Ingredients:
• 4 cups – basmati Rice
• 1.5 kg – Chicken
• 8-10 – thinly sliced Onions
• 8-10 – green chillies, chopped
• 6-7 Cloves – Garlic
• a big piece of Ginger
• 1 tsp – Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp – chilli powder
• 1 cup – Curd
• 4-5 – Cardamom
• 6-8 – Cloves
• 3-4 sticks – Cinnamon
• 4 tbsp – butter/ghee
• 2 tbsp – Poppy Seeds (khus khus)
• a handful of Coriander leaves and Mint leaves
• 50 g – Cashewnuts
• 50 g – Raisins
• salt to taste
Method:
- Wash and cut the chicken into small pieces. Drain the excess water.
- Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, ginger-garlic paste, curd and salt.
- Mix well and marinate for an hour.
- Wash and clean the rice. Soak it in 7 cups of water.
- Heat ghee or butter in a pressure cooker.
- Add the onions and fry until it becomes brown and crispy.
- Add the chopped green chillies and saute for another minute.
- Add the marinated chicken and cook until all the water evaporates.
- Now grind together the cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and poppy seeds.
- Mix the powder into the chicken and saute for a few seconds.
- Turn off the heat and add the chopped coriander and mint leaves. Mix well.
- Now add the soaked rice into the chicken and put enough salt. Stir very well.
- Close the lid of the pressure cooker without the whistle and cook until the steam starts coming out.
- Now put the whistle on and turn the heat off. Let it remain for 20 minutes.
- Open the lid and garnish the biryani with cashewnuts and raisins.
Recipe courtesy of Sheena Sanil