Hyderabadi Chicken Biriyani

Directions

1. Remove chicken skins and trim fatty tissue. Wash and drain. Place chicken in a large bowl.
2. Add yogurt, turmeric powder, chile powder, ginger and garlic paste, slit green chile, cilantro, juice of lime, cinnamon stick, cloves and kosher salt to the chicken
3. Peel and thinly slice onions
4. Heat 1/2 cup of oil in a frying pan. Add onions to heated oil and fry till golden brown and crisp. Drain on paper towels.
5. Keep 1/2 cup of fried onions aside for garnishing biriyani. Crumble the rest into the chicken marinade
6. Mix really well, cover and refrigerate for 8 hours, preferably overnight
7. Let the chicken come to room temperature before you cook it
8. Meanwhile peel and cube potatoes
9. Heat oil in a kadhai or wok and deep fry potatoes till golden brown. They don't have to cook all the way through, just browned. Add them to chicken.
10. Wash the rice till water runs clear, about 3 rinses and place in a large pan.
11. Add in the water, kosher salt and ghee. Bring to a boil, cover and turn the flame very low and leave undisturbed for 14 minutes. Uncover and fluff the rice with a fork.
12. Put chicken and potatoes in a deep ovenproof pot and place on a low flame. A Le creuset works really well. Cover with lid on and cook for 45 minutes or till chicken is cooked.
13. Place saffron threads in a tablespoon. Hold the tablespoon over an open flame to let saffron crisp up for 15 seconds. Leave to cool
14. Heat the milk in the microwave-safe bowl for 15 seconds.
15. Crumble saffron into hot milk and let it sit for 2 to 3 minutes
16. Spread rice over chicken
17. Dribble saffron milk over the rice.
18. Sprinkle set aside fried onions over rice
19. Take some non-stick foil and cover the pot tightly. Replace the lid and place in oven for 15 minutes.
20. Uncover lid and foil carefully.
21. Serve biriyani with raita