Biryaani

Prep time : 15 mins

Cook time : 40 mins

  

I love rice from my childhood, in any form rather it would be Chinese, North Indian,South Indian, boiled, fried. Whatever the style it is, I happily gulp them in one go. My mom used to taunt me that you should be born in South Indian family,because their staple food is rice and my brother always tease me on this talk, that we have found you near garbage,may be you were really born in South Indian family. I starts crying whenever he says this but Now when I have grown up, I realized we were creating memories. Fights with siblings are cherished moments. Now coming to the recipe.

Ingredients

Ginger garlic paste - 2 tbsp

Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp

Red chilly powder - 1 tbsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Garam masala - 2 tbsp

Cashew nuts - 2 tbsp

Raisins - 1 tbsp

Green chilly - 2 (sliced lengthwise)

Saffron 1/4 tsp

Salt - 1.5 tsp

Oil - 4 tbsp

Veggies

Potato - 1 (peel,cut into 1 inch thin pieces,boil)

Carrot - 1 (cut into 1 inch thin pieces)

Capsicum - 1 (cut into 1 inch thin pieces)

Carrot - 1 (cut into 1 inch thin pieces)

Beans - 10-12 (cut into 1 inch pieces)

Cauliflower florets - 1 cup

Fistful of green peas(boiled)

Green coriander - 2 tbsp (finely chopped)

Dry spices

Cumin seeds - ½ tsp

Cinnamon - ½ inch piece

Black cardamom - 2

Nutmeg (jaifal) - 2 pinch

Bay leaf - 1

Clove - 4-5

Green cardamom - 3

Black pepper - 8-10

Cooking rice

Rice - 1 ½ cup

Cumin seeds- ¼ tsp

Oil - 1 tsp

Salt - 1 tbsp

Instructions

1.     Soak rice for at least 10 minutes in water and drain the water and set aside. Heat the oil in the pan and add cumin seeds. When they starts crackling add the rice + salt + 3 cups of water to boil it.

2.     Meanwhile the rice boils take another pan.Add all the dry spices with oil and fry till you get a nice aroma for one to 2 minutes.

3.     In the same pan, add ginger garlic paste + onions and fry till the raw smell goes off.

4.     Add carrot,beans cauliflower first to cook them more and then add capsicum,potatoes and peas.Saute all the vegetables till they get properly cooked.

5.     While vegetables getting cooked add turmeric powder + red chilly powder + coriander powder + garam masala + green chillies + salt.

6.     Roast the masala few minutes and while doing all this the rice also has cooked.

7.     Take one big and heavy utensil, add 1 tsp ghee and layer half of the rice. Now layer the prepared vegetables on top of the rice and spread it evenly. Layer rest of the rice on top the vegetables and spread them evenly. Sprinkle cashew nuts and raisins on surface of the rice, add green coriander.Pour 4 tbsp melted ghee from top.

8.     Soak saffron in 2 tsp water and sprinkle it on top of the rice. Now cover the biryani tightly and properly and pressurize it for 15 minutes.You can even use a foil to seal the utensil.

9.     Open the lid of utensil and mix all ingredients nicely. Hot and tasty veg biryani is ready. Serve biryani with curd, chutney or raita.

Suggestion:

1.     If you prefer eating onions, then take 2 onions chopped thinly and fry them as well. Layer the onions on top of the rice. Rests repeat the same procedure. Mix all ingredients and veg biryani is ready.

2.     If your rice becomes mushy, reduce the qty of water the next time you cook.

 

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Dry Potato

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This Sukhe aaloo(dry potato) has so many memories,it just remind me those days when I was studying in Vizag(Andhra Pradesh).The train to Vizag minimum takes 28-32 hours to reach,so to avoid outside foods in train my mom prepare this Sukhe aaloo with pooris and pickle.

It tastes awesome,because leaving home every time makes me emotional,because I was just 16 that time and it was for the first time I was living away from my parents and that too very far.

So to accompany my loneliness ,my mom always make this Sukhe aaloo and I like them too.

