Hyderabad Dum Biryani

Ingredients

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• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
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• 4 small potatoes, peeled and halved
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• 2 large onions, finely chopped
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• 2 cloves garlic, minced
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• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
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• 2 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped
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• 1 teaspoon salt
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• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
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• ½ teaspoon chili powder
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• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
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• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
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• 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
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• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
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• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
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• 1 (2 inch) piece cinnamon stick
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• 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken pieces cut into chunks
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• 1 pound basmati rice
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• 2 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil
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• 1 large onion, diced
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• 5 pods cardamom
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• 3 whole cloves
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• 1 (1 inch) piece cinnamon stick
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• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
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• 1 pinch powdered saffron
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• 4 cups chicken stock
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• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
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Instructions

1. 1
   Gather all ingredients.
2. 2
   Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet. Fry potatoes in hot oil until lightly browned, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain; set aside.
3. 3
   Add remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet. Add onions, garlic, and fresh ginger; cook and stir until onion is soft and golden. Add tomatoes, salt, cumin, chili powder, pepper, and turmeric; cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes.
4. 4
   Stir in yogurt, mint, ground cardamom, and cinnamon stick. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are cooked to a pulp. It may be necessary to add a little hot water if mixture becomes too dry and starts to stick to the pan.
5. 5
   Add chicken and stir well to coat. Cover and cook over very low heat until chicken is tender, 35 to 45 minutes. There should only be a little very thick gravy left when chicken is finished cooking. If necessary cook uncovered for a few minutes to reduce the gravy.
6. 6
   Meanwhile, make the rice: Wash rice well and drain in a colander for at least 30 minutes.
7. 7
   Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion; cook and stir until golden. Add cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon stick, ground ginger, and saffron; stir in rice until coated with spices.
8. 8
   Heat stock and salt in a medium pot until hot; pour over rice and stir well.
9. 9
   Add chicken mixture and potatoes; stir gently to combine. Bring to a boil.
10. 10
    Reduce heat to very low, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and steam for 20 minutes without lifting the lid or stirring.
11. 11
    Spoon biryani onto a warm serving dish.