Chicken Biryani

Serve with delight this mouth watering chicken cooked in herbs and spices with fragrant rice and nuts.

Ingredients:
250 gm, basmati rice
500gms chicken( bonesless cut into pieces
2 medium onions(sliced)
1 tbsp ginger paste
1 tbsp garlic paste
2 cups of water
3 medium totatoes(puree)
salt and black pepper powder ( to taste)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp garam masala
4 cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
2 bay leaves
black cardamom
2-3 peppercorns
2 tbsp oil/ghee
2 tbsp almonds and cashewnuts
1 tbsp raisins
8-10 strands of saffron

Method:
1. Wash and soak rice for 1/2 an hour in 2 cups of water. Drain the water.
2. Add salt and 1 tbsp of oil/ghee to the soaked rice. Boil covered at 100% power for 9-10 mins. and then at 60% power for 5-6 mins. in microwave safe bowl. Allow to stand, covered for 5 mins.
3. In another microwave safe bowl heat oil at 100% power for 30 secs. Add sliced onions, cumin seeds, salt, turmeric powder, clove, cumin black cardamom, bay leaves, pepper corns, tomato puree and ginger-garlic paste. Microwave( covered) at 100% power for 5-6 mins. Add chicken pieces and microwave (covered) at 80% power for 5-6 mins. Stor in between.
4. Add rice and arrange in layers microwave for another 3 mins. at 60% power. Sprinkle garam masala. Allow to stand for 10 mins. Garnish with fried nuts, raisins, saffron and chopped coriander and serve hot.