To cook basmati rice separately:-Soak basmati rice in water for about 10 minutes. Wash the rice gently ensuring to take out only starch and not break the grains. Mean while add about 4 liters of water in a large vessel and bring it to boil.
Once water starts to boil, add about 1 teaspoon of cooking oil and 1 teaspoon of salt. Add the soaked and washed rice, stir gently once and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes(I usually take it off heat by 3 ½ minutes). Keep an eye on rice as some brands of basmati rice cooks very fast and some takes time.
– My rice was cooked in 5 minutes. Drain the water immediately and spread the rice on a large plate. – Clean and wash the chicken thoroughly for at least 3 times. Add a little salt while washing the chicken(this will help to get rid off the smell to an extent) – Marinate the chicken with ingredients mentioned under marinating list. Marinate for at least ½ hour.
– In a deep bottomed pan add oil, once oil gets heated add 1 onion slices and fry it until brown (don’t burn the onions). Remove browned onion from oil and keep it aside. This will be used for garnishing and will making the layers.
– To the same pan add remaining onions(2 onions) slices and saute till onions turn translucent. Next add ginger-garlic paste and saute till the raw smell goes off. – Add slit green chilies and mix for a minute. Add chopped tomatoes and saute till tomatoes turn slightly mushy.
– Next add red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder and salt(to taste, remember chicken marinate contains salt as well). Saute for 2 minutes. – Add 3 tbspns of both coriander and mint leaves and mix. Add marinated chicken and mix well.
Cook until chicken is fully cooked(chicken pieces should be very tough, if you pull the chicken flesh, it should come off from bones). DO NOT add any water as onion tomato gravy and the chicken marination (as we have used curd) will release enough water.
\Once chicken is cooked if you find there is excess water remove the water from the gravy and keep it aside. You can use this gravy water while layering and also can serve this with biryani along with raita. The gravy water will taste very close to “salna”.