Hydeabadi Mirchi Ka Salan

Hyderabadi Miri Ka Saalan

Deep - fried piquant chillies cooked in a delicious thick and spicy roasted coconut gravy. It goes well with biryani and steamed rice.

Recipe Credit - Femina Magazine July 28, 2010 & Chef Vishal Kunwar Singh, Chef De Cuisine, Sahara Star - Mumbai

Preparation Time: 25 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4

You will need

250 g Bhavnagari green chillies

50 ml cooking oil ( Chef recommends 200 ml oil )

For the masala paste:

3 tablespoon ( 45 g ) poppy seeds ( khus - khus )

3 tablespoon grated coconut

2 teaspoon coriander seeds

6 flakes garlic

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

2 - 3 tablespoon water ( to make paste )

For the gravy:

1 tablespoon oil ( Chef recommends 50 ml mustard oil )

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon fenugreek ( methi ) seeds

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 teaspoon cumin ( jeera ) seeds

3 dry red chillies

1 spring curry leaves

3 green chillies

2 teaspoon garlic paste

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder ( or to taste )

1 tablespoon tamarind paste

1 teaspoon salt ( or to taste )

1 cup ( 200 ml ) water

2 teaspoon chopped coriander leaves

Method

Heat oil in a kadai / frying pan and deep - fry green chilli till soft and set aside.

For the coconut masala:

Heat an iron kadai and dry roast all the ingredients till golden color and fragrant ( Do not allow to turn deep brown color ). Allow the mixture to cool naturally and grind to a fine paste in a mixer ( add 2 - 3 tablespoon water while grinding ).

To make the gravy:

Heat oil in another wide pan. Add mustard seeds. When they begin to pop, add cumin seeds, fennel seeds, dry red chillies, curry leaves and green chillies. Saute on a low heat for 2 minutes.

Add garlic paste and fry for 2 minutes.

Add coconut paste, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and tamarind paste. Mix all the ingredients well.

Adjust the gravy consistency with 1 cup - to 1 1/2 cups water. Add salt to taste. Cover with a lid and cook on a low heat for 5 - 8 minutes.

Finally add fried Bhavnagari chillies. Cook for another five minutes.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with Biryani / Pulao and steamed rice.

Hyderabadi Khatti Dal

Hyderabadi Khatti Dal

Recipe adapted from Times of India, Times Life (04/03/2012)

A very tasty dal, goes well with Rotis / Rice / pulao …

Serves: 4

Ingredients

For dal:

100 g tur dal / moong dal (spit yellow dal)

100 g masoor dal (pink color dal)

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

10 cloves garlic, chopped

2 well ripe tomatoes, chopped

2 green chillies (2 big size or 3 small size), slit lengthwise

½ teaspoon oil

¾ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon thick tamarind paste

Method

For dal:

Wash and soak dals in 3 cups of water in a pressure cooker for 1 hour. Add turmeric powder, chopped garlic, tomatoes, slit green chillies, salt to taste and oil and pressure cook for 20 minutes (Reduce the heat from high to medium after 3 whistles and cook for 15 minutes). Do not open the cooker. Allow the cooker to cool naturally.

Finally add 1 teaspoon tamarind paste (or ½ teaspoon to 1 teaspoon), mix well and boil on a low heat for 7 – 10 minutes.

For seasoning / tadka:

2 teaspoons oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

½ teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)

4 curry leaves

1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves

Method

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add cumin seeds and curry leaves. Saute for 2 – 3 minutes or until fragrant on a low heat. Pour this tadka over dal and serve with rotis / rice ..

Hyderabadi Khatti Dal

Hyderabadi Khatti Dal

Recipe adapted from Times of India, Times Life (04/03/2012)

A very tasty dal, goes well with Rotis / Rice / pulao …

Serves: 4

Ingredients

For dal:

100 g tur dal / moong dal (spit yellow dal)

100 g masoor dal (pink color dal)

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

10 cloves garlic, chopped

2 well ripe tomatoes, chopped

2 green chillies (2 big size or 3 small size), slit lengthwise

½ teaspoon oil

¾ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon thick tamarind paste

Method

For dal:

Wash and soak dals in 3 cups of water in a pressure cooker for 1 hour. Add turmeric powder, chopped garlic, tomatoes, slit green chillies, salt to taste and oil and pressure cook for 20 minutes (Reduce the heat from high to medium after 3 whistles and cook for 15 minutes). Do not open the cooker. Allow the cooker to cool naturally.

Finally add 1 teaspoon tamarind paste (or ½ teaspoon to 1 teaspoon), mix well and boil on a low heat for 7 – 10 minutes.

