Chicken Biryani

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Marinate the chicken: Place the yogurt, garlic, ginger, lemon juice, salt, garam masala, chile powder, turmeric and green chile (if using) in a large bowl. Stir to combine and taste, adjusting salt if necessary. The flavors should be bold and pleasantly spicy. Make a shallow slit in the thickest part of the drumsticks. Add the chicken to the marinade and mix until coated. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or preferably overnight. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking.

2. Step 2

   Prepare the fried onion: Line a large plate with paper towels and set aside. Cut the onion in half, then lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick slices, discarding any smaller pieces that may burn. In a large (12-inch) deep skillet with a lid, heat the oil over medium-high, add the onion in an even layer (a little overlapping is fine) and cook without touching, until the onions around the sides of the pan start to color, about 4 minutes.

3. Step 3

   Scoot the onions on the sides of the pan to the center, reduce the heat to medium and continue frying, stirring frequently, until golden brown and some are crisp, about 6 minutes more. The onion will keep cooking and turn darker off the heat. Season with salt, add the turmeric and stir for 20 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the onion to the prepared plate with a slotted spoon. Do not discard the oil.

4. Step 4

   Cook the chicken: Place the pan with the oil over medium and add the cardamom, cloves, bay leaf, star anise and cinnamon stick. Stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the drumsticks (save the marinade) and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook, turning once, until the chicken takes on a little color, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in the marinade and 2 tablespoons of water. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is just cooked through and the gravy is thick, 20 to 25 minutes. If the chicken is cooked but the gravy hasn’t thickened, remove the drumsticks and increase the heat to medium-high; cook until thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed, then return drumsticks to the skillet. Remove the pan from the heat.

5. Step 5

   Prepare the rice: In a large (5-quart) pot or Dutch oven that you plan on using for the biryani, add 10 cups of water, the cardamom, cloves, bay leaves, star anise and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil over high. Add salt and stir to dissolve; carefully taste and add more if needed (it should be pleasantly salty). Drain the soaked rice and add it to the boiling water, giving it a quick stir; par-cook the rice until it’s tender on the outside but has a bite, 5 to 8 minutes. Drain and sprinkle it with a little cold water to stop the cooking, then set aside to drain completely. (The rice should not sit in a pool of water as it drains.) Give the rice pot a quick rinse and dry it.

6. Step 6

   Assemble the biryani: In a small bowl, heat the milk in the microwave until warm, about 20 seconds. Crumble the saffron threads between your fingers as you add them to the warm milk. Stir in the rose water, if using. In the rice pot, melt the ghee over medium heat, then transfer half to a small bowl. Transfer ⅓ of the rice and the whole spices to the biryani pot and gently pat it down. Transfer the drumsticks to the pot, then add the gravy and whole spices. Scatter ⅓ of the onion and ⅓ of the herbs over the chicken. Add another ⅓ of rice, top with another ⅓ of the onion, ⅓ of the herb mixture and drizzle with half of the saffron milk. Layer with the remaining rice, fried onion and herbs, and drizzle with the remaining saffron milk and ghee.

7. Step 7

   Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and wrap it with a clean, thin dish towel or a couple of paper towels, making sure the ends are tied at the top, in order to get a good seal and catch extra condensation. Return the lid and reduce heat to low; cook for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and rest for 10 minutes with the lid on the pot. Serve with mint leaves and pomegranate seeds, if using.