Search
    Bengali cuisine
    Egg biryani
    dum biryani
    Intermediate
    For 4 people

    Lightly Spiced Egg Biryani with Fried Potatoes and Birista Onions


    This gently spiced egg biryani layers parboiled basmati rice with fried eggs, potatoes, and rich khoya, infused with fragrant spices and topped with crispy onion birista. Cooked dum-style, the flavours meld beautifully. Despite several components, this biryani is straightforward to make and deeply satisfying.

    Ingredients

    • Basmati rice

      2 cups

    • Water

      1.5 L (for cooking rice)

    • Eggs

      4 (hard-boiled)

    • Potatoes (large, diced)

      2

    • Oil

      4 tbsp (for frying)

    • Ghee

      3 tbsp

    • Bay leaves

      3

    • Onions (made into paste)

      3 large

    • Garlic paste

      1 tbsp

    • Ginger paste

      1 tbsp

    • Green chilli paste

      1 tbsp (adjust to taste)

    • Sunrise Haldi Powder (turmeric)

      1 tsp (divided)

    • Sunrise Lal Mirch Powder (red chilli)

      1 tsp

    • Sunrise Biryani Masala

      2 tsp

    • Sugar

      1 tsp (divided)

    • Salt

      to taste (divided)

    • Khoya (reduced milk solids)

      2 tbsp

    • Kewra water

      1 tbsp

    • Milk

      50 mL

    • Crispy fried onion birista

      1 cup

    • Green chillies (slit)

      for garnish

    • Raita

      to serve

    Sunrise tip: To prevent the rice from becoming mushy, cook it only 80% through before layering. The rice will finish cooking with the other ingredients.

     

    Steps

    Step 1: Cook the rice

    Time: 15 minutes

    Wash the basmati rice well. In a large pot, bring 1.5 L of water to a rolling boil. Add the rice and cook until 80% done (still slightly firm and with a chalky feeling when bitten into). Drain the rice, rinse with cold water and set aside to cool.

     

    Step 2: Prepare the eggs and potatoes

    Time: 15 minutes

    Hard boil the eggs, then peel and cut shallow slits in them. Coat the eggs with ½ tsp Sunrise Haldi Powder and salt. Fry in hot oil until slightly blistered and golden. Set aside.

    Dice the potatoes into large chunks. Fry them with ½ tsp Sunrise Haldi Powder and salt until lightly golden and just tender. Set aside with the eggs.

     

    Step 3: Make the spice base

    Time: 10 minutes

    In a large, heavy-bottomed pan, heat the ghee. Fry the bay leaves until fragrant.

    Add the onion paste and cook until the raw smell disappears and it turns light golden.

    Stir in the ginger, garlic, and green chilli pastes, ½ tsp Sunrise Haldi Powder, ½ tsp sugar and salt. Fry until well combined.

    Mix in the Sunrise Lal Mirch Powder.

     

    Step 4: Add the fried eggs

    Time: 2 minutes

    Gently mix the fried eggs into the spice base, coating them well.

     

    Step 5: Layer the biryani

    Time: 10 minutes

    On top of the eggs and gravy, spread ⅓ of the parboiled rice in an even layer.

    Arrange the fried potatoes on top. Sprinkle some khoya and Sunrise Biryani Masala.

    Add the next ⅓ of the rice. Top with the crispy fried onion birista.

    Finish with the remaining ⅓ rice in a final layer.

     

    Step 6: Final touches and dum cooking

    Time: 35 minutes

    Drizzle the kewra water and milk evenly over the top rice layer.

    Sprinkle the remaining khoya, ½ tsp sugar, salt and another dash of Sunrise Biryani Masala on top.

    Cover the pan tightly and cook on a very low heat for 25-30 minutes to let the flavours mingle.

     

    Step 7: Mix and serve

    Time: 3 minutes

    Open the pan and gently mix the rice, eggs and potatoes, scraping the bottom to incorporate all the spices. Do not overmix as this can cause the rice grains to break and get mushy.

    Garnish with slit green chillies. Serve hot with a cool boondi raita or spiced jeera raita alongside.

     

    Goes Best With

    • Side Dish: Cucumber raita, Begun bhaja (fried eggplant)