Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani (Pakki Dum Biryani)

My husband and I love Biryani. Recently, we visited our cousin for the long weekend. Our cousin's wife has been an inspiration to me in more than one ways, one of the reason being she cooks amazing food which is tasty, healthy and marries the best of eastern and western world. She is a working woman, hands-on mom, plus she dishes out the tastiest meals and is a bundle of energy. She'd made Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani for our evening supper. I loved the flavour and she gladly shared the recipe. I've made few changes to suit our palate, but the end result was the best and very easy to cook as well. Of all the Chicken Biryani version's I've made this one is the easiest and the best tasting. This recipe is a common go-to recipe for Biryani now. The cooking style suits anyone who is learning to cook Chicken and Biryani together. Since the meat gets cooked earlier, this is known as Pakki Dum Ki Biryani. Original Biryani version's par-cook and cook them for longer periods. I've changed that to reduce the Dum cooking time. The best is chicken in marinade gets all squished up in a large giant zip lock bag. Less cleaning, lesser sanitizing chores and even lesser post-cooking mess!

The secret ingredient here is meat tenderizer powder which has a profound impact on the texture and softness of the meat. I also added oil to the chicken marinade. This keeps the meat moist and prevents dryness, both result in soft and juicy meat upon cooking. This also takes away my apprehension while cooking meat, primarily because at times its difficult to know if the meat is done or not especially while cooking biryani's in large quantities. This powder is available in India in select grocery stores, if not, one could also use raw papaya paste which can be made in advance, stored in refrigerator and used as per convenience.

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 35-45 minutes
Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:
Onions (sliced) - 3 cups
Tomato (chopped) [optional] - 1 cup
Bay leaf - 1
Cinnamon - 2 of 2" stick
Nutmeg - 1/2 teaspoon
Saffron water (a pinch of saffron in 3 tbsp of water or milk)
Biryani Masala - 1 tablespoon of masala for 1 cup of rice: 1 and 1/2 tablespoon used here
Oil/Ghee
Salt

Chicken in marinade -
Chicken (thighs chopped into chunks) - 1.5 pound
Coriander leaves (finely chopped) - 1 cup
Mint leaves (finely chopped) - 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon
Red Chilli powder - 1 tablespoon
Coriander powder - 1 teaspoon
Cumin powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Mace (Javitri) [crushed] - 1 teaspoon
Whole black pepper corns - 10
Meat tenderizer (I use Shan brand) - 1 tablespoon for a pound of meat
Garam Masala - 1 tablespoon for 1 pound of Chicken
Yogurt - 2 cups for a pound of meat
Salt
Oil

Cooking Rice -
Rice - 1 and 1/2 cups
Salt
Oil
Star Anise - 1
Bay leaf - 1
Cloves - 4
Cinnamon - 2 of 2" sticks

Method:
Marinating Chicken - Clean the chicken and trim off the fat and skin. Cut into bite sized chunks. Add all the ingredients of the marinade and set aside in refrigerator for overnight/ 2 hours or at least 30 minutes minimum. I use a zip lock bag for this purpose.
Cooking Rice - Cook rice with oil, salt and the whole spices (1 rice:1 and 1/2 water proportion). Half cook the rice and once done, fork the rice gently, if possible spread on a plate and allow to cool. Set aside.
Cooking Chicken - Heat oil/ghee in a wide mouthed deep bottomed vessel. Once oil is heated and coats the bottom of vessel evenly, add sliced onions. Allow them to sweat, which implies you need not stir it often. Save about 1/2 cup of fried onions and set aside. Once the onions turn to a soft pale hue, add the chicken in marinade. Do not add water. The Chicken packs in lot of water to cook. Bring to a boil, simmer on low flame. Add grated nutmeg & Biryani Masala now. This process takes around 20-30 minutes. Cover with a lid. Check if chicken is fork tender. The gravy will be dry with very less cooking liquor. Once done, add the rice and mix gently. Garnish with saffron water, chopped herbs (optional) and fried onions (optional). Cover with a lid and place heavy weight on top. Seal the sides with a Chapati dough else use an aluminum foil. Cook for 5-8 minutes.

Notes:
1. Meat tenderizer powder and oil keep the meat chunks in good shape both in terms of taste and texture.
2. Instead of layering the Biryani, I mixed the rice and chicken in gravy, the taste is fabulous. I add Tomatoes to cut through the spices, in addition they also add moisture to the Biryani texture. This is purely optional.
3. Chicken and Yogurt pack in lot of water, so do not add water while cooking chicken.
4. Cook Biryani in a wide mouthed vessel. Cooking process is better and faster for large quantities with meat.
5. Meat with bone has more flavour than boneless, but personally I prefer boneless meat. Pick your choice as per preference.

Mushy Rice With Green Chillies (Tanni Anna/ Panta Bhaat)

Many a times when we were kids, leftover rice would be aptly used for this recipe - Tanni Anna or Panta Bhaat - the Bong version of this rice. I am talking about days when scorching summer would annoy to no end and refrigerators were owned only by the rich, if you know what I am saying. Mom used to soak the rice in cold water at night before sleeping, make a comforting meal for 1100 noon next day morning for us. Anna is Rice in Konkani, Tanni is cold in Kannada. Even during days when there is no leftover rice, I keep some cooked rice aside to prepare this soul-warming comfort meal! This is a depleting recipe yet very very silly one so to say. I sometimes think that lesser mortals like me are the only ones hounding their Grandmoms and Aunts to offer gyaan on such simple recipes. But I wanted to document this to aid the sprawling, curious bunch of posterity in my jumbo family.

The science behind this recipe is the rice gets lightly fermented in water giving it a very mushy texture. Next day morning the rice is squeezed from the water, mixed with little green chillies crushed in a mixture of salt and oil. All the gooey mass mixed in together to form a mushy kid meal. But mind you, this recipe is not for the faint hearted. The green chillies pack in quite a punch, so reduce you green chillies if you are not ready for spice and heat. I prefer soak time of 2 hours and use the rice thereafter. Do not oversoak as you run the risk on over-fermentation of rice. My Ammama made this and Paej frequently when she had to feed an army of kids, grand kids in a joint family. The recipe is close to my heart for the sheer paltry ingredients it needs and the simplicity it carries. It is also known as a Paupers meal owing to the simple stuff its made of and was prepared by poor people during olden days as resources were scarce so says my Grandma.

