Hyderabad Chicken Biryani

1Marinating the Chicken Marinate the chicken pieces with yogurt (1 cup), ginger-garlic paste (1 tablespoon), turmeric powder (1 teaspoon), red chili powder (1 teaspoon), garam masala powder (1 teaspoon), and salt. Leave it aside for at least 1 hour or overnight for best results.

2Frying Onions (2 large) Heat oil in a large pot, add the sliced onions and fry until golden brown. Remove half of the fried onions (¼ cup) and set aside for layering.

3Cooking the Chicken In the same pot, add the marinated chicken pieces and cook until the chicken is partially cooked. Remove the chicken and set aside.

4Preparing the Curry In the same pot, heat oil and add the remaining sliced onions (2 large). Saute until golden brown. Add ginger-garlic paste (1 tablespoon) and cook until the raw smell disappears. Add tomatoes (2 large), turmeric powder (1 teaspoon), red chili powder (1 teaspoon), coriander powder (1 teaspoon), biryani masala (1 teaspoon), and salt. Cook until the oil separates from the masala.

5Cooking the Rice In a separate pot, bring water to a boil. Add the soaked rice, bay leaves, green cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon stick, shahi jeera, and salt. Cook the rice until it is 70% done. Drain the water and set aside.

6Layering the Biryani In a large heavy-bottomed pot, start layering. Add a layer of half of the partially cooked rice, followed by a layer of the cooked chicken, fried onions (¼ cup), mint leaves (¼ cup), and cilantro. Sprinkle ghee, saffron milk, and the remaining rice on top. Cover with a lid.

7Final Cooking Place the pot on a tava (griddle) and cook on low heat for 20-25 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together. Serve hot with raita and salad.