Salt & Pepper - Learn and Earn

Crispy Arbi Fry(Chamagadda fry)

noreply@blogger.com (Swathi) — Fri, 08 May 2009 04:48:00 +0000

Arbi, also known by various aliases as arvi and taro and colacassia, is a root vegetable.Experiments with Cooking.I just love this stuff!! It's too bad we can only get it a few months out of the year In fact, it is the root of the plant whose giant leaves are used to make those delicious savory rolls called patra or alu wadi.A word of caution: the juices released when arbi is peeled can be slightly irritating to the skin, so one might want to wear food-prep gloves or coat the hands with some oil at the very least.

Ingredients:
1Lb Chamagadda

1 Onion

1tsp Mustard seeds

1tsp Cumin seeds

1stp Urad dal

10-15 Curry leaves

1tsp Coriander powder

1tsp Ginger garlic paste

5-6 Green chilies

1/4tsp Turmeric powder

Salt to taste

Chili powder to taste

Procedure:
Boil arbi till they are well cooked, drain and cool, peel the skin off and cut them into bite size pieces.Fry in medium hot oil till the color is golden brown and crispy.

In a pan add 4-5tsps oil and when it is hot add urad dal and fry till it is golden brown then add mustard seeds and cumin seeds, after they splutter add curry leaves, green chilies and chopped onions and fry them till golden brown.

Add ginger garlic paste, turmeric and add the fried arbi pieces to this. Fry them in medium flame after a while add salt, coriander powder and chili powder.

Fry for 5-10 minutes and crispy chamagadda fry is ready to eat.It goes extremely well with sambhar rice or rasam rice.

Dal makhani recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Swathi) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 20:00:00 +0000

Dal makhani is a delicacy from Punjab.Traditionally lentils and beans are generally soaked overnight and gently simmered on low heat along with ginger, garlic and a few other spices .These are then combined with a tangy masala base which includes onions, tomatoes (chopped or puree).Dollops of fresh cream and butter lend the rich finishing touch. It is garnished with finely chopped coriander leaves and fresh cream. It is a sumptuous meal and a staple diet in Punjab and most of Northern India. It is commonly eaten with roti or rice.Dal Makhani takes longer to cook than the split dals, but the result is worth it.

Ingredients:
1 cup whole urad or black gram lentil
1/3 cup kidney beans (Rajma)
1 tbs grated ginger
2 tsp coarsely ground fennel seeds
Red chilli powder (accord to taste)
1 tsp. turmeric powder
3-4 tbs. ghee or clarified butter or oil
1 tsp. cumin seeds
A large pinch of hing (Asafoetida)
1 tbsp minced ginger & garlic
1 medium onion (thinly chopped, optional)
2-3 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. Garam Masala
1/2 cup fresh cream.
2 tbs. chopped coriander leaves (optional)
Salt to taste
5-6 cups water (to cook dal)

Procedure:
Wash and soak black urad whole and rajma overnight.Cook the soaked dal and rajma in 5-6 cups of water with salt, red chili powder, fennel seeds powder, turmeric, and grated ginger till dal and rajma are done/soft ( I pressure cooker for 10-12 whistles).

Lightly mash dal and rajma mixture, keep aside. Heat oil or butter in a thick bottomed pan. Add cumin seeds and hing, let it crackle.

Add ginger, garlic, chopped onions, and cook till light golden brown in color. Add garam masala and chopped tomatoes. Sauté till tomatoes are well mashed and fat starts to leave the masala.

Add mashed dal and rajma to this mixture and little water ( desired consistency). Correct seasoning, and simmer at very slow flame for 15-20 minutes.

Add fresh cream and let it simmer for 5 minutes and turn off the heat. Garnish with coriander leaves before serving.

