Hyderabad Dum Biryani

Grind Spices: In a spice grinder, combine black peppercorns, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon sticks, star anise, and kala jeera. Grind to a fine powder. (5 minutes)

Prepare Herbs: In a food processor, pulse cilantro and mint leaves until coarsely chopped. (3 minutes)

Marinate Chicken: In a large bowl, combine spice powder, cilantro-mint mixture, yogurt, lemon juice, ginger-garlic paste, chili powder, biryani masala powder, and turmeric. Add chicken, ensuring it's evenly coated. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight. (10 minutes + 2 hours marinating)

Parboil Rice: In a saucepan, bring water and rice to a boil. Add 2 bay leaves. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until rice is partially cooked through but still firm, about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside. (10 minutes)

Infuse Milk: In a small bowl, combine warm milk and saffron threads. Stir and set aside to infuse. (2 minutes)

Caramelize Onions: In a large pot with a tight-fitting lid, heat half of the ghee over medium-high heat. Add thinly sliced onions and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown and caramelized, about 15 minutes. Drain on paper towels and set aside. (20 minutes)

Sauté Aromatics: Reduce heat to low in the same pot. Add the remaining 2 bay leaves and chopped green chile peppers. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes. Carefully transfer 1 tablespoon of ghee from the pot to a small bowl; set aside. (5 minutes)

Layer and Cook: Remove chicken from marinade, wiping off excess. Add chicken to the pot and cook over medium heat until no longer pink, about 2 minutes per side. Spread the parboiled rice evenly over the chicken. Sprinkle the caramelized onions over the rice. Drizzle the reserved ghee and saffron-infused milk over the rice and onions. (15 minutes)

Dum Cooking: Cover the pot tightly. Cook over high heat for about 8 minutes to create steam. Then, reduce heat to low and continue cooking for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, until rice is tender and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of chicken reads 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), about 15 minutes more. (30 minutes)