The Hyderabadi Ramadan Food Festival 2012~Season IV-Roundup

August 29th, 2012 Mona Posted in Blog Events/Entries/Polls, Eid/Ramadhan/Iftaar 4 Comments »

As promised, I present to you all the round-up of the Season IV of the ‘The Hyderabadi Ramadan Food Festival 2012’.

I thank all participants for their enthusiasm. Here is the list of entries:

Click on the recipe title to go through the recipe.

Amrita, author of Mittu Cooking Love, has shared with us her recipe for Easy Chicken Malai Kabab. Yumm, they look delicious!

She says:

“Its mild and very easy to make,it will be perfect for your Ramadan Menu

Amina, author of Amina Cereations has shared with us all some delicious Hyderabadi Mutton Biryani.

Amina says:

“Biryani is one of the most popular rice delicacies in India and abroad. No other dish has such an aura and demand throughout India. The rich texture and aroma of Biryani is enough to activate hunger pangs in the stomach.”.

Nakhat, author of Indian Culinary Delights has shared with us all her recipe for Falooda.

Nakhat says:

“Falooda is a traditional Persian cold dessert. It was brought to the Indian subcontinent during the Mughal period. Basil seeds (sabza/takmaria), tutti frutti, sugar, and ice cream can be add-ons for this dessert. “

Wajiha, author of My Kitchen and Beyond, has shared with us all very delicious looking Kathi Rolls.

Wajiha says:

“Kathi rolls probably originated in Calcutta, but are hugely popular here in Bangalore as well. The most common fillings are chicken, paneer and egg. It can be modified as per one’s personal taste, I like egg in mine and since my hubby hates raw onion, I stir fry the onions before adding them. “

Sadaf, author of My Culinary Aadventures has shared with us all Aloo Qeema Cutlets.

Sadaf says:

“I had sworn off fried foods during Ramadan but after ten days of fasting I couldn’t resist making this old favourite of mine for iftar. These cutlets can be frozen too. Alternately, you can make and freeze the minced meat filling (which can be used for samosas too) and simply boil the potatoes and stuff the cutlets when you have to serve them. “

Zareena, author of My Experiments with Food has shared with us all some delicious Pav Bhaji.

Zareena says:

“On the first day of fasting I prepared our favorite dish. I know this will be very heavy for an empty stomach to have, but since I cannot resist any chat dishes, I thought of making this on the first day for iftar. This is my first attempt in making pav bhaji and was successful and tasted just like what we get from stalls outside.”

And following are my entries to the event:

Murgh Samosa – Chicken Samosa

Dahi Baday – Chickpea Flour balls in Yogurt

I once again thank all participants. I hope you have all enjoyed the roundup. If in case I have missed anyone’s entries, please let me know. I will inshallah update it immediately.

Luv,
Mona

AddThis Social Bookmark Button

Announcing ‘Hyderabadi Ramadan Food Festival 2012′ (Season IV)

July 19th, 2012 Mona Posted in Blog Events/Entries/Polls, Eid/Ramadhan/Iftaar 3 Comments »

The blessed month of Ramadan begins from tomorrow inshallah.

RAMADAN MUBARAK EVERYONE !!

May Allah(سبحانه وتعالى) accept our Siam (Fasting) and our Qiam (Taraweeh prayers). Ameen.

The last year during Ramadan, my baby girl was a tiny newborn, just six pounds in weight and like a minuscule. Mashallah she is now an active crawling baby who loves to keep her mama on her toes all the time. What an year it has been alhamdulillah. Motherhood has taught me a lot. The first and foremost thing is patience. A mothers job is most challenging, and so rewarding at the same time. Indeed Allah has given so much importance to a mother that it is said paradise lies under a mother’s feet ! Subhana Allah !!

With this it is yet again time for me to announce the Season IV of ‘The Hyderabadi Ramadan Food Festival 2012′ on my blog. May Allah SWT shower mercy upon us, make it easy for us all, bless and forgive us all inshallah, Ameen.

