Step 1: 1. Clean and cut the chicken; marinate briefly with salt, turmeric and a little oil.

Step 2: 2. Rinse and soak basmati rice 20–30 minutes.

Step 3: 3. In a large pot, heat ghee/oil. Fry chopped onion until golden. Add minced garlic and green chillies and fry 1–2 min.

Step 4: 4. Add whole spices (cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves) and ground spices (coriander, cumin). Stir until fragrant.

Step 5: 5. Add chicken pieces, brown lightly and add enough water/chicken stock to cover. Simmer until chicken is nearly cooked.

Step 6: 6. Remove chicken; measure remaining liquid and add soaked rice. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and cook rice until almost done.

Step 7: 7. Return the chicken to the rice pot on top, cover tightly and steam on low for 10–15 min so flavors meld.

Step 8: 8. (Optional) For authentic smoky aroma: heat a small charcoal until red hot, place it on a small foil cup in the centre of the pot, add a tsp of butter/oil on the coal then cover immediately to trap smoke for 5–10 minutes. Remove coal.

Step 9: 9. Garnish with fried onions, chopped coriander and serve with chutney or raita.