Simple and Easy Egg Biryani

Biryanis are always meant to be elaborate and royal which undoubtedly calls for a little planning. However, on some days, you just get that Biryani craving and you know you can't sit in peace unless you have satisfied your craving. This is what exactly happened to me this Sunday when we were exploring and discussing different food options for lunch. I had just this tray of eggs and nothing else in the pantry and within 1 hour quick and easy Egg Biryani was ready to be served. I made my own Biryani masala here, but you can use any store bought masala if you have even lesser time to get the biryani done. 

Ingredients 

For the masala 

1 tsp cumin seeds 

1 tsp fennel seeds 

2 tsp coriander seeds 

3-4 Kashmiri whole red chillies 

4 cardamoms 

4 cloves 

1 black cardamom

1 bay leaf

1/2 mace

1/2 tsp nutmeg powder 

1 tsp black peppercorns 

1" cinnamon 

Dry roast all and grind to a fine powder 

For the rice

2 cups basmati rice, soaked for 1/2 hr

1 tbsp ghee

1 tsp shahjeera 

2 pods cardamom, 1" cinnamon 

1 tsp salt 

Rest of the ingredients 

1 large onion sliced finely 

11/2 tbsp ginger garlic paste 

2 large tomatoes chopped 

1 tbsp ghee + 1 tbsp oil

Salt to taste

Freshly chopped coriander and mint leaves 

1 cup warm milk (may require more)

3 hard boiled eggs

3 tbsp cornflour 

1/2 tsp Chilli powder 

1/2 tsp turmeric powder 

1/2 tsp salt

Direction 

Start with preparing the eggs. Peel the hard boiled eggs and cut them into half. Make a thick paste with water, cornflour, Chilli powder, salt and turmeric powder. 

Dip the egg halves one at a time and shallow fry in hot oil until golden. Remove from heat and keep aside. 

Now, heat the oil and ghee in a deep bottomed pan and add the shahjeera. Add the whole spices and the rice (reserve the soaked water) and fry till the rice becomes translucent. Now add warm water till just about covering the rice 1" above. Cover and let the rice cook till about 90%. 

Heat oil and ghee in another pan and fry the sliced onions till golden. Next add the ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell disappears. Tip in the tomatoes now and fry till mushy. Now add the freshly ground masala and mix well. Fry the onion masala till oil appears along the sides of the pan. Now add 1 cup milk and stir and bring to a boil. You can also add chopped vegetables to the masala and  fry a bit before adding the milk. Now add the cooked rice and mix well. Add coriander and mint and any birista or fried onions if you have ready. Mix well and drizzle some ghee from the sides and cover and simmer the flame. Let the biryani cook on dum for 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and serve hot with the fried eggs and onion slices. 

 

Quick and Easy Vegetable Biryani

In a Non-Veg household, when it comes to biryani, it ought to be either meat or fish. As a cooking enthusiast, however, how can I not try something which is so popular with Vegetarians. I was running short of time and so chose a quick fix process and my Biryani was ready in less than an hour!! It was delicious and liked by all and now I have an addition to my menu for my vegetarian friends!! 

Ingredients 

For the rice

2 cups Basmati rice

3 cardamoms, 5 cloves, 1" cinnamon, 1 bay leaf 

1 tsp salt

1 tsp oil (optional)

For the veggies 

2 cups mixed veggies chopped  (I used a mix of cauliflower, carrots, peas, corn)

2 medium onions sliced 

1" piece ginger minced

4-5 cloves garlic minced 

2-3 green chillies chopped 

2 tbsp biryani masala 

1 tsp red chilli powder 

1 tsp turmeric powder 

1/2 cup yogurt 

2-3 tbsp cashew and raisins 

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup cream

1 tsp shahjeera 

3 cardamoms, 5 cloves, 1" cinnamon, 1 star anise, 1/2 mace, 1 black cardamom 

1 tbsp ghee plus 1 tbsp oil

For the assembly 

2 tsp ghee

2 tbsp fried onions (I used store bought)

Fresh coriander chopped 

Fresh mint leaves chopped 

Rose essence or kewra essence for sprinkling 

Direction 

Wash and drain the rice and cook with all the ingredients mentioned for the rice till 90% done. Drain and keep aside. 

In a pan, heat the ghee and oil and splutter the shahjeera. Next add the whole garam masala and fry for another minute. Add the ginger garlic mince and the sliced onions and fry till golden. Now add the veggies and stir. Add salt, nuts, and cover and cook on a medium flame till done. 

Meanwhile, whip the yogurt with milk and biryani masala and red chilli powder.

Once the veggies are done, add the yogurt mix and stir. Now add the cream and check for seasoning. Remove from heat. I have a bit of gravy here as otherwise the veggies and the rice become very dry as opposed to using meat where it releases it own juices. 

