Name: Hyderabadi Egg Biryani
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 85 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian (Hyderabadi)
Ingredients: 6 large eggs, hard-boiled and peeled; 2 cups basmati rice, rinsed and soaked 30 minutes; 4 tbsp ghee, divided; 1/2 tsp ground turmeric; 2 tsp kashmiri red chili powder, divided; 2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced; 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste; 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped; 1 1/2 cups plain whole-milk yogurt, divided; 1 1/2 tsp hyderabadi biryani masala or garam masala; 1 set whole spices, 1 tsp shahi jeera, 1 bay leaf, 3 green cardamom pods; 1 cup mint and cilantro leaves, chopped, 2 tbsp reserved; 1/4 tsp saffron threads, steeped in 3 tbsp warm milk; 1 tsp kewra water, optional; to taste kosher salt

Hyderabadi Egg Biryani

4.6 from 257 home cooks Free

Hard-boiled eggs get blistered in chili-turmeric ghee, then tucked into a tangy onion and tomato masala under long-grain rice boiled with shahi jeera and mint. A short spell in the oven turns the top into patches of orange and white from saffron milk. It is a meatless biryani with real weight, ready in about an hour.

Prep

30 min

Cook

55 min

Total

1 hr 25 min

Serves

Level

Medium

Cuisine

Indian (Hyderabadi)

Method

Step 1: Heat the oven to 325F. Cut four shallow lengthwise slashes in each egg. Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a heavy ovenproof pot over medium heat, add the turmeric, 1/2 tsp chili powder and a pinch of salt, then the eggs. Roll them for 3 to 4 minutes, until the surface blisters and turns orange. Set aside.
Step 2: Add 2 tbsp ghee to the pot and fry the onions for about 15 minutes, until golden brown. Scoop out a third of them for the topping.
Step 3: Stir in the ginger-garlic paste for 1 minute, then add the tomatoes, remaining chili powder, biryani masala and 1 tsp salt. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the tomatoes melt and ghee shows at the edges.
Step 4: Take the pot off the heat and stir in 1/2 cup yogurt and half the herbs, then return it to low heat for 3 minutes. Nestle the eggs into the masala and spread everything into an even layer.
Step 5: Boil 10 cups water with the whole spices, 2 tbsp salt and a few mint leaves. Add the drained rice and cook for about 6 minutes, until a grain pinched between your fingers leaves only a small hard core. Drain well.
Step 6: Spread half the rice over the eggs, scatter the reserved onions and remaining herbs (except the 2 tbsp held back), then add the rest of the rice. Spoon the saffron milk over in spots, sprinkle with kewra water and drizzle with the last 1 tbsp ghee, melted.
Step 7: Cover the pot tightly with foil and the lid, heat on medium for 4 minutes until you see steam, then move it to the oven for 20 minutes. Rest 10 minutes before opening.
Step 8: Whisk the remaining 1 cup yogurt with a pinch of salt, a splash of water and the reserved herbs for a quick raita. Scoop the biryani from the side of the pot, halve the eggs over each serving and pass the raita.

Kitchen note

Slashing the boiled eggs before frying lets the chili ghee and then the masala work past the rubbery white, so they taste seasoned all the way to the yolk instead of merely stained on the outside.