Easy Egg Biryani Recipe – How to Make Egg Biryani

Egg Biryani Recipe
Egg Biryani Recipe

A big part of my existence is Food Nostalgia. A lot of what I cook evokes memories, of course, good ones. Birthdays, anniversaries or any special occasion worth celebrating has me dish out a few classics I grew up on. Last weekend, it was my birthday. Now I cook even on my birthday. I know I am weird J Sam did take me to this fabulous restaurant overlooking the sea in Carmel, California. It was a wonderful experience but if I do not cook and eat one elaborate meal with the family on my special day, I feel as if I am missing something.

Easy Egg Biryani
Easy Egg Biryani

Easy Egg Biryani Recipe

So here comes the biryani. Time-consuming, complicated, labor-intensive… yes! All of that! But at the end, the platter that goes on to the table is outright gorgeous and absolutely a showstopper. It is said that Biryani has a Persian origin. In India, it takes different looks, forms and taste in every corner of the country. Having lived in different parts of India extensively and later on here in the Bay Area, which is a melting pot of Indian ethnic population, my egg biryani recipe does not come with a certificate of authenticity. I have over the years tried, tested and tweaked various recipes and today this is what works for me. It turns out delicious and most importantly extremely good-looking every time I make it. Yes, it does require a little mindfulness but then again a little TLC goes a long way.

Anda Biryani
Anda Biryani

And the absolute selling point for me is the aroma that lingers in the house once you have this cooking on the stove, so festive, so inviting and so celebratory. I made an egg version this time, but the classic recipe always features a meat of some kind. My mom who is visiting us does not eat meat; hence, I substituted the meat for eggs.

Anda Biryani Recipe
Anda Biryani Recipe

This is generally eaten with a side of raita and salad. Raita is a thinned out, spice infused yogurt with some kind of a topping, mostly cucumber. However, it also goes well with a side of a chicken curry, like my Desi Chicken Curry.

Biryani
Biryani
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Egg Biryani Recipe


  • Author: Somdatta
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 75
  • Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Description

Try out this Egg Biryani Reipe / Anda Biryani Recipe at home. A showstopper of a dish which is festive, inviting and every bit celebratory.


Ingredients

For the Rice

  • Basmati Rice – 3 Cups (uncooked)
  • Green Cardamom – 4-5
  • Cloves – 4-5
  • Bay Leaf – 2
  • Star Anise – 1
  • Cinnamon Stick – 1 inch
  • Water – 5 cups
  • Salt – To taste

For the Browned Onions

  • Onion – 2, large, thinly sliced
  • Oil – 1 cup

For the Egg Sauce

  • Onions – 1, large
  • Garlic Cloves – 3 large, made into a paste
  • Ginger – ½ inch, made into a paste
  • Mint Leaves – ½ bunch, chopped fine
  • Cilantro – ½ bunch, chopped fine
  • Ghee (Clarified Butter) – 1 tbsp
  • Eggs – 8
  • Salt – To Taste
  • Sugar – To Taste
  • Yogurt – 1/2 cup, whipped
  • Shahjeera (Caraway Seeds) – 1 tsp
  • Bay Leaf – 2
  • Cinnamon stick – 1 inch, broken
  • Cloves – 6
  • Green Cardamom – 5-6, pounded
  • Kashmiri Chili Powder – 2 tsp
  • Turmeric Powder – 1 tsp
  • Cumin Powder – 1 ½ tsp
  • Coriander Powder – 2 tsp
  • Mace – 1 tsp , powdered
  • Nutmeg powder – ½ tsp
  • Black Pepper – 1 tsp, freshly ground
  • Tomato paste – 1 tbsp
  • Vegetable oil – 3 tbsp
  • Water – 1 cup
  • Lemon – ½ , juiced

