Ingredients:
Chicken – 2, medium sized, boiled, skinned and cut into small/medium pieces
Coconut – 1
Onions – 3, large, finely sliced
Ghee – 1 cup
Tomatoes – 2, large, chopped
Salt as per taste
Ginger Garlic Paste – 1 1/2 tblsp
Green Chillies – 8, sliced lengthwise
Cinnamon – 2 two inch sticks
Cloves – 10
Cardamom – 6
Bay Leaves – 3
Curd – 1 1/2 cups
Cashew Nuts – 12
Water as required
Grind Together:
Poppy Seeds – 1 tblsp
Chironji – 1 tlsp
Lime Juice – 3 to 4 cups
For the Rice:
Basmati Rice – 1 kg
Cloves – 7
Cardamoms – 5
Cinnamon – 2 two inch sticks
Shah Jeera (Caraway Seeds) – 1/2 tsp
Bay Leaves – 4
Ghee – 1/2 cup
Cream – 1/2 cup
Milk – 2 cups
Method:
1. Grate the coconut and grind with half cup of hot water.
2. Put them into a muslin cloth and squeeze out the milk.
3. Sautee the onions in ghee on low heat till light brown.
4. Add the chicken pieces, tomatoes, salt, ginger, garlic, green chillies, cinnamon, cloves, cardamoms and bay leaves.
5. Cook for 5 minutes on very low heat so that the ingredients do not brown.
6. Cover and cook on a slow fire for 45 minutes till the chicken is tender.
7. Stir occasionally.
8. When oil starts to separate, add the curd, stir and simmer again.
9. Add coconut milk, cashewnuts, poppy seeds, chironji powder and bring to a boil.
10. Add lime juice, mix and cover.
11. It should now resemble a thick gravy but not brown.
12. Meanwhile, soak rice in salt water for 20 minutes.
13. Drain.
14. Boil 8 cups of water separately.
15. Add cloves, cardamoms, cinnamon, shah jeera and bay leaves.
16. Keep on high heat and when water starts to boil, add the rice.
17. Stir while adding 2 tsp of salt.
18. Keep stirring from time to time.
19. Remove after 7 minutes and drain water, when rice is 2/3rds cooked.
20. Spread 1/4 cup ghee at the bottom of a deep pan.
21. Put some rice on this, sprinkling each spoonful till half of the rice is spread out.
22. Spread the chicken and gravy over rice.
23. Cover with the remaining rice after removing the bay leaves.
24. Pour 1/4 cup of ghee on top with cream.
25. Pour milk evenly over rice, cover, weigh down the lid and place on a slow fire for 40 to 45 minutes.
26. Serve hot.
