Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

This recipe is dedicated to the most adorable women in my life - Neelam & Poonam. This is their recipe which has been modified a little and a couple of ingredients added, to give an additional flavor & aroma to it. I sincerely thank them for this great recipe. Love you both!!

1. Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

Biryani is one of the most popular dishes in Hyderabad, India. To make Hyderabadi Biryani the meat and the rice are cooked in an air tight pot on very low flame, so that the rice is cooked in the flavours of meat and gets the aroma of the meat. The meat gets the direct heat from the flame and the rice is cooked with steam generated by the air tight method of cooking also know as Dum method.
I have fallen in love with this authentic and elegant delicacy now for a very long time . It is worth spending time to make this at home and watch your loving ones relish the dish.

Ingredients: For Marination (Marinate chicken overnight)
Note: Please adjust the marinade ingredients according to your spice levels
1Lb Chicken skinned, washed and cut into cubes. Boneless chicken can also be used but I prefer to use whole chicken with bones. Make sure you drain all the water after washing the chicken.
1/2 Packet Shaan Bombay Biryani Masala
2 Tbsp Shaan Tandoori Masala
2 Tsps Garam masala
2 Tbsp Chilly Powder
1/4 Tsp Turmeric powder
1/4 Tsps Dhania Jeera powder
2 Tsps Ginger Garlic paste
3/4 Cup Yoghurt
4-5 Green Chilly & 10 Springs Coriander Not too fnely pasted
10 Springs Finely Chopped Mint Leaves
1 Big Lemon juice
2 Pinches Saffron - Soaked in 1/4 Cup Milk
Salt to taste
1 Onion – finely sliced and deep fried till dark brown or can also use the ready made fried onion available at the Indian Store.

For the rice
Basmati rice – 2 cups.
Whole green Cardamom – 4
Cloves – 3
Black cumin seeds (Shahi jeera) – ¾ tsp
Bay leaves – 2
Black pepper corns – 4
Butter/oil/ghee – 1 tbsp
Salt – 4 tbsps
Water for boiling
Half cook rice with all the above mentioned ingredients and keep aside.

For cooking in layers
Oven tray
Pinch of red, orange color dissolved in 2 tbsps milk
Alluminium foil to cover the pan.

Now that you have all the ingredients ready lets start layering the biryani.
In a large bowl, mix all the marinade ingredients till well combined. Cover and let it rest overnight. This would let the chicken absorb all the flavours of the spices and enhance the taste of your biryani. Take a n oven tray and spray it with little ghee or oil, now arrange the entire marinated chicken at the bottom of this pon. This is your first layer. Then arrange the half cooked rice on top of the chicken. This is going to be your second and last layer. On top of the rice, add about 2 - 3 tbsps of oil, pour in the red orange color around in the center, springle some fried onins and cashew. This would give your rice the restaurant style look with some of the rice grains looking orange in color. Who would’nt want to surprise their guests with such looks!!!
Now seal the pot with an alluminium foil, pre heat the oven at 400 degrees and let the sealed biryani cook at this tempreture for one hour. Just before serving open the lid, gently mix in the chicken at the bottom with the rice. serve it hot with raita and enjoy.
This is one recipe you can never go worng impressing anyone especially your husband. Rememeber a way to mans heart is through his stomach.

Well I do hope you enjoy making this recipe as much as I enjoyed sharing it with you. Dont forget to give your comments.


2. Cucumber Raita

Cool and fresh tasting, this Middle Eastern side dish and condiment helps to balance the intensity of meats seasoned with chile peppers, curry or similar spicy ingredients.
Ingredients:
1 large English cucumber, unpeeled and chopped fine
1 Carrot Peeled and chopped finely
2 cups plain yogurt
3 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Method:
Chop cucumber and carrot very finely and keep aside. Combine yogurt, mint leaves and cumin, blending all ingredients together with a whisk. Add chopped cucumber & carrot to the mixture and stir together, adding salt and pepper to taste.
Place all ingredients in a covered container and chill in the refrigerator before serving. When served, garnish with cayenne pepper and cilantro, if desired.

Note: All the ingredients mentioned in the recipes above are easily available at the Indian Grocey Store.

Holi Hai!! The Beautiful Festivals of Colors.

I would like to wish all of you a Very Happy Holi and a Life full of Colors.

Holi festival has an ancient origin and celebrates the triumph of 'good' over 'bad'. The colorful festival bridges the social gap and renew sweet relationships. On this day, people hug and wish each other 'Happy Holi'. Holi celebration begins with lighting up of bonfire on the Holi eve. Numerous legends & stories associated with Holi celebration makes the festival more exuberant and vivid. Holi also gives a wonderful chance to send blessings and love to dear ones.