Few years later further to my discovery, a Bengali friend of mine informed me that they have a similar version amongst Bongs, known as Panta Bhaat. The only difference being, the seasoning is some lime juice, red onions chopped and green chillies instead. Panta = soaked in water and Bhaat = boiled rice in Bengali. Panta Bhaat is made during key Bengali festivals. In Konkani homes (atleast the ones I know), this is a hush-hush secret recipe to devour the leftover rice. My Grandmom was to embarassed to discuss the details and laughed it off saying it was 'silly' and too easy. I think its too precious to be passed off and ignored what she said! :)

Soaking time - 8-10 hours

Processing time - 5 minutes

Ingredients:

Cooked rice (2 cups) - soaked in double the quantity of cold water

Green Chillies - 1-2

Coconut oil

Salt

Method:

Soak cooked rice which is cool, in water for 8-10 hours. Once soaking time passes, squeeze the rice out of water. Mix salt and oil and crush green chillies in them. Mix all of this together and devour with relish. Remover green chillies while serving if required. For more authentic flavour, use Coconut oil.

Coconut Rice (Nucchi/ Kanee Phanna)

Coconut Rice is a very simple, coconut-rich recipe enjoyed by all in my family. Its a one pot meal and serves any meal plan and menu. In India, the rice which you get at local Kirana stores are anything ranging from long grain, short grain to short broken ones. This recipe calls for the use of the broken variety of rice (Kanee in Konkani). Mom painstakingly separated them with a Siever or Sifter (Channi) when we were kids to make this dish for us. Surprisingly, now you get them at local groceries in India as well and can be bought in bulk. This broken rice is known as Kanee in Konkani. I can't find broken rice here in Indian stores so used my stash of Sona Masoori rice for this recipe. Growing up, this was my favorite breakfast item. Its also a very portable food item for work, school or outdoor picnics.

This dish is popularly known as Nucchi or Kanee Phanna in GSB Konkani and Nucchi in Kannada. There are also variations in practice with respect to the seasoning and the variety of rice used. One can also add Peanuts (Kadale) for extra crunch, Chana Dal for enhanced texture. The entire seasoning is done with Coconut oil in the original recipe. Fenugreek seeds, the innocuous element in this recipe renders a unique aroma to the fluffy rice grains and is also soothing on the tummy. I prefer having a warm bowl of this seasoned rice with Raw Mango Pickle liqueur and a drizzle of warm Coconut oil.

~  Nucchi ~
Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 20-30 minutes

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients:

Broken Rice or any available variety - 1/2 cup

Grated coconut (fresh or frozen) - 1/4 cup

Peanuts (optional) - 2 tablespoon

For Seasoning -

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Curry leaves - 2-4

Fenugreek seeds (Methi) - 1/4 teaspoon

Urad Dal (split) - 1/2 teaspoon

Coconut oil

Green Chilli (split lengthwise) -2

Hot water - 1/4 less than 1 cup

Salt

Method:

In a deep dish non-sick pan, heat coconut oil. Once the oil is sizzling hot, temper with a seasoning of mustard seeds and curry leaves. Add split urad dal, green chilli and peanuts. Saute on low flame. Add rice (pre-washed and rinsed) now and less than double the quantity of hot water [rice:water - 1: 1 and 1/2 proportion]. Add enough salt. Mix gently and bring to boil. Simmer on low flame for 20-25 minutes or till the rice gets cooked completely. Turn off flame and fluff it with a fork. Leave aside undisturbed for 5 minutes. Then, garnish with fresh coconut. Serve warm with pickle liqueur and a drizzle of coconut oil.

Empire Ghee Rice

Bangalore - A workaholic city bustling with IT professionals offers myriad choices for Foodie's around the globe. Be it gourmet & fine dining options or the simple to humble inexpensive Tiffin items, there is something for everyone in this city with great affordable choices & tasty options to suit your palate and pocket. In Bangalore, if one visits Hotel Empire they have a special menu which is most sought after by me and my friends. It was a combination of Veg/ Chicken Kebabs, Ghee Rice served with Salad on the side and Veg/ Chicken Gravy. Over a period of time, this became so famous amongst my friends that every time we went there, we knew what we wanted to order. The flavour has left an indelible mark on my memory. This ubiquitous combination is quite enjoyed by some of my dearest friends in Bangalore.

I usually use the cooked rice from previous day for a good fluffy textured Ghee Rice. Its important to thaw the rice at room temperature before use. The cooked rice has to be dry with less moisture. The more grainy and separated the rice is, the better your Ghee Rice. I added Cashew Nuts to spruce up the flavour. My husband is a big fan of Ghee Rice and he enjoys this with Chicken curry with thick gravy or Fried Chicken. Its an occasional treat for us owing to the high calories involved. The recipe is quite simple and is an effort to recreate the same long forgotten flavour.

~ Empire Ghee Rice ~

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
Rice (cooked) - 4 cups
Onion (sliced) - 3/4 cup
Cashew Nuts - 1/2 cup
Ghee
Salt

Method:
Thaw the rice at room temperature at least 1/2 before use. Use a large faced deep sauce pan, that way your rice gets evenly warmed. First heat a huge quantity of Ghee, allow to melt and saute the cashew nuts. Let them turn golden brown with a nutty aroma. Remove from heat and keep them aside. Next saute the sliced onions and saute them till they turn crunchy and golden brown. The texture should be like deep fried onions. This whole process takes around 10 minutes. After the onions are fried completely, transfer them to a paper towel and keep aside. Now, add the cooked rice in ghee, give a good stir, much better if you can shake up the rice without using a spatula or ladle. The intention is to get the ghee coated and not to break the rice. Adjust salt now. Once rice is fluffy, turn off flame. Garnish with fried onions and cashew nuts. Serve warm with a gravy of choice.

Note - For best results, use good quality Ghee or Unsalted Butter. Fried Onions render a good layering to the dish. Ensure they are completely fried to get a good bite of crunch. Do not add too much salt as your complementary dish would have sufficient salt.

Steamed Rice & Spinach Spicy Balls (Palak Piyava Mudde/ Spinach Onion Mudde)

The cold spells and chilly weather makes me yearn for warm home cooked food all the time. Couple of days back, I made this traditional style of eating spicy rice and vegetable balls called as Mudde or Muddo in Konkani. It is cooked batter, usually mixed with vegetables of choice. We make different versions of Mudde at home. Essentially, Mudde is a lump or dumpling of batter cooked with or without vegetables of choice. In olden days, during my Grandmom's era, they were shaped as balls and steam cooked just on its own. Later, Idli moulds came into the picture, my aunts also steam them in Banana leaf & Jackfruit leaf containers. I prefer cooking them in Idli stand with indendations; that way the quantity is just right for a bite!

Mix the basic batter with vegetables of choice - Cabbage, Onion, Taro Leaves, Cassia Tora leaves (Taikilo), steam them and serve with warm coconut oil. Don't skip this step else you will miss the flavour. For best flavour, devour them when they are piping hot. The Mudde is very healthy since it is steam cooked. It blends well as a side dish for many a Konkani curries and daals. The blend & balance of coconut and rice is key; if you add more coconut, the steamy cakes fall apart, less coconut they turn hard and unedible. My Grandmom makes the best Onion and Cabbage Mudde. You could use Idli Steamer stand (with indentations) or Idli steel moulds which you get at Indian or Ethnic stores to steam cook the little goodies.

