Serves 4

Ingredients
4 chicken thighs, skin on & bone in

for marinade
⅓ cup yoghurt
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 tbsp grated ginger
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp turmeric
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp sea salt

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Rice pudding with rhubarb

for rice
1½ cup aged basmati rice, washed
1 bay leaf
5 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
2 star anise
1 tbsp sea salt

for assemble
1 onion, finely sliced
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp saffron
2 tbsp warm milk
¼ cup melted butter

for garnish
½ cup yoghurt
1 Lebanese cucumber, sliced
curry leaves & mint

Mix the marinade ingredients in a bowl and pour into a large zip lock bag with the chicken and marinate overnight in the refrigerator. Bring 2L of water to the boil with the spices and salt, add rice and cook for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside. Fry onions in a small saucepan until crispy and drain on paper towel. Allow the saffron to infuse in the warm milk in a small bowl. Add the chicken and marinade to a frypan over medium heat and cook for 30 minutes.

To assemble, place half the rice in a 4L dutch oven, layer over the chicken and half the crispy onion. Cover with the remaining rice, pour over the saffron mix and melted butter. Cover with a lid and place over medium heat and cook for 4 minutes or until steam begins to form, lower heat to low and continue to cook for 20 minutes. Set aside to rest for 10 minutes.

Serve biryani topped with remaining crispy onion, yoghurt, cucumber and herbs.

This article first appeared in the August 2025 issue of SALIFE magazine.