Friday, January 30, 2009

Nihari


Hi friends ..im back with a new recipe again..this i learnt my from my mom-in-law,i used to have it with full farmaish with atleast 5 rotis all for my self.Here winter has almost ended n we have had this dish on every weekend.Nihari is a traditional recipe and u will love every bit of it.Its made of goats trotters and is in a soup form.Traditionally in the past or say even now most of the people make it by boiling it on low fire over night ..and the result is awesome u must try this way atleast once.You can also pressure cook the meat.Coming to the recipe u will need a special masala called potli ka masala that is easily available in all indian and pakistani stores..or you can also look for nihari masala or paya masala.Hope u all will love this traditional recipe...

INGREDIENTS:
STEP 1


  1. Goats legs(paya) 12

  2. Onion (medium) 1 sliced finely

  3. Green chilles 8-9

  4. Ginger-Garlic paste 3Tbspns

  5. Red chilli powder 2Tspns

  6. Turmeric Powder 1/4Th Tspn

  7. Mint leaves 1/2 bunch

  8. Cilantro/Coriander leaves 1 bunch

  9. Salt to taste

STEP 2



  1. Onion 1medium sliced finely

  2. Ginger-Garlic paste 1Tbspn

  3. Green chilles 6-8

  4. Red chilli powder 1Tspn(add more if u want it to be spicy)

  5. Turmeric powder 1/4th Tspn

  6. Garam Masala powder1 Tspn

  7. Wheat flour 2handfuls

  8. Potli ka masala(1 packet) or nihari or paya masala 1pack

  9. Fresh ginger pieces(1"inch)

  10. Mint leaves 1/2 bunch

  11. Cilantro/Coriander leaves 1 bunch

  12. Salt to taste

  13. Oil for cooking

METHOD



  • Pressure cook the paya with step 1 ingredients and enough water for 45 minutes along with potli ka masala till tender(tie your potli ka masala in a small muslin cloth) or You can cook on low flame in a vessel till the meat condenses(keep adding water if the water evaporates).

  • Now heat about 4-5Tbspns of oil in a big vessel.

  • Add the sliced onions along with green chilles ,when the onions turn golden brown in colour add the ginger-garlic paste along with fresh ginger pieces.

  • Also add red chilli powder,turmeric powder,salt,garam masala.

  • Now add wheat flour and fry well till it gets properly roasted..all this while cook on low flame or you will burn your maslas.

  • Add the step 1 condensed meat along with its soup.Also add nihari masala/paya masla if u dint add your potli ka masla in the step 1.

  • Add enough water so that the consistency of the nihari is soupy.

  • Add mint and coriander leaves and boil for some time.

Serve along with hot parathas or nan.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Quick utappam

All credit goes to a MAA TV show called "Maa Voori Vanta". I saw that yesterday afternoon and tried it at home. It came out good. I should say it can be used as quick snack or as breafast. Try it whenever you have time. So here goes the recipe:

Ingredients
Maida (All purpose flour) - 2 table spoons
Senagapindi (Chick pea flour) - 2 table spoons
Biyyampindi (Rice flour) - 2 table spoons
Onions - Chopped - 1/2 cup
Tomatos - Chopped - 1/2 cup
Green Chillies - 3-4 depending on your taste, chopped
Coriander - 2 table spoons
Ginger - 1/2 table spoon (Optional)
Jeera (cumin seeds) - 1/2 tea spoon (I added Jeera powder instead)
Salt to taste
Oil
For topping use karivepaku podi or any podi of your choice.

Method of preparation:
1. Take chopped tomato, onions, green chillies, coriander, ginger(optional), Jeera or Jeera powder, Maida, Senagapindi, biyyampindi, salt. Mix all above with hand.

2. Add little water and make sure it is not watery. It should be a not too loose and not too think consistency. (little think than dosa batter). Adjust salt and others according to your taste.

