CHICKEN BIRYANI

Prep time 30 mins

Cooking time 1 hour 15 mins, plus marinating, standing

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS

1 onion, thinly sliced

150ml vegetable oil

2½ tbsp sweet paprika

1 tbsp each black peppercorns, cumin seeds and coriander seeds

2½ tsp each ground turmeric and ground chilli

¼ tsp finely grated nutmeg

3 cardamom pods

2 cloves

2 star anise

1 cinnamon stick, broken into rough pieces 2 long dried chillies, broken into rough pieces

1 fresh bay leaf

500g thick natural yogurt

½ cup each finely chopped mint and coriander, plus extra coriander sprigs to serve

1½ tbsp finely grated ginger

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

4 chicken leg portions, halved through the joint into thigh and drumstick 400g basmati rice

50g butter, diced

70ml milk

¼ tsp saffron threads

To serve: Fried shallots and lemon wedges

METHOD

Fry onion in 120ml oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, 6-8 mins. Transfer to a bowl and cool. Dry-roast spices, chilli and bay leaf over medium heat, then pound with a mortar and pestle to a fine powder. Add to onion along with yogurt, herbs, ginger, garlic and 2 tsp sea salt and mix well. Add chicken, stir to coat, cover and refrigerate overnight to marinate.

Spread chicken mixture in the base of a heavybased casserole with a tight-fitting lid. Bring rice, 20g butter, remaining oil and enough well-salted water to cover by 2cm to the boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Drain and spread over chicken.

Bring milk, saffron and remaining butter to the simmer in a saucepan over medium-high heat, then pour over rice, cover with foil, then the lid. Cook over low heat until rice is fluffy and chicken is cooked through (50 minutes-1 hour). Stand for 15 mins without removing the lid, then serve hot, scattered with fried shallots and coriander sprigs, and with lemon wedges to the side.