Chicken Biryani

Persian baked chicken and rice

Ingredients

• 6 chicken drumsticks

Marinade

• 1/4 cup mint
• 2 Tablespoons ginger and garlic paste
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 Tablespoon cream
• salt, as needed

Curry

• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2-inch chunk of ginger, minced
• 1/2 cup mint
• 1 cup thick coconut milk
• 2 cups water or chicken broth
• 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 2 Tablespoons garam masala
• 6-7 whole cloves
• 2 sticks cinnamon
• 6-7 whole peppercorns
• 3 whole star anise
• 3 dry bay leaves
• salt, as needed

Rice

• 3 cups Basmati rice
• 1/2 small onion, julienned
• 3 whole cloves
• 2 cardamom pods, cracked
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 Tablespoons ghee
• 5 1/2 cups of water

Directions

Grind together the marinade ingredients. Make slits on the flesh of the drumsticks, coat with the marinade and let rest for a few hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350° F.

Sauté the onions, garlic, and ginger in oil until translucent. Remove from heat and cool. Grind together the cooked onions and mint. In a deep bowl, roast the whole spices in ghee until their aromas are released. Return the onion mixture to the pan and cook until the oil starts separating. Add the dry spices and salt, mix and sauté for a few minutes. Add the coconut milk and broth and bring to a boil. Add the marinated chicken pieces and cook on medium until the meat is fully cooked. Let the curry cool until just warm.

Meanwhile, prepare the rice. Roast the whole spices in ghee and then sauté the onions in the same. When soft, add the Basmati rice and roast for a few minutes. Add water and salt and cook the rice until just done. Let it cool to warm. Do not touch the rice when hot as they are most brittle then.

When ready to assemble, spread the rice in a deep dish, oven proof pan. A little by little add the curry and gently tossed until it's just wet. (The recipe makes a lot more curry than you need. For 3 cups of raw rice, you will not need more a cup and a half of the curry.) Arrange the chicken pieces around the dish, cover with a bit rice, so they don't dry out. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Check in between to see if the biryani is drying out. If so, add more curry and gently toss.

Serve hot with naan or roti.