Boneless Chicken Biryani

INGREDIENTS  

• 3 Cups Rice
• 1 kg Boneless Chicken Cut into small pieces
• 2 Large Onions Sliced
• 3 Medium Tomatoes Chopped
• 2 Large Potatoes ( Cut into Quarters)
• 2 Green Chillies See Notes
• 4-5 Prunes or Dried Plums
• 1 Tbsp Ginger and Garlic Paste
• 1 Cup Plain Yoghurt
• ½ Cup Vegetable Oil
• ½ cup Fresh Mint
• ½ cup Fresh Coriander
• ½ Lemon Sliced

Spices

• 1 +1 ^tbsp Salt
• 2 Tsp Red chilli Powder
• 1 Tsp Chilli Flakes See Notes
• 1 Tsp Coriander Powder
• 1 Tbsp Cumin Seeds
• 1 Tsp Turmeric
• 1½ Tsp Garam Masala
• 5 Cloves
• 1 Cinnamon Stick
• 8-10 Black Pepper Corns
• 2 Whole Black Cardamoms
• 5-6 Whole Green Cardamoms
• 2 Bay leaves
• 1 Whole Star Anise

INSTRUCTIONS 

1. Wash and rinse rice. Soak them for at least 20 mins.
2. Fill a medium sized pot with water and add 1 tbsp Salt, Bay leaves, green cardamom , cloves and black peppercorn. Let the water boil until you prepare the chicken gravy.
3. Heat oil in a medium pot and fry the onion until medium brown
4. Add chicken, followed by garlic ginger paste and fry until chicken changes colour.
5. Add all the spices and fry for couple of minutes.
6. Whisk Yoghurt and add it to the chicken. Cook until water from yoghurt dries up and the oil can be seen on the top.
7. Add potatoes and fry for 1-2 mins.
8. Add finely chopped tomatoes and green chillies. Cover and cook on low flame for 15 – 20 minutes. Once done the tomatoes should be softened and it will have gravy like consistency. If it seems to be watery, turn the heat a bit high to ensure excess water is evaporated.
9. Drain the water from rice and add them to the boiling water. Parboil them until more than half cooked, but still hard in the center.
10. Drain the rice in a strainer or colander. Take a bigger pot which is big enough for rice and chicken. Layer half the rice. Followed by chicken. Add lemon, green chilli, coriander and mint and lastly layer up with remaining rice. Drizzle yellow food colour.
11.  Cover and turn the flame to the lowest. Rice will take around 15-20 mins to get fully cooked.
12. Using a flat spoon or spatula gently toss the rice but don’t mix vigoursly.
13. Serve with some salad and mint yoghurt.