Murgh Biryani ....for lazy holidays

I have been looking for a very easy Biryani recipe since ages ...something that can be cooked in no time ..though I know the best Biryanis are prepared with lots of time on hands... and that's the way food should be cooked . But its also good to have a recipe that allows you to spend less time in the kitchen and more time with family on holidays. This recipe is a take from Zarine Khans kitchen. I further shortened it . This wasn't intended to be a post therefore the lack of photos, but since I received a lot of requests for the recipe..here it is!

Murgh Biryani Lazeez with potatoes

Ingredients

2 cups Rice, basmati preferred

1 no. chicken boneless thighs or breasts or whole cut into pieces

1/2 cup Milk

1/2 cup Ghee

1 tbsp oil

1 1/2 potatoes cut into halves or quarters

1 tsp Mace ;Jawaitri

1 tsp Black cumin seeds ; shahi jeera

3 cloves

3 green cardamoms

1 1/2 inch stick cinnamon

1 tblsp ginger and garlic paste

1 tsp red chilli powder

2 onions sliced

2 tomatoes , chopped or equivalent tomato puree

100 gms whisked yoghurt or coconut milk

1 large lemon juiced

1 tsp of jaggery

pinch of saffron

Salt to taste

3 nos.Eggs, boiled and quartered for garnish

To Prepare:

1. Boil potatoes with salt and keep aside . Wash and soak rice.

2. Cook the rice .

3. Grind the mace, cardamom, cloves , cinnamon ,black cumin seeds, ginger garlic paste and red chilli powder and salt .

4. Mix this to the chicken pieces and add the whisked yoghurt or coconut milk and keep aside.

5. Fry the potatoes and keep.

6. Fry the onions and remove half and keep aside.

7. Now add the marinated chicken to the onions and cook for at least 10 minutes . The masala should become brown .

8. Add the tomatoes or the puree and keep cooking on a slow flame for another 10 minutes. The chicken should be nearly cooked now.

9. Pour lemon juice and then add the remaining friend onions. You may chop these fine and add them.

10. Now add the golden potatoes to the gravy and mix well.

11. In the dish you will want to cook the biryani , add a layer of rice , then a layer of chicken gravy and keep alternating these. The last layer should be of the rice.

12. Pour milk , saffron and a teaspoon of jaggery on top. Then pour the melted ghee on it.

13. Cover with a lid and place in a pre-heated oven at 120 deg for 10 min.

Enjoy with , boiled eggs ,raita (spiced yoghurt ) and kuchumbar salad.