Instant Pot Egg Biryani
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This post is sponsored by Happy Egg Co, and all opinions are my own.
Instant Pot Egg Biryani is this delightful combination of fragrant Basmati rice cooked with spices and then interlaced with spiced, boiled eggs. Learn how to make this flavorful biryani in a pressure cooker in half the time.
What is biryani?
Fragrant basmati rice layered with vegetables or protein of choice and all cooked in one pot is what you would call a biryani.
Making biryani can be a long-drawn process and involves several steps –
- Marinate the protein of your choice in yogurt along with a paste of green chilies, ginger, garlic. Season with salt. Let it stay in the refrigerator overnight or at least for a couple of hours.
- Soak rinsed basmati rice in water for about 20-30 minutes. Cook the rice till it is 3/4th done and set it aside.
- Add ghee in a wok over medium heat and fry onions till they are crisp and set them aside. Add whole spices such as pepper, cloves, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, bay leaves etc. to the wok and let them sizzle for about 30 seconds.
- Add tomatoes to the wok and when it turns soft and mushy, layer it with the marinated protein and then add the semi-cooked rice. Cover it completely with fried onions and a cup of finely chopped coriander and mint leaves.
- Slow cook on low heat and wait for the magic to happen 🙂
Biryanis are worth all the effort and time spent because they are sooo good – spicy, filling and oh-so-flavorful! That’s great but there is no way you can make this for a weeknight meal if you follow the traditional method.
That’s why I modified to make this in a pressure cooker in half the time :-).
While this recipe is for egg biryani, check out my other versions which are just as simple –
How do you make egg biryani?
There are two ways you can make egg biryani in an Instant Pot –
- Cook the eggs along with the biryani (pot-in-pot). Remove the eggs, peel them and then sauté them. Fold them back in the biryani.
- Cook the eggs separately, sauté the peeled eggs in a pan, set it aside. When the biryani is ready, fold the eggs in.
I prefer the second method. It saves me about 5 minutes and the spiced eggs are ready when the biryani is. I just have to fold them in and dig in 🙂
Before we dive into the detailed recipe, let’s spend a minute talking about the one ingredient that makes this recipe rock – Happy Eggs!
For a family who goes through a lot of eggs in a week, we are very particular that our eggs are organic and the Free-est of the Free Range. Here’s why –
To put it simply, ‘we are what we eat too!
So, if eggs come from hens that roam free and have access to green plants in addition to a diet of grains it leads to eggs that have higher nutritional quality.
Here’s the thing though – Not all Free Range eggs are the same
While the specifications for eggs to be “free range,” the hens need access to outdoors but there is no regulation as to the duration and quality of outdoor access. So, for all you know, it could simply mean that the hens have access to outdoors via a tiny door in a crowded barn with no guarantee that they’ll have a pasture outside.
To meet HFAC Humane Certified® standards for free-range, the required minimum amount of outdoor space that farms must provide is a mere 2 square feet per bird. Happy Egg gives their birds 21.8 feet per bird!
In short, while cage-free hens do not live inside a wire cage, they don’t have outside access — or even that their conditions are cruelty-free.
That’s why I recommend Happy Eggs.
What’s different about Happy Eggs
The Happy Egg Co. is the first Free Range egg producer to be certified by the American Humane Association. They are also Happy Certified which means they go beyond humane standards to create an ecosystem for the hens to flourish and thrive.
Being Happy Certified means committing to raising hens and eggs with love. This is what it includes –
- Barns that are lined with 6-foot openings called “pop holes,” which make it easy for hens to come and go.
- Play kits and tree cover – Throughout the day, the hens can perch, play and cool off in the shade of specially designed activity kits.
- Long outdoor access – Their farms each have 8 acres of pasture for hens to enjoy outdoors every day. They also provide access to plenty of dust and sand where hens can forage, perch, dust bathe and stretch their wings.
- Access to an enclosed outdoor watering system so that hens can stay out longer in the pasture and remain hydrated.
This setup allows hens to engage in what they would do naturally – dust-bathing, foraging, and roaming. All this leads to happy hens who produce high-quality Happy Eggs!
Happy Eggs’ fresh eggs come from 31 small family farms in the Ozark Woodlands of Missouri and Arkansas. The mild climate in this region allows the hens to go outside year-round, not just in the summer. Also, since the location is no more than a short two-day drive to reach anywhere in the country, the eggs are still fresh from the farm when they reach our retailers.
