Name: Chicken biryani
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 75 min
Total time: 105 min
Yield: 4 - 6
Ingredients: 1 onion, thinly sliced; 150 ml vegetable oil; 2½ tbsp sweet paprika; 1 tbsp each black peppercorns, cumin seeds and coriander seeds; 2½ tsp each ground turmeric and ground chilli; ¼ tsp finely grated nutmeg; 3 cardamom pods; 2 cloves; 2 star anise; 1 cinnamon quill, broken into rough pieces; 2 long dried chillies, broken into rough pieces; 1 fresh bay leaf; 500 gm thick natural yoghurt; ½ cup each finely chopped mint and coriander, plus extra coriander sprigs to serve; 1½ tbsp finely grated ginger; 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 4 chicken Marylands, halved through the joint; 400 gm basmati rice; 50 gm butter, diced; 70 ml milk; ¼ tsp saffron threads; To serve: fried shallots and lemon wedges

Chicken biryani

A multi-layered affair with chicken, rice and spice.

Serves 4 - 6

Prep

30M

Cook

1H 15M

Total

1H 45M

In this one-pot classic, the rice soaks up all the spicy goodness and chicken juices. Use a heavy-based casserole to keep it from scorching on the bottom. Start this recipe a day ahead to marinate the chicken.

Ingredients

1 onion, thinly sliced

150 ml vegetable oil

2½ tbsp sweet paprika

1 tbsp each black peppercorns, cumin seeds and coriander seeds

2½ tsp each ground turmeric and ground chilli

¼ tsp finely grated nutmeg

3 cardamom pods

2 cloves

2 star anise

1 cinnamon quill, broken into rough pieces

2 long dried chillies, broken into rough pieces

1 fresh bay leaf

500 gm thick natural yoghurt

½ cup each finely chopped mint and coriander, plus extra coriander sprigs to serve

1½ tbsp finely grated ginger

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

4 chicken Marylands, halved through the joint

400 gm basmati rice

50 gm butter, diced

70 ml milk

¼ tsp saffron threads

To serve: fried shallots and lemon wedges

Method

Main

1.Fry onion in 120ml oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden (6-8 minutes). Transfer to a bowl and cool. Dry-roast spices, chilli and bay leaf over medium heat, then pound with a mortar and pestle to a fine powder. Add to onion along with yoghurt, herbs, ginger, garlic and 2 tsp sea salt and mix well. Add chicken, stir to coat, cover and refrigerate overnight to marinate.

2.Spread chicken mixture in the base of a heavy-based casserole with a tight-fitting lid. Bring rice, 20gm butter, remaining oil and enough well-salted water to cover by 2cm to the boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Drain and spread over chicken.

3.Bring milk, saffron and remaining butter to the simmer in a saucepan over medium-high heat, then pour over rice, cover with foil, then the lid. Cook over low heat until rice is fluffy and chicken is cooked through (50 minutes-1 hour). Stand for 15 minutes without removing the lid, then serve hot, scattered with fried shallots and coriander sprigs, and with lemon wedges to the side.