For seasoning / tadka:

2 teaspoons oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

½ teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)

4 curry leaves

1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves

Method

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add cumin seeds and curry leaves. Saute for 2 – 3 minutes or until fragrant on a low heat. Pour this tadka over dal and serve with rotis / rice ..

Hyderabadi Khatti Dal (2 nd recipe)

Serves: 2

You will need

For dal:

100 g turdal
1/2 turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon oil
1/2 teaspoon milk
250 ml water (2 1/2 cups)

For seasoning:

1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 onion, finely sliced
1 green chilli, slit lengthwise
1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
1 tablespoon (15 g) garlic paste
1 1/2 teaspoon tamarind paste or 2 tablespoon tamarind juice
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
Extra 50 ml hot water
2 teaspoon chopped coriander leaves

Method

For dal:

Wash and soak tur dal in 2 1/2 cups water for one hour and mix with turmeric powder, oil and milk and pressure cook for 25 minutes or till done and soft (Reduce the heat after 2 nd whistle and cook on a medium heat for 20 minutes. Do not open the lid. Allow the cooker to cool naturally).

For seasoning:

In a wide pan, heat oil. Add cumin seeds and fry on a low heat for 1 minute.

Add sliced onion and fry till golden color and crisp. Add green chilli and saute well.

Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder. Stir well on a low heat for 1 - 2 minutes.

Add garlic paste and mix well.

Add boiled dal, tamarind paste / juice and salt to taste. Add extra 50 ml hot water if required.

Cover with a lid and cook on a low to medium heat for 12 - 15 minutes or until the dal slightly thickens / fragrant.

Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves and serve with Rotis / Rice,

Baghare Baingan

Baghare Baingan

Serves: 4

You will need

For Baingan:

50 ml oil for frying
4 baingan - purple color (aubergines), cut in half

For spice paste (masala):

1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon poppy seeds (khas khas)
1 1/2 teaspoon peanuts
2 tablespoon (30 g) grated coconut (optional)
1 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds (til)
2 tablespoon water

Other ingredients

1 tablespoon oil
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 spring curry leaves
1/4 turmeric powder
2 green chillies, slit lengthwise
1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1 cup water (100 ml)
1 teaspoon tamarind paste or 3 teaspoons tamarind juice
1 tablespoon coriander leaves

Method

For brinjal:

Wash and clean brinjal. Wipe each brinjal with a kitchen towel and cut in half.

Heat oil 50 ml oil on a medium heat and deep - fry brinjal pieces until lightly browned. Drain and keep aside.

For spice paste:

Heat a fry pan and, separately, dry roast cumin seeds, coriander seeds, poppy seeds, sesame seeds and peanuts for 1 minute on a low to medium heat. Remove skin form the roasted peanuts. Transfer these ingredients to a mixer bowl and make a smooth in a mixer with 2 tablespoon water. If using grated coconut, dry roast for 10 minutes on a low to medium heat and make a paste along with the other ingredients.

Final preparation:

In another pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil fry sliced onions till golden color and crisp.

Add curry leaves, ground paste, turmeric powder, slit green chillies and red chilli powder. Saute for 2 - 3 minutes on a low heat (you will get a nice aroma !!!)

Add 1 cup water, tamarind paste / juice and salt to taste and cook for 10 minutes on a low to medium heat or until the gravy slightly thickens. Add fried brinjals and stir gently. Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves and cook again on a low heat for 5 - 7 minutes. Serve hot with Biryani / Pulao/ Rotis / Rice.

Hyderabadi Chicken Dum Biryani

Hyderabadi Chicken Dum Biryani

Serves: 4

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 1/2 hours

Ingredients

For onion:

300 g onions (4 onions), sliced
50 ml oil
1 tablespoon cashew nut (split)
1 tablespoon raisins
3 tablespoons ghee

Ingredients for marinade:

20 ml (4 teaspoon) yogurt/ curd
2 tablespoon (30 g) ginger - garlic paste ( fresh and homemade )
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
25 g (2 tablespoon) chopped coriander leaves
25 g (2 tablespoon) chopped mint leaves
2 green chillies, slit lengthwise
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon green cardamom powder (elaichi powder)
1 teaspoon garam masala powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder
3/4 teaspoon salt ( or to taste )
500 g chicken pieces, washed and drained water thoroughly
2 tablespoon water

For the rice:

4 black cardamom
3 cinnamon sticks
3 cloves
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups ( 400 g ) basmati rice
6 cups water
1/2 teaspoon ghee

For assembling:

1/2 teaspoon saffron, diluted in 1/4 cup ( 45 ml ) milk (optional)
1 tablespoon ghee

Method

For onion:

Fry 2 onions in oil on a low to medium heat until golden brown and crisp (approximately 20 minutes). When cool, crush and set aside.

