SCRUMPTIOUS DEGHI BIRYANI : PACKET- LESS

Hello readers! It's Tasty Thursdays on my blog again and I'm tooo excited to share my Special Biryani recipe with you all :D
Like a true Pakistani.. I love me some biryani. A week without biryani is like a day without chai- not happening. ;)
I tried various recipes, so many masalas.. but they were just not hitting the spot for me.. lately I tried this recipe which is a Madni Biryani copy cat recipe. I just tweaked it a bit.. and Voila! EXTREMELY DELISH MASTERPIECE.
I'm sure you'll all love it. Now... I want you to relax and go thoroughly through the recipe.. It may seen complicated and alot of work.. but it's not... and the end result is truly worth it. :)
Biryani is truly the most in demand dish in our country and making one that tastes and looks good is truly an art. Hopefully I can help you guys with the skill :D
Happy biryani making folks.. If you have any questions feel free to comment.
Regards,
Dr. Mom Chef xx

INGREDIENTS :
For Yakhni:
- 6 pcs. Chicken
- 2 tbsp oil
- 3-4 cups water
- 1.5 tsp Adrak Lehsan
- 2 hari elaichi
- 1 black elaichi
- 3, 2 inch cinnamon sticks
- 12 black pepper corns
- 1.5 tsp zeera
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp haldi
- 1 tsp Red chilli powder ( to taste)
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 tsp dhaniya
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1/2 tsp ajinomoto
- 1.5 tsp Salt ( to taste)
- 2 green chilli paste or chopped
- 2 tbsp yogurt
- 2 cubed potatoes (optional)
- 1 tbsp any biryani masala (optional)
Other Ingredients:
- 2 tomatoes chopped
- 2 tbsp yogurt plus, 1/2 tsp garam masala and red food colour/orange will work too (yogurt mixture prepare in a bowl)
- 3 tbsp Hara dhaniya (cilantro) chopped
- 1/2 to 1 tsp chaat masala
- 4-5 aloo bukharas (dried plum)
- 1- 2 lemon juiced (optional)
- Few drops of kewra n biryani essence
- 1/2 tsp mixture of jaefil jawetri n elaichi grinded (optional)
- 2 medium onions (fried till brown)
- 1.5 cups of rice (boiled till one kanni- almost soft but not quite there, in salted water with 1 star anise).
- 2 tbsp oil

METHOD:
- Brown onions and set aside.
- Boil rice till almost soft and set aside.
- Prepare Yakhni by putting all the yakhni ingredients with chicken. Cook until the gravy has a little extra water than the desired consistency. Taste and adjust salt and chilli accordingly.
- When the gravy is just a little thin let's say half a cup of extra water, add the yogurt mixture, brown onions, tomatoes, hara dhaniya, chaat masala, dried plums, lemon juice, aloo bukharas, drops of kewra and biryani essence and mixture of jaefil and jawetri.
- Cook the gravy till the desired consistency.
- Once it thickens add rice on top along with 2 tbsp oil.
- Give dum. Cover it and let the steam soften the rice. Place a tawa underneath. Make sure the flame is low.
- 10- 15 minutes of dum will be enough. Mix gently and serve with raita and salad.
- Enjoy this finger licking goodness and forget your packet masalas :).

NOTE:
You can also layer the biryani the traditional way. Also can Garnish it with more hara dhaniya, podina and lemon. Whatever suits you.