Chicken Biryani

Marinate the chicken: mix yogurt, biryani masala, lemon juice, salt, crushed garlic and grated ginger. Coat the chicken thighs in the marinade, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Rinse the rice in several changes of water until it runs clear, then soak for 20–30 minutes. Boil in salted water until about 70% done (the rice should still be firm inside), then drain.

Heat ghee in a heavy pot and fry the onion, sliced into half-rings, over medium heat until golden-caramel, 12–15 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pot.

In the same fat, add the marinated chicken and fry over medium heat for 8–10 minutes until lightly browned on all sides — the chicken should not be fully cooked yet.

Soak the saffron in warm milk for 10 minutes. Spread the parboiled rice evenly over the chicken, scatter the fried onions on top, drizzle with the saffron milk and sprinkle with chopped cilantro.

Cover the pot tightly with a lid or foil to seal in the steam, and bake in an oven preheated to 160°C for 35 minutes.

Let the biryani rest, covered, for 10 minutes, then gently fold the rice from bottom to top without crushing the grains. Serve hot with raita and lime wedges.