Cooking time - 30 minutes
Ingredients
For the rice
Basmati Rice - 1/2 kg
Salt - to taste
Black pepper – 6
Cinnamon sticks - 2
Cardamom - 2
Cloves -5
Bay leaf - 1
Black cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Ghee or clarified butter - 2 teaspoon
Water - as required (Every one cup of rice needs two cups of water)
For the masala
Chicken - 1/2 kg ( Washed and cut into chunk size pieces)
Ginger - garlic paste - 2 tablespoon
Red chili powder - 2 teaspoon
Cumin powder - 1 teaspoon
Garam masala powder - 1 teaspoon
Green chilies - 8 - 10 ( adjust according to spice)
Fresh coriander leaves - 1/2 cup chopped
Onions - 3 ( medium sized) ( finely chopped)
Yoghurt - 1 cup
Salt - to taste
Potato - 2 medium ( cut into small wedges and deep fried)
Oil - 3 - 4 tablespoons
For layering
Lemon – 1 cut in slices
Green cardamom powder – 1 tsp
Nutmeg, mace powder – ¼ tsp
Mint leaves– ¼ bunch
Fresh coriander leaves – ½ bunch
Tomato – 1 thinly sliced
Dry plums – 6
Green chilies – 4
Fried onion – ¼ cup
Rose water - 1 tablespoon
Orange food color - few drops (optional)
Method
1. Cook rice along with whole spices ( listed above), salt, ghee and required amount of water till almost done.
2. Make a green paste with fresh coriander leaves and green chilies.
3. In a bowl, marinate the chicken with the green paste, ginger garlic paste, yoghurt, red chili powder, cumin powder and garam masala powder. Mix well and let it rest for at least 3 - 4 hours.
4. Heat oil and add finely chopped onion and fry till golden brown.
5. Then add the marinated chicken pieces with salt, mix well and cook until the meat is done.
6. Add the fried potato pieces and mix well.
7. In a heavy bottom pan, spread half of the cooked rice on top of that a layer of chicken mixture. Arrange
lemon slices, green cardamom powder, nutmeg, mace powder, soaked dry plums, fresh coriander leaves, mint leaves and tomato slices on top of the chicken mixture. Then spread the remaining of the cooked rice on top of this.Then spread some rose water, orange food coloring and fried onions.
8. Cover the pan and put on dum for 15 - 20 minutes.
Serve warm with raita and salad.