Ingredients:
For Marination (Marinate chicken overnight) 1Lb Chicken skinned, washed and cut into cubes. Boneless chicken can also be used but I prefer to use whole chicken with bones. Make sure you drain all the water after washing the chicken.
1/2 Packet Shaan Bombay Biryani Masala
2 Tbsp Shaan Tandoori Masala
2 Tsp Garam masala
2 Tbsp Chilly Powder
1/4 Tsp Turmeric powder
1/4 Tsp coriander and cumin powder
2 Tsp Ginger Garlic paste
3/4 Cup Yoghurt
4-5 Green Chilly & 10 Springs Coriander Not too fnely pasted
10 Springs Finely Chopped Mint Leaves
1 Big Lemon juice
2 Pinches Saffron - Soaked in 1/4 Cup Milk
Salt to taste
1 Onion – finely sliced and deep fried till dark brown or can also use the ready made fried onion available at the Indian Store.
For the rice
Basmati rice – 2 cups.
Whole green Cardamom – 4
Cloves – 3
Black cumin seeds – ¾ tsp
Bay leaves – 2
Black pepper corns – 4
Butter/oil/ghee – 1 tbsp
Salt – 4 tbsp
Water for boiling
Half cook rice with all the above mentioned ingredients and keep aside.
For cooking in layers Oven tray
Pinch of red, orange color dissolved in 2 tbsp milk
Aluminum foil to cover the pan.
Now that you have all the ingredients ready lets start layering the Biryani.
In a large bowl, mix all the marinade ingredients till well combined. Cover and let it rest overnight. This would let the chicken absorb all the flavors of the spices and enhance the taste of your biryani. Take a n oven tray and spray it with little ghee or oil, now arrange the entire marinated chicken at the bottom of this pan. This is your first layer. Then arrange the half cooked rice on top of the chicken. This is going to be your second and last layer. On top of the rice, add about 2 - 3 tbsp of oil, pour in the red orange color around in the center, sprinkle some fried onions and cashew. This would give your rice the restaurant style look with some of the rice grains looking orange in color. Who wouldn't want to surprise their guests with such looks!!!
Now seal the pot with an aluminum foil, pre heat the oven at 400 degrees and let the sealed biryani cook at this temperature for one hour. Just before serving open the lid, gently mix in the chicken at the bottom with the rice. serve it hot with raita and enjoy.
