Biryani is an typical dish in Middle East cuisine. Historians believe that the dish was invented in a Mongol Emperor's kitchen. Generally, the two main ingredients, the rice and the meat, are first cooked separately and then combined together to finish cooking. The separation is absolutely necessary because the rice and the meat have significantly different cooking times and the final process of slow steaming the rice and the meat together until done allows the flavors to mingle. The final product, then, should be pretty dry or at the very least minimally moist.
For years that I have been trying to find the best way to make a good Khao Mok Gai, the Thai version of Chicken Biryani. I've experimented with so many different ways to no avail that I gave up and just used the instant powder, which unfortunately has mostly artificial flavors but is the closest I ever get to a good Khao Mok Gai. Besides the basic method of cooking a good Khao Mok Gai, I want to figure out the tiny nuances of cooking a good Khao Mok Gai. It more than just what spices or how much of each spice that should be used, but more like key to cooking through the rice through until fragrant without burning or leaving the rice mushy. Or making sure chicken is done but still moist, yet not soggy at the same time.
The really indispensable part to this dish is Nam Jim Gai, or the dipping sauce. The traditional ingredients are all green foods, green chili or green chili pepper or jalapeño, cilantro, green onion. None of which my daughter likes as much as the store-bought version more commonly known as sweet chili sauce, which is fine for me. It is delicious and is more convenient.
For the Chicken and Fried Garlic:
2 Whole boneless Chicken Legs, cut in half (or 2 chicken thighs and 2 chicken drumsticks)
8 tsp Curry Powder
6 tsp Ground Turmeric
4 tsp Ground Coriander
2 tsp Ground Cumin
2 tsp Cinnamon Powder
2 tsp Salt
2 tsp Sugar
1/3 cup Half & Half or Coconut Milk or Evaporated Milk
4-6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/3 cup canola oil
For the Rice:
3 cups Thai Jasmine Rice
1 [14.5oz] can Chicken Broth, preferable Swanson
2 Bay Leaves
2 Cinnamon Sticks
4-6 Shallots, sliced
1/2 cup Raisins
1/3 cup Canola Oil
1) Combine the spices and divide the mixture into 2 parts.
2) Wash the chicken and pat it dry. Pierce the chicken all over and place in either into a large ziplock bag along with the marinade (try to get as much air out as possible) and refrigerate for overnight.
3) The next day, heat up the oil over medium heat, pan fried the chicken pieces until almost done and the skin is crispy. Set aside.
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4) Using the same pan with the oil left over from the fried chicken, fry the garlic. When the garlic turns golden brown, drain on a paper towel. Keep the oil.
5) Heat up a pan on medium low and fry the shallot until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel. The trick is to go low and slow, otherwise the shallot will burn.
6) In the rice cooker, wash the rice 3 times then pour in the rest of the spice mixture (leftover from the chicken marinade) and stir well. Add cinnamon sticks, bay leaves and 2 cups of chicken broth. Let it cooked till it's al dente or with a bit of a bite.
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7) In a 23-26 cm pan or a shallow pot, heat up the oil in medium low. Lay down the chicken pieces, skin side up, then the fried garlic, cover with yellow rice, and lastly sprinkle with raisins and the fried shallots. Slowly pour in the leftover oil from the fried garlic.
8) Pour 1/4 cup of chicken broth, cover, and let it cook for 20 minutes or until the chicken is done and the rice is fragrant. The rice should still hold its shape but completely cooked through as well as the chicken.
9) Garnish with slices of English Cucumber, Tomato, Cilantro and Green Onion and serve!
For years that I have been trying to find the best way to make a good Khao Mok Gai, the Thai version of Chicken Biryani. I've experimented with so many different ways to no avail that I gave up and just used the instant powder, which unfortunately has mostly artificial flavors but is the closest I ever get to a good Khao Mok Gai. Besides the basic method of cooking a good Khao Mok Gai, I want to figure out the tiny nuances of cooking a good Khao Mok Gai. It more than just what spices or how much of each spice that should be used, but more like key to cooking through the rice through until fragrant without burning or leaving the rice mushy. Or making sure chicken is done but still moist, yet not soggy at the same time.