3. Take a tawa and let it heat. Spread small amount of oil on tawa. Now add a laddle or two of the batter mixed above and spread it like utappam (not too thick and not too thin like dosa).

4. Add very little oil on top and let it heat. once the edges are done (or changes color), then turn the utappam onto other side and spread a little oil on the edges of the utappam.

5. After both sides of the utappam is done, add Karivepaku podi or any spicy/soft podi of your choice on it and serve with chutney.

Try with and let me know how it turns out.

Note:
1. Although in Show they mentioned only two table spoons I added little more of the powders to make the batter kind. You may adjust all the quantities depending on your like.

2. I would also recommend adding grated carrot to make it little healthy dish. :).

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Manga inji (Mango ginger) pickle

We're already more than half way through the first month of a new year. 2009 has so far been a year of change for me. After lots and lots and then some more thought, I am finally back to work. That's what's kept me away from blogging for the last few weeks. So, here's wishing all my blogger buddies a Very belated but Happy New Year.
My first post of this year is something very, very simple to make if you have the ingredients handy and every bite will bring with it a burst of flavours from the ingredients. Two of the ingredients that I've used here - the mango ginger and the peppercorns are from my parents' garden. Manga inji or mango ginger, for those who are not familiar with it is a rhizome that looks like ginger but smells like raw mangoes when you cut it.

What you need:
Mango ginger -1/2 cups,washed, skinned and chopped into small pieces
Green pepper corns - 1 tbsp washed, dried and destalked
Lemon - 1 , cut into small pieces or juice of a lemon
Salt
(The quantities are approximate and can be adjusted according to your taste)
Mix all the ingredients together. See, didn't I say it is easy???

It can be eaten immediately and if refrigerated, stays good for upto 2 weeks.

This pickle is my entry to Andrea's Grow Your Own event.

Monday, January 12, 2009

MUGHLAI BIRYANI

Ingredients:
For the meat: 1kg lamb/ chicken cut into 2" pieces (if using chicken, use breast or thigh fillet)
4 large onions sliced thin
2 tsps garlic paste
2 tsps ginger paste
1/2 cup almonds
6 tbsps ghee/ vegetable/ canola/ sunflower cooking oil
1" stick of cinnamon
5 cloves
3 pods cardamom
8 peppercorns
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 cup yoghurt
Juice of 1 lime
1 cup chicken/ beef stock
2 tbsps finely chopped coriander leaves
2 tbsps finely chopped mint leaves
Salt to taste
For the rice: 2 cups Basmati rice
Hot water
Salt to taste
Preparation:
Put the almonds in a bowl of hot water (enough to cover them) and set aside for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes remove skins from all the almonds by pressing each one between your thumb and forefinger. The almonds will slip out of their skins!
Mix the garlic and ginger pastes, the peeled almonds and grind to a smooth paste in a food processor.
Wash the rice in a sieve and add enough water to fully cover the rice - at least 4" over the surface of the rice. Add salt to taste. Set the rice up to boil. Cook till almost done. To determine when it has reached that stage, remove a few grains from the pot and press between your thumb and forefinger. The rice should mostly mash but will have a firm whitish core. Turn off the fire. Strain through a colander and keep drained aside.
Heat 3 tbsps of oil in a pan and fry 2 of the onions till caramalized - golden brown. Drain and keep aside on paper towels for later use.
Heat 3 tbsps of oil in another pan and add the whole spices - cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, peppercorns. Fry till the spices turn a little darker.
Add the 2 remaining onions and fry till they are translucent.
Add the ginger-garlic-almond paste and fry for 2-3 minutes.
Add all the spice powders - coriander, cumin and garam masala and mix well.
Fry till the oil begins to separate from the masala and then add the lamb/ chicken. Keep frying till the meat is fully sealed (it will become opaque and lose its pink colour).
Now add the yoghurt, lime juice, stock, coriander and mint leaves and salt to taste (if needed). Mix well.
Cover the pot and allow to cook till the meat is tender.
Grease a deep baking dish and evenly layer the cooked rice, meat (and its gravy) in it to form at least 2 sets of layers (rice-meat-rice-meat-rice). Garnish with the previously caramalised onions. Cover the dish tightly. If the dish does not have a cover use 2 layers of aluminium foil (shiny side of both layers pointing down towards the rice) and secure on to dish with baking string.
Put in a pre-heated oven set at 350 F/ 180 C/ Gas mark 4 for 20 minutes.
Turn off the oven and let the dish sit in the oven till you are ready to eat. Only open when you are ready to eat. The way to serve Biryani is to gently dig in with a spoon so you get through the layers.
While Mughlai Biryani tastes great by itself, add a raita like Chatpata Channa Raita (chickpeas in hot-sour yoghurt) and you're really in business!

