Punjabi Style Chicken Biryani

• Take a mixer jar – then add the below into it –
  • Red chilli – 3
  • Pepper – 1/4 tablespoon
  • Coriander – 1/2 tablespoon
  • Cumin – 1/4 tablespoon
  • Anise – 1/4 tablespoon
  • Javitri – few (2 or 3)
  • Star Anise – 1/4 of one star
  • Clove – 3
  • Cardamom – 3
  • Cinnamon – 3 (small pieces)
• Run the mixer machine – grind all the contents to a coarse powder and transfer them to a small bowl.
• Take a big bowl – then add the below into it
  • Chicken – 1/2 kg
  • Masala prepared in ‘step: 1’
  • Salt – 1/2 tablespoon
  • Turmeric powder – 1/4 tablespoon
  • Kashmiri Chilli powder – 1/2 tablespoon
  • Curd – 100 ml
  • Ginger-garlic paste – 3 tablespoons
  • Tomato – 1 (1 medium sized – chopped into small pieces)
  • Mix them well using a spoon.
• Leave the chicken to marinate in the masala mix for 30 to 45 minutes.
• Place a pan on the big burner – let the pan get a little hot.
• Pour oil – 100 ml. Let the oil get hot – then turn the flame to LOW mode. Then, add the onions (2 medium sized – chopped) to the hot oil. Start stirring it till onions fry to a golden brown colour.
• Remove 75% of the fried onions to another bowl – keep it aside. The remaining 25% of fried onions will remain in the pan itself.
• Put the below into the pan carrying 25% of fried onions –
  • Chicken pieces marinated in masala mix
  • Coriander leaves – few
  • Mint leaves – few
  • Green chilli – 3 (Chop into small pieces)
  • Potato – 3 (3 medium sized potatoes & chopped to medium sized pieces)
  • Stir well.
• Close the pan with a lid. Keep the flame in LOW mode. Let the contents cook in low flame for next 20 minutes.
• After 20 minutes, remove the lid.
  • Keep flame in high mode. Put 1 bay leaf.
  • Let the water evaporate in high flame for 2 minutes. We will get a concentrated masala now.
  • Keep the pan aside for now.
• Place another 3-litre vessel on the big burner.
  • Pour water – 2 litres.
  • Bay leaf – 1 (big one)
  • Cardamom – 2
  • Cinnamon – 1
  • Lemon – cut half of the lemon into thin slices and add it to water after removing seeds.
  • Salt – 2 tablespoons
  • Close the vessel with a lid. Keep the flame in HIGH for the water to boil.
• Once the water boils – we can see steam coming out of lid sides or from hole in top of lid. Remove the lid now. Add half kg of rice that has been soaked for 1 hour, to the boiling water.
• Let the rice cook to 95%. Drain the water using a steel strainer.
• Place another 3-litre vessel on the burner. Flame in high mode. Pour 3 tablespoons of oil and shake the vessel to spread it evenly over the surface of vessel.
• Once the oil gets hot, turn the flame to low. Put in a little of chicken, potato and masala mix (from the pan). Spread it evenly over the surface.
• Now,
  • put a little of boiled rice over the masala (use just 1/4 of the cooked rice now).
  • Place 3 thinly sliced tomatoes (take 2 medium sized tomatoes – and chop them to thin slices) over the rice. The remaining slices will be placed in later part.
  • Sprinkle a little of coriander and mint leaves all over the rice.
  • Now put a little of chicken, potato and masala gravy over the rice again.
  • Put another portion (1/4) of cooked rice over the chicken gravy.
  • Spread it evenly.
• Pour a little of food colorant (orange or yellow) on the rice. Place another 3 slices of tomatoes on the rice. Sprinkle few of coriander and mint leaves.
• In low flame continue –
  • Now, put the remaining chicken, potato and masala gravy over the rice.
  • Put the remaining portion of cooked rice over the chicken gravy.
  • Spread it evenly.
  • Pour a little of food colorant (orange or yellow) on the rice.
  • Sprinkle the fried onions over the rice.
• Close the vessel with a lid – in Low flame let the contents get cooked for 8 to 10 minutes.
• Remove the lid after 10 minutes. Turn off the flame. Stir it from bottom to top.

Thus, our biryani is ready.