Jumbo Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

In a large bowl, combine 1.5 kg chicken pieces with 1 cup yogurt, 4 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste, 6-8 green chillies, 1/2 cup chopped mint leaves, 1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves, 2.5 teaspoons salt, 2 teaspoons red chili powder, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1.5 teaspoons garam masala, 2 tablespoons biryani masala, and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Mix well to coat the chicken evenly. Marinate for at least 2-4 hours, or preferably overnight in the refrigerator.

Heat 0.5 cup ghee or oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot (handi or deg) over medium-high heat. Add 4 thinly sliced onions and fry until they turn golden brown and crispy. This is called 'birista'. Remove about half of the fried onions and set them aside for garnishing later.

To the remaining oil in the pot, add the whole spices: 3 bay leaves, 6-8 green cardamom pods, 2 black cardamom pods, 10-12 cloves, 1 (2-inch) cinnamon stick, 2 star anise, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, and 1 teaspoon black peppercorns. Sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant.

Add the marinated chicken to the pot with the whole spices. Cook on high heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken changes color and the yogurt starts to release its liquid. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is about 70% cooked.

While the chicken is cooking, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 2 teaspoons of salt and a few drops of oil (optional) to the water. Add the 1 kg (5 cups) soaked Basmati rice and cook until it is 70% cooked (al dente). The grains should still have a slight bite. Drain the rice immediately.

Once the chicken is partially cooked, spread half of the par-boiled rice evenly over the chicken layer in the pot. Sprinkle with some of the reserved fried onions, a few fresh mint leaves, and coriander leaves.

Drizzle the saffron milk (saffron strands soaked in 1/4 cup warm milk) and a few drops of dissolved food color (2 tablespoons water with yellow/orange food color, if using) over the rice layer.

Add the remaining par-boiled rice as the top layer, spreading it evenly. Garnish with the remaining fried onions, fresh mint, and coriander leaves.

Cover the pot tightly with a lid. For best results, you can seal the edges of the lid with a strip of dough to prevent steam from escaping (dum cooking method). Cook on high heat for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to very low and continue to cook for 20-25 minutes. This allows the biryani to cook in its own steam.