Egg Biryani

Name: Egg Biryani
Prep time: 27 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 42 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 2 cups (400 g) aged basmati rice, rinsed in several changes of water until the water runs nearly clear, then soaked in cold water for at least 30 minutes and drained; 2 whole (2 g) bay leaves; 4 whole (1 g) whole cloves; 4 whole (1 g) green cardamom pods, lightly crushed; 1 2-inch piece (5 g) cinnamon stick; 1 tablespoon (15 g) kosher salt, for the boiling water (it should taste pleasantly salty); 8 whole (400 g) large eggs, cold from the fridge; 1 tablespoon (14 g) ghee or neutral oil; 2 large (about 14 oz) (400 g) large yellow onions, halved and sliced very thinly and evenly (⅛ inch / 3 mm); ⅓ cup (80 ml) neutral oil; 1½ tablespoons (25 g) ginger-garlic paste; 2 whole (10 g) green chilies, slit lengthwise; 2 medium (about 11 oz) (300 g) ripe tomatoes, finely chopped; ½ teaspoon (1 g) ground turmeric; 1 teaspoon (2 g) Kashmiri red chili powder; 2 tablespoons (12 g) biryani masala powder; 1 teaspoon (5 g) kosher salt; ½ cup (120 g) plain whole-milk yogurt, at room temperature, whisked smooth; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice; ¾ cup, packed (30 g) fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped; ¼ cup, packed (10 g) fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped; ¼ teaspoon (a generous pinch) (0.1 g) saffron threads, soaked for at least 10 minutes in the warm milk; ¼ cup (60 ml) whole milk, warmed until hot to the touch but not boiling; 2 tablespoons (28 g) ghee, melted; 3 tablespoons (45 ml) water, hot, for steaming

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Fragrant basmati rice layered with a thick tomato-onion masala, golden fried onions, fresh herbs and whole spiced eggs, then steamed "dum" style in one pot. A showstopping vegetarian dinner that takes about 2 hours from start to table.

Prep: 27 min
Cook: 1 hr 15 min
Wait: 24 min
Total: 2 hr 6 min
Makes: 4 generous servings (8 eggs)

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the rice
2 cups (400 g) aged basmati rice, rinsed in several changes of water until the water runs nearly clear, then soaked in cold water for at least 30 minutes and drained
2 whole (2 g) bay leaves
4 whole (1 g) whole cloves
4 whole (1 g) green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
1 2-inch piece (5 g) cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon (15 g) kosher salt, for the boiling water (it should taste pleasantly salty)
For the eggs
8 whole (400 g) large eggs, cold from the fridge
1 tablespoon (14 g) ghee or neutral oil
For the masala
2 large (about 14 oz) (400 g) large yellow onions, halved and sliced very thinly and evenly (⅛ inch / 3 mm)
⅓ cup (80 ml) neutral oil
1½ tablespoons (25 g) ginger-garlic paste
2 whole (10 g) green chilies, slit lengthwise
2 medium (about 11 oz) (300 g) ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
½ teaspoon (1 g) ground turmeric
1 teaspoon (2 g) Kashmiri red chili powder
2 tablespoons (12 g) biryani masala powder
1 teaspoon (5 g) kosher salt
½ cup (120 g) plain whole-milk yogurt, at room temperature, whisked smooth
1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
For layering
¾ cup, packed (30 g) fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped
¼ cup, packed (10 g) fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
¼ teaspoon (a generous pinch) (0.1 g) saffron threads, soaked for at least 10 minutes in the warm milk
¼ cup (60 ml) whole milk, warmed until hot to the touch but not boiling
2 tablespoons (28 g) ghee, melted
3 tablespoons (45 ml) water, hot, for steaming

Equipment (9)

5-quart (4.7 L) heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven with tight-fitting lid
Flat griddle, tawa or heat diffuser to set under the pot
Large pot (4 quart / 3.8 L) for boiling the rice
Large wide skillet or sauté pan (12-inch / 30 cm)
Medium saucepan with lid for the eggs
Fine-mesh strainer or colander
Slotted spoon
Sharp knife and cutting board
Aluminum foil or clean kitchen towel to seal the lid (optional)

