Dum Chicken Biryani Recipe

Prepare marinade

In a large bowl combine yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, slit green chilies, red chili powder, turmeric, ground coriander, garam masala, salt, lemon juice, chopped cilantro, chopped mint and 1/2 cup fried onions. Mix well.

Add chicken pieces and rub marinade into and under the skin where possible. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight for best flavor penetration.

Rinse basmati rice under cold water until the water runs clear to remove surface starch. Soak the rice in cold water for 30 minutes, then drain.

Bring 6 cups of water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add 1.5 tsp salt, the whole spices (bay leaves, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon) and mace. Add drained rice and 2 tbs ghee or oil.

Par-cook the rice: boil uncovered until the grains are about 70-80% cooked and still have a slight bite (about 6-8 minutes). Test a grain; it should have a thin uncooked core. Drain the rice in a colander and spread briefly to prevent sticking.

Optional: In a heavy, wide, oven-safe pot (dutch oven or heavy-bottomed handi), heat 1 tbs oil over medium-high. Sear the marinated chicken pieces quickly, in batches if needed, just until surface color changes (2-3 minutes per side). Remove and set aside. This step deepens flavor but is not mandatory.

If you prefer a thicker gravy layer, use the same pot: add sliced onion and sauté until translucent, then add chopped tomato and cook until softened. Return seared chicken to the pot and simmer 4-5 minutes to meld flavors. Adjust salt if needed.

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) if finishing in oven. If doing stovetop dum, have a heavy skillet and dough or tight-fitting lid ready.

If you did not sear chicken, heat 2 tbs ghee in the heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Place marinated chicken pieces in a single layer (skin side up if present). Spoon any remaining marinade over the chicken.

Layer 1/2 of the par-cooked rice evenly over the chicken. Sprinkle half of the fried onions, half of the chopped cilantro and mint, and 2 lemon slices.

Add the remaining rice to level the top. Sprinkle the remaining fried onions, cilantro, mint and lemon slices.

Saffron and finishing aromatics

Warm 3 tbs milk and steep saffron threads for 5 minutes, then drizzle saffron-infused milk over the rice in a few spots. Scatter remaining 3 tbs ghee in small dots across the top. If using, sprinkle rose water and kewra/pandan water lightly over the rice.

Seal the pot: cover with a tight-fitting lid. For a very tight seal, you may press a strip of dough (flour + water) around the rim before placing the lid.

Dum cooking: Oven method - place the sealed pot in the preheated oven and bake 25-30 minutes. Stovetop method - place the pot on a very low flame with a heat diffuser and cook 25-30 minutes. After cooking, turn off heat and let rest (keep sealed) for 10 minutes.

Carefully remove lid, fluff biryani gently from the edges to center to mix layers without breaking the rice grains. Serve hot with raita or salad.