With winter neatly tucked up in the attic, it's time to come out of our cocoons and enjoy this spring festival. Every year it is celebrated on the day after the full moon in early March and ` glorifies good harvest and fertility of the land. The new crop refills the stores in every household and perhaps such abundance accounts for the riotous merriment during Holi.

Here are some of my favorite recipes for this day of colors.

1. Puran Poli

Puran Poli can be easily associated with Maharashtra and is its most popular dish. It is made mostly during holi when the bonfire is lit. The stuffing is known as puran and the outer cover is known as poli. The puran is made by boiling chickpea lentils with a pinch of turmeric for color. When the lentils are cooked and soft, the broth is removed and kept aside. Jaggery or gur is added to the chickpeas and cooked till they are soft. Then the stuffing is removed and sieved through a utensil made specifically for puran to achieve a smoother consistency. Saffron, cardamom, and nutmeg is added for additional flavor. The outer cover is made by making a dough by mixing refined flour, milk and ghee. Equal number of balls are made of the dough as well as the stuffing. The puran is stuffed inside the dough and then rolled out flat using a rolling pin. The poli is then coked on a hot griddle and served with ghee

Ingredients:

1 Cup Chana dal
1 Cup Jaggery
1 Tsp Cardamom
1.5 Cups Maida/Plain flour
A Pinch Turmeric
1 Tsp Oil

A Pinch Salt

Method:

Cook Chana dal in pressure cooker. Drain all the water. Cook dal mixed with jaggery for 10min. Grind without using water. Add cardamom and mix well with hand to get a smooth mixture. Mix flour/maida with, turmeric, salt, add water,oil and make a dough. Cover and keep aside for 1hr. Take a ball of dough and spread with hand. Keep a ball of chana mixture and cover with the dough and seal the ends. Apply oil to a plastic paper, keep the ready ball on it and roll it like chapathi (The plastic and oil prevents it from sticking). Cook on hot tava till it gets golden brown color. Serve hot/cold with ghee.

Some tips Use milk instead of water for making the maida dough to make pooran polis very soft. Use Toor dal along with chana dal to make them more thin and soft.

2. Makki Di Roti & Saron ka Saag (Indian corn bread with mustard green)

What a lovely combo ! This is one of my most favorite dish on the Holi Day. They truly complement each other very well. The recipe is so simple and tastes so great. Sarson is called as Mustard greens here in US is widely available in many Indian and American Grocery stores. It is known for it's distinct pungent, horse-radish mustardy flavor and is rich in Vitamin A and Vitamin K. Because of it's pungent flavor it is usually cooked with milder greens like spinach.

Ingredients for Makki Ki Roti

2 cups maize flour

1 fistful plain flour

1 tbsp. Oil

1 Tsp Red chillie Powder

salt to taste
Method
1. Mix maize flour, plain flour, oil and salt. Knead in a soft pliable dough, adding very little warm water at a time. When the dough is very smooth and soft, bread a lump,Shape into a ball, flatten and pat with palm, to make a thin roti. Use dry plainflour to help or roll with a rollint pin. Place on a heavy iron or earthen griddle and roast till crisp. Repeat on both sides. Cover and line with napkins to keep warm. Drizzle with ghee or butter if desired. Serve hot with sarson ka saag and slice of onion and lime.

Ingredients for Saron ka Saag

1 bunch sarson greens

1 bunch spinach

1 Cup Cabbage

1 onion chopped

1 Tbsp Tomato Puree

1/2 tsp. each garlic grated

3 green chillie

2 tbsp. ghee

1/2 tsp. garam masala

salt to taste
Method
Chop both greens, wash, drain. Boil water in a large vessel, along with some salt and had the greens along with cabbage, green chillies and cook till the greens are nice and soft and properly cooked, As soon as it is cooked leave the greens under cold water so they dont loose their nice green color. Blend it in the food processor roughly.

In a pan heat some ghee, add chopped garlic along with chopped onion, saute till brown, add tomator puree, garam masala and chillie powder if needed. Stir well and cook till oil separates. Serve hot with makki ki roti, or paratha.

3. Lassi

Lassi is a cold yogurt drink from India. It can be sweet or savory. The most simple are flavored with salt or sugar or various spices.

Ingredients for Sweet Lassi

1 cup of yogurt

½ a cup of water
½ a cup of ice cubes
3 to 5 teaspoons of sugar
A dollop of plain yogurt for garnishing
Method:

Blend all the ingredients at high speed till frothy. Add a dollop of fresh yogurt on top.
Makes two to three glasses of Lassi.

