Chicken Biryani

Ingredients

Chicken (cut into bite sized pieces) - 1/2 Kg

Marination for chicken

1/2 cup curd/yoghurt

1 tsp Ginger garlic paste 

A handful of Curry leaves

2 tbsp Mint - Cilantro/Coriander leaves paste

1 tsp Dry mango powder

1tsp Black pepper powder

1 tsp Turmeric powder

1 tsp Red chilli powder

1 tsp Chicken masala

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Salt to taste

For Biriyani

2 cups Jeera samba rice

2 red onions thinly sliced

Whole Garam masala (mix of cloves, cardamom, cinnamon stick, star anise and bay leaf)

4-5 green chillies (slit)

2 tbsp crushed garlic

2 tomatoes finely chopped

1/2 tsp Red chilli powder

1 tsp Chicken masala

1/2 cup Coconut milk

A bunch of finely chopped coriander leaves

1 tsp oil

1 tsp ghee

Salt to taste

Method

Add curd and marination spices to a bowl. Mix well. Add the chicken pieces to the bowl and marinate for atleast an hour.

Wash the rice and keep aside.

In a pressure cooker, heat oil and ghee.

Add sliced onions and fry till translucent. Add the whole garam masala (2-3 each of cloves, cardamom, star anise, a small stick of cinnamon and 1 bay leaf) garlic and slit green chillies. Saute for a few minutes.

Add the dry spices and saute for 2 minutes. Then add the chopped tomatoes and cook until the oil separates from the masala.

Add the marinated chicken. Mix well with the masala. Cover (don't completely close the lid) and cook for a few minutes until the chickens is partially cooked.

Remove the cover and add the washed rice.

Pour in 3 cups of water and 1/2 cup of coconut milk. Add chopped coriander leaves and salt to taste. Stir well.

Cover with lid and pressure cook till you hear 3 whistles.

Turn off the heat after 3 whistles and wait till the steam is released.

After the steam is released, open the cooker and use a spatula to gently stir the biriyani and get separate grains.

Serve hot with raita