The logo for the event is as follows:

The rules of the event are listed below:

1. From now until Eid-ul-Fitr 2012, prepare traditional Hyderabadi recipes that are savored during Ramadan at both Iftaar and Suhur, and also at the day of Eid-ul-Fitr (snacks, curries, one-dish meals etc) and post about it on your blog.
2. There is no limit to the number of entries per person. You can even update old posts on your blog with a link to this announcement page in order to send me your entries. Please provide a link to this announcement page in your post and feel free to use the logo.
3. Send me your entries at zaiqaDOTmonaATgmailDOTcom with the following details:

  • Your name
  • Your blog name/title
  • Name of the entry
  • URL of your post
  • A photo of the recipe (300 pixels wide)

4. If you do not have a blog, you can still participate by emailing me the recipe, along with the other details mentioned above.
5. The last day to send me your entries is Eid-ul-Fitr 2012 which falls on August 20 2012 (depends on moon sighting)

Let us all celebrate Ramadan and share the traditional Hyderabadi delicacies especially prepared during this holy month with the world. I look forward to you entries and will post a round up in the first week of September 2012 right after the Eid-ul-Fitr inshallah.

To go through previous seasons of this event, please visit this page.

Also, Enjoy the RAMADAN SALE at my shop!!
Enter Coupon code RAMADAN10 to get 10% discount off everything from my store during the entire month of Ramadan (July 20 2012 to August 20 2012) !

Luv,
Mona

AddThis Social Bookmark Button

The Hyderabadi Ramadan Food Festival 2011~Season III-Roundup

September 8th, 2011 Mona Posted in Blog Events/Entries/Polls 13 Comments »

This year Ramadan came and flew by so swiftly, I didn’t even come to know, like it does every year. This year alhamdulillah I had a reason, the birth of my first baby. My bundle of joy is keeping me extremely busy. Both me and my babyjaan are doing good alhamdulillah. Thanks a lot for all for your wishes.

And as promised, here I present to you all the round-up of the Season III of the ‘The Hyderabadi Ramadan Food Festival 2011’.

I thank all participants for their enthusiasm. Here is the list of entries:

***

Blogger Entries: (all entries are in order of how I received them)

Click on the recipe title to go through the recipe.

Aisha, author of Kitchen Sojourn, has shared with us all a classic Hyderabadi delicacy that will definitely seduce your senses ~ Luqmi. These are parcels of flour and yogurt stuffed with spicy minced meat.

Aisha says:

“Luqmis are great appetizers and savory snacks made for weddings or for Iftaars during the holy month of Ramadan”.”

Zareena, author of My Experiments with Food has shared with us all some delicious Mixed Vegetable Cutlets.

Zareena says:

“We can make this with chicken/mutton also. These cutlets are very healthy and nutritious as most of the veggies are used. My mom makes this usually, so I thought of making this, as this will be like a starter before a big meal.”.

Marri, author of Hephzi’s Kitchen has shared with us all ~ Haleem, a mixture of meat, wheat, spices and ghee, a Ramadan delight from Hyderabad.

Marri says:

“Hyderabad my home town, is popular for various things…. Pearls, Zardozi, Ram pyari paan,  Biryani and of course, my favourite dish Haleem. This food is served especially during Id. During this special month, Hyderabad city is crowded with mini stalls , turning the city into a fair ground with many Haleem selling stalls. The cooking continues through out the day, the fire is hot 24/ 7, pot is always cooking emitting wonderful smells and aroma in the kitchens. “

Zareena, author of My Experiments with Food, has shared with us all Vegetable Kathi Rolls ~ Vegetable Kathi Rolls.

Zareena says:

These are also known as wraps or frankies. This is a perfect nutritious snack item for kids. There are different varieties of stuffing we can fill in these wraps like paneer or chicken stuffing. Adding paneer is an easy way to make a dish more festive. There are different variations in making this kathi roll in different parts of India.”

Akheela, author of Torview has shared with us all the very famous Hyderabadi stew ~ Nihari, also known in India as the breakfast curry.