Monday, January 5, 2009

SOUTH INDIAN BIRYANI

INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pod cardamom
1 clove
1 cinnamon stick
4 medium onions, chopped
3 tablespoons chopped fresh garlic
1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
chili powder to taste
1 1/2 medium tomatoes, chopped
16 ounces plain yogurt
3 tablespoons water
lemon juice, to taste
3 cups white rice
1 teaspoon butter
salt to taste
1 bunch fresh mint, chopped
1 bunch chopped cilantro
Add to Recipe
My folders:


DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Heat oil in a large oven-proof pot over medium heat. Add cardamom, clove, and cinnamon stick. Stir in chopped onions, and fry until golden brown. Stir in garlic and ginger. Stir in chicken pieces, and fry about 3 minutes. Stir in chili powder, and cook several minutes. Stir in tomatoes, and cook about 5 minutes. Mix yogurt with 3 tablespoons water and lemon juice; stir into sauce.
Cover pot, and bake in a preheated oven until the sauce is somewhat thickened and concentrated, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook rice in enough salted water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook until it is half cooked, about 7 minutes. Drain rice, and stir into chicken and sauce. Stir in butter, season to taste with salt, cover pot, and bake 1 hour. Stir in mint and cilantro immediately before serving.

Thursday, January 1, 2009

VEGETABLE BIRYANI


Ingredients
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 small cauliflower , broken into small florets
2 large sweet potatoes , peeled and cubed
1 large onion , sliced
1l hot vegetable stock
3 tbsp hot curry paste (Madras is good)
1 red chilli , seeded and finely chopped
large pinch of saffron strands
2 tsp mustard seeds (black or white)
500g basmati rice
140g trimmed green beans , halved
2 lemons , juice only
a handful of fresh coriander leaves
50g packet salted roasted cashew nuts
poppadoms and raita, to serve .......


PREPARATION
Preheat the oven to 220C/gas 7/fan 200C. Pour the oil into a large roasting tin or ovenproof dish and put in the oven for a couple of minutes to heat through. Add all the vegetables to the tin, except the beans, stirring to coat them in the hot oil. Season with salt and pepper and return to the oven for 15 minutes until beginning to brown.
While the vegetables are roasting, stir together the stock, curry paste, chilli, saffron and mustard seeds.
Mix the rice and green beans with the vegetables in the tin, then pour over the stock mixture. Lower the oven to 190C/gas 5/fan 190C. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed. Stir in the lemon juice and check the seasoning, then scatter over the coriander and cashew nuts. Serve with a pile of poppadums and a bowl of raita

CHICKEN BIRYANI


Ingredients:
2 cups Basmati Rice
3/4 kg Chicken Pieces
1/2 cup Milk
1 cup Yogurt (curd)
3 sliced onion
1 tsp Ginger Paste
1/2 tsp Garlic Paste
1 tsp Green Chilli Paste
1/2 cup Tomato Puree
2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Roasted cumin powder
2 tsp Garam Masala Powder
1/2 tsp Green Cardamom Powder Saffron a pinch
1 tsp Coriander Powder
2 tbsp Green Coriander Leaves
Salt to taste
7 tbsp Oil

