Weekend Hyderabadi chicken Biriyani

#Hyderabadi chicken Biriyani

Made a Biriyani and some Chai for the evening today . 

Getting prepared for the tiring Week ahead .

Rice Dumplings

RICE DUMPLINGS

Rice Dumplings make a healthier Breakfast and mom used to make it often back home.

I have been making it often recently .

  My in laws asked me atleast 5 times why i dont add fenugreek seeds because in their region they used to. 

Sooooo I added this time some fenugreek seeds...
it has a nice aroma n tasting yummy ..

THINGS NEEDED:

Rice flour - 1 1/2 cups

Coconut milk - 1/2 can

Fenugreek seeds

Salt

PREPARATION METHOD:

Dry mix rice flour, 1 tsp salt, 2 tsp fenugreek seeds

Boil around 3 cups of water .  Add around 2 cups to the flour and mix well using a Spatula. 

The flour will get cooked nicely. It should be thick enough to make balls .

In a bottom thick pot, boil water.  Add the rice balls to this.

Mix in coconut milk . 1 tsp salt if needed.

Cook for 20 mins. 

Tomato Rice

TOMATO RICE

Very flavourful  veg rice variety loved by my family. So here goes the recipe...

THINGS NEEDED:

Cooked rice - 3 cup

Tomatoes, finely chopped - 4

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Methi seeds - 1/2 tsp

Urad dal - 1 tbsp

Chana dal - 1 tbsp

Dry red chillies - 2 

Cashew nuts - some

Coriander leaves - 2 spring

PREPARATION METHOD:

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a nonstick pan. 

In a medium flame, splutter mustard seeds, cumin seeds & methi seeds in it.

Add urad dal, chana dal, nuts, dry red chillies. Fry till  the dal light brown, the chillies black red.

Add turmeric , a pinch of hing and a tsp chilly powder.

Toss in chopped tomatoes. Saute and cook for 5 min.

As the last step add cooked rice. Cook covered for 5-10 min. 

Top with chopped coriander leaves.

Kozhikode Style Chicken Biryani

KOZHIKODE CHICKEN BIRIYANI

For making the Chicken Gravy:
Chicken - 1 kg
Turmeric - 1tsp
Garlic-ginger- shallot paste - 3 tbsp
Tomato - 2 chopped
Biriyani masala - 3 tbsp ( I used Sakthi brand)
Yogurt - 5 tbsp
Salt

For Rice :
Basmati Rice - 1kg
Whole garam masalas crushed - ( cloves 5 , Cardamom 3 crushed, Cinnamon - 5 sticks , Bayleaves - 3 broken)
Onion - 3
Green Chilly - 3 big
Ghee
Lemon Juice - that from a lemon
Mint leaves - 1/2 cup , chopped coarsely
Nuts & raisins - a handful

Preparation method for Chicken & gravy:
Clean & marinate the chicken with turmeric & salt.

Cut Onion , Tomatoes etc. & prepare other ingredients for the chicken .

First of all add ghee in a nonstick pan. Roast Cashews , raisins in this ghee , keep them aside.
Fry Green chillies and Onions nicely . Since I am not using Ghee to deep fry the onions, it will take some time for the onions to get fried well. You don't have to saute continuously, saute every 30 secs or so until it starts turning brown. Set aside the fried ingredients.

Add ginger - garlic - shallot paste in ghee & when the smell spreads, add the marinated chicken pieces to this and cook without adding water for 5 min. The outer surface turns whitish . At this point add Yogurt , Biriyani masala (OR 1 tsp salt and Chilly powder 1/2 tsp,Cori 1 tsp, Turmeric 1/2 tsp ) & chopped tomatoes.
Mix everything well and allow to coat on the chicken . Cook like that for 5 min.

Add 1/2 cup water and cook covered until chicken is done and the gravy thickens .

Preparation method for Rice:
Add some Ghee in a nonstick vessel.

Add the crushed spices ( cloves 5 , Cardamom 3 crushed, Cinnamon - 5 sticks , Bayleaves - 3 broken) . And when their flavour spreads , Add the rice .

