Vegetable Biryani - cooked in pressure cooker

Vegetable biryani, pressure cooker method is easy and also saves time. Good for potlucks too.

Serves 6 to 8

Category - lunch / dinner

Soak 3 cups of basamati rice in plenty of water. (Rinse several times before soaking). I soak my rice for one hour, before cooking!

In a cooker base add 2 ladle full of oil, once it's hot add 6 cloves, 2 one inch cinnamon sticks, 2 elachi, 2 bay leaf. After 10 sec add one thinly sliced onion, once this turns pink add 2 tbsp of ginger garlic paste, 10 leaves pudina (chopped), a tsp of kasuri methi, 5 green chillies (chopped). Sauté this till the onions turn light golden brown, next add in 3 large chopped tomatoes cook till mushy.

Next add 1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder or adjust, 2 tsp dhaniya powder, 1 tsp jeera powder, 3/4 tsp garam masala powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric. Add finely chopped coriander leaves.

Next add 1 big cup of mixed veggies such as carrots, beans, peas, potato, cauliflower, sauté for 10 mins. Drain the soaked rice n add to cooker n sauté for 5 mins. Later add 4 3/4cups water, salt to taste n cook for 1whistle on medium heat.

Open after few mins n serve with raita and lemon wedges.

Variations - You can replace half quantity water with coconut milk. Makes the Biryani more tasty.
Add any combination veggies also you can add hard boiled eggs....

Egg biryani - Restaurant Style

Whenever our taste buds crave to eat something spicy, I prepare this Biryani. It tastes exactly like a restaurant style Biryani. I have prepared a vegetarian version too with the same ingredients and tastes awesome. I have also prepared this Biryani for a big party and got many compliments. So now its your turn to try and enjoy. And don't forget to leave your comments / suggestions below :)

Serves 4

Category - Lunch / Dinner

Basmati Rice or Long grain rice - 2Cups
Boiled Eggs - 4 to 6 OR Mixed Veggies - 1Cup (Cut to desired shapes)
Whole garam masalas - Cinnamon stick 1 inch, Green Cardamon 2, Bay leaf 2, Cloves 8, Soumph 3/4tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1tbsp
Fresh mint leaves - 10 (finely chopped)
Fresh coriander leaves - handfull (finely chopped)
Green chillies - 4 to 6 (slit lengthwise)
Onion - 1 medium (finely sliced)
Tomato - 2 big (finely chopped)
Red Chilli Powder - 1tsp or to taste
Coriander powder or dhaniya powder - 2 1/2tsp
Garam masala powder - 3/4 to 1tsp
Coconut Milk* - 1Cup
Water - 2 1/4 Cup
Oil - 10tsp (You can replace 2tsp of oil with 2tsp of ghee)
Salt to taste


Rinse the rice nicely in cold water for 6 to 7 times. Soak the rice with plenty of water in a huge pot. Let it sit for 1/2 hour to 1 hour. Drain the water just before its ready to be added in.

Slit lightly but do not break the eggs, such a way the masalas should penetrate to the yolk. Keep aside.

In a wok heat the oil on a medium flame, add the whole garam masalas, allow it to splutter. This might take 2 minutes or so. Next add in the onions, saute them till light deep golden brown. To this add the ginger garlic paste, mint and coriander, saute for a minute. Next add in the tomatoes cook till mushy. Add the dry powders saute till oil separates. Later add in the boiled eggs/ veggies and saute for 2 minutes.

Separate the eggs from this mixture and keep aside. You dont have to separate the veggies just leave it in the same pan after cooked.

In a pressure cooker add in the coconut milk along with water and put some salt too, bring this to a boil. Slowly add the basmati rice and the set aside cooked masala. Cover the pan and cook for 5 minutes. At this point add the set aside eggs and close the lid, cook for 1 whistle or till the rice is completely cooked. Vola your Egg / Veggie Biryani is ready. Enjoy!!!!!!!
Serve with Aloo Raita, Cashew raita or any veggie raita. 