Now you can either assemble and make it on dum for 30 minutes or use an ovenproof dish. Whatever way you choose, assemble in the following way. 

Put a layer of rice (pick out the bay leaf) and level it. Next add the veggies and top it with some fried onions, coriander, 1 tsp ghee and kewra essence. 

Top the veggie layer with another layer of rice and finish it off with remaining coriander, fried onions, ghee and kewra essence. 

If baking in the oven, pre-heat to 200 degree celcius and bake covered with aluminium foil for 20 minutes. If doing dum on gas, put the vessel on top of an iron tawa and reduce the flame to minimum and cook on dum for 30 minutes. If using microwave, cover with a clingwrap and microwave for 5-7 minutes. Mix the rice and veggies before serving and enjoy!!

Mutton Keema Kofta Biryani

There was a time when Biryani for me was the most tedious dish to cook and was only a weekend treat to be eaten outside. With my husband being a great Biryani fan, how could I stay away from not trying out this flavoursome dish at home. My first biryani was almost a year back and it was an instant hit. Although there was room for improvement, it was a good beginning nonetheless. With each passing attempt, my Biryani just kept getting better and better and better. Now I have reached a stage where I have developed my own Biryani recipe from scratch and have included a very interesting twist to it, Koftas!! The idea was originally shared by a fellow foodie on a food group and I developed it from there. The husband was licking his fingers (literally) and the guests (who had to mantain their courtesy being Germans) swiped off the entire bowl squeaky clean. 

Now, I look forward to cooking my next Biryani!! 

Ingredients 

For the koftas

500 gms minced mutton

1 tbsp grated ginger

1 tbsp grated garlic 

5-6 mint leaves chopped 

1-2 green chillies chopped (optional)

1 sprig coriander chopped 

1 tbsp besan/gram flour

1/2 tsp red chilli powder 

1/2 tsp garam masala powder 

1/2 tsp cumin powder 

1/2 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp Salt (approximately) to taste (do not add a lot as the koftas will also absorb masalas from the biryani sauce later on)

2 tsp oil plus extra for frying

For the Biryani Masala

1/2 tbsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp coriander seeds

1 tbsp fennel seeds 

4-5 whole red chillies

3 green cardamoms 

1 black cardamom 

3-4 cloves 

1" piece cinnamon 

1/2 star anise 

1/2 nutmeg

1 mace

1 bay leaf

6-7 black peppercorns 

Dry roast all of the above and make a fine powder. 

For the Biryani Sauce

2 medium onions chopped 

3 medium tomatoes chopped 

1 tbsp ginger paste 

1 tbsp garlic paste 

1 tsp caraway seeds/shahjeera 

2-3 tbsp grated paneer

1/2 tsp turmeric powder 

Biryani masala prepared above

Salt to taste

1 tbsp oil

For the rice

2 1/2-3 cups of Basmati rice, washed and soaked for 20 minutes 

1 medium onion finely sliced 

1/2" piece ginger, finely chopped 

2 tbsp fresh coriander chopped 

1/2 tsp cumin seeds 

2 green cardamom, 3 cloves, 1/2" cinnamon, 1 mace, 4-5 black peppercorns 

1 tsp saffron soaked in 1 tbsp cold milk

Salt to taste but not exceeding 1 tsp

2 tbsp ghee (for maximum taste and fragrance)

For the assembly 

Fried onions and finely chopped fresh coriander 

Direction 

The first step will be to prepare the keema koftas. 

Wash and drain the keema and put in a food processor. Pulse until a smooth lump is formed. To this add all the remaining ingredients including 2 tsp oil and pulse till a smooth lump is formed and there are no solid bits. Remove from the food processor and take it out in a plate. Now while you heat oil in a wok for deep frying, start forming the balls with your hands. Do not make oversized balls as they might not cook very well then. 

 When the oil is hot, reduce the flame to medium and start frying the balls, 3-4 at a time on medium heat until golden on all sides. Do not fry on high flame as the balls may get browned too soon leaving a raw inside. Drain the excess oil on paper towels. 

Once you are done frying all the balls, start preparing the sauce. For that, heat oil in a pan and splutter the caraway seeds. Now add the onions and fry till golden. Add the ginger garlic paste and fry for another 2-3 minutes till the raw smell disappears. Now add the tomatoes and fry on high till the tomatoes get soft and mushy. Add the grated paneer and the biryani masala and the other dry spices and salt and fry for another 1-2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup warm water and bring it to a boil. Now add the fried koftas, stir to mix and coat everything well and cover and cook on medium low flame for 10-15 minutes.  This is to ensure that the koftas absorb maximum flavors and masala from the sauce which will ensure that they are soft and juicy once assembled. Also, if any of the koftas are not completely cooked, this step will make sure it does. Be very careful while stirring the sauce in between as you may break the koftas. Once the gravy reduces to about 1/4th with mostly the masalas remaining and minimum water, turn off the gas and keep the pan covered as you move on to the next step. 

