To begin making the Ambur Star Chicken Biryani, thoroughly wash and clean the chicken and set aside. Soak the Seeraga samba rice, for a minimum of 30 minutes.

In an open pan, add ghee, bay leaf, star anise, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom. To this add 2 cups of water and bring to a single boil. Add the washed and drained rice and cook until the rice is about 70% cooked.  (The rice grain should be undercooked in the center) Set aside.

In a deep kadai, on medium flame, heat 4 tablespoons of oil, add the sliced onions and cook till transparent for about 5-7 minutes.

At this stage mix in the ginger paste, garlic paste and salt. Saute for a couple of minutes.

Mix in the chopped tomatoes and cook until they are soft.  At this stage add in the red chilli powder and coriander seeds powder.

Once the onion-tomato mixture comes together, slightly tilt the kadai, and remove the excess oil, spoon by spoon into a small cup/katori.

Now that the excess oil has been drained out, add the yogurt/curd and chicken and mix well. Allow the chicken to cook until almost done to about 80%.  Mix in the mint leaves

To assemble to biryani, while the chicken continues to be in the kadai, add the 70% cooked seeraga samba rice on top of the chicken pieces and pour the excess flavoured oil over the rice and cover the kadai with a plate. 

Turn the flame to the lowest heat possible. 

In a saucepan, boil water and turn off the flame and place this hot pan on the lid of the kadai. This process is done in order to seal the kadai in which the biryani is cooking. The heat from the hot water in the saucepan provides heat from the top, while there is heat from the bottom as well creating the effect of "Dum". 

Let the biryani sit on this "Dum" for a good 20 minutes. 

After 20 minutes open the lid and lightly fluff up the biryani with a fork and serve piping hot.

Serve the Ambur Star Chicken Biryani  along with Tadka Raita Recipe (Spiced Curd With Onions) and Chettinad Kathirikai Chops Recipe for Sunday Lunch.