Chatti Biryani

Instructions

1. Marinate the chicken with the turmeric powder, red chilli powder, garam masala powder, lemon juice, salt and curd. Let it marinate for over 2 hours minimum.
2. Heat a clay pot, add oil and ghee into it. Add onion and saute until onion turns brown. Add ginger garlic green chilli paste and saute until raw smell fades. Now, add tomatoes and cook until they are soft and mushy.
3. Next, add the spice powders, salt and saute till raw smell fades. Be carefull while adding salt, as the chicken marinade also has salt. Add coriander leaves, mint leaves and mix well. Add curd, lemon juice and saute for 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Now, add the marinated chicken pieces and mix until the masala coats well into chickien. Cover the pot and cookon low - medium flame until the chicken is cooked through. Check salt and add if needed. Add half cup hot water, if needed and mix. The masala is ready.
5. Meanwhile, prepare rice, by boiling water (enough to cook rice, I took 5 cups of water, in the ratio 1:2), add salt and ghee. Once water boils, add the drained rice, and cook until done.
6. Now lets begin to assemble the biriyani, heat a clay pot, add ghee in it. Layer some rice as the base, sprinkle little garam masala powder, lemon juice, fried onions, coriander leaves and mint leaves. add half of the prepared chicken masala, continue the layering process, ending it with rice on the top and garnish it. Sprinkle little pineapple essence and place the eggs.
7. Cover the edges of the clay pot with a dough and cover the pot with a lid and seal the edges tightly. Place dum and cook on low flame for 10 minutes. Keep it aside for another 10 minutes before serving. Serve hot with raita and pappad.