Ingredients

•          5-6 medium size potatoes, boiled

•          1 tbsp cumin seeds/jeera

•          1 tsp asafoedita/hing

•          1 tsp sesame seeds

•          ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves

•          2 to 3 green chilies, chopped

•          ½ tsp turmeric powder

•          ½ tsp red chili powder

•          3 to 4 tsp lemon juice

•          3 tbsp oil

•          salt as per taste

INSTRUCTIONS

•          Peel the boiled potatoes and cut into cubes.
•          In a pan, heat oil and add the cumin seeds to sizzle.
•          Now add the asafoedita & green chilies and fry for a minute.
•          When chillies get fried add turmeric powder,red chilli 
             powder,coriander powder.
•          Add the potato cubes and saute them for 2-3 minutes.
•          Finally add the lemon juice and sesame seeds,mix
             the whole mixture well for a minute.
•          Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve
            them with pooris,paratha.

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Pav Bhaji

Amongst all the chaat, Pav bhaji is my favorite. Well it's healthy too if you avoid much butter and have whole wheat buns. In fact my mom feed me all the vegetables through pav bhaji only and now I have started liking all the vegetables which usually I hated in my childhood.

This dish can be a secret weapon for all the mothers whose child just hate pumpkin,bottle guard,ridge guard.Well the original recipe of famous Mumbai pav bhaji has more flavors of potato,tomato and onion only,but I think we can have any vegetable substitution,it goes very well with this dish.

Ingredients:

For The Chilli-garlic Paste

5 to 6 whole dry Kashmiri Red Chillies , Deseeded

8 to 10 cloves Garlic(Lehsun), roughly chopped

For the Bhaji

2 medium size Potatoes

1/2 cup Green/Yellow Capsicum

1/2 cup Carrots

1 cup Cauliflower

1/2 cup Peas

1/2 cup French Beans

1 cup Pumpkin

1/2 cup Bottle guard(optional)

1/2 cup Ridge guard(optional)

1 cup Tomatoes

1 cup Onions

2 tbsp Butter/Oil

1tbsp Cumin Seeds

2 tsp Chilli powder

1 tbsp Turmeric Powder

3 tbsp Pav bhaji Bhaji Masala

Salt to taste

2 cups Water

For Serving

1 cup finely chopped Onions

4 Lemon wedges

8 Pav

4 tsp Butter

For The Garnish

4 tbsp chopped Coriander (Dhania)

1/2 cup grated Paneer

Method:

1.     Rinse all the vegetables well.

2.     For chilli garlic paste, soak the red chillies in enough warm water for at least an hour.

3.     Peel potatoes, carrots, pumpkin, Bottle guard, ridge guard, onions.

4.     Chop and pressure cook all the vegetables by adding (2 cups water+1 tbsp turmeric+1 tbsp salt) with 5-6 whistle, except tomatoes, onions and peas.

5.     If you want you can pressure cook peas also with vegetables, but I like them to add from    top ,to give a nice color to dish. While cooking peas add 1/2 tsp of sugar also to have their sweet taste intact and after cooking don't forget to rinse them in cold water to keep their bright green color.

6.     Until vegetables cooking,drain the chillies which you have dipped in water, add the peeled garlic and blend in a mixer till smooth, adding little water. Keep aside.

7.     Finely chop tomatoes and onions also.

8.     In a pan, add butter/oil.

9.     When the butter melts, add cumin seeds.

10.  When they sizzle, add the chilli garlic paste & chopped onions.

11.  Saute the onions till they become translucent or the raw aroma of the garlic paste disappears.

12.  Add the tomatoes and fry them about 6 to 7 minutes on low flame till they become soft and mush,and start releasing the sides.

13.  Now add the red chilly powder,and pav bhaji masala.

14.  Combine the pressure cooked vegetables with the masala,add water and combine everything well. Season with salt.

15.  With a potato masher, mash the veggies directly in the pan or you can mash them before adding to the masala also.

16.  When all vegetables are properly dissolved ,then add cooked peas and let the bhaji simmer for 12 to 15 minutes on a low flame.

17.  Check the consistency of bhaji it should neither very thick nor thin.

18.  Check the taste. Add salt, pav bhaji masala, red chili powder or butter if required.

19.  For garnishing add chopped coriander,few drops of lime juice and paneer cubes at the top.

20.  While serving ,add butter if you are not fitness freak.

21.  Serve with buttered pavs and chopped onions.

22.  Your Pav Bhaji is ready.

 For the Pav
 

1.     Slit 2 pavs vertically and keep aside.

2.     Heat a griddle, add 2 tsp of butter and slit open the pavs and place on it.

3.     Cook on a medium flame till they turn light brown and crisp on both the sides. (add more butter if required).

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