Lucknowi Chicken Biriyani/ Lucknowi Murg Biriyani

Ingredients:

Rice:

Ginger: 1 inch

Garlic: 2 pods

Cinnamon sticks: 1

Peppercorns: 8

Cloves: 4

Basmati rice: 300g

SAlt: to taste

Oil: as req.

Gravy:

Boneless chicken: 300g

Onion:2

Tomato:1

Yoghurt/thick curd:300ml

Cream: 70 ml (optional)

Ginger garlic paste: 2 tsp

Salt:

Cumin seed( jeera) powder: 1 tsp

Red chilly powder: 1 tsp

Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp

Garam masala: 2 tsp

Oil: as req.

Garnish:

Onion: 1

Corrander leaves: 2 tblsp

Mint leaves: 2 tblsp

SAfron (soaked in milk) : 1 tsp 9 can opt for yellow colour too)

Preparation:

Marinate cleaned boneless chicken pieces with yoghurt, cream, salt, ginger garlic paste, cumin seed powder, red chilly powder and turmeric powder. Wash and soak the basmati rice for a few minutes.

Heat oil. Fry cloves, peppercorns and cinnamon sticks till their colour changes. Then add in ginger and garlic(not chopped but just crushed). Stir for a minute and then drain the water off the basmathi rice and add to this along with 600ml water( double the proportion of rice). season with salt and let it cook till all soft and fluffy. When done, cover the vessel with lid so that the excess moisture gives a finishing touch to the rice.

Heat oil in another vessel, put in onion and stir till light brown. Add tomato chopped and stir till tomato is cooked. Add garam masala and cook for a minute so that the masala is cooked. Add the marinated chicken and stir fry till the moisture has reduced drastically and the oil is seperated. If you like allot of masala in the biriyani then add 1/2 glass water and let it boil, else. that is it.

in a deep vessel. Make layers of rice and chicken, in which the topmost layer must be rice. sprinkle yellow colour or safron milk. Deep fry onion till dark brown and sprinkle it over the biriyani. Garnish with coriander and mint leaves. Cover the vessel and heat the vessel on the sim flame for 5 minutes. Serve with yoghurt salald.