Preparation:
Mix tomato puree, yogurt, ginger garlic paste, green chilli paste, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, roasted cumin powder, garam masala, coriander powder and salt. Stir well.
Marinate the chicken with this mixture and keep aside for 3-4 hours.
Heat oil in a pan. Fry the onions until golden brown.
Add the marinated chicken and cook for 10 minutes.
Add 4 cups of water to the rice. Mix saffron in milk and add to it.
Add cardamom powder. Add the chicken pieces.
Pressure cook the rice. Mix gently.
Garnish with green coriander leaves and serve hot.

KASHMIRI PULAV

Ingredients:

500gms Long Grain (Basmati)
100gms Onion sliced vertically
5gms Cinnamon (dalchini)
5gms cardamom (Elaichi)
5gms clovesa pinch of turmeric powder
1gm saffron (kesar)
10 ml Milk
20gms walnut
20gms cashew nut
1litre water
50gms oil
salt to taste

How to make kashmiri pulao:
Wash and soak rice.
Heat oil and fry onions till golden brown and remove.
Fry whole spices, turmeric powder, add rice and sauté.
Add half-saffron dissolved in little warm milk.
Add hot water and mix well.
Cook a little. Finish with remaining saffron and cook till grains are separated and done.
Garnish kashmiri pulao with fried onions, walnuts & cashew nuts. ..

VEGETABLE BIRYANI

Ingredients:
2 cups Basmati Rice
1 cup Mixed Vgetable (cauliflower, potato, carrot, french beans)
150 gms Green Peas
3 Finely Sliced Onion
2 Finely Sliced Green Chillies
Salt to taste
1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
2 tsp Cinnamon(dalchini), Caraway Seeds(zeera)
4 Cloves (laung)
1/2 tsp Black Pepper Powder
4 Tomato
1/2 cup Yogurt (curd)
4 tbsp Vegetable Oil
1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
3 tbsp Dry Fruits (cashew nuts, raisin)
How to make vegitable biryani :
Wash the basmati rice well before cooking.Then take rice with 3-3/4 cup water and a little salt added to it and 2 tbsp of dry fruits.Cook it in pressure cooker or in a pan or microwave.
Cut all the vegetables into small thin pieces and fry each one of it separately in oil. Fry the green peas also.
Take 1 tblsp oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, green chilli, cinnamon and caraway seeds powder, cloves, black pepper powder and stir for about half minute. Then add onions and saute them for a minute ot till they get pink in color.
Add salt and red chilli powder and stir.
Add fine chopped tomatoes and fry till they are properly cooked.
Take the yogurt and make it fine by putting in a blender for just 2 rotations. Add this fine yogurt and stir well.Heat it for about 10 seconds.
Add all the fried vegetables.
Add the cooked rice and mix well with very light hands so that the rice grain doesn't break. Cook for about 3 minutes.
Take this vegetable biryani out in a rice serving dish.
Garnish with dry fruits and green coriander leaves.
Serve the vegetable (veg ) biryani hot with raita and pickle. ..

MUTTON BIRYANI

Wash mutton and take it in a vessel.
Grind green chillies, ginger, garlic, spices, fried onion, and mix them all, then add this mixture to the meat.
Then add curd to it, mix the stuff thoroughly. Leave the material for half an hour.
Take 2 litres of water in a vessel and put it on the stove.
When water boils well put the rice in the vessel. Take out the semi-cooked rice and spread it on the meat and spices mixture as a layer. Take some more rice and spread as second layer. Finally, spread the fully cooked rice.
Prepare a mixture of one cup of boiled water and 1/4 kg ghee and spill it on the rice.
Now put a plate on the vessel and seal the edges with dough. Put the vessel on the stove, cook for 15 minutes on medium flame.
Then turn off the stove. Leave the stuff for 15 minutes.
Hyderabadi mutton biryani is ready to serve. .....