 

 Time to cook the rice now. Heat ghee in a pan. Add cumin seeds and the whole garam masala and let it release the fragrance. Now add the onions and fry till translucent followed by the ginger. Add the soaked and drained rice and fry till the rice becomes transparent sonewhat. Add the chopped coriander and stir. Add salt and now if you are using the electric rice cooker, transfer the rice to the cooker and add 5-1/2 cups of water for 3 cups of rice and cook till done. If preparing the rice on gas stove, you can add water directly to the pan and cook the rice covered till just done (about 90%). Do not overcook. 

Once the rice is done, sprinkle the soaked saffron over the rice and stir and let it remain for 10-12 minutes. 

Now the final and most easy step. Take an ovensafe bowl or, a deep bottom vessel (if preparing on gas stove) and put one layer of the rice. If you do not have an oven, you can also do it in the microwave. Now add the biryani sauce along with the koftas. Sprinkle some fresh coriander and fried onions and cover up with the remaining rice.

 

Sprinkle some more coriander and fried onions on top and optionally a dollop of ghee. Cover tightly with an aluminium foil (if using the oven), a clinwrap (if using the microwave) or a tight lid sealed with atta dough (if using the gas). Cook on low heat for 20-30 minutes, if using the gas, with an iron skillet at the bottom to avoid the rice getting burnt. If using the microwave, cook for 7-8 minutes at high. If using the oven, like I did, cook in a pre heated oven at 175 degree celsius for 20 minutes. Keep covered until served hot with raita!

 

Mutton Dum Biryani

I have recently started cooking something special on weekends, especially on Sundays, and this has started mainly because of my strict diet during the week. Even the body needs some motivation to continue with the healthy diet and lifestyle and a weekend indulgent meal fits the bill perfectly. So here is my this week's weekend indulgence, a sinful delicious melt-in-the-mouth Mutton Dum Biryani and served with some chilled Boondi Raita! 

Ingredients (Serves 4)

For the Biryani Masala 

1 tbsp coriander seeds

1 tbsp cumin seeds

2-3 pieces of green cardamom

1 black cardamom

4-5 cloves 

2 small sticks cinnamon

1/2 piece nutmeg (javitri)

2 pieces mace

5-6 dry red chillies (as per taste)

Other Ingredients

3 cups basmati rice, washed and dried in a colander

500 gms mutton, washed and cut (I used 300 gms boneless and 200 gms with bones)

1 cup yogurt, whipped

1 tbsp ginger, grated

1 tbsp garlic, minced

1 sprig mint leaves, finely chopped

1 sprig coriander leaves, finely chopped

2 each of cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and star anise

5 medium onions, finely sliced and deep fried until crisp and golden brown (drain on paper towels to remove excess oil)

2-3 tbsp ghee (this is to be used while layering the rice and mutton; use as per requirement)

2 medium potatoes, halved and fried till golden brown

1 big potato, thinly sliced (for layering at the bottom of the vessel to prevent burning)

3 boiled eggs halved

A pinch of saffron, soaked in 2 tbsp cold milk (optional)

1+1 tbsp salt

2 tsp meat tenderizer (you can also 2 tbsp grated raw papaya)

1 tsp red food color

1 tsp yellow food color (you may skip to use the food colors and prepare with single colored rice. I just wanted to experiment)

2 tsp kewra essence

Aata dough for lining the lid of the vessel

Direction

Marinate the mutton pieces with 1 tbsp salt and keep aside for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a pan, dry roast all the ingredients given under Biryani masala and let it cool. Then grind to a fine powder and keep aside.

Wash the marinated mutton pieces with water and drain any excess liquid. Now add the yogurt, biryani masala, ginger, garlic, 1 tbsp salt, meat tenderizer/raw papaya, and half of the fried onions. Mix everything well and cover with a cling wrap. This has to be marinated for a minimum of 2 hours. For best results, marinate overnight and keep it in the refrigerator. I marinated it overnight. 

In the morning (if marinated overnight) take the meat out and keep it on the kitchen counter and bring it to room temperature. Now start to prepare the rice. 

If you are using food color, soak a fistful of rice in one bowl with the red color and another fistful in a bowl with yellow color. Soak the rest of the rice in another bowl for 30 minutes. Start with the red rice and cook till just 60% done. Drain and spread it out on a plate. Now prepare the yellow rice and again cook for 60% doneness and spread it out in the same plate as the red rice. Now cook the rest of the rice. 

