Why this recipe works
The magic word is dum: the pot is sealed and cooked on low heat so everything steams gently in its own trapped aroma. A yogurt marinade tenderises the chicken; the rice is par-boiled to about 70% so it finishes in the steam without turning mushy; and layering keeps the fragrance of mint, fried onion and whole spices intact.
Ingredients
Method
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1
Marinate the chicken in yogurt, ginger-garlic, half the fried onions, biryani masala and salt for an hour or more.
Why: yogurt is the tenderiser, its acid and enzymes loosen the muscle proteins so the chicken stays juicy through the long steam.
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2
Par-boil the basmati with whole spices and salt until about 70 percent done, then drain.
Why 70%: the rice must finish in the dum steam. Fully cooking it now would leave it mushy after the second cook.
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3
Layer par-cooked rice over the marinated chicken. Scatter mint, fried onions, saffron milk and a little ghee.
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4
Seal the lid with dough or foil and cook on very low heat (dum) until the chicken is done and the rice is fragrant and separate.
The soul of it: sealing traps the steam and the volatile aromas, so the rice is perfumed from within rather than boiled in water. That is what makes a biryani a biryani.
An honest word
Biryani is a feast dish, not everyday food: it is rich with ghee and generous with rice, and restaurant portions are large. It is also genuinely protein-rich and deeply satisfying. Lighter version: use a modest amount of ghee, skinless chicken, a bit less rice and more of the yogurt-marinated meat, and serve with a fresh raita and salad rather than more fried onion.