Butter Paneer Masala

noreply@blogger.com (Swathi) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 02:30:00 +0000

Every Indian loves paneer, whether it's marinated, grilled, minced or used to make a creamy rich gravy like this Paneer Masala! Paneer, also known as Indian Cottage cheese, never fails to dazzle.Butter Paneer Masala, a bright orange-colored smooth,creamy and light buttery flavored North Indian fare, is one of the most popular main course food items in Indian restaurants.Cooked in a mildly spicy and aromatic tomato, butter and creamy onion sauce, topped with fresh ginger and coriander, its a delicacy you won't be able to resist! If you are looking for a rich and festive paneer recipe to entertain friends, look no further - this Butter Paneer Masala will surely leave a lasting impression!

Ingredients:
3 big tomatoes - pureed
250 gms paneer - cubed
2 big onions(blanch for 10 mts and puree)
1 bay leaf
2 cloves
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp red chilli powder
3 tbsps cashewnut paste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp dhania powder (dry coriander powder)
1/2 tsp kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
1 tsp tandoori masala (optional for color)
2 tsp garam masala powder
salt and lemon juice - to taste
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp fresh cream
fresh coriander - chopped for garnish

Procedure:
Take 1 tbsp of ghee, heat in a pan for 2 mins, the saute the paneer cubes in it till golden brown; Now take 1 cup hot water, add a pinch of salt and turmeric powder to it and immerse the paneer cubes in it for 10-12 mins. Then remove the pieces, drain them on a tissue paper and keep aside.

Heat 2 tbsp of butter in a pan, add the bay leaf and the cloves, then add the onion paste and saute till light-brown. Add ginger-garlic paste. Saute for 3 minutes. Add chilli powder, followed by the cashew paste and fry for 5 mins.

Add tomato puree, crushed kasuri methi,coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and salt. Stir and let it simmer for some time.

Add the paneer cubes and simmer for 4-5 minutes. Add a small cup of water and let it cook on medium heat till you get the desired curry consistency. Remove from fire, stir in remaining butter and fresh cream.

Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve the Butter Paneer Masala with any bread of your choice, pulao or simply jeera rice.

Malai kulfi video

noreply@blogger.com (Swathi) — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 20:45:00 +0000

Kulfi is an exquisite Indian ice-cream with a rich and creamy texture. Unlike a typical ice-cream which is whipped till airy, kulfi is dense and solid in form. It is prepared by boiling down whole milk till it reduces to one-third of its original volume, adding sugar and some thickening agent and incorporating the desired flavour and freezing it.A fuss free, easy to make kulfi recipe. You won't have to slave in the kitchen for hours to reduce the milk. The condensed milk and milk powder thicken it and gives it a delicious creamy consistency.

Beans curry (cooked in channa dal)

noreply@blogger.com (Swathi) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:34:00 +0000

Here in the NY markets are usually flooded with fresh green beans during this time of the year,I discovered the farm fresh green beans of spring and how good they look and taste.I’m not normally a fan of French beans, but I invariably pick up these beans because they look so green and fresh.There are certain recipes which bring out the flavor of the vegetable being cooked, taste as good and Beans is one exotic vegatble. I present you one of my favroite way of making green beans curry and bringing out the flavor of these exiquisite beans. Get set, Go

Ingredients:
French beans - a handful, chopped, parboiled
Toor dal - 1/4 cup
Channa dal - a handful
Onion - 1 chopped
Garlic - 2 cloves, finely chopped
Oil - 5 tbsps
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 6
Asafoetida - a pinch
Chopped coriander leaves for garnish

To grind:
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
Grated fresh coconut - 2 tsp
Dry red chillies - 4
Asafoetida - a generous pinch.

Grind the above ingredients into a smooth paste.

Procedure:
Soak the toor dal & channa dal for 4 hours, drain & grind to a coarse paste ( like how you grind for masala vadai)along with the ground masala paste & salt to taste.
Steam cook the ground paste by using idli cooker & steam them on greased idli plates like how you do for idlis for 10 mins.Cool & crumble the cooked dal paste & keep aside.
In a pan, heat the oil & season with the mustard seeds, curry leaves & asafoetida. Add the onions & garlic & fry for few minute.
Then add the cooked beans and put the lid on & sauté for about 3 to 4 mins. Now add the crumbled dal paste & stir fry over low heat for about 5 to 6 mins , till the mixture turns golden & dry.
Finally garnish it with coriender leaves and serve hot wth steamed rice.

