Instructions

1. COAT: Use a medium bowl to mix ground spices Pack 1, the oil, yoghurt, water, garlic & ginger. Add the chicken and coat. Marinate for up to 24hrs if time allows.

2. PART COOK RICE: Boil 1 1/2 litres of water in a medium/large sized pan. Add the rice then empty in whole spices Pack 2 and salt. Boil for only 4mins. Do not overcook. Drain and set aside in the sieve, keeping in the whole spices.

3. PART COOK CHICKEN: Using the now empty pan, add the marinade and the chicken and cook on a medium/low heat for 5mins. Turn meat and cook for another 5mins. Remove the pan from the heat.

4. LAYER ON TOP OF THE CHICKEN: With the part cooked chicken and marinade still in the pan, scatter on half the part cooked rice, then about half of the dried onions Pack 3. Layer on the remainder of the rice and then the rest of Pack 3. Place small knobs of butter over the top. Don’t stir.

5. COOK, SET ASIDE & SERVE: With the lid on, cook on a medium heat until you hear it bubbling. Set to a low heat and continue to cook with it still bubbling for 25mins (See TESTING below). At this point, set it aside to finish cooking for 10mins off the heat with the lid still on. Cut up the meat and lightly mix before serving.

TESTING: You can quickly and very occasionally bite on a few rice grains. If you can barely sense the hard grain then it’s ready to be set aside (above). If the rice is moist and needs more cooking then continue cooking (above). If the pot seems too dry then sprinkle on 1-2tbsp of boiling water and continue cooking on a low heat (above).