Usually for cooking rice we adds double the quantity of water . But for making Biriyani add a bit less. Like 3/4 th of the usual quantity.
Add 4 tsp salt & 5 1/2 cup water to the rice and cook closing lid. When there is enough steam inside the vessel and drops started forming in the Lid, reduce the flame to low. So it will cook in the steam slowly and won't burn at the bottom.

Cook like this for 20 min. Use a fork to check if the water is completely absorbed. Spread 3 tbsp of lemon juice over rice.

Preparing Biriyani:
After both rice & chicken are finished, next step is to layer the rice and chicken and bake for some time.

Mix 1/2 of the fried onions with the cooked chicken.

Take a deep pot in which you want to bake. Spread rice then chicken with some gravy again rice continue this and finish it with spreading some chopped mint & coriander leaves, nuts raisins and fried onions on the top.

Bake for 45 min in 150 degrees preheated oven.

After finished mix all with a serving spoon .
Serve with boiled egg and a salad.

Vegetable Biriyani

VEGETABLE BIRIYANI - a festival of vegetables

This is an entry to Chaitra's Rice feast event . Check out !

Things needed :

For Rice:
Basmati Rice - 1 kg
Crush roughly the following whole garam masalas & keep aside.
Cloves - 6 , Cardamom - 4 , Cinnamon - 4 one inch sticks ,Star aniseed - 1, Bay leaves - 2,
Black cumin - 1 tsp , Black pepper - 1tsp , Bay leaves - 1

Vegetables :
Carrot + beans - 200 gm each (thin 2 inch long pieces)
Peas - 1/2 cup
Note : You can always add more vegetables if you want like Potatoes, Cabbage,Spring onions . Use the ones you have at the moment.But don't use ladies finger or so :)

For Gravy:
Ginger - Garlic paste - 2 tbsp
Green chillies - 2 chopped
Tomatoes - 2 small
Cardamom - 4 , Cumin - 1/4 tsp , Cinnamon - 3 one inch pieces , Cloves - 5 , Black pepper - 1/4 tsp ( you can also replace these spices with 1 tbsp biriyani masala )
Cream - 4 tbsp
Yogurt - 5 tbsp
Lemon juice - that from one lemon
Salt

For Garnishing :
Capsicum - 2 ,
Onion - 2 , sliced thin
Nuts & raisins - a handful
Coriander leaves - a bunch, chopped
& mint leaves - a bunch , chopped

Preparation method :
Heat Ghee . Add the crushed masalas. Saute for 3 secs.
Add the carrot , beans & peas . Saute & fry till the crispiness of veg goes.
Add rice, 3 tsp salt and double ( best is a bit less than double) quantity of water.
Close the lid and wait until the pot fills with steam . reduce the flame & let it cook in the steam.

Heat Ghee in another nonstick pan. Roast the nuts -raisins & keep aside.
Fry sliced onions until brown.
Fry Capsicum until its rawness goes ( add a pinch of salt into it while frying) , still keeping the crispiness .
Keep aside all the fried ingredients.

For making Gravy , Saute ginger -garlic paste in the oil until its rawness goes. Add chopped greenchillies & crushed spices.
Add chopped tomatoes into this , when it is mashy, add yogurt & lemon juice . Cook well .
Finally finish adding cream & heat for 2 more mins..

Take a deep bowl for baking . Layer the rice & gravy alternatively in this , top the bowl with nuts-raisins , Capsicum & chopped leaves bake for 30 - 45 min in 180 degree heated oven.

Mix well & serve topped with fried onions. Goes well with a yogurt salad.