Fry 2 onions in 3 tablespoon ghee on a low to medium heat till golden color and crisp. Fry cashew nut splits and raisins and keep aside.

For the chicken:

Blend the remaining ingredients with half of fried and crushed onions and rub this marinade on the chicken. Set aside for 30 minutes.

Put marinated chicken in heavy bottomed pan. Sprinkle 2 tablespoon water. Mix all the ingredients well. Cover with a lid and cook on a low to medium heat for 35 - 45 minutes or till done / chicken pieces are soft and gravy thickens.

For Rice:

Wash and clean rice.

Put all spices and ghee in water and boil. Add rice, and drain when it is 3/4 th done (Do not overcook rice. Each rice grain should be separated. See the photo above).

Final preparation:

Dum method:

In a heavy - bottomed vessel or biryani pot, spread a layer of chicken masala and half portion of cooked rice Make 2 layers with cooked rice and meat masala. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon ghee, saffron solution (optional) and reserved fried onions, raisins and cashew nuts.



Cover with a tight lid. Seal with maida dough on the edges of the lid. Heat a heavy - bottomed iron kadai. Keep biryani pot over it. Cook on a low heat for 25 - 30 minutes. You can find a color change on the maida seal. Open the seal carefully. Serve with raita & pickle.

Homemade Hyderabadi Haleem

Homemade Hyderabadi Haleem

Haleem (Persian: حلیم) is a thick Persian, Pakistani and North Indian high calorie dish. Although this dish varies from region to region, it always includes wheat, lentils and meat.

Haleem is made of wheat, meat (usually beef or mutton, but sometimes chicken or minced meat), lentils and spices. This dish is slow cooked for seven to eight hours which results in a paste like consistency, with the taste of spices and meat blending with wheat.

Haleem is sold as snack food in Bazaars all year around. It is also a special dish prepared throughout the world during Ramadan and Moharram months of Muslim Hijri calendar, particularly amongst Pakistani and Indian Muslims. In India, Haleem prepared in Hyderabad, during the Ramadan month, is very famous and is distributed all over the country. Haleem is available in Chennai at Mughal Zaika Restaurant, Kilpauk only during the month of Ramzan. I prepared it with very little oil. So oil is not floating on top and it's very tasty.

Ingredients

Lamb - 150 gm
Red lentil - 25 gm
Broken wheat - 25 gm
Channa dal - 25 gm
Urad Dal - 25 gm (washed)
Arhar dal - 25 gm
Ginger garlic paste - 30 gm ( 6 teaspoon )
Red chilli powder - 2 teaspoon
Pure ghee 50 ml ( or 1 tablespoon oil )
Turmeric powder - 5 gm
Curd - 30 ml
Green cardamom - 10 gm

Onion - 50 gm
Almond - 15 gm
Chironji - 15 gm ( optional )
Khus khus ( poppy seeds ) - 15 gm
Green chilli - 15 gm
Cooking oil oil -1 tablespoon ( In a pan, heat oil and fry 2 sliced onions until brown color )
Salt - 5 gm ( or to taste )

Method

Wash lentils. Add turmeric powder and ginger-garlic paste ( 2 teaspoon ) and boil until soft ( 1 cup lentils + 3 cups water and pressure cooking time 30 minutes ).

Wash broken wheat and soak for 45 minutes. Cook along with lentils. Roast almonds, chironji, khus khus and grind to smooth paste. Add to lentils.

Sauté meat with oil, ginger-garlic paste ( 2 teaspoon ), red chilli powder and curd. Cook till it is tender. Cool and shred into thin threads.

In a wide pan, heat ghee or oil. Add sliced onions and sauté till brown. Add ginger- garlic paste ( 2 teaspoon ) and cook further. Add lentil paste and shredded lamb and cook it on slow flame for 30 minutes till the oil floats on top.

Add ginger juliennes, browned onion, and slit green chilli as garnish and serve hot with any Indian bread of your choice.

Nawabi Mutton Biryani

Homemade Nawabi Mutton Biryani

Serves: 3 - 4

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

For the  Onion paste:

3 onions, sliced
30 ml oil
3 red chillies

Fry onions in oil till golden brown. When cool, make a smooth paste with 3 red chillies.

For the mutton:

500 g mutton (lamb)

75 ml yogurt/ curd, whisked

1 tablespoon thick ginger - garlic paste ( fresh and homemade )

1 teaspoon salt ( or to taste )

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 tablespoon ghee

Wash and clean mutton pieces. Drain out water completely. Marinate mutton pieces with ground onion paste, ginger - garlic paste, turmeric powder, whisked yogurt and salt. Cover and keep aside for half an hour.

