Chicken Biryani

Steps

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1. Marinate the chicken with yogurt, biryani spice mix, ginger-garlic paste and salt, and leave for at least 30 minutes.
   ⏱ Marinating · 30 min

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2. Meanwhile, wash the basmati rice in several changes of water until the water runs almost clear, then soak it for 30 minutes and drain.
   ⏱ Soaking rice · 30 min

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3. Heat oil in a wide pot and fry the sliced onion over medium heat, stirring often, until deep golden and crisp. Remove half for garnish.
   ⏱ Frying crispy onions · 10 min

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4. In the remaining oil, add the marinated chicken and the chopped tomatoes. Cook covered on medium heat, stirring now and then, for about 20 minutes, until the chicken is roughly 80% cooked, the gravy is thick and the oil floats on top.
   ⏱ Cooking gravy · 20 min

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5. Taste the gravy and adjust salt — it should be slightly stronger than usual since the rice will absorb some of the flavour.
6. In a large pot, bring plenty of salted water to a boil with the whole spices. Add the soaked rice and boil for 5–6 minutes, until the grains are about 70% cooked (they snap when pressed but still have a white core), then drain at once.
   ⏱ Parboiling rice · 6 min

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7. Layer the parboiled rice evenly over the chicken gravy, then scatter the crispy onions, slit green chillies, chopped coriander and mint on top.
8. Seal the pot with a tight lid (or foil, or a strip of dough). Cook 3 minutes on medium until steam escapes, then move to the lowest heat, ideally on a tawa, and steam for 20 minutes without opening the lid.
   ⏱ Slow-steaming (dum) · 20 min

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9. Turn off the heat and check that the chicken reaches 74 °C / 165 °F (if not, reseal and steam 5 more minutes). Then let the biryani rest, still covered, for 10 minutes before gently mixing the layers and serving.
   ⏱ Resting · 10 min

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