For Assembly

  • Saffron – 1 tsp
  • Milk – ¼ cup, warmed
  • Kewra Essence – 1 tsp
  • Rose Essence – 1 tsp
  • Mint Leaves – ½ cup, finely chopped
  • Cilantro – ½ cup, finely chopped
  • Garam Masala – 2 tsp
  • Cashews – ½ cup, lightly fried
  • Yellow color – ½ tsp
  • Ghee – 3 tbsp
  • Browned Onions (made in the first step)

Instructions

For the onions

  1. Heat the oil.
  2. Throw in the sliced onions and cook in high flame until the onions are translucent and pink.
  3. Reduce the heat and let them cook for a good 20 mins. They will start crisping up.
  4. Remove and drain on a paper towel.
  5. Keep aside.

For the Rice

  1. Rinse the rice and soak in water for 20 mins.
  2. Pound the green cardamom.
  3. Cook the rice along with all the whole spices until it is done about 50%.
  4. Make sure to use salt the water.
  5. Drain the excess water and keep the rice aside in the same container as it was cooked in, with a closed lid.

For the Egg Sauce

  1. Hard-boil the eggs.
  2. Score them. Add salt and ¼ tsp turmeric. Deep-fry them and cut into halves.
  3. Make a paste of the onions. Do the same with the ginger and garlic.
  4. In a pan, heat the vegetable oil and ghee.
  5. Add the caraway seeds, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cloves and pounded cardamom. Fry until fragrant.
  6. Add the onion paste. Fry for couple of mins.
  7. Add the ginger-garlic paste and keep frying for a good 4-5 mins.
  8. Add the turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin and coriander powder.
  9. Throw in the powdered Mace. Nutmeg and Black pepper.
  10. Next goes in the tomato paste. Add and fry for 2-3 mins.
  11. Add the yogurt and mix well. Cook for 2-3 mins.
  12. Add salt and sugar to taste.
  13. Pour in the water and let it reduce until there is about ½ cup of gravy.
  14. Remove from heat and set aside.
  15. Sprinkle the mint and cilantro.

For Assembly

  1. Put the saffron and the yellow color in the warm milk and let it steep.
  2. In a thick-bottomed pan with a tight lid, add 1 tbsp of ghee.
  3. Put a layer of rice, a couple of ladles of the sauce, some egg-halves, a sprinkle of mint, cilantro and Garam Masala. Add some browned onions.
  4. Repeat with a layer of rice, a tbsp. of ghee and the same as step 3.
  5. Finally, top with a layer of rice and another tbsp. of ghee. Throw in browned onions, mint, cilantro and cashews.
  6. Pour in the saffron infused milk, kewra and rose essence.
  7. Tightly close the lid. Heat a griddle on the stove.
  8. Put the pan with the biryani on the griddle and cook for 10-15 mins over slow heat.
  9. Remove from heat and leave it undisturbed for 20 mins.
  10. Serve with raita and salad.

Notes

  • 1. The onions can be browned before and freezed. The egg sauce too can be prepared beforehand and the entire thing assembled later.
  • 2. Make sure to cook the rice right. Keep an eye on it as soon as it starts boiling and squish one grain between the tips of your fingers to check if the rice is done right.
  • 3. Make sure to cook the assembled and layered biryani ( final stage) at a very low flame.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 6
  • Calories: 933
  • Sugar: 9
  • Sodium: 214
  • Fat: 58
  • Saturated Fat: 8
  • Unsaturated Fat: 47
  • Trans Fat: 0
  • Carbohydrates: 87
  • Protein: 19
  • Cholesterol: 259

Keywords: Egg Biryani Recipe, Anda Biryani Recipe

 

6 thoughts on “Easy Egg Biryani Recipe – How to Make Egg Biryani”

  1. How much is 3cups of rice in grams and half a bunch of mint and cilantro in grams for the sauce.Please let me know because I am planning to make it on the week end.Thanks in advance.

    Reply
    • 3 cups of rice is around 500-525grams. Half bunch of chopped mint and cilantro would be 1/2 cups chopped of each.

      Reply

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