Vaishali Sabnani, author of Ribbon’s to Pasta’s has shared with us all some delicious Hyderabadi Vegetable Biryani.

Vaishali says:

“When we talk of Hyderabad the first dish that comes to the mind is The Hyderabadi Briyani.The most famous meat and rice dish!!The vegetable biryani was adapted later for the vegetarians.This is relished by all family members,I could say it’s Our House Favorite. I have given the substitutes to make it vegan.The original recipe is Sanjeev Kapoor’s but I have made my own changes.”

Vaishali Sabnani, author of Ribbon’s to Pasta’s, has shared with us all the famous Hyderabadi dessert ~ Double Ka Maetha.

Vaishali says:

“The Nizami kitchen of Hyderabad had some delicious rich desserts.Among these Double Ka Meetha is the king of desserts.One could say a version of Shahi Tukde,which is Awadi.The name Double comes from the bread dough which rises to the double…and roti is a variety of Indian bread…so double roti..and meetha of course is sweet ..so ..double ka meetha.”

Zareena, author of My Experiments with Food has shared with us Haleem, the traditional muslim dish prepared especially during the month of Ramadan and enjoyed a lot by Hyderabadis.

Zareena says:

“I have lived almost all my life in various parts of Andhra and naturally I have a special affection towards Andhra cuisine. When it comes to Andhra cuisine and Ramzan time, the first thing that probably anyone would think of is the mouth watering, yummylicious Haleem. Haleem as many of you might know is originally an Arabian delicacy and is said to have been bought to India by the Mughals and is quite special when it comes to Hyderabadi cuisine.”.

Non-Blogger Entries: (all entries are in order of how I received them)

Fouzia SobiaChicken Oats PorridgeBelow is the recipe my Ammi makes usually at Iftar or any other time.

Boneless Chicken 1/4 kg
Garlic Pods-4-5
Salt
Green chillies -3
Oats- 2-3 tbsp
Whole Black pepper-4-5
Water as required
Coriander leaves(Finely chopped)

Pressure cook the chicken along with garlic pods, salt, whole black pepper with some water.
Once it is done and it is cool,shred the chicken.
In the same cooker, add the shredded chicken,Green chillies ,water and let it boil.
Later add oats, (water if needed) and on low to medium flame cook it 5-10 minutes.
At last put chopped coriander leaves.
Adjust salt and black pepper powder can also be added in the last.

The consistency should not be as thick as Haleem or as thin as a soup.
This serves around 3 persons.

~Fouzia Sobia

Fouzia SobiaButter Chicken MasalaBelow is a recipe I got from my Best friend Humera (she got this from her Bhabhi, who used to go to cooking classes in Basheerbagh, Babukhan Estates).

Step-1
Chicken-500gms
Ginger Garlic paste-2tsp
Dhaniya powder-1tsp
Garam masala-1tsp
Lemon juice-1tsp
Yoghurt-1 cup
Mustard powder-1/4 tsp
Black pepper powder-1/4tsp
Green chilli paste-1/2tsp
Red chilli powder- 1 tsp (little more than 1 tsp)
Tomato puree-250gms
Oil-3tbsp
Unsalted Butter-4-5 tbsp
Salt to taste
Orange/Red colour- a pinch

Step-2
Poppy seeds-1/2tbsp
Almond powder-1tsp
Cashew powder-1/2tsp
Coconut powder-1/4 cup(big cup)

All the contents in Step 2 must be roasted and should be ground into paste.

Marinate the Chicken with Salt,1 tsp Ginger Garlic paste,Lemon juice for an hour.
Then add dhaniya powder, garam masala, yoghurt and food colour and let it marinate for an hour again.

Then roast the chicken on both the sides in the oven for 15 minutes. Keep aside

For Gravy:
Heat oil, add 1 tsp of ginger-garlic paste, mustard powder, black pepper powder,
green chilli paste, red chilli powder and all the roasted and ground masala. And stir it,till the raw smell of the spices goes.

