Hyderabadi chicken Dum Biryani

Serves : 8
Ingredients:-
There are steps in preparing Hyderabadi chicken dum biryani.

Step 1 :
Cooking rice.It should be half cooked and the rice will be cooked later with marinated chicken under steam(dum).Thats why this biryani is called Dum biryani.It may look difficult intially but once you start preparing.It is the most easiest dish to prepare for all special occasions.
To cook the rice you need the following ingredients.

Note: If you have rice cooker you can cook it with the following measurement.If you dont have rice cooker you need to add 10 cups of water instead of 6 cups.

Basmati, Long Grained Rice - 4cups
Water - 6 cups
Oil -2 tbsp
Cinnamon sticks - 2
Cloves - 5no
Bay leaves - 2no
Cardamon - 6no

Method:
Soak the rice for 30mins in water.
In a large vessel combine the rice, water, salt,rest of the ingredients and cook till the rice is half-done. Drain the excess liquid and spread the rice on a plate to cool.

Step 2:
Marination of the chicken.It should be done minimun for 4 hrs.If can marinate one day before making the biryani it would be more tasty.

Chicken - 900 gms, mixed pieces of chicken with bone, Boneless, skinless breast pieces, cut into 2 cms cubes
Shah Zeera/Royal Cumin - 1 tbsp
Onions - 5, large, sliced
Cinnamom - 2inches(2no)
Cloves - 6
Green Cardamom - 4
Ginger-Garlic Paste - 2 tbsp
Yoghurt -2 cup
Tomatoes - 1, large and ripe (optional)
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder - 2 tsp
Lemon juice - 6 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Saffron Strands/Edible Red Food Colour - a pinch
Saffron strands/Edible Yellow Food Colour - a pinch
Bay leaves - 1
Green Chillies - 3, small sized, slit lengthwise
Butter/Ghee - 3 tbsp
Fresh Mint leaves - 2 tbsp, wahsed
Fresh Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp, washed, chopped finely
Javetri (mace) 1tbsp

Note:
Shan biryani masala - 1 1/2 tsp(optional)If you can get this masala it would be more handy.You need to add this to the above ingredients.When you add this masala powder you need to reduce by half the above spieces like cinnamom,cloves and mace.
If you adding the whole ingredients you need to crush them into powder before adding to the chicken.

Method:
Grind the ingredients to be ground to a fine paste. Mix this paste with yoghurt and salt. Make cuts on the chicken pieces and rub this marinade into them well. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least four hours.

Step 3:

Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan till hot and fry the sliced onions till they are crisp and golden brown.
Add the marinated chicken pieces, mix well with all other ingredients and add fried onion
In a large heavy-bottomed pan add chicken with marinade and top , a layer of rice topped with a portion of the saffron milk. In this way arrange alternate layers of melted clarified butter (ghee)/ butter, chicken, rice and saffron milk till they are all used up. Make sure the topmost layer is of rice topped with melted clarified butter (ghee) / butter and saffron milk.
cook on high heat for first 10 min and next 10 min medium heat and next 10 in low heat
cover it with a tight fitting lid. Cook on very low level
Garnish with slices of boiled eggs, nuts or raisins.