MUTTON BIRYANI

Ingredients :

5 tbsp oil

750 gms mutton

1 tsp roughly ground garlic

½ bowl water

1 tsp salt

3-4 cloves

2-3 whole green cardamom

2-3 cinnamon sticks

2 tsp curd

1 tsp garam masala

boiled rice

food colour

saffron

Method :

Heat oil in a pan, add garlic and stir. Add mutton and water and stir again. Now add salt, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, curd and garam masala. Stir it well, cover and cook for 30 minutes or till just done.

Add the rice. If needed add some more water. Add the colour and saffron, cover the dish and seal the side with dough. Cook for 5-10 minutes or till well done and serve.

KASHMIRI CHICKEN PULAO

Ingredients :

500 gms rice

6-7 chicken thighs

2 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp black pepper powder

1 tsp chopped ginger

5-6 cloves chopped garlic

1 tsp chopped green chillies

1 cup yoghurt

2 tbsp desi ghee

1 cup sliced onion

1 tsp red chilli powder

salt

water

Method :

Wash and soak rice in water for 20 minutes.

Cut the chicken into even size pieces. Wash them and drain the excess water.

Add salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder to the yoghurt and whisk.

Heat desi ghee in a pan, add garlic, sliced onions and sauté. Now add ginger, green chillies, and the whisked yoghurt and sauté. Cook for 2 minutes and add chicken pieces.

Cook for a minute and add 2 cups of water and leave it to boil. Add the rice to the chicken. Cook for some time and serve hot.

HYDERABADI BIRYANI

Ingredients : ( serves 4 )

1 kg lamb meat

1 tbs salt

1 tbs ginger-garlic paste

½ tbs red chilli powder

½ tbs green chilli paste

½ tbs cardamom powder

4-5 pieces cinnamon

1 tbs cumin seeds

4 cloves

1 pinch of mace and nutmeg powder

coriander leaves to taste

fried onions to taste

1 tbs lemon juice

250 gms curd

4 tbs clarified butter

750 gms semi-cooked rice

½ cup water

1 tsp saffron

To garnish :

Boiled eggs

Sliced carrots

Sliced cucumber

Method :

Clean the meat. In a pan, add meat, salt, ginger-garlic paste, red chilli powder, green chilli paste, cardamom powder, cinnamon, cumin seeds, cloves, mace and nutmeg powder, coriander leaves, fried onions and lemon juice.

Then add curd, clarified butter, half a cup of water, saffron and semi-cooked rice. Mix well.

Add sticky dough to the sides of the pan. Cover the lid to seal. Cook for 20 minutes.

Garnish with boiled eggs, sliced carrots and cucumber and serve hot.

COCONUT RICE

Ingredients :

1 cup rice

1 tbs.oil

1 pod black cardamom

1-2 cinnamon sticks

1 piece mace

3-4 cloves

½ tsp black pepper

2-3 green cardamoms

4 tsp ginger paste & garlic paste

1 cup coconut milk

1 thinly sliced onion

half a bowl of grated coconut

salt

water

Method :

Wash and soak rice in water for 30 minutes.

Take oil in a pan, add black cardamom, cinnamon, mace, cloves, black pepper, and green cardamom. Cook for a few seconds. Now add ginger and garlic paste and onions. Saute till they turn brown.

Add grated coconut and coconut milk. Mix well. Cook till fat starts separating and then add water. Add salt to taste. Drain the water from the rice and add it to the cooking mixture. Once the rice is cooked, put off the heat and leave for 2 to 3 minutes. Serve hot.

CALICUT CHICKEN BIRYANI

Ingredients :

½ kg chicken

½ cup yoghurt

25 gms coriander leaves

25 gms mint leaves

10 gms curry leaves

½ tsp cumin seeds

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp aniseed powder

25 gms chopped green chillies

20 gms garlic

2 tsp. chopped ginger

½ tsp.turmeric powder

1 tsp.lime juice

1 tsp poppy seed paste

For the main preparation :

1 tbsp.clarified butter

5-6 cinnamon pieces

1 bay leaf

4-5 cardamom seeds

4-5 curry leaves

4-5 cloves

1 chopped onion

250 gms broken rice

½ litre water

For the biryani masala :

2 tbsp.clarified butter

5-6 cinnamon pieces

1 bay leaf

4-5 cloves

4-5 pods cardamom

1 nutmeg

100 gms onions

1 medium tomato cut into 4

Method :

Mix the ingredients fot the marinade together. Marinate the chicken in marinade for 30 minutes.

For the rice :

Heat the clarified butter in a pan. Add the bay leaf, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, curry leaves and onion rings. Stir and add soaked rice and boiling water. Now boil the rice till done.

Mix rice and chicken in a serving bowl. Garnish with fried cashewnuts, raisins, fried chilli and boiled eggs. Serve hot with raita.

RICE VEG SESAME SEED PULAO

Ingredients :

3 cups basmati rice

4-5 red chillies

2 tbsp sesame seeds ( white tilli )

½ cup peanuts

½ cup cashewnuts

1 tbsp butter

½ cup cream

1 tsp mustard seeds

5-6 curry leaves

2 tsp white lentils ( urad dal )

3 tbsp ghee or oil

salt to taste

Method :

Wash basmati rice and soak it in water for some time. Roast 4-5 red chillies, 1 tsp of sesame seeds and grind them into a fine powder.

Heat oil in a pan and fry ½ cup peanuts, ½ cup cashewnuts.

Heat butter in a pan and as it melts add ½ a cup of cream and add the fried nuts.

Heat ghee in a pan, add mustard seeds, curry leaves, 1 cup of white lentils ( urad dal ) and add the sesame seed mixture. Add some water to it. Add rice when the water starts to boil, and salt.

Garnish it with the cream mixture. Cover and cook for some time and serve.