Yummy Rasmalai

noreply@blogger.com (Swathi) — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 22:01:00 +0000

Here is a recipe I have been dying to post.RasMalai is a sweet dish invented in Bengal and found in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. RasMalai is dumplings made from cottage or riccotta cheese soaked in sweetened, thickened milk delicately flavored with cardamom.

Serve it chilled and garnished with slivers of dried fruit.Yummy...:)

Mutton coconut rasam(Non-vegtarian rasam) or Mutton Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Swathi) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 01:22:00 +0000

This is a very yummy mutton rasam recipe and is one of the easiest recipes to make. Can be poured over rice for lunch or dinner or just be eaten or drink like a Soup when having a bad cold. So make it, drink it or eat it and enjoy!

Ingredients:
mutton(with bones)-1/2 kg
tomatoes....................2
shallots....................5
fresh coriander leaves......1
cup curry leaves................10
pepper powder...............1 tbsp
coconut(scraped)............1/2cup
tamarind pulp...............3 tbsps
cumin powder................1 tbsp
greenchillies...............2
gingergarlic paste..........1 tbsp
redchilli powder............1 tsp
dhaniya powder..............1 tsp
cloves......................2
cinnamon sticks.............1"
turmeric powder.............1/4 tsp
lime juice..................2tsp salt to taste

Tempering:
desi ghee ............ 2 tbsps
red chillies whole..........2-3
musterd seeds...............1 tsp
curry leaves................5

Preparation: Clean and wash the mutton.Grind scraped coconut with one-cup warm water, extract coconut milk and keep a side. Reserve the coconut residue also. Heat oil in a large cooker, add cloves,cinnamon sticks and add shallots and fry for few minutes.Add in the dhaniya powder,cumin powder,ten curry leaves. Add Ginger garlic paste, fry till the raw smell vanishes. Add tomatoes and greenchillies and fry for 10 mts.Add in the meat,add the tamarind water,salt and add 2 cups of water. Leave it for minimum of 6 whistles.Remove from heat,once the pressure is down strain the rasam,Separate the cooked meat for garnish and discard rest of the residue. Reheat the rasam, add coconut milk and simmer for a couple of minutes. Add the cooked meat. Heat ghee and temper with mustard seeds, red chillies and the remaining curry leaves. Add it to the prepared rasam and cover immediately to trap the flavors.Finally add little bit of lime juice and garnish with cilantro... Serve hot with crushed pepper!!!!!

You can find many ingredients and Utensils in my 'Salt & Pepper' Store. See the link on the right.

Healthy Fish recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Swathi) — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 02:15:00 +0000

One of the healthy non-vegtarian dish out there is fish curry recipe.It dosen't matter how it is prepared ,fish is good for health.I present you with this below dish because i love the two main ingredients i.e. fish and mango.This dish goes well with hot steamed plain rice.

Ingredients:

Sear fish cubes - 500 gms

Gingelly oil - 150 gms

Jeera - 2 gms

Mustard seeds - 1gm

Saunf - 2gms

Urad dal split - 1gm

Fenugreek - 1gm

Green chilly (crushed) - 6no.s

Small onion ( chopped ) - 100gms

Country tomato - 100gms

Black tamarind - 25gm

Red chilly powder - 35gms

Turmeric - ½tsp

Coconut paste - ½no

Raw mango cubes - 2no

Coriander leaves - 25gms

Curry leaves - a few

Garlic crushed - 2no

Salt to taste

Directions:

Heat oil , add jeera , mustard seeds , urad dal , saunf and fenugreek let it crackle.Add the crushed garlic , small onion and sauté it till they are slightly brown.Add the tomatoes , turmeric , green chilly , dhaniya powder , salt and sauté it till the masalas are properly cooked.

when you see the oil oozing out,add water along with the coconut paste and the raw mango cubes.Cook till the mango pieces are soft,but they should not mash.

Add the cuibed fish pieces,see that the fish is immerged in the sauce and it takes few minuites to cook the fish.

