Yum! Yum! Yum!

It is cold here, heart wants spicy and comforting food but body is lazy and couch potatoed, then mind is set to experiment with this Simple Egg Biryani in IP (Insta Pot), but it turned out as stunning and Spicy Egg Biryani. Love this version, keep sake recipe for rush times!

Spicy Egg Biryani in InstaPot!

Ingredients:
Basmati Rice - 4 cups ( I used 3 cups Basmati + 1cup Brown Rice)
Vegetable Oil - 3 Tbsp
Pulao Spices  - (Cinnamon -2, Clove - 4, Cardamom - 2, Star Anice - 1, Shazeera - 1 tsp)
Bay Leaves - 5
Red Onion - 1 mediumGreen Chili - 4
Tomato Puree - 1 cup ( I am out of tomatoes used 1 can roma dice tomatoes)
Green Sweet Peas - 1/3 cup ( Frozen)
Salt - 2 tsp
Cilantro - 1/2 cup
Everest Shahi Biryani Masala - 3 Tbsp
Coconut Milk - 1 can
Boiled Eggs - 6

Preparatory Steps:

• Wash Rice and soak for 15 min and drain in the colander and keep it aside.
• Chop onion and green chili lengthwise and keep it ready.
• Grind 2 cluster tomato in mixie and keep the tomato puree ready. ( if you don't have tomatoes, no need to be panic, you can use 1 can diced tomatoes like I did, today :-))
• Slice Boiled Eggs into halves and keep them aide in a wide plate.

Method:

1. Start the InstaPot (IP) in sauté mode.  Add Oil to the inner pot. Once oil is hot (in 1 min) add pulao spices, sauté for 30 sec. 
2. Next add chopped onion, green chili, frozen green peas and half of cilantro and mix with spices. saute for 1 min. Add 1 tsp of salt and mix it well.
3. Next add Tomato Puree ( or 1 can of diced tomatoes) to the pot and mix with onion mixture. Add 1 Tbsp Biryani Masala, mix it well with onion and tomato mixture. Close the lid loosely and let it simmer for 2 min ( until gravy comes together). 
4. Next add 1 can of coconut milk and mix well with onion tomato gravy, add 1 tsp salt and 1 Tbsp of Biryani Masala. Mix well everything and let it simmer for 2 min. 
5. Now add drained rice to the pot (Spread on top of gravy). Add 3 cups of water on top rice. Add 1 Tbsp of remaining Biryani Masala on top. ( DO NOT Stir or mix rice)
6. Now close IP with lid and secure/lock it. Change the IP setting to Manual/Pressure Cook mode and set it to 10 min. 
7. After 10 min do QR (Quick Release by wiggling the vent seal) to let the pressure out. Open Lid carefully, inside the pot rice is fully cooked now, add the boiled egg halves (facing yellow downside) on top of rice and sprinkle remaining cilantro and close the lid tightly and leave for 5 min. ( No need to ON now, the built-in inside pressure is enough to infuse eggs with masalas)
8. Now open the lid then fluff up the rice and transfer to serving bowl and serve hot with cucumber raita or onion raita on the side!

Notes:

• For more flavor you can add 1 Tbsp butter + 2 Tbsp Oil in place of 3 Tbsp of Oil
• You can add some more sliced red onions on top while serving for extra zing
• If you are not using coconut milk you can add 1/4 cup hung/greek plain yogurt to the gravy and adjust the water accordingly ( for 4 cups of rice - 5 cups of water, 3 cups of rice - 3 cups of water). This measure helps you to get the consistency that each grain is separate from each other.
• Onion Caramelization and Coconut milk cream subtle the biryani masala spices in this recipe.  Cream and Caramelization is key to balance the spices in this recipe, otherwise it will turn out super spicy and ruins the flavor and taste.
• You can try the same recipe in Pressure Cooker on stove top, make sure after 2 whistles switch off the stove, to get the perfect textured biryani rice.