Instruction

• Clean and cut the chicken; marinate briefly with salt, turmeric and a little oil
• Rinse and soak basmati rice 20–30 minutes
• In a large pot, heat ghee/oil
• Fry chopped onion until golden
• Add minced garlic and green chillies and fry 1–2 min
• Add whole spices (cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves) and ground spices (coriander, cumin)
• Stir until fragrant
• Add chicken pieces, brown lightly and add enough water/chicken stock to cover
• Simmer until chicken is nearly cooked
• Remove chicken; measure remaining liquid and add soaked rice
• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and cook rice until almost done
• Return the chicken to the rice pot on top, cover tightly and steam on low for 10–15 min so flavors meld
• (Optional) For authentic smoky aroma: heat a small charcoal until red hot, place it on a small foil cup in the centre of the pot, add a tsp of butter/oil on the coal then cover immediately to trap smoke for 5–10 minutes
• Remove coal
• Garnish with fried onions, chopped coriander and serve with chutney or raita