Anda rice
Egg biryani might sound unusual as it is normally made with some kind of meat and many people enjoy a veg biryani too but I must say this is incredible. A new way to enjoy the classic flavours of biryani but packing it with eggs, a favourite of mine. Using similar spices to a chicken biryani this uses a delicious yogurt base along with the eggs that are boiled and then flash fried. It is then cooked DUM, which is a way to seal the lid and cook slowly. Enjoy it on its own or with some chutney, pickle or curry, whatever you fancy.
- 8 onions, thinly sliced
- For the rice –
- 350 gms rice
- 6 cloves
- 6 green cardamom
- 6 black peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- For the eggs –
- 10 Clarence Court Leghorn Whites
- Cooked for 5 minutes
- 2 tbsp oil
- pinch of chilli
- pinch of turmeric
- For the masala –
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 4 green cardamom
- 2 onions, chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 inch ginger, chopped
- 70 gms tomato puree
- For the yogurt –
- 200 gms natural yogurt
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 50 ml water
- Handful of chopped coriander and mint
- 2 tbsp milk with pinch of saffron
Heat oil in a pan for shallow frying the onions. Add the sliced onions and cook on medium heat for 15 minutes until golden. Transfer to a sieve to get rid of the extra oil. Leave them aside.
Next cook the rice. In a pan of boiling water add the whole spices, followed by the washed rice and cook until they are 70% done. Try and not cook them through completely as they will go mush later. 70% done is what we are looking for. Once you get there, drain the extra water out and leave the rice aside.
In the same pan add 2 tbsp oil and add the cardamoms and then the cumin seeds. Let them sizzle for a few seconds then add the chopped onions. Cook for 8-10 minutes until golden. Now add the ginger and garlic and cook for a minute. Next add the tomato puree, mix well, then cook for 2 minutes.
In a bowl mix the yogurt with all the powdered spices. Lower the heat of the onion mix then add the yogurt mix and cook on low heat for 5 minutes. Add 100 ml boiling water to it and mix.
In a bowl of hot mix add the saffron and let it sit for 5 minutes.
Cook the eggs in boiling water for 5 minutes on high heat. Transfer to cold water and then peel them. Now make some slashes on the eggs. Heat a couple of tbsp oil in a pan and add pinch of chilli powder and pinch of turmeric powder, then add the eggs and cook it for a flash until it gets some colour. Now add these eggs to the yogurt mix and combine it well.
Time to layer up the biryani. Take a wide pan with a lid for this assembly. Heat the pan and add the ghee and let it melt. Take it off the hob and add the chillies. Now transfer all the egg masala on top, leaving only 4 eggs behind. Now add the rice and spread it evening. Add then the herbs and then drizzle the saffron milk. Place the last 4 eggs on top and the fried onions go on top. Drizzle the rose water and then put a layer of dough on the lid of the pan. This is optional and just seals the heat in the pan and trap the flavour. Place the lid on top and place on lowest heat for 30 minutes. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes before opening the lid.
Serve it hot.
Watch step by step video here –