Hyderabadi Egg Dum Biriyani

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon Oil

1/2 Bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon shahi jeera

1" Cinnamon

3 Cloves

2 Cardamom pods

1 small Tomato chopped

2 tablespoon Yogurt

3 cups Basmati Rice

1 tablespoon Biryani Masala

1 teaspoon Red chilli powder

For garnishing:

1/2 teaspoon Saffron dissolved in ½ cup warm milk

2 tablespoon Ghee

2 tablespoon Mint,finely chopped (to garnish)

For the Egg masala:

1 teaspoon Ginger garlic paste

2 teaspoon Red chilli powder

1 teaspoon Black pepper powder

2 tablespoon Besan flour

2 teaspoon Salt

4 half-boiled potatoes

4 Boiled eggs

For fried onions:

2 small Onions, (½ cup, sliced thinly)

6 Cashewnuts

3-4 tablespoons Oil to fry

For rice masala:

6 Cashew nuts

1/2 tablespoon Khus khus (white poppy seeds)

1/2 tablespoon Cumin seeds/ jeera

1/2 tablespoon Fennel seeds

2 tablespoon Coconut

4 pods Garlic

1 inch Ginger

4 Green chilli

1/2 cup Mint, chopped finely

1/2 cup Coriander leaves, chopped finely

1 teaspoon kewra water(optional)

Method:

Wash and soak rice for at least 30 -40 minutes.

Bring 4 to 5 cups of water to a boil and cook rice along with Cardamoms and shahi jeera.When the rice is cooked (fully cooked but grainy and firm) drain it to a colander.

For Fried onions:
Heat a pan with oil, add the sliced onions and cook in medium heat till turn golden brown. Add cashews at the end and fry too. Stir in the middle so that it does not stick to the bottom. Set aside.

For Egg masala:
Mix all the ingredients under “Egg masala” with little water and add the Eggs along with the half-boiled potatoes. Heat a pan with 1 tablespoon of butter. Now add both the marinated eggs and potatoes and coat till they get golden brown.

For masala:
Grind the garlic, ginger, mint(few), coriander(few),cashews, coconut (optional), poppy seeds, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, chillis with two tablespoon of water into a smooth paste.

Now take a big pan, add oil or ghee in medium heat, add the spices (cardamom, bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves), and then add the tomatoes and grinded paste and sauté them till the tomatoes are not raw and little mushy.

Now add the yogurt, chilli powder, biryani powder and mix well.Switch off the stove and set the pan away.[I always move the skillet away from the heat when adding yogurt which prevents it from curdling.]The Masala Paste is ready.

Now,take a wide mouthed pot;add half of the rice to the pot.

Layer the egg-potato mixture over the rice and spread it well.

Spread the prepared Masala Paste evenly over the rice.

Switch off the stove after 5minutes and open the lid.Drizzle kewra water, the saffron and milk over the rice,sprinkle fried onions and rest of the mint and coriander leaves;keep it closed again with the lid.

Now add rest of the rice as top layer.Put the pot on the stove,close the lid tight and keep it in medium heat for 5 minutes.

Now,heat a tawa or cast iron pan.When the tawa turns hot,place the Dum pot on it.Set the flame to very low.

Then,Dum it for 10 minutes on the low flame.

Switch off the stove and allow it to rest for another 10 minutes.

Dish out the Biriyani.