1. Wash and soak basmati rice for 10 mins and drain water from it completely.
2. Heat ghee in a pan, roast rice over a medium flame.
3. Add oil in a new pan, add onion, fry till it turns golden.
4. Add masala paste, fry till oil separates from it.
5. Add chicken pieces, fry well for 4 mins.
6. Let the chicken absorb the spices.
7. Add curd, salt and roasted rice to it.
8. Allow to boil in a pressure cooker or in an electric cooker.
9. Once it is done, mix the rice gently.
10. Add coriander leaves and fried cashew nuts.
11. Serve hot with raita and mirchi ka salan.

Recipe courtesy: Tasty Appetite

Hyderabadi dum biryani used to be cooked on an open fire in Moghul cuisine. Here we bring you an elaborate, pan-cooked recipe from expert, Rehana Khambaty.

Ingredients:
1 kg. chicken, cut into medium size pieces
1/2 kg. basmati rice
8&1/2 glasses of water
1 tsp. ginger paste
1 tsp. garlic paste
3 large onions, finely sliced
3 green chillies, chopped
1 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
1 cup chopped fresh coriander leaves
1 tsp. red chilli powder
10 strands of saffron
1/2 cup milk
2 cups yoghurt
2-3 tbsp. lemon juice
7 cloves
2 bay leaves
5 green cardamoms
1-inch piece cinnamon
2 tbsp. ghee
3/4 cup oil
Salt to taste
Grind to a paste:
7 cloves
4 cardamoms
1/2 inch piece cinnamon
1/2 tsp. whole pepper

Method

1. Soak saffron in milk. Keep aside. Heat oil.
2. Fry the onions till golden brown in colour. Set aside to cool.
3. Grind coarsely when cool and set aside.
4. Rub ginger and garlic paste all over the chicken.
5. Add red chilli powder, salt, half of mint and coriander, lemon juice, green chilies, the ground spices, crushed onions, yoghurt and the oil in which the onions were fried.
6. Marinate for 2 hours.
7. In a heavy-bottomed pan, put the chicken alongwith the marinade and cook on medium heat until the chicken is tender and the liquid is not fully dried.
8. Boil 8&1/2 glasses of water.
9. Add the whole cloves, bay leaves, cardamoms and cinnamon to the water.
10. Add salt to taste and the rice.
11. Parboil the rice.
12. Drain out the water and spread the rice in a plate.
13. In a separate heavy-bottomed pan, apply ghee on the bottom.
14. Place half the rice in a layer.
15. Cover the layer with the cooked chicken.
16. Cover the chicken with the rest of the rice.
17. Sprinkle the saffron milk and balance mint and coriander over the rice.
18. Pour the ghee all over the rice.
19. Seal the pan tightly and cook over slow fire till the rice is fully cooked.
20. Do not overcook the rice.
21. Carefully remove the rice to a serving dish without mixing the chicken and the rice. Serve hot.