While making the rice, add the cardamoms, cinnamon, cloves, and star anise for extra flavor. You can also add 1 tsp of ghee. Within 5-7 minutes of putting the rice on stove top (about 30% done), remove 1/4th of the rice. Drain and keep in a separate plate. This rice forms the base of your biryani. Now cook the rest of the rice till just 60% done. Once the rice is done, drain the excess liquid completely and spread out the rice on the same plate as the colored rice. Mix well and keep aside. 

Meanwhile, fry the potato halves and keep them ready as well as the other ingredients for the assembly. 

Now its time to prepare for the assembling. Heat a heavy iron griddle/tawa. Take the vessel where you will be putting the biryani on dum. Grease the base and the sides of the vessel with a little ghee on your palm. Now line the botttom of the vessel with the sliced potatoes evenly ensuring minimum gaps. If your vessel is too big, you can use extra potato pieces. Use as per requirement. This is a crucial step as this will ensure that the biryani does not stick to the bottom. I always do this step but for today I miscalculated and was short of potatoes. So I greased the bottom with some extra ghee and that served the purpose as well. 

Now, put the first layer of rice that you had kept separately and sprinkle some mint and coriander leaves. 

Now cover the rice with the marinated mutton and sprinkle some more chopped coriander and mint leaves followed by half of the remaining fried onions, fried potato halves, boiled egg halves, and about 1 tbsp of ghee and 1 tsp kewra essence.

Now cover up the meat with the mix of colored and plain rice followed by a last round of coriander, mint, remaining fried onions, 1 tsp kewra essence and ghee. 

Now sprinkle the kesar/saffron milk (if using) on top and tightly seal the vessel with the atta dough that you had prepared and close the lid. 

Ensure that there are no gaps in the lid through which the steam can escape. Keep the vessel on the hot tawa/griddle and keep the flame at the minimum. 

Cook the biryani on dum for about 1- 1.5 hours. You will know that the biryani and most importantly, the meat is cooked when you start getting a lovely aroma from the mini gaps of the lid that will start opening up towards the end. 

Continue cooking on the tawa with the flame off until the tawa is warm enough to touch. Serve hot with raita and enjoy this delicious treat with your friends and family.

 

Kacchi Mutton Biryani-The Bengali Way

As a homemaker, when it comes to gift something special to your loved ones on their birthdays and special occasions, it is food through which you can show your love more appropriately rather than buying them a gift with their money. The dishes that you cook out of love and of their interest makes them even happier than buying an expensive gift from the store. Mutton was what my husband wished to eat for his birthday and I travelled by bus, then train, then walked to buy the best mutton in Singapore and again rushed back via the same route to be just in time to pick up my baby from school. The love and effort that went into the making of this biryani definitely showed in the end result. Husband was glad and conpletely enjoyed his birthday meal. My gift was well accepted and ackowledged!

Ingredients

For the Marinade

500 gms boneless mutton (you can use with bones too)

1/2 tbsp salt plus more to taste

1/2 cup fried onions (thinly slice the onions and let it dry on a paper towel for 1/2 hour. Fry till crisp and brown, but not burnt)

1 tbsp fresh ginger paste

1 tbsp fresh garlic paste

3/4 cup yogurt

1/2 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp ghee

2 tbsp raw papaya paste (for tenderizing the meat)

To be ground for the spice mix

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

6 green cardamoms

6 cloves

2" piece cinnamon

2 black cardamoms

1 tsp black peppercorns

2 mace

1/2 javitri or nutmeg

2 bay leaves

2-3 whole red chillies

For the Biryani Rice

2 1/2 cups long grain basmati

2 each of green cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and bay leaf

4 cups of water

1/2 tbsp salt

For the assembly

2 medium potatoes cut into halves

1 medium potato sliced into medium thickness roundels for lining the bottom of the biryani pot

1/2 cup fried onions (prepared as per the procedure detailed above)

2 tbsp ghee , divided

1 tbsp kewra essence, divided

A big pinch of saffron soaked in cold milk

1 cup milk

1/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup aaloobukhara or dried pitted prunes (optional; I did not have it)

3/4 slit green chillies, if you like it

Oil for frying the potatoes

1/2 cup aata or wholewheat flour made into a dough for sealing the edges

Direction

Step 1

The first step towards making this biryani starts one day ahead. Take the mutton pieces and wash properly. Rinse well and apply salt and keep aside for 20 minutes. 

Meanwhile, dry roast all the ingredients listed under powder and let it cool. Now grind to a not-so-fine yet not-so-coarse powder and keep it handy. 

Wash and rinse the mutton again after 20 minutes and take it in a clean vessel with a lid. Drain out as much water as possible. To this add the yogurt, sugar, ghee, fried onions, papaya, salt to taste, ground spices and mix well. Add salt keeping in mind that this is how your biryani will taste along with the rice (which will also be cooked in salty water). Cover the vessel and keep aside the mutton for marination for atleast 4-5 hours or overnight. The more the better. 

