Sindhi Biryani

Ingredients

• 3 cups (600 g) basmati rice, washed and soaked for 30 minutes
• 1 kg chicken, in pieces with bone
• 1 cup oil
• 3 onions, thinly sliced
• 3 potatoes, peeled and halved
• 1½ tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 4 tomatoes, sliced
• 1 cup (250 g) yogurt, whisked
• 2 tsp salt, plus 2 tbsp for the rice water
• 2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp red chilli flakes
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 8 dried plums (aloo bukhara)
• 6 green chillies, slit
• Whole spices: 2 bay leaves, 6 cloves, 10 black peppercorns, 2 cinnamon sticks, 4 green cardamoms, 1 black cardamom, 1 tsp cumin seeds
• A handful each of fresh mint and coriander
• A pinch of yellow food colour in 3 tbsp milk, and 1 tsp kewra water (optional)

Missing something?

• No chicken? Use mutton or beef (cook longer), or soya chunks.
• No rice? Use any other rice, or broken rice (cooks faster).
• No potato? Use sweet potato or turnip (shaljam).
• No yogurt? Use milk with 1 tsp lemon juice, rested 10 minutes.
• No tomato? Use 1 tbsp tomato paste per tomato, or 2 tbsp yogurt for tang.
• No onion? Use spring onions, or a little onion powder (less depth).