Energize with Wholesome Goodness: Brown Rice Egg Biryani
Ingredients
1 cup brown Basmati rice, soaked for 30 minutes and drained
2 cups water for cooking the rice & Salt to taste
Whole spices (2 bay leaves, 4-5 cloves, 4-5 green cardamoms, 1-inch cinnamon stick)
4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and cut in half
2 large onions & 1 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste
1 teaspoon red chili powder, garam masala & biryani masala
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
A pinch of saffron strands soaked in 2 tablespoons of warm milk
A handful of chopped mint leaves & cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter) or vegetable oil
Preparation
In a large pot, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the soaked and drained brown Basmati rice, along with whole spices and salt. Cook the rice until it's fully cooked but still firm. Drain any excess water and set the cooked rice aside.
Boil the eggs until they are hard-boiled. Peel the eggs and cut them in half lengthwise. Set the boiled eggs aside.
In a bowl, mix yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, biryani masala, and salt. Add the halved boiled eggs to the marinade and coat them well. Let them marinate for about 30 minutes.
In a heavy-bottomed pot or handi, heat ghee (or vegetable oil) over medium heat. Add sliced onions and sauté until they turn golden brown and caramelized. Remove half of the fried onions and set them aside for garnishing.
Add marinated eggs along with the marinade to the pot and cook for a few minutes until the eggs are coated with the masala.
In the same pot, add a layer of half of the cooked brown rice over the eggs.
Sprinkle some chopped mint and cilantro over the rice. Drizzle some saffron milk and ghee on this layer.
Add the remaining cooked brown rice as the next layer. Again, sprinkle mint, cilantro, saffron milk, and ghee on top.
If using, add a pinch of edible orange food color mixed with milk on the final layer to get a nice color.
Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. To ensure a proper seal, you can use aluminum foil or dough to stick the lid to the pot's edges.
Cook the Brown Rice Egg Biryani on low heat for about 15-20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
Once the Dum cooking is complete, gently fluff the biryani with a fork to mix the layers.
Garnish the biryani with the reserved fried onions.
Serve the delicious and healthy Brown Rice Egg Biryani hot with raita and salad.