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20-25 minutes
Yield: 10-12

Ingredients:
Batter -
Rice (Sona Masoori variety) - 1 cup
Coconut (grated - fresh or frozen) - 1 cup
Red Chillies - 5-7

Tamarind - small lump
Asafoetida - Just a pinch
Salt
Pure Coconut oil

Vegetables (chopped) - 3 cups
[Any of these - Onion, Spinach, Cabbage, Taro leaves, Cassia Tora leaves]

Contraption - Idli Steamer and Idli Stand or Idli moulds

Method:
Wash vegetables, chop them and keep aside. Wash rice in multiple rounds of water till clear and soak for 2-4 hours. Drain rice and keep aside. Heat few spoons of oil and roast the red chillies for couple of minutes. Allow to cool. Grind to a coarse paste with rice and red chillies. Add salt and Asafoetida. The paste should be very coarse so rice should break into 2-4 pieces for better flavoured Mudde. Add less or no water and make a coarse paste. Mix in the chopped vegetables in the paste. Pour scoops of this paste on each of the Idli stands indentation and steam cook for 20-25 minutes. Serve hot with a garnish of coconut oil. Serve as a side dish along with Paej/ Kanji/ Soupy Brown Rice.

Paneer Biryani 2.0 (With Green Masala)

We both love Paneer Biryani. I had tried lot of variations earlier but liked this one of all. The richness and spices of Green Masala mesh well with the bland flavour of Paneer. Good for large get together and feeding a big crowd. I am glad that I can make fairly good and consistently tasty Biryani now after many trails and experimentation with different procedures and cooking mediums. The Biryani tastes better the next day when the spices are well absorbed.

Cooking time: 3o minutes
Preparation tim: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
Rice (Basmati) - 1 and 1/2 cup
Cottage Cheese ~ Pre-fried Paneer - 2 cups
Onions (sliced) - 4 cups
Tomatoes (chopped) - 2 cups
Cinnamon stick - 2"
Cardamom - 2-3
Cloves - 3-5
Garam Masala powder - 2 tablespoon
Nutmeg Powder - 1 teaspoon
Saffron strands crushed soaked in 3-4 tablespoon of Milk
Ghee
Salt

Green Masala -
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup
Ginger paste - 1 tablespoon
Garlic paste - 1 tablespoon
Green Chillies - 3-4
Mint Leaves - 1/2 cup
Khus-Khus - 1 teaspoon

Biryani Masala - Around 1 & 1/2 tablespoon
For the Biryani Masala -
Fennel seeds (optional) - 1/2 teaspoon
Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Mace - 2
Cinnamon - 1
Cardamom - 2
Caraway seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Cloves - 3-4
Nutmeg (grated) - 1 whole - 1/2 for rice assembly + 1/2 for spice powder

Method:
1. Wash and soak Rice in water for 1/2 half an hour before preparation. Under cook the rice with 1:1 1/2 proportion of rice and water respectively. For 1 and 1/2 cup Rice, I used 2 and 1/2 cups of water. Cook with salt and few spoons of oil. Once done, spread on a tray and allow to cool.
2. Grind all the ingredients of Biryani Masala to a fine smooth dry powder and keep aside.
3. Grind all the ingredients of Green Masala with little water and keep aside.
4. In a deep dish pan, heat few spoons of ghee, add the spices - Cloves, Cinnamon sticks and Cardamom. Once they proliferate in size, add Onions and saute till they turn translucent. Add chopped Tomatoes as well. Once they are completely cooked, add the Green Masala and cook till its no longer raw and changes its color from bright green to mossy green. Once done, add the spice powder and cook to a collective consistency. Adjust salt and add 1/2 teaspoon on grated nutmeg powder. Add pre-fried Paneer at this stage and cook for 2-3 minutes with the lid covered. Turn off the flame.
5. Assembly: Take a deep dish Pasta pot or stock pot, heat few spoons of ghee to coat the bottom of the pot. This entire procedure needs the gas on low flame. Add a layer of cooked rice. Sprinkle Nutmeg powder and Garam Masala powder. Add a layer of cooked curry. Again top it with Rice-Nutmeg powder-Garam Masala powder and curry. Once you reach the final layer up and above, add few spoons of ghee on top of the Biryani. Sprinkle Nutmeg powder and Garam Masala powder. Pour the Saffron milk and cover the lid. Seal off the lid on the sides with a dough. Cook for 3-5 minutes maximum since the Rice and Curry is already cooked. Serve hot with a side scoop of Biryani. Supplement with Raita of Choice or Mirchi Ka Saalan.

Ivy Gourd Rice (Tendli Bhaat)

Iyy Gourd Rice goes well for Lunch box and you get the wholesome combination of vegetables and rice in a pot. That is the beauty of One Pot Dish, a single dish with rice and vegetables holds good for a yummy meal.

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

Rice (Basmati rice) - 1 cup

Ivy Gourd (Tendli/ Tendley) - chopped - 2 cups

Onion (chopped) - 1/2 cup

Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Salt

Turmeric powder

Red Chilli Powder

Oil/ Ghee

Masala -

Coconut powder - 1/2 cup

Coriander seeds - 1 tablespoon

Clove - 2-3

Cinnamon - 1" stick

Whole Black Pepper Corns - 3-5

Red Chillies - 2

Garnish (optional) - chopped Coriander leaves

Method:

Wash and cook Rice in water and keep aside. In a deep dish pan, heat few spoons of Ghee/ Oil, once the pan heats up, add Cumin seeds, they begin to proliferate in size, add chopped Onions and saute till they wilt in size. Add a hint of Turmeric powder and Red Chilli powder and chopped Ivy Gourds. Adjust salt and add enough water to immerse the gourds, bring to boil and simmer covered on a low flame for 10 or till the gourds are completely cooked.

On the side, grind the masala ingredients to a fine powder with no water. Add this to the cooked Ivy Gourd and allow water to evaporate completely. Add cooked Rice now and gently stir. Turn off flame and serve hot with a garnish of chopped Coriander leaves.

Mom's Vegetable Pulao

Mom's Vegetable Pulao - this is one recipe which I consider precious. Mom made this ever since we were kids and we loved this simple Pulao recipe. Since I am miles away from my dear mother, this is my way of connecting to her actions, thoughts, inspiration, moods and moments. I have been a Mommy's Little Gal all through my life and needless to say she means a lot to me. She was delighted that I rejoiced the flavour of her all-time favorite recipe.

