Chicken Biryani

Chicken Biryani

Ingredients
2 cups rice (preferably Basmati)
500g chicken
6 tablespoons oil
300ml yoghurt
3 cloves of garlic, crushed and chopped
1.5cm ginger, peeled and sliced
5 large onions, chopped
½ cup tomatoes, puréed
2 chilis, chopped
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
5-6 strands saffron
8 cloves
10cm cinnamon stick
5 black pepper corns
8 cardamom pods
1 teaspoon cumin

Salt to taste


Method
Cook soaked and washed rice.(Preferably Basmati Rice)
Marinate the chicken in lemon juice, yoghurt, ginger, garlic, salt, turmeric powder, cumin powder, cloves, chillis, chopped tomatoes, tomato purée
Heat oil in a cooker and add onions, cook till onions turn golden brown. Add these to the chicken.
Grease a heavy bottomed deep and wide mouthed pan. Place a layer of rice. Put in the masala (the chicken and marinade) Top with the rest of the rice and put the saffron on top
Heat in the oven for 1 - 1½ hours at 150°C (300°F); to check whether ready, cut into a piece of chicken to see if it is cooked.
Serve the biryani with yoghurt on the side