Murg Ambari Biryani & Poppy Seed Cake

Serves : 4
Time required : 45 minutes

400 g boneless chicken , cubed
125 g ghee
5 g garam masala powder
60 g ginger - garlic paste
150 g curd
3 g white pepper powder
Salt to taste
10 g ginger , julienned
8 green chillies , slit lengthwise
15 g browned onions
400 g basmati rice, washed and soaked for 20 minutes
1 g cardamom - mace powder

70 ml cream
5 g mint leaves , chopped
Atta dough for sealing the lid
2 eggs , hard - boiled , shelled and sliced
1 teaspoon saffron ( dilute with 2 teaspoon warm milk )

5 g sandalwood powder
5 g mace
8 cardamom
5 g kebab chini powder
5 cm cinnamon

Heat ghee in a pan and season with the whole garam masala , add ginger - garlic paste and saute for three minutes.

Add chicken and saute for three minutes . Add curd , pepper powder , salt , ginger juliennes , green chillies and brown onions. Fry well and cook chicken until chicken is cooked.

Bring plenty of water to boil a boil with the banquet of garni and salt. Add rice and cook till three- fourth done.

Remove banquet garni and drain out the water .

Put the pan with the chicken on low heat. Sprinkle cardamom - mace powder , cream and mint leaves over. Arrange egg slices over it.

Cover with a layer of rice . Sprinkle saffron milk. Cover the rice with a moist cloth or butter paper and seal the lid with atta dough.

Put the sealed pan on dum in a pre - heated oven or on a hot plate with live charcoal on top for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve hot with raita.

Note . Self - rising flour can be used in place of the flour , baking powder and soda, if desired. However the texture won?t be quite as light.

2 2/3 cups sifted plain flour
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon soda bicarbonate
250 g ( 8 oz ) butter or margarine
1 3/4 cups sugar
5 eggs , separated
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup poppy seeds
2 to 3 teaspoon grated lemon peel
2 teaspoon sifted icing sugar to decorate ( optional )

Grease and flour a 25 cm ( 10 in ) decorative ring tin. Preheat oven to 150 * C ( gas / electric ).

Sift together the flour, baking powder and soda into a bowl.

Beat together the butter and 1 1/2 cups of the sugar until light and creamy. Beat the egg yolks , one at a time , until combined.

Add the dry ingredients , alternately with the buttermilk , beating until smooth after each addition. Beat in poppy seeds and the lemon peel.

In a separate bowl with clean beater , beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar , beating constantly to stiff, glossy peaks. Fold meringue into batter until no steaks remains.
Pour into prepared tin.

Bake until top springs back when touched lightly, about 55 minutes. Cool slightly ; loosen from tin. Invert on to wire rack ; cool completely . Sprinkle with icing sugar before serving , if desired . Wrap cut cake to store.