INGREDIENTS
Rice:
1 cup rice, rinsed under cold running water until water runs clear.
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp milk
½ tsp saffron
Chicken Biryani:
1 large red onion, divided
2 tsp oil, divided
1 tomato
2 tsp green chili paste
Salt to taste
1 tsp turmeric powder
1.5 tbsp garlic paste
1.5 tsp ginger paste
1.5 tbsp garam masala
1 tbsp yogurt
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp red chili powder
Pinch of black pepper powder
4 chicken drumsticks, skin removed or left if You like it that way
INSTRUCTIONS
Chicken Biryani:
After cleaning rice soak it in a pot with 2 cups of hot boiling water. Let it sit for 15 minutes.
In the meantime, cut the onion in half. Chop one half of the onion in finely chopped pieces while another half in medium thickness slices.
After 15 minutes of resting, turn on the heat and cook the rice for 3-5 minutes just until rice is just cooked or al dente but not fully cooked as we will cook it in a slow cooker. once it's just enough cooked, strain and rinse it under cold running water and keep aside.
In a small bowl take milk and heat for 30 seconds in the microwave. To it add saffron and crush using the back of the spoon and let it sit.
Heat a skillet and add 1 tsp oil and to it add finely chopped onion pieces and cook until softened.
Transfer the cooked onion pieces into a blender. Add one chopped tomato, green chili paste, salt, turmeric powder, garlic paste, ginger paste, garam masala, yogurt, ground coriander, red chili powder, and black pepper powder and blend until you get a smooth paste.
In a bowl add cleaned chicken drumsticks and this paste you just made. Make sure to make some cuts in chicken so marinade seeps into the chicken. Cover and let the chicken marinate for 15 minutes.
Now in the same pan where you cooked onion pieces, add another tsp of oil and add sliced onions and cook on slow to get them browned but not burnt.
Get your slow cooker ready by heating it up for 15 minutes. Turn off the switch and in the hot slow cooker, rub some oil on the base and sides of the bowl where we will be cooking. Lay marinated chicken pieces first, cover with half of the sliced browned onions, half of the saffron milk. Cover with all of the barely cooked rice and add the remaining browned sliced onions and saffron milk on top.
I personally don't like cashews or raisins in my food but if you want to have the true authentic taste, then go ahead and add some cashew and raisins on top as well. Using aluminum foil cover the top tightly and then cover this with the lid that came with the slow cooker. Cook on low for 3 hours.
Remove the aluminum foil and let it sit for 15-20 mins.
Serve with cucumber yogurt.
