STEP 3
Add the chopped garlic when the onion is slightly browned. Garlic cooks faster than the onion and ginger, that is why we add the garlic later.

STEP 4
Add the curry powder just before the onion is fully browned and stir & allow it to cook for about 1 minute. Remove from the heat if too hot to avoid the onion from burning.

STEP 5
Add the chicken in the yoghurt/mala to the pot and stir making sure the onion is fully mixed into the chicken, add the salt at this stage too. The heat should be on medium.

STEP 6
Allow to simmer while covered for about 10-15 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken pieces. Add more yoghurt/mala to give it more liquid to cook in while occasionally stirring to avoid the chicken from sticking to the bottom. You can also add water to bulk up the sauce.

STEP 7
To tell if the chicken is cooked, cut the biggest piece (if using bone-in chicken) and if the liquid coming out of it is clear then the chicken is cooked.

STEP 8
Taste and adjust the salt and turn off the heat. The sauce should be thick and rich when ready. If it’s too light (after adding water, cook until it reduces and thickens.

STEP 9
To finish, in a separate pot, add layers of chicken and rice in an alternating sequence. Serve the rice either on the side or mixed with Raita (yoghurt with cucumber) and Kachumbari.

Chef Raphael’s Tips:

1. You can use the same recipe with beef or lamb, just make sure when buying the meat, it’s not from the tough part of the animal.
2. When cooking beef biryani especially, you may need to consider using green papaya to tenderize the meat. Yoghurt/Mala also acts as a tenderizer as well as being the liquid in the food.
3. If you want the food to be extra spicy, add some chopped chilli together with the curry powder & let cook into the sauce.