This Chicken Donne Biryani is a memory from Coorg. A few years ago, we visited a homestay there where our host Vandana shared her delicious biryani recipe with me over dinner. She cooked amazing food for us during our stay, and this biryani was one of our favourites. Donne means cups made of palm leaves, the famed Biryani of Karnataka got its name from being served in dried leaf cups. The dish later became popularized as Donne Biryani among the locals. It’s a popular dish, so there are variations in the recipes, which may differ slightly from one another. I’m sharing my version here.
I really enjoy one-pot meals. You simply put everything together in one pot, and something tasty comes out of it. It’s a very satisfying experience, especially on busy weeknights or during rushed weekends when you want to make something quick yet indulgent for the family. Flavours from the fresh herbs and the whole spices make this Pressure Cooker Biryani wholesome and truly unique in every sense. It’s more of a comfort food than what we usually think of a Biryani. For us, it didn’t take much time to include Chicken Donne Biryani on our regular menu, and now I keep making this on rotations because it’s so easy and quick to prepare. Traveling often impacts our eating habits, leading to lasting changes.
I hope you’ll enjoy making this tasty, aromatic Chicken Donne Biryani for your family and friends. Let me know about your experience if you’re trying the recipe. 🙂
Pressure Cooker Chicken Donne Biryani
Chicken Donne Biryani is a popular South Indian Biryani that got the iconic word Donne into its name because of the dried paper leaf bowl. Try this quick Pressure cooker recipe that is wholesome and flavourful.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups / 315g- Rice (read notes)
- 2 cups / 500ml- Water (read notes)
- 2 tsp- Coriander powder
- 1 tbsp- Sugar (optional, read notes)
- 3 tbsp- Ghee / Clarified butter
- 2 tbsp- Vegetable oil
- ¾ tsp- Garam masala powder
- 2- Onion medium-sized (thinly sliced)
For Chicken
- 450g- Chicken (Boneless, cut into cubes, read notes)
- 1 small bunch / ¾ cup- Fresh coriander leaves
- 4-5 sprigs- Fresh mint leaves
- 4-5 sprigs- Fresh curry leaves
- ¼ cup- Curd/Yogurt
- 10- Garlic cloves
- 4-5- Green chillies (adjust as per your preference)
- ¾ tbsp- Ginger paste
For tempering
- 1¼ tsp- Whole black peppercorns (roughly crushed)
- ½ tsp- Cumin seeds
- 2- Bay leaves/ Tej patta
- 1- Star anise
Instructions
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To cook a fluffy pressure cooker biryani that is less sticky and not overly moist, please follow the measurements of water, rice, and curd. You can double the ingredients as needed, but stick to the base measurements mentioned in the recipe for the best results.
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Add roughly chopped coriander leaves, mint, curry leaves, green chillies, garlic cloves, and curd to a food processor and blitz until smooth without adding water.
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Add the paste along with the ginger paste to the chicken, mix, and marinate for 30 minutes, keep aside. This paste can be prepared a day in advance of making the Biryani to speed up the process for the next day.
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Wash the rice under running water for 4-5 times, or more until the water runs almost clear. A thorough rinse of rice not only eliminates impurities, but also helps to remove some of its starches. This step is particularly beneficial when preparing pressure cooker rice dishes, fried rice, pulao, biryani, etc.
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Heat oil in a cooker, and temper with all the ingredients mentioned for tempering, sauté for a few seconds.
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Next, add the sliced onions, and sauté over medium heat until light brown in colour.
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Next, add coriander powder and mix quickly.
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Add the marinated chicken, mix well, and cook over medium heat for 5-6 minutes.
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Next, add the washed rice, ghee, salt, sugar (if using) and garam masala powder, mix well.
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Add water, mix again, close the cooker lid and cook for 2 whistles over medium-high heat.
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Open the cooker lid after the pressure releases naturally. Fluff the rice, the Biryani is ready to eat now.
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Chicken Donne Biryani is traditionally served with boiled egg slices. You can add some on the side if you prefer.
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Serve Chicken Donne Biryani hot with raita, and salad, enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- In my recipes, I use 225 ml cups. 1 cup = 225ml.
- I was told that short-grain, parboiled rice is recommended for this recipe, and I completely understand why. Parboiled rice is typically less starchy than Basmati rice. In this recipe, the starch will not be drained, so using a less starchy rice variety will result in a Biryani that is less sticky and more fluffy. You don’t have to use a fragrant variety of rice here because the flavours of the other ingredients will always be more prominent in the dish. However, you can still use Basmati rice if you prefer, or if that’s the only option available to you.
- The quantity of sugar specified in the recipe will not make the dish sweet. A small amount of sugar can help balance the overall flavours of the spices and enhance the taste.
- You can use either chicken curry cut or boneless pieces for this dish. I prefer boneless chicken thighs over chicken breasts because the meat is more smooth and tender.
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