Chicken Biryani |@NicksKitchen

I recently returned from a trip to India, where I cooked biryani with the #1 chef in the country. This is the exact recipe he taught me, and it’s truly one of the most flavorful dishes I’ve ever had. Recipe as follows:

For the Chicken Biryani Spice Mix:
1 Indian bay leaf
2 star anise
15 green cardamom pods
2 black cardamom pods
5 (2 inch or 5 cm) pieces Indian cinnamon
1 tablespoon whole cloves
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
¼ cup whole coriander seeds
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
1 piece mace
½ teaspoon nutmeg

For the Chicken:
2 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks
1 cup plain, unsweetened yogurt (290 g)
2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1 tbsp kashmiri chili powder
1 tbsp biryani spice mixture
2 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp turmeric
2 green chilies, slit down the center

For the Rice:
1 ½ cups aged basmati rice (300 g)
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 Indian bay leaf
1 (3 inch or 7.5 cm) piece Indian cinnamon
6 whole cloves
4 green cardamom pods
1 star anise
1 black cardamom pod
2 tsp kosher salt

For the Fried Onions:
½ cup vegetable oil (64 g)
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced into half moons (200 g)
Kosher salt, to taste

For the Dough:
1 ½ cups all purpose flour (195 g)
½ cup water, plus more if needed (120 ml)

For Assembly:
¼ cup whole milk (60 ml)
½ tsp saffron threads
3 tbsp ghee
3 tbsp chopped mint leaves
3 tbsp chopped cilantro
Kosher salt, to taste

Directions:

For the Chicken Spice Mixture:
1. In a small skillet over medium heat, add the bay leaf, star anise, cinnamon, green and black cardamom. Shake and toast for 1–2 minutes, or until fragrant. Transfer to a plate.
2. Add cloves, fennel, peppercorns, coriander, caraway, and mace to the same pan; toast 1–2 minutes, then transfer to the plate.
3. Once cooled, grind the larger spices to roughly black peppercorn size. Add smaller spices and nutmeg, and grind everything into a fine powder. Set aside.

For the Chicken:
1. Add the yogurt, ginger garlic paste, kashmiri chili powder, biryani spice mix, salt, turmeric, and green chilies to a medium mixing bowl and stir to combine. Add the chicken, and massage the chicken into the yogurt until each piece is covered in the yogurt marinade.
2. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or ideally overnight.

For the Rice:
1. Add the rice to a medium mixing bowl and rinse until the water is mostly clear.
2. Cover the rice with water and let it soak for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.
3. Bring 6 cups (1.4 L) of water to a boil in a large Dutch oven or large steel pot.
4. Add the oil, whole spices, and salt. Cover and boil for 5 minutes to infuse the water with the whole spices.
5. Add the soaked rice and stir. Boil the rice for 5-7 minutes, or until the rice is 75% done. It should be soft on the outside, but still have an uncooked center.
6. Drain the rice into a fine mesh sieve and discard whole spices.

For the Fried Onions:
1. Add oil and onions to a medium skillet. Starting in cold oil helps soften without quick browning.
2. Cook for about 10 minutes, until golden and softened.
3. Line a plate with paper towels.
4. Use tongs or a fork to transfer onions to the plate. Reserve onion oil and season onions with salt.

For the Dough:
1. Before assembling the biryani, mix flour and water in a medium bowl until a rough dough forms.
2. Knead on a lightly floured surface ~5 minutes until smooth.
3. Form a ball and roll into a ¼-inch (6.5 mm) thick round, a few inches larger than the top of your dish.

For Assembly and Serving:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. Place a large biryani pot over medium high heat and add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chicken, skin side down.
3. Season with salt, then cook for 30-45 minutes, or until the gravy has reduced by half. It should be the consistency of thin yogurt and any oil should separate from the liquid and rise to the top.
4. Remove from heat and place the pot on a sheet tray.
5. Add half of the mint, cilantro, and fried onions. Be sure the chicken is in one even layer.
6. Place the milk for the saffron milk in a heat proof bowl and microwave for 45 seconds, or until warmed through.
7. Crush the saffron with a pestle in a small bowl, then pour the hot milk over top. Let it steep for 5 minutes.
8. Add the par cooked rice, making sure it is in one even layer. Then top with the remaining onions, mint and cilantro. Drizzle the saffron milk over top, then top with ghee.
9. Drape the dough over the top of the dish, pressing to seal it around the edge. Brush gently with ghee.
10. Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the dough is golden brown.
11. Remove the dish from the oven and brush the top of the dough with ghee.
12. Break open the dough and spoon out the rice and chicken. Serve immediately with raita.