Simple Egg Biryani (My Humble Easter Treat)

If there is a rice dish that I can finish a bowl full in one go then that is biryani! The rice, the texture, the outburst of flavors - there is just nothing this lacks. Whenever I visit my hometown, along with parotta this is something I dare not miss. Each part of Kerala has its own version of biryani but my favorite is the one they sell in Kannur railway station (reason - it has 2 eggs in a pack) and the one we get at Biryani Hut in Kochi. 

Being alone at home, these days I spend more time FB-ing and that's when I came across the actual connotation of Easter. It was an interesting read and of what I remember, it said about a pagan goddess and the connection of Ishtar (how Easter is pronounced) eggs and bunnies to fertility and sex. Just because I learned something interesting, I wanted to make the occasion special and I went ahead with an egg biryani, to celebrate it my way! In fact, this has been something I have been wanting to make for a while and since Pradeep is not a big fan of eggs, I sort of postponed it.

Until now I have been under the impression that I suck at biryani preparation. But, (you may find it on the verge of boasting) I feel I am pretty food at it! Well, this is my 2nd successful attempt and I hope many more will follow.

Not many ingredients, not much time investment, but the results is an absolute treat to your taste-buds.

Ingredients:

For Rice:

Basmati rice - 1/2 cup, cleaned, soaked for 30 min and darined

Whole spices - 1 teaspoon

Ghee (clarified butter) - 1 tablespoon

Salt to tate

Water - 1 cup

For Egg Masala:

Egg - 1 hard boiled and shell removed

Onion - 1 medium, sliced

Tomatoes - 2 small, diced

Ginger garlic paste - 1 1/2 teaspoon

Green chilies - 2, sliced

Yogurt - 2 tablespoon

Garam masala - 1 teaspoon

Coriander powder - 1 teaspoon

Turmeric powder a pinch

Coriander leaves - 1 tablespoon, chopped

Salt to taste

Olive oil - 2 tablespoon

Biryani masala - 1 teaspoon

For Assembling:

Onion - 1 small, sliced and crispy fried

Lime - 1 small

Coriander leaves - 1 tablespoon, chopped

Mint leaves - 1 teaspoon, chopped

Preparation:

For the Rice:

1. In a pressure cooker, add ghee and saute the whole spices for a few seconds. Add the rice, stir fry until translucent. Pour water followed by salt to taste, stir and cover and pressure cook until done. Let it cool and transfer to a bowl.

For the Egg Masala:

2. Heat oil in a pan. Add sliced onions and saute it until browned. Add the chilies, tomatoes, ginger-garlic paste and saute for a while. Add the turmeric powder and salt; mix well. Let it cook until the tomatoes turn mushy.

3. Add the herbs, followed by yogurt, garam masala and coriander powder and mix well.

4. Cut the boiled egg into half and place yolk-side down on the pan and cover with the masala. Let it cook for a few minutes, turn over. Switch off and keep aside.

Assembling:

5. In the same pressure cooker, add a layer of egg masala, followed by rice, half of biryani masala, half of the fried onions, half of the herbs and a generous squeeze of lime. Again top it up with another layer of egg masala, rice and finish off with the rest. Cover and in very low flame, cook for 10 minutes. Switch off and let it be so until pressure is fully released or it is time to serve.

6. To serve, transfer rice into a bowl, top it with egg halves, sprinkle a bit of pepper powder (optional) and keep a slice of lime by the side. Enjoy! :-)