Chicken Biriyani

Step 1

1)Marinate the washed and bite sized cut chicken with all the above mentioned spices (2-13).For atleast 2 hours.

2)Boil water,add salt, oil and cumin seeds (1 tbsp).Now let it boil,add the washed rice.Cook till the rice is half way cooked(i.e. it breaks into two when pressed with fingers)

3)Now drain the rice in a colander and let it rest.(reserve 2 tbsp of water of boiled rice).

4)Now put oil (approx 2 tbsp) and ghee (clarified butter -1 tbsp) in a heavy bottomed pan.Once oil hot add 1 tsp cumin seeds, and whole garam masala (3 bay leaf, 1 star anise, 2 red whole chilli, 1 cinnamom stick (small size), badi elaichi ( black cardamom), and 4-5 green coriander.

5)Once it all sizzles in hot oil, add leaves aroma, add thinly sliced onion ( 1 and 1/2 medium sized).Cook till the onion becomes golden brown( approx 5 minutes on medium heat).

6)Add the marinated chicken, mix lightly and let it cook for 10 minutes on medium heat.Open lid and mix lightly one last time.Add the drained rice and 2 tbs reserved rice boiled water.

7)Flatten the top lightly with a spoon, and add thinly sliced round lemon rings of one small yellow lemon on all sides.

8)Cover with a kitchen towel (which has been soaked in water and the water has been wrung out).Place the lid of the pan, and lightly pull the cloth from all sides so it is stretched and forms a kind of seal for the steam on top of the rice mixture.

9)Cook for 20 minutes on medium heat.Check after 20 minutes rice should be puffy and the chicken should easily break with a fork.If you can still see water on the sides cook for additional 10 minutes.Shut off the stove.

10)Serve hot with raita.