Muslim Chicken Biryani

Biryani is made in several versions but the one that Muslims make has a distinct taste to it. Growing up in Hyderabad, I always enjoyed the taste of their biryani.

Kids really enjoy the taste of this biryani too even though it's a bit spicy.

So, here is the recipe...

Preparation Time: 10 minutes 

Cook Time: 45 minutes 

Serves : 4-5

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice : 2 cups

Chicken with bones : 500 gms

Onion : 2 medium sliced

Tomato: 1 large puréed 

Curd/yogurt: 2 tsp 

Cloves : 5

Elachi/cardamom: 4

Ginger garlic paste: 1 tbsp 

Coriander powder: 1 tsp 

Red chili powder: 1.5 tsp 

Mint leaves: 4 tsp 

Coriander leaves/cilantro: 1/4 cup 

Milk : 1/2 cup

Yellow/orange color: 3-4 drops (optional)

Salt to taste 

Biryani masala:

Cloves : 12

Elachi/green cardamom: 3

Cinnamon: 1" stick 

Shahi jeera: 1 tsp 

Star anise: 1/2 flower

Black pepper: 1/2 tsp 

Bay leaf : 1

Grated nutmeg: 1/4 tsp 

Method:

Wash and soak rice for 30 minutes.

Dry roast all ingredients listed for biryani masala, cool them off and grind to a fine powder.

Heat 2 tbsp of oil and 2 tbsp ghee in a vessel and add cloves and Elachi. Fry for 30 seconds. Add 1/2 of the mint and onions, sauté the onions till they are light brown in color. Don't burn them. 

Add chicken and salt and fry until the chicken pieces are light browned, this should take about 10-12 minutes. Add ginger garlic paste, red chili powder, coriander powder, biryani masala and mix well to coat. Fry for 3 minutes. Add tomato purée and curd, simmer and cook for 5 minuets.

In the meantime, boil water in a big pot with a little bit of salt, add soaked rice and cook for 5 minutes. Drain rice.

Add cilantro to the chicken as a layer and add drained rice. Mix yellow color in milk and pour it over the rice in circles. Add couple orange drops to rice, close lid and put something heavy to keep the dum.

Simmer the stove for 15 minutes.

Turn off the stove, let it rest for 5 minutes before opening the lid. Fluff up with a fork and serve hot with raita.

Punjabi Chole Masala

Punjabi Chole masala is a Chole gravy dish made with fresh ground Punjabi spices. The spice powder gives the flavoring to the dish.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes 

Soak Time :6 hours 

Cook Time: 20 minutes 

Serves : 3-4 

Ingredients:

Dry chick peas : 1 cup ( yields to 2 cups after soaked and cooked)

Onion : 1 chopped 

Tomato: 1 chopped 

Green chilies: 3 slit 

Ginger garlic paste: 1 tbsp 

Red chili powder: 1/2 tsp 

Garam masala: 1/2 tsp 

Turmeric: 1/2 tsp 

Amchur/dry mango powder: 1/4 tsp 

Salt to taste 

To make Punjabi masala:

Cloves : 2

Green cardamom: 2

Cinnamon : 1" stick 

Dry red chili: 2

Bay leaves: 2

Cumin seeds: 1 tsp 

Fennel seeds/ saunf : 1 tsp 

Coriander seeds: 1 tsp 

Black pepper: 5

Method:

Soak dry chick peas for 5-6 hours. Wash and pressure cook adding some salt and a tea bag for 10-12 whistles. Save the water.

Dry roast all the ingredients listed under Punjabi masala, cool them off and grind into a fine powder.

Heat oil in a pan and add onions and green chilies, sauté them till onions are brown. Add ginger garlic paste, mix well and fry for 1 minute. Add tomato and cook until they turn mushy. Add all the spices and the Punjabi masala and mix well, fry for 1 minute. Add cooked chick peas with the water they were cooked in and mix well. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the gravy is thick and turn off the stove.

Serve hot with any Indian bread or Rice.