Step 2

Wash and soak the rice for 30 minutes. Boil water with salt and add the whole spices. Add the soaked and drained rice and bring to a boil, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and drain the water. The rice should be just 30-40% cooked. Keep the rice in a colander until used. 

Heat oil in a pan and fry the potato halves until golden on all sides. Remove from heat and drain excess oil on paper towels. 

Step 3

If you have marinated the mutton overnight, ensure that you bring it to room temperature before starting the procedure. The best way is to take it out of the refrigerator first thing in the morning and let it remain for 2-3 hours before cooking. 

Now grease the bottom of your biryani pot. Ensure that it has a tight lid. Meanwhile, put a thick iron skillet/ tawa on the stove top and let it heat up. Arrange the sliced potatoes in a single layer with minimum gaps in between. You can use more sliced potatoes if you need. 

Now spead out about 1/3 of the rice in an even layer. Sprinkle 1/2 of the fried onions, 1/2 of the ghee, 1/2 of the kewra essence, and 1/2 of the raisins and prunes (if using). Now spread the mutton and the marinade over the rice and fill out any open gaps. Add the fired potato halves and slit green chillies if you like it spicy. Top it up with the remaining rice and spread evenly. Add the remaining ghee, kewra essence, raisins and prunes, and  fried onions. Sprinkle the saffron milk on the rice followed by 1 cup of milk. Roll the atta dough into an elongated rope and fix it along the rim of the vessel. Seal it with the lid tightly placed on top and ensuring there are no gaps in between for the steam to escape. 

Put the vessel on the hot tawa and reduce the gas to minimum and forget about it for the next 1-1.5 hours or until you start getting the biryani fragrance. Switch off the flame and let the vessel remain on the hot tawa for 1/2 hour. Remove the lid now, mix the biryani with a spoon and serve hot with your favorite raita and green chutney. 

Fish Biryani

Biryani in itself is a scrumptious and feasty meal, considering the  amount of effort and spices that go into its making. Serve it with some freshly whipped raita and you have some happy faces around, be it family or friends. While the most popular among biryanis are the chicken, mutton, and vegetable variants, there are some lesser known siblings such as this Fish Biryani. Some people find the smell and taste of fish a little offensive and owing to that this form of biryani hasn't got its due. However, for fish lovers this is an ultimate change from those regular curries and grills. The spicing is moderate and the procedure simple, which makes this dish even more amazing. The best part of this dish is that it gives you the liberty to cook it with any kind of fish that you have and still taste equally awesome. Deboning the fish is preferable so as to enjoy an uninterupted meal but that is left totally upon your preferance. I made this dish for a guest who does not eat chicken and I am glad that he doesn't as otherwise I would not have been able to experiment and share the results with you all. Lastly, I would like to thank Fauzia of Fauzia's Kitchen for this amazing recipe. 

                                     

Ingredients

3 cups long grain fragrant basmati rice (good fragrance will balance the smell of sea fish, if using, which some people find offensive)

Whole spices for using during the initial cooking of the rice (you can use whatever spices you have at hand like cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, mace, etc.)

About 5 cups of warm water for cooking the rice 

Few strands of saffron soaked in 1 tbsp cold milk

Finely chopped coriander and mint leaves

Deep fried onions (about 2 small onions crispy fried)

1-2 tbsp ghee as per preference (optional but recommended)

For the fish masala

600 gms boneless fish cut into 2 inch cubes (boneless is preferred though not mandatory; you can use any fish as said earlier; I used a beautiful white snapper fillet)

3 medium onions thinly sliced

2 tomatoes finely chopped

3-4 tbsp tomato puree (I prefer store bought which lends a better color)

1 big tbsp ginger garlic paste

2-3 tbsp coriander finely chopped

1/2 cup yogurt whipped

1 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed

2-3 green chillies chopped

1 tsp red chilli powder, non spicy

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp cumin powder

Salt to taste

Oil as needed

Marination

1 tsp red chilli powder

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cumin powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

2 cloves garlic minced

Direction

In a bowl, mix all ingredients listed under marination and add the fish cubes. Coat the fish evenly with the marinade. Cover and keep aside for a minimum of 1-2 hours and upto overnight.

Meanwhile, wash and soak the rice for 30 minutes. Then bring the water to a boil and add the soaked and drained rice, whole spices, and a bit of salt (I skipped) and cook till the rice is just 3/4th done. I cooked the rice in my electric cooker. 

Now heat oil in a pan and fry the fish cubes little at a time just until slightly golden on high flame. They need not be properly cooked at this point but just firm enough to hold their shape in the biryani. Discard the marinade. Keep the fried fish cubes aside until further use.

