Egg Biryani

Ingredients
Group I for the Rice

• Basmathi Rice - 2 cup (160 ml each cup)
• Coconut milk - 1 cup
• Lemon Juice - 1 tsp
• Mint leaves - few
• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Salt to taste

Dry Spices for the rice

• Black Cumin - 1/2 tsp
• Bay leaves - 2
• Cinnamon - 2 (1 inch each)

Group II for the Masala

• Boiled eggs - 4-5 (cut into half)
• Oil - 5 tbsp
• Coconut Milk - 1/4 cup
• Mint - 1 Bunch (chopped)
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 1/2 tbsp
• Coriander leaves - 2 handfuls
• Tomatoes - 3
• Green chillies - 6 (Slitted)
• Fried Onions -  approximately 2 medium size
• Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Lemon Juice - 1 tsp
• Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
• Chilly powder - 1 tsp
• Any Readymade Biryani masala powder - 1 tsp (egg, chicken or mutton)
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Dry Spices for the Masala

• Black cumin - 1/4 tsp
• Cinnamon - 4 pieces (1 inch each)
• Cloves - 8
• Cardamom - 2
• Aniseeds - 1/4 tsp
• Bay leaves - 2

Method

Preparation of the rice

• Soak the rice for 1/2 an hour.
• Heat oil in the pressure cooker, on high medium flame.
• Splutter the dry masalas(for the rice) &  add the mint leaves(few).
• Add 1 cup of coconut milk & 3 cups of water to the rice. 
• Add salt and lemon juice.
• Cover the cooker when water starts bubbling.
• Simmer the flame & do not let the cooker to whistle.
• Let it cook for 15 minutes.
• Now open the cooker & transfer the rice to another large vessel.
• Spread the rice using fork & allow it to cool slightly.

Preparation of the masala

• Heat oil in the pan on high medium flame.
• Splutter the dry masalas (for the masala) & add the ginger garlic paste.
• Fry well till the oil separates. Add the chopped tomatoes & continue frying till it becomes mashy.
• Now add the mint leaves & fried onions.
• Now add chilly powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, coriander powder, biryani masala powder & salt.
• Fry for 2 minutes.
• Add the coconut milk & mix well. Simmer the flame.
• Cover & cook till it becomes thick & the oil separates from the masala.
• Add the chopped coriander leaves, lemon juice & the eggs.
• Mix well but gently for 5 minutes.
• Switch off the flame & cover it for 5 minutes.
• Now spread this masala on top of the rice & mix gently till it gets incorporated.
• If you wish you can keep the rice in dum for 10 minutes or serve immediately with raita.

Tips for the recipe - While preparing the rice you can also use ghee instead of oil for better taste. Briyani tastes good when there is enough oil. So it is not necessary to drain the oil completely from the fried onions.

Soya Chunk Vegetable Biryani

Ingredients

Group I

• Basmathi rice - 1 1/2 cups(160 g each cup)
• Soya chunks - 20 nos
• Mixed vegetable - 2 cups ( beans, carrot, peas, cauliflower)
• Tomato - 1 big size (Chopped)
• Onion - 1 big size (Chopped)
• Curry leaves - 1 string
• Green chilies - 2 (slitted)
• Chilly powder - 1 tsp (adjust)
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Coconut milk - 1 1/2 cup 
• Lemon Juice - few drops
• Fried cashew - 1 tbsp
• Oil - 5 tbsp
• Salt to taste

Dry masala - Group II

• Cinnamon - 2 pieces(1 inch each)
• Cloves - 4
• Cardamom - 2
• Ani seed - 1/2 tsp
• Black cardamom (optional) - 1 (crushed)
• Bay leaves - 2

To grind (to smooth paste) Group III

• Ginger - 1 inch
• Garlic - 2
• Ani seeds - 2 tsp
• Cloves - 2
• Cinnamon - 3/4 inch
• Cardamom - 2
• Mint - handfull
• Green chillies - 2

