Ingredients :
3 cup Basmati rice
4 x chicken breasts
1/2 large onion minced
2 clove garlic minced
3 tbl vegetable oil or ghee
8 oz plain yogurt
1 pinch saffron threads
1/4 cup milk
SPICE MIXTURE
1 tsp red chilli powder medium heat
1/4 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp ginger, powdered
1 tbl turmeric
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp mace
1/2 x salt (or to taste)
6 x cardamom seeds peeled
4 x bay leaves dried, crushed
1 x lump tamarind pulp, marble-sized
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
Method:
1-Skinless and boneless and cut into 3/4"
pieces.
2-Put the milk into a cup and add the saffron and
stir. Set aside at least 30 minutes before using.
3-Place all spice ingredients (including salt and
tamarind pulp) in spice grinder and grind to a fine
powder.
4-Soak the rice in cold water for 30 minutes and
then drain and rinse until clear water comes off
rice. Cook rice in large pan in 8 cups of water.
Cook for 10-12 minutes.
5-In a frying pan, heat oil or ghee and sauté the
onion and garlic until golden. Add chicken and spice
powder and stir-fry until chicken is done, about 6
minutes.
6-Drain rice and place back in large pan. Add the
saffron-milk mixture and mix rice until uniform
color. Add the chicken, onion, garlic and spice
mixture and the yogurt to the pan and mix gently
until well-blended with all the rice.
7-Place the rice into a glass baking dish and bake
in a 350F oven for 40 minutes.
Serve immediately as a main course or side dish.
Note: Do not use chili powder, which contains other
spices. Use a pure powdered chilli from cayenne or
New Mexico chillies.