Finally add curry leaves , coriander leaves and check for seasoning.

Gongura Mamsam (Mutton with Red Sorrel Leaves)

noreply@blogger.com (Swathi) — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 00:46:00 +0000

An authentic Andhra non-vegetarian meal is incomplete without Gongura Mamsam, an absolutely delicious, mouth-watering dish.This famous Gongura Mamsam or Mutton cooked in Gongura (Red Sorrel) leaves, is one of my favorite dishes prepared back in my home. Gongura (Red Sorrel) comes in two varieties, one is green leaf and the other being red variety which is more sour than the green/white stem variety.The leaves are bitter and mildly astringent and have a predominantly acidic taste.
I didn't have the luxury of uploading my own video and so i give you one of the Video recipes from one of my favorite chef which is very close to the way i prepare this famous south india dish.

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Recipe for Aloo Paratha (Potato Stuffed Indian Bread)

noreply@blogger.com (Swathi) — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 23:13:00 +0000

Aloo Paratha really doesn't need an introduction to any Indian cuisine lover.Parathas are whole-wheat Indian flat bread. Parathas can be made plain or stuffed with many different fillings. This recipe uses the most popular filling - Potatoes. Aloo Parathas are perfect for a weekend breakfast or brunch.This is an authentic Indian Breakfast.I learnt this from my Aunt who is from Punjab who is an expert in making them..It might be a time consuming process but really is worth it...It can be relished with no special side dish,Only Tomato ketchup and curd is enough to relish this aloo paratha..

Ingredients:

For the filling:
1 Medium sized potato- peeled,boiled and mashed
1 Small sized onion, finely chopped
1-2 strands Cilantro, finely chopped
1/2 tsp Chaat Masala
1/4 tsp Chili powder
Salt as per taste

Dough:
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup water (Use more as needed) Pinch of salt

Also needed:
1/4 cup whole-wheat flour for rolling
Oil to cook

Directions:
Knead the wheat flour with a teaspoon of oil and required quantity of water to form a dough.Using warm water while kneading gives soft parathas.Leave the dough for half an hour..

Mix the mashed potato with the garam masala,salt and cilantro and divide them into equal sized balls..The balls should be of the size of a lemon.Now divide the dough into equal quantities and make them into small balls Now roll out each ball of the dough into circles of about 7 to 8 inches diameter using a rolling pin.

Place each potato mixture ball over the rolled out dough Bring the edges of the dough to the center to form a dumpling.Press it at the center to seal the dough such that the filling does not come out With the help of a rolling pin carefully roll out the dough to about 7 to 8 inches diameter.You can use extra flour on the rolling surface so that the dough does not stick to it

In a tawa, add a teaspoon of ghee and place this rolled out dough-potato mixture. Let it cook for a minute..Then flip it on to the other side and spray some ghee. Let it cook for a minute.It will turn to a brownish colour Aloo paratha is now ready to be served.

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Delicious Palakura pappu

noreply@blogger.com (Swathi) — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 22:57:00 +0000

Palakura pappu is a delicious heartening dal using spinach greens - a classic Andhra pappu kura. Its full of protein, nutritious and you will enjoy preparing it because its easy, quick and your kitchen will be filled with an aromatic fresh flavor of spinach simmering with toor dal that absorbs the seasoning beautifully.Toor dal and spinach - no onions but lots of roasted garlic makes this dal unique. You may already know, spinach and garlic make a great combination

Ingredients:
1 small cup toor dal/red gram dal/kandi pappu
2 cups chopped and tightly packed palakura/palak/spinach
1 onion, chopped
big pinch turmeric pwd
2-3 green chillis, slit lengthwise
1/2 tsp chopped ginger
salt to taste
1 1/2 cups water, approx

For seasoning/poppu/tadka:
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp urad dal/minappa pappu/split gram dal (optional)
3-4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 dry red chillis, de-seed and tear
10-12 fresh curry leaves
2-3 tsps oil

1 In a pressure cooker, place dal, palak leaves, onions, green chillis, ginger and turmeric pwd. Add 1 1/2 to 2 cups of water and pressure cook upto 2 whistles. If cooking over stove top, cook till the dal is almost cooked.

