Chicken Biryani

Ingredients

• 1 cup basmati rice
• 400 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 1 large onion , sliced
• 1 large tomato , finely chopped
• 1½ tsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 to 2 green chilies
• ½ tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 10 mint leaves , roughly chopped
• Handful of coriander leaves, roughly chopped
• 3 tbsp thick curd
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 2 cups water
• Salt
• To Temper:
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 1 tsp boil
• 1 bay leaf
• ¼ inch cinnamon stick
• 2 cloves
• 1 cardamom
• ½ tsp fennel seeds

Steps

1. Place ghee and oil in a pressure cooker on heat. Add the bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds, and cardamom. Sauté for a minute; add the onions. Cook until golden brown and translucent. Stir in the ginger garlic paste, cook for a minute.
2. Add the tomatoes, and cook until they become mushy. Mix in the red chili powder and coriander powder; season with salt. Add the chicken pieces, and sauté until the chicken is coated well with the spices.
3. Add the curd and mix. Pour in a cup of water, and bring to a boil. Cover, and pressure-cook for 2 whistles.
4. Cook the basmati rice: wash and soak the rice in water. Once the pressure is released, add the soaked basmati rice, coriander, and mint leaves.
5. Add the remaining cup of water and bring to a boil. Close the lid of the pressure cooker, and cook over medium flame for three whistles.
6. Once pressure releases, open the lid and fluff the rice with a spoon. Add lemon juice and top with ghee.