Recipe for the delicious Chicken Biryani

Ingredients needed for the Chicken Biryani
4 cups Basmathi Rice
1 kilo chicken cut into medium sized pieces,
3 cups finely chopped onions
3 cups tomatoes chopped finely
2 tsps ginger paste
2 tsps garlic paste
2 tsps coriander powder
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala powder
1 cup curds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
3 cinnamon
6 cloves
2 bay leaves
6 cardamoms
2 tbsps of chopped mint leaves
2 tbsps of chopped coriander leaves
juice of 1 lime
salt to taste
1/2 cup oil
2 tbsps ghee

For Garnishing:
Fried cashewnuts and sliced onions fried to a golden colour

How to Prepare the Chicken Biriyani:
You have to prepare the chicken and rice separately and mix them up. The chicken should have very little gravy, only then the mix will be just right.  You can arrange the biriyani in layers and serve just like that or mix them up and serve as a biriyani.

To prepare the Chicken Gravy
Clean, wash and soak the rice, at least for half an hour. Drain the rice and keep aside.
Wash and clean chicken pieces, nicely. Mix curds, 1/2 tsp ginger and 1/2 tsp garlic and the garam masala powder together, spread it on to the chicken pieces and marinate for an hour
Meanwhile, chop onions and tomatoes. Slit green chillies and keep aside.
Heat oil in a pan, saute onions till they are golden brown.
Add ginger, garlic paste and the chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and a little water to mix the masalas well.
When the oil starts oozing out through the sides add the chopped tomatoes. Cook till they are soft and mushy.
Add the chicken pieces to the pan with the remaining marinade. Stir well till the masala gets thicker and coats the chicken pieces nicely. Add salt to taste, simmer and cook covered till the chicken is tender.
Add pudhina/mint leaves, cover and keep aside.

To Prepare the  Rice:
Heat ghee in a pressure pan, fry the cashew nuts and keep aside. Then, saute cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and bayleaf.
When they are brown, add the slit green chillies and a little of the pudhina leaves.
Add the drained rice to this and stir well. Keep stirring till the rice gets hot to the touch and coated well with ghee.
Add 6 cups of boiling water (at the ratio 1:1 1/2) and salt to taste. Simmer and cook till the rice is dry.
Take a big microwaveable vessel , put the rice and the chicken with the masala in layers. Sprinkle lime juice and coriander leaves in between.
Microwave at HIGH for 4-5 minutes and leave it standing for 5 minutes.
Garnish with fried onions and fried cashewnuts. Serve hot with Raita and Brinjal chutney /Brinjal Curry