Recipe: Chicken Biryani (using chicken breasts, food processor)

CHICKEN BIRYANI

2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut in 1-inch pieces
FOR THE MARINADE:
2 onions, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
3 tablespoons ginger root, peeled and sliced in sticks
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon saffron threads
FOR THE RICE:
8 cardamom pods
1 1/2 cups basmati or long-grain rice, uncooked
Water
FOR SERVING:
1/4 cup almonds, skinned and roughly chopped
1/4 cup raw cashews
1 scallion, sliced

Grease a 5-quart baking dish; set aside.

TO MAKE THE MARINADE:
Place onions, garlic, ginger root, coriander seeds and lemon juice in a food processor fitted with the metal blade and process until smooth. Add nutmeg, cinnamon, black pepper, cardamom, chili powder, cumin, garam masala and salt. Use several on/off pulses to combine well. Pour this marinade into a nonreactive large bowl and add yogurt and saffron threads. Stir together and set aside.

Place chicken in marinade and toss to coat all of the pieces. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.

TO COOK THE RICE:
Using the flat surface of a spoon or the handle of a knife, press down on each cardamom pod, bruising but not breaking the shells. Place pods, along with the 1 1/2 cups rice, in a saucepan. Following directions on rice package, cook rice in water. Once rice is done, remove cardamom pods, then cover pan until ready to use.

TO COOK THE CHICKEN:
Remove chicken and marinade from refrigerator and pour into a nonreactive large saute pan on stove top. Bring contents to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and cook, uncovered, 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. After 15 minutes, remove chicken and place it on a plate. Continue cooking sauce another 5 minutes to reduce it slightly.

TO PREPARE THE BIRIYANI:
In the greased baking dish, layer rice, chicken and sauce. (There should be two layers of each.)

Place baking dish in preheated 350-degree F oven, cover and bake 25 minutes, or until heated through.

While it is baking, toast almonds and cashews in a dry skillet over medium heat on top of stove until golden.

When biryani is baked, remove from oven, top with toasted nuts and scallions and serve.

Makes 6 to 8 servings
Source: Kathy Hunt to the Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel