Egg Biryani

Combine water, salt, black pepper, cloves, and one green chili in a pot and bring to a boil. 

Add the rice and boil for 6 to 7 minutes or until the grains break with slight pressure but aren’t necessarily soft.

While the rice water is coming to a boil, begin preparing the curry base. Heat the oil in a sauté pan on medium-high heat. Add the onions and the diced green chili. 

Once the edges of the curry base become a rich amber colour, add the ginger and garlic pastes. Sauté for about 45 seconds.

Add the tomatoes and biryani masala and mix well. Sauté for 2 minutes, and then add the ¾ cup (180 mL) hot water. 

Drain the water from the pot of rice and place rice to the side. 

Bring the curry base to a boil. Cover and cook on medium-low heat for 7 to 8 minutes until the tomatoes have broken down and the spice mixture looks bubbly and cohesive and smells deeply pungent. 

Add the eggs and turn up the heat to dry out the masala (spice paste). The eggs will absorb the wonderful biryani flavour and the excess water will cook out so that the rice doesn’t become soggy. When the masala is ready, it will take on a luminescent sheen as the oil rises to the top.

Taste and adjust seasonings to suit your preference. You want something strong and punchy to flavour all that rice!

To serve, remove half of the rice from the pot. Spread the biryani masala over top. Scatter cilantro and mint leaves and some fried onions and whole green chilies (for aroma, but you can slice the chilies for more spice). Sprinkle over lemon juice and top with the remaining rice. Dilute food colouring in a little water or milk, then drizzle over rice. Scatter more onions. Cover and let steam through on low heat for 15 minutes. Gently fluff and serve.