*How I Make my coconut milk - Simply add 1tsp of fresh coconut and 1cup plain milk to a blender. Blend the mixture for 2 minutes. Your coconut milk is ready.

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Dhaba Style Egg Masala (Spicy)

Serves 4

Category - Lunch / Dinner

Eggs - 4 (Hard boiled n cut to halves)
Onion - 1 small
Tomato Paste - 2 tsp(Optional)
Green Chillies - 3 slit lengthwise
Ginger garlic paste - 1tsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1/4 (Adjust)
Cumin / Jeera Powder - 1/2tsp
Coriander Powder - 1tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 pinch
Salt to taste
Cilantro / fresh coriander - Handful (Chopped finely)
Oil - 3tsp

Add the onion, green chillies and ginger garlic and blend to smooth.

In a pan heat oil, add the ground masala saute till light golden brown. Next add the tomato puree and saute till mixture leaves oil. Now add all the powders and saute further for 3 minutes. Add 2tbsp of water in between and saute again for 2 minutes. At this point add 1/2 cup water n salt, let it simmer. Check for the consistency, add the eggs and simmer for 3 minutes. Lastly add the Coriander. You can add a hint of lime.

Serve hot with Ghee Rice, jeera pulao or Breads. For the side add in some onion salad.

Tip - For extra hot, add in some chopped green chillies in the tempering.

Make Your Own Lunchbox

This recipe is ideal for lunch box. This method saves a lot of time specially for working folks & also for students. You can also use the leftover rice too for this recipe.

Serves one Big lunch box

Onions - 30g (Finely chopped or sliced)
Tomato - 50g(Finely chopped) Optional
Bell Peppers / Eggplant - 30g(Thin Strips) Optional
Ginger Garlic paste - 1tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/4 to 3/4tsp (Adjust)
Garam Masala - 1/2tsp
Salt to taste
Turmeric Powder - 1 Pinch
Cooked Basmati Rice - 1 cup
Oil - 4tsp
Coriander / Cilantro - 1tsp Chopped



A - Pick any 3 to 5 or more (Totally your choice) 
Carrots, Beans, Fresh Green Peas, Potatoes,  Cauliflower, Boiled Eggs(1No.), Mushrooms, Paneer or cottage cheese, Tofu.
All the above mentioned veggies - 30g Each, chopped accordingly. Boil it and cook through & keep aside.

B- Pick any 1
Jeera powder - 1tsp, Coriander powder - 1tsp, Fennel Seeds - 1tsp, Kitchen King Masala - 1tsp


In a Wok heat the oil, add the fennel seeds, onions, ginger garlic paste and the bell peppers, saute till the onions are transparent. Now add the tomatoes and all the spices, cook till the tomatoes are soft to this add all the veggies of your choice, add the Paneer, boiled eggs and tofu. Saute for 3 mins. then add the cooked rice and combine well.

Lastly you can add a hint of lemon juice and garnish with cilantro / coriander leaves.

The lunch box is ready to go :)

Egg Chat

Serves 2

Category - Appetizer

Eggs - 4Nos. (Hard Boiled)
Onions - 1/4Cup (Finely Chopped)
Tomatoes - 1/4Cup (Finely Chopped)
Carrot - 3tsp (Grated)
Mint/Pudina Chutney - 2tsp
Salt, Chat Masala & Red chilli powder - To taste
Lime juice - 1tsp (Optional)
A few Coriander leaves for garnishing.

Cut each egg into four pieces, lengthwise and arrange them on a plate. Now top all over the eggs with Mint chutney, onions, carrots, seasonings and tomatoes. Lastly add lime juice and coriander leaves.

