Chicken Biryani Recipe

Heat 1/2 cup oil in a pan.Add onions and fry until brown.Remove from oil.

Blend tomatoes,yogurt and browned onion to a fine paste in a blender .

Add ginger garlic paste and chicken pieces to the oil.

Cook on medium to high heat and fry the chicken until it changes its color.

Add green cardamoms,large cardamom,cloves,black pepper,cinnamon stick and cumin seeds.

Pour the blended mixture and mix well.Add red chillies powder,coriander powder and salt.Add dried plums.

Cook on medium heat until chicken is done and only a little gravy is left See Photo . Set aside.

Soak rice for 30 minutes in enough water to cover; then drain.

Boil water, add cardamom, cinnamon stick, cloves, black pepper and salt and boil rice till 2/3rd done.

Drain the water off in a colander. Leave in the colander for a few minute, for all the water to drain out.

Add half of the remaining 1/4 cup oil in the pan to coat the base.

Spread 1/3 of the rice in a layer at the base of the pan.Now layer with 1/2 of the chicken.

Next, layer with half of remaining rice.Place tomato slices,mint leaves,ginger and green chillies on top.

Now spread remaining chicken as a layer.

Finish with the remaining rice layered on top.

Pour remaining oil and orange color dissolved in little water and kewra water(This gives you a few dark orange colored rice grains interspersed in the rest of the rice See Photo . It looks very nice when served).

Cook on a very low flame, with the lid tightly closed. This will take 20-30 minutes.

Serve hot with fresh salad and raita.