2 Heat oil in a heavy bottomed vessel, add mustards seeds and as they jump around, add cumin seeds, urad dal, garlic, red chillis and curry leaves and stir fry for half a minute.

3 Add this to the pressure cooked dal along with salt and combine. Cook on slow to medium flame for 5-7 mts without lid or till you get the consistency of your choice.

4 Serve with white rice and a stir fry dish.

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How to make Chicken 65

noreply@blogger.com (Swathi) — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 03:36:00 +0000

My favorite snack time dish is chicken 65. Very popular in restaurants and fast food menus. But with the right use of spices the same restaurant quality can be acquired with ease at home. I tried out various ways of making it, finally I got the exact taste that I like. Below is the video of chicken 65 prepared by one of favorite chef sanjay thumma. I tried it and it turned out great, but next time I made the same dish but mixed the red colour with a cup of curd and added it to the pan. By doing this it made the dish juicier. Well u can even try out the recipe as it is or make some modifications like i did. Leave me a comment with your experiences.

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Mamidikaya Mamsam (Mango Mutton)

noreply@blogger.com (Swathi) — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 04:59:00 +0000

One of the most interesting recipes I learnt from my grandmom is the Mango mutton (lamb) which is a very popular recipe in Andhra pradesh. I fell in love with it from the first time I tasted it and now I am passing on the love to my husband. This Indian dish has a tangy and spicy flavor.

Ingredients:

1 kg lamb cut in small pieces
1 green mango peeled and cut in small pieces
1 small onion chopped finely
2 strands curry leaves1 cup coriander leaves
2-3 green chilies
2 tbs red chili pwd
½ tbs turmeric pwd
3-4 tbs of cooking oil
1 cup water
Salt to taste

Procedure:

Take the lamb pieces and add red chili pwd, turmeric pwd, salt and let it marinate for 15 minutes. Take a pan and add oil, when the oil is hot add the chopped onions and green chilies and sauté for few minutes. Add the marinated lamb and throw in few of the curry leaves and coriander leaves and cover it with lid and cook for 10 minutes on a medium flame. Fry the lamb till u see oil oozing out ,then add the mango pieces and water and rest of the curry leaves and cover it with a lid. Cook till the meat is tender, you can pressure cook the lamb, but if your lamb is tender then do not pressure cook it. Garnish it with coriander leaves. This curry goes really well with plain rice.Let me know how the recipe ended up for you.
P.S : In my first post, I have said that I wanted to see if I could make any money $$$ on the side from this cooking blog. Till now I made 21 cents… which is not bad I guess. May be I would celebrate when it reaches a $1 and post one more of my favorite recipes.

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Wonderful Vegetable Kurma

noreply@blogger.com (Swathi) — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 02:55:00 +0000

Today’s dish is a treat to all those who love their veggies, its vegetable kurma. This kurma is very mild yet flavorful mughlai dish. Kurma is traditionally made with meat or vegetables in a creamy yogurt sauce

Ingredients:
2 potatoes -cut in cubs
1cup cauliflower
1 cup green beans -cut in one inch pieces
1 cup fresh peas
1 cup carrots-cut in pieces
1 large tomato
2 onions finely chopped length wise
1 cup mint leaves
1 cup coriander leaves
3-4 green chilies
1 tbs ginger garlic paste
1 cup yogurt well beaten
1-2 tbs red chili pwd
½ tbs turmeric pwd
Salt to taste

Whole garam masala i.e
4 green cardamoms
3 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves

Ingredients to grind:
3-4 tbs of poppy seeds
½ cup coconut
Grind those two ingredients together and keep it aside.

Procedure:
Take a heavy pan add oil and when the oil is hot enough add the whole garam masalas sauté for few minutes, then add the chopped onions ns green chilies .When the onions turn transparent add ginger garlic paste, fry till it turns brown. Add the mint leaves and sauté for few seconds and add the veggies (u can boil the veggies and add) and mix well. Add turmeric pwd, chili pwd and salt.
Cover it with a lid and let it cook for few minutes. Add the grinded mixture and chopped tomatoes, add a cup of water and let it cook in a low flame. When the oil starts oozing, turn off the stove and add the yoghurt and mix well. Garnish it with chopped coriander. Serve hot with chapathi, naan of rice.

