Step-by-Step Instructions

1. 1.Heat Oil and Add Whole Spices

   Pour 200 gms of oil into a large cooking vessel. Add 2 mace, 3 star anise, 6 green cardamoms, 2 black cardamoms, 3 cloves, 1 spoon of fennel seeds, 1/2 spoon of pepper, a few cinnamon sticks, and a few bay leaves to the hot oil. Sauté for a few seconds until fragrant.

2. 2.Add Aromatics and Sauté

   Add 4 spoons of ginger garlic paste and 4 mid-sliced green chilies to the vessel. Mix well and sauté. Then, add 4 chopped onions and a handful of mint leaves. Sauté until the onions turn translucent and soft.

3. 3.Add Tomatoes and Chicken

   Add 3 chopped tomatoes to the mixture and mix well, cooking until they soften. Then, add 1.25 kg of chicken pieces and mix thoroughly to combine with the sautéed ingredients.

4. 4.Season the Chicken

   Add 1/2 spoon of turmeric powder, 1 spoon of chili powder, 1 tablespoon of salt, 1 spoon of coriander powder, and 1 spoon of garam masala to the chicken. Mix all the spices well with the chicken until evenly coated.

5. 5.Add Curd and Cook Chicken

   Add 200 gms of curd to the chicken mixture and mix well. Cover the vessel with a lid and cook for 25 minutes, allowing the chicken to tenderize and absorb the flavors.

6. 6.Add Rice and Water

   After 25 minutes, remove the lid. Add 1 kg of basmati rice (presumably pre-soaked, though not explicitly stated) to the cooked chicken. Pour in 4 glasses of water, add a handful of chopped coriander leaves, and 1 spoon of salt. Mix gently to combine the rice with the chicken and spices.

7. 7.Cook the Biryani

   Cover the vessel again and cook for 20 minutes until the rice is almost done and most of the water has been absorbed. Then, add 200 gms of ghee over the rice and mix gently.

8. 8.Dum Cooking

   Place the cooking vessel on an iron tawa (griddle) over low heat. Cover and cook for an additional 10 minutes for dum cooking, allowing the flavors to meld and the rice to become perfectly fluffy.

9. 9.Serve Chicken Biryani

   Once cooked, gently fluff the biryani with a spoon. Serve hot with raita and a side salad.