Mutton Biriyani

MUTTON BIRIYANI

For Mutton:
Ginger+ Garlic + Shallot paste - 3 tbsp ( 1tbsp from each)
2 sliced onions
1 chopped tomato

Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
biriyani powder - 1 tsp + 1 tsp

For Rice:
Crush roughly the following whole garam masalas & keep aside.
{ Cloves - 7
Cardamom - 3 crushed
Cinnamon - 3 sticks (if powder - 1/2 tsp )
Star aniseed - 1
Bay leaves - 2
Black cumin - 1 tsp }

Nuts & raisins - a handful
Coriander leaves - a bunch
& mint leaves - a bunch
Lemon juice - that from a lemon
Saffron or food colour

Preparing Mutton Gravy:
Clean the mutton .marinate it with 2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp turmeric and set aside.
Heat 2 tbsp Ghee in a nonstick pan. Saute Ginger -garlic shallot paste in it.
Add sliced 2 onions in it ,saute well at first then saute once in a while .
Once the onion start turning bit brown from transparent , add the tomatoes. Cook for 2 min.
Add the chilly powder , coriander powder , 1 tsp biriyani powder and the mutton pieces .
Mix all well and cook uncovered until the mutton pieces turns into whitish colour.
Transfer the whole thing into pressure cooker , add 1/2 cup water and pressure cook for 15 min.
Later open it add 5 tbsp curd & 1 tsp biriyani masala powder then cook until the water is absorbed well & the gravy becomes thick.
Before finishing the gravy add chopped coriander & mint leaves .

Preparing the Rice :
Wash the rice in water & drain .
Heat 2 tbsp ghee in the vessel .Roast cashews , keep aside. Fry the dry grapes until bubble,keep aside.
Add the crushed cloves ,cardamom ,cinnamon ,Star aniseed,Black cumin,Bay leaves into it.
Add the drained rice into this. Add 3 + 1/2 cup water .Close the lid and wait until the pot fills with steam . reduce the flame & let it cook in the steam. (type of cooking the rice may be different for different people. My mom uses a pressure cooker to cook the rice. I use a wide steel pot , which is generally used for cooking rice . Won't burn in the bottom , also once the pot is filled with steam you can turn off the flame & the rice will be cooked in this steam)

Biriyani:
Preheat the oven to 180 degree.
Mix two pinch of saffron with milk or warm water. Mix some rice with this.(you can also use food colour) Keep it aside.
Layer the rice & mutton alternatively in a deep pot and bake for 30 - 45 min.
Garnish with nuts , raisins & coloured rice & serve with a salad , boiled egg. & mint chutney .

Chicken Biriyani

CHICKEN BIRIYANI (Rice cooked with chicken , spices and herbs)

Things needed :
Onion - 4, 350 gm
Tomato - 2 big, 260 gm
Green Chilly - 3 big 260 gm
Ghee

Marinate chicken with :
Garlic-ginger - shallot paste - 3 tbsp
Chilly powder 1 tsp
Coriander - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Pepper - 1 tsp
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp

For Later cooking :
Biriyani masala - 1 tbsp
OR
Chilly powder 1/2 tsp ,Coriander powder 1 tsp , Garam masala 1 tsp

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Yogurt - 5 tbsp
Lemon Juice - that from a lemon
Mint leaves - 1/2 cup , chopped coarsely
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup , chopped coarsely
Nuts & raisins - a handful

Preparation method for Chicken & gravy:
Marinate the chicken with all the spices and ingredients mentioned and refrigerate for 1 hr ( or overnight for best results) .
Prepare other ingredients like Onion , Tomatoes etc. Required to make the chicken .

First of all add ghee in a nonstick pan. Roast Cashews , raisins in this ghee , keep them aside.

Add ginger - garlic - shallot paste in ghee & when the smell spreads add Green chillies and Onions into this & fry nicely .

Add the marinated chicken pieces to this and cook until the outer surface turns whitish . At this point add Yogurt , Biriyani masala (OR 1 tsp salt and Chilly powder 1/2 tsp,Cori 1 tsp, Turmeric 1/2 tsp ) & chopped tomatoes.
Mix everything well and allow to coat on the chicken . Cook like that for 5 min.

Add 1/2 cup water & salt if required and cook covered until chicken is done and the gravy thickens .

Preparation method for Rice:
Add some Ghee in a nonstick vessel.

Add the crushed spices ( cloves 5 , Cardamom 3 crushed, Cinnamon - 5 sticks , Bayleaves - 3 broken) . And when their flavour spreads , Add the rice .

Add 1/2 of the gravy of the chicken into this.