Method

• Soak the rice for 1/2 an hour.
• Soak the soya chunks in the hot water for 30 minutes.
• Then run cold water & squeeze it. Keep it aside.
• Heat oil in pressure pan, on high medium flame.
• Splutter the dry masalas & curry leaves, green chillies one by one.
• Add onions and fry till it becomes light brown in color.
• Add the chopped tomatoes & continue frying till it becomes mashy.
• Now add the grinded masala & fry well till the oil separates.
• Now add chilly powder, turmeric powder & salt.
• Now add the vegetables & soya chunks.
• Fry for 2 minutes.
• Now add the soaked rice to the masala & mix well.
• Add 1 1/2 cups of coconut milk & 1 1/2 cups of water to the rice.
• Mix well & add few drops of lemon juice.
• Check for salt & cover the cooker when water starts bubbling.
• Simmer the flame & do not let the cooker to whistle.
• Let it cook for 15 minutes.
• Switch off the flame & wait for 5 - 10 minutes.
• Then open the cooker & mix gently.
• Garnish it with fried cashews.
• Serve it with raita.

Tips for the recipe - Little curd (1 tbsp) can also be added for softness of the rice grains. Use fork to mix the biryani(cooked rice grains). Fried raisin can also be added with cashews, while garnishing the biryani.

Chicken Biryani I

Ingredients

• Basmathi rice - 3 cups (160 ml each)
• Black cumin -1/2 tsp
• Cinnamon - 3 sticks
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
• Tomatoes - 2 medium size (chopped)
• Coriander powder - 2 tsp
• Mint - handful (chopped)
• Coriander leaves - handful (chopped)
• Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
• Onions - 3/4 cup (fried)
• Lemon - 1/2
• Oil as needed
• Pinch of saffron or orange food color mixed in 1 tbsp of water.
• Pinch of turmeric or yellow food color mixed in 1 tbsp of water.

Marination

• Chicken - 1/2 kg
• Curd - 1 cup (235 ml)
• Mint - handful (chopped)
• Coriander leaves - handful (chopped)
• Lemon - 1/2
• Chilly powder - 3/4 tsp or adjust
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Green chillies - 4 (crushed)
• Ginger garlic paste - 2 1/2 tsp

Dry masala

• Black cardamon - 1
• Black cumin - 1/2 tsp
• Ani seed - 1 tsp
• Cinnamon - 3 sticks
• Pepper corns - 1/2 tsp 
• Coriander seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Bay leaves - 3
• Cloves - 6
• Cardamon - 4

To Garnish

• Cashew - 1-2 tbsp (fried)
• Raisin - 1-2 tbsp (fried)
• Onion- 1/4 cup (fried)

Method

• Mix all the ingredients for marination & keep it aside for 1 hour.
• Soak the rice for 30 minutes.
• Bring 15 cups of water to boil.
• When the water start bubbles, add black cumin, cinamon sticks, rice, salt & a spoon of oil.
• Let it cook for 4-5 minutes. Do not cover.
• Now switch off the flame & drain the water.
• Keep the rice aside.
• Heat 5 tbsp of oil in the pan & fry the dry masala.
• Then add ginger garlic paste.
• Fry well, till the oil separates.
• Now add the tomatoes, fry till it becomes mashy.
• Add chilly powder, coriander powder, fried onions, salt & the marinated chicken. Mix well.
• Cover & cook the chicken till it is half done.
• Then open the lid & allow the gravy to get thicken.
• Finally add the mint & coriander leaves.
• Now switch off the flame.
• Take a tray & place the chicken masala in the bottom layer.
• Arrange the half boiled rice on top of that.
• Repeat the process twice & arrange the last layer of rice.
• Sprinkle the garnishing ingredients.
• On top of it drizzle little oil, lemon juice, the orange & yellow color water.
• Now seal the lid that the steam should not go out of the tray.
• Either you can put in the oven at 350 degree Fahrenheit or on the stove at low flame for 35 - 50 minutes.
• After removing it from the heat mix it carefully, do not break the rice.
• Serve hot with raita.

Tip for the recipe - You can even add a tbsp of ghee with the oil while preparing the masala. It will increase the taste of the biryani. For strong biryani flavor you can also add 2 tsp of readymade biryani masala, while frying the tomatoes. After cooking the biryani you can mix the rice with the fork. So that the chances are less for the rice to break easily. To seal the lid you can either use the foil sheets or the chapatti dough.