Chicken Biryani

Ingredients

• 750 g / 1.5 lb chicken thighs , skin on, bone in, halved along bone

Marinade:

• 2/3 cup / 150 ml yoghurt , plain
• 1/2 cup / 125 ml water
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil (or other plain oil)
• 6 garlic cloves , minced
• 2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
• 1/8 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cayenne (adjust spiciness to taste)
• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
• 2 tsp garam marsala 
• 2 tsp coriander
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 2 tbsp paprika , sweet / ordinary (not smoked)
• 1 3/4 tsp salt

Par Boiled Rice:

• 2 tbsp salt
• 10 cloves
• 5 dried bay leaves
• 1 star anise
• 6 green cardamon pods
• 2 1/4 cups / 450g basmati rice

Crispy Onions :

• 2 medium onions (yellow, brown) , halved and finely sliced
• 1 cup / 250 ml oil , for frying

Saffron:

• 1 tsp saffron threads (loosely packed)
• 2 tbsp warm water

Biryani:

• 1 cup coriander / cilantro , chopped
• 60 g / 1/4 cup ghee or unsalted butter , melted

Garnish:

• Crispy onions (above)
• Chopped coriander / cilantro
• Yoghurt 

Directions

combine Marinade in a very massive pot (about 26cm / 11" diameter). Add chicken and coat well. Marinade twenty minutes to long.

Par cooked Rice:

Bring three litres / three quarts water to the boil, add salt and spices.
Add rice, bring duplicate to the boil then cook for four minutes, or till rice is simply lyonnaise still a touch firm within the middle. Rice can style salty at this stage, disappears in next stage of change of state.
Drain straight off. Set aside. (re: going away whole spices in)

Crispy Onions:

Heat oil in a very massive cooking pan over medium high heat. Cook onion, in batches, for three to four minutes, till golden brown. do not burn - they become bitter.
take away onto towel lined plate. Repeat with remaining onion.

Saffron:

Place in a very bowl, leave for ten minutes+.

Biryani:

Place pot with chicken in it onto a stove over medium heat. cowl and cook for five minutes.
Remove lid. Cook for five minutes, turning chicken double.
take away from heat.
flip chicken thus skin facet is down - it ought to cowl most of the bottom of the pot.
Scatter over [*fr1] the onion then [*fr1] the coriander.
prime with all the rice. Gently pat down and flatten surface.
Drizzle saffron across rice surface in random pattern, then drizzle over clarified butter.
Place lid on. come to stove over medium heat.
As presently as you see steam, flip all the way down to low then cook for twenty five minutes.
take away from stove, rest with lid on for ten minutes.

To Serve:

Aim to serve it thus you get nice patches of yellow rice, white rice, the curry stained rice + chicken (rather than all mixed up). To do this, use an oversized spoon and dig deep into the pot, and check out to lift out the maximum amount as you'll in one scoop.
end up into bowl - or onto platter. Garnish with remaining onion and coriander with yoghourt on the facet ( for Minted Yoghurt