Remember Lazeez and then Dekhni Degh?? And adventurous I am, only the right chord needs to be struck!!!

Iya said...

@ Solilo – a major mission accomplished!!

@ Cyn – thanks, recepie no rocket science. .will share

@ Chandni – wow, lots of Biryani fans out there.. and I am not in Delhi.. what gave u that idea? Me in b’lore and would love to meet.

Indyeah said...

I am a vegetarian but thoroughly enjoyed the post:D
great going...the chicken biryani frontier conquered eh?:D

Pinku said...

I love the stuff too.....please do share the receipe....and whenever i come down to your city...remember I will need to eat the Iya Special too... :)

Imp's Mom said...

Me Me Me... I luv Mutton biryani, but chicken would do too.... :D

Congrats!

Mili said...

Congrtaz..... could u try veg biryani 2 n giv me the recepie :)

Monika said...

lovely lovely post iya, the way u have captured feelings i almost went flashback 5yrs when I first told N that I know how to make chicken biryani :) :)

and needless to say me... so when do i come over?

SMM said...

Hey first time here...the biryani sure sounds yummmm.


If your a mutton fan, will be glad to share a super-smple mutton biryani recipie too. I'm a bong, for me biryani is mutton.

That said, I'd sure love to taste your chicken biryani :)

Ab said...

whoa... congrats...

hey you write very funnily... (is that a word? hmm inwys)

Anonymous said...

Now I am veg so I can't taste it but I loved reading the process of it being made ... the lovely story, I was smiling through this really sweet post...
I am laughing at the thought of YOUR faces when your he came home unexpectedly... and the suspense until he tasted it.

Cynic in Wonderland said...

iya mail the recipe shall put it up on the cooking site - www.bhajifried.wordpress.com

mindspace said...

the title of this post is interesting.. and one more hand raised for recipe pls.. so will be waiting to see it up.

also, this header pic looks familiar and O'wow.. is this goa, taj fort aguada? good to see blogs being updated with such soothing natural beauties..

& congratulations for all the compliments u hv been getting above. why no PIC baby why no PIC>>??

How do we know said...

Congratulations hai!!

Iya said...

@ Indyeah - thanks lady!!

@ Pinku – tu aa toh sahi..

@ Imps – lets do a pot lunch some day, u make mutton and I’ll do the chicken and our Monika babe will do the rest!!!

Iya said...

@ Alice – sure wud and will treat u too..come over..

@ Monika – thanks, lets meet up ya… high time…

@ SMM - welcome to my page and hope to see u come back..i am not a mutton fan he is.. do share the recipe

Iya said...

@ Avaran – thanks so much, I don’t care if Funnily is a word or not, as long as u r giving me a compliment..

@ Anand – LOL, so sad..

@ IHM – thanks dear.. it was funny though, it was like being caught red handed doing something u were so asked to stay away from!!

Iya said...

@ Cyn – that sounds like a good idea.. do I get paid too?? ^_^

@ Tara – where were u missing?? Yeah me too happy about the feat!! And u r bang on, the header is Taj Fort Aguda, Goa..what a place it is!!

@ How do we know - thanks hai!!!

Solilo said...

Iya, Which place is that in your header? It's beautiful!

Iya said...

@ Solilo - thats Goa. The Taj Fort Aguda resort.. its awesome!!

Whiterays said...

Hahah nice one. Cooking is yet one unconquered bastion for me.

mindspace said...

Pls read my latest post... i had mentioned lil hint of it in earlier posts as well though :o

Monika said...

oh ya so convenient I will do the rest but if the guests are u and imp's mom I will happily do it :)

Imp's Mom said...

haha! what fun... we should do so sometime... damn...wish I was still in B'lore!

Iya said...

@ swetha - thanks lady, how have u been?

@ Tara - oh yes i remember, vipasna, right? i have been too caught up lately. no blog reading for a while..need to catch up..

@ Monika - u r the sweetest, thats why i wrote it..

@ Imps Mom - i wish the same too.. are u visiting sometime soon?

Wife Anew said...

Hey ....

You've become my inspiration to cook now! I am so terrified of entering the kitchen since I have a husband who has super sensitive taste buds and is bound to bring down the house even if one thing is amiss :D But i have to start somewhere someday! I shall do so on Saturday :)

Preeti said...

I am too a big Biryani fan ..it started with Hydrabad , where I used to stay in a hostel near paradise ...so it was biryani in dinner and half part of re-heated biryani ..next day lunch ...

and now its the only thing that I eat in my offc cafe.. so its been biryani for 75% of my lunch in last 2 and half years ..

I must try it some day !! and i know who will taste it ( or I have to force to try )..:-)

Mampi said...

when would i learn it? Pray for me too,

hema said...

Hi!!

Your recipe is awesome..I really loved cooking it and it turned out very well.my husband loved it.is there a mutton biryani recipe too???