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Gajar ka Halwa (Carrot halwa) - Indian sweet

noreply@blogger.com (Swathi) — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 00:21:00 +0000

Enjoy the taste of Traditional and popular sweet recipes of India. Have a craving for Indian Sweets, Indian Desserts and Puddings? If yes you're in the right place! Indian sweets are usually based on sugar or jaggery. With enough practice, Sweets can be prepared in a jiff. Many of the dessert recipes however don't require the use of sugar syrup and can prepare like any other dish. Gajar ka halwa is very tasty Indian sweet. Gajar ka halwa is well liked all over the world.

Ingredients:
2 number cardamoms, skinned and crushed fine
4 cup carrots, grated finely
1 tbsp cashew nuts
1 tbsp chopped almonds
1 tsp raisins
3 tbsp curdled milk or (ricotta cheese)
2 tsp ghee(clarified butter)
4 cup Milk
1 cup sugar

Procedure:
Take a heavy based open pan and add ghee, roast dry nuts in ghee
Put milk and grated carrots in a heavy base deep saucepan and bring it to boil. Cook over medium heat until all the milk gets dried up. You should stir the mixture occasionally to prevent any sticking add sugar when u see ghee oozing out,add curdled milk or koya and cook for few more min.
Serve hot .It goes really well with vanilla ice-cream Please take the time to let us know what you think about this recipe

Please take the time to let us know what you think about this recipe..:)

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Delicious Masala Dosa (Indian Pancakes)

noreply@blogger.com (Swathi) — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 00:13:00 +0000

Hi there, today I am going to post my favorite breakfast i.e. dosa (Indian Pancake).There are so many varieties of dosa but my all time favorite is masala dosa (delicious).

Dosa Batter ingredients:
150 g Raw rice
50 g Urad dal
10 g Poha; (pressed rice)
5 Methi seeds; up to 7
Salt to taste

Instructions for Dosa Batter:
Wash the urad dal, raw rice and methi seeds. Soak them in a little water along with poha and cooked rice for at least an hour. Grind to a smooth paste with a little water. Cover and keep aside for at least five hours. Add salt to taste and mix well.

Masala ingredients:
2-3 potatoes
Boiled and pealed
2 green chilies
1 onion cut length wise
1 inch ginger finely chopped
¼ tbs turmeric powder
For tempering
1 tbs chana dal
1 tbs urad dal
½ tbs mustard seeds
10 curry leaves

Procedure for making masala:
Boil the potato, peel and cut it in small pieces. In a pan pour oil; add the tempering ingredients, when the tempering starts to splutter add chopped ginger. Add sliced onion and green chili (cut in round) and sauté well. When it turns brown add boiled potato, turmeric powder and salt. Mix well and Remove from stove.

Preparation of masala dosa:
This batter can be used as basic batter for preparing masala dosa, sada dosa, onion uttappam, Mysore masala dosa, spring dosa, etc. The batter is enough to make about four to six dosas. Pour grinded mixture on the frying pan and spread it evenly in a circular outward motion. Keep the potato masala in the middle and fold it from both sides. Cook both the side of dosa until it turns brown. Serve with coconut chutney and sambhar.

Enjoy and Please leave comments...:)

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Hyderabadi Dum Biryani

noreply@blogger.com (Swathi) — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 04:10:00 +0000

Today i am going to post my first recipe, a very popular dish from where i come, a typical authentic biryani from the land of nizaams,Hyderabad. Hyderabadis love Chicken biryani and mutton biryani. For Chicken Biryani there are two ways of preparing biryani that is kacchi biryani and pakhi biryani. Kachi biryani is the original way of making nizam style of biryani which requires lot of cooking time and lot of patience. For a faster way of preparing biryani pakhi biryani is the way to go. The basic difference between the two is, in Pakhi biryani the meat and the rice are half-cooked. It has the same flavor as Kachi biryani and It has got great taste...i hope you will like it..

