15 Mar Irene's Chicken Breyani

Ingredients and Method:
Steam 4 peeled potatoes (quartered, coloured & with a little butter) in microwave for 5 mins.
Half cook 2-3 cups rice of your choice.
Boil 1/2 cup breyani dhall or use 1 can of brown lentils.
Boil a few eggs (optional)

To a large pot add:
2 kg chicken pieces (I used drumsticks and thighs),
1 large chopped onion,
2 teaspoons each of roasted dhania seeds, jeera seeds, fennel seeds, 2 cinnamon sticks, 2 star anise, 4 cloves & 4 elachi (all ground)
2 bay leaves,
1 tsp tumeric,
2 tsp ginger and garlic paste,
1 tbs chilli powder, (optional)
2 sprigs curry leaves,
half tsp saffron,
10 peppercorns freshly & coarsely ground,
4 dried chillies &
1 cup sour milk
P.S. no oil is used.
Method:
Cook for +-30 mins on medium heat.
Mix in 1 bunch of mint leaves.
Spread a thin layer of half-cooked rice over the meat mix, spread the breyani dhall over, add the potatoes and boiled eggs (if using) and cover with the remaining rice and a few blobs of butter and food colouring over the top.
Add 1 cup ice water, cover pot with foil and then the lid & bring to the boil.
Reduce heat to the lowest and steam until rice is cooked through for -+ 45 mins or bake in a preheated oven at 160 deg cel for the same time.
Can top with fried onions if u like. Enjoy with dhall or raita
Prepared, tried and tested by: Irene Dasari