MOPPILAH BIRIYANI

Directions

1. Grind to a paste the ginger, green chilies and garlic • Peel and slice the onions very thin, also the tomatoes • Powder the cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, aniseed and caraway
2. Combine the chili, coriander and turmeric powders with the salt and apply onto the cleaned chicken pieces. Keep to marinate
3. In a heavy, moderately deep, vessel, heat half the ghee andfry and remove the cashews and risen
4. Sauté the onions in the hot ghee, when it start turning slightly brown, toss in the chopped tomato, the fresh ground paste, and half the spice powder mix • Stir the whole mixture well and add the marinated chicken pieces. Cover and cook. Take care not to overcook
5. Bring salted water to the boil in a large vessel • Pour the washed rice into the boiling water and cook till three fourth done. The rice should also not be overcooked.
6. Drain Into an oven proof dish, spoon in a quarter of the boiled rice
7. Place one third of the chicken pieces and pour a little of the gravy • Sprinkle a little spice powder (Cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, aniseed and caraway )and few shreds of coriander and mint leaves. Also a few cashews and Raisins (Kismis)
8. Repeat for the remaining two portions • sprinkle the remaining half portion of the ghee over the last layer of rice
9. Cover the dish with a tight lid or with aluminum foil and bake fifteen to twenty minutes At 180 degree centigrade
10. Serve hot or keep overnight in the refrigerator,( before you keep in the fridge make sure that the biryani is not hot it should be room temperature then cover with tight lid or with aluminum foil) the flavors will mellow and the taste will improve. If you do so preheat the oven at 180 degree centigrade and bake for 20 minute
11. Garnish the biryani with coriander leaf and slices of hard-boiled egg.
12. Serve with Tamarind Chutney and Onion Tomato raita .