Steps

Before you start

Rinse and soak the rice first. It needs at least 30 minutes, and you will do the eggs, onions and masala while it soaks (up to 1 hour of soaking is fine).
Use a heavy-bottomed 5-quart (4.7 L) pot or Dutch oven with a tight lid, and have a flat griddle, tawa or heat diffuser ready to set under it. A thin pot over direct heat will scorch the bottom layer.
Take the yogurt out of the fridge 20 minutes ahead so it doesn't split when it hits the hot masala.
Timing: the steps add up to about 2 hours (126 minutes), including 20 minutes of steaming and 10 minutes of resting. Biryani masala blends vary in salt and heat, so taste yours before adding extra chili.

1
Soak the rice
- Rinse the basmati in a large bowl, swishing gently with your fingers and changing the water 4 to 5 times until it runs almost clear.
- Cover with plenty of cold water and leave to soak while you do the next steps (at least 30 minutes, up to 1 hour).
- Warm the milk until hot to the touch, stir in the saffron and set aside to steep.
- Drain the rice in a strainer just before parboiling (step 6).
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Ready when: Water runs almost clear; the milk turns deep orange as it steeps
Tip: Handle the rice gently. Rough rinsing snaps the delicate grains. The soaking runs alongside steps 2 to 5, so no extra time is added.
2
Boil the eggs
- Place the 8 cold eggs in a medium saucepan, cover with cold water by 1 inch (2.5 cm) and bring to a full rolling boil over high heat.
- As soon as it boils, cover, turn off the heat and let the eggs stand for 9 minutes.
- Move them to a bowl of ice water for 5 minutes.
- Peel, pat dry, and make 3 shallow slits (about ⅛ inch / 3 mm deep) on each egg so the masala can flavor them.
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Ready when: Whites are firm and yolks are set and bright yellow with no gray-green ring (they cook a little more in the later steps)
Tip: Don't boil the eggs longer. They will be fried and steamed later, and overcooked eggs turn rubbery with gray-green yolks.
3
Fry the onions
- Heat the ⅓ cup (80 ml) oil in a 12-inch (30 cm) skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the sliced onions and fry, stirring every 1 to 2 minutes, for the first 8 minutes until they soften and release their water.
- Lower the heat to medium and keep frying and stirring more often for 14 to 17 minutes more (22 to 25 minutes total) until deep golden brown.
- Lift out about half of the onions with a slotted spoon onto a paper towel-lined plate; they crisp as they cool.
- Leave the rest, plus all the oil, in the pan.
- These softened golden onions are the base of the masala.
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Ready when: Onions are deep golden brown (not dark brown), soft in the middle and crisp at the thin edges
Tip: Pull the onions a shade lighter than you want; they keep darkening from residual heat, and burnt onions taste bitter.
4
Build the masala
- To the onions and oil in the skillet, add the ginger-garlic paste and green chilies and stir over medium heat for 1 minute until the raw smell fades.
- Add the tomatoes, turmeric, chili powder, biryani masala and 1 teaspoon salt.
- Cook, mashing the tomatoes with a spoon, for 6 to 7 minutes until they break down into a thick paste and oil shimmers at the edges.
- Reduce the heat to low, then stir in the yogurt a spoonful at a time and cook 3 to 4 minutes more.
- Stir in the lemon juice.
- The masala should be thick and scoopable, not soupy.
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Ready when: Thick jammy paste with oil separating at the edges and no raw tomato smell
Tip: Add the yogurt on low heat and stir constantly so it doesn't curdle.
5
Coat the eggs
- Scoop about three-quarters of the masala into a bowl and set it aside; this is for layering.
- Leave about one-quarter in the skillet and push it to one side.
- Add the 1 tablespoon ghee to the free space over medium heat, add the peeled eggs and fry for 2 minutes, turning gently, until lightly blistered.
- Then fold the quarter-portion of masala in around the eggs for 1 minute so they are evenly coated.
- Transfer the eggs and all the masala that clings to them to a plate, scraping the skillet clean onto them.
- Put the pot of rice water on to heat (step 6).
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Ready when: Eggs have light golden blisters and are evenly coated in red masala
Tip: Turn the eggs with a spoon, not a fork, so the slits don't tear the whites.
6
Parboil the rice
- Bring about 2 quarts (2 L) of water to a boil in the 4-quart pot with the bay leaves, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon stick and 1 tablespoon salt.
- Drain the soaked rice, add it and boil over high heat for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring once gently at the start.
- Test a grain: it should snap when bitten with a thin firm white core (about 70% cooked).
- Scoop out ¼ cup (60 ml) of the cooking water if you like for loosening later, then drain the rice immediately.
- Keep it in the strainer, still warm and moist, and go straight to layering.
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Ready when: Grain presses flat between fingers but still has a firm white dot in the center
Tip: Don't overcook. The rice finishes in the steam, and soft parboiled rice turns mushy.
7
Layer the biryani
- Spread half of the bowl of masala over the bottom of the 5-quart pot in an even layer.
- Top with half of the rice (remove the whole spices if you like), then scatter over half the cilantro, half the mint and half of the reserved fried onions.
- Arrange the coated eggs on top, then spoon over the remaining masala from the bowl.
- Add the rest of the rice in an even layer, then the remaining herbs and fried onions.
- Drizzle the saffron milk in streaks and the melted ghee over the top.
- Drizzle the 3 tablespoons hot water down the inside edge of the pot.
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Ready when: Even layers with the saffron streaks visible across the top
Tip: Don't press the rice down; loose layers let steam circulate.
8
Steam on dum
- Set the pot on a flat griddle, tawa or heat diffuser over the burner.
- Cover with foil, then press the tight lid on top.
- Heat on medium for 5 minutes until you see steam escaping from the lid edge and smell the spices.
- Reduce to the lowest heat and cook, undisturbed, for 20 minutes.
- Do not lift the lid.
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Ready when: Steam is steady and the pot smells rich and fragrant with no burnt smell
Tip: The tawa or diffuser is what prevents the masala layer from scorching. Medium heat for the steam-up is enough; high heat will burn the bottom.
9
Rest the pot
- Turn off the heat and leave the lid on for 10 minutes so the steam settles and the grains firm up.
- Then lift the lid and check that the rice is tender.
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Ready when: Rice grains are fully tender with no hard center, and the top looks dry
Tip: If the rice is still slightly firm, sprinkle with 2 tablespoons water, re-cover and steam on low 5 more minutes.
10
Fluff and serve
- Fluff gently with a fork or flat spoon, scooping from the bottom so the white rice, saffron rice and masala mix in streaks.
- Serve warm with the eggs on top, with raita and sliced onion on the side.
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Ready when: Grains are long, fluffy and separate, with eggs intact
Tip: Use a light hand; stirring hard breaks both the rice and the eggs.

