Easy Egg Biriyani | Kerala Style

Instructions

1. First, boil the eggs until hard-boiled, peel them, and gently slice them in half lengthwise. Set aside for later.
2. Wash the basmati rice thoroughly and drain the water. Allow it to soak for 15 minutes to ensure it's fully drained.
3. To cook the rice: Heat ghee in a pot. Fry half of a sliced onion until golden brown and fragrant. Add 2 cinnamon sticks, 4 cloves, 1 bay leaf, and 2 cardamom pods. Pour in 6 cups of hot water, add salt to taste, and squeeze in the juice of 1 lemon (remove seeds). Bring to a boil.
4. Once boiling, add the rice. Cook until the rice is three-quarters done. Reduce the heat to low and let the water evaporate. Alternatively, drain any excess water when the rice is three-quarters cooked, adding slightly more salt than usual.
5. Prepare the fried onions and nuts: Heat ghee in a pan. Fry the remaining sliced onion until golden brown and crispy. Remove and set aside. In the same ghee, fry 10 cashews and 10 raisins until golden. Remove and set aside for garnish.
6. Make the egg masala: Heat oil in a pan. Add 3 sliced onions and sauté until golden brown. Add 1 tablespoon of ginger-garlic-green chili paste and sauté until the raw smell disappears.
7. Add 2 chopped tomatoes, a handful of mint leaves, and a handful of chopped coriander leaves. Sauté well. Add 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder, 1/2 tablespoon of Kashmiri chili powder, 1 tablespoon of coriander powder, and 1 tablespoon of biriyani masala. Sauté until fragrant and the oil separates.
8. Gently add the halved boiled eggs and salt to taste. Mix carefully to ensure the masala evenly coats the eggs. Add the juice of 1 lemon and cover the pot. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then turn off the heat. The egg masala is now ready.
9. Layer the biriyani: In a wide pot, spread 1 teaspoon of ghee at the bottom. Layer with the three-quarters cooked rice, then spread the egg masala evenly over the rice. Repeat layers of rice and egg masala.
10. Sprinkle some ghee over the top rice layer. Garnish with chopped mint leaves, coriander leaves, fried cashews, and raisins between layers and on top for added flavor.
11. Top the final rice layer with the fried onions, remaining cashews, and raisins. Sprinkle with fresh mint and coriander leaves.
12. Cover the pot tightly with a lid and cook on very low heat for 8 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it rest, covered, for another 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
13. Serve the delicious Egg Biriyani hot and enjoy!