Egg Pulao

After yesterday’s shrimp pulao, I have another one pot meal. Last Friday when I made the shrimp pulao, Mr.U liked it a lot and wanted me to cook it again. Since I did not have any shrimp in the freezer, he wanted me to make it with eggs.

I was a bit lazy to do the little prep work that the shrimp pulao requires; frying the onions and then grinding it paste. Instead, I used sliced onions and also tweaked the recipe a bit. I ground all the green chilies with mint and cilantro to enhance the flavor of the rice. I also added some coconut to garam masala for added flavor.

I usually do not grind the herbs for pulaos. Ground herbs and green chilies paste gave this pulao a unique flavor and a nice green color to rice. I love cooking biryani but am not every enthusiastic cooking egg biryani. From now on, whenever I consider rice variety with boiled eggs, this is going to be my go to recipe.

I used 5 eggs for this recipe but more eggs can be used depending on who it is being served. My eggs loving husband thought I should have added at least one more egg as this was our lunch and dinner that day.

Serves: 3-4

Measuring cup used here is the one that comes with the rice cooker.

Ingredients:

• 5-8 Eggs (I used 5)
• 3 cups Basmati Rice
• Masala Powder (¼ teaspoon Cardamom Seeds, 3-5 Cloves, ½ teaspoon Shah jeera, 4-6 peppercorns, ¼ – ½” Cinnamon Stick, 2 tablespoon Coconut flakes; ground into powder)
• 12 - 15 small Green Chilies (adjust to taste)
• ¾ - 1 cup Mint chopped and firmly packed
• ¾ - 1 cup coriander leaves chopped and firmly packed
• ¾ cup Oil
• 1 small - medium sized Onion sliced
• 3 Cloves
• 6-8 Cardamoms
• ¼ tsp. Shah Jeera ~ Black Cumin
• ½” Cinnamon Stick
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 1 Biryani Flower
• 6-8 Curry Leaves
• 2 tbsp. Ginger Garlic paste
• 1½ - 2 tsp. Salt (adjust to taste)
• 3 - 4 tbsp. Butter /Ghee
• 2 cup Milk
• 2 cup Water

Preparation:

• Boil eggs, peel, make 4-6 slits around it and keep aside.
• Wash rice and soak in water.
• Grind green chilies, mint and cilantro to paste.
• Grind together all the spices listed listed under masala powder to a fine powder.
• Heat oil in a pressure cooker. You will need at least a 4 liter pressure cooker.
• Add whole garam masala (cardamom, cloves & shah jeera) ingredients, bay leaves, biryani powder.
• When the spices are lightly roasted, add curry leaves.
• Add sliced onions and saute until onions are translucent.
• Add ginger garlic paste and saute until rawness of the ginger is gone.
• Add chili herbs paste and saute for a minute.
• Add eggs and continue sauteing until oil begins to separate from the masala.
• Add masala powder, salt and give a good stir. Saute until masala coats the egg and eggs are roasted.
• Add butter or ghee and give a good stir.
• Reduce the flame, add milk & water, stir, increase the heat and bring it to a boil.
• Add rice and mix.
• Close the pressure cooker and cook for 3-4 whistles.
• Turn off the heat and let the pressure dissipate naturally. This will take about 15-20 minutes.
• Remove the cooker lid, fluff up the rice serve with raita or salan. I served with both.

Note:

• Rice water ratio – I used 1:1⅓ rice to liquid (water+milk) ratio.
• In a pot - If cooking pulao in a sauce pan, add more water. Use 1: 1¾ rice to water ratio or as required to cook the rice.

This day in 2010: Paneer Tikka Kebab

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