Saturday, September 25, 2010

VEGETABLE BIRYANI

INGREDIENTS FOR RICE

Basmati Rice – 2 cups – washed, soaked for 1 hr and drained
Water – 8 cups
Bay Leaf – 3
Cloves – 8
Green Cardamom – 3
Cinnamon Stick – 1 inch piece
Salt – to taste
Oil – 1 tsp
Mint Leaves – few
Ghee – 1 Tbsp
Saffron soaked  in 2 Tbsp water (optional)

FOR BIRYANI MASALA:

Whole Dried Red Chilies – 10
Whole Cloves – 10
Whole Coriander Seeds – 4 Tbsp

FOR VEGETABLE MIXTURE:

Ginger/Garlic Paste – 2 Tbsp
Coriander Powder – 2 tsp
Turmeric Powder – 1/4 tsp
Salt – to taste
Potatoes – 3 medium, peeled and cut into large pieces
Cauliflower – 1/2 medium, cut into big florets
Green Beans – 1 cup, cut into long pieces
Carrots – 1/2 cup, cut into big pieces
Green Chilies –5 slit
Dried Fenugreek Leaves – 2 Tbsp

Coriander Leaves - small bunch, finely chopped
Tomato – 1 large, cut into big pieces
Curd  – 1 cup, lightly beaten
Oil – 3 Tbsp
Whole Cashews – 1/4 cup
Cumin Seeds or  (Shahi Jeera) – 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon Stick – 1 inch piece
Cloves – 4
Cardamom – 2
Bay Leaf – 2
Onion – 1 large, sliced
Turmeric Powder – 1/4 tsp

FOR GARNISHING:

  Fried Onions and chopped Coriander.

METHOD:

1. Soak basmati  rice for 1hr.



2.  HOMEMADE FRIED ONIONS:  Take 1 onion and slice it very thin and cut them into half.


2. Take a kadai add oil for deep frying.


3. After the oil becomes hot add 1tsp salt and then  the sliced onions.( we are adding salt so that the onions fry well to brown in colour.)


4. Fry  nicely keep stirring in middle.


5. The onion should become brown.
6. Then keep them on a paper towel and keep them aside.

3.  FOR THE RICE:  Bring 8 cups of water and boil .
4. Add Cinnamon Stick, Bay Leaf, Whole Cloves, Green Cardamom, 1 tsp Oil, Salt .


5. Add drained soaked rice and a few mint leaves.


6 . Cook rice for exactly 5 minutes.
7. Immediately drain the water from the rice and add ghee.


8. Mix gently making sure not to break the rice grains.


9. Rice should be 3/4 cooked .
10 . FOR THE BIRYANI MASALA : Keep a small pan and heat it.


11. Add Whole Dried Red Chilies, Whole Cloves and Whole Coriander Seeds.
12.  Dry roast until the spices release a nice aroma .


13. Donot burn them.
14. Transfer them to the mixiy jar.


15. Allow whole spices to cool before roughly grinding them (should not be a fine powder).
16. Keep them  aside.

17. FOR VEGETABLE  MIXTURE: Take  a bowl, add Ginger/Garlic Paste.


18. Now add Coriander Powder.


19. Add 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder, and Salt – mix well.


20 .Add chopped coriander leaves and , chopped Mint Leaves.


21. Cut all the vegetables in cube size.
22. Add  cubed potato,  carrot, green beans, florets, and slit green chillies and mix nicely once.
23. Now add Dried methi  Leaves , chopped tomatoes.


24. Mix well and allow to marinate .


25. In a small pan add 1tsp oil and fry the cashewnuts.
26. They should turn golden brown in colour.


27. Keep them aside.
28. In a non-stick pan, heat 3 Tbsp Oil on medium heat add jeera seeds, cloves,  cardamom, cinammon.


29. Add Sliced Onions and brown lightly.


 30. Add 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder.


31. Add  2tbsp previously ground Biryani Masala, salt and mix well.
32. Add marinate vegetable mixture and additional salt.