In the same pan, add some more oil if required and heat. Now add the sliced onions and fry till golden. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook till soft and mushy. You can cover and cook to expedite the process. Now add the puree and the spices and fry till oil starts appearing on the sides. Add the nicely whipped yogurt and continue frying till the water is absorbed and a thick gravy with oil coming out from the sides is formed. Now add the fried fish cubes and gently stir taking care not to break the fish. Check for seasoning and adjust. Add the coriander leaves and mix. Remove from heat.

                              

Time for the final step. There are two ways of doing it. You can either do it on stove top or in the oven.

For stove top, take a deep bottomed non stick vessel (preferably) and apply a generous amount of oil or ghee at the bottom. One step further, you can also line the bottom with a layer of sliced potatoes. Now arrange one layer of the rice evenly followed by the fish masala reserving just about 4-5 tbsps for the top. Now sprinkle the finely chopped mint and coriander and some fried onions. Drizzle a little ghee. Top it up with the leftover rice and followed up with the left over fish masala in the center. If any rice is still left you can sprinkle on top of the fish masala. Garnish it some more fried onions, the soaked saffron, and mint and coriander and another tbsp of ghee. Cover the lid tightly and place the vessel on a tawa or griddle and cook on slow flame for 30 minutes.

Alternatively, you can arrange the layers as mentioned above in a oven proof dish and cook covered with aluminium foil at 180 degree celsius for 10-15 minutes. Make sure your oven is pre heated. You can also get the layers arranged and keep it ready and cook the final stage just 30-45 minutes prior to serving to enjoy steaming hot biryani. Serve it with some cucumber raita and enjoy!

                                

                               

 

Bengal Special Mishti Pulao (Bengali Sweet Rice)- No Onion No Garlic

As the days of no onion no garlic are nearing to a completion, I am trying to prepare and present some favourite dishes of my in-laws and go the final extra mile to keep them happy and satisfied. Today's recipe is a hot favorite with most Bengalis, especially the old school and also my grandma-in-law's most favorite dish of the whole of Bengali Cuisine. I did not know this until she sat down to eat and I was really glad it turned out exactly the way she likes it. This Pulao is a little on the sweeter side and to balance the sweetness, Bong's usually serve it with some spicy Mutton or Chicken curry. Since it is pure vegetarian in my household these days, I served it with some spicy tangy Allahabadi Aaloo Dum. The potato curry goes best with Indian bread but tasted equally good with the rice as well. All in all an effort well paid for!

Ingredients

2 cups gobindobhog rice (or any fragrant small grained rice)

1/2 cup combination of cashews and raisins

1 tsp grated ginger

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Few strands of saffron soaked in 1 tbsp milk (optional)

2 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt or as per taste

2 each of cloves, cinammon, cardamom, and bay leaf

2-3 tbsp ghee (I know it is a lot but the taste of this dish lies in this. You can substitute half with oil though)

Direction

Wash and soak the rice for 30 minutes. Just before beginning the cooking process, drain the water and keep the rice in a colander.

Heat ghee in a pan and fry the cashews and raisins until fragrant. Remove from pan and keep aside. Now in the same pan add any more ghee if required and splutter the cumin seeds and whole garam masala. Now add the rice, turmeric powder, saffron if using, salt, sugar, and fried cashews and raisins and continue frying on a medium to low heat until the rice is transparent. Now add water in 2:1 (water:rice) proportion and stir and close the lid tightly and let it cook till done, forking in between for even cooking. Alternatively, transfer the contents to a electric rice cooker and cook till done.

                                            

Kashmiri Rajma with Saffron Rice-- No Onion No Garlic

It has been a whirlwind of cooking and sightseeing in my household for the past two weeks with my in-laws visiting us and more importantly my husband's Grandmum. My husband was hardly around during their stay and so the entire responsibility of the household starting from groceries to sightseeing lay with me.  While it was fun at times with my baby especially enjoying the increased attention, it was quite taxing and stressful at others. Nevertheless, now it's hardly a week before they leave and so I am all geared up to make their stay memorable, food wise. 

Today's recipe is a wonderful combination from the valleys of Kashmir with keeping the no onion no garlic restriction intact. Kashmiri Pundits mostly do their cooking sans onion and garlic and yet churn out superbly yummy dishes which leave a lingering taste on your palate. So go ahead and surprise yourself and your family with this yummy delight!

