Step-by-Step Instructions

1. 1.Prepare Onions for Gravy

   Finely chop 1 large onion and set aside.

2. 2.Prepare Onions for Frying

   Thinly slice 1.5 onions. Separate the rings and set aside.

3. 3.Fry Onions until Golden Brown

   Heat a pan with plenty of neutral oil or chicken fat on medium heat. Fry the thinly sliced onions, moving them continuously, until they are dark brown but not black. This should take about 10-15 minutes.

4. 4.Drain Fried Onions

   Remove the fried onions from the pan and drain them on paper towel. Reserve the flavored oil in the pan.

5. 5.Prepare Basmati Rice

   Wash 500g (2.5 cups) Basmati rice well, changing the water often, until the water runs clear. Cover the rice with fresh water and let it soak for 30 minutes.

6. 6.Prepare Flatbread Dough

   In a bowl, mix 350g (3 cups) all-purpose flour, 3g (0.5 tsp) salt, 250ml (1 cup) water, and 15g (1 tbsp) oil or ghee. Work it into a smooth dough. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let it rest.

7. 7.Sear Chicken Pieces

   Heat a pan with ghee or a touch of oil. Sear the 6-8 bone-on chicken pieces (thighs or drumsticks) until they are nice and golden brown on all sides. Set the seared chicken aside.

8. 8.Sauté Chopped Onions for Gravy

   In the same pan used for searing chicken (with the fond), add the finely chopped onion and 30g (2 tbsp) ghee or oil (preferably the flavored oil from frying onions). Sauté until the onions have softened.

9. 9.Add Whole Spices

   Add 4-6 dried bay leaves, 1-2 cinnamon sticks, 6-10 green cardamom pods, 2-3 mace blades (or grated nutmeg), and 1g (0.5 tsp) fenugreek seeds to the pan. Fry for a few minutes with the onions to release their flavors.

10. 10.Cook Ginger-Garlic Paste

    Once the onions are nice and brown, add 75g (5 tbsp) ginger-garlic paste. Cook it out real well, stirring constantly, until the raw fragrance is gone and it smells exceptionally good.

11. 11.Add Tomato Paste

    Add 25g (1.5 tbsp) tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

12. 12.Add Powdered Spices and Tomatoes

    Add 20g (4 tbsp) Garam Masala and 2g (1 tsp) Kashmiri chili powder. Follow up with 200g chopped tomatoes. Let it simmer for a few minutes.

13. 13.Season Gravy Base

    Add a touch of water or chicken stock if the mixture is getting too pasty. Season with salt to taste and a touch of sugar to balance the tartness of the tomatoes. Remove the pan from the heat to cool down slightly.

14. 14.Stabilize Yogurt

    In a bowl, place 250g (1 cup) full-fat Greek yogurt. Add 2 tbsp double cream and 1 tsp cornstarch. Whisk it really well until it is completely homogeneous.

15. 15.Incorporate Yogurt into Gravy

    Once the gravy base has cooled down a touch, add the whisked yogurt bit by bit, stirring constantly, until it is fully incorporated and the gravy is homogeneous. Do not dump all the yogurt in at once to prevent splitting.

16. 16.Simmer Chicken in Gravy

    Add the seared chicken pieces back into the gravy. Slowly simmer the chicken until it has cooked through. Stir in any fat that rises through the gravy to the top. Make sure it doesn't boil fast or burn.

17. 17.Preheat Oven

    Turn your oven to 220°C (425°F) to preheat.

18. 18.Prepare Saffron Sauce

    In a small saucepan, combine 120g (0.5 cup) double cream, 60g (3 tbsp) butter, and 3 large pinches of saffron strands. Give it a good 3 to 5-minute steady simmer until it is beautifully golden and the saffron has fully bloomed.

19. 19.Prepare Rice Pre-cooking Liquid

    In a pot, combine 600g (2.5 cups) chicken stock or water, 6g (1 tsp) salt, 6 cardamom pods, 3 star anise, 5 cloves, 4-5 bay leaves, a few mace blades, 0.5 tsp turmeric powder, and 1 fat spoon of ghee or butter. Bring this mixture to a boil and let it infuse for a few minutes.

20. 20.Pre-cook Rice

    Add the soaked Basmati rice to the boiling flavored liquid. Give it a stir and boil for 2-3 minutes. The rice should be able to break between your fingers but still have a little bit of raw rice in the middle.

21. 21.Drain Rice

    Drain the pre-cooked rice, reserving the leftover liquid for other uses (e.g., soups or curries).

22. 22.Choose Cooking Vessel

    Select your cooking vessel: either a traditional clay pot (which can be sealed with foil or the prepared dough) or a large enough saucepan/pot (which can be sealed with foil and a lid).

23. 23.First Layer: Saffron Sauce

    Start by pouring a thin layer of the saffron sauce into the bottom of your chosen pot.

24. 24.Second Layer: Rice

    Add a layer of the pre-cooked rice over the saffron sauce.

25. 25.Third Layer: Herbs and Chilies

    Scatter sliced green chilies (if using), indiscriminately torn fresh mint, and randomly scattered fresh cilantro over the rice.

26. 26.Fourth Layer: Crispy Onions

    Sprinkle a generous amount of crispy fried onions over the herbs.

27. 27.Fifth Layer: Chicken and Gravy

    Place a couple of pieces of the cooked chicken and a touch of gravy over the onions. Be careful not to add too much moisture.

28. 28.Repeat Layers

    Repeat the layering process: rice, saffron sauce, chilies, herbs, crispy onions, and chicken with gravy.

29. 29.Final Layer

    Finish with a final layer of rice, saffron sauce, chilies, herbs, and crispy onions.

30. 30.Seal the Pot

    If using a clay pot, roll out the prepared dough into a long strip and use it to seal the lid tightly around the pot. If using a regular pot, cover it tightly with aluminum foil, then place the lid on top.

31. 31.Bake the Biryani

    Bake the sealed pot in the preheated oven at 220°C (425°F) for 25-30 minutes.

32. 32.Make Flatbreads (Optional)

    While the biryani is baking, take the leftover dough, roll it into small balls, then flatten and roll each ball into very thin round sheets on a well-floured surface. Heat a skillet or pan on high heat. Dry roast the flatbreads in the skillet, pressing down gently with a slightly damp cloth to make them puff up. Cook both sides until nicely brown and puffed.

33. 33.Brush Flatbreads

    While the flatbreads are still warm, brush them with a touch of melted butter or ghee to ensure they stay soft.

34. 34.Rest and Serve Biryani

    Once the biryani is baked, carefully open the lid (taking care not to steam your fingers). Let it rest for 5 minutes before dishing up. Garnish with more fresh herbs and crispy onions. Enjoy traditionally with your hands, with a spoon, or by scooping it up with the freshly made flatbread.