24 March 2015

Just finished training and want to eat right but fancy something different? Fancy an Indian? Why not try a homemade chicken biryani.

When you have finished exercising (cardio, weights or both) your body needs to be refuelled. Your body needs to replenish carbohydrates, proteins, healthy fats, minerals and vitamins. Basmati rice will get your carbs in and the chicken will give you the protein. Biryani is made with various vegetables so that will give you the needed minerals and vitamins.

Let’s start with the rice. A ¼ cup of uncooked brown basmati rice contains 150 calories where only 10% (15 calories) if fat. None of this is saturated fat or trans-fat, neither does it contain cholesterol. Brown basmati rice is also a source if iron and B vitamins.

There are many different herbs and spices added to the dish including garlic, ginger, coriander, paprika and cumin, however one in particular is Turmeric. Turmeric is used in every Indian dish mainly for the health benefits it has, as opposed to its second reason which is for flavouring. The health and physical benefits include: natural anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antibiotic, speeds up wound healing, improves digestion, strengthens ligaments, improves asthma, anti-arthritic, slows progression of MS (multiple sclerosis), prevents bloating, lowers cholesterol, boosts immune system, it also aids in fat metabolism and weight management. Need any more reasons to have turmeric? You can add turmeric in anything you cook not just Indian food.

Now for the recipe (serves 2 portions) Ingredients:

Ghee – you can use oil if you prefer but to get the traditional Indian taste then ghee it is.
1 small onion (diced)
1 pepper (chopped)
2 cloves of garlic (chopped)
1 small piece of ginger (chopped)
1 tomato (chopped)
Green chillies (2 or more depending on how hot you want it)
2 chicken breasts (cut into pieces)
1 cup of rice
Fennel seeds
1 carrot (chopped, optional)
Peas (hand full, optional)
Sweet corn (hand full, optional)
½ teaspoon of each: turmeric, cumin, paprika and garam masala (a mixture of black & white peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, black and green cardamom pods, bay leaf and caraway) and red chilli powder (optional)
Salt (optional)
Fresh coriander (chopped)
Mixed nuts and dry fruit (hand full, optional)
Salad (optional, any e.g. lettuce, tomato etc.)

The steps to making a chicken biryani:

1. Add some ghee in a pot and let it melt
2. Add the onions and peppers and let them cook a few minutes untill soft
3. Add the garlic and let it cook untill the onions and garlic are turning reddish brown
4. Add the ginger, tomato, green chillies, turmeric, cumin, garam masala, paprika, red chilli and salt.
5. Add the chicken and let it cook (the inside of the chicken should be white), mixing it so that it doesn’t stick at the bottom and all the spices marinate on the chicken.
6. Wash the rice then let it soak in water for 5 minutes
7. Add in the vegetables (carrot, peas, sweetcorn and/or any vegetable you prefer)
8. Drain the rice and add it into the chicken, measure how much rice you put in and add the same amount of water in.
9. Add the fennel seeds and the coriander and let it cook, carefully mixing it.
10. Once the water is all out the rice should be soft to eat.
11. Put into a plate and sprinkle on top dry fruit and nuts.
12. Add some salad and enjoy.

Bored of chicken? Why not change the chicken for prawns or for a vegetarian option just take away the chicken and add any vegetable of your choice?

Let us know how you get on!