The beaver is a proud and noble animal

Soft butter, for greasing the pan
Flour, for dusting the buttered pan
4 large eggs
200g sugar, sifted
200g brown sugar, sifted
230g melted butter
105g cocoa powder, sifted
65g flour, sifted
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 300F/150C. Butter and flour an 8-inch square pan.

In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the eggs at medium speed until fluffy and light yellow. Add both sugars. Add remaining ingredients, and mix to combine.

Pour the batter into a greased and floured 8-inch square pan and bake for 45 minutes. Check for doneness with the tried-and-true toothpick method: a toothpick inserted into the center of the pan should come out clean.

When it’s done, remove to a rack to cool. Resist the temptation to cut into it until it’s mostly cool.

TIPS

Whip your eggs until light and ribbony: Because this recipe doesn’t use any chemical leavening agents (like baking powder or baking soda), it’s important that you whip the eggs for long enough to incorporate air into them so your brownies have some lift. You want the eggs to be light yellow in color and thick, so be patient.

When checking the brownies for doneness, a little bit of wet crumbs stuck to the toothpick is OK: Unlike cakes, it’s OK if a bit of wet crumbs stick to the toothpick when you check them for doneness. It’s best to err on the side of underbaking these brownies versus overbaking them, so don’t wait until the toothpick is completely clean.

Allow the brownies to cool completely before cutting into them: If you try to cut the brownies too early, they will crumble apart and stick to your knife, so give them at least one hour to cool before attempting to cut them.

CHICKEN TIKKA

600g chicken breast
400ml cups natural yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons ginger paste
2 tablespoons tikka masala sauce
1 tablespoon red chili powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon salt

CURRY

2 tablespoons oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons ginger paste
1 teaspoon cumin seed
2 black peppercorns
2 cloves
1 teaspoon red chili powder
1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon garam masala powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tomatoes, finely chopped
100ml natural yogurt
100ml water

RICE

400ml water
300g basmati rice, soaked for at least 20 minutes
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon cumin seed

BIRYANI ASSEMBLY

200g onion, carmelised
20g fresh coriander, finely chopped
1 tablespoon oil
200ml water, saffron-infused

Preheat the oven 430F/220C.

Combine all the chicken tikka ingredients and marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

Skewer the marinated chicken pieces on bamboo skewers, then place them over a baking tray lined with parchment paper, making sure there is space underneath the chicken to help distribute the heat more evenly.

Reserve the chicken tikka marinade for later use.

Bake the chicken skewers for about 15 minutes, until slightly dark brown on the edges and cooked throughout.

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat, then sauté the onions with the herbs and spices until just browned.

Add in the chopped tomatoes and fry till soft.

Pour in the yogurt, water, and reserved tikka marinade, and mix it well with the vegetables and spices.

Bring the mixture to a boil, add in the chicken and cook for a further 4-5 minutes. Set aside.

In a large pot, assemble your biryani in the following layers: 1/3 rice, 1/2 chicken curry, 1/2 caramelised onion, 1/2 coriander, 1/3 rice, oil, 1/2 of the saffron-infused water, 1/2 chicken curry, 1/3 rice, the rest of the saffron-infused water, 1/2 caramelised onion, and finally top with the remaining coriander.

Simmer the biryani over a low heat for 10 minutes or until all the water is absorbed and the rice and chicken are heated throughout.