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FOR FRYING CASHEWS AND ONIONS:
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Add 1/8 cup oil + 1 tablespoon ghee in a pan. Fry the cashews till golden brown and keep aside. After that add the onions to the same pan and fry on medium heat till golden brown and crisp. Drain and keep aside and reserve the oil to make biryani.
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CHICKEN MARINADE:
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Wash and drain the chicken well. Transfer into a mixing bowl.
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Add yogurt to another bowl and add the chicken marinade ingredients upto ginger garlic paste. Mix well and add it to the chicken and mix well again. Add coriander leaves + mint + fried onions. Cover and keep this aside from anywhere for 1 hour to 8 hours.
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Wash and soak the rice for 30 minutes. Meanwhile gather the ingredients needed for assembly and for cooking rice in separate plates for ease.
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TO COOK CHICKEN:
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Place a dutch oven or a large non stick pot big enough to hold the chicken and rice, on medium hight heat. Add 1/8 cup oil + 1 tablespoons ghee + reserved oil from fried onions and add the marinated chicken. Stir and let it cook till 75 % done and till oil is seen on top. Taste and adjust the salt if necessary.
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TO COOK RICE:
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While the chicken is cooking, bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Add salt as needed (When you taste the water the salt should be slightly more than what you normally need). Add all the ingredients mentioned in TO COOK RICE to the water and then add the soaked and drained rice and let the water come to a boil. Reduce the heat and stir the rice and cook it only till only half cooked (very important step or else the rice will be mushy and sticky).
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Drain the rice in a colander and reserve little water.
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ASSEMBLY:
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To the chicken pot, add half of the drained rice. Top with 1/2 of the items mentioned in ASSEMBLY. Add the remaining rice and top it with the remaining assembly items.
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Cover with an aluminum foil and place the lid on top. Place something heavy on the top of lid so that the steam does not escape.
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Reduce the heat to minimum and let it cook for 20 to 30 minutes.
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To check if it done, open the lid and slide a laddle alone the side of the pan and scoop out the chicken. If there is no water content, it means the biriyani is ready.
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Serve with raita/salad, papad and pickle.