Badshahi Biryani

Ingredients:

• 1 box Chicken Biryani (Bombay Biryani, Shaan brand)
• Chicken, 6 boneless thighs and 6 boneless breasts, cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1 cup yogurt
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp scraped ginger
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 ½ cups basmati rice
• 1 large red onion, sliced fine
• 1-2 fresh tomatoes, chopped
• 4 canned plum tomatoes
• 1 tsp cardamom pods
• 1 tsp black cumin
• 2 tbsp oil + 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp milk
• Pinch of saffron

Garnishing:

• 1 tbsp Olive oil + butter mixture
• 2 tsp raisins
• 2 tsp cashew
• 2 tsp slivered almonds
• 1 tbsp chopped mint
• 1 tbsp chopped coriander (cilantro)

Steps:

1. Put chicken in bowl with yoghurt, lemon juice, 1 1/2tsp salt, ginger, and garlic.
2. Mix and marinate for at least 2 hours.
3. Wash rice and soak for 2 hours.
4. Add 2 tbsp of oil/butter mixture to pan. Fry onion.
5. Add 1 tsp cardamom and 1 tsp black cumin.
6. Drain rice. Add to pan and fry.
7. Add 5 cups of water and 1 1/2 tsp salt and cook slowly.
8. In a separate pan, add 2 tbsp of oil/butter mixture and fry chicken until it is white in color.
9. Add tomatoes and biryani powder and simmer until oil separates from sauce.
10. When rice is ¾ cooked, transfer to oven-proof dish. Add chicken and mix gently.
11. Add frozen peas and carrots.
12. Cover with foil. Bake at 375F. Cook for 30-45 minutes.
13. Mix saffron in milk and sprinkle over rice.
14. Fry raisins, cashews and almonds in olive oil & butter mixture.Use as garnish for rice.
15. Sprinkle with chopped mint and coriander.