Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

Ingredients

• 750 grams chicken, cut into 1 inch pieces on the bone
• 2 cups biryani basmati rice
• Salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
• 1½ teaspoons red chilli powder
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ¾ cup yogurt
• ½ cup fried onions + for garnish
• 2-3 tablespoons ghee + to drizzle
• 2 teaspoons caraway seeds (shahi jeera)
• 2-3 green chillies, chopped
• 1½ tablespoons biryani masala
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander leaves
• 2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
• 1 star anise
• ½ blade of mace
• 4 green cardamoms
• 1 black cardamom
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 inch cinnamon 
• 10-15 black peppercorns
• 2 tablespoons saffron milk
• 2 green chillies, slit
• 1 inch ginger, cut into thin strips
• 10-15 fresh mint leaves
• 1 tablespoon dried rose petals
• Salan gravy for serving
• Fried chillies for serving
• Onion rings for serving
• Fresh mint sprig for serving

Method

1. Take Basmati rice in a bowl and wash thoroughly 2-3 times. Soak in sufficient water for 30 minutes. Drain the water.
2. Take chicken in a bowl, add salt, ginger-garlic paste, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, yogurt and fried onions and mix well. Set aside to marinate for 30 minutes.
3. Heat ghee in a deep non-stick pan. Add caraway seeds and green chillies and sauté for 30 seconds.
4. Add the marinated chicken and mix well. Add biryani masala, 2 tablespoons coriander leaves and mint leaves and mix well. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
5. Heat sufficient water in a deep non-stick pan. Add star anise, mace, green cardamoms, black cardamom, bay leaf, cinnamon, black peppercorns and salt and bring it to a boil.
6. Add drained rice and cook for 5-6 minutes. Drain and layer directly on chicken.
7. Drizzle ghee and saffron milk on top. Sprinkle remaining coriander leaves, green chillies and ginger strips on top.
8. Sprinkle mint leaves, rose petals and fried onions on top.
9. Cover the pan with aluminium foil, cover with a lid and cook on low heat for 15-20 minutes.
10. Transfer onto a serving plate, drizzle some salan gravy on one side. Arrange fried chillies and onion rings on top of the gravy. Garnish the biryani with a mint sprig and serve hot.