Murgh Biriani Recipe

Put the rice in a bowl with a cup of stock, fifty grams of butter, the cardamom pods, the cinnamon and enough water to just cover it. Microwave it on High for eight minutes. Fluff the rice up with a fork, add an extra half-cup of stock, sprinkle the rice with the saffron and cover the dish with plastic wrap. Microwave it for eight minutes on High. Remove the plastic, transfer the rice to a large mixing bowl and stir it up well, breaking up any lumps. Put it aside.
Blend the tomatoes to a liquid. Peel and chop the onions finely, peel and chop the garlic and peel and grate the ginger. Melt the remaining butter and oil in a pan. Gently fry the onions, the garlic and the ginger for twenty minutes in a heavy pan. Add the ground cumin, the salt, the chilli powder, the pepper, the coriander and the the garam masala. Fry it all gently for five minutes. Add the chicken and fry it for twenty minutes. Add the yoghurt and the tomatoes. Simmer the mixture uncovered for an hour or until it's very thick. Adjust the seasonings. Put aside.
Spoon one third of the rice into a casserole. Smooth it down well. Add half the chicken mixture and press it down until smooth. Repeat the layers, finishing with the last of the rice. Sprinkle the top with the remaining stock, the sultanas and the cashews. Bake at 180ºc (360ºf) for thirty minutes.