Biryanis

Egg Biryani:

This is one of my favourite dishes. Usually egg biryani has boiled eggs in it but this one is different, it's my mom's recipe and it tastes delicious.

Ingredients:

For Rice:

• Rice 2 1/2 cups
  
• 1 1/2 tsp shahjeera
  
• 5 cloves
  
• 1 cinnamon (dalchini)
  
• 1 tejpatta
  
• 7 to 8 black peppercorns
  
• water
  
• 4 tsp salt
  
• 1/2 tsp sugar
  
• 1 tsp lemon juice
  
• a pinch of saffron (kesar) mixed in 1/4th cup of warm milk

For the masala:

• 5 eggs
  
• 2 tsp coriander powder
  
• 1 tsp cumin powder


• 2 tsp red chilli powder
  
• 1/4th tsp garam masala powder
  
• 3 cloves
  
• 4 to 5 black peppercorns
  
• 2 black cardamom
  
• 1 cinnamon


• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds


• 5 to 6 tsp yogurt
  
• 1/2 cup mint leaves
  
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
  
• 1 big onion cut lengthwise
  
• 5 tbsp oil
  
• 2 tsp ghee

Procedure:

• First of all take water in a big utensil, the water should be enough to cover the rice at least 4" over the surface and then put shahjeera, tejpatta, cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns, sugar, salt and lemon juice in it. Then let it come to a boil. Wash the rice in a sieve and then add to the boiling water.Cook till almost done. To determine when it has reached that stage, remove a few grains from the pot and press between your thumb and forefinger. The rice should mostly mash but will have a firm whitish core. Turn off the fire. Strain through a colander and keep drained aside.



• Heat 5 tbsps of oil in a pan and fry the onions till caramelized - golden brown. Drain and keep aside on paper towel for later use.
  


• Now put cumin seeds, cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon and black cardamom in oil and fry for 30 seconds. Then put ginger garlic paste and fry till golden brown.




• In a bowl combine yogurt, 3/4th of the caramalised onions and all the other ground masala and mix well. Add this mixture to the ginger garlic paste stirring continiously. It is important to stir continiously otherwise yogurt may curdle up.




• Once the oil starts leaving the sides, your masala is ready. Turn the heat to low, and then
  break each egg onto a saucer or into small cups or bowls. Slip eggs carefully into slowly simmering masala by lowering the lip of each egg cup 1/2-inch above the surface of the masala. Make sure you put the eggs side by side in the masala and that they should not overlap each other.


• When you are done with all eggs then let them cook for 5 minutes on one side and then carefully flip them to the other side without breaking the egg yolk.


• Once you are done with the flipping spread the mint leaves on the eggs and then spread half of the rice. Then spread the remaining caramalised onions on top of the rice.
• Now take the remaining rice and pour the saffron mixture in it and mix well. Now, spread the remaining rice then cover it and cook on very low flame for 7 to 10 minutes.


• Egg biryani is ready. Serve hot with yogurt.