Mughalai Chicken Biryani

 

Mughalai biryani is not spicy but it is full of flavors.  This is a slow cooked delicacy that imbibes the flavors of all the ingredients. The use of whole kashmiri chillies and whole pepper corns gives a great aroma and taste. The recipe is from various sources that include the television and the web. I have tried to incorporate the best of all methods.

 the recipe to cook rice
Basmati Rice – 2 cups (to serve 8)

Whole spices

Green cardamom – 4
Cloves -3
Cinnamon – ½ inch piece
Bay leaf – 1
Ghee or Veg Oil – 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Lemon juice – 1 tbsp (optional)

Method to cook rice. Place adequate water in a pot. When the water comes to boil, add the oil, whole spices, lemon juice and salt. Add rice. When the rice is cooked but firm drain the water and keep the cooked rice aside.

recipe to cook the chicken

Chicken – 750 gms
Onion – 4 +3
Whole Kashmiri red chillies – 10
Pepper corns – 1 ½ tsp
Garam Masala – 1 ½ tsp
Chilly powder – 1 ½ tsp
Ginger Garlic paste – 2-3 tbsp
Almond paste – from 20 - 25 almonds
Salt to taste
Curd – 1 cup
Coriander leaves – 5 tbsp
Mint leaves  - ½ cup
Ghee – 2 -3 tbsp + 3 tbsp
Cashewnuts & raisins – as much as you need
Saffron – 1 small pinch (optional)

Milk - 3 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil – 3-4 tbsp (to fry onions into golden brown color – for garnish)

Whole spices

Green Cardamom – 4
Black Cardamom – 2
Cloves – 3
Cinnamon – ½ inch piece
Blade of Mace – 1 piece
Star Anise – 1 (deseeded)
 

the method

Heat oil in a pan and fry 3 chopped onion till they turn brown (take care that the onion doesn’t get burnt – fry the onions in medium heat. Keep it aside.

Heat a heavy  bottom pan pressure cooker and add the ghee. Turn to medium heat and add the whole spices. Stir till the spices release its aroma. Add the 4 chopped onions and sauté till they turn translucent. Turn to medium heat. Stir in the whole kashmiri chillies. Saute for few seconds and then add the pepper corns and ginger garlic paste. Add the almond paste and stir for a while. Add the garam masala and chilly powder. Turn to low heat and add the chicken pieces and salt. Continue cooking in low heat and saute occasionally till the chicken is half done (let the chicken cook in its own juices). Turn to medium heat and add the chopped coriander and mint leaves. Turn to high heat and add the beaten curd. Stir well. Turn to medium heat and cook till the chicken is done.

Layering the biryani

Take a heavy bottom pan or a pressure cooker. Add 3 tbsp ghee. Place a thick layer of rice followed by the cooked chicken with gravy. Next place another thick layer of rice follwed by the cooked chicken and gravy. Top it with a thin layer of rice. Sprinkle the fried onion, cashew nuts and raisins and a table spoon or two of mint leaves and coriander leaves. Mix the saffron with milk and pour it over the rice. Close the pan with an airtight lid.  Place the pan / cooker in low heat for 15 - 20 minutes. Serve hot with raita.

Christmas Menu - Compilation of recipes

cakes & cookies

 

 

soup

starters

Main course

Fish

meat

rice

dessert

Pethipireethu | Kul Kulz | Anglo-Indian Christmas snacks

Pethipireethu | Kul Kulz - Sweet version & Savory version in the background

ingredients

1 kg rice flour (fine roasted flour used for idiyappam / string hoppers)

1 egg - substitute eggs with 50 gms of butter if you dont like to add egg

1 large coconut - grated and ground to a paste (with just adequate amount of water)

2 tables spoon - black sesame seeds - wash thoroughly 2 to 3 times

salt to taste

Oil to fry 

1 table spoon - butter 

method

Keep as many greased flat plates or trays ready to place the tiny balls.

Place the rice flour in a large bowl. Beat eggs with butter and salt and add it to the flour. Add the ground coconut and sesame and start kneading into a soft dough without any coarse surface. 

Start making tiny balls. Make sure it is even by using a tea spoon or a smaller spoon to scoop out the dough and then make it into rounds. Use a fork to make a shape - just press the ball against a greased steel fork.

If possible use a deep and slightly large pan to fry. If the dough sits for long it will lose its smoothness and start dry off.

Heat oil in a pan and gently place the shaped pethipireethu into the oil. Do not stir. Fry in low to medium to avoid quick browning. When the sides start to turn golden color, gently turn it with a slotted spoon. When the other side is also golden, as seen in the picture, drain it from oil. Serve as such or make a sugar syrup and follow the method as in this Diamond Cuts recipe. To make the syrup use 3 cup sugar and 1 cup water.

Meat Chops

Come Sunday and it is day to eat meat. Most of the meat recipes prepared at home are spicy with garam masala. This dry meat recipe is prepared sans the usual spices and can be snacked or served with rice. Check out the recipe:

the recipe

Boneless Meat - 500 gms
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Chilly powder - 1 tsp

turmeric - 3/4 tsp
Vinegar - 1 tbsp
Ginger, finely chopped - 4 cm piece
Garlic finely chopped - 10 cloves

Shallots (small onion, finely chopped ) - 10 (optional)
Salt - 3/4 tsp

for tempering

dry red chillies (optional) - 2
lime - 1
oil - 2 tbsp

the method

Cut beef into 4 x 4 cm pieces and marinate with vinegar, garlic, ginger, turmeric, chilly powder, pepper powder, shallots and salt for 2 hours. Pressure cook the marinade until done. Reduce the water in the cooked meat to get the dry pieces only.

In a heavy bottom flat pan (preferably) add oil. Cut the whole chillies into 3 or 4 pieces (as seen in picture) and add to the oil. Add the cooked meat. Stir well so that all the pieces are coated with oil. Squeeze the juice from the lime and pour it over the meat to coat all the pieces. Stir until the meat pieces are browned and the meat has fully absorbed the lime juice.

Afterthoughts: If you feel the meat may burn add more oil (1 or 2 tbsp)

Diamond Cuts | Little Heart Shaped with an Orange twist

Little Hearts shaped diamond cuts

Diamond cuts are simple to prepare and can be stored in an air tight container for about a week. The above tastes even better with the infusion of orange juice in the syrup.

the recipe

Flour - 1 cup
Water - 1/4 - 1/2 cup
salt - 2 pinch
powdered sugar - 2 tsp (optional)
butter - 1 tsp or beaten egg - 1 tbsp
Oil - to deep fry

ingredients for the orange syrup

1 small cup sugar
Use the same cup to measure  the liquid - 1//4 part water + 1/4 part orange juice

Image before make up - before editing it for better looks :)

Mix the flour with butter/egg, salt and powdered sugar. Make a dough by adding water little by little. It should be a tough dough otherwise, the diamond wont be crispy. Divide the dough into four portions. Roll each portion into a sheet using a rolling pin. Cut the sheets into 2 cm broad strip. Cut it across to form diamond shaped pieces. Fry it in oil until it turns light brown and crispy.  Drain it.

To make the syrup, heat the sugar and the liquid together until it forms a soft string consistency.

Pour the syrup over the fried diamond cuts little by little and toss it to coat.

Though this is a diamond cuts, i used heart shaped cutter to make it look exciting.

Relish!