In short, Happy Egg is the pioneer of the Free-est of the Free Range egg farming. Follow this link to learn more about Happy Eggs and the “Free-est of the Free Range” difference“.
Where can you find Happy Eggs
Click on this link to find the store closest to you that sells Happy Eggs. They come in a bright yellow carton and are hard to miss 🙂
Now that you’ve got the best-tasting eggs, get started on this egg biryani recipe.
Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating by commenting below!
Looking for more rice recipes? Here’s a list of handpicked recipes I am sure you’ll love –
- Lemon rice – a simple tangy rice preparation
- Jeera rice – aromatic rice basmati rice which is a perfect accompaniment to paneer tikka masala, butter chicken, and many other Indian curries.
- Vegetable biryani– an aromatic biryani that is loaded with veggies
- Chettinad chicken biryani – a specialty biryani from Chettinad
- 20-minute Instant Pot Palak rice (spinach rice) – Learn how to make this flavorful spinach rice, packed with fresh vegetables and aromatic spices, in just 20 minutes with your Instant Pot.
Instant Pot Egg Biryani
Ingredients
Spiced egg ingredients
- 6-7 medium-sized Happy Eggs
- 1 teaspoon oil
- a pinch of garam masala
- salt
- a pinch of red chili powder
Biryani ingredients
- 2 cups Basmati rice soaked in water for 20-30 minutes
- ¼ cup olive oil or ghee
- 4-5 whole cloves
- 6-8 whole black peppercorns
- 2 green cardamom / elaichi
- 1 Indian bay leaves
- 1- inch piece cinnamon stick
- 2 cups chopped onions
- 4 garlic cloves crushed into a paste
- 2 cups chopped tomatoes
- 2 green chilies slit lengthwise
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- salt to taste
- ¼ cup yogurt
- ¼ cup coconut milk [optional]
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 tablespoon ghee clarified butter
- finely chopped cilantro / coriander leaves for garnishing
Instructions
Instructions to make eggs
- Add water in the steel insert of the Instant Pot. Place the trivet inside the steel insert and carefully place Happy Eggs.
- Close the lid and select pressure cook and set the pressure to high. Adjust the time until it reads 5 minutes. Set the vent at sealing position.
- Once the cooking is done, wait for 5 minutes before carefully releasing pressure. Open the Instant Pot and take the eggs out and place them in an ice-bath. Leave them in for 5 minutes before starting to peel them. Tip – Always start by cracking the bottom of the egg, it makes it easier to peel.
- Halve the eggs along the long edge. Add a teaspoon of oil to a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add the eggs, sprinkle them with a mixture of garam masala, salt, and chili powder. Cook both sides till they turn golden brown. Remove and set them aside.
Recipe instructions
- Add oil to the steel insert of the Instant Pot and press the Sauté function. Press the Adjust button to move the selection to “Normal” .
- When the display reads “Hot”, add peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, and bay leaves. Once they start to sizzle (after 10-15 seconds) add onions.
- Fry the onions till they turn soft and translucent (approximately 5 minutes). Add garlic and sauté it with the onions for a minute or so.
- Add tomatoes and continue frying till they turn mushy. Add the green chilies, red chili powder, and salt and mix well.
- Whisk the yogurt well, add garam masala and coconut milk (if you are using it) and give it a good stir. Add this mixture to the Instant Pot. Do a taste test – the salt should slightly be on the higher side.
- Drain the water from the soaked rice and add the rice and just enough water (approximately 1-1/4 cup) to completely submerge the rice.
- Press “Warm / Cancel” button and then select “Pressure Cook.” Adjust the time to 5 minutes and set the pressure selection at low. Cover the Instant Pot lid and lock it. Make sure the vent is at sealing position.
- Once the cooking cycle completes, the Instant Pot will switch to the Warm cycle. Press the Warm/Cancel button and carefully release pressure.
- Open the lid and let the steam escape. Add a tablespoon of ghee and wait for 5 minutes.
- Add the spiced, boiled eggs and gently interlace the rice and eggs together. Cover and let the flavors meld in for 5 minutes.
- Garnish with coriander leaves and gently mix before serving.
- Serve hot with raita or yogurt
Disclaimer: Approximate nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and can vary depending on the exact ingredients/brands used. If you have health issues, please work with a registered dietician or nutritionist.
