Malabar Egg Biriyani / Malabar Muttai Biriyani

I have posted many rice preparations – Burnt Chili Rice, Cabbage and Capsicum Rice, Cauliflower Rice, Coconut Rice, Curd Rice, Goose Berry Rice, Paleo Carrot Rice, Schezwan Fried Rice etc. Biryani is also a rice preparation only. And I have already posted two Biryani Rice Recipe – Instant Vegetable Biryani, Vegetable Biryani Tamilnadu Style.

If you look at the varieties of Biryani, then there are umpteen number of them – Mughlai Biryani, Lucknowi Biryani, Hyderabadi Biryani, Ambur Biryani, Kolkata Biryani, Sindhi Biryani, Kacchi Biryani, Bombay Biryani, Sri Lankan Biriyani, Middle Easter Biriyani, Afghani Biriyani, Bhatkali Biriyani etc. Each Biryani is different from the other in the way they are prepared, in the ingredients used, the taste and the texture. Let us see here the recipe for the Malabar Egg Biriyani – a specialty from the Malabar Region of Kerala.

Ingredients:

For Flavored Rice

Ghee – 2 tsp

Onion (Small) – thinly sliced – 1

Bay Leaf – 1

Cardoman – 5

Cinnamon Stick – 2 pieces

Finely chopped or crushed Ginger – 1 tsp

Garlic – 6 pods (crushed or grated)

Basmati Rice – 1 ½ cup (washed and soaked in water for 30 minutes)

Boiling Water – 2 ¾ cups

Salt – ½ tsp

Lemon Juice – 2 tsp

For the Omelette:

Eggs – 3 to 4

Onion – 1 (small, finely chopped)

Pepper Powder – ¾ tsp

Salt – to taste

Turmeric Powder – 1/8 tsp

Oil – to cook the Omelette

For the Gravy:

Ginger – 1 ½ long piece (chopped)

Green Chillies – 5

Garlic Pods – 8

Oil – 2 tbsp

Onion – 2 (thinly sliced)

Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves – 4 tbsp

Pudhina (mint Leaves) – 3 tbsp (finely chopped)

Tomato (Medium) – 5

Turmeric Powder – ¼ tsp

Salt to taste

Biriyani Masala – 1 tsp

For layering Biriyani:

Chopped Mint Leaves – 2 tbsp

Chopped Coriander Leaves – 2 tbsp

Biriyani Masala – 1 pinch

Ghee – 2 tbsp

Hard Boiled Eggs – 2

Roasted Cashew Nuts – few (optional)

Method: For Flavored Rice

Strain the soaked Rice and keep aside. Boil 2 ¾ cups of water.

Heat 2 tsp of Ghee in a pan. Add the sliced Onion, Bay Leaf, Cardoman, Lavang, Cinnamon Stick, Ginger and Garlic. Stir fry them till the Onion turns pink and the raw smell of Ginger goes away.

Add the soaked Rice and stir fry for 3 to 4 minutes in medium flame till the Rice becomes dry.

Take care not to break the grains.

Add the boiling water and Salt. Mix well. Allow it to boil. At this point of time, the water level would be just ½ to ¾ inch above the rice.

Cover the pan and simmer in low flame for 6 to 8 minutes till the rice is done or all the water has been absorbed by the rice. The rice must be fluffy now. Switch off the flame and allow a standing time of 5 minutes. Open the lid and fluff the Rice gently with a fork. Transfer to another dish and allow it to cool.

Method: For Omelette:

Add all the ingredients listed for omelette in a bowl.

Whisk well.

Heat a pan. When hot, pour the whisked mixture and let it cook on one side.

When cooked, overturn and let it cook for few minutes on the other side.

Cut into pieces to be used for the biryani.

Method: For Gravy:

Crush the Ginger, Garlic and the Green Chillies coarsely without water and keep aside.

Heat 2 tbsp of Oil in a pan. Add the sliced Onion and a pinch of Salt. Stir fry till the Onion become translucent.

Add crushed Ginger, Garlic and the Green Chillies. Stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes till the raw smell goes away.

Add the Mint Leaves. Stir fry for another 3 to 4 minutes in medium flame.

Add the chopped Tomatoes, Turmeric Powder, Garam Masala and Salt.

Cook till the Tomatoes become soft and mushy.

Add a cup of water. Allow it to boil for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the omelette cubes. When it starts boiling again, simmer for 3 to 4 minutes in medium flame.

Now, most of the water must have been absorbed by the omelette pieces except about 3 to 4 tbsp of gravy.

Cut 2 hardboiled Eggs into halves. Heat a Tawa. Add ½ tsp of Oil. Sprinkle half a pinch of Red Chilli Powder, Salt, Turmeric Powder and Garam Masala. Give a quick stir and roast the halved Eggs till it turns golden. Keep it aside.

Layering the Biriyani:

In a deep vessel, spread half the quantity of the flavored Rice. Spread the Omelette Masala over the Rice evenly.

Spread the other half of the flavored Rice on top of this. Press the Rice lightly with a ladle.

Sprinkle some Mint and Coriander Leaves, a pinch of Biriyani Masala. Drop the Ghee all over the Rice randomly. Keep the roasted Hardboiled Egg halves over this. Close the vessel with a tight fitting lid which should not allow the steam to escape. Heat a Tawa or Iron skillet. Place the vessel (with the lid) on top of this skillet or Tawa. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes. Turn off the flame. Let it rest for about ten minutes without opening the lid. The much awaited Biriyani is ready.