Hyderabadi Egg Biryani

Ingredients (Serves 5 - 6):

For rice masala:

Basmati Rice         -– 3 cups
Water                       -- 4½  cups
Oil                             –- 1 tbsp
Bay leaf                   –- 1
Cinnamon              -– 1 thin piece
Cloves                     -– 3
Cardamom pods -- 2
Tomato                   -- 1 cup, chopped
Biryani Masala     -– 1 tbsp
Red chilli powder -– 1 tsp
Ghee                          -- 2 tbsp

To grind:
Cashew nuts          –- 6
Cumin seeds          –- ½ tbsp
Fennel seeds         -– ½ tbsp.
Coconut                  –- 2 tbsp
Garlic                       -– 4 pods
Ginger                      -– 1 inch
Green chillies       -– 4
Mint                          -– ½ cup, chopped finely
Coriander leaves –- ½ cup, chopped finely.

For the Fried Eggs:
Boiled eggs                -- 4
Ginger garlic paste -– 1 tsp
Red chilly powder -– 2 tsp
Black pepper powder -– 1 tsp
Besan flour               -- 2 tbsp
Ghee                            -- 1 tbsp
Salt                               -– as required

For Garnishing:
Onions                        –- ½ cup, sliced thinly
Cashewnuts              -– 8 - 10
Saffron                        -– ½ tsp dissolved in ½ cup warm milk
Mint                             -– 2 tbsp finely chopped (to garnish)
Ghee                             –- 2 tbsp

Preparation :

Wash and soak rice for at least half an hour. Boil the eggs, remove the shell and keep aside.

Heat a pan with 2 tbsp ghee. Add the cashews and raisins(optional) and fry them until cashews are golden brown and the raisins bloat up. Once done drain the oil and place it onto a paper towel. Now add the sliced onions and saute in medium heat till turn golden brown. Set the fried items aside.

Meanwhile, mix all the ingredients for the fired eggs, except the boiled eggs with little water and make a paste. In the same pan add more ghee if required, marinate the boiled eggs with the masala and fry them until golden brown. Set aside.

Grind the ingredients under "To Grind" section adding quarter cup of water into a smooth paste.

Heat 2 tbsp ghee or oil in the same pan, if you were using a big one as I did. If not add the ghee to a big pan which would fit in the masala and the rice. Drain the water from the soaked rice and keep aside.

Add the whole spices and saute for half a minute. Add the chopped tomatoes and fry for few minutes. Then add the ground masala paste saute until the tomatoes are really mashed up and the raw taste of the masala and the tomatoes are gone.

Add chilly powder and biryani masala and mix well. The consistency of the masala should be a thick gravy by now.

Add the rice and salt and water. Mix well and close the lid tight and keep it in medium heat until the rice is almost done.

Add the fried eggs, fried onions and chopped mint for garnish and keep it in low for 5 minutes / until the rice is done.
Drizzle the saffron and milk over the rice and switch off, and keep it closed for another 5 minutes. This helps to blend the flavours.

Recipe Courtesy: Relish the bite http://www.relishthebite.com/hyderabadi-egg-biryani/