Shan Biryani Recipe Masala

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 cups uncooked basmati rice • 1 onion, finely chopped • 2 cloves garlic, minced • 2 teaspoons ginger paste • 1 cinnamon stick (optional) • 4 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed (optional) • 3 bay leaves (optional) • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (optional) • Salt to taste For the Marinade: • ½ cup plain yogurt • Juice of ½ lemon • 2 teaspoons red chili powder • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder • 2 tablespoons garam masala For the Curry: • 1 pound boneless chicken thighs or breasts cut into cubes • 10-12 cherry tomatoes halved • 5-6 boiled potatoes cut into cubes

  Instructions:

1. In a bowl combine yogurt, lemon juice, red chili powder, turmeric powder and garam masala and mix well. Add chicken cubes to this mixture and marinate for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

2. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat and add onions. Cook until they are golden brown. Add garlic and ginger paste along with cinnamon stick, cardamom pods and bay leaves if using them. Cook for another few seconds until fragrant then add cumin seeds if using them.

3. Now add the marinated chicken pieces along with all the remaining marinade ingredients to the pot give it a good stir then cover it with lid . Cook on low flame for about 15 minutes stirring occasionally until chicken is cooked through . █

4 . Once the chicken is done , add basmati rice , salt to taste , stir well then pour enough water so that it covers one inch above the level of rice . Increase heat to high until water starts boiling then reduce flame back to low flame , cover pot partially with lid allowing steam to escape from one side of lid while cooking biryani on low flame for 15 minutes or till all water is absorbed by rice . Do not open lid during this process as we want steam inside which will help cook biryani evenly without burning it at bottom of Pot . Once done turn off stove & allow biryani ​​to rest covered for 10 minutes before serving hot garnished with fresh coriander leaves & sliced lemons