I have tried to balance the ratio of spices so that none overpower each other and yet blend to bring out the uniqueness. I love the light green hue and the beautiful flavour which goes well with any tangy Raita of choice.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 30-45 minutes

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice - 1 cup

Vegetables (chopped into 1/2" chops - Carrots, Beans, Cauliflower florets) - 2 and 1/2 cups

Salt

Oil/Ghee

For Green Masala -

Cloves - 3-4

Cinnamon - 1" inch piece

Whole Black Pepper - 3-5

Cardamom - 2

Green Chillies - 2

Ginger - Garlic (minced) - 1 and 1/2 tablespoon

Star Anise - 1

Poppy seeds (Khus-Khus) - 1/2 teaspoon

Onions (chopped) - 1/2 cup

Coriander leaves (minced) - 1/2 cup

Fennel seeds (Saunf) - 1/2 teaspoon

Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

For Seasoning Pulao -

Onions (quartered) - 1/2 cup

Cumin seeds - 1/3 teaspoon

Cashew Nuts (chopped into bite sized bits) - 1/2 cup

Method:

Wash rice in water multiple times till the water is clear and clean. Soak in water for 1/2 before use. Cook rice separately with 1: 1 and 1/2 proportion and once done, separate grains with a fork on a big tray to cool. Pressure cook vegetables separately with little salt, keep aside.

In a pan, heat few spoons of oil/ghee, lightly saute the Cloves, Cinnamon, Cardamom, Pepper, Poppy seeds, Star Anise and Ginger-Garlic-Green Chillies. Take care not to burn the spices else the Pulao gets the burnt aroma which is awful. Once sauted, add chopped Onions and keep aside. On a very low flame, separately saute Fennel seeds and Cumin seeds (their cook point is lower and hence are prone to burning), set aside and allow to cool. Grind both together along with little or no water to a smooth paste, also add Coriander leaves and sauted Onions while grinding. Keep the paste aside.

In a big thick bottomed pan, saute the onions which are quartered with little oil/ghee, once transparent and pinkish in hue add the ground Green Masala. Add the cooked vegetables at this stage. Let the consistency be a collective mass. Add the cooked rice at this stage. Mix gently and take care not to break the rice. Pour few spoons of ghee finally on top and cook on low-to-medium flame with a covered lid for 5-8 minutes. Serve hot with Raita of choice.

Paneer Dum Biryani 1.0 (With Yogurt)

After having learnt the basic approach to cooking Biryani; I know love to experiment with different mediums and vegetables, meat, condiments to take the flavour to the next level. I chose a one-pot--dish to satisfy the hunger within stipulated time. I prefer Biryani over weekends, makes cooking easier and a wholesome home cooked dish full of flavour, vegetables or meat with few hours of labor.

I thought of Paneer Biryani which is easy and convenient. I clubbed it with Shan Pilaf-Biryani masala and cooked Paneer in Yogurt which offered good texture. I twisted the flavour at few places to create Hyderabadi style Dum Biryani with spices, condiments which complement Paneer. So I placed weight on the Biryani stock-pot and sealed the sides with foil to prevent the steam from escaping. The Biryani was just perfect.

Preparation time: 60 minutes including cooking time for Rice
Cooking time: 10-15 minutes
Yield: 6-10 servings

Ingredients:
Cooking Rice:
Basmati Rice - 1 and 1/2 cups
Oil - a teaspoon
Salt - As per taste

Paneer Gravy:
Paneer (pre-fried) - 200 gms
Ginger-Garlic paste - 1+1 = 2 tablespoon
Tomato (chopped) - 1 cup
Red Onions (thinly sliced) - 3 cups
Yogurt - 2 tablespoon
Cloves - 3-4
Cardamom - 1

Black Cardamon (Badi Elaichi) - 1
Cinnamon stick (Flat Indian variety) - 1 stick (browen into bits)
Ghee - 3 tablespoon
Salt - as per taste
Shan Pilaf-Biryani Masala - 2 tablespoon or Home made Biryani masala recipe

Biryani Masala: Grind to powder - Yields 2 tablespoon
Fennel seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Black Cumin seeds or Shahjeera - 1/2 teaspoon

Mace (Javitri) - 2

Poppy seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Cinnamon stick (Flat Indian variety) - 1

Cardamom - 2

Black Cardamon (Badi Elaichi) - 1

Caraway seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Cloves - 3-4

Nutmeg (grated) - 1/3rd of a Nutmeg

Red Food color (optional) - 1/2 teaspoon
Saffron (crushed in milk) - few strands

Milk - 3-5 tablespoon
Garam Masala powder - 2 teaspoon
Nutmeg (grated) - 1

Method:
1. Cooking Rice - Wash Basmati rice multiple times till the water is clear. Soak rice in water for 1/2 hour if possible. Cook rice in water with 1:1 1/2 proportion, with one teaspoon oil and salt. Once rice is done, spread on a long tray and separate with a fork if the need be. The drier the freshly cooked rice, the better.

Also, soak Saffron strands in some warm milk and set aside. Crush them lightly with pestle and mortar to get the heavenly color in milk.
2. Paneer Gravy - Heat a tablespoon of Ghee in a deep dish pan; saute cloves, cardamon and cinnamon sticks in them till the ghee turns fragrant. Saute onions till they wilt and are soft. Add Tomatoes, mash them to get a good dry consistency. Add in the ginger-garlic paste and saute well. Once the gravy is well fried, and oil oozes out, add the Biryani masala, Paneer pieces and saute to get an even consistency (I had pre-fried Paneer in little ghee and set it aside after thawing to room temperature). Turn off the flame, mix in the yogurt well and set aside.
3. Assembly - Take a deep dish stock pot. Transfer on low flame (this is key, do not turn flame to medium or high) and add a spoon of ghee, allow to melt. Add a layer of 1/3rd of cooked rice and paneer gravy. Mix the rice and Paneer well. Sprinkle Garam masala powder and some grated nutmeg on top of the layer. Add another layer of 2nd portion of cooked rice, sprinkle nutmeg powder and garam masala powder again. Add the last portion of cooked rice, sprinkle red food color on top of it. Slather few spoons of ghee, add crushed saffron milk. Cover the lid tightly and place some weight, much better if you can seal the sides for 5-7 minutes with a wheat flour dough or foil. Turn off flame after 5-7 minutes. Take a side scoop of Biryani and enjoy with Mirchi Ka Saalan or Raita of choice.

Verdict: The taste of Biryani was awesome and restaurant style. More often than not Biryani has a dry texture, to combat that I ensured the Paneer pieces get coated with Yogurt. Also the Saffron Milk hydrates the Rice while getting cooked on Dum thereby keeping the rice moist. Since I layered rice in different colors of white rice, yellow rice and red rice, it came out visually rich and appealing. This is a high-calorie recipe. For better taste and flavour, do not compromise on ghee.

Kitchen Tips: Home Made - Idli Rava or Rice Rava

Idli Rava in many a homes I know in my native place is made and created at home. This also reminded me of the days when Mom used to spend hours together with her little Grinding stone singing local folklore and the white rice stealthily getting pound, ground to a coarse perfection. The grinding stone has a central dent, where the rice is passed with a palm folded quantity, and then the metal handle is spinned away to glory, till the coarse rice powdered comfortably slips out on the side and perches around the lower slab of the stone.

