Danbauk

Ingredients

Chicken and marinade

• 1.5 kgchicken, in large pieces
• 200 gyoghurt
• 2 tbspginger and garlic paste
• 2 tbspdanbauk masala or garam masala
• 1 tspturmeric
• 1 tspchilli powder
• 2 tspsalt
• juice of 1 lime

Rice

• 800 gbasmati, soaked 30 min
• 4cloves
• 4cardamom pods
• 1cinnamon stick
• 2bay leaves
• 1 tspsalt

Also

• 150 gghee
• 4onions, thinly sliced
• a large pinch of saffron in 4 tbsp warm milk
• 100 gcashews
• 100 graisins
• 4potatoes, halved and fried

To serve

• danbauk thoke
• pickled mango
• clear soup
• boiled eggs

Directions

1. Marinate the chicken for at least 4 hours in the yoghurt, ginger and garlic paste, masala, turmeric, chilli, salt and lime juice.
2. Fry the sliced onions slowly in the ghee until deep brown and crisp, then lift two thirds of them out and reserve for the top.
3. Fry the onions properly brown rather than merely golden. They serve as both a layer and a garnish, and pale onions leave the whole dish tasting flat.
4. Cook the marinated chicken in the remaining onion and ghee over a medium heat for 25 minutes, until the sauce is thick and clinging to the meat.
5. Fry the halved potatoes separately until golden and set them aside.
6. Parboil the rice in salted water with the whole spices for 5 minutes only, then drain. It should still have a hard core, because it finishes cooking in the steam.
7. Layer in a heavy pot: the chicken and its sauce first, then the potatoes, then the rice, then the reserved fried onion, cashews and raisins, then the saffron milk poured over the top.
8. Cover the pot tightly, sealing the rim with foil or a strip of dough, and cook on the lowest heat for 25 minutes.
9. That seal is what makes it a danbauk. The rice finishes in trapped steam scented by everything beneath it, and a loose lid lets that escape and leaves you with rice and curry served side by side.
10. Rest it for 10 minutes off the heat before opening, then fold the layers together gently with a flat spoon.
11. Serve with danbauk thoke, pickled mango, a clear soup and a boiled egg, which together make up the full Yangon plate.

Technique

• It came with Indian Muslim migrants during British rule, and Yangon’s danbauk shops still cluster in the city’s Muslim quarters.
• Burmese danbauk is milder and sweeter than most Indian biryanis, and the fried onion and cashew lean it further that way.
• The accompaniments are not optional extras. The sour salad and the pickle are what cut the ghee.

Substitutions

• Garam masala with extra cinnamon and cardamom in place of a danbauk blend.
• Mutton in place of chicken, cooking it considerably longer before layering.

Variations

• Made with mutton, which is the older version.
• With a hard-boiled egg buried in each portion.
• Cooked over charcoal with coals set on the lid, which is the traditional dum method.

History

Burmese biryani brought by Indian Muslim migrants during British rule; Yangon’s danbauk shops still cluster in the city’s Muslim quarters.

Frequently asked questions

What is Danbauk?

Danbauk is a main from Myanmar: burmese biryani of chicken and rice, festive favourite. Burmese biryani brought by Indian Muslim migrants during British rule; Yangon’s danbauk shops still cluster in the city’s Muslim quarters.

How long does Danbauk take to make?

Danbauk takes 40 min plus 4 hr marinating of preparation and 1 hr 30 min of cooking. The recipe makes 8 servings. It is rated hard to make.

What can I substitute in Danbauk?

Yes, within limits. Garam masala with extra cinnamon and cardamom in place of a danbauk blend. Mutton in place of chicken, cooking it considerably longer before layering.

What is the most important thing to get right in Danbauk?

Fry the onions properly brown rather than merely golden. They serve as both a layer and a garnish, and pale onions leave the whole dish tasting flat.