This dish is an ode to the traditional breyani of South Africa. Flavours of fresh herbs, chilli, a spice blend, and whole cardamom and cinnamon take it to the top of the yum scoreboard! Roasted chicken pieces top basmati rice and lentils and are all dolloped with minty yoghurt and flecks of fresh chilli. Watch out for those flavoursome cardamom pods, they come with a kick!
Minty Chicken Breyani
Minty Chicken Breyani
with brown basmati, yoghurt & a spice blend
Hands on Time: 35 - 50 minutes
Overall Time: 45 - 60 minutes
Ingredients:
- Brown Basmati Rice
- Chicken
- Free-range Chicken Pieces
- Fresh Chilli
- Fresh Chillies
- Fresh Coriander & Mint
- Garlic Clove
- Garlic Cloves
- Lentils
- Low Fat Plain Yoghurt
- Onion
- Onions
- Spice Blend
- Star Anise
- Whole Spices
From your kitchen:
- Oil (cooking, olive or coconut)
- Salt & Pepper
- Water
- Blender (optional)
- Paper Towel
ROAST THE CHICKY
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place the chicken pieces on a roasting tray. Pat dry with paper towel. Coat in oil and season. Roast in the hot oven for 25-30 minutes until crispy.
BREYANI RICE
Rinse the rice and place in a pot over a medium-high heat. Submerge in 300ml of salted water and pop on a lid. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes until most of the water has been absorbed. Keeping the lid on, remove from the heat and set aside to steam for a further 10 minutes. On completion, drain if necessary and fluff up with a fork.
FRESH CORIANDER & MINT PASTE
Place ½ the picked coriander & mint coriander and the grated garlic on a chopping board. Add ¾ of the sliced chilli (or to taste) and finely chop until combined in a chunky paste. Place in a bowl (or a pestle and mortar if you have one) and mix in a drizzle of oil. Alternatively, you can combine these ingredients in a blender if you have one. Set aside for step 4.
TEMPER THE SPICES
Place a pot over a medium-high heat with enough oil to cover the base. Once hot, fry the spice blend for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, shifting constantly. Mix in the diced onion, the whole spices, and the star anise. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until the onion is soft. On completion, remove and discard the cinnamon stick. Mix in the coriander-mint paste and a pinch of salt. Fry for another 3-4 minutes, shifting regularly.
THE FINAL STEAM & THE FINAL MIX
Add in the cooked rice and the drained lentils and gently toss for 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Cover with a lid, and set aside to dry out for 10 minutes. On completion, there should be no liquid remaining. Finely chop the remaining mint leaves and place in a bowl with the yoghurt. Mix to combine, season, and set aside for serving.
A MEAL TO BE PROUD OF!
Dish up a mound of fragrant breyani and top with the roasted chicken pieces. Dollop over the minty yoghurt and garnish with the remaining chilli (to taste) and coriander. Eat and be merry, because you earned it! (And watch out for those sneaky cardamom pods and star anise…)
Free-range Chicken Pieces - 2
Brown Basmati Rice - 100ml
Fresh Coriander & Mint - 9g
Garlic Clove - 1
Fresh Chilli - 1
Spice Blend - 10ml
Onion - 1
Whole Spices - 3,75ml
Star Anise - 1
Lentils - 120g
Low Fat Plain Yoghurt - 50ml
ROAST THE CHICKY
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place the chicken pieces on a roasting tray. Pat dry with paper towel. Coat in oil and season. Roast in the hot oven for 25-30 minutes until crispy.
BREYANI RICE
Rinse the rice and place in a pot over a medium-high heat. Submerge in 500ml of salted water and pop on a lid. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes until most of the water has been absorbed. Keeping the lid on, remove from the heat and set aside to steam for a further 10 minutes. On completion, drain if necessary and fluff up with a fork.
FRESH CORIANDER & MINT PASTE
Place ½ the picked coriander & mint coriander and the grated garlic on a chopping board. Add ¾ of the sliced chilli (or to taste) and finely chop until combined in a chunky paste. Place in a bowl (or a pestle and mortar if you have one) and mix in a drizzle of oil. Alternatively, you can combine these ingredients in a blender if you have one. Set aside for step 4.
TEMPER THE SPICES
Place a large pot over a medium-high heat with enough oil to cover the base. Once hot, fry the spice blend for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, shifting constantly. Mix in the diced onion, the whole spices, and the star anise. Sauté for 4-6 minutes until the onion is soft. On completion, remove and discard the cinnamon sticks. Mix in the coriander-mint paste and a pinch of salt. Fry for another 4-5 minutes, shifting regularly.
THE FINAL STEAM & THE FINAL MIX
Add in the cooked rice and the drained lentils and gently toss for 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Cover with a lid, and set aside to dry out for 10 minutes. On completion, there should be no liquid remaining. Finely chop the remaining mint leaves and place in a bowl with the yoghurt. Mix to combine, season, and set aside for serving.
A MEAL TO BE PROUD OF!
