Easy one-pot Egg Biryani recipe featuring boiled eggs and basmati rice flavored with a unique blend of warm spices, caramelized onions, fresh herbs, and saffron.
2½tablespoonsShan Bombay Biryani Spice Mix(half the packet) + 1 teaspoon for eggs - see notes for substitute
⅓cupplain yogurtwhisked till smooth
1¼cupswater
½cupcilantro leaveschopped, leaves and light green stems
¼cupmint leaveschopped, or 1 teaspoon dried mint
6largeeggs
1pinchsaffron soaked in 1 tablespoon warm water or milk - see notes
Instructions
Soak Rice, Fry Onions & Add Spices
Rinse the rice and soak in 3 cups of water for 15 minutes while you prepare the onions. After 15 minutes, drain, rinse and set the rice aside.
Select Saute mode at high. When the pot is hot, add 2 tablespoons ghee. Add onions, ¼ teaspoon salt and saute until they turn light golden brown, about 12-15 minutes. Remove half of the onions and reserve for later. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water to deglaze the pot.
Add the remaining tablespoon of ghee, bay leaves, minced ginger, garlic, chopped tomatoes and spices. Add ¼ cup of water, stir and cook for 2 minutes until tomatoes soften. Cancel saute.
Add in whisked yogurt while stirring continuously. Add rice and water and give it a good stir, scraping the bottom of the pot with your spatula to prevent the 'burn' sign. Top with half of the chopped cilantro and mint.
Add Eggs, Pressure Cook & Finish
Place a trivet or a tall steamer basket in the pot. Place 6 eggs on top of that. Close the lid in place, set the sealing valve to 'sealing' and cook on pressure cook or manual mode for 6 minutes at high pressure.
After cooking time is done, follow the quick pressure release instructions of your model. Open the lid after the pin drops. Remove the eggs and place them in ice cold water for 5 minutes. After that, peel them. To prevent the rice from overcooking, remove the instant pot insert from the base and keep it on a cool surface.
Pour the soaked saffron over the cooked rice and add the reserved fried onions, cilantro and mint. Using a fork, fluff the rice gently. Let it sit for 5 minutes uncovered.
Meanwhile, heat a fry pan on medium heat. Add 2 teaspoons ghee or oil and 1 teaspoon biryani spice mix. Give it a stir and toss the eggs in that for a minute. Turn off the heat, remove the eggs and cut them in half. Serve the biryani in a wide dish or plate, and top with the sautéed eggs. Enjoy with cooling cucumber raita.
Alternative Method: Stovetop
Rinse the rice and soak in 3 cups of water for 15 minutes while you prepare the onions. After 15 minutes, drain, rinse and set the rice aside.
Meanwhile, place the eggs in a medium pot covered with an inch of water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, cover and let sit 11 minutes. Remove the eggs and place them in ice cold water for 5 minutes. After that, peel them.
Place a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add 2 tablespoons ghee. Add onions, ¼ teaspoon salt and saute until they turn light golden brown, about 12-15 minutes, stirring ocassionally. Remove half of the onions and reserve for later. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water to deglaze the pan.
Add the remaining ghee, bay leaves, ginger and garlic paste, chopped tomatoes and biryani spice blend. Add ¼ cup of water, stir and cook until tomatoes soften.
While stirring continuously, mix in whisked yogurt. Add rice and water and give it a good stir, scraping the bottom of the pot with your spatula. Top with half of the chopped cilantro and mint. Cover, reduce the heat to low and cook 12-15 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat a fry pan on medium heat. Add 2 teaspoons ghee or oil and 1 teaspoon biryani spice mix. Give it a stir and toss the eggs in that for a minute. Turn off the heat, remove the eggs and cut them in half.
When the rice is fully cooked, remove from heat. Pour the soaked saffron over the cooked rice and add the reserved fried onions, cilantro and mint. Using a fork, fluff the rice gently. Let it sit for 5 minutes uncovered. Serve the biryani in a wide dish or plate, and top with the sautéed eggs. Enjoy with cooling cucumber raita.
Rinse and soak the rice. This rids of excess starch and prevents the rice grains from sticking together. The individual grains are the magic touch to any traditional biryani recipe.
Use store-bought or homemade biryani masala. I like Shan Bombay Biryani Spice Mix for convenience. If unavailable or you prefer to make your own, combine 1 tablespoon garam masala + 1 tablespoon coriander + 1 teaspoon cumin + 1 teaspoon salt + 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder + ½ teaspoon ground cardamom + ½ teaspoon turmeric
Scrape the bottom of the pot to prevent the Burn message. I do this while frying the onions, as well as when I add the rice and water. Plus, it picks up all those flavorful caramelized sugars.
Shock the eggs in a bowl of ice water. This stops the cooking process (which prevents overcooked eggs) and makes them easier to peel.
Poke the hard-boiled eggs with a toothpick, if desired. Lightly poke holes into the eggs prior to sautéing to allow some of the ghee and spices to soak into the center.
Pat the eggs dry before sautéing. A dry outer surface prevents hot ghee or oil from sputtering all over your kitchen.
Remove the inner steel pot of the Instant Pot after cooking. This stops the rice from overcooking.
Bloom the saffron in warm liquid. Saffron needs a little assistance to bring out its flavor. Soak in 1 tablespoon of warm water or milk for the best flavor.
To substitute the saffron, add a few drops of yellow food color. Alternatively, add a few drops of rose water to add floral notes to the dish.
Note: The nutrition facts below are my estimates. If you follow any diet plan, I recommend cross-checking with your preferred nutrition calculator.