Chicken Biryani

There are a lot of different ways of making Biryani and here is one simple, easy and yet incredibly delicious recipe that is just "too good". Do not get intimidated by the number of ingredients or the steps...just follow along and WOW your family and friends!

Cooking Time : 40 minutes

Serves : 10

Ingredients :

1 kg basmati rice

11/2 kg chicken cleaned and cut into big pieces

10 big onions cut finely lengthwise

1tsp sugar

2 tbsp ghee

saffron milk

for the marinade:

11/2 tbs ginger garlic paste

12 green chillies slit into half

1 tbsp chilli powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

3/4 tbsp cumin powder

11/2 tbsp coriander powder

250 gms yogurt beaten well

1/4 tsp garam masala powder

4-5 cloves

1 cinnamon stick

2 black cardamoms

4-5 small green cardamoms

2 star anise flower

2 javatri

3 bay leaves

a big bunch of coriander leaves finely chopped

half a bunch of mint leaves finely chopped

8 big tomatoes finely chopped

salt to taste

Method :

• Take a big bowl and combine the chicken with the marinade. Mix well and refrigerate overnight.
• Take some ghee in a vessel and fry the onions nicely till they are golden brown. Add half the onions to the marinated chicken and to the rest of the onions add 1 tsp sugar and continue frying till they are crisp.
• Boil the rice with 2 bay leaves, 1 cinnamon stick and 2-3 cloves. Do not overcook the rice. Strain and keep aside
• Cook the marinated chicken with the spices and fried onions on slow flame for about 20 minutes or till the chicken is cooked well.
• Then in a big vessel layer the biryani by having the chicken mixture at the bottom and then one layer of rice. On the rice, add some saffron milk and some crispy fried onions, then have another layer of chicken and finally top it with a layer of rice with some saffron milk and crispy fried onion.
• Cover the vessel tightly and cook it on very slow flame so that the whole biryani gets heated evenly
• Serve with some nice cucumber raita.