Egg Biryani

Ingredients for Preparing Rice

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• Basmati rice - 1 1/2 cup
• Boiling Water - 6 cup
• Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Lemon juice - 1 tsp
• Salt 
• Ghee - 1 tsp

Whole Spices

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• Green cardamom - 4
• Cinnamon stick - 1
• Cloves - 4
• Whole Peppercorns - 8
• Bay Leaves -1

Method

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1. Soak  rice in water for 20 minutes and drain .
2. To the heavy bottomed vessel add 6 cups water, salt , lemon juice, turmeric powder, ghee and whole spices and bring to boil.
3. Add rice to boiling water and cook until rice is 3/4 th done.
4. Wash the 3/4 th cooked rice in cold water .
5. Drain and keep aside.

Ingredients For Egg Masala
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• Egg - 5
• Onion - 1 big (lightly crushed in grinder)
• Tomato -1/2 (finely chopped)
• Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
• Green chilly  - 4
• Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
• Crushed Pepper powder - 1tsp
• Kashmiri Chilli Powder - 11/2tsp
• Garam Masala powder -  1/2 tsp
• Fennel Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin Powder -1/4 tsp
• Coriander Leaves -  2 tbsp (finely chopped)
• Mint Leaves - 1 tbsp (finely chopped)
• Thick Curd - 3 tbsp
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - 3 tbsp
• Ghee - 2 tbsp
• Water - 1/2 cup
• Cashew nuts - 6
• Poppy seeds - 1 tbsp

For Garnishing

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• Cashew - 10
• Raisins - 2 tbsp
• Onions - 1/4 cup (thinly sliced)
• Coriander Leaves
• Mint Leaves 

Method for Preparing Egg Masala
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1. Boil eggs and remove the shell. Slice each egg into two halves.
2. Soak cashew and poppy seeds in hot water and grind to smooth paste.
3. Heat 2 tbsp ghee and  2 tbsp oil in a pan and fry 1/4 cup sliced  onions till  dark brown and keep aside .(You can add a pinch of sugar to caramelize the onions easily).
4. Fry the nuts and raisins and keep aside.
5. In the same pan , to the remaining oil add a pinch of turmeric powder, pepper powder and salt and lightly fry the boiled eggs on both sides and take out and keep aside.
6. Add 1 more tbsp oil to same pan and saute crushed onions till light brown.
7. Add ginger garlic paste followed by green chilli, mint and coriander leaves and saute till a nice aroma comes.
8. Add turmeric, chilli, coriander powders, salt  and garam masala powder and saute for 3 mins.
9. Add chopped tomatoes and saute till they become mushy.
10. Add cashew poppy seed "paste" and curd and mix again.
11. Add 1/2 cup water.Cover the lid and cook till gravy thickens.
12. Add fried eggs and mix gently.
13. Close the lid and cook for 5 mins in  medium flame.

Final Setting

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1. Preheat an oven to 350F.
2. In an oven proof vessel grease  the bottom with little ghee.
3. Add 1 layer of egg masala followed by cooked rice.
4. Repeat this step for 2 layers.
5. Garnish with fried onions, nuts , raisins and mint and coriander leaves.
6. Cover the vessel with an aluminium foil and close with lid.
7. Bake  for 30 mins .
8. Take out  from the oven and gently mix . Garnish with  some more fried onions, nuts , raisins and mint and coriander leaves.
9. Serve hot with coriander mint chutney, salad, cucumber slices.

Notes

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1. The amount of green chilies should be varied based on their hotness.
2. If you are not having an oven , the same can be done in stove top method.