Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

Ingredients

• - 2 cups basmati rice
• - 400g chicken
• - 3 large onions
• - 2 tomatoes
• - 1/2 cup yogurt
• - 4 tbsp oil
• - 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• - Whole spices
• - Fresh mint and coriander
• - Saffron in warm milk
• - Salt to taste

Method

1. Marinate chicken: Mix 750g chicken with 1 cup yogurt, 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, 2 tsp red chilli powder, half tsp turmeric, 1 tsp biryani masala, juice of 1 lemon and salt. Marinate 2 hours.
2. Fry birista: Slice 4 large onions thinly. Deep fry until very dark brown and crispy. Drain. Reserve oil.
3. Parboil basmati rice: Wash 2.5 cups basmati. Soak 20 minutes. Boil in salted water with whole spices for 7 minutes. Drain at 70% cooked.
4. Cook chicken: In a heavy pot heat the reserved oil. Add marinated chicken with all yogurt. Cook on high heat 8-10 minutes until chicken is nearly done.
5. Build layer 1: Spread cooked chicken as the base. Sprinkle half the birista and fresh coriander.
6. Build layer 2: Add all the parboiled rice on top. Spread remaining birista, fresh mint and coriander.
7. Add saffron milk and ghee: Drizzle saffron milk and 3 tbsp ghee over the rice.
8. Seal and dum cook: Cover tightly with lid sealed with dough. Cook on a flat tawa — high heat 5 minutes then lowest heat 35 minutes.
9. Rest covered: Turn off heat. Rest sealed 10 minutes.
10. Serve: Open gently. Mix from the bottom. Hyderabadi chicken biryani should have fragrant layered rice. Serve with mirchi ka salan and raita.