Calcutta or Kolkata Biryani is very different from regular Biryani's.Biryani is a classic dish which needs no introduction.There are many different types of Biryani's which we can cook with vegetables and meats.Personally My choice of Biryani is Hyderabad dum biryani.Coming to today's dish Kolkata Biryani is unique compared with all Biryani's.In kolkata Biryani we add potato which is very common in all their Biryani's which includes meats veggies.We always love to cook Mutton with potatoes which enhances taste to the curry.Similarly we add potatoes in kolkata Biryani when cooked with any meats or eggs.Somehow I liked the taste of potatoes in the biryani more than meat or egg in that Biryani.Kolkata Biryani is not very spicy like all Biryani's in southern side.This Biryani entirely cooked in my way.You can see my chicken Biryani to get more info about Dum style Biryani.
Ingredients:
- Basmati rice 5 cups( mine is 180 ml cup)
- Eggs 6
- potatoes 2 big size
- Ghee 3to 4 tbspns( home made ghee for best results)
- onion 1 small sliced vertically
- green chili 3
- Ginger garlic paste 2 tbsps
- Curd or yogurt 2 tbspns
- Redchilli powder 2 tsps
- Turmeric powder 1/4tspn
- chopped mint leaves few 10 to 20
- chopped coriander leaves fistful
- Fried onions 100gms or 1/4 cup
- saffron strands soaked in hot milk ( 3 tbsp of milk)
MASALA OR SPICES TO GRIND:
- Bay leaves1
- cinnamon sticks 2
- cardamom 2
- cloves 3
- peppercorns 5 to 6
- Mace 1
- Biryani flower one
Grind above spices and make fine powder.
Procedure:
- Cook eggs and potatoes in pressure cooker until 2 whistles or until done.Peel the skin of potatoes and remove egg shells keep aside.Soak Basmati rice in water for at least 30 mins.
- In a bowl add turmeric powder, chilli powder, ginger garlic paste, salt ,spice powder( above grinder powder)fried onions, few mint and coriander leaves ,ghee ,curd, mix well.
- Marinate boiled eggs and chopped potatoes in the above bowl for 15 to 30 mins.Make some slight marks in eggs so that masala goes well inside egg.
- Heat a deep pan with 2 tbsp of ghee, once heated add marinated potatoes and eggs to the pan.Let is fry 10 to 15 mins in medium frame.Before arranging dum in the this deep pan,Keep some amount egg potato mix aside to arrange dum in layers.
- During this process simultaneously boil 10 cups of water in another deep pan,add 1 tbsp oil, shah jeera,Biryani flower,Cinnamon,Bayleaves enough salt needed for the entire Biryani.once water starts boiling add soaked Basmati rice in the boiling water.This process is to keep rice in dum Biryani style.
- Cook rice almost 90% done.
- Now to arrange Biryani in Dum style I prefer Oven is the safest method.But,normally we keep in stove stop in this way.
- Add layer of rice on top of marinated egg potato mixture.Sprinkle fried onions,mint leaves, coriander leaves, saffron strands soaked in milk.( add milk too)
- Next layer add remaining part egg potato mixture and and on top entire rice.Sprinkle few mint leaves ,fried onions.Any store bought Biryani masalas( I use shan Biryani masala for very nice smell, this is entirely optional)
- Close the lid of the pan and cook medium to high flame for 5 mins ,then reduce flame to low flame, cook for 20 to 30 mins.
- After it is done, cool down few mins and then enjoy with raita of your choice.
OVEN METHOD:
- Preheat oven 400f
- cook Biryani for 10 to 15 mins in oven safe tray in 400f.
- Then reduce to 375 after 15 mins and cook for 20 mins.
