It took me a while to perfect my biryani and I love how there’s so many ways to make a biryani! I appreciate that this is bit time consuming but I have cut down on the spices by opting for the famous Shaan Bombay Biryani masala! It’s one of the best masalas and if you want a mildly spiced then just use half the pack.

I have added some of my own spice because the cook in me just can’t help it but I am sure it’s just as good with the masala pack of it’s own.

What you will need :

For the marinade:
1. 900g chicken on bone
2. juice of half a lemon
3. 1.5tsp ginger paste
4. 1.5tsp garlic paste
5. 5tbsp yoghurt
6. 2tbsp Salt
7. 1tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
8. 4tbsp Shaan Bombay Biryani masala
9. 1/4tsp cinnamon powder
10. 1/4tsp nutmeg powder
11. 1/4tsp mace powder
12. whole garam masala
13. 1tsp mint
14. 1/2 cup fried onion

For the curry:
1. 3tbsp ghee
2. 1 cup sliced onion
3. 3-4 dry red chilli
4. 1/4 top coriander seeds
5. 1/4tsp cumin seeds
6. 1/cup chopped tomatoes
7. 1tsp sugar
8. 4- 5 boiled and fried potatoes

For the rice :
1. 3 cups Sella basmati rice
2. 9 cups hot water
3. 3tbsp Salt
4. 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
5. 1/2tsp coriander seeds
6. 2-4 cardamom
7. 2 cinnamon
8. 2 Bay leaf
9. pinch of nutmeg
10. 2tbsp lemon juice
11. food colour (optional)
12. fresh coriander
fried onion

Steps:

1. Marinate the meat with the lemon juice, yoghurt, spices,salt and fried onions for 20 minutes, even better if left overnight.

2. Boil some potatoes, then mix in a pinch of turmeric or food colour, salt and fry.

3.Heat ghee in a pan, add whole garam masala spices, onions and red chillies. fry until onions are soft and then add chopped tomatoes.

4. Stir fry the onion and tomato mix, add the sugar to reduce the acidity of the tomatoes.

5. Add the chicken and fry for 5 mins in high heat, add 1 cup of water, cover with lid and cook the chicken for 20 minutes in low medium heat. Finish off with prunes and green chilli.

6.Meanwhile boil 9 cups of water with whole garam masala and salt, soak and drain the rice. Add the rice once water is boiling. Cook the rice until its almost done, can take 10 minutes ( rice is done when you can just about break the grain). Strain the rice and check for salt.

7.Spread out 1 tbsp oil in a heavy bottomed pan, add a layer of the chicken gravy then a layer of the rice, followed by the chicken, potatoes and rice again. you can have 2 – 3 layers. Add some fried onion, fresh coriander and green chilli on top of each layer of rice.

Finish the top layer of rice with a pinch of nutmeg, lemon juice and food colour sprinkled around the layer.

8. Slow cook on low heat for 20 minutes. Even better if you can place your pot on a flat pan and then put it on low heat.

Biryani slow cooked in layers is what makes the rice so full of flavour so even if you skimp on all the extra spices, DO NOT ignore the layering steps and the whole “dum” baking process.