Chicken Biryani Recipe

Here's a recipe for chicken biryani:

Chicken Biryani

Ingredients:

• 2 cups basmati rice

• 1 kg chicken, cut into pieces

• 2 onions, thinly sliced

• 2 tomatoes, chopped

• 2 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste

• 1 cup plain yogurt

• 2 teaspoons biryani masala powder

• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder

• 1 teaspoon red chili powder (adjust to taste)

• 1 teaspoon cumin powder

• 1 teaspoon coriander powder

• 4 cups water

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander leaves

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves

• 4 tablespoons ghee or vegetable oil

• Salt to taste

For the Marinade:

• 1 cup plain yogurt

• 2 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste

• 1 teaspoon red chili powder

• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder

• Juice of 1 lemon

• Salt to taste

For the Rice:

• 4 cups water

• 4 green cardamom pods

• 4 cloves

• 2 bay leaves

• 1-inch cinnamon stick

• Salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Wash the basmati rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Soak the rice in water for 30 minutes, then drain and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the ingredients for the marinade. Add the chicken pieces and coat them well. Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 1 hour, or refrigerate overnight for best results.

3. Heat 2 tablespoons of ghee or oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and cook until they turn golden brown and caramelized. Remove half of the onions from the pot and set aside for garnishing.

4. In the same pot, add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for a minute until fragrant. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until they soften.

5. Add the marinated chicken to the pot and cook until the chicken is browned on all sides. Stir in the biryani masala powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin powder, and coriander powder. Cook for a few minutes to allow the spices to release their flavors.

6. Add the plain yogurt to the pot and mix well with the chicken and spices. Cook for another 5 minutes, allowing the yogurt to blend into the gravy.

7. In a separate pot, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add the soaked and drained rice, along with the whole spices (cardamom pods, cloves, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick). Cook the rice until it is 70% cooked (the grains should still have a bite to them). Drain the rice and set aside.

8. Layer the partially cooked rice over the chicken in the pot. Sprinkle the chopped coriander leaves and mint leaves on top. Drizzle the remaining ghee or oil over the rice.

9. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and cook on low heat for 20-25 minutes, or until the rice is fully cooked and fluffy. You can also place a tawa (griddle) under the pot to prevent the biryani from sticking to the bottom.

10. Once the biryani is cooked, remove from heat and let it sit, covered, for 10 minutes. This helps the flavors to meld together.

11. Garnish the biryani with the reserved