1/2tspsaffron strandsMixed in 1/2 cup of warm milk and a pinch of orange food color
Instructions
Soak poppy seeds, cashews, whole pepper and caraway seeds for 20 minutes. Grind it to a fine paste.
Add oil to a pan. Add the onions and fry till they turn golden brown.
Take them out. Keep 2 TBSP aside for garnishing later and crush the rest of the onions in mortar-pestle, once the excess oil is drained out on a paper towel.
Add oil to a pan. Once warm, add cinnamon stick, cloves, green cardamoms and bay leaves. Add ginger garlic paste to the same pan and saute for 2-3 minutes till the raw smell goes away.
Add chicken and cook till the color of the chicken changes.
Now add the cashew- poppy seed paste and cook for 10 mins on low medium flame.
Now add red chili powder, salt and Turmeric powder.
Add the crushed fried onions, followed by ½ cup water.
Cook for 5 mins and add yogurt.
Add the coriander leaves and green chilies. Cook till the chicken is done and there is just around 1 cup of gravy is left.
In another pan, add 1 tsp of oil and star anise. Add mint leaves. Add 2 liters of water and salt. Let it come to a boil. Add the soaked rice [throwing the water it was soaked in].
Let it boil for 10 minutes, till Rice is 70% cooked and drain the rice in a colander.
Assemble rice and yakhni: Preheat the oven to 350F. In a heavy bottomed pan, add half of the rice followed by the yakhni. Add lemon juice over the yakhni. Add the remaining rice. Add the fried onions we kept aside and spread the saffron milk around.
Cover with a cloth and a tight lid and put it in the oven for 45-50 mins.