Vegetable Biryani

Vegetable Biryani

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Serves: 4 - 5

Ingredients

2 tablespoon ghee

4 cloves

3 cardamom

2 cinnamon stick

25 g (1 onion)onion, chopped

1 tablespoon ginger - garlic paste ( fresh and homemade )

25 g (1 tomato) tomato, chopped

3/4 teaspoon red chilli powder

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder

2 carrots, diced

5 French beans, chopped

5 cauliflower florets ( 20 g )

10 g green peas

1 cup / 200 ml/ / 8 oz (Indian standard measuring cup) good quality basmati rice ( wash and clean rice, do not soak it in water )

20 g onions, sliced and deep fried in 2 tablespoon oil until brown

1 teaspoon rose water (optional)

1/2 teaspoon kewra water ( screwpine essence ) (optional)

1 teaspoon saffron, dissolved in 1 tablespoon water (optional)

Salt to taste ( 1/2 teaspoon or to taste )

1 3/4 cup water (if using Daawat basmati rice / Neesa) - (Normally 2 cups of water required for 1 cup basmati rice and 3 cups of water required for silky raw rice (good quality pachari)

2 teaspoon chopped coriander leaves

Method

Heat ghee in a large saucepan on medium heat. Add cardamom, cloves and cinnamon and fry on a medium heat until fragrant. Add onion and fry until golden color.

Add ginger garlic paste and fry till for 1 - 2 minutes until raw smell disappears.

Add tomato, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, and garam masala powder. Mix all the ingredients well and fry for 3 - 4 minutes.

Add the vegetables, cover and cook for 10 - 12 minutes ( until 1/2 done and coated with spices and tomatoes / water dries up ). Recipe suggestion - One can also microwave high (750 W) vegetables like carrot, French beans and potato with 50 ml / 1/4 cup water (cut into cubes) for 3 minute 30 seconds and add along with the tomatoes. Then it won't take much time for cooking.

Add the rice, half of the fried onions, rose water, kewra water and saffron solution (optional). Add 1 3/4 cup water, stir well, add salt to taste, cover with a tight lid and cook on a low heat for 20 minutes ( rice should not be overcooked and each grain should be separated. See the photo above ) or till done and water dries up.

Garnish biryani with remaining fried onions and chopped coriander leaves (or shallow fried cashew nuts / raisins ..). Serve with vegetable raita / pickle / vegetable korma ....

Whole wheat ( atta ) flour Batura

Whole wheat ( atta ) flour Batura - A delicious deep fried Indian bread !!!

Makes: 8 - 9

Ingredients

1 cup / 200 ml whole wheat ( atta ) flour (Indian standard measuring cup of 200 ml / 8 oz capacity

60 ml curd

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon oil

1/4 cup water (for dough)

Oil for deep frying ( approximately 250 ml oil )

Method

Mix sugar, salt, oil and curd. Add flour into it. Mix well and bind a soft dough. Add extra 1 - 2 tablespoon water if required to make a soft dough.

Keep aside, covered for 4 -5 hours ( recommending to keep in a Tupperware container / box ) .

Knead the batura dough again and divide into 8 portions. Flatten them to make rounds ( just like puri) with the help of little dry flour.

In a kadai / frying pan,  heat oil. Reduce heat to medium and fry batura one at a time till it puffs up. Turn over till both sides are golden brown. Drain on paper towels and serve with chole or any gravy dishes of your choice.

Idli / Sandan Upma / Usli

Idli Upma / Usli

You can also make upma / usli with Sandan ( sannan ) or khotte

Sandan / sannan - Idli batter steamed in a bowl or thali
Khotte - Idli batter steamed in jackfruit leaves

Ingredients

3 idlis
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon jeera ( cumin seeds )
1/2 teaspoon urad dal
1 onion, finely sliced
1 green chilli, slit lengthwise
4 curry leaves
1/4 teaspoon salt ( or to taste )

Method

Break idli into very small pieces.

In a wide pan, heat oil. Add mustard seeds. When they start to crackle, add jeera and urad dal.

Add finely sliced onion and fry till golden color on a medium heat. Add green chilli and curry leaves. Saute for 2 - 3 minutes until fragrant.

Add idli pieces and adjust salt to taste. Mix all the ingredients well. Cover with a lid and cook on a low heat for 10 minutes.

Stir well and serve hot with Namkeen / sambar / chutney / coffee / tea.

Lehriya Mirch ( Master Chef TV Show, Udaipur episode )

My cooking tips

Mixed vegetable or Paneer filling also will give best result.

Make thin strips of outer covering. Or else it won't cook / fry inside.

Do not fry in very high heat. Reduce heat to medium and fry till golden color on both sides.

Approximate frying time - 10 - 12 minutes for each side.

Use deep and wide kadai / frying pan and fry 2 mirchis at a time.

Serve hot with mint / coriander chutney / tomato sauce.

Use a tweezer to deseed the mirch.

Recipe credit - Master Chef TV show recipes

Ingredients

Outer covering:

1 cup Maida ( all purpose flour )
For frying Fortune Refined Oil
1 tsp Ajwain
½ tsp Salt

For filling:

70 gm Amul Ghee ( or 1 tablespoon oil )
1 large Onion (minced)
½” piece Ginger
1 nos. Green chilli (finely chopped)
250 gms Lamb mince
4-5 pcs Cashew nuts
1/3 cup Green peas (boiled)
To taste Salt
To taste Black Pepper powder
4 nos. Jodhpuri mirch (slit and deseeded)
1 nos. Egg (beaten)

Method

Knead a dough using maida, oil, salt, ajwain along with water into a stiff dough.

Fry onions in ghee till brown, then add ginger and chopped green chillies. Cook further and season.

Add mince and brown thoroughly, stirring all the time to prevent sticking. Cool when cooked. Break up clumps if any, then add roasted cashew bits, tender green boiled peas, salt and pepper.

Stuff cooled kheema into deseeded Jodhpuri mirch.

Roll the dough and cut into long strips (3/4” wide) with a pizza cutter. Systematically wrap the chillies sealing as you go along with beaten egg.

Heat oil in a big kadhai and deep fry till crisp and golden brown ( reduce heat to medium and fry till golden and color should be even - 2 mirchis at a time , approximate frying time 10 - 12 minutes for each side), then drain on absorbent paper towels and serve with chutney.

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