Quick Chicken Biryani

The onions take longer to caramelize than this Biryani or Curried Pilaf takes to make.
The reason why its more a pilaf than a Biryani is that you normally cook the rice and sauce separately and then layer them together where I just cook everything together.
This is wheat and dairy free and will work as a great vegetarian dish if you replace the chicken with vegetables and use vegetable stock.

Quick Curried Chicken Pilaf / Biryani

Serves 4
1 onion sliced and slowly caramelized in a pan
1/2 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 chilli, chopped
1 pk chicken breast (4 breasts) , cubed
1 tomato, peeled and chopped or just chop it finely and you wont notice the skin
1 carrot, grated
1 baby marrow, grated
1 cup basmati rice, rinsed
2ml cumin powder
2ml coriander powder
2ml turmeric
3ml garam masala
1ml cinnamon
2 cups chicken / vegetable stock or coconut milk and water
1 tbsp white vinegar
1 tbsp chutney
few sprigs fresh coriander
salt and pepper

Method:
Fry the onion, chilli and garlic.
Add chicken breast and brown.
Mix all the spices and add to pot and toast.
Add the grated vegetables, chopped tomato and the rice, stir to coat.
Add the stock / milk, vinegar and chutney.
Place the lid on and turn the pot down to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes stirring occasionally and add more liquid if it gets too dry.
Add the caramelized sliced onions and coriander.
Season to taste and serve with your choice of a tomato sambal, sliced banana, yoghurt, coconut shavings, poppadum or more chutney.

Picture and Recipe Copyright by Tamsyn Wells