Idli Rava is the coarse, powdered Rava added to the Idli batter. While there are times I have bought the store variety I prefer the home made one, simply because its-made-at-home. The Rava is quite easy to make and you don't have to sweat it out in kitchen for long. I also use this Rava for coating Fritters which I pan-fry. So just in case I am running out of Sooji/ Coarse Rava, I use this method to make Rava at home.

Preparation time + Processing time: 190 minutes

Ingredients:

Rice (Sona Masoori or Dosa Rice variety) - 2 cups

Water - For soaking

Contraptions used: Traditional Grinding stone or Blender

Method: Wash and drain rice till water is clear. Soak rice in water for 2-3 hours. Drain off the water and spread on muslin cloth or cheese cloth. Keep in a warm place with enough air to dry it off. Once water content completely goes off and each grain is dry (takes around 2-3 hours), grind in a blender to a fine powder. If you are using the Rava for coating fritters, ensure its coarse. If using for Idli, grind to a coarse to fine powder consistency. Store in a air tight container and use as per choice.

Mushroom-Peas Chinese Fried Rice

I am a big Rice fan. Of late, I have begun eating Brown Rice or Paez/Paej. It is healthy and wholesome. I also like the combination of any Konkani/ Konkan dish with rice. I made this on a whim, came out well. It is a simple recipe, but thought would blog about it for the benefit of my readers.

I would be cooking more of Low-calorie recipes, which have loads of health benefits. For this one, I chose Olive Oil and Mushrooms. Added Peas and Onion Greens for extra taste and health.

Preparation time: 60 minutes

Ingredients:

Rice - 3 cups

Mushroom (sliced) - 3 cups

Peas - 1/2 cup

Spring Onion/ Green Onions (chopped - only the greens) - 1 bunch or 3/4th cup

Onions (diced and sliced) - 1 cup

Olive Oil - 3 tablespoon

Soya Sauce - 2 tablespoon

Salt - as per taste

Method:

Cook rice in water with 1:1 1/2 proportion. Add a spoon of oil and salt while cooking. Drain once cooked, and spread on a large plate. Separate with a fork if required. This will enable any moisture to go away and cool the rice.

Heat a stock pot, add few spoons of Olive oil, saute and add mushroom and peas. Add Soya Sauce, adjust salt.

Add the cooked rice and give a gentle shake. Do not stir too much as the rice would turm lumpy. Serve hot with any Manchurian sauce based side dish. Garnish with chopped Onions greens.

Lemon Rice (Nimkaaya Annaa)

Lemon Rice - This is a simple dish which I enjoy a lot. Lemon Rice, Tamarind Rice, Tomato Rice to name a few. Change the seasoning and the vegetable and you have variety of Rice dishes at your disposal. In Bangalore, India, I was amazed at how the road-side and pavements would be dotted with various Darshini's and Sagar's, these are small stand-and-eat restaurants which cater to the mobile and office going population of Bangalore. Best part is a plate full of this rice bowl is a hearty meal to keep going for the entire 9 hour slot of your work timings. Slowly, when I began cooking I enjoyed taking this for my afternoon lunchbox. I used cooked rice from previous day for my Lemon Rice. Since it has less moisture and is more sturdy, it tastes good. Use them at room temperature and you have a lemony, tangy, spice-seasoned rice ready to-go.

Most of the rice dishes originate from Karnataka and are consumed for morning breakfast or as brunch time "Tiffin Meals" or as afternoon lunch dishes. I was surprised when I came to know that the word "Tiffin" originated from the British era. In my home, Tiffin would comprise of Dosa, Idli Fry or simply put any light 1-cup rice dish like Lemon Rice, Tamarind Rice or Puliyogarey. The seasoning used in the case for Lemon Rice is known as Vagraney in Kannada. With a mild change in the seasoning, you could have a different dish of choice with rice, for e.g Tamarind Rice (Pulihora or Puliyogarey), Brinjal Rice (Vaangi Bhaat or Baath), Tomato Rice. Mom used to make this dish when we used to have family picnics and visits which take 4-5 hours of travel. These are a delight to make, take very less time and are great for short distance travels and most important - Office Lunchbox.

Happy Republic Day to all my Indian friends!! My heart lingers in the Republic Day parades, floats and scenic dances, school speeches & skits and umpteen memories we have bundled up together and grown to be proud as an Indian. Today is the day when Indian constitution came into force, erstwhile on January 26, 1950.

Preparation + Cooking time ~ 20 minutes

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice (cooked) - 3 cups

Lime Juice - 3 teaspoons

Urad dal - 1 teaspoon

White Sesame Seeds (optional) - 1/3rd teaspoon

Peanuts (pre-roasted in microwave or stove for 2-4 minutes) - 1 tablespoon

Chana dal - 1/2 teaspoon

Green Chillies (sliced) - 2

Ginger (minced or grated) - 1/2 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - 1/3rd teaspoon

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Curry leaves - 3-4 leaves

Red Chilli (optional) - 1

Salt - As per taste

Oil - For frying

Method:

Heat 2 teaspoon oil and add mustard seeds in a heated saucepan. Once they begin to pop, add green chillies and allow to sear in oil. Be careful as they splutter, you could injure yourself. Have the flame on low-to-medium. Add Urad dal , Sesame Seeds and Chana dal and stir for few minutes. Add curry leaves as well. Add rice and give a gentle stir. Add Turmeric powder and adjust salt as per taste. Add Peanuts and mix in. Do not stir too much as rice would turn soggy. Best would be to shake the pan with a gentle hand. Simmer on low flame for couple of minutes. Turn off the flame. Pour fresh lime juice and serve warm.

Egg Biryani 1.0 (With Green Gravy)

Too much of cold, lot of chills and first thing on your mind is to eat something warm and delicious. I thought of Mish-Mash's famous Egg Biryani. Her recipe is one of my favorites and a perfect way to pamper the foodie in me & for my hubby who feels Biryani is the ultimate dish on the face of earth.

I bought Mint leaves from store and made use of rest of my pantry ingredients. I am glad I could make use of many of the pantry items and many are almost close to getting over. This dish was longing and waiting to be tried and tested. Hence, I made it on time by posting it just at about 11:45 night. I am delighted that this Marathon gave me all the options to try, test, experiment and LEARN of all!

I also referred to my Mom's Biryani recipe which is one of my favorites. She makes Vegetable Biryani which has Poppy seeds, Mint, Fennel seeds and Caraway. She also separately prepares Green Masala and the Gravy, It helps a lot while planning the dish. I combined the both to create a very similar Biryani which is tasty, easy-to-make and a perfect way to celebrate the second last day of the calendar year. Luckily, I had the Indian spices handy as well. This Biryani is a regular at our place now and we enjoy it over weekends as a one-pot-dish.

