Pakistani food cihken biryani

Sure, here's a step-by-step recipe for making Pakistani Biryani, a flavorful and aromatic rice dish that's beloved in Pakistan and around the world:

**Ingredients:**
- 2 cups Basmati rice
- 1 lb (450g) chicken, mutton, or beef, cut into pieces (you can also use vegetables or paneer for a vegetarian version)
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 2-3 tomatoes, chopped
- 1/4 cup cooking oil or ghee
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander leaves
- 2-3 green chilies, chopped
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder (adjust to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 4-6 whole black peppercorns
- 4-6 whole cloves
- 2-3 green cardamom pods
- 1 black cardamom pod
- 1-2 bay leaves
- Salt, to taste
- Saffron strands soaked in milk (for color)
- Fried onions for garnishing

**Instructions:**

1. **Marinate the Meat:**
- In a bowl, mix the yogurt, half of the mint and coriander leaves, green chilies, ginger paste, garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric powder, and salt.
- Add the meat pieces and coat them well with the marinade. Let it marinate for at least 2 hours (overnight is best) in the refrigerator.

2. **Rice Preparation:**
- Wash the basmati rice thoroughly and soak it in water for about 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Add some salt, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, cloves, green and black cardamom pods, and bay leaves.
- Add the soaked and drained rice to the boiling water. Cook the rice until it's about 70-80% cooked (still slightly firm). Drain the rice and set aside.

3. **Cooking the Meat:**
- In a heavy-bottomed pot or a pressure cooker, heat oil or ghee over medium heat.
- Add the sliced onions and cook until they turn golden brown. Remove half of the fried onions for garnishing later.
- Add the marinated meat along with its marinade to the pot. Cook until the meat changes color and starts to brown.

4. **Layering the Biryani:**
- Layer half of the partially cooked rice over the cooked meat in the pot.
- Sprinkle the remaining mint and coriander leaves over the rice.
- Layer the remaining rice over the herbs.
- Drizzle saffron milk over the rice for color.
- Sprinkle garam masala powder on top.

5. **Dum Cooking:**
- Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. You can also seal the edges with dough to trap steam.
- Place the pot on low heat and let the biryani cook in its own steam (dum) for about 20-30 minutes. Alternatively, you can bake it in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for the same duration.

6. **Final Touches:**
- Once the biryani is done cooking, remove it from heat and let it rest for about 10 minutes.
- Gently fluff the biryani with a fork to mix the layers.
- Garnish with the remaining fried onions.

Your delicious Pakistani Biryani is now ready to be served! Enjoy it with raita (yogurt side dish) or salad.