Awadhi Anda Biryani with Burani Raita

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare Rice and Birista (Fried Onions)

   • In a large pot, bring 8 cups of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 bay leaf, 2 green cardamoms, 2 cloves, half the cinnamon stick, and 1.5 tsp of salt.
   • Add the soaked and drained basmati rice. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the rice is 70% cooked (al dente). Drain it completely in a colander and set aside.
   • While the rice cooks, heat 1 cup of oil in a wide pan over medium-high heat. Add the thinly sliced onions and fry, stirring occasionally, for 12-15 minutes until they are uniformly golden brown and crisp. Drain on a paper towel. This is your birista. Reserve half for the gravy and half for layering.
2. 2

   Cook the Egg Gravy

   • In a heavy-bottomed pot (handi), heat 2 tbsp of ghee over medium heat. Add the remaining whole spices: shahi jeera, 1 bay leaf, 2 green cardamoms, 2 cloves, and the rest of the cinnamon. Sauté for 30-40 seconds until fragrant.
   • Add the ginger-garlic paste and slit green chilies. Sauté for 1 minute until the raw aroma disappears.
   • Reduce the heat to low. Add the turmeric powder, red chili powder, and biryani masala. Stir for 20 seconds.
   • Keeping the heat on the lowest setting, add the whisked curd gradually while stirring continuously. This prevents it from splitting. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the masala thickens and oil begins to separate at the edges.
   • Stir in half of the birista, half of the chopped mint and coriander leaves, and 1 tsp of salt. Mix well.
   • Gently place the hard-boiled eggs into the gravy. You can make a few shallow slits on the eggs to help them absorb the flavors. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, gently coating the eggs with the masala.
3. 3

   Layer the Biryani

   • Take the pot off the heat. Remove the eggs and about half of the gravy, setting them aside for a moment.
   • Create the first layer by spreading half of the 70% cooked rice over the gravy remaining in the pot.
   • Arrange the reserved eggs over this rice layer. Pour the rest of the gravy evenly over the eggs.
   • Spread the remaining rice to form the top layer.
   • Garnish the top with the remaining birista, mint leaves, and coriander leaves.
   • Drizzle the saffron-infused milk, kewra water, and the remaining 1 tbsp of ghee all over the top layer of rice.
4. 4

   Dum Cooking

   • Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. To create a perfect seal, you can place a clean kitchen towel under the lid or seal the edges with a simple flour-water dough.
   • Place the pot on a tawa (flat griddle) over the lowest possible flame. This ensures gentle, even heating. Let it cook on 'dum' for 15-20 minutes.
   • After 20 minutes, turn off the heat and let the biryani rest, still sealed, for at least 10-15 minutes. This step is crucial for the flavors to meld together.
5. 5

   Serve

   • Open the lid and enjoy the aroma. Gently fluff the biryani from the sides using a fork or a flat spatula, ensuring you get all the layers in each serving.
   • Serve hot with a side of cooling raita (like mint or cucumber raita) or a simple kachumber salad.