Layered chicken briyani (Oven Baked)

This is the Briyani which I went to a class and learnt how to make it.It is a very long procedure but worth making. It came out very well. But for most of us it never tastes the same every other time we make.

Basmati rice- 3cups
Water- 8 cups
salt -little
ghee-1 tsp
Soak rice for 20 minutes.Boil  water until it is bubbling , add washed rice and cook it for 8 minutes.
That's 75% cooked only.Drain it and keep aside.

For Garnishing:
Sliced onion- 1 big
cashews -1/4 cup
raisins- 1/4 cup

Heat ghee in a kadai and saute cashews.Remove when they turn golden brown.
In same ghee saute raisins. Remove and keep aside.
Now saute onions until dark brown (Don't burn).



For Chicken Marination:
Chicken- 1 lb cut into pieces
ginger garlic paste- 1tbsp
lemon juice- 1tsp
pepper pwd-1/2 btsp
coriander pwd- 1 tbsp
red chilli pwd- 1tbsp
Chicken masala pwd- 1tbsp.
salt- little

Mix all the above ingredients in a bowl along with chicken and marinate for 1/2 hr in fridge.

For Briyani Masala
onions -2 big cut lengthwise
tomatoes-2 cut lengthwise
green chillies - 5 slit
ginger garlic paste- 2 tbsp
cloves- 3
cardamom- 3
bayleaves-2
cinnamon- 1inch
Briyani masala pwd- 3 tsp
Red chilli pwd- 1 tsp
chopped coriander leaves- a handful
chopped mint leaves - a handful
curd 1/2 cup
lemon juice- 2 tsp
salt
oil- 1/4 cup

METHOD:
Heat oil in a kadai.When hot add all spices. Now add onions, green chillies, saute well until onions turn pink.
Now add ginger garlic paste, saute until raw smell goes.
Now add tomatoes,Cook until tomatoes are completely mashed and the oil starts to ooze out.
Now add briyani masala pwd ,red chili pwd, mint, coriander leaves. mix well.
Add curd and salt.
Now add marinated chicken. mix well
Let it cook for about 15-20 minutes until chicken is done.
Remove from fire and keep it aside.

In the oven:

Now preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray some oil or apply ghee on the baking dish so that rice
 does not stick to the pan.
Arrange the layers now.Add one layer of half cooked rice.
Sprinkle some coriander leaves, lemon juice and chicken gravy
Repeat the same procedure.At last decorate it with fried onions raisins and cashews.
Cover the baking pan with a aluminium foil and bake for 30 minutes.
Put off the oven.Allow it to stand for 1 hr.Remove from oven only when you are ready to serve.
Mix well and serve with curd raita.