In a pressure cooker, heat 1 tablespoon ghee. Add marinated mutton pieces and pressure cook for 25 - 30 minutes or till done ( reduce the heat to medium after 3rd whistle (3 quick whistle) and cook for 25 minutes ). Allow the cooker to cool naturally.

For the rice:

1 teaspoon ghee

4 black cardamom

4 cloves

1 cinnamon stick (2 - cm in size)

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds

5 peppercorns

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups ( Indian standard measuring cup of 200 ml / 8 oz capacity ) basmati rice

6 cups water

For the Rice:

In a pan, heat ghee. Add peppercorns,cinnamon,  cardamom, fennel seeds  and cloves. Fry till fragrant.

Put all the fried spices, salt and  in water and boil. Add rice, and drain when half done (do not overcook rice. Each rice grain should be separated). Remove whole spices when assembling.

To assemble:

1 teaspoon garam masala powder

1/2 teaspoon saffron, diluted in 1/4 cup ( 25 ml ) milk (optional)

1 tablespoon ghee

2 tablespoon shallow fried cashew nuts and raisins

2 tablespoon chopped coriander and mint leaves

Put the cooked meat in a large pan, and spread the parboiled rice and garam masala powder over it. Drizzle saffron milk over it. Sprinkle shallow fried cashew nuts and raisins, chopped coriander and mint leaves and ghee. Cover tightly and cook over low heat or bake for 20 minutes.

Or try this method

Dum method:

In a heavy - bottomed vessel or biryani pot, spread a layer of mutton masala and half portion of cooked rice Make 2 layers with cooked rice, garam masala powder and mutton masala. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon ghee, saffron solution, chopped coriander - mint leaves, shallow fried raisins and cashew nuts

Cover with a tight lid. Seal with maida dough on the edges of the lid. Heat a heavy - bottomed iron kadai. Keep biryani pot over it. Cook on a low heat for 25 - 30 minutes. One can find a color change on the maida seal. Open the seal carefully. Decorate with chopped coriander and mint leaves. Serve with hot with Raita and pickle.

Hyderabadi Biryani @ Hyderabadi Biryani Corner, Chennai

Hot N' Spicy Hyderabadi Mutton Biryani @

Hyderabadi Biryani Corner
#20, Moor's Road, Off College Road,
Nungambakam, Chennai

Tel # 9841730617

Landmark - Signal towards Greams Road, Pantheon Road & Anna Salai

Hyderabadi Mirch Aur Baingan Ka Salan

Deep - fried eggplants and piquant chillies cooked in a wonderfully thick and spicy roasted coconut gravy. It goes well with biryani and steamed rice.

Preparation Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4

You will need

200 g Bhavnagari green chillies
300 g baby egg plants ( baingan )
1 1/4 cup water ( 250 ml )
50 ml cooking oil ( Chef recommends 200 ml oil )

For the masala paste:

3 tablespoon ( 45 g ) poppy seeds ( khus - khus )
3 tablespoon grated coconut
2 teaspoon coriander seeds
6 flakes garlic
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

For the gravy:

1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon fenugreek ( methi ) seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon cumin ( jeera ) seeds
3 dry red chillies
1 spring curry leaves
3 green chillies
2 teaspoon garlic paste
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 teaspoon red chilli powder ( or 3 teaspoon )
1 tablespoon tamarind paste
1 teaspoon salt ( or to taste )
2 teaspoon chopped coriander leaves

Method

Heat oil in a kadai / frying pan and deep - fry baingan and green chilli till soft and set aside.

For the coconut masala:

Heat an iron kadai and dry roast all the ingredients till golden color and fragrant ( Do not allow to turn deep brown color ). Allow the mixture to cool naturally and grind to a fine paste in a mixer ( add 1 tablespoon water while grinding ).

To make the gravy:

Heat oil in another wide pan. Add mustard seeds. When they begin to pop, add cumin seeds, fennel seeds, dry red chillies, curry leaves and green chillies. Saute on a low heat for 2 minutes.

Add garlic paste and fry for 2 minutes.

Add coconut paste, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and tamarind paste. Mix all the ingredients well.

Adjust the gravy consistency with 1 1/4 cup - to 1 3/4 cups water ( if desired ). Add salt to taste. Cover with a lid and cook on a low heat for 5 - 8 minutes.

Finally add fried Bhavnagari chillies and baingan. Cook for another five minutes.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with Biryani and steamed rice.