Chicken Biryani

In a large skillet, toast the spices over medium-low heat until they’re fragrant, three to five minutes. Remove the spices from the heat, and let them cool. Transfer the spices to a spice grinder, and process them to a fine powder. Set the spice powder mixture aside. Editor’s Tip: After toasting the spices, transfer them to a heat-proof plate. If you keep them in the hot pan, they will continue to cook and may burn. Also, instead of a spice grinder, you can use a mortar and pestle, though you would need to be extra vigilant to ensure no tiny bits and pieces of whole spices remain.

In a food processor or high-powered blender, combine the yogurt, ginger, garlic, soaked cashews (discard the soaking liquid), ghee, salt and nutmeg. Puree the mixture until it’s completely smooth. Transfer the marinade to a large glass bowl. Add the chicken to the marinade along with the reserved toasted spice powder mixture and the bay leaves. Toss everything together until the chicken is thoroughly coated. Cover the mixture with storage wrap and refrigerate it for at least one hour.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, and add 1 tablespoon of ghee. Once hot, add the potatoes and turmeric. Cook the potatoes until the edges are lightly browned, five to six minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the potatoes to a plate, then set them aside.

Add the remaining 4 tablespoons of ghee to the Dutch oven. Add half of the sliced onions and cook, stirring constantly, until the onions are crisp, five to six minutes. Remove the fried onions with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a paper-towel lined plate. Add the remaining onions to the Dutch oven. Cook them over medium-low heat until the onions are golden brown, six to seven minutes. Stir in the chili powder, garam masala and salt.

Discard the bay leaves from the chicken marinade. Add the chicken and marinade to the pot of caramelized onions, and cook over medium heat for four to five minutes, stirring often and scraping the bottom of the pot to prevent the sauce from sticking. Add the potatoes and cook for 15 minutes over medium heat, occasionally stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot.

Meanwhile, rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear, then add the rice to a small saucepot. Add the warm water, salt and ghee. If desired, add the cardamom pod, bay leaf and cloves for flavor. Cook the rice, uncovered, over medium-low heat until the water has absorbed and the rice grains have a slight bite when pressed between two fingers, four to five minutes. Remove the cardamom pod, bay leaf and cloves if you added them. Fluff the rice with a fork and it set aside.

Add the milk to a separate small saucepan. Add the saffron and cook over low heat until the milk is just warmed. Editor’s Tip: Do not let the milk come to a boil, or it will boil over the sides of the saucepan and create a huge mess. Trust me, been there!

Place half of the cooked rice on top of the chicken, along with half of the reserved fried onions and the dried fruits. Layer the remaining rice and, with the back of a wooden spoon or spatula, poke several holes on the surface of the rice. Pour the warm saffron milk overtop and sprinkle with a teaspoon of kewra water, if desired. Finally, top it with the remaining fried onions. Editor’s Tip: If you’re using a regular heavy-bottomed pot with a lid that might not be as heavy or secure as a Dutch oven, tightly cover the pot with aluminum foil before placing the lid on top. The foil will ensure that the steam (which holds the flavors and aromas crucial for a great biryani) will not escape during the cooking process.

Cover the Dutch oven with the lid, transfer it to the oven and bake the biryani until the chicken is tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Let the chicken biryani rest, covered, for five minutes. Remove the lid, and carefully mix the rice and chicken, scraping the bottom of the pot and pulling some of the chicken pieces to the surface (do not overmix). Serve the chicken biryani family-style.