Saabit garam masalaaka 5 cloves, 1 piece of Cinammon stick, 10 Round blackpeppers, 4 green cardomom, 2 black cardomom
1tbspsaltor to taste
1tbspvinegar
For Chicken Masala
1kgmedium chicken cut up in pieces
½cupoil
2mediummedium onion sliced
6 mediumtomatoescut
½kgyoghurtbeaten
8 to 10serrano greenchillies
1tbspgarlic ginger paste
1tbspGaram masala powderall spice powder
1tbspsalt
1tspturmeric powder
1tbspzeera/cumin powder
2tspred chili powder
For Layering Garnish
1/2cupMint leaves
1/4cupCut up green serrano chillies
1/2cupBrown onions(left over from the chicken masala)
½ tomatothin slices
1teaspoonGaram masala powder
3 pinchOrange food color mixed in 3 tbsp of milk
Instructions
METHOD TO PREPARE CHICKEN MASALA
First of all, put oil in cauldron or pot at a medium flame and add onions and fry until brown. Remove half of the onions and turn off heat. (you can skip this step for an even quicker biryani)
Secondly, a blender add tomatoes, green chillies with a little bit of water and blend well.
Add tomato puree to the oil pot along with all the masalas and chicken and cover the lid. Let it cook at medium flame for about 20 to 25 minutes or when the oil separates from the curry.
Beat yoghurt well and add to the curry and leave at medium flame for another 10 minutes or until the gravy thickens. You can remove the lid at this point and keep stirring until you reach the desired consistency of the gravy or you can let it cook on it own.
METHOD TO PREPARE RICE
While your chicken gravy cooks, soak rice for around 20 minutes before cooking (or as long as your brand or rice demands)
In a large pot, boil water with all the ingredients for the rice.
Add rice as water starts to boil and allow to boil for 4 to 5 minutes.
Check to see if you can break a rice grain with your hand, that’s the point where you remove your rice from the flame and strain it. Set it aside
METHOD FOR LAYERING
Add a layer of rice at the bottom of the large pot.
Sprinkle garam masala powder on the rice along with a little bit of fried onions, sliced tomatoes, green chilies and mint leaves.
Layer with chicken qorma and repeat the process. Your top layer should be that of rice.
Add all the garnishes on the top along with the food color this time.
Cover the lid well and put on the stove to steam with a frying pan or a base beneath the pot.
Keep the flame on medium to high for 5 minutes and reduce it to low medium for another 10. Finally, turn off the heat and let the Biryani rest for 5 to 10 minutes to seal the flavors before opening the lid.
Notes
Serve with salad and raita. And dig into that master piece you’ve just created!