Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

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There are many ways to prepare Biryani, one is the pacci akhni (which means cooked meat) and the other kacchi akhni (which means uncooked meat). I personally find the 'pacci akhni' to be a better bet, since I'm sure the meat is well done and also coz you can spice it up a bit more while its still cooking, according to your individual taste ;)

This is the most easiest and the most tastiest method my Mom taught me. And I must say I have perfected it quite well. Here are the ingredients...

Ingredients:
2 lb boneless chicken
7 cups rice
10 tsp salt
1/4 tsp turmeric
3 tsp red chilli powder
1 tbs ginger garlic paste
Ground garam masala:
(1 tsp black cumin seeds, 8 cardamoms, 1 cinnamon stick, 4 bay leaves, 3 cloves and 6 black pepper)
8 curry leaves
3 average onions
2 cups yoghurt
Lemon juice and cilantro for garnishing
saffron soaked in 1/2 cup milk

Method:
Fry onions until they are golden brown, freeze the onion for an hour or so, this makes them more crisper (thank you mom).

Marinate chicken with yoghurt, salt, red chilli powder, ginger garlic paste and turmeric. Heat oil and add the marinated chicken saute it for some time and add some water. Cook until chicken is tender. Let the water dry and until the oil seperates from it.

Meanwhile boil rice, add salt and ground garam masala along with the curry leaves and cook until the rice is half done.

Drain any excess water using a collander or strainer. Preheat oven on 350 degrees.

Put one half of the rice in the baking pan and top it off with the marinated chicken, garnish with lemon juice, crushed fried onions and cilantro. Add the milk soaked saffron. Finally add the other half of the rice and any leftover garnish.

Bake for 1/2 hour on 350 degrees or until its starts to smell breathtaking. Serve hot with raita, tomato chutney or mirchi ka salan.