Chicken Biriyani

Chicken Biriyani

Ingredients 

1. Chicken pieces                       -1 kg
2. Ghee                                         - 5 T
3. Blanched almond                    -  2 T   
4. Sultanas                                   -  2 T
5. Potatoes, peeled & halved    - 4 sm
6. Onions, finely chopped           - 2 large
7. Cloves garlic, finely
           Chopped                            - 5 no.s
8.Finely chopped fresh ginger    -1 small piece
9. Chilli powder                             - 1/2 ts
10. Ground black pepper             -1/2 ts
11. Ground turmeric                     - 1/2 ts
12Ground cumin                           - 1 ts
13. Salt                                          - 1 ts
14. Tomatoes,
         peeled & chopped              - 2 no.s
15. Yoghurt                                   - 2 T
16. Chopped mint leaves           -  2T
17. Ground cardamom              - 1/2 ts
18. cinnamon stick                     - 2 inch

--------------------------------BRIYANI RICE--------------------------------
1. Basmati rice                           - 500 gm
2. Ghee                                       - 2 1/2 T
3. Large big onion
      finely chopped                      - 1 4..Rose water or rose essence- 2 T
5. Salt                                         - 1/2 T
6.Strong chicken stock             - 4 cup

 
Preparation

            Chicken Savoury: Heat half the ghee in a small frying pan, fry almonds until golden, drain. Fry sultanas a few seconds and set aside. Fry peeled and halved potatoes until brown, drain and reserve.
                   Pour any ghee left in pan into a large saucepan, add remaining ghee and
  fry onion, garlic and ginger until onion is soft and golden. Add chilli,  pepper, turmeric, cumin, salt and tomato. Fry, stirring constantly for 5 minutes. Add yoghurt, mint, cardamom and cinnamon stick. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally until tomato is cooked to a pulp. (It may be necessary to add a little hot water if mixture becomes too dry and starts to stick to the pan.) When mixture is thick and smooth, add chicken  pieces and stir well to coat them with spice mixture. Cover and cook over very low heat until chicken is tender, approx.  35-45 minutes. There should be only a little very thick gravy left when chicken is cooked. If necessary cook uncovered for a few minutes to reduce gravy.
 
               Briyani Rice: Wash rice well and drain in a colander for at least 30 minutes. Heat ghee and fry onion until golden. Add rice. Fry stirring, until rice is coated with the ghee. Add rose water or essence and salt to hot stock, pour over rice mixture and stir well. Add chicken savoury and potatoes and gently mix into rice. Bring to boil.  Cover saucepan tightly, turn heat to a very low and steam for 20 minutes.

  DO NOT lift lid or stir while cooking. Spoon briyani onto a warm serving dish. Garnish with the almonds and sultanas and serve immediately.