Hyderabadi chicken dum biryani

Recipe

Ingredients (servings for 4)

• 3/4kg chicken(with bone), washed and drained completely
• 3 large onions, finely sliced
• 3 tbsps chopped coriander leaves
• 1 tsp saffron
• 1/2 cup luke warm milk
• 2 tbsps ghee + 5 tbsps oil
• 1/4 cup Mint Leaves
• 2 cloves
• 1 bay leaves
• Salt according to taste

For marination

• 3/4 cup thick curd/yogurt
• 8-10 green chilli, make a small slit in them
• 1 1/2 tbsps ginger garlic paste
• 1 tbsp red chilli pwd (adjust)
• 1/4 tsp turmeric pwd
• 3/4 tbsp coriander pwd
• 1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves,chicken biryani
• 3/4 cup pudina/mint leaves
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 3/4 tsps salt

Biryani masala, Make Powder

• 7 cloves
• 1″ cinnamon stick
• 4 elaichi/cardamom
• 3/4 tsp jeera
• 10 pepper corns
• 1 red chilli dry

Ingredients to cook rice

• 4 cups Basmati rice
• 5 cloves
• 4 cardamoms
• 1″ cinnamon stick
• 4 bay leave
• 10 mint leaves
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 1/2 tbsps salt
• water as required

Method

• Marinate chicken with the ingredients called for ‘marination’ along with biryani masala pwd. Keep aside for 4 hrs or a min of 1 1/2 hrs. While the chicken is marinating, work on the rest of the preparation.
• Cook basmati rice in lots of water along with bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, elaichi, oil, salt till its half cooked. Strain the water and spread the rice on a large wide plate. Allow to cool. Heat 1 tbsp oil + 1 tbsp ghee in a vessel, add sliced onions, saute for 8-10 mts till caramelized. Remove and keep aside.
• Add the saffron to the luke warm milk and combine well. Keep aside.
• Take a wide deep vessel to prepare the biryani. Add 3 tbsps oil, add the marinated chicken and spread out over the vessel. Cook on high for 2 mts. Add a tbsp of oil over the chicken pieces. Reduce flame.
• Spread half of the rice over the chicken layer, pour half a tbsp of ghee all over the rice, add half of the caramalized onions and spread over the rice. Next sprinkle a tbsp of coriander leaves and pour about one fourth cup of saffron milk over the rice. Over this layer, spread the remaining rice. Again pour half a tbsp of ghee all over, add remaining caramelized onions and spread over the rice. Finally sprinkle a tbsp of coriander leaves and pour remaining saffron milk over the rice.
• Place lid and over the lid place a heavy weight and seal the edges with wheat dough. Cook on high flame for 2 mts. Remove the vessel from the stove and place a iron tawa. Allow to heat. Reduce to low flame and place back the biryani vessel on the iron tawa and cook biryani for 23-25 mts. Turn off heat and do not remove lid for 10 mts.
• After 12 mts, remove lid, combine gently and serve hot with raita