Usually for cooking rice we adds double the quantity of water . But for making Biriyani s add a bit less. Like 3/4 th.
Add 4 tsp salt & 5 1/2 cup water to the rice and cook closing lid. When there is enough steam inside the vessel and drops started forming in the Lid, reduce the flame to low. So it will cook in the steam slowly and won't burn at the bottom.

Cook like this for 10 min.

Make partition in the rice & place the cooked chicken with gravy in this. Spread 3 tbsp of lemon juice, chopped mint coriander leaves & nuts & raisins over the rice. Switch on low heat , when steam increases switch off the flame & cook for some 10 more min. until the rice is done.

Use a fork to check if the water is completely absorbed.

Serve with boiled egg , mint chutney and a salad.

Different Indian Biriyanis

Biryani or 'Biriyani' like we say it in south india ... is a special dish cooked with mainly rice, chicken , vegetables , spices and herbs.
Since it contains so many things together its a complete meal and very satisfying.
Its so aromatic that it's smell makes you really craving for it . Because of its wide popularity it is used in partys , wedding functions etc

The special ingredients causing its unique flavour are Ghee(clarified butter used mainly in Indian cooking) & the spices bay leaves , cloves,cardamom, cumin , cinnamon , coriander , turmeric and bit of chilly . Green cardamoms are used mainly in south indian biriyanis while big black cardamoms are a must in north indian ones.

Non vegetarian Biriyanis include,

Chicken Biriyani

Mutton/Lamb Biriyani

Fish Biriyani
Shrimp biriyani
& Beef biriyani

Also vegetarian biriyani is prepared for veg lovers with different vegetables like Peas , carrot , green beans, onions , Bell pepper ..etc.

Vegetarian biriyani


Each place has got its customized version for Biriyani, with slight changes from here & there.
Bombay , Sindhi , Awdhi(Lucknow), Madras ,Hyderabad,Kozhikode biriyani are all popular biriyani versions from different sides of india.

Kozhikode biriyani

Meat is either cooked separate from the rice & then later mixed to it OR cooked together with rice. This way of cooking meat inside the rice is called 'Dum style ' Biriyani.

Another Indian rice dish pretty much similar to Biriyani is fried rice or pullao( or even said pulav) in which the gravy mixture is not prepared like in Biriyani.

Peas Capsicum Pulao

Payar Kanji

PAYAR KANJI - GREEN GRAM DAL & RICE PORRIDGE
Usually on good Fridays we wont be eating non-veg. This is what we made for this Good Friday for dinner .

Things needed :
Rice - 2 cup
Payar (Green gram dal )- 1 + 1/2 cup
Coconut grated - 1 cup
Salt

Preparation method :

Soak payar for 5 hrs.
Cook rice . When its almost cooked . Add payar to it and cook adding salt .
Check for salt. Mix in coconut before serving.

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Peas Capsicum Pulao

PEAS CAPSICUM RICE
It was a usual weekend day, when brother called in short notice that he is coming home . I was bit confused what to make for lunch cuz we were running short of veggies. Then found an almost finished packet of peas in the freezer and 2 capsicums. An idea blinked on mind and thus happened this pulao.Also made a Beef Potato curry to go with it .

This is my entry to Chaitra's Rice feast event . Check out !

Things needed :
Basmati Rice - 1 kg
Peas - 1 big cup
Red Capsicum - 2
Onion - 2 big , sliced
Green chillies - 2 or 3 slit
Ginger - Garlic paste - 2 tbsp
Bay leaves - 3 , broken
Cardamom - 3 , seeds crushed
Cloves - 10
Cinnamon - 4 - 5 small pieces
Mint leaves - 2 spring

Cashew nuts
Raisins
Ghee , vegetable oil
Salt - 3 + 1/2 tsp for rice , 1/2 tsp for capsicum

Preparation method :
Wash & drain the rice.
Heat some Ghee in a deep vessel in which you want to make fried rice.
Fry the nuts , raisins ( ready to take when looks plum) , slit green chillies & Onions in order.
Onion should be well fried and brown . Keep the fried things aside.

