CHICKEN BIRYANI

Ingredients

1 kg chicken
4 cups biryani rice
4 nos onion , finely sliced
1 inch piece ginger
8 cloves garlic
4 nos green chillies
2 nos tomato
1/2 cup yoghurt
1/2 tbsp chilli powder
3 tbsp coriander powder
pinch turmeric
1/2 tsp garam masala
3 piece cinnamon
5-9 nos cloves
5 nos cardamom
4 sprigs coriander leave
4 leaves mint
3 tbsp coconut oil
salt to taste
15 nos cashews
15 nos raisins
3 tbsp ghee

Method

Wash biryani rice , soak in water for 30 minutes and drain it well.
Grind ginger, garlic, green chilli to a paste. Add curd and salt to this paste. Marinate chicken pieces with this paste for 1 hour.
Now prepare garnish for biryani. - Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a vessel, fry cashew nut, raisins and 1 finely sliced onion till golden brown and keep aside.  ( while frying onions , when its almost done , add 1 tsp sugar so that fried onion remain crisp throughout)
Heat 3 tbsp coconut oil in  vessel, put remaining onion and salt to taste.
Saute untill golden brown. Reduce flame , add chilli, coriander, turmeric, garam masala powders. Stir it for 2 minutes. Add slicetomatoess and saute for few minutes.
To this add marinated chicken pieceanddn stir it well . Add 1 cup water and cook untill done.
Heat 1 tbsp of gee in other vessel  , put cinnamon, cloves, cardomom, and stir it. Put drained rice and stir for 2 minutes.
Pour water and salt salt as needed. Cook it until 3/4 done and drain the water.
Spread evenly 1 tbsp ghee in a vessel and layer it with rice and cooked chiken. Arrange in such a way that bottom and top layers have rice.
Garnish each layer wit onion, cashew, raisin, finely chopped coriander and mint leaves.
Pout 1 tbsp ghee on top of chicken biryani. Cover the vessel.
Heat a heavy tawa, put biryani vessel on the tawa and heat it on low flame for 15 minutes.
Turn off flame and leave it for 15 minutes.( instead of cooking on tawa, you can also cook in preheated oven)
Serve chicken biryani hot with salad, pappad, pickle.

Capsicum Rice

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups of cooked rice
2 cups of capsicum, cut into small cubes (any colour or mixed)
1 tbsp of lemon juice
1/4 tsp of turmeric powder

For tempering:
2-3 tbsp of oil
1/2 tsp of black mustard seeds
1 tsp of split urad dal
1 tsp of chana dal
2 dry red chillies
A few curry leaves
2 tbsp of roasted peanuts

For masala powder:
3 dry red chllies
A small piece of cinnamon
1 tsp of coriander seeds
1 tsp of cumin seeds
1/2 tsp of split urad dal
1 tsp of chana dal

Method

Fry the ingredients for Masala powder in 1 tsp oil until golden brown.

Cool, grind to powder and set aside.

Heat oil in a pan and add all ingredients for seasoning. Fry until dal turns golden brown.

Add capsicum , salt, turmeric powder. Reduce heat and cook until capsicum turns softer but still retains its shape. Don't cook to a mush. 

Add cooked rice to this and mix well. Heat through.

Finally add masala powder and lemon juice and salt.

Mix well and let it sit for 10 minutes for the flavours to mingle. 

Serve warm with raits or papad.

Note

Make sue to adjust all spices to your taste.

Take care not to burn spices and dal in masala powder or the rice will taste bitter.

BEETROOT PULAO

Ingredients

1 cup Basmati Rice
1 cup Onion thinly sliced
1 slit    Green chilli 
1 tsp gingergarlic paste
1 Tomato chopped
1 cup Grated Beetroot 
fistful Mint leaves 
2 tbsp   Coriander leaves  chopped
1 tsp   Biryani masala
1 tsp sambhar powder
Salt as  needed
2 cups  Water
 1 tbsp Fresh Lemon juice 

For the seasoning
1 tbsp Oil
1/2 tsp  Fennel seeds
1  Bay leaf  
2  Cloves 
1"  Cinnamon -1 inch piece
1 Cardamom 

Method 

Wash and soak basmati rice for 20 minutes. Drain the water and keep it aside.

