Ingredients:

• 10 cardamom pods, preferably green, smashed with a chef’s knife
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 piece fresh ginger about 2 inches long, cut into ½ inch coins
• ½ teaspoon cumin seed
• 3 quarts water
• Salt
• 8 bone-in chicken thighs
• Black pepper
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 medium onions, sliced thin
• 2 medium jalapeno chilies, seeded and chopped fine
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 ¼ cup basmati rice
• ½ teaspoon saffron threads
• ¼ cup currants or raisins
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoons fresh mint chopped

Instructions:

1. Wrap cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, ginger and cumin seed in a small piece of cheesecloth.  In 3 ½ to 4 quart heavy-bottomed saucepan about 8 inches in diameter, bring water, spice bundle and 1 ½ teaspoons salt to a boil over medium.  Reduce to low and simmer, partially covered until spices have infused the water which will take at least 15 minutes and no longer then 30.
2. Meanwhile, season chicken with salt and pepper and set aside.
3. Heat butter in 12 inch nonstick skillet over medium until foaming subsides; add onions and cook stirring frequently, until soft and dark brown about the edges, 10 to 12 minutes.  Add jalapenos and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.  Transfer onion mixture to a bowl and season lightly.
4. Wipe out the skillet with paper towels and return heat to medium and brown thighs.  Flip and continue on this side until well browned.  Transfer to a plate and tent with foil.
5. Return spice-infused water to boil over high heat and stir in rice.  Cook about 5 to 7 minutes and drain through a fine-mesh strainer reserving about 1 ½ cups of the liquid.
6. Transfer rice to a bowl and stir in saffron and currants.
7. Spread half the rice evenly in the bottom of the now-empty saucepan.  Scatter half of the onion mixture over the rice, and then place the chicken thighs on top of the onions.  Evenly sprinkle with herbs, scatter remaining onions and then cover with rice.  Pour the reserved cooking liquid evenly over the rice.
8. Cover the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat until the rice is tender and chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes.

Comments: Layering the ingredients into a saucepan is the secret to the mingling of flavors in chicken biryani.