Ingredients:

1. Chicken -1 kg
2. Basmati rice -1kg
3. Cashew nuts -10
4. Raisins -10
5.Onion -1(big)
6.Carrots -2(big)
7.Onions -3 (medium sized)
8. Cardamom -4
Cloves -4
Cinnamon -3(1”sticks)
Bay leaves -2
9.Garlic -1bigpod
Ginger -2”piece
10. Green chillies -8
11.Corriander leaves-1bunch
12.Ghee -half cup
13.Oil -3to4 tablespoon
14. Milk -1/4cup
Saffron - 1pinch
For marinating the chicken
15.Cashewnuts -10 to12
Raisins 5to7
Curd -half cup
Corianderpowder-2tsp
Chilliepowder-1tsp
Garam masala powder-1tsp
Turmericpowder -1tsp

Method
Grind ingredients15 into a fine paste and marinate the chicken for 2to 3hrs.

Cook the rice with lots of water. Do not over cook it. Before straining the water off add 1Tablespoon of lemon juice and add enough salt

Now heat a thick bottom pan and pour oil. When the oil is warm add finely chopped onions (IngredientNo.7) when it turns brown add ingredientsno8. When the smell of the whole spices comes add ginger and garlic and sauté it for a while. Now add the marinated chicken. When the chicken is cooked and the gravy gets thicken add coriander leaves and split geenchillies and remove it from the fire.

In another pan heat the ghee and fry one by one the cashewnuts, raisins and the onion (lengthily sliced) i.e. ingredients 3to 5and keep aside for garnishing .In the same ghee add the carrots which is thinly chopped. And sauté for a while. Add the carrots to the cooked rice and mix well.

Soak the saffron in warm milk for a while. Now grease a big vessel with butter and layer the rice and cooked chicken. Pour the soaked saffron over the rice. Bake it for 20min in180 C. Garnish it with the fried ingredients and coriander leaves and serve hot

Lissy Thomas