Tiers

Ingredients

• 1/2 or 1 chicken (according to your preference) cut into pieces
• 3 medium onions (sliced)
• 1/2 cup oil
• 6 peppercorns
• 4 cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 star anise
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 3 whole green chillies
• 2 tsps ginger garlic paste
• 300ml tin tomato (grounded)
• 2 heaped tsps coriander powder
• 2 tsps cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• Red chilli powder to taste
• Salt to taste
• 1 level tbsp shaan Bombay biryaani masala
• 2 tbsps yoghurt
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Rice:

• 1 1/2 cup rice (washed & soaked for a few hours)
• 3 tsps salt
• Fried onions
• Butter / ghee as needed
• 1 potato (washed & peeled)
• 1/4 tsp saffron

Method

1. Recite Bismillah
2. In a small glass / bowl, add the saffron to 1/4 cup boiling water and allow it to bloom.
3. Fry onions, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, cumin seeds, green chillies, star anise, bay leaf in oil till the onions are pinkish in colour.
4. Add ginger garlic paste & cook for a few seconds.
5. Then add the remaining spices & cook for a few seconds.
6. Add the tinned tomato. Cook till oil begins to release.
7. Add the chicken, potato and yoghurt. Turn off heat.
8. Boil the rice with salt till it is half cooked (5-6mins).
9. Line a small pot with foil in such a way that you will then be able to cover the biryani at the end.
10. Add a few small knobs of butter/ ghee to the bottom of the pot.
11. Now add half the rice. Sprinkle some saffron water.
12. Add all of the chicken.
13. Then layer the remaining rice and sprinkle remaining saffron water.
14. Sprinkle fried onions & few knobs of butter / ghee.
15. Seal the biryani with the foil & then a tight lid.
16. Cook on high heat for 5 mins till steam releases.
17. Then cook on medium heat for 10 mins.
18. Finally cook on low heat with a flat skillet underneath for 30-45mins. Place something heavy on lid as this will stop the steam from escaping the pot. Or you could cook it in the oven at 180c for 30-45mins.Enjoy!