Chicken Buriyani Masala

INGREDIENT

• 3 cup Basmati rice 
• 4 x chicken breasts** 
• 1/2 lrg onion 
• minced 
• 2 clv garlic 
• minced 
• 3 tbl vegetable oil or ghee 
• 8 oz plain yogurt 
• 1 pch saffron threads 
• 1/4 cup milk 

SPICE MIXTURE

• 1 tsp red chile powder* medium heat 
• 1/4 tsp black peppercorns 
• 1 tsp ginger, powdered 
• 1 tbl turmeric 
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg 
• 1/4 tsp mace 
• 1/2 x salt (or to taste) 
• 6 x cardamom seeds peeled 
• 4 x bay leaves dried, crushed 
• 1 x lump tamarind pulp, marble-sized 
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon 
• 1/2 tsp cloves 

METHOD

* Do not use chili powder, which contains other spices. Use a pure powdered chile from cayenne or New Mexico chiles. 
** skinless and boneless and cut into 3/4" pieces 

Put the milk into a cup and add the saffron and stir. Set aside at least 30 minutes before using. 
Place all spice ingredients (including salt and tamarind pulp) in spice grinder and grind to a fine powder. 
Soak the rice in cold water for 30 minutes and then drain and rinse until clear water comes off rice. Cook rice in large pan in 8 cups of water. Cook for 10-12 minutes. 
In a frying pan, heat oil or ghee and saute the onion and garlic until golden. Add chicken and spice powder and stir-fry until chicken is done, about 6 minutes. 
Drain rice and place back in large pan. Add the saffron-milk mixture and mix rice until uniform color. Add the chicken, onion, garlic and spice mixture and the yogurt to the pan and mix gently until well-blended with all the rice. 
Place the rice into a glass baking dish and bake in a 350F oven for 40 minutes. 
Serve immediately as a main course or side dish.