Dish up a mound of fragrant breyani and top with the roasted chicken pieces. Dollop over the minty yoghurt and garnish with the remaining chilli (to taste) and coriander. Eat and be merry, because you earned it! (And watch out for those sneaky cardamom pods and star anise…)
Free-range Chicken Pieces - 4
Brown Basmati Rice - 200ml
Fresh Coriander & Mint - 18g
Garlic Cloves - 2
Fresh Chillies - 2
Spice Blend - 20ml
Onion - 1
Whole Spices - 7,5ml
Star Anise - 2
Lentils - 240g
Low Fat Plain Yoghurt - 100ml
ROAST THE CHICKY
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place the chicken pieces on a roasting tray. Pat dry with paper towel. Coat in oil and season. Roast in the hot oven for 30-35 minutes until crispy.
BREYANI RICE
Rinse the rice and place in a pot over a medium-high heat. Submerge in 700ml of salted water and pop on a lid. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes until most of the water has been absorbed. Keeping the lid on, remove from the heat and set aside to steam for a further 10 minutes. On completion, drain if necessary and fluff up with a fork.
FRESH CORIANDER & MINT PASTE
Place ½ the picked coriander & mint coriander and the grated garlic on a chopping board. Add ¾ of the sliced chilli (or to taste) and finely chop until combined in a chunky paste. Place in a bowl (or a pestle and mortar if you have one) and mix in a drizzle of oil. Alternatively, you can combine these ingredients in a blender if you have one. Set aside for step 4.
TEMPER THE SPICES
Place a large pot over a medium-high heat with enough oil to cover the base. Once hot, fry the spice blend for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, shifting constantly. Mix in the diced onion, the whole spices, and the star anise. Sauté for 4-6 minutes until the onion is soft. On completion, remove and discard the cinnamon sticks. Mix in the coriander-mint paste and a pinch of salt. Fry for another 5-6 minutes, shifting regularly.
THE FINAL STEAM & THE FINAL MIX
Add in the cooked rice and the drained lentils and gently toss for 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Cover with a lid, and set aside to dry out for 10 minutes. On completion, there should be no liquid remaining. Finely chop the remaining mint leaves and place in a bowl with the yoghurt. Mix to combine, season, and set aside for serving.
A MEAL TO BE PROUD OF!
Dish up a mound of fragrant breyani and top with the roasted chicken pieces. Dollop over the minty yoghurt and garnish with the remaining chilli (to taste) and coriander. Eat and be merry, because you earned it! (And watch out for those sneaky cardamom pods and star anise…)
Free-range Chicken Pieces - 6
Brown Basmati Rice - 300ml
Fresh Coriander & Mint - 27g
Garlic Cloves - 3
Fresh Chillies - 3
Spice Blend - 30ml
Onions - 2
Whole Spices - 10ml
Star Anise - 3
Lentils - 360g
Low Fat Plain Yoghurt - 150ml
ROAST THE CHICKY
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place the chicken pieces on a roasting tray. Pat dry with paper towel. Coat in oil and season. Roast in the hot oven for 30-35 minutes until crispy.
BREYANI RICE
Rinse the rice and place in a pot over a medium-high heat. Submerge in 800ml of salted water and pop on a lid. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes until most of the water has been absorbed. Keeping the lid on, remove from the heat and set aside to steam for a further 10 minutes. On completion, drain if necessary and fluff up with a fork.
FRESH CORIANDER & MINT PASTE
Place ½ the picked coriander & mint coriander and the grated garlic on a chopping board. Add ¾ of the sliced chilli (or to taste) and finely chop until combined in a chunky paste. Place in a bowl (or a pestle and mortar if you have one) and mix in a drizzle of oil. Alternatively, you can combine these ingredients in a blender if you have one. Set aside for step 4.
TEMPER THE SPICES
Place a large pot over a medium-high heat with enough oil to cover the base. Once hot, fry the spice blend for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, shifting constantly. Mix in the diced onion, the whole spices, and the star anise. Sauté for 6-8 minutes until the onion is soft. On completion, remove and discard the cinnamon sticks. Mix in the coriander-mint paste and a pinch of salt. Fry for another 6-7 minutes, shifting regularly.
THE FINAL STEAM & THE FINAL MIX
Add in the cooked rice and the drained lentils and gently toss for 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Cover with a lid, and set aside to dry out for 10 minutes. On completion, there should be no liquid remaining. Finely chop the remaining mint leaves and place in a bowl with the yoghurt. Mix to combine, season, and set aside for serving.
A MEAL TO BE PROUD OF!
Dish up a mound of fragrant breyani and top with the roasted chicken pieces. Dollop over the minty yoghurt and garnish with the remaining chilli (to taste) and coriander. Eat and be merry, because you earned it! (And watch out for those sneaky cardamom pods and star anise…)
Free-range Chicken Pieces - 8
Brown Basmati Rice - 400ml
Fresh Coriander & Mint - 35g
Garlic Cloves - 4
Fresh Chillies - 4
Spice Blend - 40ml
Onions - 2
Whole Spices - 15ml
Star Anise - 4
Lentils - 480g
Low Fat Plain Yoghurt - 200ml