Authentic Chicken Biryani

Ingredients

• 3 Fried onions
• 3 tbsp rapeseed (canola) oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 4 green cardamom pods, lightly bruised
• 1 x 2.5cm (1 inch) cinnamon stick
• 1 star anise
• 400g tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 3 generous tbsp garlic, ginger and chilli paste (see above)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 ½ tbsp Kashmiri chilli power
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tbsp garam masala
• 750ml (3 cups) water
• 150g natural plain yoghurt
• 500g (1 ¼ lb) potato, skinned and cut into large bite sized pieces
• 1 whole chicken, skinned and cut into about ten pieces
• 1 small bunch mint leaves, finely chopped
• A pinch of saffron
• 4 tbsp hot milk
• 125ml (1/2 cup) melted ghee
• FOR THE RICE
• 600g (3 cups)
• 4 litres water
• 4 tbsp salt
• 2 Indian bay leaves
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 3 green cardamom pods, lightly bruised
• 1 x 2.5cm (1 inch) cinnamon stick
• 1 star anise

Steps

1. Wash the rice in several changes of water in a bowl. When you first do this, the water will turn milky white. Continue washing until the water runs almost clear. Continue soaking the rice for an hour.
2. Heat a six litre pan over medium high heat and add the oil. When visibly hot, stir in the whole spices and infuse into the oil for about 30 seconds. Add the chopped tomatoes, garlic and ginger paste, chilli paste and half the fried onions and bring to a simmer.
3. Now add the ground spices and water and simmer for about 3 minutes. Stir in the yoghurt into the sauce and add the potato pieces and continue simmering until the potatoes are about 50% cooked through. This should take about 5 minutes.
4. Add the chicken and simmer for about 8 minutes or until it is about 80% cooked through. Reduce the heat to medium, season with salt to taste and continue simmering while you prepare your rice.
5. Melt the ghee and add a pinch of saffron to 4 tbsp hot milk to infuse for a few minutes.
6. Place a pan with the water, salt, bay leaves and aromatic spices and bring to a boil over high heat. When boiling add the soaked rice, reduce the heat a little and simmer for 5 minutes to par-cook. Using a sieve or large slotted spoon, transfer half the rice to the biryani pan and cover the sauce with it. Sprinkle with half the coriander (cilantro), mint leaves, half the remaining fried onions, half the melted ghee and half of the saffron milk mixture. Strain the remaining rice and transfer toto the biryani pan. Sprinkle this layer with the remaining ingredients.
7. The biryani needs to steam in an airtight pan. You could make up some dough to do this or just wrap the pan with foil and place the lid on top.
8. Cook the covered biryani for 5 minutes over high heat and then reduce the heat to low to continue simmering for 25 minutes.
9. I suggested removing the lid at the table as the aroma that hits you is amazing. Carefully stir the biryani from the bottom and serve. I like to serve this biryani with coriander chutney.