Mutta Biryani

1. 1
   prep · ~30 min

   Soak the rice and boil the eggs.

   1.Wash basmati rice until water runs clear, then soak in fresh water for 30 minutes. Drain well.

   2.Place eggs in a saucepan, cover with water, bring to a boil and cook 8 minutes. Cool, peel, and set aside.
2. 2
   fry · ~12 min

   Fry the onions until golden.

   1.Heat 2 tbsp oil in a heavy-bottom pan over medium heat.

   2.Add sliced onions and fry, stirring occasionally, until deeply golden brown (10-12 min).

   3.Remove half the fried onions and reserve for layering.

   TIPPatience here pays off. Properly browned onions are the flavour backbone.
3. 3
   saute · ~6 min

   Build the masala base.

   1.To the remaining onions in the pan, add cinnamon stick, cardamom, cloves, bay leaf, and star anise. Sauté 30 seconds until fragrant.

   2.Add ginger-garlic paste, green chili, turmeric powder, and red chili powder. Sauté 1 minute.

   3.Add chopped tomatoes and cook until soft and oil begins to separate (4-5 min).

   TIPCook the tomatoes well — the masala should look glossy before the next step.
4. 4
   mix · ~5 min

   Finish the egg masala.

   1.Lower heat, add whisked yogurt and stir continuously for 1 minute to avoid curdling.

   2.Add ¼ cup water, half the salt, and garam masala. Mix well.

   3.Gently slide in the hard-boiled eggs, coat well with masala, and simmer 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat.

   TIPKeep the heat low when adding yogurt so it blends smoothly into the gravy.
5. 5
   boil · ~6 min

   Parboil the rice.

   1.In a separate pot, bring 3 cups water with remaining salt to a rolling boil.

   2.Add drained rice and cook until 70% done — grains should still have a slight bite (5-6 min).

   3.Drain the rice completely. Discard the cooking water.

   TIPDo not fully cook the rice now. It finishes cooking during dum with the masala steam.
6. 6
   assemble · ~2 min

   Layer the biryani.

   1.Spread the egg masala evenly at the bottom of the pan.

   2.Layer the parboiled rice on top, spreading gently without breaking grains.

   3.Sprinkle reserved fried onions, chopped coriander leaves, mint leaves, and lemon juice over the rice.

   4.Drizzle ghee evenly on top.
7. 7
   steam · ~18 min

   Cook on dum.

   1.Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid. Seal by placing a heavy weight on the lid or using dough along the rim.

   2.Cook on very low heat for 15-18 minutes. The steam trapped inside finishes cooking the rice and infuses flavours.

   3.Turn off heat and let it rest covered for 5 minutes.

   TIPUse a tava or griddle under the pan for even heat distribution and to prevent burning.
8. 8
   serve

   Fluff gently and serve hot.

   1.Remove the lid and use a fork to gently fluff the rice, mixing the egg masala layers loosely.

   2.Transfer to a serving dish, making sure each portion gets an egg.

   TIPMix with a light hand. Overworking breaks the rice grains and makes the biryani mushy.

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