Hyderabadi chicken dum biryani

Step 1: Heat ½ cup sunflower oil in a wide pan over a medium heat and fry 3 onions, stirring, for 15–18 minutes until deep golden brown and crisp. Lift onto kitchen paper. Keep the oil.

Step 2: In a bowl, mix 2 ¼ lb chicken thighs and drumsticks, bone in with 9 oz full-fat plain yogurt, 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder, ½ tsp ground turmeric, 1 ½ tsp garam masala, 4 green chillies, half of 1 oz mint leaves, half of 1 oz coriander leaves, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tsp salt, half of the fried onions and 3 tbsp of the onion oil. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.

Step 3: Wash 1 ⅛ lb aged basmati rice until the water runs clear, then soak it in cold water for 30 minutes. Soak ½ tsp saffron threads in 4 tbsp warm milk.

Step 4: Take the chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Spread it with all its marinade in an even layer over the base of a heavy, wide pot (about 4–5 litres).

Step 5: Bring 12 ½ cups water to a rolling boil with 2 tbsp salt, 2 bay leaves, 1 tsp shahi jeera (black cumin), 4 green cardamom pods, 4 cloves and 1 cinnamon stick. Drain the rice, add it and boil for 4–5 minutes until about 70% cooked: a grain should break between your fingers but still have a hard white core. Common mistake: boiling it longer — the rice turns mushy before the chicken underneath is done.

Step 6: Drain the rice at once and spread it over the chicken in an even layer without pressing. Scatter over the remaining fried onions, 1 oz mint leaves and 1 oz coriander leaves, then drizzle with the saffron milk and 3 tbsp ghee.

Step 7: Seal the pot tightly: cover with a double layer of foil, crimp it round the rim and press the lid on top. Cook over a medium-high heat for 8–10 minutes, until you hear the bottom sizzling and see steam escaping at the edges.

Step 8: Put a flat griddle (tawa) under the pot, turn the heat to low and cook for 35–40 minutes without opening it.

Step 9: Rest off the heat, still sealed, for 10 minutes. Then open one edge and push a thermometer into the thickest piece of chicken at the bottom: it must read 165°F (165 °F), with clear juices and no pink at the bone. If it doesn't, reseal and give it 10 minutes more on the tawa.

Step 10: Serve by digging down with a wide spoon to the base so each plate gets layers of saffron and white rice with the chicken.