Recipe Hyderabad Briyani

1 1/2 kg chicken, skinned, cut into serving pieces
1 1/2 cup ghee
5 cardamoms
1/2 cup almonds, halved
8 sprigs mint, leaves only
3 tsbp ginger garlic paste
2 cups curd
10 peppercorns
8 cloves
1 cup coriander leaves
3 1/2 cups long grain rice,soaked in water, washed
1 tsp mixed cummin seeds and shahjeera
1/2 tsp. saffron
2tsp. chilli power
1 ci[ ,o;l
4 onions, sliced
1 tsp. turmeric powder
1 tsp. garam masala powder
salt to taste.

Marinate chicken in ginger-garlic paste and curd. Add salt to this. Heat 1 cup ghee to hot. Add cloves, cardamoms and peppercorns. Add cummin seeds, shahjeera and almonds. Add chicken, turmeric, chilli, garam masala powders and 1 1/2 cups hot water. Cook till chicken is tender. Add coriander and mint leaves. Reserve.

Heat 1/4 cup ghee to hot, and fry the rice to golden. Add double the quantity of hot water (7 cups) and pressure cook the rice till it is done but not soft. Fry onions in the remaining 1/4 cup ghee. Drain and keep crisp. In a large pan, pu a layer of rice. Top with a few fried onions and saffron strands. Add a layer of chicken. Repeat till rice and chicken are over. Sprinkle milk over. Cover tightly and finish cooking in a overn or by placing the pan on a hot griddle till each grain of rice is fluffy and the briyani is aromatic.