Hearty chicken biryani

INGREDIENTS

400g basmati rice, well rinsed

2 cinnamon sticks

6 cardamom pods

2 cloves

Olive oil for frying

2 onions, finely sliced

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 knob ginger, grated

1 tbsp (15ml) turmeric

2 tsp (10ml) ground cumin

1 tbsp (15ml) ground coriander

1 red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced

6-8 chicken pieces

3 tomatoes, roughly chopped

1 cups (375ml) Greek yoghurt

15g fresh coriander

cup (125ml) milk

Few strands saffron

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

Place rice into a pot together with 1 cinnamon stick, 2 cardamom pods and the cloves.

Cover with enough cold water to about 1cm above the top of the rice.

Bring water to the boil and par-cook the rice for about 5 minutes (rice will continue to cook later).

Heat a little oil in a large frying pan and sauté half the onions, all the garlic, ginger, turmeric, cumin, coriander, chilli and the remaining cinnamon and cardamom pods, until golden brown.

Add tomatoes and fry for a further 5 minutes.

Add chicken pieces and sear until well browned.

Pour in the yoghurt and allow to cook gently for about 20-25 minutes or until chicken is almost cooked. Season with salt and pepper.

To assemble:

Pour a little oil in a heavy bottom pan.

Layer bottom with a little rice, followed by chicken and chopped coriander.

Repeat the layers with rice being the top most layer.

Heat a pan with 2 tbsp oil and fry remaining onions until crispy. Remove and set aside.

Warm milk with the saffron and pour over biryani.

Top with the crispy onions, cover with a lid and cook on a low heat for about 20 minutes or until rice is cooked

Serve with chutney and sambals.

Serves 4