Wash, peel the skin and grate or finely chop beetroot.

Heat oil in a pan, add fennel seeds, when it splutters, add cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and bay leaf.

Saute for a few seconds, then add thinly sliced onions, slit green chilli and cook until onions turn transparent.

Add ginger garlic paste and saute for a few more minutes.

Add chopped tomatoes and cook for another 3-4 minutes.

Add beetroot, coriander leaves, mint leaves, biryani masala, sambar powder and salt needed.

Mix well, add 2 cups of water and lemon juice. When water starts boiling, add soaked and drained basmati rice. Mix well and check for salt by tasting the water, if the water is slightly salty, it will become perfect once the rice is cooked. Lower the heat and cook covered until rice is done. You can pressure cook rice or cook rice in a pan with lid or use the rice cooker.

Once done, fluff it with a fork, garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with raita or papads.

Add water according to the quality of your rice.(1 cup of basmati rice needs appoximately - 1 1/2 -2 cups of water. The rice I used needed 2 cups of water, moreover I like my rice to be soft.)

BROKEN WHEAT BISIBELE BAATH

Broken wheat has nutty flavour, chewy and a delightful taste. It is nutritious and has a better glycemic index than rice. Broken wheat is considered as a super food for diabetic. It is an excellent source of fibre and fits in  low diet .

Ingredients

1 cup Broken wheat

1/2 cup toor dhal

1 small carrot , cut into bite sized pieces

6-7 pieces beans , cut into bite size pieces

1 drumstick , cut into 2 inch long

10 small onions, chopped roughly

3 tomato finely chopped

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Big gooseberry size tamarind soaked in 1 cup water

1/2 tsp garam masala powder

1/2 tsp asafoetida powder

2 tbsp ghee

For tempering

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 sprig curry leaves

1 tsp urad dal

5-6 nos cashews (optional)

1 tbsp oil

For BBB powder

6-8 dry red chillies (according to your taste|)

4 tsp coriander seeds

3 tsp chana Dal

1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp grated coconut

Method

Wash broken wheat and toor dhal and pressure cook by adding 5 cups of water for 4-5 whistles along with turmeric powder, asafotieda and salt, till it becomes soft. Once it is done, mash it using ladle and keep aside.

Squeeze the soaked tamarind and keep aside,

For BBB powder , dry roast the ingredients by adding one by one. Add coconut at last and fry till brown and grind altogether, keep this aside.

Take a kadai, add oil,  mustard seeds, after it splutters add remaining ingredients , one by one.

Once it is done add small onions and tomatoes with little salt, fry till tomatoes becomes soft. 

Now add chopped vegetables with little water, Allow it to cook till it becomes soft. Keep aside.

Place pressure cooker on the gas, add tamarind extract to broken wheat and Dal mixture , stir well. 

Keep on medium flame, add cooked vegetables and BBB powder, garam masala powder , mix well. Add ghee and simmer for 5 minutes, 

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

METHI LEAVES RICE

 

 

Ingredients

 

2 cups Basmati rice cooked

1 1/2 cups methi leaves chopped

2 onions thinly sliced

2 green chillies chopped finely

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 cardamom

2 bay leaves

2 tsp ginger garlic paste

1 tsp chili powder

2 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

Salt to taste

2 tbsp olive oil

 

Method

 

Wash and cut the methi leaves and keep aside.

Take a heavy bottomed pan , add oil and after it is medium hot add cumin seeds.

Let it splutter, now add cardamom and bay leaves , saute for 20 seconds.

Add sliced onions , green chill , saute until until light brown.

Add ginger garlic paste and saute until raw sell goes off.

Add the methi leaves and saute until it shrinks.

Add chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, salt and saute for 3 minutes.

Now add the cooked rice , give it a gentle stir and do not break the rice.

Close it with  tight lid and cook for 1510-15 minutes in low flame.

Now add the cooked basmati rice, give it a gentle stir.

Yummy, delicious and healthy rice is ready.

Serve it with pickle and curd.

 

 

BIHARI KHICHADI

Khichadi is widely eaten inBihar mostly druing winter and Sankranti celebration. It makes a complete wholesome meal, and not to forget tasty , too!

