Chicken Biriyani

Ingredients:

Chicken pieces - 1 kg

For marination
Ginger - 4-5cm piece
Garlic - 4-6 nos (adjust as per size)
Green chillies - 6-8 nos (adjust as per spice level and size)
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt

For masala
Onion sliced - 2 big
Tomato chopped - 2
Biriyani Masala or home made garam masala - 1-2 tbsp. I use Eastern Biriyani masala most of the times. To make home made masala, check this link.
Ghee/Oil - 2 tbsp. If you want to reduce the amount of ghee in the biriyani, you may use sunflower oil while making the masala. Use Ghee only for the rice.

For the Biriyani Rice
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Green cardamom -4
Cloves -4
Cinnamon - 2 inch piece
Star anise - 1 small broken to pieces
Onion sliced finely - 1 small
Basmati Rice - 3 cups
Lemon juice - 2 tsp
Salt.

For garnishing
Coriander and mint leaves - a handful
Cashew nuts and raisins - as you like :-)

Preparation

1. Grind the ingredients listed under 'For marination' into a smooth paste with a little water.
2. Marinate the chicken pieces in this paste.
3. Heat Ghee/Oil in a large pan.
4. Saute the onions till they are soft.
5. Add the tomatoes and cook till they are soft.
6. Now add the marinated chicken to this. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
7. Add the biriyani masala/ home made garam masala and mix well.
8. Add 1/2 cup water and cover and cook till the chicken is done. The gravy should be thick. Now the masala is ready, keep it aside
7. Heat Ghee in a vessel and add the cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon and star anise. Saute for a minute and add the onions. Saute for few minutes.
8. Add the basmati rice and mix well. When the rice starts crackling, add 6 cups of hot water, lemon juice and salt. You may add a pinch of turmeric powder if you want. Note that the salt is only for the rice. We have used salt separately for the masala.
9. Cook till rice is done and the water is dried up.

Layering the Biriyani:
1. Grease the bottom of a non stick/thick bottom vessel with some ghee.
2. Make a layer of biriyani rice. After that make a layer of chicken masala. Repeat this process till the rice and masala is layered completely. The top layer must be of rice.You may sprinkle some ghee in between layers.
4. Fry the cashew nuts and raisins in ghee and spread it on top of the masala.
5. Also add the chopped coriander and mint leaves.
6. Place the vessel on top of stove and lower the flame. Keep it for 10-15 mins.
7. You may also place a pan of boiling water on top of the biriyani vessel so that the heat is from both the sides.

Serve hot with raitha, papad and pickle