Spiced and Aromatic Chicken Biryani

Marinate the chicken. In a large bowl, mix yogurt, ginger-garlic, salt, coriander, cumin, paprika, turmeric, chiles (if using), and lemon juice. Add chicken and coat well. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight.

Rinse and soak the rice. Rinse basmati in several changes of water until it runs mostly clear. Soak in fresh water at room temp for 20 to 30 minutes, then drain well.

Bloom the saffron (optional). Warm the milk and add saffron. Set aside.

Start the base and toast (optional). In a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, melt ghee. If using cumin seeds, add them and let them sizzle for 10 to 15 seconds, just until fragrant.

Caramelize the onions. Add sliced onions and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until deep golden and sweet, about 20 to 35 minutes (it depends on your stove and pot). Keep the heat at medium or medium-low so they brown slowly, not burn fast. If they are dragging, add the optional sugar. If they start getting too dark at the edges, lower the heat and add a small splash of water to cool things down. Remove about one third of the onions to a small bowl for topping later.

Build the chicken masala. To the pot with remaining onions, add tomatoes and cook until they soften and turn jammy, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garam masala and stir for 30 seconds. Add the marinated chicken and scrape in all the marinade. Cover and simmer on low until the chicken is about 80% cooked and the sauce is thick, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir once or twice and gently scrape the bottom to prevent sticking. If the pot looks dry at any point, splash in 2 to 4 tablespoons water.

Parboil the rice. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt (start with 1 tablespoon kosher salt, then taste the water and adjust until it tastes nicely seasoned, like soup). Add bay leaf, cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon. Add drained rice and boil until the grains are about 70% cooked, 5 to 7 minutes. You want a firm center. Drain well.

Layer. With the chicken masala still in the heavy pot, spread it evenly. Top with half the cilantro and mint. Spoon the parboiled rice over the chicken in an even layer. Drizzle saffron milk over the top (or just a little warm milk or water if skipping saffron). Sprinkle reserved caramelized onions, remaining herbs, and fried onions (if using).

Steam (dum). Cover the pot tightly. If your lid is loose, press a sheet of foil over the pot first, then add the lid. Cook on the lowest heat for 20 to 25 minutes. You want it steaming, not sizzling. If your burner runs hot, set the pot on a heat diffuser or a flat griddle (tawa). If you smell sharp burning, turn off the heat and let it sit covered for 10 minutes to finish gently.

Rest, then serve. Turn off heat and let it rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Gently fluff from the edges, lifting rice and chicken together so you keep the layers. Taste and adjust with a pinch of salt or a squeeze of lemon if needed.