33. Mix nicely  and cook until the vegetables are 3/4 cooked.


34. Do not overcook.  Keep Stir occasionally.
35 . Switch off stove and add fried  Cashewsnuts.
36 . Add lightly beaten curd and mix gently.


37. Coat bottom and sides of a pan or cooker with cooking oil.
38. Layer bottom of cooker with 1/3 of cooked rice.


39 . Sprinkle 1 tsp of Biryani Masala on the rice and  Layer 1/2 of the vegetable mixture over the rice and spread nicely.


40 . Layer another 1/3 cooked rice over the veggies and sprinkle 1 tsp Biryani Masala.


41 . Layer remaining vegetable mixture and sprinkle Fried Onions on top.


42 . Layer remaining 1/3 cooked rice and sprinkle 1 tsp Biryani Masala.


43. Add  more Fried Onions and garnish with coriander leaves


44. Drizzle saffron water on top.


45. Cover  with foil and cook for 45 minutes in medium heat.


46. Serve  hot with  onion and cucumber Raita.


Squeeze some lemon juice and serve hot.......................................



NOTE: If you have oven u can omit cooking in pan in gas top and follow this step.
" Cover and cook for 45 minutes in a preheated 400 degree Fahrenheit oven"












Wednesday, September 22, 2010

SAMBHAR WITH (MIXED VEGETABLE)

INGREDIENTS:

Toor Daal  –  1 cup

Water   –  4cups
Carrot  –  1 (cut)
Green Beans  –  1/4 cup (cut)
Lauki  – 1/2 cup (cubed)
Sal t –  to taste
Tamarind  –  1-1.5 tbsp or to taste
Asafoetida –  pinch
Turmeric Powder  –  1/4 tsp
Red Chili Powder  –  to taste
Sambar Powder  –  4 tsp
Tomato  –  1/2 medium (cubed)
Oil + Ghee  –  1.5 tbsp
Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp
Curry Leaves  –  1 sprig
Coriander Powder  –  1 tbsp
Coriander Leaves  –  for garnish

METHOD:

1. Take 1 cup of toor dal .


2.  Wash and soak the Toor Daal for 30 minutes.



3 . Drain the water and put it in the Pressure cooker.


4. Add in the Carrots, Green Beans, lauki .


5. Add  4 cups Water  and Salt.


6 . Close the cooker, cook the Daal on medium heat, 1 whistle.


7. And allow the pressure to go down.
8 . Meanwhile, soak the Tamarind in 1/2 cup hot Wate and allow it to soften.


9 . Once safe, open the Pressure Cooker.


10.  turn the heat on medium again.
11 . Add in Turmeric Powder .


12. Add a  pinch of salt , asafoetida.


13. Add 1/2 the Chilli Powder, 1/2 the Sambar Powder.


14 . Mix and add chopped tomatoes.


15.  let the Sambar keep boiling.
16 . Mash the Tamarind so the juice/paste seperates from the fiber and the seeds.
17.  starin the juice into the boiling Sambar.


18.  Add the balance of the Water (1/2 cup or amount needed) to get the Sambar to the desired consistency.


19 . Allow it boil till the raw Tamarind smell has gone and the Tomatoes should also be cooked.
20 . For the seasoning, take a small skillet on medium heat and add in the Oil+Ghee.


21 . Once hot, add in Mustard Seeds and a pinch of Asafoetida.


22 . Allow the Mustard Seeds to pop and then add jeera.


23 . Then add in Curry Leaves and turn off the stove.


24 . Add i n the Red Chillie Powder, Sambar Powder, Coriander powder.

 and a little bit of water to avoid powders burning.


25 . Add to the Sambar.


26 . Mix and allow it to boil for another 2-3 minutes.


27 . Garnish with Cilantro/Coriander Leaves and it’s ready
Enjoy your hot hot sambhar with dosa, idly or hot rice.........................................