Recipe Source: MishMash + My Mom's recipe

Preparation time: 60 minutes

Ingredients:

For the Biryani Masala -

Fennel seeds (optional) - 1/2 teaspoon

Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Mace - 2

Cinnamon - 1

Cardamom - 2

Caraway seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Cloves - 3-4

Nutmeg (grated) - 1 whole - 1/2 for rice assembly + 1/2 for spice powder

For the Gravy -

Whole spice - Cinnamon - 2 sticks

Whole spice - Cardamom with pods open - 4

Whole spice - Cloves - 4

Poppy seeds (optional) - 1/2 teaspoon

Onions (sliced finely) - 2 large Onions or 4 cups finely chopped

Tomatoes (chopped finely) - 2-3 medium ones or 2 cups finely chopped

For Green Masala -

Coriander leaves - 6-8 sprigs

Mint leaves - 4-5 sprigs

Green Chillies - 2

Ginger - 1 " piece

Garlic - 5-6 pods

Grind all of the above with little water to a fine paste

Other Ingredients:

Basmati Rice - 1 and 1/2 cups

Eggs - 5-7

Ghee - 3-6 tablespoons

Salt - As per taste

Saffron - 5-8 strands

Warm Milk - 1/2 cup

Garam Masala powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Red Chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Method:

1. Make the spice powder and keep it aside. For better taste, dry roast the spice a little bit and then grind to a powder. Set aside.

2. Hard boil 4 eggs and set aside. Allow them to cool by running cold water over it and peel, poke holes in them, add some salt and set aside.

3. Boil Rice in water in 1:1 1/2 proportion. Which means for 3 cups of rice, we need 5 1/2 cups of water. Add oil and salt while boiling. Once done and par-cooked, spread on a large plate and allow to dry.

4. Heat 3 tablespoon of Ghee and saute Cinnamon, Poppy seeds, Cloves and Cardamom. Add the Cardamom with the shell partly open. This helps in flavouring the ghee appropriately. Once they are roasted, add onions and tomatoes. Fry well till then reduce in size and wear a wilted look. Add the ground Biryani Masala and Green Gravy and adjust salt. Cut the eggs into halves, retain or discard yolk as per choice. Ensure you turn the egg pieces around and dunk them into the gravy but don't break them up. Make a gravy based curry which will eventually lose moisture and become thick.

5. Crush Saffron in 1/2 cup of milk and set aside.

6. Assembly: Now comes the main part. Take a deep dish thick bottomed vessel. Heat 3-4 tablespoons of Ghee. Allow to heat the pan, Once hot, turn to low flame. Put a layer of cooked rice. Sprinkle Garam Masala powder and grated Nutmeg together. Next, pour the egg curry gravy and then pour rest of the rice on top layer. If desired mix the Egg Gravy curry with Rice if you do not want rice to be white colored. Once done, pour the milk on top layer. Now, while pouring milk cover the maximum surface area of the rice. Saffron gives a red color tinge to the rice. This helps in retaining moisture in the rice and enables slow cooking on dum. Last but not the least, pour 2-3 tablespoon of ghee on top and cover with foil and keep on low flame for 5-7 minutes not more than that (beyond 5 minutes gives a roasted layering to the rice, so do not attempt). Turn off the flame.

7. Mix the Biryani should you want to or serve by scooping sideways; I prefer scooping side ways and serving to ensure a complete serve of all 3 layers. Serve with Mirchi Kaa Saalan on the side.

Key Notes:

1. My learning was that Nutmeg (grated), Caraway seeds and Mace offer the extra zing to the Biryani. Do not compromise on adding these.

2. Saffron Milk is the key to the Biryani flavour and richness. It also adds the rich red color.

3. I used White Onion/ Spanish Onions instead of Red, I found a profound difference in the flavour. Its more advisable to use Red Onions for Biryani.

4. Eggs added loosely on top do not soak the masala as opposed to eggs in gravy. If you like it as toppers, garnish on top else, dunk them in the gravy. Take your pick accordingly. I have toned down the spices to a great extent, increase or decrease as per choice.

Idlis in Jackfruit Leaves (Khotte/ Hittu/ Kadubu)

Idlis are always a savior when it comes to long trips and heavy duty breakfast required especially during festivals, travels, weddings. I love Idlis and much better if they come in Jack fruit leaves. Nothing to beat the aroma of steamed Idlis in Jack fruit leaves (Pansaa Paan). Initially, in cities when we wanted Jack fruit leaves we used to get shocked looks in return much to the amusement of folks. Well, very few houses had Jack fruit trees and getting the leaves was a big problem. You eat leaves??? Well! Ahem, no! Then we had to explain the whole story and then we got to eat Khotte.
Khotte is a Konkani way of steaming Idlis in Jack fruit leaves containers. These containers are hand made at home. Nowadays you get them ready made in Mangalore stores in Bangalore or even street vendors in Udupi and Mangalore. Mom makes the best looking Khotte containers. She stitches the leaves in a very cute, very less spillage and steams them to the perfect level. I am still on the learning curve but can make decent Khotte containers. 4 Jack fruit leaves (pre-washed and dried) are stitched together with thin Bamboo sticks (which are pre-soaked in water for atleast 1/2 hour). They are stitched together to form a container. One by one fill these containers with Idli batter, steam as usual (20 minutes to 30 minutes). Have some chutney to go along and you are set for a filling, heavy duty Konkani breakfast.

Later, while in Bangalore I came to know that they go by the name of Kadubu. Granny said that olden days families were huge and they did not have massive Idli containers to use. Trees and their leaves were made to good use by ladies and ecologically they were more degradable, healthy and consumed less water for cleaning. How smart?

Preparation time: 30 minutes (steaming Idlis) + 30 minutes (stitching Khotte leaves) = 1 hour

Ingredients:

Idli Batter - 10 cups

Jack fruit leaves - 4 x 10 = 40 leaves

Bamboo sticks or Curry leaves sticks (sun dried) - 10-15

Water - For steaming Idlis

Contraption - Idli steamer : Available in plenty in India at steel and utensil stores

Method:

Make Idli batter using the recipe for Idlis. Take 4 leaves at a time. Stitch them together to form a container. Make 10-15 similar containers. Let the Steamer boil. Place Khotte one by one and cover the lid tightly. Allow to steam for 20 minutes. Remove from heat once completely cooked. Serve with Byadgi Red Chilli chutney.

Suggestions: If the Jackfruit leaves are a big crispy and tight for stitching, soak them in water for some time and then stitch them. That way, it becomes easier. In some Konkani houses, the Khotte is served with a spoon full of Coconut oil and mixed vegetables pickle or any other pickle with broth on the side. This combination tastes very delicious.