Then add the roasted chicken pieces in the gravy,Later add tomato puree and cook till tender.
Lastly add 4-5tbsp of unsalted butter and cook for 10 minutes.
Garnish with Coriander leaves.

~Fouzia Sobia

FirdausGosht Ki BiryaniRamadan Mubarak!
I made it as an Iftar dinner during one of these days. Hope you like it!

INGREDIENTS:
Basmati Rice – 2 lbs (Approx. 5 cups)
Lamb – 2 lbs
Ginger Garlic Paste – 5 tbs
Yogurt – 2 cups
Salt – as per taste
Oil – 1 cup
Whole Garam Masala (Cloves, Cinnamon, Bay leaves, Star Anise etc) – 10gms of each
Medium Sized Onions – 3 (thinly sliced)
Fried Onions – ¼ cup
Mint – 1 bunch
Green Chilies – 8-10 depending on your spice level
Limes – 2 juiced
Ghee – 4 tbs
Water – approx. 15 cups for cooking rice

METHOD:
Trim the fat off the meat and run it under water for 3-4 times and pat it dry.
Add yogurt, ginger garlic paste, salt and marinate. Let it sit overnight or for 1-2hrs, if you are in a rush.
Soak the rice in water for an hour.
Thinly slice the onions and slit the green chilies.
In a cooking vessel, heat the oil and add the whole garam masala. Once the garam masala starts to splutter, add the onions and chilies and sauté until the onions turn golden in color. Now add the marinated meat and a little water and mix well. Check and add salt if necessary. Close the lid and let it cook on med flame. This process should take at least an hour or so. Note: You can also use a Pressure Cooker to cook the curry, but I prefer cooking in a broad cooking vessel. If you happen to cook in a cooker, make sure you don’t overcook the meat.
Add mint leaves to the curry and close the lid.
Meanwhile, take a vessel and pour in water along with enough salt and bring it to a boil. Now add the soaked rice (sans the water) to the boiling water. Cook the rice until it is semi cooked and drain the water using a colander. After the rice is drained, fluff with a spatula and keep it aside.
Once your lamb curry is all nice and done with oil floating around, switch off the flame and add lime juice to it.
Now start layering. Start with a layer of rice and then a layer of curry with ghee and fried onions. Continue the process until you run out of rice and curry. Close with a heavy lid and let it cook on a slow flame. This should take at least 20-25 mins. Once it is done, let it rest for 10mins and mix gently.
You are almost done. Take the biryani in a serving dish and garnish it with fried cashews, lime or lemon wedges and sliced eggs with a sprig of mint on top.
Serve this yummy hot lamb biryani with cool onion and cucumber raita.

Enjoyyy!!!!!!

~Firdaus

I once again thank all participants. I hope you have all enjoyed the roundup. If in case I have missed anyone’s entries, please let me know. I will inshallah update it immediately.

I am on a blogging break, to enjoy my babyjaan and my new role as a mommy. Inshallah I will be back soon.

Luv,
Mona

AddThis Social Bookmark Button

Announcing ‘Hyderabadi Ramadan Food Festival 2011′ (Season III)

July 16th, 2011 Mona Posted in Blog Events/Entries/Polls, Eid/Ramadhan/Iftaar 3 Comments »

With just about 15 days to go for the blessed month of Ramadan to commence, its time yet again for me to announce the Season III of ‘The Hyderabadi Ramadan Food Festival 2011′ on my blog. May Allah SWT shower mercy upon us, bless and forgive us all, and bring us all closer to Him and to each other inshallah, Ameen.

