Chiken Biriyani

Ingredients:

Chicken with bones – 2 lbs, cut
Basmati Rice : 2 cups
Water – 6cups
Clarified Butter (Ghee) : 2 tbsp
Bay Leaves : 2
Mint Leaves(opt) : 1 handfuls
Cilantro : 1/4 cup (chopped)
Ginger & Garlic paste : 2 tbps
Onions - 1(medium)
Green Chili : 4no
Saffron (opt)  : 1/4 tsp
Fried Onions : 1/4 cup

For Gravy  Preparation: 


Oil : 2 tbsp
Cinnamon Stick : 3″pc
Black Cardamom(optional) : 2
Green Cardamoms : 3
Cloves : 8
Pepper powder : 1/2tbsp
Cashews paste : 1tbsp
Salt : to taste
Cumin Powder : 1 tbsp
Coriander Powder : 1 tbsp
Turmeric Powder : pinch
Red Chili Powder : to taste


Procedure :

1. Wash and soak the Rice for a minimum 1/2 hour. In a separate pan, boil. 6 cups of water. Once boiling, add cloves(2),cinnamon sticks(1), candamom(1)Bay Leaves,Salt and Oil (1tsp).
2. Add the washed Rice to boiling water. Once the Water starts boiling again, time and cook for6-7 minutes (the Rice needs to be 3/4 way done). Drain the water from the Rice and keep aside.
3. Heat  Oil and the Clarified Butter in a pan. Once hot, add the balance of whole spices – Cinnamon Stick, Star anise, Bay Leaf, Black & Green Cardamom & Cloves and fry in a low flame for couple of minutes
4.Add mint leaves and coriandar leaves cook in low flame.Add sliced onions and cook for a min ,add  Ginger & Garlic paste and fry carefully in a low flame until the raw smell goes off..Add  green chiliies fry for another minute. Keep stirring.
5.Add  washed  Chicken. Mix well. now add cashewnut paste ,pepper powder,Cumin powder, jeera powder and salt.
14.Mix very well. Cover and cook for about 10-15 minutes (the chicken should be 3/4 of the way done).
15.Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit .
16.Coat an oven-proof dish with a little oil.
17.Start by layering the Chicken at the bottom of the dish along with a few pieces of fried onions (saving the gravy for top layer).
18.Fluff up the Rice and add a layer of it on top of the Chicken with half of the Rice.
19.Layer the balance of the fried onions and all the gravy on the rice layer.
20.Next spread the balance of the Rice.
21.Drizzle a little bit of ghee(1/2tsp),milk(3 tsp).
22.Cover with an air-tight lid or a foil and bake for 1 hour
23.Once out of the oven, take a ladle and mix it gently but well.
24.Serve hot with gravy or raita

TIPS :
1. If u dont have oven , cook in rice cooker
a. follow 8 - 18 steps ,add in the rice(uncooked) and curry to rice cooker
b. count chicken gravy as a measurement of rice water and add the remaining water
2. Chicken with bones works best