Ingredients for Salty Lassi
This Salty Lassi is spiced with cumin and is a great refreshing drink in the summer.
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 cup plain yogurt
1 cup chilled milk
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 to 1 tsp salt
1/2 cup of ice cubes
A dollop of plain yogurt for garnishing
Method:

Dry roast the cumin seeds for a few minutes until you start getting a wonderful aroma. Cool and grind to a coarse consistency. In a blender blend all the ingredients. Top it up with a dollop of yogurt. Serve chilled.

Ingredients for Mango Lassi
1 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup mango pulp (fresh or canned)
1 cup crushed ice
3 table spoons sugar / Use sugar substitute if desired
Method:
Blend all of the above. Add a little water if the consistency is too thick. Keep refrigerated. Serve chilled.

I really hope that all of you will enjoy cooking these dishes as much as I enjoyed writing it for you and also hope that this Holi and Spring brings lot of happiness into your life...

South Indian Cuisine With an Easy Twist & An Easy Turn

So here I am, getting started with my blog again. I am sorry for such a long break specially for the people who missed me and thanks for all the encouragement and motivation that I received during my break.
During this break I have tried various dishes and thats what I will be adding to my blog in the coming weeks. Lets start with my first receipe for today dedicated to the Non South Indian population who are not so confident in preparing these dishes and always seemed confused with the proportion and ratio of each and every ingredient.
Idli is one of the most popular south Indian recipes. Extremely scrumptious, light and nutritious, It is an ideal breakfast item, making these soft, fluffy white, round discs of rice and urad daal, is not difficult at all, however its preparation takes a little time as the batter for Idli requires fermentation. As it is a steamed food with minimum oil and no spices, it is an ideal food item for every body. It is one of the most regularly made items in most houses. Idli is served hot along with sambhar, Nariyal chutney (Coconut chutney) or Chana Dal Chutney. Read on to know how to make idli, sambhar, chutney's with an easy twist and an unexpectable turn if you want to try this wonderful south Indian delicacy.

1. Easiest Version of Idli's

Ingredients
1 Pkg Gits Idli ( Easily available in Indian Store)
Oil (for greasing the pans) & for the mixture
Idli Holder ( Also Available in Indian Store)
Water
Method
The direction for the mixture in given on the packet itself, for every 500gms of packet we need 800 ml of water and instead of 21/4tbsp oil which is directed on the packet use 4tbsp of oil, this helps in making the idlis really soft. Make a mixture and keep it aside for 5-7 mins. Lightly grease the idli moulds with oil, stir the batter gently and pour approximately 21/4 tbsp of the batter into each mould.
Put to boil enough water that only the stand of the mould is in the water. Place the mould in the boiling water, cover and steam on medium high heat for 8-10 mins. The best way to find out if the idlis are cooked is to insert a knife and if it comes out clean, that means that your little, soft. fluffy, round discs are ready. Best when served Steaming hot.
PS: One of my dearest brother like to have steaming hot Itdli with some butter on top of it......yummmmmm

2. Sambar
This Sambar recipe is one of the most loved dishes in South Indian cuisine. It accompanies most every meal. In South India, there are variations to this sambar recipe, but this is the one I use.

Ingredients:
1/2 lime sized ball Tamarind
1 cup Toor Dal (or red lentils)
1/2 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
2 teaspoons oil
Salt to taste
5 small dry red chilies (or to taste)
8 Curry Leaves (see note)
1 medium onion (shallots are preferable)
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/4 tsp asafoetida (optional)
1 large tomato
2 tablespoons sambar powder ( Easily Available at an Indian Store)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
1 cup of a vegetable of your choice like green beans, chopped carrot or Drumsticks
Method:
Soak the tamarind in 1 cup water for 20 minutes. Squeeze it out, adding water little by little to prepare 1 cup of juice. Choose a heavy cooking pot. Wash and clean the dal. Boil 2 cups of water and add the dal, turmeric powder and 1 teaspoon of oil. As the dal boils, skim off the foam and discard. Boil until the dal is soft and then mash it coarsely. If needed, add more water as it is boiling but do not let it get too watery. If you use a pressure cooker it will take about 5 minutes.
In a separate pan, heat to medium and pour in the remaining oil. Once the oil is hot, add the chilies, mustard seeds and curry leaves and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the onion and brown lightly. Add the tomatoes and saute it for 5-10 mins, then ad the sambar powder and let it cook for another 5mins. Add this mixture to the dal with asafoetida, tamarind juice and vegetable of choice. Allow this to boil for 5 to 10 minutes and remove from the heat. Garnish with cilantro.

3. Green Coconut Chutney

Ingredients
1 cup fresh coconut, grated
2 small green chillies, chopped
1 clove garlic, grated
1/2 cup Cilantro
salt to taste
A pinch of sugar
For the tempering
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 red chilli, broken into pieces
2 to 3 curry leaves
1 teaspoon oil
Method
Put the coconut, green chillies, garlic and salt in a blender with a little water and grind to make a fine paste. Keep aside. Prepare the tempering by heating the oil and adding the mustard seeds, red chilli and curry leaves and stirring till the mustard seeds crackle. Pour this tempering over the chutney and mix well along with a pinch of sugar. Refrigerate and use as required.