Bengali Luchi Recipe

Bengali Luchi is flat bread made with maida. The process is very similar to that of poori. 

Luchi should be fried quickly only for a minute or so. The Luchi's should be white, don't let them brown.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes 

Cook Time: 20 minutes 

Serves : 4-5

Ingredients:

All purpose flour/Maida : 3 cups 

Ghee : 2 tbsp 

Warm water: 1 cup 

Salt to taste 

Method:

Add salt and ghee to the flour and mix well with finger tips. 

Add warm water a little bit at a time mix well to make a poori like dough. Knead well for 3 minutes. Cover with a damp cloth and let it rest for 20-25 minutes.

Make small balls the size of a small lime. Press into a poori and deep fry the Luchi for 1 minute or so. Make sure the Luchi's are white, don't let them brown.

Serve hot with curry. I served with Punjabi Chole Masala.

Garlic butter

Garlic butter goes great with fresh bread. My family didn't even give me the chance to click good pics, I'm posting just a couple but I promise to post good pics when I make this next time.

Preparation Time: 5 minutes 

Serves : 4-5

Ingredients:

Unsalted Butter : 8 tbsp 

Garlic: 4 cloves minced

Fresh ground pepper: 1 tsp 

Dry Oregon: 1/2 tsp 

Salt to taste 

Method:

Soften the butter a little by putting it in the microwave for 10 seconds.

Add all the ingredients and mix well.

Enjoy with fresh bread.

Quick and Easy Dinner Rolls

Taste of fresh bread is not even comparable to the store bought one. Especially, dinner rolls that are hot and fluffy... Yumm... 

This recipe calls for little rest time so you can make these dinner rolls even on weekdays.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes 

Rest Time: 20 minutes 

Makes : 12 rolls 

Ingredients:

Bread flour: 3 1/2 cups 

Active dry yeast : 2 tbsp

Sugar: 1/4 cup 

Water : 6 tbsp + 1/4 cup

Oil : 1/2 cup

Salt : 1/2 tsp 

Egg : 1

Method:

Take yeast, sugar and 6 tbsp of warm water and mix well, let it rest for 15 minutes to rise.

Take the flour, salt, oil and sieve. Add egg and water and knead it to a semi soft dough where it's a little sticky.

Cover it with a damp cloth and let it rest for 20 minutes.

Pre heat oven to 400 degrees F, make the dough into 12 equal balls, let it rest for 5 minutes and bake for 15 minutes.

Serve hot with some butter.

Red Chili Flake Pulao

I always like experimenting new combinations. I was making a simple pulao recipe but wanted to add a nice kick to it, so I tried adding red chili flakes and the taste was lip smacking. 

Hubby and kids loved it. I did make some raita but they just ate it without it.

So, here is the recipe...

Preparation Time: 5 minutes 

Cook Time: 25 minutes 

Serves : 3-4

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice: 1.5 cups 

Red chili flakes : 1 tbsp 

Onion : 2 sliced

Asafoetida: 1 tsp 

Saffron: A pinch 

Dry Ginger powder: 1 tsp 

Cashews: 2 tbsp fried

Cilantro: 3 tbsp 

Vegetable stock: 3 cups 

Salt to taste 

For Tempering:

Cloves: 6

Elachi: 4

Cinnamon: 2" stick 

Bay leaves: 2

Cumin seeds: 1 tsp 

Fennel seeds: 1 tsp 

Ghee : 3 tbsp 

Method:

Wash and soak rice for 30 minutes.

Heat ghee in a vessel and add all the ingredients listed under for tempering and fry for 1 minutes. Add onions and sauté till they turn translucent.

Add asafoetida, red chili flakes, salt and ginger powder, mix well. 

Add vegetable stock and bring it to a boil, add the drained rice and bring it to a boil again. Simmer the stove and close lid. Cook for 10 minutes or until the rice is done. Let it rest for 5 minutes before opening the lid after turning off the stove. 

Gently fluff the pulao with a fork and Garnish with saffron, fried cashews and cilantro.

Serve hot with raita or gravy.