mom's chicken biryani

Or should I say Shakila aunty's biryani.

soum this one is for you,stop haunting me in my dreams:)

Ingredients
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• 1 kg chicken (with bone cut to medium pieces)
• ghee rice
• 3 medium onion (roughly chopped)
• 2 inch cinnamon
• 5 cloves
• 25 garlic cloves
• 1 1/2 inch ginger
• 6 tbsp coriander leaves(chop 3 tbsp finely and keep aside)
• 4 tbsp mint leaves(chop 2 tbsp finely and keep aside)
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 4 green chillies
• 10 to 12 cashew nuts
• 2 tomatoes (chopped finely)
• 25 to 30 green chillies (slit slighty in the top)
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1/2 ghee or more (be very generous)
• salt to taste

Method

1. Grind onion, turmeric ,ginger,garlic,cinnamon,cloves,cashewnuts,4 green chillies,3 tbsp coriander leaves and 2tbsp mint leaves into very fine paste (do not use water)
2. Place a big vessel on medium high flame, add ghee,when hot add tomatoes and little salt,fry the tomatoes till its melted,now add the slit green chillies.Stir for a minute.
3. Now add the ground masala and fry till the raw smell dissappears and ghee leaves the sides.
4. Add chicken ,salt,chopped coriander and mint leaves.Cover and cook (add 1/2 cup water or less if required)
5. When chicken is almost done add lemon juice and mix,adjust salt to taste.
6. Good sign for a good gravy is when the ghee is floating on the top,
7. Prepare ghee rice

To assemble

Take a big vessel apply little ghee to the bottom of the vessel,put one layer of ghee rice and a layer of chicken masala.Continue the layering till you are done with the chicken and rice.
Place a flat pan on low flame and place the biryani vessel on top of the flame and cover and cook for 5 minutes.
Mix carefully and serve with raita