4. Dal ki Chutney



Ingredients:
1 Cup Dalia Daal (Roasted split Bengal gram)
2 Cloves Garlic
2-3 Green chillies, chopped
2 tsp Whole mustard
1 Tsp Ghee
salt to taste
2 Dry Red Chillies
Some Curry Leaves
Method:
Soak dal in little water for 1-2 hours. Grind together soaked dal, green chillies, garlic and salt with very little water. Fry whole mustard in ghee with dry red chilies and curry leaves. Add it to the chutney. Serve with Steaming hot Idli.

Italian Cuisine With An Indian Twist

Want to impress your friends with some mouth watering Italian cooking? Amaze your partner with a virtuoso romantic dinner? Cook for your student friends who think you are a no-hoper in the kitchen? Italian Cuisine with an Indian Twist can help you do all this. My easy to follow photo recipes make it a doddle to cook authentic and delicious Italian food with a twist. Each recipe is fully illustrated, and I have made it easy for you to print out the recipe, take it to the kitchen and start cooking, but before that a little to know about Italy.

Italy is made up of twenty regions with distinct characteristics. Every town, every village, makes the same dish in vastly different ways, and every town and village has its proudest specialty. These cooking traditions define people's identities just as much as their dialects and their traditional costumes. Local cooking preferences and customs are shaped by geographic, historical, and climatic differences: some regions are landlocked and mountainous, others hug the sea and are hilly; some regions have absorbed Arab or Greek influences, others have been marked by the French or Austrians; some regions live under the dazzling Mediterranean sun most of the year, others have cold winters, snow, fog, and harsh winds.

So lets start with couple of my own Italian Recipes with a Twist

1. Shrimps Spaghetti

Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
2 lbs Skinner Spaghetti
2 large sliced Onions

1 Lbs Small Shrimps
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 can (14 1/2 oz.) Italian-style diced tomatoes
1 Jar Ragu Garden vegetable Sauce
1 Tsp Red Chillie Powder or hot sauce

1 Tsp Cumin Powder

1 Tsp Coriender Powder

2 Zucchini ( Yellow & Green)

Salt and pepper
Shredded parmesan cheese

Cilantro for garnishing

Preparation
1. In a 4- to 5-quart pan over high heat, bring 2 quarts water to a boil. Add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender to bite, about 10 minutes. Drain and spray some cold water on it so the pasta doesnt stick to each other. Meanwhile, in a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over high heat, stir sliced onions and garlic in olive oil until onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes (with juice), and Ragus Garden Vegetable pasta sauce along withsalt, red chillie powder, cumin and coriender powder and sliced zucchini. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes or till the zucchini is half done. Rinse and drain shrimp; add to sauce. Stir often just until opaque but still moist-looking in center of thickest part (cut to test), 5 to 6 minutes. Stir cooked pasta into the sauce.

Serve the pasta on a big platter and garnish it with grated cheese and cilantro.

Ekta's Tip: This Spaghetti if made a day before taste great as it absorbs all the spices. Enjoy this Italian dish with an Indian Twist. If Vegetrians skip the shrimps, this can also be a great vege dish.

2. Ravioli

Ingredients

1 Pk Stuffed Ravioli ( Any Preferred one)

2 large sliced Onions
1 teaspoon minced garlic

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 can (14 1/2 oz.) Italian-style diced tomatoes

1 Jar Ragu Garden vegetable Sauce (Or any preferred Sauce)

1 Tsp Red Chillie Powder or hot sauce
1 Tsp Cumin Powder
1 Tsp Coriender Powder

1 Tsp Tomato ketchup
Salt and pepper

Shredded parmesan cheese
Cilantro for garnishing

Preparation

In a 4- to 5-quart pan over high heat, bring 2 quarts water to a boil. Add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender. Drain and spray some cold water on it so the pasta doesnt stick to each other. Meanwhile, in a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over high heat, stir sliced onions and garlic in olive oil until onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes (with juice), and Ragus Garden Vegetable pasta sauce along with salt, red chillie powder, cumin and coriender powder . Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Stir cooked pasta into the sauce.

Serve the pasta on a big platter and garnish it with grated cheese and cilantro.

Ekta's Tip: Choose any vegetrian stuffed ravioli and make this recipe into a vegetrian dish.

Spaghetti and Ravioli is best when served wih garlic bread and white wine. If made a day before or if given enough time for it to absorb the spices the taste just doubles.