Thalassery chicken biryani

Step 1: Wash 1 ⅛ lb kaima (jeerakasala) rice gently in three changes of water until the water runs nearly clear, then drain it in a sieve for 20 minutes. Kaima rice is fragile, so don't soak it long.

Step 2: Heat 4 tbsp sunflower or coconut oil in a wide pan over a medium heat. Fry 3 onions, stirring often, for 15–18 minutes until deep golden and crisp, then lift them onto kitchen paper. Fry 1 oz cashews and 1 oz raisins in the same oil for 1 minute until the cashews are golden and the raisins puff; lift them out too.

Step 3: In the remaining oil, fry 2 onions over a medium heat for 8 minutes until soft and light gold. Add 1 oz ginger, 10 cloves garlic and 6 green chillies and fry for 2 minutes until the raw smell goes.

Step 4: Add 2 tomatoes, ½ tsp ground turmeric and 1 ½ tsp salt and cook for 5 minutes, mashing, until the tomatoes collapse and oil shows at the edges.

Step 5: Add 2 ¼ lb chicken thighs and drumsticks, bone in and turn to coat in the masala. Stir in 3 ½ oz plain yogurt and half of 1 ½ tsp garam masala, cover and cook on a low heat for 25–30 minutes, stirring now and then, until the chicken is cooked through: the juices run clear and the thickest piece reads 165°F (165 °F). The masala should be thick, not soupy; boil off any extra liquid uncovered.

Step 6: Stir in 1 tbsp lemon juice, half of ½ oz mint leaves and half of ½ oz coriander leaves, the rest of 1 ½ tsp garam masala and a third of the fried onions. Take the pan off the heat.

Step 7: For the ghee rice, melt 4 tbsp ghee in a heavy pot over a medium heat. Fry 1 cinnamon stick, 4 cloves and 4 green cardamom pods for 30 seconds, then add the drained 1 ⅛ lb kaima (jeerakasala) rice and stir gently for 3–4 minutes until it smells nutty and looks glassy.

Step 8: Pour in 3 ¼ cups boiling water with 1 ½ tsp salt, bring back to the boil, then cover and cook on a low heat for 10–12 minutes until the water is absorbed and the rice is just tender. Common mistake: cooking the rice soft at this stage — it gets more time on dum, so stop when it still has a little bite.

Step 9: Spread the chicken masala over the base of a heavy pot (or leave it in its pan if it's wide). Pile the ghee rice over it and level it without pressing. Scatter over the remaining fried onions, 1 oz cashews, 1 oz raisins, the rest of the ½ oz mint leaves and ½ oz coriander leaves, and 1 tsp rose water if using.

Step 10: Cover tightly with foil and the lid. Set the pot on a flat griddle (tawa) over a low heat and leave it on dum for 20 minutes, so the steam carries the masala into the rice.

Step 11: Rest off the heat for 5 minutes, then serve, scooping down to the bottom so each plate gets chicken, masala and rice.