Katchi Biryani

• 4 large onions, finely sliced and fried in ghee or butter
• 2 cups yoghurt
• 3 green chiles, chopped
• 1 bunch mint leaves, chopped
• 2 Tbsp ghee or butter
• 1 tsp garam masala
• Salt, to taste
• 1 Tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 2 lbs chicken
• Black cardamom pods
• Black cumin seeds (kala zeera)
• Whole black peppercorns
• Salt, to taste
• 1 Tbsp oil
• 2 ¾ cups uncooked rice
• 8 Tbsp butter, in 4 pieces
• Lemon juice
• 1 pinch of saffron or a few drops yellow food coloring
• Milk
• 2 green chillies, whole
• 1 bunch coriander leaves, chopped
• Fried onions
• Garam masala powder

Ingredients for 12 servings (3.1 kg) · the original recipeShow how each ingredient was counted

Method

1. 1

   Combine fried onions, yoghurt, chopped green peppers, chopped mint leaves, ghee, garam masala powder, salt, ginger garlic paste. Add the chicken pieces, and leave this to marinate at least 4–5 hours.

2. 2

   Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add cardamom, black cumin, peppercorns, cinnamon stick, salt, and oil. When the water boils, mix in the rice.

   Stovetop
3. 3

   Cook the rice until tender but not completely cooked—it will cook more later. Drain the water from the rice.

4. 4

   Add a very thin layer of rice on the bottom of the pot to prevent the meat from sticking. Add the marinated chicken on top. Top the chicken with the remaining drained rice.

5. 5

   Combine the saffron and milk. Place one butter chunk in each quadrant of the pot. Pour the lemon juice and saffron milk over the rice, then stick the whole chiles in the rice.

6. 6

   Add the chopped coriander leaves, fried onions, and a sprinkle of garam masala.

7. 7

   Cover pot completely with foil so no steam can escape. Cook over high heat for about 10 minutes.

   Stovetop
8. 8

   Reduce heat to medium. Continue cooking about 30–35 minutes, rotating the pot every 10 minutes for even heating.

9. 9

   Check to make sure the meat and rice are fully cooked.

10. 10

    Serve.