                                        Aa

Ingredients

For the Rajma

1 1/2 cup rajma or red kidney beans, soaked overnight or at least for 6-7 hours

2 bay leaves

3 big tomatoes or 4 small, eyes removed and made into a puree in the blender

2 big tbsp coriander leaves

1 tbsp ginger grated

1 tsp red chilli powder

4 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp asafoetida or heeng

7-8 green cardamoms (skin removed), 5-6 cloves, 2-3 small pieces cinammon all ground to a fine powder. (Alternatively, you can also use 1 tbsp good quality garam masala)

Salt to taste

1 tbsp mustard oil

1 tsp cumin seeds

For the Saffron Rice

2 1/2 cups long grain basmati rice

2-3 generous pinch saffron

2 tbsp cold/warm milk (I used cold milk)

2 each of cloves, cinnamon, and cardamoms

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

4 cups warm water (be sure to use the same measurement as you used to measure the rice)

2 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil (ghee gives it a taste lift)

Salt to taste

Optionally, you can use paneer cubes lightly sautéed (I did not have at hand)

Direction

For the Rajma

Wash the soaked rajma thoroughly and pressure cook with fresh water and the bay leaf until done. Keep aside and let it cool. 

In a pan, heat the oil and crackle the cumin seeds. Now lower the heat and add the heeng and grated ginger. Fry for 1-2 minutes and add the puree. Continue frying until the raw smell of the tomatoes disappear. Now add the chilli powder and coriander powder. Mix thoroughly and stir till oil starts coming out from the sides. Now with a slotted spoon, take out about 1/2 cup boiled rajma and mash it in a bowl. Add this to the gravy and stir well. Now add the remaining rajma reserving the liquid. Mix all the spices and the rajma well. Add the fresh coriander and the reserved liquid and bring to a boil. Reduce the gravy to your desired consistency. Now add the ground garam masala and stir. Remove from heat and serve hot with the yummy Saffron Rice.

                                          

For the Saffron Rice

Wash and soak the rice for about 1/2 an hour. Thereafter, drain the water and keep the rice in a colander. Soak the saffron in the milk for about an hour and crush the strands a bit in order to infuse maximum color and flavor.

In a tight lid pan, heat the ghee and splutter the cumin seeds and whole garam masala. Add the turmeric powder and the drained rice and stir for a min till the turmeric raw smell disappears. Now add the saffron milk, paneer pieces (if using), salt, and water. Close the lid tightly and cook on a medium flame until the rice is cooked. Fork the rice in between to ensure uniform cooking.

Alternatively, you can transfer the entire contents onto an electric rice cooker and cook till done. Enjoy with the yummy Rajma or curry of your choice. 

                                        

Chicken Yakhni Biryani

This weekend has been the most indulgent one with cooking dishes which require some of the most sinful ingredients in the pantry. We hosted three dinner parties, one planned and the others unplanned. Now while the planned dinner had an elaborate menu, I hardly had any time to plan for the other. So I quickly went through my archives and pulled out this recipe which resulted in the best Biryani I have ever made. I did one twist in the usual procedure by cooking it in the electric cooker for the last step. The rice was perfectly cooked and the biryani was the most amazing one with delicate flavor and awesome taste. This Biryani is a Moradabad Special and is called Yakhni Biryani where Yakhni stands for Broth. It is very mildly spiced and can be enjoyed by kids as well. A must try recipe if you love your Biryani!

Ingredients

For the Yakhni

1 kg chicken washed and cut

4 cups boiling water

1 onion cut into 4

4-5 cloves crushed

1 inch piece ginger crushed

1 tbsp cumin seeds

3 tbsp coriander seeds

1 tbsp fennel seeds

1 tbsp black peppercorns

12 green cardamoms

12 cloves

2 inch cinnamon

3 bay leaves

For the Biryani

2 1/2 cups Basmati rice, washed and soaked for 1/2 hour

4 tbsp ghee

200 gms yogurt

2 tsp good quality garam masala powder

2 onions, sliced

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

2 bay leaves

5-6 green chillies slit (use as per taste)

5-6 mint leaves, optional

1/2 tsp orange/yellow food color

A big pinch saffron soaked in 1 tbsp cold milk

1 tbsp kewra water

Salt to taste

Directions

Preparing the Yakhni

In a pressure cooker, put all the ingredients listed under Yakhni preparation and pressure cook for3-4 whistles. Keep aside and let the pressure release completely. 

When it cools down, carefully separate the meat from the broth. You might see some spices getting stuck to the meat. You can leave a bit of it or remove it completely. Now strain the broth and reserve the liquid. Throw the spices as their work is done.

Preparing the Biryani

In another pan, heat the ghee and add the bay leaves and fry for 30 secs. Add the sliced onions and fry till golden brown. You can reserve a little of the fried onions for garnishing the biryani later or just let it be. Add ginger garlic paste and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Then add the green chillies and garam masala. Now add the yogurt and stir and simmer for 5 minutes till it changes color and oil starts coming out. Now add the meat pieces and salt and stir and let the meat and masala get cooked together for 5 minutes. Add the soaked and drained Basmati rice and give a gentle mix. Now transfer the entire contents to an electric cooker and add approx 2 1/2 cups of the reserved broth or Yakhni and let the biryani cook till the rice is done. Check once for seasoning before turning on the button for cook. Alternatively, you can do the entire process (starting from the beginning of frying the bay leaves) in a cooker and add the soaked and drained rice and 2 1/2 cups of the yakhni and let it cook for 2 whistles. Again, check the seasoning before putting it to cook. 

