This chicken pulao is quite different from the usual ones in restaurants. Its an Andhra speciality and it has a very distinct flavor. Its easy to cook as its made in a rice cooker even though the sauteing process cannot be omitted. Try and enjoy. Feel free to leave questions and comments. I shall respond asap.

Ingredients

Chicken – ½ kg

Basmati rice – 1 ½ cups

Cardamom – 2

Cloves – 5

Cinnamon – 1 inch pc

Cumin seeds – 1 tsp

Onion – 1 (sliced)

Ginger paste – 1 tsp

Garlic paste – 1 tsp

Green chillies – 4 (slit)

Turmeric pw – ½ tsp

Coriander pw – 1 tsp

Roasted Cashews – few

Cilantro – 2 sprigs(chopped)

Marinade for the chicken

Yogurt – ½ cup

Mint leaves – ½ cup

Curry leaves – few

Cayenne pepper pw – ½ tsp

Salt

Water – 3 cups

To dry roast and grind

White poppy seeds – 3 tsp

Cardamom – 4

Cloves – 6

Cinnamon – 2 inch pc

Fresh coconut chunks – ½ cup

Method

1. Marinate the chicken with yogurt, cayenne pepper pw, salt , curry leaves and half of the mint leaves. 

2. In a pan, dry roast the poppy seeds, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves for 2 minutes and grind it. 

Add the coconut chunks to it along with little water to make it into a fine paste. keep it aside.

3. Heat oil in a pan, add cardamom, cinnamom, cloves and cumin seeds and fry for a few seconds. 

4. Then add onions into it. Also add a bit of salt to speed up the process. 

5. Add ginger and garlic paste, turmeric pw, coriander pw, green chillies  and saute it till the raw flavor is gone (around a minute). 

7. Add the ground mixture and saute it well for 2 minutes till the oil oozes out from the sides. 

8. Add the marinated chicken to it and mix well. Let it cook for two minutes. 

9. Add the washed rice into it and mix well. 

10. Add water to it and mix well. Check the salt by tasting the water and transfer the contents to a rice cooker. 

11. Add cilantro, mint leaves and let it cook till it auto turns off.

12. Garnish with roasted cashews. Serve with cucumber raita and pappads.