How to make restaurant-style Egg Biryani at home

Food blogger Koushik Maji sent us this detailed recipe for egg biryani.
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Egg Biryani

Recipe and photograph: Courtesy Koushik Maji/Recipes of Home

We all know biryani is every Indian's favourite dish.

But few people know how to cook it well at home.

I am sharing this simple and super delicious biryani recipe for beginners.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients

For egg masala

• 5 to 6 boiled eggs
• 4 to 5 tbsp oil
• 3 to 4 medium-size sliced onions
• 2 to 3 medium-size chopped tomatoes
• 1 bay leaf 
• 2 to 3 green cardamom
• 3 to 4 cloves
• 2-inch cinnamon
• 1 black cardamom
• 2 tsp cumin seed
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
• 2 tsp biryani masala
• 4 to 5 tbsp curd (sweet one)
• Salt to taste
• 3 to 4 tbsp coriander 
• 2 to 3 tbsp mint leaves

For cooking rice

• 400 gm basmati rice
• 2 litres water
• 2 tbsp salt
• 4-5 green cardamom
• 3 to 4 cloves
• 1 black cardamom
• 2-inch cinnamon
• 1 tbsp cumin seed
• 1 mace 
• 1 tbsp rose water (optional)
• 1 tbsp kewra water (optional)

For cooking biryani

• 3 to 4 tbsp oil or desi ghee
• 50 ml hot milk
• 8 to 10 saffron or Kesar
• 1 tbsp rose water
• 1 tbsp kewra water

Method

• Wash and soak rice for up to 30 minutes.
• Boil eggs and potatoes. Alongside, make saffron milk by adding 50 ml hot milk with 8 to 10 strands of saffron. Set aside until milk turns white to yellow.
• Pour oil in a pan and add sliced onions.
• Fry them in medium flame till they turn completely golden brown. Remove and drain the excess oil in kitchen tissue.
• To make egg masala add 5 to 6 tbsp oil in a pan.
• Add whole spices and saute on medium flame.
• Add 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste and saute in medium flame until raw smell completely disappears.
• Add 2-3 chopped tomatoes, turmeric, salt, Kashmiri red chili powder and cook until tomatoes become translucent.
• Add 4 to 5 tbsp hung curd and mix with the gravy.
• Add a little water, coriander leaves, 2 tsp biryani masala powder to this gravy.
• Add boiled eggs, potatoes, fried onions, and gently mix.
• For cooking rice for biryani in a deep pan pour water and add 2 tbsp salt, 4 cloves, 3 green cardamom, 1 black cardamom,1 mace, 1 tsp cumin seed, oil, rose water and kewra water.
• When water starts boiling add soaked rice and cook rice up to 60% to 70%.
• Drain the excess water from rice and let it cool. (The rice stock can be stored to be used later.)
• For layering egg biryani grease 4 to 5 tbsp oil or ghee to the bottom of handi.
• Add the first layer of boiled biryani rice at the bottom of the handi.
• Next, make a layer of egg masala gravy over it and sprinkle some chopped coriander and mint leaves over it.
• Spread the second layer of rice over it.
• Pour kesar milk, 2 cups of rice stock, 1 tbsp rose water, 1 tbsp kewra water and 3 tbsp desi ghee over it. You may also add the oil used for frying onions instead of desi ghee. 
• Finally, seal the handi with foil paper or wheat dough and let it sit 2-3 minutes on high flame and 15 minutes on low flame.
• To avoid direct heat, you can place handi over tawa.
• After you switch off the flame, don't open the handi for another 20 minutes.
• Before serving, carefully open the lid and fluff the rice from one side with a sharp spatula.
• Serve hot with some salad, raita or any meat gravy.

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