Once done, add the remaining ghee, mint leaves and a little garam masala. Finish it off with adding the saffron milk and kewra water. Serve hot garnished with fried onions and raita or green chutney. 

  

                                       

Authentic Chicken Dum Biryani

My friend who was here last evening for a dinner get together shared with me what one of her Muslim friend's Mom had told her once and I quote, "The one who can cook the perfect Biryani, can cook almost anything in this world!" With these words, she and her family showered me with loads of appreciation for the most wonderful biryani they have had in recent times. I could not believe, in fact, that I had actually cooked that delicious Biryani. Every grain, every piece of meat, every flavor and all the spices were so well balanced and complimented each other so well that we just could not stop eating. The best part was that there was not a single grain sticking to the bottom of the vessel (I did not even use a non-stick one) even after putting the biryani on "dum" for almost 2 hours. While I did struggle a lot in the past with this dish, I never gave up and finally after so many failed attempts, I have a recipe for the most loved dish of my husband! So here's presenting the newest feather (read dish) in my kitchen experiments, the perfect Chicken Dum Biryani.

Ingredients

For the Biryani Masala 

1 tbsp coriander seeds

1 tbsp cumin seeds

2-3 pieces of green cardamom

4-5 cloves 

2 small sticks cinnamon

1/2 piece nutmeg (javitri)

2 pieces mace

5-6 dry red chillies (as per taste)

Other Ingredients

4 cups basmati rice, washed and dried in a colander

1 kg chicken, washed and cut

1 cup yogurt, whipped

1 tbsp ginger, grated

1 tbsp garlic, minced

1 sprig mint leaves, finely chopped

1 sprig coriander leaves, finely chopped

2 each of cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and star anise

5 medium onions, finely sliced and deep fried until crisp and golden brown (drain on paper towels to remove excess oil)

2-3 tbsp ghee (this is to be used while layering the rice and chicken; use as per requirement)

2 medium potatoes, halved and fried till golden brown

1 big potato, thinly sliced

A pinch of saffron, soaked in 2 tbsp cold milk (optional)

1+1 tbsp salt

Aata dough for lining the lid of the vessel

Direction

Marinate the chicken pieces with 1 tbsp salt and keep aside for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a pan, dry roast all the ingredients given under Biryani masala and let it cool. Then grind to a fine powder and keep aside.

Wash the marinated chicken pieces with water and drain any excess liquid. Now add the yogurt, biryani masala, ginger, garlic, 1 tbsp salt, and half of the fried onions. Mix everything well and cover with a cling wrap. This has to be marinated for a minimum of 2 hours. For best results, marinate overnight and keep it in the refrigerator. I planned the Biryani a little late and could marinate for just 2 hours. It came out perfectly well and the chicken did absorb all the spices. However, I strongly recommend overnight marination.

                                       

                                       

While the chicken marinates, prepare the rice. The rice should be just 80% done. While making the rice, add the cardamoms, cinnamon, cloves, and star anise for extra flavor. Once the rice is done, drain the excess liquid completely and spread out the rice on a flat surface or plate.

Now its time to prepare the assembling. Take the vessel where you will be putting the biryani on dum. Grease the base and the sides of the vessel with a little ghee on your palm. Now line the botttom of the vessel with the sliced potatoes evenly ensuring minimum gaps. If your vessel is too big, you can use extra potato pieces. Use as per requirement. This is a crucial step as this will ensure that the biryani does not stick to the bottom.

                                      

Now, put the first layer of rice followed by a half of the marinated chicken. Sprinkle some chopped coriander and mint leaves followed by half of the remaining fried onions and about 1 tbsp of ghee. Repeat with another layer of rice, chicken, coriander, mint, remaining fried onions, and ghee. Now put in the last layer of rice and sprinkle the kesar/saffron milk on top. Pour in some ghee and tightly seal the vessel with the atta dough that you had prepared and close the lid. Ensure that there are no gaps in the lid through which the steam can escape. Keep the vessel on a tawa or iron girdle and keep the flame at the minimum. Cook the biryani on dum for about 1- 1.5 hours. You will know that the biryani and most importantly, the meat is cooked when you start getting a lovely aroma from the mini gaps of the lid. Continue cooking on the tawa with the flame off until the tawa is warm enough to touch. Serve hot with raita and enjoy this delicious treat with your friends and family.