The really indispensable part to this dish is Nam Jim Gai, or the dipping sauce. The traditional ingredients are all green foods, green chili or green chili pepper or jalapeño, cilantro, green onion. None of which my daughter likes as much as the store-bought version more commonly known as sweet chili sauce, which is fine for me. It is delicious and is more convenient.
- Daisy
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This dish was my favorite childhood dish. I used to beg my mom to take us to the tiny Khao Mok Gai restaurant behind our house after school so I could gorge myself. She would always say I should have been born Indian for how much I loved this dish.
It wasn't until years later that I tried a real Biryani and tasted the differences between the traditional Biryani and the Thai Khao Mok Gai. I, of course, prefer the Thai style to the real thing but you can decide for yourself. This recipe leans towards more of a real biryani instead of a Khao Mok Gai with the addition of raisins in the rice but the chicken was wonderfully moist , even several days later when my mom delivered a tupperware of the dish to me in my apartment. I think was really makes this dish Thai is the dipping sauce. Nam Jim Gai is essential to this dish for me and is distinctly Thai. You know we love our dipping sauces! The one I grew up eating and prefer is
While you guys are busy cooking up this recipe, my mom and I will continue our quest for the perfect Khao Mok Gai...although this recipe comes pretty damn close.
- Darin
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Khao Mok Gai
ข้าวหมกไก่
Thai Chicken Biryani
For the Chicken and Fried Garlic:
2 Whole boneless Chicken Legs, cut in half (or 2 chicken thighs and 2 chicken drumsticks)
8 tsp Curry Powder
6 tsp Ground Turmeric
4 tsp Ground Coriander
2 tsp Ground Cumin
2 tsp Cinnamon Powder
2 tsp Salt
2 tsp Sugar
1/3 cup Half & Half or Coconut Milk or Evaporated Milk
4-6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/3 cup canola oil
For the Rice:
3 cups Thai Jasmine Rice
1 [14.5oz] can Chicken Broth, preferable Swanson
2 Bay Leaves
2 Cinnamon Sticks
4-6 Shallots, sliced
1/2 cup Raisins
1/3 cup Canola Oil
1) Combine the spices and divide the mixture into 2 parts.
2) Wash the chicken and pat it dry. Pierce the chicken all over and place in either into a large ziplock bag along with the marinade (try to get as much air out as possible) and refrigerate for overnight.
3) The next day, heat up the oil over medium heat, pan fried the chicken pieces until almost done and the skin is crispy. Set aside.
.JPG)
4) Using the same pan with the oil left over from the fried chicken, fry the garlic. When the garlic turns golden brown, drain on a paper towel. Keep the oil.
5) Heat up a pan on medium low and fry the shallot until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel. The trick is to go low and slow, otherwise the shallot will burn.
6) In the rice cooker, wash the rice 3 times then pour in the rest of the spice mixture (leftover from the chicken marinade) and stir well. Add cinnamon sticks, bay leaves and 2 cups of chicken broth. Let it cooked till it's al dente or with a bit of a bite.
.JPG)
7) In a 23-26 cm pan or a shallow pot, heat up the oil in medium low. Lay down the chicken pieces, skin side up, then the fried garlic, cover with yellow rice, and lastly sprinkle with raisins and the fried shallots. Slowly pour in the leftover oil from the fried garlic.
8) Pour 1/4 cup of chicken broth, cover, and let it cook for 20 minutes or until the chicken is done and the rice is fragrant. The rice should still hold its shape but completely cooked through as well as the chicken.
9) Garnish with slices of English Cucumber, Tomato, Cilantro and Green Onion and serve!
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