Chicken Biryani

Ingredients:

600g of chicken thigh

1.5 cups of brown rice

2 medium onions

2 green chillies

1 red chilli

Thumb-size piece of ginger

Handful of fresh coriander

1½ tsp coriander powder

1 black cardamom

1½ tsp garam masala

2 bay leaves

1 cinnamon stick

Serves: 4-6

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

2 cloves

½ tsp turmeric

1 star anise

4 peppercorns

200g tinned chopped tomatoes

10 almonds

Handful of flaked almonds

½ cup of water

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 pinch pepper

Preparation

Add the green chillies, cumin seeds, cardamom, star anise, cloves, peppercorns, bay leaves and cinnamon stick. Keep stirring and cook for about 10 minutes, adding extra water if the paste sticks to the pan.
To this mixture, add the contents of your pressure cooker and the chopped tomatoes, salt, turmeric, ground coriander, garam masala and almonds.
Simmer at a medium heat for a further 30 minutes.
Taste to check the seasoning, adding more chilli or salt if needed.
Add the green chillies, cumin seeds, cardamom, star anise, cloves, peppercorns, bay leaves and cinnamon stick. Keep stirring and cook for about 10 minutes, adding extra water if the paste sticks to the pan.
To this mixture, add the contents of your pressure cooker and the chopped tomatoes, salt, turmeric, ground coriander, garam masala and almonds.
Simmer at a medium heat for a further 30 minutes.
Taste to check the seasoning, adding more chilli or salt if needed.

Preparing the Rice:

Wash and rinse your rice. Put your rice in a saucepan with 3 cups of boiling water. Cover with a lid and simmer for only 8 minutes (or half its recommended cooking time). Leave the rice to cool.
Use your olive oil to grease your deep oven-proof dish and layer first with rice, then with your meat mixture and then again with rice on top.
Add a cup of boiling water to your dish and cook in the oven (at 180C) for a further 45 minutes.
Garnish with red chilli, flaked almonds and coriander leaves.