Leftover Chicken Biryani - Mike Gorman

This is my own modification of the traditional Anglo Indian Biryani recipe, that works especially well with leftover roast chicken. I've actually tried it with guinea fowl, after making the pot roast recipe below, and it came out great.
These amount are based on a 4lb chicken that has already fed 2 people.
This recipe will easily feed 4 more from the same chicken.

The basic premise here, is to first, make a broth with the bones and whole spices.
Then make the Green Masala, and fry the leftover cooked chicken in that.
Then fry the rice, in the chicken / green masala.
Then add the broth, and cook till ready.

Ingredients:

Broth:
1 onion roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic roughly chopped
1 piece of thumb sized ginger roughly chopped
1 stick of celery roughly chopped
1 carrot roughly chopped
2 sticks of cassia bark (cinammon)
6 cloves
5 green cardomon pods
10 black peppercorns
2 pints of water

Green Masala / Rice:
10 curry leaves
1 onion finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1 piece of thumb sized ginger finely chopped or grated
1 small bunch fresh green coriander (about the amount you get for 79p in a supermarket) - finely chopped.
1 tablespoon dried mint
2-4 green chillies
1 tsp tumeric
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp mustard powder
1/4 black pepper
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
leftover chicken
380g rice
2 tablespoons natural yoghurt
1-2 tsp salt (to taste)
1/2 lime (optional)


2 large pots....1 for the broth, one oven proof pot for the biryani.

Method:
1. First remove all the leftover chicken from the bones, and break the bones down into small single pieces.

2. Place all the broth ingredients into a large pot and bring to the boil. Turn down to a simmer and cover the pot.

3. Next, heat 1tbls of sunflower or vegetable oil in the oven proof pot or casserole. Add the curry leaves and fry for about 1 min until they are slightly browned at the edges.

4. Add the onions, garlic and ginger and fry on medium heat until soft.

5. Add the green coriander, mint and green chillies, and continue to fry on a medium heat for about 3-4 minutes.

6. Add the tumeric, ground coriander, cumin, mustard powder and black pepper. Fry for about 1-2 mins, then add the vinegar.

7. When the vinegar has evaporated, add the chicken and fry for 2-3 mins until well coated.

8. Add the rice and fry for another 2-3 mins and stir in the yoghurt. Take the pan off the heat. Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees C.

9. When the broth has had about 45 mins, remove from the heat and pass through a colander to remove the bones / veg etc from the liquid.

10. Pour the liquid into the rice pot, enough so that it covers the rice with about 1/2 inch to spare. If there's not enough liquid, add some hot water. Add the salt, and bring to a simmer.

11. Cover the pot and place in the oven. After 15 mins check to see if all the water has been absorbed. If not place back until this is the case. When all the water has been absorbed, turn off the heat and leave in the oven for a further 15-30 mins. This gives a chance for the rice to absorb all the steam and improves the flavour even more.

12. Before serving, squeeze the lime into the biryani and mix. This goes especially well with Mushroom Dhal (see next recipe)..