Chicken Biriyani

Ingredients:

• Chicken cut into large pieces - 900 gms
• Basmathi rice - 2 1/2 cups
• Sliced medium size onions - 1
• Chopped medium size tomatoes - 2
• Garlic paste - 2 tablespoon
• Ginger paste - 1 tablespoon
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Chilli powder - 1 teaspoon
• Salt to taste

Spice Paste I

• Fennel seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Poppy seeds - 2 teaspoon
• Cummin seeds - 1 teaspoon
• Coriander seeds - 1 teaspoon
• Pepper corns - 4 to 6
• Cinnamon stick - 1 piece
• Green cardamom - 2
• Black cardamom - 2
• Clove - 4 to 6

Spice paste II

• Green chillies - 2
• Chopped coriander leaves - 2 tablespoon
• Chopped mint leaves - 1 tablespoon

For garnishing

• Medium onions, sliced - 2
• Ghee/oil - 1 tablespoon
• Coriander leaves, chopped - 2 to 3 tablespoon
• Mint leaves, chopped - 1 tablespoon

Directions:

Grind spice paste I and spice paste II separately in a mixer. Take a pan, heat it and add 1 tablespoon of ghee or oil and fry the garnishing onions till it becomes crisp and golden brown. Keep this aside. Roast the chicken pieces in a pan and then add the sliced onions, ginger garlic paste, turmeric and chilli powder to it. Stir for a few minutes. Next add spice paste 1, tomatoes and salt to taste. Lower the heat and cook for around 20 minutes till the chicken becomes tender.
In the next step add spice paste I and fry it on medium heat. Dry up the excess moisture. Add the rice and fry for a few minutes. Add 4 cups of water, fried onions, salt to taste and the remaining garnishing ingredients. Cover and simmer for around 18 minutes on low heat. Remove form heat and keep covered for another 5 minutes. Serve hot with a raita.