Egg Biriyani

I make many different types of biriyani’s. Chicken, Mutton and even vegetarian using recipes from Hyderabad, Kolkata and Awadh. I always think that over time I’ll learn and cook even more disparate types of Biriyanis. However, I never actually thought that I’d cook Biriyani just with eggs and that it’d turn out to be so yummy.

It all started with my friend Laxmi visiting my home the day I made some chicken Biriyani. I served it to her son, and he loved it. However, Laxmi being a eggiterian had to miss out. So she insisted I make egg biryani the next time. Apprehensive that my hardcore non-veg daughter and husband would sneer and not have it, I made enough just for couple of people.

Oh how wrong these assumptions turned out to be. The biriyani came out really well and I just gave couple of spoons to my daughter and husband. They gobbled it up in minutes and started cribbing big time on how little I made.

Ingredients

1. 250 gm. basmati rice washed and soaked in water for 30 mins
2. 6 hard boiled eggs
3. 10 - 12 baby potatoes half boiled and peeled
4. 1 medium onion thinly sliced
5. 1 tbsp. ginger garlic paste
6. 4 - 5 tbsp. plain yogurt / curd
7. Few strands of saffron soaked in warm milk
8. Few strands of coriander leaves
9. 1 tsp. Bengali garam masala powder (Make your own)
10. Salt
11. Sugar
12. Turmeric powder
13. 5 - 6 tbsp. of canola / sunflower oil
14. 1 tbsp. ghee / clarified butter
15. Whole garam masala
1. 1” cinnamon stick
2. 2 green cardamom
3. 5-6 cloves

Procedure

In a pan boil water. Once water starts boiling add salt to it and stir well. Now add rice and turn off the heat. Keep it covered for 5 mins. Drain the water and spread rice on a flat dish or tray.

Heat oil in a kadai/wok and deep fry onion slices till they are brown and crispy. Don't char them. Remove them with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel.

Smear boiled eggs and potatoes with salt and turmeric powder. Deep fry the eggs and potatoes in the same oil till they turn nice golden brown. Remove and keep aside.

Temper the oil with whole garam masala. When the oil starts releasing the fragrance of the masala, add ginger+garlic paste and sauté till their raw smell goes away. You can add little water to prevent burning. 

Add half of the fried onions to it along with curd. Now gently add fried eggs and potatoes to it. Sprinkle garam masala powder. Season with salt, sugar and fry the masala till oil separates out.

Heat ghee in a heavy bottom pan and add rice to it. Next add egg and potato masala you made just before this. Pour about 350 ml. of water to it and mix  well. While mixing you need to be a bit careful so the eggs don't break. Taste and adjust salt and sugar. 

Cover and cook on medium heat till rice is done. Fluff it with a fork and add saffron milk.

Garnish with crispy fried onions, coriander greens and serve hot.