Ingredients:

• 1 kg – chicken, cut into medium size pieces
• 1/2 kg – basmati Rice
• 1.5 glasses of water
• 1 tsp – Ginger paste
• 1 tsp – Garlic paste
• 3 – large onions, finely sliced
• 3 – green chillies, chopped
• 1 cup – chopped fresh Mint leaves
• 1 cup – chopped fresh Coriander leaves
• 1 tsp – Red Chilli powder
• 10 strands of Saffron
• 1/2 cup – Milk
• 2 cups – Yoghurt
• 2-3 tbsp – Lemon juice
• 7 – Cloves
• 2 – Bay Leaves
• 5 – green Cardamoms
• 1-inch piece Cinnamon
• 2 tbsp – Ghee
• 3 /4 cup – oil
• Salt to taste
• Grind to a paste:
• 7 – Cloves
• 4 – Cardamoms
• 1/2 inch piece – Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp – whole pepper

Method:

1. Soak saffron in milk. Keep aside. Heat oil.
2. Fry the onions till golden brown in colour. Set aside to cool.
3. When cool, grind coarsely and set aside.
4. Rub ginger and garlic paste all over the chicken.
5. Add red chilli powder, salt, half of the mint and coriander, lemon juice, green chillies, the ground spices, crushed onions, yoghurt and the oil in which the onions were fried.
6. Marinate for 2 hours.
7. In a heavy-bottomed pan, put the chicken along with the marinade and cook on medium heat until the chicken is tender and the liquid is not fully dried.
8. Boil 1.5 glasses of water.
9. Add the whole cloves, bay leaves, cardamoms and cinnamon to the water.
10. Add salt to taste and the rice.
11. Parboil the rice.
12. Drain out the water and spread the rice on a plate.
13. In a separate heavy-bottomed pan, apply ghee on the bottom.
14. Place half the rice in a layer. Cover the layer with the cooked chicken.
15. Cover the chicken with the rest of the rice.
16. Sprinkle the saffron milk and balance mint and coriander over the rice.
17. Pour the ghee all over the rice.
18. Seal the pan tightly and cook over slow fire till the rice is fully cooked. Do not overcook the rice.
19. Carefully remove the rice to a serving dish without mixing the chicken and the rice. Serve hot.