Prep time: 3 hour, Cook time: 1 hour, Yield: 5-6 servings
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 whole chicken, or 8 chicken pieces
- 2 tsp green chillies
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 3 tbsp yoghurt
- 2 tsp ginger and garlic paste
Gravy
- 3 large onions, diced
- 1 cinammon stick
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 4-5 cardamom pods
- 1/2 tsp garlic paste
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 3 tsp coriander powder
- 3 tsp cumin (jeeru) powder
- 2 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 tbsp biryani mix
- 1/2 tin (200g) chopped tomatoes
Other ingredients
- 1 large potato or 2 small potatoes
- 2 cups rice
- 1 large onion, sliced
- Small bunch chopped coriander
- Saffron
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken with all the ingredients and leave at least an hour, preferably overnight.
- Fry the sliced onions until they are brown and then set aside.
- For the gravy, braise the chopped onions, with the cinnamon, cumin seeds and cardamom pods. After the onions start to brown, add the remaining ingredients and cook for a further 5 minutes.
- Add the chicken to the gravy and cook for 5 minutes.
- Separately, boil the rice with salt until half cooked. Strain and wash with cold water to stop cooking.
- Layer half the rice in a heavy bottomed pot with a lid, then chicken and gravy, and then half the fried onions. Layer the remaining half rice, more fried onions, and some chopped coriander.
- Crush the saffron and pour some warm milk or water on top. Once it's coloured, pour in a swirl over the rice.
- Seal the pot with some dough or aluminium foil. Place the lid on top and cook on very low, diffused heat for an hour minutes.
Tips
- This recipe can be made with lamb. Just follow the exact same steps, but replace the chicken with lamb.