Soupy Brown Rice/ Ganjee/ Paej

Paej ~ The name itself strikes a chord of emotional nostalgia for me. Have grown eating plateful of this soupy Brown Rice delight. Some houses including that of my grandmothers has a norm of 11:00 tiffin with Paej as its called in Konkani. A special kind of rice called as Ukhdo Tandool (Brown Rice ~ very similar to Rosematta Rice available in US) in Konkani is used for the same. Silly I may sound! But hold it and do not stop me this time around. Fistful of Brown Rice washed and washed in tap water till its clean, non-cloudy and the red and white color sparkles at your face. Boil a pot full of water, we used to follow 1:4 proportion, which means for 1 cup of rice 4 cups of water. This Rice is eaten with the soupy starch and pickle, pappadams and vodee on the sides. Specially prevalent during those days when ancestral houses were full of kids and after a hiatus of early morning breakfast all the starving tummies used to yearn for a morsel of this humble nutritious delight.

Some also address it as Ganjee Utaa in Kannada. In Konkanis its known as Paej. Initially I felt a silly blogging about it but could not stop myself after thinking about all the wonderful times I have had eating spoons and spoons of this soupy rice during summer vacations at Udupi at my Grannys place. Paej along with Pickle, Vodee and Papads suffice as a one pot dish. Some serve Upkari of choice on the side.

I had a small bag of Rice I had bought from my India trip. Curiosity kills as they say! Could not hold my taste buds and plunged some into boiling water to enjoy this on a cold winter afternoon with Lime Pickle and Red Chilli Papad. Tastes best when served with Salt, dollops of home made Ghee and some spicy pickle. Happy Winter!!!

Preparation time ~ 30 to 45 minutes

Ingredients:

Brown Rice/ Parboiled Rice/ Ponni Rice ~ Ukhdo Tandool or Rosematta Rice (US) - 1 cup

Water - 4-5 cups

Method:

Wash rice multiple times till the rice is super clean and devoid of mud and grit. Boil 4-5 cups of water and once water begins to boil, add the washed rice. Give an occasional stir. Turn to a low flame and allow to simmer. Keep stirring occasionally. Once rice is cooked and done completely, turn off the flame and serve hot with ghee, salt and pickle on the side.

Simple Bon Masala Vegetable Pulao

This is a very simple Pulao recipe. I wanted to blog about it for the cute pictures I had alongwith. Forgot to put off the flash, nevertheless worthy while you travel the memory lane. I was so hungry that I chose to forget clicking the final picture of my Pulao. Something which I never do otherwise. I have a fetish for locally made/produced/ invented Masala's. Any country or place or city that I travel to, I make sure I grab a small chunk of their local flavour which would be their Masala's. I think thats the closest way to connect with the food and the authenic flavour quite synonymous with the place. One of our cousins had told me about this masala named Bon Masala some time back. Bon Masala is very famous in Udupi and Mangalore especially their Chicken and Fish masala's. Their Pulao goes well if made with Jeera Rice which you get in India. This is fairly easy recipe and good for beginner's who want to try out simpler dishes in the kitchen.

Preparation time ~ 15 minutes

Cooking time ~ 30 minutes

Ingredients:

Rice - 1 cup

French Beans (chopped) - 1/2 cup

Onions (chopped) - 1/2 cup

Carrot (chopped) - 1/2 cup

Cauliflower (cut into florets) - 1/2 cup

Ginger - garlic paste - 1 tablespoon

Water - 6 cups

Bon Pulao Masala - 2 teaspoon

Oil - For frying

Garam masala powder - 1 teaspoon

Salt - As per taste

Method:

Take a deep dish pan and fry the vegetables till they wilt a little. Add the rice (pre-washed multiple times to ward off starch). Fry the rice well, add salt and both the masala's. Adjust salt as desired. Cover with a lid and bring to boil. Simmer on low flame till water gets evaporated. Do not stir the Pulao too many times as this could render a soggy finish to the dish. Serve hot with pickle and Raita.

Fengreek Leaves Rice (Methi Rice)

Methi Rice is one of Mom's special Rice-based dish which I relish a lot. She gives a new twist to this dish by adding Garlic and Cumin seeds as a seasoning which allows the bitter taste of Fenugreek leaves to mingle with the sharp and Garlic-y flavour of Garlic flakes. Final closing would be Red Chillies of Byadgi variety which is very pleasing. This Rice item suits great for Lunch boxes. I used to carry this in my Lunchbox to workplace and my colleagues would love the aroma of Rice with Methi leaves.

Recipe Source: Mom

Serves: 2 individuals

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

Fenugreek leaves (chopped) - 1/2 cup

Rice (pre-cooked) - 2 cups

Garlic flakes (crushed) - 4-6

Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Red Chillies (Byadgi variety) - 2

Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Salt - As per taste

Oil/Ghee - For frying

Method:

Heat Ghee in a deep dish saucepan. Once the ghee melts, add Cumin seeds and Garlic flakes. The seeds will pop up and garlic would get a charred look, add the red chillies and saute well. Add Methi leaves and saute till they wilt and reduce in size. Add turmeric powder and salt. Give a gentle stir. Add Rice and toss well. Once rice is added do not stir too frequently as this would lead to lumps and soggy rice. Once tossed, simmer on low flame for 5 minutes and turn off flame. Serve hot with pickle.

Suggestion: Rice from previous day suits best for this dish as its grainy and has less moisture. Be careful with Methi leaves quantity, if its less the taste is not profound, if its more its offers a bitter taste.

Simple Chicken Biryani

Chicken Biryani - A too die for dish and one of our favorites. There are many methods and approaches to this dish. This one was prepared some time back. Without further ado I wanted to post them lest I lose the memory of this dish and the yummy fare memories we tucked into with great gusto.

Biryani is a family favorite and all of us can spend weekends munching on some yummy delightful Biryani. Great for family get-togethers and serves best as One Pot Dish as well. Biryani's which have a heirloom flavour associated with it, are painstakingly prepared; one can spend days and months planning Biryani for special festivities. An acquantaince from Hyderabad told me that her mother plans for Biryani during Eid several weeks before. The spices, saffron, herbs, rice, meat is arranged from special vendors whom they have been buying their groceries from. Its a ceremonious occasion and no stone is left unturned to prepare this dish which has its own age old significance and roots. Biryani is believed to be originating from Persia. Meals are served in traditional seating arrangement called as "Dastakhaan". The meat got married with the Pilaf and Biryani was born. The more authentic and flavourful your spices and condiments the better tasting your Biryani and the associated medley of flavours in your mouth. Biryani tastes best when served with Mirchi Ka Saalan, a traditional peanut-pepper sauce which meshes well with the rice grains. Hyderabadi style Biryanis are mostly served with Mirchi Ka Saalan and once you sample this duo combination you would always prefer to eat them together.

I have eaten many versions of Biryani. The Hyderabad version is the most famous one. Paradise - Hyderabad sells one of the most famous Hyderabadi style Dum-Ki-Biryani I have ever eaten. So much so that anybody flying from Hyderabad was pestered to get their vacuum packed version of 2 kgs Biryani. I read some time back that there is a famous potli-ka-masala which is tied in a cheesecloth/ muslin cloth and is dropped in the Biryani when its cooked on Dum. These masala's render the aromatic flavour to the Dum-Ki-Biryani.

