Egg Biryani

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients (serving 4)

For cooking the rice

• 2 Cups Basmati rice
• 5 Cups water - to make the rice
• 1 Tsp walt
• 4 cloves
• 2 dry bay leaf (Tej Patta)

Other Biryani Ingredients

• 4 medium red onions - thinly chopped
• 4 Tbsp oil - to fry onion
• 2 Tbsp flour - for crisping biryani
• 1 Tbsp ginger paste
• 1 Tbsp garlic paste
• 2 Tbsp chopped almonds - optional
• 1 Cup plain yogurt
• 1/2 Cup water
• 10 fresh mint leaves
• 4 Tbsp olive oil - to make masala
• 4 Tbsp Ghee
• 1 Tsp rose water
• Few strands of Saffron
• 3 Tbsp milk ( to soak the saffron)

Whole Spices

• 1 cinnamon stick - broken into 2-3 pieces
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 black cardamom
• 6 green cardamom
• 4 cloves

Powdered Spices

• Pinch of nutmeg
• 1/2 Tsp black pepper powder
• 2 Tbsp coriander powder
• 2 Tbsp cumin powder
• 2 Tbsp garam masala
• 1/2 Tsp turmeric
• 1 Tsp red chili powder
• Salt – to your liking

Cooking the Rice

1. Heat 5 cups water In a large pot.
2. Once the water starts to boil, add rice, salt, bay leaf, and cloves.
3. Stir everything and let this simmer on low-medium heat for 17 minutes.
4. Check the rice after 15 minutes, it should have cooked 90% hence turn off the heat.
5. Strain the rice of water and keep aside.

Cooking the Eggs

1. Place 8 boiled eggs in a large bowl and sprinkle red chili powder, turmeric, and salt.
2. Coat the eggs with the above spices and keep aside.
3. Heat 1 tsp oil in a large non-stick pressure cooker (I’m using a 7-liter pressure cooker).
4. Add the eggs and sauté for 2 minutes on low flames.
5. Once the eggs start to blister and brown on each side, turn off the heat.
6. Remove the eggs and keep aside.

Frying the Onions

1. In a large plate, add thinly sliced onions, 1 tsp oil, and flour. Mix everything (lightly coat onions with flour for extra crispiness).
2. In the same pressure cooker, add 3 tbsp. oil and 4 tbsp. of coated onion mixture.
3. Sauté on low-medium flame till onion turns brownish pink and crisp up.
4. Remove from the cooker and keep on paper towel/plate.
5. Similarly, fry all the onions and keep aside.

Making the Egg Biryani

1. In the same pressure cooker, heat 3 tbsp. oil + 2 tbsp. ghee.
2. Add all the crushed whole spices and sauté for a minute.
3. Add ginger + garlic paste, all powdered spices and sauté on medium heat till they turn golden in color (about 2 minutes).
4. Now add fried onions and sauté.
5. Add yogurt, water, and cover cook for another 2 minutes.
6. Now add fried eggs and let everything simmer for 2 minutes. Then turn off the heat.
7. Remove eggs separately in a bowl and remove the cooked masala in a separate bowl. (Leave the pressure cooker as is for further use).

Layer the Egg Biryani in Pressure Cooker

1. In the same pressure cooker, place 2 ladles of cooked rice, sprinkle 2tbsp of cooked masala, add 2 tbsp. of fried onions, chopped cilantro + mint, 1 or 2 fried eggs and sprinkle color if using.
2. Layer 2 ladles of rice and follow the process above.
3. Repeat the process until you reach the top of the dish.
4. Now add remaining fried eggs, fried onion, masala and cilantro + mint, 2 tbsp. ghee (all remaining ingredients).
5. Add rose water and saffron soaked in milk.
6. Cover the pressure cooker and let cook for 2 minutes on medium flames.
7. Turn off the heat and wait for 5 minutes.
8. Fluff the egg biryani using a big fork (scoop and mix the rice and egg layers).
9. The egg biryani is ready to serve, Bon Appetit!