Hyderabadi Chicken Dum Biryani

Ingredients :

Marination:

• Organic Chicken breasts/thighs- 2 bowls full
• Yogurt- 2 Tblsp
• Ginger- Garlic-Coriander leaves (with stems)- Cumin - Green chilli paste - 1 Tblsp
• Kiwi/Pineapple/Papaya paste - 2 tsps
• Turmeric- 1/4 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 6 tsps
• Green chillies - 4-5
• Mint leaves-4
• Coriander leaves- 1/4 bowl
• Oil - 1tsps
• Garam Masala- 1/4 tsp
• Chicken Masala- 1/2 tsp
• Shaan Chicken Biryani Masala - 3 tsps
• Cumin- Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Salt

Rice:

• Basmati Rice-4 cups
• Khada Garam Masala- Tej patta, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, dagad phool, cumin- together 2 tsps
• Ghee - 1 tsp

Garnishing:

• Onion - 1
• Dry Fruits (cashews, almonds, pistachios)- each 10
• Saffron soaked in 2 tsps milk
• Green chillies dipped in lemon juice- 5
• Coriander leaves - 1/2 bowl
• Mint leaves- 5-6
• Ghee- 2 Tblsp

Procedure:

Step1:

• Marinate chicken with the ingredients listed under marination for atleast 5-6 hours.

Step2:

• Pressure cook the chicken with about  2 cup water. This takes about 10 minutes (4-5 whistles)
• Drain the gravy from the pressure cooker and keep aside.

Step3:

• Let the chicken pieces be in the pressure cooker. Add 2 cups basmati rice to the chicken pieces. This needs 3 & half cup chicken gravy. If there is not enough gravy, add water to the gravy to make it 3 and half cups. Use this to cook 2 cups of  basmati rice.
• So we are cooking half of the basmati rice in chicken gravy along with chicken pieces.
• Pressure cook until 1 whistle.
• Check if the rice is cooked, if not, pressure cook until 1 more whistle. Do not overcook the rice. The rice should be almost 3/4th cooked.
• Now spread the rice along with chicken pieces on a plate and let it cool down.

Step4: 

• Slit green chillies (5) lengthwise and soak in lemon juice.

• Soak a few strands of saffron in 2 tsps milk.

• Chop onions lengthwise and fry until brown and crisp
• Chop dry fruits and fry on some oil/ghee.
• The above mentioned items are required for garnishing. So, keep them ready.

Step5:

• In a separate vessel take about 7-8 cups water. Add khada garam masala, salt and 1 tsp ghee to it and let it boil.
• Once the water starts boiling, add 2 cups of Basmati rice to it .
• This takes about 7-8 minutes to cook. Keep stirring and check if the rice is cooked.
• Once the rice appears to be cooked, immediately drain the water and spread the cooked basmati rice on a separate plate to cool.
• Let the rice cool for about 10-15 minutes.

Step6:

• Preheat oven to 375 F
• Line an oven safe pan with 1-2 tsps ghee
• Spread 1/3 rd of the white rice on it.
• Sprinkle some drops of saffron milk,
• Then spread 1/2 of the rice that was cooked  with chicken gravy along with chicken pieces.
• Sprinkle some chopped coriander leaves, mint leaves,dry fruits, brown onion slices and green chillies soaked in lemon juice 
• Now spread another 1/3 of the white rice over it.
• Repeat the procedure of layering it with saffron milk, basmati rice cooked with chicken gravy, chicken pieces and other garnishing items.
• Finally spread the left over white basmati rice and garnish it with dry fruits, saffron milk, coriander, mint leaves, brown onion slices and green chillies.
• Finally drop lots of ghee(2 tsps at each side ) on the sides of the pan as well as on top of the white rice.

• Cover with an aluminium foil and bake at 375 F for 12-15 mins.

• Covering with the aluminium foil doesnt allow the steam to escape and the biryani cooks on Dum.
• Heavenly Biryani is finally ready !
• Serve with Raita and lemon wedges :)