Chicken Dum Biriyani

Ingredients

For rice

• Basmati rice - 2 cups
• Water - 3 cups
• Ghee 2 tbsp
• Cinnamon - 1"sticks 
• Cloves - 4
• Pepper corn - 5
• Bay leaves
• salt

For chicken

• Chicken - 1kg 
• Onion - 2, sliced
• Tomato - 2, chopped
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Chilly powder - 3/4 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
• Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
• Cinnamon  - 1/2 "stick
• Fennel seeds - a pinch
• Cloves - 3
• Coriander leaves - 2 sprigs
• Mint leaves - 2 sprigs
• Curd - 1tbsp 
• Oil 2 tbsp
• Salt

To garnish

• Fried onion - 1 
• Cashews - 1/4 cup (fried)
• Raisins  - 1/4 cup (fried)
• Cilantro - 2 sprigs, chopped
• Mint leaves - 1 sprig, chopped
• Ghee - 1 tsp

Preparation

1.Wash and soak the basmati rice for 15-20 minutes.

2.Heat water in a vessel and add salt to it. Add in the cinnamon,cloves,bay leaves,pepper corn. Let the water come to boil .

3.Heat ghee in a wok and saute the rice for 5 minutes till its coated. Add the boiling water mix into it along with mint leaves. Let it cook till the water dries up.

4.Marinate chicken with chilly powder,turmeric powder,salt for a minimum half an hour.

5.Heat oil in a pan and fry the cinnamon,cloves ,fennel seeds and bay leaves. Saute onions till translucent and add ginger garlic paste ,stir till the raw smell disappears.

6.Add the chopped tomatoes and the spice powders. Add in the chicken.Mix and cover,cook till 15 minutes.

7.Uncover the lid and cook for another 10 minutes till the gravy thickens ,add the yogurt and cook till the chicken is done. Garnish with coriander and mint leaves.

8.In a heavy-bottomed vessel spread half of the chicken masala in the bottom. Top it with half of the cooked rice. Sprinkle fried onion, cashews, raisins, chopped mint, cilantro.Repeat the same.

9.Cover tightly with aluminium foil. Heat a large tawa at low heat. Place the biriyani pot and cook for 10  minutes. Switch off. Let it rest unopened for another 10 minutes in the biriyani pot. Mix gently.