Chicken Biryani

Instructions

Toast the saffron strands over very low heat until they turn crisp, then crush them finely with the back of a spoon. Steep the powder in 1 tablespoon of hot water.

Fry the onions in the oil until pale golden, then drain and cool them. Set aside 1 tablespoon of the fried onions for decoration and crush the rest coarsely. Keep the oil, since you will use it again.

Put the washed chicken pieces in a large bowl and toss them with the saffron and ginger so the meat is coated. Add the yoghurt, tomato, remaining spices, crushed fried onions, whole green chillies, mint, 2 cardamom pods and 1 piece of cinnamon. Leave to marinate for at least 1 hour.

While the chicken marinates, boil the masoor in salted water until tender and drain in a colander. Boil the rice with the other 2 cardamom pods and the second piece of cinnamon until half cooked, then drain well.

Fry the potatoes in the reserved onion oil until light yellow, then lift them out and set aside.

In a large flat-bottomed pot of 2 to 3 litres, heat the frying oil with half of the ghee. Scatter a handful each of rice and masoor over the base. Lay the marinated chicken and its spices on top, then add the masoor, the potatoes and half of the rice.

Place the hard-boiled eggs on the rice and cover with the remaining rice. If you like, tint a few spoonfuls of the rice with saffron and streak it over the white rice for a finish.

Top with the reserved fried onions, the rest of the ghee and ½ cup of cold water. Seal the lid tightly and cook over high heat for 5 minutes, until it starts to sizzle.

Lower the heat and simmer for 1 hour, until all the moisture has evaporated. Serve with fried rice papads, onion kachoomers and spiced dahi.