Good to know

Tips

Use aged basmati rice if you can; it cooks up longer and fluffier and stays separate.
Slice the onions evenly so they brown at the same rate.
Keep the masala thick. Too much liquid at the bottom makes the rice mushy, while too little heat protection scorches it, so always use a tawa or diffuser.
For extra flavor, serve with cooling cucumber raita and lemon wedges.

Make ahead

"Boil and peel the eggs up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate in a covered container. Fry the onions and make the masala up to 1 day ahead; refrigerate, then rewarm gently before coating the eggs and layering. Parboil the rice and assemble just before the dum step."

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Fridge: refrigerate within 2 hours in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Freezer: freeze the rice portions (remove the eggs first, as they turn rubbery) for up to 1 month. Reheat covered in the microwave with a splash of water, or in a covered pan over low heat, until steaming hot (165°F / 74°C).

Substitutions

plain whole-milk yogurt → Unsweetened plain coconut or soy yogurt. Keeps the dish dairy-free; add the same amount of lemon juice for tang.
biryani masala powder → 1 tablespoon garam masala plus 1 teaspoon ground coriander and ½ teaspoon ground cumin. Close in flavor, a little less complex.
ghee → Unsalted butter. Use the same amount; the flavor is a bit less nutty.
saffron threads → ¼ teaspoon turmeric dissolved in the warm milk. Gives the color but not the floral aroma.