Biryani is a very popular dish in the United Arab Emirates. It is a spicy rice and meat dish which usually includes cashew nuts.
Directions for Preparing Biryani
- Place the fried chicken cubes in a large bowl and season it with 1 ½ teaspoon of salt.
- Add turmeric, ginger, chili powder, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom to the chicken.
- Mix these ingredients well and set aside for ten (0:10) minutes.
- Add the onions to the chicken, together with the yogurt, lemon juice, mint leaves, coriander, chili pepper, and 2 tablespoons of oil.
- Mix well and marinate for one (1:00) hour.
- Meanwhile, boil the rice in 10 cups of water over medium heat for ten (0:10) minutes.
- Drain the rice but reserve 3 cups of rice stock.
- Place half of the rice at the base of a casserole dish and top with the marinated chicken mixture.
- Place the next half of the rice over the chicken mixture and pour the remaining oil over the top.
- Mix the rice stock with the saffron and a teaspoon of salt, then pour this evenly over the top.
- Cover the dish with aluminum foil and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F°.
- Bake the Biryani for one (1:00) hour.
- Garnish with toasted cashews and serve immediately
The traditional food of the Emirates has always been rice, fish, and meat. The people of the United Arab Emirates have adopted most of their foods from other West and South Asian countries including Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, India, and Oman. Seafood has been the mainstay of the Emirati diet for centuries. Meat and rice are other staple foods, with lamb and mutton preferred to goat and beef. Popular beverages are coffee and tea, which can be complemented with cardamom, saffron, or mint to give them a distinctive flavor.
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