Festive Biryani Wellington

Festive biryani-inspired rice and spiced chicken wrapped in crisp golden puff pastry.

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This celebration dish borrows the dramatic pastry presentation of Wellington while keeping fragrant biryani rice at its centre.

Ingredients

• 500 g basmati rice
• 600 g boneless chicken thighs, diced
• 2 onions, sliced
• 150 g yoghurt
• 2 tbsp biryani masala
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 3 tbsp chopped mint
• 3 tbsp chopped coriander
• 2 sheets puff pastry
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 tbsp oil
• 750 ml water or stock
• salt

Step-by-step method

1. Rinse the basmati until the water is mostly clear, soak for 20 minutes, then boil in salted water until about 70 percent cooked; drain thoroughly and cool.
2. Heat oil in a pan and brown the onions, reserving a small handful; add chicken, biryani masala and turmeric and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Stir in yoghurt and cook gently for another 6–8 minutes until the chicken reaches 74°C and the sauce is thick, then cool completely.
4. Fold the cooled rice with chicken, mint, coriander and reserved onions, handling gently so the grains remain intact.
5. Heat the oven to 210°C conventional or 190°C fan. Lay one pastry sheet on a lined tray, mound the filling in the centre leaving a wide border, and cover with the second sheet.
6. Press and crimp the pastry edges firmly, trim excess, cut small steam vents, brush with beaten egg and bake for 30–35 minutes until deeply golden.
7. Rest for 10 minutes before cutting with a serrated knife so the pastry stays crisp and the filling holds together.