Chicken dum biryani

Ingredients:

For rice

• 2 cups basmati rice 
• 1 tsp shahi jeera
• 1 bay leaf , small 
• 2 inch cinnamon  
• 3 green cardamoms
• 4 cloves 

For gravy

• 3 tbsp oil
• 2 onions medium , sliced thinly
• 3 green cardamoms 
• 4 cloves 
• 1 inch cinnamon stick 
• ½ tsp shahi jeera
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 lb chicken
• Salt as needed
• ¼ tsp turmeric 
• 2 tsp biryani masala 
• 1 tsp red chili powder 
• 2 green chilies slit (adjust as needed)
• 1 cup curd /  yogurt (do not use sour curd)
• 1 Handful mint and coriander leaves
• 1 pinch orange color
• 1 tbsp ghee

Method:

Cooking biriyani rice

1. Wash rice few times until the water runs clear. Soak for 30 mins. Drain the water.
   

   
2. Bring 8 to 10 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Add bay leaf and shahi jeera. You can also add cinnamon stick, cardamoms and cloves. You can also tie these spices in a muslin cloth and add to the pot. It can be discarded late.
   

   
3. When the water comes to a boil, add salt and drained rice.Cook until it is done al dente. Rice should be firm, grainy and you must feel the bite into the grain when you bite it. Drain it off to a colander.
   

   

Making chicken dum biryani gravy:

1. Lower the flame and saute bay leaf, star anise, shahi jeera, cloves, cardamom.Add ginger garlic paste and fry until the raw smell has gone completely.
   

   
2. Add chicken and fry on a medium heat until it turns pale or white.Sprinkle salt, biriyani masala, red chili powder, slit green chilies and turmeric. Mix well and fry for 3 mins.
   
3. Cover and cook on a low to medium flame for 3 to 4 mins to let the moisture out from the meat.Pour yogurt and mix well. Cover and cook on a medium heat until the meat is completely cooked and the gravy thickens. At this stage a thick gravy is left for the dum process. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
   
4. Lower the flame, sprinkle some mint and coriander leaves. Stir well. set aside half of the chicken curry.Layer the rice evenly. Layer half the rice. Then layer the rest of the curry. Repeat layering rice . Sprinkle fried onions, mint, coriander leaves and orange color.
   
   
   
5. Heat a old tawa or a pan, place this biryani pot and dum cook for 12 to 15 mins on a medium heat. If using a induction stovetop, you can directly place the pot at 3 No for 15 to 20 mins.
   
   
   
   
   
6. Serve chicken dum biryani with raitha.