{Ramadan Special} - Egg Potato Biryani by Aish of 'Spices in the Cookie Jar'

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 tbsp. Ghee – 3 tbsp
• 5 big Red onions, sliced thin (cut one half extra fine to fry for garnish) 
• 1 big Tomato, chopped
• 3/4 cup Curd
• 1/2 tbsp. Lemon juice 
• 1 big Potato, cut into small cubes
• 1/4 tsp. Turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. Chilly powder
• 1/2 tsp. Fennel powder
• 1/2 tsp. Pepper powder 
• 1 1/2 tsp. Biryani masala 
• Mint leaves – a bunch chopped 
• Coriander leaves – a bunch chopped 
• Salt as required 
• Eggs – 6 hard boiled 

• Ginger – 1.5″ piece
• Garlic – 1 bulb/10 big cloves
• Green chilli – 10 medium ones

• Ghee – 2 tbsp
• Star anise – 1
• Cloves – 10
• Cardamom – 7
• Cinnamon – 2″ piece
• Bay leaf 1
• Rice – 2 cups (I use kaima/jeerakashala rice you can use Basmati as well) 
• Water – 3.5 cups boiled (up to 4 cups depending on the rice) 
• Salt as required

• Saffron – a few pinch (mix in 2 tbsp of warm milk) 
• Lemon juice – 1/2 lemon 
• Biryani masala – 1/4 tsp 
• Coriander & mint leaves chopped – a little for garnish 
• Fried nuts 
• Fried raisins 
• Fried onions

PREPARATION:

• Wash and soak the rice for about 10 mins, drain and keep aside. Heat 2 tbsp ghee in a wide cooking pot and fry the whole spices for a minute. 
• Add the rice and stir fry till it turns translucent then pour the 3.5 cups of hot water and salt. 
• Cover and cook for 10 mins (give a nice stir after 5 minutes). Open the lid and fork the rice so it doesn’t get sticky.

• Heat the ghee in a heavy bottom pan and fry the extra thin slices of onion with a sprinkle of salt, till golden brown and crisp. This should take about 10 minutes. 
• Remove the onions and fry the cashew nuts on medium heat till it turns golden on all sides and drain. 
• Add the raisins and fry till it plumps up, remove and drain.

For the gravy:

• In the remaining ghee, fry the rest of the sliced onion till it starts to brown. Add ginger, garlic, green chilly mixture and sauté till raw smell disappears and mix all the masala powders and stir for a minute. 
• Mix the chopped tomatoes and cook till soft, stir in the curd, lemon juice and salt along with coriander and mint leaves and mix thoroughly. 
• Add the potato and cook on medium heat for another 10 minutes till the potatoes get soft and the gravy thickens a bit. 
• Check the taste and adjust salt, pepper or lemon juice if required. Take it off the stove when there’s a semi-thick gravy left. 
• Slit the hard boiled eggs and mix it into the gravy carefully without breaking the eggs.

• Transfer half the egg masala into a deep bottom ovenproof dish and spread half of the rice over it, drizzle half the saffron milk, lemon juice, sprinkle half the biryani masala and chopped coriander and mint leaves. 
• Repeat the layers once more and sprinkle the remaining saffron milk, lemon juice, biryani masala and chopped leaves. 
• Cover the dish with two layers of tightly fitting foil and bake for 25-30 minutes @ 200C (I use a fan forced oven, please adjust time according to your appliance).
• Remove the dish from the oven and let it rest for another 5-10 minutes before opening.