Goli Biryani

Ingredients                     

• 600 grams chicken mince (keema)        
• 1½ cups Basmati rice, washed, soaked for 30 minutes and drained            
• 1 kg chicken bones, washed                     
• 2 bay leaves                     
• Salt, to taste
• 2 one-inch ginger pieces
• 1½ cups yogurt, whisked                 
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander leaves          
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves            
• 1 teaspoon red chilli powder                 
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder                
• 3-4 green chillies, finely chopped          
• ½ cup ghee                         
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds                    
• 2 mace blades
• 6-8 green cardamoms                
• 6-8 cloves                        
• 2 medium onions, sliced                       
• 1 teaspoon ginger paste                    
• 1 teaspoon garlic paste                    
• 2 tablespoons coriander powder                
• 2 teaspoons garam masala powder    
• A large pinch of saffron, soaked in ½ cup hot milk 
• Raita to serve     

Method

1. To make chicken stock, boil chicken bones in 1½ litres water in a deep non-stick pan for 20 minutes. Strain the stock into a bowl and discard the bones. 
2. Reserve 1 cup chicken stock for the masala and bring the remaining chicken stock to  boil in another deep non-stick pan. 
3. Add bay leaves, salt and soaked rice, mix well and cook till almost done. Drain the excess stock and set the rice aside.
4. Cut 1 ginger piece into thin strips and finely chop the remaining piece.  
5. Take ½ cup yogurt in a bowl, add 2 tablespoons each of coriander leaves and mint leaves and mix. Take remaining yogurt in another bowl, add red chilli powder and turmeric powder and mix well. 
6. To make goli, take chicken mince in a third bowl, add salt, 2 tablespoons coriander leaves, half the green chillies and chopped ginger and mix till well combined. 
7. Make walnut-sized balls of chicken mixture and keep them on a plate.
8. Heat 2 tablespoons ghee in a shallow non-stick pan, add the chicken balls and cook lightly only to sear the edges. Drain and keep aside.
9. Heat remaining ghee in another deep non-stick pan, add cumin seeds and sauté till they change colour.  Add mace, green cardamoms and cloves and mix. Add onions, mix and sauté till golden brown. Add ginger paste and garlic paste, mix well and saute for 1 minute.
10. Add remaining green chillies and mix well. Add coriander powder and mix. 
11. Add yogurt with red chilli powder and turmeric powder, mix well and cook for 1-2 minutes. 
12. Add chicken balls and 1 cup reserved stock and salt, mix and cook for 2-3 minutes.
13. Preheat oven to 180°C.
14. Take a degchi, first spread a layer of half the chicken balls, cover it with a layer of half the cooked rice and drizzle the yogurt-coriander-mint leaves mixture. Sprinkle half the garam masala powder, ginger strips and half the saffron milk. Repeat this process one more time.
15. Cover with a moist cloth and seal the degchi with a lid.
16. Keep the degchi in the preheated oven and cook for 15-20 minutes.  
17. Transfer the biryani onto a serving platter and serve hot with raita of your choice.
18. Chef’s tip: You can cook and serve this biryani in an oven proof dish.  If you want, you can finish cooking the biryani in a microwave oven also.  In that case cook covered on MICRO HIGH for 4 minutes only.