Egg Biryani

Egg Biryani (made of Jeerakasala rice / Zeera Samba rice)

Serves: 2

Ingredients

For the rice:

Please use same measuring cup to measure rice and water. 1 cup rice : 1 ½ cups water (Ratio is 1 : 1 ½)

4 black cardamom

3 cinnamon sticks

3 cloves

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup jeerakasala rice (do not soak it in water) (200 ml / 8 oz indian standard measuring cup)

1 ½ cups  water

½ teaspoon ghee

Method

Wash and clean rice.

In a vessel, put all the spices,  salt and ghee in water and boil. Once the water get boil vigorously, add drained rice. Mix well. Cover with a lid and cook on a medium to low heat for 10 minutes or until done / water dries up / rice cooked well.  No need to drain out water. Rice will cook fully. That's the benefit of jeerakasala rice.

Homemade Garam Masala Powder for biryani

Homemade Garam Masala Powder for biryani Garam Masala Powder - Garam masala means ‘ warming spice mix’. It can be a mixture of whole or ground spices. Recipe from ‘’The Food of India’’. Make in smaller quantity - ie for use for a few times. The fragrance / freshness may be lost if one makes in large quantity and store for longer duration.

Makes: 3 level tablespoons

Ingredients

8 cardamom pods, remove seeds from cardamom pods

2 bay leaves (cassia leaves)

1 teaspoon peppercorns

1 teaspoon cloves

2 teaspoon cumin seeds

5 cm piece of cinnamon

2 teaspoon coriander  seeds

Method

Heat iron on a medium heat. Reduce  the heat to low and gently dry  roast above spices until fragrant and crisp (approximate time 10 – 12 minutes on a medium to low heat). Keep aside to cool for half an hour.

Transfer dry roasted ingredients into  a small mixer bowl and make a fine powder and then sieve it through a fine sieve. Store it in an airtight container (or in Tupperware dry storage box).

Other ingredients

2 tablespoon oil

2 onions, thinly sliced (separate each layer)

2 tomatoes or 1 big (well ripe), finely chopped

1 tablespoon (15 ml) ginger - garlic paste ( fresh and homemade )

1 teaspoon red chilli powder

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon coriander powder

25 g (2 tablespoon) chopped coriander leaves

25 g (2 tablespoon) chopped mint leaves

3/4  teaspoon  garam  masala powder (homemade or any other brand)

3/4 teaspoon salt ( or to taste )

2 boiled eggs

2 teaspoon extra ghee

2 teaspoon chopped coriander leaves

Method

Dilute red chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder in 2 tablespoon water and keep aside (spice mix).

In a pan, heat 2 tablespoon oil on a medium heat. Add thinly sliced onions and fry till golden color.

Add ginger – garlic paste and stir well on a low heat for 2 – 3 minutes until the raw smell goes.

Add chopped tomatoes and fry for 2 - 3 minutes on a medium heat until well combined.

Add diluted spice mix and stir well on a low heat for 1 – 2 minutes until the raw smell goes and water dries up.

Add chopped mint – coriander leaves, garam masala powder and salt to taste. Mix all the ingredients well.

 Cover with a lid and cook on a low to medium heat for 8 – 10 minutes until the gravy thickens / bright red in color. Do not add water.

At this stage, add boiled egg. Mix all the ingredients well. Cover with a lid and cook on a low  heat for  7 minutes or until done / gravy thickens.

Final preparation:

In another wide pan, heat 2 teaspoon ghee on a medium heat.  Add thick egg gravy and cooked rice.

Stir gently for 2 minutes or until egg  gravy well mixed with cooked rice (each rice grain should be well coated with  gravy). Do not disturb boiled eggs.  Cover with a tight lid and cook on a low heat for 10 minutes. Open the lid and sprinkle chopped coriander leaves. Serve with Challas / raita, salad and pickle.

Challas for Cutlet & Biryani (Challas or Onion Salad is popular in Kerala cuisine. Best with veg or non veg  cutlets and as a side dish with biryanis. Indian Coffee House in  Kerala serves this type of onion salad with cutlets. A very easy salad preparation with minimum ingredients. Here’s the traditional recipe !!!)

Serves: 2

Ingredients

1  big onion (I big size or 2 small size)

1 cup / 200 ml water

1 teaspoon vinegar

1 small green chilli, remove seeds and chop very fine or cut with kitchen scissor

1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Method

Cut onion into very thin slices / rings and separate each layer/ ring.

Soak sliced onions in 1 cup water for 15 minutes. Squeeze out water (This recipe step is very important to make challas).

Finally mix onion with vinegar, salt and finely chopped green chilli. Consume after half an hour. Then onion will absorb all the flavors and it will become soft too (color will become light pink too). Serve with cutlet / biryani …