Add the Cloves,Cardamom ,Cinnamon sticks in the Ghee.
When the cloves starts to splutter , add the Ginger - Garlic paste and saute.
Now add the peas and drained rice. Add enough water , 3 + 1/2 tsp salt and allow to cook .
Note : Usually the water added is double the measure of rice. But it would be perfect if you add a little bit less than the double measure.
When there is enough steam in the vessel ( water starts dropping from the lid) , lower down the heat and cook the rice in very low temperature . ( I usually turn offs the heat) .

Meantime we can prepare Capsicum . Heat Ghee ( you can also use vege. oil) in a nonstick pan. Add Capsicum and saute until it is slightly soft . Season with salt and keep aside.

When the rice is done check with a fork to see if the water has been absorbed .
Then toss in the Capsicum , Fried onions, nuts , raisins and chopped Mint leaves . Mix with the fork. Close the lid and keep for 5 min. Peas - Capsicum pulao is ready now .
Serve with a Yogurt- onion- tomato salad and papad.
I served it with salad and Beef Potato curry.

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Curd Rice - Thyru Sadam

Curd Rice Recipe

CURD RICE - THYRU SADAM

Thyru sadam or curd rice is a classical , old dish of Tamil Nadu cuisine.
I was thinking on what to pack as lunch for husband, suddenly this dish came to my mind.
So easy to make.

Things needed :
Rice 1 1/2 cup, about 300 gm ( the usual soft rice is most acceptable , dont use long grained rices like Basmati rice or jasmin rice .. )
Yogurt - 1 cup
Milk - 1/2 cup

Dry red chillies - 2
Ginger chopped - 1 sp
Green chilly slit- 3--4

Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Urad dal (Uzhunnu) - 1sp

Curry leaves - 1 spring
Coriander leaves - 1 spring
Salt
Ghee( purified butter) or vegetable oil

Preparation method :
If you are using already cooked rice that you have, then you can heat it adding little amount of milk and mash it gently.
If you have to make the new rice then cook until its very soft. Add milk & mash a little bit.

After mashing turn off the fire and add yogurt & enough salt to the rice and keep it aside.

For seasoning ,
Heat oil or Ghee in a deep nonstick pan. Add mustard seeds, allow them to splutter.
Add dry red chillies & urad dal saute for some seconds.
Add chopped Ginger , Green chilly & Curry leaves and saute until their rawness goes.
Add some water to it (say 5 sp) and boil , for the urad dal to cook.
Combine the seasoning ingredients to Rice mixed with curd.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Serve with a spicy pickle.

Carrot Peas pulao

Carrot Peas pulao Recipe

CARROT - PEAS PULAO

Things needed :

Basmati rice - 500 gm
Peas - 2 cups (225 gm)
Carrot -2 (200 gm)
Ginger Garlic chopped - 2sp (1sp from each)
Green chillies - 3 slit
Spices - Cinnamon 3 small sticks , Cloves 7 , Cardamom 3 crushed , Bay leaves 2 broken
Nuts & Raisins

for topping,
Onion - 1 thinly sliced (about 175 gm)
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Ghee (clarified butter)
Salt


Preparation method :

Soak the basmati rice & keep aside.

Heat Ghee in a deep vessel . Roast nuts . Keep aside.
Fry sliced Onions. Keep aside.

Add cinnamon,cloves,cardamom , bay leaves into the Ghee .
When the cloves stars to splutter, add the ginger-garlic chopped & green chillies. Fry till the rawness goes.

Add the cut carrots & saute for 2 min. ...so that it wont mash after cooked
( Adding the carrots earlier with the rice will give a slight color to the rice .Thats why I prefer to add now.You can also cook the carrots later with Peas & add all with the rice.)

Add the soaked , drained clean rice to the vessel.

Add water double the quantity of the rice. For me it was 4 glasses.

Add salt. Allow to cook , closing the lid.

Cook the Peas separately adding small quantity of water and a pinch of salt. Peas only need some water to cook .
(The Peas are not cooked with rice in order to avoid spreading the taste of peas into the rice.So its added only in the last mixing time.)

After the rice has finished cooking , take a handful of rice from it.
In an empty pan or vessel ( i used the one in which i used for cooking Peas ) pour 1 sp oil or ghee add 1/2 levelled tsp turmeric & fry it in oil until the rawness goes . Then add the rice into it . Mix well. The colorful rice is ready.

