Simple Egg Biriyani | Mutta Biriyani

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After the Simple Pulao, here is the second recipe that is going to be a part of the theme “Rice Dishes” for the Blogging Marathon #109. I love posts which have stories, don’t you? 😀 OK, so egg biriyani was one of the first biriyanis I tried when the cooking bug had hit me. I have always mentioned that I never cooked prior to marriage, and even after marriage, it was an adjustment of sorts. HD was quite cooperative and he would cook curries most of the time, which we would simply mop up with store bought khuboos or bread. Once I had Rasha and moved in to stay with my parents, umma was the caretaker for the kitchen and my work didn’t allow me to get involved into the kitchen. Or should I say that it made me so lazy that I would shy away from cooking. Hehe… It was only when she started frequent and long trips to back home for her treatments or general rejuvenation, that I was forced to take interest in the kitchen. It all started with some good appreciate from D on the Malai Chicken I made, and then, as everyone says, there was no looking back. 😉

Now the first time I tried the egg biriyani, it wasn’t anything great. Not everybody was enthusiastic about it, but it didn’t remain since we are all egg fanatics. While trying to figure out what must have gone wrong, I realized that the masala had hardly any egg flavor. Boiled eggs as such do not add anything to this dish. That is when a schoolmate of mine suggested that I scramble some eggs and add to the masala. That tip stayed in my mind and surprisingly I never made this biriyani again, till my vacation last year.

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HD’s uncle – yes, the Chilli Chicken hero 😉 – has a small organic hen farm back home, which he started last year. Yes, he is a staunch businessman, not known to be resting anytime. 🙂 MaShaAllah, his farm yields a fair amount of organic eggs as well. So now when he comes to my home, he gifts a bucket full of eggs along with whichever fish he is able to get. It is a long story about his craze for fish, maybe some other time… Umma distributes the eggs to whoever she can, but when we are around, she keeps a fair amount so that Azza can enjoy one bull’s eye every night as her dinner. Hehe… When the stock of eggs were available, my sister and her husband decided to come over for lunch and she called in to inform at the last moment. Umma, after the initial shock – after all, damaad is coming – she asked me if I had any ideas. Reminded of the eggs in the fridge, I asked her, why not make biriyani with eggs? And biriyani it was! My brother-in-law seemed to love it. He commented, “It is different…” Hmm yes, a biriyani without meat but still with some meat… 😉

I had to come and make it for the blog then, right? 😉 So here it is… It is a totally straightforward recipe, with eggs used in two ways, one is hard boiled and slightly fried, and a few are scrambled into the masala. Next time, I feel I am going to fry the eggs in this style and add them into the biriyani, to make it even more flavorful. Since HD and B are egg lovers, this biriyani was received with open arms, but with one condition that I serve it with chicken fry – darn! – so I ended up making my favorite chicken fry to go along with it. I always wonder if my posts have a similar format – more of the story and less about the recipe… Not at all SEO friendly… 😉 Off to the recipe…

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Simple Egg Biriyani

Course Main

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Rafeeda

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups basmati rice soaked for 30 minutes
• 1 tbsp ghee
• 2 cardamoms crushed
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 bay leaf
• 1 tsp black peppercorn
• 2 cloves
• 4 cups water
• Salt to taste
• FOR MASALA:
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 large onions thinly sliced
• 3 green chillies slit
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 2 large tomatoes chopped
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 2 eggs
• FOR DUM:
• 4 hard boiled eggs peeled
• 2-3 tbsp ghee
• 1 onion sliced
• 15-20 cashewnuts
• 3-4 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
• 3-4 tbsp chopped mint leaves
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• 2 tbsp rose water

Instructions

• In a large saucepan, make the masala by heating the coconut oil. Add the onions and green chillies and saute till wilted.
• Add the ginger garlic paste and cook till raw smell is gone.
• Add the tomatoes, turmeric and red chilli powder and cook till the masala is totally done. Add water if required and adjust salt.
• Break in the eggs and scramble the mixture. Do not overcook, to retain moisture in the masala.
• Meanwhile, in another saucepan, heat ghee and splutter all the whole spices. Add the drained rice and saute for five minutes till crisp.
• Add the water and keep on high flame till rolling boil. Add sufficient salt and cook on low flame till the rice absorbs all the water. It will still have a bite in it.
• For preparing the dum, heat the ghee, spread the onion and sprinkle some sugar on top. Stir occassionally till wilted and fried. Drain and set aside.
• Add the cashews and fry them. Drain into the onion.
• Now add the hard boiled egg and fry the sides briefly. Set aside.
• Keep a tawa at the bottom and keep the saucepan with the masala on top. Spread half the rice over it. Sprinkle half the onion and cashews, coriander and mint leaves, and the garam masala. Layer the eggs.
• Now add the remaining rice on top, sprinkle the remaining dum ingredients and the rose water. Cover the lid tightly and cook on dum for around 15-20 minutes.
• Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Fluff up well to mix and serve hot with raita and achaar.

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