INGREDIENTS
-4-6 chicken thighs, chopped into chunks
Marinade
-250g natural Greek yoghurt
-1 tsp salt
-1 tsp garam masala
-2 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
-1 tsp cumin seeds, crushed
-1/2 tsp turmeric
-1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
-1 tsp grated, ginger
Saffron Milk
-a pinch of saffron
-5 tbsp milk
Rice
-400g basmati rice
-500ml water
Masala
-4 tbsp ghee
-3 medium onions, sliced into rings
-1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
-2 cloves of garlic, sliced
-1 tsp turmeric
-2 bay leaves
-1 cinnamon stick
-1 tsp black peppercorns
-1 tsp coriander seeds
-1 tsp cumin seeds
-1/2 tsp salt
-6 green cardamom
-2 black cardamom (if you have them)
-5 cloves
-2 tomatoes, cut into 8 pieces
-A handful of mint leaves
-A handful of coriander with stems
PREPARATION
1. Mix all the ingredients for the marinade in a bowl and marinade the chicken for at least 30 minutes.
2. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C.
3. Add saffron to the milk and leave to steep and draw the colour out.
4. Wash rice until it runs clear and place in a pan. Add water, bring to the boil and leave until water is absorbed. The rice should be part-cooked and remain slightly underdone.
5. After a few minutes gently fork through the rice working your way to the bottom and transfer to a large bowl to cool.
6. Heat the ghee and add the sliced onion rings. Cook over a medium heat until caramelised and a lovely dark golden brown colour. This takes approx. 20 mins.
7. Remove half the cooked onions and set to one side. Add the ginger, garlic, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, black peppercorns, coriander, cumin, cardamoms, salt and turmeric to the pan and stir-fry for a few minutes until fragrant.
8. Cut the tomatoes into chunks and add to the pan. Stir on a gentle heat and cook until they break down to create a thick masala sauce.
9. Wash and roughly chop the mint and coriander leaves, including the stems.
10. Add half the chopped mint and coriander to the masala with chillies. Keep the remaining leaves for later.
11. Add the marinated chicken to the pan, stir and leave to cook through for 15-20 minutes. Remove from the heat and set to one side.
12. Bring the biryani together in a greased casserole dish, preferably with a lid.
13. Have your rice, cooked chicken, saffron milk, ghee, caramelised onions and chopped coriander and mint to hand.
14. Place one third of the rice at the bottom of the dish and sprinkle with some of the saffron milk, coriander, 1 tsp ghee and a few onions. Then spoon half the chicken mixture on top of the rice.
15. Place another third of the rice on top and sprinkle with the saffron milk, coriander and mint, 1 tsp ghee and a few onions and the remaining chicken mixture.
16. Finally, top off with all the remaining rice and sprinkle the rest of the saffron milk on top, dot with ghee, and add the remaining coriander, mint and caramelised onions.
17. Place the lid on the casserole dish and place in the oven at 180°C and cook for 30-40 minutes until hot and fragrant.
