Thala Ajith Biryani Recipe With Chicken, Chicken Biryani

Who doesn’t 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. That’s 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 doesn’t 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!

Spices

• 2 cardamom
• 2 cloves
• 2 Cinnamon

Ginger Garlic Paste

• Grind to a paste the following:
• 10 cloves garlic
• 2 inch piece ginger
• 1/4 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
• 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• 1 Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
• 1 Teaspoon salt
• 1/2 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 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Add in the coriander leaves and mint leaves and saute for a minute briefly.
4. 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.
5. Add in the spice powders ( turmeric, red chilli ) and the salt. Mix well.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. The chicken will be cooked in the mean time. Reduce the flame to sim.
9. 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.
10. Mix the rice and the chicken masala. Now, we are ready for dum.
11. 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.
12. 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.
13. Switch off the flame. Biryani is ready!

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins
• Category: Biryani
• Cuisine: South Indian

Spices

• 2 cardamom
• 2 cloves
• 2 Cinnamon

Ginger Garlic Paste

• Grind to a paste the following:
• 10 cloves garlic
• 2 inch piece ginger
• 1/4 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
• 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• 1 Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
• 1 Teaspoon salt
• 1/2 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 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Add in the coriander leaves and mint leaves and saute for a minute briefly.
4. 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.
5. Add in the spice powders ( turmeric, red chilli ) and the salt. Mix well.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. The chicken will be cooked in the mean time. Reduce the flame to sim.
9. 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.
10. Mix the rice and the chicken masala. Now, we are ready for dum.
11. 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.
12. 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.
13. Switch off the flame. Biryani is ready!

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins
• Category: Biryani
• Cuisine: South Indian

Find it online : https://www.kannammacooks.com/thala-ajith-biryani-recipe/

This sambar powder is very fragrant and has roasted coconut powder added to it. It has the flavour of araithu vitta sambar. When a good friend Bavani Ganesan asked me to try this recipe, I immediately did and the kitchen was smelling so fragrant. She had got this recipe from an 89 year old chef and she had all nice things to say about the recipe. I am sure, once you make it, you will too!

Here are the ingredients you will need for making the sambar powder / sambar podi.

All the ingredients are roasted in a little bit of ghee and then ground. The addition of coconut makes for a very rich sambar powder. You need to grind the ingredients into a very fine powder so it kind of dissolves into a rich sauce while making sambar. You can store this recipe for upto a week at room temperature or upto three months in the freezer. Once you have this sambar powder, making sambar is a breeze.

When roasting the ingredients make sure you do not burn the lentils and the seeds. Keep sauteing all the time and keep the stove on medium heat at all times.

Hope you enjoy the video instructions.

• 4 teaspoon Toor Dal
• 2 teaspoon Urad Dal
• 2 tablespoon Peanuts
• 2 teaspoon Coriander Seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon Fenugreek Seeds (methi)
• 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
• 1 small piece Cinnamon Stick ( 1 inch)
• 1/2 teaspoon Mustard Seeds
• 12 Red Chilli
• 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric
• 3/4 teaspoon Asafoetida (Hing)
• 1/4 cup Copra / Dessicated Coconut Powder
• 2 teaspoon ghee for dry roasting

1. Roast toor dal and urad dal in ghee on medium flame until brown and golden. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
2. Dry roast peanuts until nutty ( the crunchy fried peanut texture ). Transfer to a plate and set aside.
3. Roast the coriander seeds, fenugreek, black pepper, cumin, cinnamon and mustard in half a teaspoon of ghee until fragrant. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
4. Roast the red chillies in half a teaspoon of ghee until fragrant. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
5. Dry roast copra powder until slightly golden. Add in the turmeric powder and the asafoetida and briefly saute for 10 seconds. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
6. Let all the ingredients cool to room temperature.
7. Grind to a very fine powder and use within a month.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins
• Category: Spice Powders
• Cuisine: South Indian