Step-by-Step Instructions

1. 1.Prepare Chicken for Marination

   Place 1 kg of cut chicken pieces in a large mixing bowl.

2. 2.Add Wet Ingredients for Marinade

   To the chicken, add 1 cup (240ml) curd, 2-3 tablespoons mustard oil, 3-4 slit green chilies, 2 medium chopped tomatoes, 1 cup fried onions, and 2 tablespoons ginger garlic paste.

3. 3.Incorporate Fresh Herbs and Citrus

   Add 1/2 cup chopped mint leaves, 1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves, and the juice of 1 lemon to the bowl.

4. 4.Add Whole and Ground Spices

   Add 1 teaspoon whole spices (such as cumin seeds, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaf), 1.5 teaspoons salt, 2 teaspoons coriander powder, 1.5 teaspoons chilli powder, and 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder.

5. 5.Marinate Chicken

   Mix all the ingredients thoroughly by hand until the chicken pieces are well coated with the marinade. Marinate for at least 20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

6. 6.Cook Chicken Base

   Transfer the marinated chicken mixture into a heavy-bottomed pot or handi. Spread it evenly at the bottom. Cover the pot with a lid and cook on medium heat for 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken is about 70-80% cooked and the oil starts to separate from the gravy. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

7. 7.Layer with Rice

   Once the chicken is partially cooked, add 4-5 cups of pre-cooked basmati rice (cooked with whole spices and salt) evenly over the chicken layer in the pot.

8. 8.Add Toppings for Dum

   Drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of ghee over the rice. Pour 1/4 teaspoon orange food colour (dissolved in water or milk) over different spots on the rice. Sprinkle 1/2 cup fried onions, 1/4 cup chopped mint leaves, and 1/4 cup chopped coriander leaves on top of the rice layer.

9. 9.Dum Cook Biryani

   Cover the pot tightly with a lid (you can seal the edges with dough for a traditional dum method) and cook on low heat for 15-20 minutes. This allows the flavors to infuse and the rice to finish cooking with the steam.

10. 10.Serve Biryani

    After dum cooking, gently mix the biryani from bottom to top to combine the chicken and rice layers. Serve hot with raita or your favorite side dish.