Hyderabadi Dum Biryani (Chicken)

What you’ll need

• 120g basmati rice and 4 cups water
• 300g chicken and 80g yoghurt
• 15g ginger-garlic paste and 12g salt
• 8g turmeric, 12g chilli powder and 25g Hyderabadi masala
• 1 medium onion, sliced, and 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• Cardamom, cinnamon, pepper and cloves
• 2 tablespoons ghee
• Chopped coriander, mint, kewra water and rose water

The method

1. 01Marinate the chicken with yoghurt, ginger-garlic paste, salt, turmeric, chilli powder, Hyderabadi masala and lemon juice. Set aside for 1 hour.
2. 02Rinse the rice, then soak it for 30 minutes and drain.
3. 03Heat the ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add the cardamom, cinnamon, pepper and cloves, then sauté briefly until fragrant.
4. 04Add the sliced onion and sauté for 2–3 minutes until golden brown.
5. 05Add the marinated chicken and cook for 10 minutes, until about three-quarters cooked.
6. 06Layer the soaked rice over the chicken. Scatter over chopped coriander and mint, then add a few drops each of kewra water and rose water.
7. 07Pour in 4 cups of water, cover tightly and cook gently for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken and rice are fully cooked.