Nawabi Hyderabadi Biryani with Almonds Recipe

Ingredients:
1 1/2 kgs chicken, skinned, cut into serving pieces
1 1/2 cups ghee
5 cardamoms
1/2 cup almonds, blanced, halved
8 sprigs mint, leaves only
1 tsp mixed cumin seeds and shahjeera
1/2 tsp saffron
2 tsp chilli powder
salt to taste
3 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
2 cups curd
10 peppercorns
8 cloves
1 cup coriander leaves, chopped
3 1/2 cups long grain rice, soaked in water, washed
1 cup milk
4 onions sliced
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp garam masala powder

Method:
1. Marinate chicken in ginger-garlic paste and curds.
2. Add salt to this.
3. Heat 1 cup ghee to hot.
4. Add cloves, cardamoms and peppercorns.
5. Add cumin seeds, shahjeera and almonds.
6. Add chicken, turmeric, chilli, garam masala powders and 1 1/2 cups hot water
7. Cook till chicken is tender.
8. Add coriander and mint leaves. Reserve.
9. Heat 1/4 cup ghee to hot and fry the rice to golden.
10. Add double the quantity of hot water (7 cups) and pressure cook the rice till it is done but not soft.
11. Fry onions in the remaining 1/4 cup ghee.
12. Drain and keep crisp.
13. In a large pan, put a layer of rice. Top with a few fried onions and saffron strands.
14. Add a layer of chicken.
15. Repeat till rice and chicken are over.
16. Sprinkle milk over. Cover tightly and finish cooking in an oven or by placing the pan on a hot griddle till each grain of rice is fluffy.

Serves 8