Yakhni Pulao

1/2kg chicken (1kg)
2 tomatoes (4)
2 onions (4)
2 laung (4)
3 green cardamom (6)
1 black cardamom (1.5)
5 crushed kali mirich (8)
1 inch piece of darchini (2'')
6 cloves sliced garlic (10)
1/2 inch piece of ginger, sliced (1'')
2 tbsp kaccha tel (3 tbsp)
3 slit green chillies (5)
1/2 tsp salt (1)
1/2 tsp zeera (1)
1 tsp saunf (1.5)

2 onions, fried till before golden, strained
2 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp garlic
1/2 cup dahi
1/2 tsp red chilli powder, or according to taste
1/2 garam masala powder

1/2 kg long grained rice


Boil the chicken in enough water to cover it and add all the bold ingredients in it. Cook for 20 minutes after water starts boiling. This will prepare the yakhni for the pulao.

Meanwhile, wash and soak rice in plenty of water and keep aside.
In a separate utensil, heat oil, and on hot flame add the chicken pieces from the yakhni and add ginger, garlic, chilli powder and garam masala and stir till the spices leave off aroma. Turn the heat to lowest and add the dahi and stir. After a minute or two, add the strained yakhni liquid and bring to boil. Add the rice and bring to boil and check how much more water the rice needs. The rice should be soaked in water from the yakhni. Cover with kitchen cloth and a steel lid and turn to heat to low and cook for 20 minutes.
Uncover and leave be for 10 minutes, then carefully insert a flat serving ladle and transfer on to a dish/plate.

Serve with Raita and kachumar, and/or chutney.

Hyderabadi Kacche Gosht ki Biryani

Marinade: 2 kg chicken
1/2 cup oil
3 tbsp kaccha papita
2 cups thick yoghurt/hung curd
3 cups friend onion
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
2 tsp salt
1 tsp turmeric
1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tbsp dhanya powder
1 tbsp garam masala
2 bayleafs
3 inch cinnamon stick, broken in 3
4 green cardamoms, ground
6 laung, ground
5 green chillies, chopped
caps of kewra water
For the rice:
1 kg basmati rice
1 cup fried onions
1 tbsp ginger juliennes
2 tbsp ghee
a gram saffron,
2 drizzles of kewra water
5 green chillies
1 bunch fresh coriander, finely chopped
Kitchen cloth, wet but not dripping

(in 3 liters of water)
whole roasted garam masala in a ball strainer
 3 tsp salt
1/2 tsp saunf
2 tsp zeera
1/2 tsp grated jaiphal
1/2 tsp ground javitri

Method:
Step one. Marination (6-8 hours or overnight)
 Coat the chicken pieces evenly in raw papaya, lemon juice and salt. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix really well. Cover and leave in the fridge for the desired duration.


Wash and soak the rice in ample water half an hour before use.
In a large utensil put the water to boil. Add the salt, zeera-saunf, whole garam masala, javitri and jaiphal, bring to a boil. Add the rice. Once the rice starts boiling again, turn the flame to medium and let cook for 2 minutes and drain the rice.

Put the marinated chicken in a big utensil, add the chicken and cover with the rice. Sprinkle with the the ginger and the fried onions and fresh coriander, saffron, drizzle the kewra. Cover with the wet kitchen towel and put on the stove on medium flame. after 5 minutes turn the heat to low and cook for an hour. Serve with raita and salad.