HYDERABADI CHICKEN BIRYANI

INGREDENTS
1 kg chicken, washed and drained completely
2 large onions, finely sliced
2 tbsps chopped coriander leaves
1 tsp saffron
1/2 cup luke warm milk
salt to taste
2 tbsps ghee + 5 tbsps oil
For marination
1- cup thick curd/yogurt
5-green chillis, make a small slit in them
2 tbsps ginger garlic paste
1 tbsp red chilli flakes
1/4 tsp turmeric pwd
1- tbsp coriander pwd
3- tbsp chopped coriander leaves
3- tbsp mint leaves
juice of 1 lemon
salt- to taste
Biryani masala, make pwd
5- cloves
1-cinnamon stick
4-cardamom
1-tsp cumin seeds
8-10 black pepper
Ingredients to cook rice
4 cups Basmati rice
5- cloves
3 - cardamoms
2- cinnamon stick
3 bay leaves
1 star anise
10 mint leaves
1 tbsp oil
salt to taste
water as required
Method
1 -Marinate chicken with the marination ingredients with biryani masala powder. Keep aside for 2 hrs or whole night. While the chicken is marinating, work on the rest of the preparation.
2 -Cook basmati rice in lots of water along with bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, elaichi, oil, salt till its half cooked. Strain the water .
3 - Heat 1 tbsp oil + 1 tbsp ghee in a fry pan add sliced onions, saute till caramelized. Remove and keep aside.
4 - Add the saffron to the luke warm milk and combine well. Keep aside.
5 - Take a wide deep pot to prepare the biryani. Add 3 tbsps oil, add the marinated chicken and spread out over the pot. Cook on high for 5 mins. Add a tbsp of oil over the chicken pieces. Reduce flame.
6 - Spread half of the rice over the chicken layer, pour half a tbsp of ghee all over the rice, add half of the caramalized onions and spread over the rice. Next sprinkle a tbsp of coriander leaves and pour about one fourth cup of saffron milk over the rice. Over this layer, spread the remaining rice. Again pour half a tbsp of ghee all over, add remaining caramelized onions and spread over the rice. Finally sprinkle a tbsp of coriander leaves and pour remaining saffron milk over the rice.
7 - Place aluminum paper and over the paper place the lid and seal the edges. Cook on high flame for 5 mins. to low flame and stay the biryani pot on the middle rack of oven and cook biryani for 30-35 mins. Turn off heat and do not remove lid for 10 mins.
8 - After 10 mins, remove lid, combine gently and serve hot with chatni and & salad. Enjoy!!