Hyderabadi Egg Dum Biryani

Instructions

1. 1

   Preparation of Rice, Eggs, and Saffron Milk

   • Gently wash the basmati rice until the water runs clear, then soak in fresh water for 30 minutes.
   • Meanwhile, hard-boil the eggs, peel them, and make a few shallow slits on each egg with a knife. This helps them absorb the masala.
   • Soak the saffron strands in 1/4 cup of warm milk and set aside for the aromas to infuse.
2. 2

   Prepare the Birista (Fried Onions)

   • Heat oil in a deep pan or kadai over medium-high heat.
   • Add the thinly sliced onions and fry, stirring occasionally, for 12-15 minutes until they turn a deep, even golden brown and become crispy.
   • Remove the onions with a slotted spoon onto a paper towel to drain excess oil. This is your birista. Reserve the flavorful oil.
3. 3

   Marinate the Eggs

   • In a large mixing bowl, whisk the curd until smooth.
   • Stir in the ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chili powder, biryani masala, and 1.5 tsp of salt.
   • Add the chopped coriander, mint, slit green chilies, half of the prepared birista, and 2 tbsp of the reserved onion oil. Mix well to create a thick marinade.
   • Gently add the slit, boiled eggs to the marinade, ensuring they are well-coated. Let it marinate for at least 20 minutes.
4. 4

   Par-cook the Rice

   • In a large pot, bring 8 cups of water to a rolling boil. Add the bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cloves, green cardamoms, and 2 tsp of salt.
   • Drain the soaked rice and add it to the boiling water.
   • Cook for 5-7 minutes until the rice is 70% cooked. The grain should break easily when pressed but still have a firm core.
   • Immediately drain the rice in a colander to stop the cooking process.
5. 5

   Layer the Biryani

   • In a heavy-bottomed pot (handi), spread the marinated egg mixture evenly at the bottom.
   • Carefully layer half of the par-cooked rice over the egg masala.
   • Sprinkle half of the remaining birista, some fresh mint, and coriander leaves. Drizzle 1.5 tbsp of melted ghee over this layer.
   • Spread the remaining rice as the top layer. Garnish with the rest of the birista, herbs, the remaining 1.5 tbsp of ghee, and finally, the saffron-infused milk.
6. 6

   Cook on 'Dum'

   • Seal the pot tightly with a lid. For a perfect seal, you can use aluminum foil under the lid or a traditional dough seal around the rim.
   • Place the pot on high heat for the first 5 minutes to build up steam.
   • Reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting. Place a tawa (flat iron griddle) under the pot to prevent burning and cook on dum for 20 minutes.
   • After 20 minutes, turn off the heat completely.
7. 7

   Rest and Serve

   • Let the biryani rest, sealed, for at least 10-15 minutes. This crucial step allows the flavors to meld and the rice to finish cooking in the residual steam.
   • Open the pot, and gently fluff the rice from the sides using a fork or a thin spatula to avoid breaking the grains.
   • Serve the Hyderabadi Egg Dum Biryani hot, accompanied by Mirchi ka Salan or a simple Raita.