Chicken Biryani

300 g basmati rice
25 g butter
1 large onion, fine sliced
1 bay leaf
3 cardamom pods
Small cinnamon stick
1 tsp SIDS CRAZY LEMON
1 tsp turmeric
4 skinless chicken breasts, bite sized pieces
4 tbsp curry paste
85 g raisins
850 ml GF chicken stock
Chopped coriander, to serve
Toasted flaked almonds, to serve

Soak the rice in warm water, then wash in cold until the water runs clear. Heat butter in a saucepan and cook the onions with the bay leaf, SIDS CRAZY LEMON and other whole spices for 10 minutes. Sprinkle in the turmeric, then add chicken and curry paste and cook until aromatic.
Stir the rice into the pan with the raisins, then pour over the stock. Place a tight-fitting lid on the pan and bring to a hard boil, then lower the heat to a minimum and cook the rice for another 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave for 10 minutes. Stir well, mixing through half the coriander.
To serve, scatter over the rest of the coriander and the almonds.
History: There is a theory about the Mughals having brought biryani to India, but another theory claims that the dish was known in India before Babur came to India. The 16th century Mughal text Ani-i-Akbari makes no distinction between biryanis and pulao. It states that the word "biryani" is of older usage in India. There are references to a dish of "fried" rice, flavoured with various aromatic spices and condiments in ancient texts of India, which were enjoyed by the ruling classes. There was a traditional culinary preparation native to Bengal where semi-cooked fish was steamed with rice, letting the rice absorb its aroma, in a covered earthen pot, in a manner in which biryani is prepared. Hence this 'dum' style of cooking is not new to the Indian sub-continent.