Chicken Biryani

Ingredients

For 6 portions

• 🍗 800g chicken thigh, without skin (raw, boneless)
• 🥛 200ml yogurt
• 🪴 20g ginger
• 🧄 15g garlic
• 🌶️ 5g kashmiri chilli powder
• 🪴 2g turmeric
• 🌿 8g garam masala
• 🧂 10g salt
• 🍋 20ml lemon juice
• 🧅 500g onions
• 🏺 60ml sunflower oil
• 🧈 30g ghee, clarified butter
• 🍅 200g tomato
• 🌶️ 10g green chilli peppers
• 🍚 450g basmati rice (dry)
• 🌿 1g bay leaf
• 🌿 2g cardamom
• 🌿 1g cloves, whole
• 🌿 3g cumin seeds
• 🌿 0.2g saffron
• 🥛 50ml milk
• 🌿 15g fresh mint
• 🌿 15g fresh coriander

Method

1. Cut the chicken into large pieces. Finely grate the ginger and garlic and mix with the yoghurt, chilli powder, turmeric, garam masala, lemon juice and half the salt. Coat the chicken, cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
2. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear and soak for 30 minutes. Warm the milk, stir in the saffron and set aside.
3. Slice the onions thinly. Heat the oil in a large, heavy casserole and fry them over a medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring often, until deep golden. Lift out half and drain on kitchen paper.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes and slit green chillies to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, until soft. Add the chicken and its marinade and cook for 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until the sauce is thick and the chicken nearly cooked. Stir in half the chopped mint and coriander. Take off the heat.
5. Meanwhile, bring a large pan of water to the boil with the rest of the salt, the bay leaf, cardamom, cloves and cumin seeds. Drain the rice, add it and boil for 4 to 5 minutes, until about 70% cooked: soft outside with a firm bite in the middle. Drain well.
6. Spread the rice over the chicken in an even layer. Scatter over the reserved onions and the rest of the herbs, then drizzle with the saffron milk and melted ghee.
7. Cover with foil and a tight lid. Cook on a medium heat for 5 minutes until you hear it steaming, then on the lowest heat for 25 minutes.
8. Leave to rest, unopened, for 10 minutes. Fluff gently from the edges with a fork so the layers stay distinct, and serve with raita.