In Bihar they say , khichadi ke chaar yaar - Ghee, Papad, Dahi, achaar. 

Khichdi literally means a mixture of rice, lentils, vegetables and of course Indian spices.

Khichdi is otherwise the most nutritiously complete dish, consisting of carbs from rice, proteins from lentils and vitamins from veggies. Also it is quite a JIFFY dish.

I did'nt have dahi, so my plate is incomplete without  the chaar yaar.  Sorry for that . 

Ingredients

1 cup Rice 

1/2 cup Moong dal

1/2 cup Masoor dal

1 cup mixed vegetables like carrot, peas, flower

3 cups of water

4 tbsp Ghee

1 no Dry chilli

2 nos Bay leaves

1 tsp Cumin seeds

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

Salt as per taste

1 no Cardamom

3 nos Cloves

1 no Black cardamom

1" Cinnamon stick 

1/2 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp cumin seed powder

2 tsp Coriander seed powder

1 tsp Garam masala powder

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

Method 

Heat the ghee in a pressure cooker, add the dry chilli, bay leaves, cumin seeds, ginger garlic paste, fry for a few minutes.

Now add the cloves, cardamoms, cinnamon stick, saute.

Now add  masoor dal, moong dal and fry until they turn slightly brown. 

Add the rice, cook for a few minutes, now add the vegetables, 3 cups of water and spice powders ( chili , cumin, coriander , garam masala) and salt.

Close it with the lid and cook upto 3 whistles.

Once the steam gets released , open the cooker .

For serving, melt some desi ghee in a vessel. Spread a thin layer of khichdi in a plate, pour the melted ghee on it evenly, then on the sides of plate put the Chaar Yaars of Khichadi (Four friends of khichdi) namely, curd, papad , desi ghee and pickle.

VEGETABLE BIRYANI

I tried this biryani from Tarla Dalal'. This Biryani is Low Cal Biryani...  Cooked with minimal oil and aromatic spices, this vitamin A, iron and calcium enriched biryani is an all-in-one meal by itself. 

Ingredients

For the rice
1 cup uncooked rice
1 clove
1 stick of cinnamon
1 bayleaf
1 cardamom 
 salt  to taste

For the vegetable gravy
1 1/2 cups mixed vegetable
1/4 cup low fat paneer
1/2 tsp cumin seed
3/4 cup finely chopped onions
2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
3 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup low fat milk
1 tsp oil
salt to taste

Other ingredients
3 tbsp low fat curds
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
a few saffron strands
                    

Method                      

For the rice
Clean and wash the rice.Soak the rice in water for 1 hour .

In a large pan, add 3 cups of boiling water to the rice with clove, cinnamon, bay leaf, cardamom and salt.
Cover and simmer till the rice is  cooked.

For the vegetable gravy
Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and add the cumin seeds.
When they crackle, add the onions and ginger-garlic paste and sauté till the onions turn golden brown.
Add the chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and garam masala with ½ cup of water and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the chopped tomatoes and cook over a slow flame for 7 to 8 minutes.
Add the milk with ½ cup of water and continue to simmer for 5 to 7 minutes.
Add the boiled vegetables and paneer and mix well.

How to proceed
Combine the curds, coriander and saffron and mix well.
In a deep vessel, arrange the vegetable gravy on the base.
Top with the rice and spoon the curd mixture over the rice.
Cover with a tight lid and cook on a tava (griddle) over a slow flame for 25 to 30 minutes  for 20 minutes.
Enjoy your veg biryani with raita , papad and pickle. 

RICE STUFFED GREEN PEPPERS

Ingredients
4 small green peppers
1/2 cup frozen peas
2/3 cup cooked rice
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp chilli powder
salt as per taste
1 tomato chopped
1/4 cup salsa (optional)
1/4 cup grated mozarella
2 tbsp coriander leaves chopped
1/2 cup water

Method
Slice tops of green pepper and set aside. Remove and discard seeds from peppers.
Place the peppers in a pan with 1 inch of water and boil it. Reduce the heat and cook for 5 mins or until peppers are tender. remove and keep aside.
Boil the peas till done.
Preheat oven to 350 F
Take a bowl , add rice, peas, coriander powder, cumin powder, chilli powder, salt, tomato, coriander elaves and salsa. Mix well.
Spoon the filling into pepeprs. Top with mozarella and covr the pepper caps.
Place the stuffed peppers in a casserole dish and coat with cooking spray.
bake it for 15 mins, until pepper begin to brown .
serve it hot

