Mughlai biryani

Ingredients
1 1/2 kg chicken cut into small pieces
2 medium onions sliced
6 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbsp ginger, ground
1/2 cup yoghurt
1/4 kg tomatoes
10 green whole cardamom
4 black whole cardamom
2 tbsp black cumin seeds
10 cloves
2 tbsp black pepper
2-4 bay leaves
2 cinnamon stick
2 tsp coriander powder
3 tsp salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground mace
2 green chillies chopped
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup oil
1 tbsp of saffron, dissolved in a cup of hot milk
5 cups rice


Method
Heat oil in a pan and add onions. Cook on medium-low heat until golden brown. Remove onions and add chicken to the pan, stirring until brown. Meanwhile, in a blender, add yoghurt and half of the cooked onion and garlic/ginger. Blend and add to chicken. Also add tomatoes, cloves, black pepper, black cumin, bay leaf, cardamoms and a stick of cinnamon. Add coriander powder, salt and white pepper. Cook for half an hour on medium heat. Stir frequently. When the water has dried up and the chicken is done, add nutmeg and mace.


Boil rice in eight cups of water with salt and the remaining spices. Cook approximately for 10 minutes; drain the water leaving the whole spices with the rice. In a pan, make alternate layers of rice and chicken. Add half of the lemon juice, remaining onions and the chillies. Pour 1/4-cup oil on the top along with the saffron/milk mixture. Place in pre-heated oven (350 degrees) for one hour.