Daighi chicken pulao

Name: Daighi chicken pulao
Total time: 3600 s
Yield: 6-8 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 chicken, pieces; 2 onion, sliced; 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste; 1 tomato, sliced; 3 green chillies, slit; 1/2 cup yogurt; 3 tbsp. tamarind juice (imli ka pani); 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds; 2 –3 sticks cinnamon; 4 –5 black peppercorns; 1 tsp. fennel seeds; 1 tbsp. coriander seeds; 2 tbsp. biryani masala; 1/2 tsp. red chilli powder; To taste, salt; 1/4 cup oil; 3 1/2 cups water; 2 cups rice, washed, soaked for 15 minutes, drained; As required, cilantro, chopped

Sarvat Hanif @sarvathanif

Canada

Daighi chicken pulao is a rich, traditional Pakistani pulao where rice and meat are cooked in one pot and finished on dum (slow steam). Daighi chicken pulao commands respect and nostalgia. Rich, aromatic, and deeply rooted in tradition, this iconic dish is more than food—it’s a celebration of culture, patience, and culinary mastery.
The word “Daighi or Degi” comes from deg, large cooking pot, cauldron, or boiler, traditionally used for slow cooking.
Daighi pulao traces its roots to the royal kitchens of the Mughal era. It was crafted for grand feasts, weddings, and special gatherings. Over time, it traveled from palaces to homes, becoming especially popular in Pakistan and North India.
There are some days when only a bowl of comfort food will do, and for many homes in Pakistan, that bowl is chicken pulao. It is the kind of dish that quietly fills the kitchen with the smell of fried onions, ghee, and cardamom, making everyone wander in asking, “Is dinner ready yet?”
Check out the video recipe at the link below:
HTTPS://YOUTU.BE/UY4K4KL8RJU

Sarvat Hanif @sarvathanif

Saved

Ingredients

1 hour

6-8 servings

1chicken, pieces
2onion, sliced
1 tbsp.ginger-garlic paste
1tomato, sliced
3green chillies, slit
1/2 cupyogurt
3 tbsp.tamarind juice (imli ka pani)
1/2 tsp.cumin seeds
2–3 sticks cinnamon
4–5 black peppercorns
1 tsp.fennel seeds
1 tbsp.coriander seeds
2 tbsp.biryani masala
1/2 tsp.red chilli powder
To taste, salt
1/4 cupoil
3 1/2 cupswater
2 cupsrice, washed, soaked for 15 minutes, drained
As required, cilantro, chopped

Saved

Steps

1 hour

1

Heat oil in a deep pan and add cumin seeds, cinnamon sticks, fennel seeds, coriander seeds and black peppercorns. Sauté till fragrant.
2

Add onion and fry on medium heat until crispy and golden brown. Remove most of the fried onions and set them aside
3

Add tomato along with green chillies.
4

Sauté until the tomato softens and starts to loosen its skin. Remove the skin.
5

Add ginger-garlic paste, salt and red chilli powder. Cook with splash of water.
6

Add chicken and cook it on medium-high heat until colour changes. Cook until it is 80% done.
7

Add biryani masala, tamarind water, and yogurt.
8

Mix to fully coat chicken in the masala, and cover to cook completely.
9

Add water and mix gently. Cover partially and cook till almost all liquid has evaporated.
10

Scatter fried onions; cilantro and steam cook for 15-20 minutes.
11

Switch off flame, rest 5 minutes before fluffing and serving.