Biryani is a mixed rice dish with its origins among the Muslims of the Indian subcontinent. It is made with Indian spices, rice, and meat (chicken, beef, goat, pork, lamb, prawn, or fish), or vegetables and sometimes, in addition, eggs and/or potatoes in certain regional varieties. Biryani is popular throughout the Indian subcontinent, as well as among its diaspora. It is also prepared in other regions such as parts of Afghanistan, Iran and Iraq. It is a dish that has acquired a niche for itself in South Asian cuisine.
Biryani is prepared using fragrant rice, aromatic spices, and chicken. It is prepared in many ways but here is a delicious and easiest fail proof chicken biryani recipe.

INGREDIENTS
For rice
300 gms basmati rice
2 litres water
Salt as required
2 tbsp ghee
1 bay leaf
2 green cardamom
1 inch cinnamon
8 black pepper corn
4 cloves
For chicken
2 tbsp oil
2 tsp ghee
2 green cardamoms
1 black cardamom
4 cloves
1 inch cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
Marination of chicken
600 gms chicken
Salt as required
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp chilly pwd
1 cup curd
2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1 large onion (golden fry)
1 cup chopped tomatoes
handful of mint and coriander leaves
Garnish
1 large onion (golden fry)
Mint leaves

Method
• In a large bowl add the washed chicken pieces, yogurt, ginger garlic paste, salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, fried onions, tomatoes, salt and a handful of chopped mint and coriander leaves. Mix it well and let it marinate for at least 1 hour.

• Rinse rice gently ensuring to take out only starch and not break the grains 2 to 3 times. Soak basmati rice in water for about 20 minutes.

• Boil about 2 liters of water in large deep bottomed pot. Add about 2Tbsp of ghee whole spices such as cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamoms, black peppercorns, and salt as required

• Add the washed and soaked rice to the boiling water and let it cook on high flame. When it’s 3/4th cooked drain the rice

• In a pan Add 2Tbsp of oil and 2Tbsp of ghee and once it heats well, add whole garam masala such as cinnamon stick, cloves and cardamoms.

• Now add the marinated chicken into the pan and mix well.

• Cover it with a lid and cook on a medium flame till it’s done.

• Once the chicken is cooked layer the cooked rice over the chicken gravy. Sprinkle some fried onion, coriander and mint leaves on top of it.

• Cover it with a lid and cook on low flame for 10 minutes. Once it done switch off the flame and allow to rest for 15 minutes.

• To serve gently scoop out biryani from the pan from the bottom, so you get layers of rice and meat along with all the wonderful masalas. Best served with cool refreshing raita.

Tips

• Marinate chicken in all the spices for at least 1 hour. Marinating it overnight in refrigerator would yield tasty chicken biryani.

• Using basmati rice while making biryani makes the biryani very delicious

• Always check the salt taste while cooking rice, else the biryani would not get the required taste.

• Don’t skip on fresh coriander and mint leaves. Fresh herbs adds tons of flavor to the biryani