SAMBHAR SADAM

Ingredients
1 cup rice
1/3 cup tuvar dhal
marble size tamarind
veg like carrot, potatoes, drumstick, beans
1/2 cup small onion
2 green chillies
1 tomato
1 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp asafoetida
5 curry leaves
1 -2 tsp raos sambhar powder

To roast and grind to coarse powder
4 dry chillies
1 tbsp chana dal
11/2 tsp coriander seeds
1/4 tsp fenugreek seed
2 tbsp coconut grated

To temper:
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
pinch asafoetida

Method

Cook rice and dal seperately .

Extract tamarind juice and keep aside. 

Heat kadai and roast to golden brown,the ingredients under ‘To roast and grind table’ with a tsp of oil . Roast coconut separately. 

Cool down and grind to coarse powder and keep it  aside. 

Heat a  kadai and add oil. When it is hot add mustard seeds and asafoetida .
Add curry leaves followed by onion,slit green chillies and fry till the onions start to turn golden. 
Add the turmeric,sambar powder,asafoetida and the chopped veggies. 
Add the tamarind extract, bring it to boil
When the vegetables get cooked, the ground sambar powder and bring to boil. 
Add this to the cooked rice.
Add the mashed dal and mix well with out mashing the veggies. Add hot water if its too thick.
Let the sambar rice be in a loose consistency. After cooled down, it tends to get thick,so let the consistency be according to that.

TOMATO RICE

Ingredients
2 dry chilli
2 tsp mustard
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chana dal
1 tsp urad dal
3 cashews
1 inch ginger finely chopped
2 green chilli finely chopped
3 curry leaf
1 onion finely chopped
1 tsp asafoetida
1 tsp garam masala
3 cup boiled rice
3-4 tomatoes chopped
1-2 tsp chilli powder
salt
coriander leaf
2-3 tbsp olive oil

Method
Heat a nonstick frying pan. Add olive oil , add dry chilli, mustard , cumin, chana dal, urad dal, cashews. Saute till dal brown (be careful not to burn the daals).
Now add ginger, green chilli, curry leaf, fry it.
Add chopped onions , saute it. Add asafoetida , fry .
Then add chopped tomatoes, saute till mushy. Add chilli powder and garam masala and salt.
Add boiled rice , mix with the tomato mixture .
Add coriander leaves.

SHRIMP AND RICE

Ingredients
1 cup brown rice cooked
1 tbsp olive oil
1 egg
1 cup button mushrooms
1/2 cup onion chopped
10 large shrimp  peeled and deveined
1 tbsp ginger minced
1 cloves sliced garlic
1 cup snow peas chopped
1 red pepper thinly sliced
2 tbsp soya sauce
1 green onion chopped finely
1 tbsp sriracha sauce

Method
Heat a non stick frying pan. Add 1 tsp oil , add egg and scramble it .
Remove egg from pan. Add 1tsp olive oil, add shrimp and cook for 2 mins or until done.
Add 1 tsp oil, add mushrooms, onion, ginger, garlic, fry for 2 mins.
Stir in snow peas and bell pepper , cook for 2 mins. 
Add scrambled egg , shrimp and brown rice . Stir in soya sauce, sriracha sauce. Add green onions for garnish.

TAVA PULOA

Ingredients
1 cup cooked Basmati Rice
1 tsp butter
1 ts cumin
1 ts fennel
1 onion finely chopped
1 ts ginger garlic paste
1 ts chilli powder
1 tomato finely chopped
1/2 bell pepper finely chopped
pinch haldi
2 ts pav bhaji masla
cilantro
salt per taste

Method
Take a kadhai , put 1 tsp butter, add cumin, fennel saute it. Then add onions, ginger garlic paste. chilli powder, tomato, bell pepper, cook . Add haldi, Everest pav bhaji masala, mix thoroughly. Now add cooked rice and cilantro , cook for 5 mins.