Chicken Dum Biryani – Restaurant Style

Step 1: Prepare the Rice

Wash 2 cups of Basmati rice. In a pressure cooker, add the rice, 4 cups of water, 1 tbsp ghee, cloves, cinnamon, and peppercorns. Cook for 2 whistles. Once done, let it cool and divide into two portions. In one portion, mix milk soaked with saffron to make yellow rice. In the other, mix a little ghee to make white rice.

Step 2: Marinate the Chicken

In a bowl with 300g of boneless chicken, add a pinch of turmeric powder, a little ginger-garlic paste, and salt. Mix well and marinate for 1 hour.

Step 3: Cook the Chicken Gravy

Heat 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp ghee in a pressure cooker. Add cloves, cinnamon, and cumin seeds. Add sliced onions and fry until light brown. Add green chilies, tomatoes, and cook until soft. Add bay leaves, coriander powder, turmeric, and red chili powder. Sauté, then add ginger-garlic paste. Add biryani masala, yogurt, and the marinated chicken. Mix well. Add salt, coriander-mint leaves, and 1 glass of water. Pressure cook for 1 whistle. After cooking, reduce the gravy until it thickens.

Step 4: Layer the Biryani

In a heavy-bottomed vessel, grease with ghee. Layer with yellow rice, then chicken gravy. Sprinkle fried onions, coriander-mint leaves, and biryani masala. Add a layer of white rice, followed by more chicken gravy and the same toppings. Repeat until all ingredients are used, finishing with a layer of yellow rice. Garnish with remaining fried onions, herbs, masala, and drizzle with 2 tsp ghee.

Step 5: Dum Cooking

Seal the vessel lid with wheat flour dough to trap the steam. Place the vessel on a hot tawa or pan filled with boiling water. Cook on high flame for 5 minutes, then on low flame for 15 minutes. Total dum time is 20 minutes.

Step 6: Serve the Biryani

After 20 minutes, turn off the heat. Carefully remove the dough seal and open the lid. Gently fluff the biryani from the sides. Serve hot with raita.

• Using ghee while boiling rice prevents it from sticking and adds a rich flavor.

• Sealing the pot with dough is crucial for the 'dum' cooking method as it traps the steam and allows the flavors to meld together.

• If you don't have boneless chicken, chicken with bones can also be used for this recipe.

• If the water in the bottom pan evaporates during the dum process, you can add more hot water as needed.

• For a smoother gravy, you can use green chili paste instead of chopped green chilies.