Boiled eggs cooked in a spicy biryani masala gravy and layered with basmati rice, herbs and saffron. Makes for a great special meal! Serve with raita and salan or shorba.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 25 minutes
  • Cook time: 35 minutes
  • Total time: 60 minutes
  • Yield: 3
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Hyderabadi

Ingredients

  • 3 green cardamoms
  • ¼ to ½ teaspoon shahi jeera
  • 1½ cups aged basmati rice
  • 6 hard boiled eggs
  • ¼ cup ghee (or oil or a mix of both)
  • 1 cup onions (thinly sliced, layers separated (1 medium))
  • 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste ((or ½ tbsp each grated))
  • 1 green chili (slit)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 star anise
  • ¼ teaspoon shahi jeera (or cumin seeds)
  • 2 inch cinnamon stick
  • 4 to 6 cloves
  • 4 green cardamom
  • 1 black cardamom ((optional))
  • 1 strand mace ((optional))
  • 1 teaspoon biryani masala powder (or garam masala)
  • ¾ to 1¼ teaspoon red chili powder ((use Kashmiri for low heat))
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt ((adjust to taste))
  • ¾ cup yogurt (plus 1 tbsp / curd)
  • ¼ cup mint leaves (/ pudina fine chopped)
  • ¼ cup coriander leaves (/cilantro fine chopped)
  • 3 tablespoons milk
  • 1 pinch saffron strands
  • 1 teaspoon rose water ((or kewra, optional))
  • ½ teaspoon red chili powder
  • 1 pinch biryani masala (/garam masala)
  • 1 pinch salt

Method

  1. Prep up eggs: Boil eggs, remove the shells and make shallow slits on 4 eggs. Cut 2 other eggs to halves. Keep them aside.
  2. Cook Basmati Rice: Wash and soak rice for about 20 to 25 minutes. Rinse well. Bring 6 cups of water to a boil and cook rice along with cardamoms and shahi jeera on a medium high heat. When the rice is cooked al dente, drain it to a colander.
  3. Make the biryani gravy: Heat ghee/oil in a hot pan. Add sliced onions and fry until golden brown (do not burn). Remove them to a plate and also remove half of the left over ghee/oil.
  4. Add the rest of the whole spices. When they begin to sizzle, add ginger garlic paste, chili and saute for a minute, until the raw smell is gone.
  5. Stir in the chili powder and garam masala. Reduce the heat to low ands stir in the yogurt, salt, mint, coriander leaves, 4 eggs, ¾ portion of the fried onions. (reserve half of the mint and coriander for garnish)
  6. Stir and cook until the mixture become thick, yet of flowing consistency. Switch off the stove and remove the pan away from the stove. Taste test and adjust salt to taste.
  7. Layer the biryani: Grease a small pot generously and spread little rice to a thin layer (about an inch). Pour the saffron milk. Spread the prepared egg masala and layer the remaining rice.
  8. Now put back the pan on the stove, add the reserved ghee/oil and fry the halved eggs lightly. Add red chili powder, garam masala and little salt. Flip them towards the yolk and just fry for a minute.
  9. Place the eggs on the layered rice with the yolk side up. Pour the ghee all over the rice. Sprinkle the reserved mint, coriander leaves and the fried onions. Cover the pot with a tight lid or a aluminum foil and then a lid.
  10. Dum cook: Heat a tawa or cast iron pan, When the tawa turns hot, place the pot on it. Dum cook for 10 mins on a low flame. Turn off and let rest for another 10 mins
  11. Serve Hyderabadi egg dum biryani with a onion raita and shorba

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.