Firstly, heat 2 tbsp ghee in a pan, add the four green cardamoms and 2 large, few cloves, Cinnamon stick, Anise-flower, 2 bay leaves.
Next, add the ginger-garlic paste, sauté, and then add the sliced onions and sauté until pink.
Now, add the chicken and cook until slightly tender. See that you do not overcook the chicken as it will cook with the rice and it may become overcooked by then.
Subsequently, add the slit green chillies, diced tomato, salt, red chilli powder and the coriander-mint paste.
Consequently, Sauté and then add the soaked basmati rice, coconut milk and enough water.
Cook in the pan or transfer to a rice cooker which is easier and better as it is slow cooking like dum. ( You can’t go wrong cooking in the rice cooker as it comes down to keep warm mode once the water dries up and you can keep on watching Netflix without worrying that it would burn)
Add a little less water than the normal double, as the rice was pre-soaked and in the Biryani every grain in the rice remain separate. When the rice is almost cooked drizzle the ghee (I poured homemade ghee) over the biryani.
Once you open the lid the heady aroma will waft through the house and may even tickle your neighbour’s nose!
Finally, garnish Chicken Dum Biryani with Coconut Milk with coriander, fried egg and cashews and serve it piping hot with onion raita.
OR
Layer a handi with the rice and chicken and seal it with dough and cook it on slow fire to give dum. All the aromas will permeate nicely into the rice and meat, resulting in a lip-smacking wholesome meal.
For the Dahi and onion Raita
Whisk a cup of yoghurt; add a pinch of salt and a tsp sugar.
Chop a small onion finely. Add salt to it and keep aside for 10 minutes then wash and squeeze the water out from the onion, so that you remove the pungency from it and add to the yoghurt.
Garnish with freshly ground cumin powder, black salt, pepper, chilli powder, grated carrot and coriander leaves.
Recipe Notes
For the coconut milk- grate fresh coconut and blend it in the mixer with a little water. Add 2 cups warm or normal water and strain it. You have fresh coconut milk ready to use.