The logo for the event is as follows:

The rules of the event are listed below:

1. From now until Eid-ul-Fitr 2011, prepare traditional Hyderabadi recipes that are savored during Ramadan at both Iftaar and Suhur, and also at the day of Eid-ul-Fitr (snacks, curries, one-dish meals etc) and post about it on your blog.
2. There is no limit to the number of entries per person. You can even update old posts on your blog with a link to this announcement page in order to send me your entries. Please provide a link to this announcement page in your post and feel free to use the logo.
3. Send me your entries at zaiqaDOTmonaATgmailDOTcom with the following details:

  • Your name
  • Your blog name/title
  • Name of the entry
  • URL of your post
  • A photo of the recipe (300 pixels wide)

4. If you do not have a blog, you can still participate by emailing me the recipe, along with the other details mentioned above.
5. The last day to send me your entries is Eid-ul-Fitr 2011 which falls on August 31 2011 (depends on moon sighting)

Let us all celebrate Ramadan and share the traditional Hyderabadi delicacies especially prepared during this holy month with the world. I look forward to you entries and will post a round up in the first week of September 2011 right after the Eid-ul-Fitr inshallah.

To go through previous seasons of this event, please visit this page.

Luv,
Mona

AddThis Social Bookmark Button

Khare Seviyan

January 13th, 2011 Mona Posted in Blog Events/Entries/Polls, Canola Oil, Capsicum, Ginger-Garlic paste, Green Chillies, Lamb/Beef/Mutton/Veal/Sheep, Mustard seeds/Rai, Nigella seeds/Kalonji, Pasta & Noodles, Poultry/Murgh, Red Chilli powder, Salt/Namak, Semolina/Sooji/Suji, Tomato/Tamatar (fresh), Turmeric/Haldi, Vermicelli/Sewaiyya 9 Comments »

It has been snowing very hard here in Toronto since a few days. Everyday I get up, and draw the curtains only to see thick layers of snow on roofs, ground and everywhere. Even now it is still snowing.

source

Magical, amazing wonder, but still a pain as it needs shoveling everyday, makes walking and driving on the slippery roads difficult and dangerous, and the unbearable chilly winds. I am wishing that the sun comes out as soon as possible and I get to see color everywhere soon inshallah. In the meantime, keep warm everyone.

Capellini pasta rolls

I love to prepare khare seviyan, or sometimes a simple tomato and leftover chicken + oats soup for breakfasts as a change to the very usual parathas, idli, egg sandwiches or cereals. As the name suggests khare seviyan are savory thin vermicelli noodles cooked in a tomato based sauce. Easy to prepare, simple yet filling. You can prepare it totally vegetarian or add leftover prepared qimah or shredded chicken or lamb meat or even paneer if you wish. Other than enjoying it as a quick breakfast, I also sometimes prepare it as a snack or even as a packed lunch.

Khare Seviyan – Savory Breakfast Noodles
Serves – 5

Ingredients:

Canola oil – 2 tsp
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Nigella seeds – 1/2 tsp
Ginger garlic paste – 2 tsp
Green chillies – 4, finely chopped
Bell Pepper – 1, cut into thin strips (I used green bell pepper)
Tomatoes – 4, large, red and ripe, finely chopped
Leftover qimah or shredded chicken or lamb meat or paneer – 1 cup (optional)
Red chilli powder – 2 tsp
Salt – 2 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Water – 4 cups
Capellini pasta rolls – around 300 gms, broken into small pieces (or any semolina vermicelli noodles)

Khare Seviyan – Savory Breakfast Noodles

Method:

In a large pan at medium high heat, pour oil and as soon as it warms up add mustard seeds and nigella seeds. As the begin to crackle, add the ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute. Add green chillies, turmeric powder and bell pepper. Fry them for about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, leftover qimah or shredded chicken or lamb meat or paneer, salt and red chilli powder. Mix well and let cook covered until the tomatoes are soft. Add water and cover. Let it come to a boil. Once boiling, add the broken pasta and mix well. Let it come to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to medium low and let cook until the pasta has absorbed all water. Serve immediately along with boiled eggs if you wish.

My blogger buddy Tamanna has recently announced an event she is hosting on her blog – ‘Winter Comfort Foods‘~ Classic home cooked meals that make you want to come home and whip up that favorite meal you learnt from your grandmother that gives solace when you are feeling low and uplift your moods. Especially good during this harsh winter season. So do drop by her blog to go through the details and join in the fun.
Khare Seviyan is my contribution to the event she is hosting.

Luv,
Mona

AddThis Social Bookmark Button