Celebration Ghee Rice with Chicken Dofiyas and Semiya Payasam

Ingredients

• Basmati rice - 2 cup
• Onion - 2 whole
• Cashew nuts - 1 cup
• Raisins - 1/2 cup
• Ginger-garlic paste - 2 tbsp
• Cinnamon stick - 1 whole
• Clove - 4 whole
• Bay leaf - 2 whole
• Black peppercorn - 4 whole
• Green cardamom pod - 2 whole
• Coriander leaves
• Water - 4 cup
• Carrot - 1/4 cup
• Salt
• Ghee - 5 tbsp
• Chicken - 1 kg
• Onion - 3 whole
• Tomato - 1 whole
• Ginger - 1 whole
• Dry red chili - 2 whole
• Garlic - 6 clove
• Green chili - 2 whole
• Capsicum - 1 whole
• Kasoori methi - 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1 1/2 tbsp
• Kashmiri chili powder - 1 tbsp
• Garam masala - 1 tsp
• Pepper powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Milk - 1/4 cup
• Cashew paste - 1 tbsp
• Vegetable oil or Dalda
• Salt
• Ghee - 1 tsp
• Coriander leaves
• Onion - 2 whole
• Carrot - 2 whole
• Yogurt - 1 cup
• Salt
• Vermicelli (semiya) - 1 cup
• Cashew nuts - 12 whole
• Raisins - 10 whole
• Water
• Sugar - 1 cup
• Milk - 4 cup
• Ghee
• Cardamom powder - 1 pinch

Instructions

1. 1Soak the basmati rice in clean water for half an hour, then drain and set aside.
2. 2Make the ghee rice (neychoru): warm 5 tbsp ghee in a wide pan and fry half of the sliced onions until they are golden brown; remove and keep for garnish so they stay crisp.
3. 3In the remaining ghee, sauté the whole spices—1 cinnamon stick, 4 cloves, 2 bay leaves, 4 peppercorns and 2 cardamom pods—until they are fragrant, then add 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, coriander leaves and 1/4 cup chopped carrot with the remaining onions and cook until the onions are soft.
4. 4Add the drained rice to the spiced mixture and fry for 3-4 mins, stirring so each grain gets coated and starts to dry and sizzle.
5. 5Pour 4 cups of boiled water into the rice, season with salt, cover the pan and cook until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender; fluff with a fork and top with the reserved fried onions, 1 cup cashew nuts and 1/2 cup raisins.
6. 6Prepare the chicken dofiyas: marinate 1 kg chicken with 1 1/2 tbsp turmeric powder and salt, then set aside while you prepare the base flavors.
7. 7Heat vegetable oil or Dalda in a heavy pan and sauté sliced ginger and 6 cloves garlic until fragrant; add 2 whole green chilies, 1/2 tsp kasoori methi, 2 dry red chilies, the chopped onions and chopped capsicum and fry until the onions are softened and beginning to brown.
8. 8Stir in 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp pepper powder, 1 tsp coriander powder and 1 tbsp Kashmiri chili powder along with a little extra turmeric if desired, then add the marinated chicken pieces and mix so the spices coat every piece.
9. 9Pour in 1/4 cup milk and 1 tbsp cashew paste, cover the pan and cook until the chicken is well cooked through and the sauce has thickened to your liking, then finish with 1 tsp ghee and garnish with tomato slices and coriander leaves.
10. 10Make the raita: finely chop 2 onions and grate 2 carrots, then toss them with 1 cup yogurt, chopped coriander leaves and salt to taste; chill briefly so the flavors meld.
11. 11Cook the semiya payasam: heat a little ghee in a pan and fry the 12 cashew nuts and 10 raisins until golden, then remove and set aside.
12. 12In the same pan add more ghee if needed and fry 1 cup vermicelli until it turns a light brown and smells nutty.
13. 13Bring 4 cups milk (and a splash of water if you like a looser texture) to a gentle boil, then add the toasted vermicelli and simmer, stirring, until the semiya becomes soft.
14. 14Once the vermicelli is tender, stir in 1 cup sugar and cook until the payasam thickens slightly; finish by adding the fried cashews, raisins and 1 pinch cardamom powder.
15. 15Serve the menu warm: plate the ghee rice with the chicken dofiyas and a bowl of raita on the side, and offer the semiya payasam warm or chilled for dessert (optional: a little extra ghee on the rice makes it feel even more celebratory).