Ideal for tea time snack or you could serve it as a salad too :)

Egg Masala

Serves 4

Category - Brunch /Lunch / Dinner

Boiled Eggs - 5Nos. (Each egg cut into 4 pieces)
Onion - 1No. (Chopped lengthwise)
Tomato - 2 Medium ones (Coarsely chopped)
Green Chillies - 4Nos.(Coarsely chopped)
Ginger garlic paste - 1tsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1/2tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4tsp
Jeera Powder - 1tsp
Dhaniya Powder - 2tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2tsp
Coriander - 1tsp for garnishing
Oil - 3 to 4tsp
Salt to taste



In a pan heat the oil add the onions, ginger garlic paste and green chillies fry till the onions turn light brown. Now add the tomatoes and fry further for 3 mins, then add all the powders one after the other, fry for 2 mins.
Add 1/2 cup of water (If u want it semi gravy add 3 to 4 tbsp of water.) and let it simmer for 5 mins next add in the boiled eggs and close the lid over the pan. Allow it to cook for 2 to 5 mins.

Lastly garnish with coriander and serve hot with rotis or white rice.

This is Gravy Consistency 

Motte Saru

Motte means EGG and Saru means Rasam in Kannada :)   So,this recipe is all about EGGS in a rasam ;) White Rice and Motte Saru for a Brunch on Sunday would be just fab.......


You can replace EGGS with chicken, this combination also works awesome :) :) :) :)


Serves 2 to 3


Category - Brunch / lunch


Boiled EGGS - 4Nos.      [ OR Chicken - 250 to 300g]
Cloves - 3Nos.
Cinnamon - 1/2 inch
Elachi - 1No.
Mustard Seeds - 1tsp                                          
Onion - 1No. (Chopped)
Ginger Garlic paste - 1tsp
Tomato - 1 Large (Blanched)
Coriander Powder - 1tsp
Red Chilli powder - 1tsp
Garam Masala - 1/4tsp
Salt to taste
Cumin seeds - 1/4tsp
Cashew - 2 to 3Nos.
Curry leaves - 1 Sprig
Green Chilli - 1No.
Fresh Coconut Scrapings - 3tbsp
Oil - 5tsp


Add all the ingredients, (except the EGGS, onions, oil and mustard seeds) blend into a smooth paste.


In a Wok, heat 1tsp oil and add a pinch of turmeric then add in the EGGS.... Fry for a min and keep aside. (Fry the marinated chicken till 1/2 tender.)


In the same Wok, add the remaining oil and mustard seeds allow it to splutter. Now add the onions fry till transparent. To this add the ground paste and fry for 8 mins. Later, add 1/4th cup of water and boil for 5 mins then add the EGGS. After few mins add some more water (till your desired consistency of rasam) and simmer for few more mins.......... N the MOTTE SARU is ready to go with White rice :)




NOTE - Use a Pressure cooker instead of a Wok if using chicken. Marinate the chicken for 30 mins using 1/3rd of the ground paste. follow the same process as of the EGGS. After adding Chicken and enough water, close the lid and wait for 3 to 4 whistles...................... 

Chettinadu Egg Curry

Serves for 4

Category - Lunch / Dinner

Chettinadu Egg Curry

Eggs - 4
Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Chilli powder - 3/4 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Oil - 2 tbsp
Coriander leaves - Little
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Onions - 1 medium
Tomatoes - 4 medium
Lemon - few drops (Optional)

First puree onion n tomato together..... Keep this aside

In a thick bottom pan heat the oil add in d mustard seeds, urad dal,
let thm split n thn add in the Curry leaves ,ginger garlic paste.

Now to this add the puree and saute for 5 mins. Then one by one add in all
the powders mix well n add 2 cups of water, let it cook to the
gravy consistency.

Then break the eggs into the pan one by one and next to each other
evenly.... let the flame be low and close the pan let it cook further for about 5 to 10
mins.... Check in between but dont mix the mixture...... 


Lastly garnish with coriander leaves and add lemon.

Serve hot with white rice or any Indian Bread. Best when served with Dosas n idlis.