Now add the cooked Peas, colored rice , fried onions, roasted nuts & raisins to the cooked rice and mix using a fork.

Serve with a salad , pappad whatever you like to have with it.

I made it on a holiday so got enough time to make a Beef fry to go with it :)

Colourful , Flavorful Capsicum Rice

CAPSICUM RICE - BELL PEPPER RICE

Things needed :

Green Bell pepper 1
Red Bell pepper 1
Yellow Bell pepper 1
Orange Bell pepper 1

Basmati rice - 1 kg
Onion 1
Ginger- Garlic chopped -2 sp ( 1 sp each)




2 Bay leaves broken,
2-3 cinnamon sticks broken,
cloves -20

Needed for cooking the rice :

Chilly powder -- 1 sp
Coriander - 1/2 sp
Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp.
salt - 4 tsp

Needed for preparing the Bell Peppers :

chilly powder - 1/2 sp
Turmeric -1/4 tsp
salt - 1 tsp

Preparation method :

Heat Ghee in a vessel .
Add the spices . 2 bay leaves broken, 2-3 cinnamon sticks broken, cloves -20
When the cloves splutters , start adding spices.
Remove the vessel from the fire, so that the spices wont get burn.
Add chilly powder , coriander & turmeric. Saute.
Add a little bit water if the vessel is too hot.
Don't add a lot.
Mix in Basmati rice . Saute.
Fry the rice uniformly by sauteing.

Add water double the measure of the rice ( Its also o.k. if the water is a lil bit less than double) & cook covering a lid.

While the rice is cooking we can prepare the Bell Peppers to add in the rice.


Taking a small pause in my recipe I want to say how beautiful these Capsicums are , reminds me of Indian national flag somehow with its rich red , orange - green colors. Even the rice that we are making now is extremely colorful. So lets go back to recipe.





Now,heat some Ghee in a pan. Add Ginger-Garlic chopped .
When starts spreading its flavor, Add Onion. Saute 1 min. Add Green chillies.
Saute till the onion becomes transparent & chillies become slightly cooked.
Add in the cut Bell Peppers . Saute for 1 min.
Add salt , Turmeric & Chilly powder . Mix. Cook for around 5 min., sauteing in between(not continuously) , until it becomes slightly cooked . Take care not to mash them. The basic idea is to have them slightly crispy.









Using a fork check in between to see if the rice is done.
The water should be perfectly absorbed . If the rice is ready , add the cooked Bell Peppers












& the fried raisins and mix gently using a fork.
Your Capsicum rice is ready to be served .

Have a closer view. A perfect treat for your eyes & appetite.Try it and let me know.

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Vegetable Fried Rice

VEGETABLE FRIED RICE

Things needed :

Basmati rice - 500 gm
Onion 1+1/2 sliced ,150 gm
Green beans cubed ,250 gm
Carrot 2 small cubed , 250 gm
Green chillies - 2 slit
Ginger chopped -1 sp
Garlic chopped - 1 sp
Cloves - 10-15
Cardamom - 2
Cinnamon sticks 2-3
Raisins - nuts & sultanans




Heat some Ghee in a nonstick vessel in which you want to make fried rice.

Fry the nuts , Sultanas ( ready to take when looks like baloons) , slit green chillies & Onions in order

Tip:You can add more Ghee when needed.

Onion should be brown , like in picture.

Keep the fried things aside & start making the fried rice.





Add the Cloves,Cardamom ,Cinnamon sticks in the Ghee.

The cloves starts to splutter .

Add the chopped Ginger - Garlic and slightly brown them.

Add the Carrots & Beans now .

Saute for 3 minutes.

Mix in the basmati rice.

Saute & fry the rice for a while.

Add water double the quantity of rice.

Close the lid & cook for some time.

Use a fork to see if the water has been absorbed .

Don't use heavy spoons , so as to avoid the rice from breaking.







Mix in the fried ingredients
(onions , green chillies , raisins).

The classic vegetable fried rice is ready to be served accompanying a salad.











Another close view of the vegetable fried rice.










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