Ambur biryani

Method

1. 1 Soak dried chilies for 20 minutes, then grind them with ginger; Ambur uses ground dried chilies instead of garam masala powder.
2. 2 Marinate the chicken with chili sauce and yogurt for 1 hour.
3. 3 Sauté the onions and tomatoes in ghee for 8 minutes, then add the chicken and cook for 15 minutes until the sauce thickens and turns red.
4. 4 Rinse the short-grain rice and pour it directly into the pot of sauce along with 190 ml of hot water — this is a single-pot cooking method, not layering.
5. 5 Cover and cook over low heat for 15 minutes, sprinkle with mint and cilantro, then let it rest for 10 minutes.

With an appliance

• Oven 1 hr

  Step 5: Transfer the pot of boiling rice to the middle rack of the oven, cover tightly, and bake at 170 degrees for 15 minutes, then leave the lid on for 10 minutes; even heat prevents the bottom from burning while the short-grain rice absorbs the sauce.