Another style Biryani is Andhra style Biryani which I sampled at Malgudi Restaurant in Begumpet, Hyderabad. Large chunks of vegetables cooked in aromatic Basmati rice with whole spices and powders. One of its kind taste and tender cooked vegetables give a whole new meaning to this dish.

Recipe Source: Our family Biryani recipe

Serves ~ 6 to 8 individuals

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice (pre-cooked) - 4 cups

Chicken - 4-5 Drumstick (skinless, with bone ~ Tyson Brand)

Cashewnuts - 6-10

Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Yogurt - 1 cup

Onions (chopped) - 3 Onions ~ sliced vertically , if Indian Onions, use 4 of them

Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon

Oil - For frying

Cloves - 4-5

Cinnamon - 1 stick

Cardamom - 4-5 (with open pods and non-seeded)

Pepper corns - 4-5

Garam Masala or Pulao Masala - 1 teaspoon (cloves, cardamom, cinnamon powder, bay leaves)

Coriander leaves - 6-10 sprigs (chopped finely)

Salt - As per taste

Method:

Heat oil in a deep dish pan and add mustard seeds. Fry Onions (2 - chopped) and cashewnuts (whole) together and saute for a while. Add Chicken pieces, salt, yogurt, masala powder and turmeric powder. Let the chicken cook well in the broth. Cover with a lid for 10-15 minutes.

In a saucepan, heat oil to smoking hot level. Deep fry onions and cashewnuts, transfer on a paper towel and keep them aside.

Water would evaporated after 15 minutes, add the pre-cooked rice, adjust salt level as desired. Pour a garnish of coriander leaves and cashewnuts on top and cook on low flame for 15-20 minutes. Serve hot with Mirchi Ka Saalan.

Soya Chunks Pulao In Whole Spices

Soya chunks is a cosy chunky favorite of ours and we simply love to add this chewy delight in any dish we love. I have also become a big fan of Shan Biryani/Pulao Masala. This Masala is very similar to our MDH/Kitchen King range of Masala's available at all India Grocery stores and is a Pakistani Masala which also has some whole spices like Jai Phal, Cardomom in them. Their range of Masala's make a great tasty dish out of Meat/ Rice dishes. I had some cooked rice from the previous day. I mixed the whole spices with Rice and added abundant helpings of Soya chunks; the dish came out quite tasty much to our amusement. Works well with cold rice done from previous day's dinner or lunch lot.

Preparation + Cooking time: 60 minutes
Serves: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:
Rice (cooked) - 6-8 cups of previous day cooked rice or 2 and 1/2 cup rice
Soya Chunks (cooked) - 1 and 1/2 cup
Onion (chopped) - 1/2 cup
Shan Pilaf/Biryani Masala - 1/2 a packet
Pepper powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Cloves - 5-6 pods
Cinnamon stick - 1 large
Cardomom - 3-4 pods
Bay Leaves - 3-4 pieces
Oil/Ghee - for frying
Salt - as per taste

Method:
Cook Soya chunks in double the quantity of water with salt. Once they pop up in size (almost double the volume), allow to cool and squeeze them out of water. Thoroughly wash them in water 2-3 times and set aside.

In a deep dish saucepan, heat 3-4 tablespooons of oil/ghee, saute chopped onions, cloves, cardomom pods with seeds within, cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Once the spices fry they pop up in size. Fry all this on a low to medium flame lest you burn the spices. Add the cooked Soya chunks and add Shan Pulao Masala. Stir well. Add few teaspoons of water and allow to cook on low flame with covered lid for 4-5 minutes.

Open the lid and add the rice and give a gentle toss. Add pepper powder and salt as desired. Stir well. The rice and soya chunks should get an even coating of spices on their surface. Last but not the least, add few spoons of ghee on top, give a gentle stir and turn off the flame. Serve hot with a curry and pickle.

Few Tips: This dish is little high in calories, soya adds the desired flavour. You could tone down the oil/ghee content as desired. Keep in mind to squeeze the water out of soya chunks for better soya flavour.

Rice And Vegetables (Bisi Bele Bhaat)

"Yene maganey?"
"Namgey Bisi Bele bath beyku"

(What kiddo?

I want Bisi Bele bath)

Sweet memories of the Silicon city of the south. I can never forget the good old flavours I have captured in my heart from the great city of career and dreams - Bangalore. It is a potpourri of different cultures yet has managed to preserve the old and has smoothly ushered into the new. Sometimes I wonder where on the world can you find such unique distinctness of culture, diversity, opportunities and cuisines.
When I moved to Bangalore, my survival was dependent on the various Darshinis and Sagars dotting the city space. "Shanti Sagar" the famous chain was one such food joint near my apartment. Mornings were exclusively was Times of India and Bisi Bele Bath and Filter Coffee from Shanti Sagar. Best part about Shanti Sagar is that apart from sit-in spaces they also have stand-and-eat spaces outside their joints which enables office goers and rush-travellers to get a quick bite of their "tiffin" before they head out for a busy day. Maa makes amazing Bisi Bele Bath and the taste of this dish fondly reminds me of green shammi tress, cool mornings, filter coffee and time well spent at this career mecca for millions - Bangalore.

I tried this recipe from Mandhu's Vantalu and it turned out quite nice. Thanks Madhu.

Recipe Source: Madhu's Vantalu
Serves: 6 individuals

Ingredients:
Toor Dal: 3/4 cup
Rice: 1 cup
Water: 8 cups or more
Salt: as per taste
Ghee: 2 tablespoon
Bisi Bele Bath powder: 3 tablespoon

Vegetables -
French Beans: 10-15 - chopped to 1" pieces
Carrot: 3 - chopped to 1/2 " pieces
Onion: 1 - chopped to 1" pieces
Potato" 2 - chopped to 1" pieces

Tempering -
Oil: 1 teaspoon
Curry leaves: 3-4
Cashew nuts: 3-4 tablespoon
Mustard seeds: 1 t easpoon

Method:
Boil 8 cups of water in a deep dish pan and add salt, turmeric and toor dal which preferably could be pre-soaked for atleast 15 minutes. Once par-boiled, add carrot and beans and bring to boil. This whole process takes around 20 minutes.
Wash rice thoroughly and add to this. Add desired amount of salt and bring to boil. Lower the flame thereafter.
On a separate pan, heat ghee and add mustard seeds. Once the seeds begin to pop, add onions and cashew nuts. I had chopped cashew nuts to small pieces because they render a good flavour once done so. Fry till onions turn transparent and cashew nuts turn crunchy.
Give the Bath a gentle stir, once done add the tempered mixture and turn off the flame. Mix well. Serve with hot melted ghee and boondi. They also taste great with Vodee/ Vadams and Appalams.