Hyderabad dum chicken biryani

Chicken - 1 kgBasmati rice - 2 cupsWater - 5 cupsCorrainder leaves - 1 bunchMint leaves - 1/2 bunchGreen chillies - 12 to 13 nosCinnamon stick - 2 nosCardamom - 5 nosCloves - 6MaceBlack cumin seeds (shahi jeera) - 2 tspBay leaf - 2 nosGinger garlic paste - 2 tbspTurmeric powder - 1/2 tspLime juice - 2 tbspFried onions - 1 cup (Deep fry the sliced onions in the oil)Chilly powder - 2 tsp (as per ur spice level)Corrainder powder - 2 tspCumin powder - 1 tspSaffron strands (soaked in 3 tbsp of water) - I replaced it with red food colorGhee (clarified butter) - 3 tbspOil - 4 tbspAluminum foil to cover the pan.

Directions to cook :

# Soak the rice in water for half an hour. Keep aside.

# Finely chop the corrainder leaves & mint leaves.

# Heat 1/2 tsp of oil in the pan, add 1 cinnamon stick, 3 cardamons, 3 cloves, mace, 1 bay leaf & 1 tsp black cumin seeds. Keep aside.

# Marinade the chicken pieces in the fried seasonings, lime juice, 1/2 qty of chopped corrainder leaves, mint leaves, green chillies, ginger garlic paste,turmeric powder, 1/2 cup fried onions, chilly powder, corrainder powder, cumin powder & salt to taste for atleast 2 hrs preferebly overnight.

# Boil 5 cups of water in a pan, add the remaining cinnamon stick, cardamom, cloves, black cumin seeds, bay leaf, salt & cook the rice till half done. Remove & drain the water. Keep aside.

# Pour the oil & ghee in the non-stick pan, spoon in the marinated chicken as the first layer & then the cooked rice as the second layer. Finally, spread the remaining fried onions, corriander leaves, mint leaves & the dissolved saffron.

# Cover the pan tightly with the aluminum foil. Cover & cook for 10 min on medium heat and then on slow heat for 30 mins.

# Remove from heat and stand with lid covered for approx 10 min.

serve warm with raita.