Ingredients:
1 kg basmati rice
½ cup chopped mint leaves
4-5 green chilies
1 tbs black cumin (shahjeera)
2 bay leaves
2-3 tbs oil
Salt to taste

For biryani masala:
2 number bay leaves
1 tsp black cumin (shahjeera)
2 cinnamon sticks
8 piece cloves
2 tbsp coriander powder
1 tbsp cumin powder
2 tbsp fried onion
9 number green cardamom
9 number pepper corns
1 tbsp meat tenderizer (Pomegranate seeds)
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 star anise
1 nutmeg
1 mace

Grind all the above ingredients and keep them aside. You can make this in huge quantity and store it in a refrigerator in an airtight container.

Ingredients for Marination:
1/2kg chicken cut in big pieces
1 cup chopped coriander and mint leaves
1/2 cup curd
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
salt to taste
biryani masala
2-3 tbs lime juice

Mix all the ingredients mentioned above with chicken for about an hour. Soak the rice in water and keep it a side. Boil water in a big container and add salt, chopped mint leaves, chilies, shah jeera, bay leaves and oil. Once the water is boiling add soaked rice. Let it cook till the rice is half done and then strain the water and remove the rice. Take pan, add oil and add the marinated chicken to it. Cook the meat till it is half done and keep it aside.

Now comes the fun part layering all the rice and meat. Pre-heat the oven to 350 C ,take a big pot, add a layer of marinated chicken and then on top of it add a layer of rice. Sprinkle some fried onions, then add the remaining chicken and the remaining rice on the top. Mix saffron in milk for a minute and pour it over the rice and sprinkle some more fried onions and cover it with a lid or a silver foil. Don’t let the steam escape and let it cook for 20 minutes.

Garnish with boiled egg and serve hot with Raita and Mirchi ka salan. Please leave comments with your experience.

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My Journey...

noreply@blogger.com (Swathi) — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 05:40:00 +0000

Let’s get Started

Hello people and welcome to my new blog, a food portal of all desi recipes inlcuding my favorite DOSAS (Indian pancakes), Chicken Biryani, Mutton Biryani and many more. I am a big time food lover who needs her food to be just the way she likes it, quick, spicy and delicious!!! Here, I am going to share with you all the tasty food recipes i have learnt over the years.

I began cooking when I got married and moved to US. Being Married teaches you a lot, and cooking is one of them! The first month my husband survived mainly on instant noodles because i would not eat him outside. After the intial trial and erros, I decided that it was time I did some serious cooking. So I called up my mom, my grandmom, my mother-in-law back in india and started writing down all the recipes i could think of.

I still remember the first time i made idlis, which turned out to be stone like and all burnt up. With that intial failure i continued my crash course of how it was made, and what i did wrong and what could be added to make better. It wasn’t long before I realized I enjoyed cooking, and why not, I was good at it! It was always a proud moment for me when my husband gives compliments on my culinary skills and even more when he shared my amazing cooking skills with family and friends.

So get ready, fire up that stove and allow me to take you on a cooking ride with some delicious indian recipes. A journey so good, you’ll be coming back for more.

Put on the apron, line up your spatulas and Let's get ready to Rock n Roll!

Hello??… everyone out there

noreply@blogger.com (Swathi) — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 20:25:00 +0000

I decided to start my own food blog. Why? Because I spent the last two days drooling over other food blogs instead of getting any work done.

I am a homemaker and i've came to notice that i spend half of my day looking foor good food blogs (Apart from all the indian shopping sites) ......Well why dont i put that time in making my own blog? Also see if i can make some money doing this as well....Posting good indian recipes would be my number one priority but if i can some '$$$' while making my blog artistic, i would be more than happy . I will also be posting one money making or getting free traffic link with each of my posts. So if you are a blogger like me just starting out you can get all the information you need to add on your blog.

So before I lose any more sleep over it, let’s give this a try shall we?