Zaiqa

One dish meals are a savior. In today’s revved up life, they are a time, fuel saver, and cleanup is a breeze. Tahari is one such balanced and nutritious one pot family meal that is very often cooked in Hyderabadi homes.

Aloo aur Gosht ki Tahari – Spiced Basmati Rice with Potatoes and Lamb meat

Tahari might be called as a cousin of Biryani. During the process of Biryani preperation, the meat and rice are layered and then cooked on dum (slow heat) in one pot. Whereas in Tahari, once the meat is cooked, water is poured to the meat and then rice is added and cooked along. There is no layering process in Tahari as in Biryani. The ration of water:rice has be perfect for a well cooked Tahari, or else you end up with a mushy mess.

There are two kinds of Tahari: 1. Minced meat+Rice Tahari; 2. Lamb meat with bones+Rice Tahari. Today I am writing about the latter one. The previous kind I have already blogged a while earlier. Adding tomatoes to Tahari is optional. I have always seen both my Ammi and my Mother in law add tomatoes to Tahari, but there are some that do not suggest it. I prefer to add tomatoes as it gives a nice flavor to the dish that I love. However you can avoid adding tomatoes if you want.

Aloo aur Gosht ki Tahari – Spiced Basmati Rice with Potatoes and Lamb meat

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice – 3 cups
Canola oil – 1/2 cup
Onions – 2 cups, sliced
Ginger garlic paste – 2 tbsp
Salt – 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Mint leaves – 1/2 cup, loosely packed, finely chopped
Cilantro – 1/2 cup, loosely packed, finely chopped
Red chilli powder – 2 tbsp
Tomatoes – 2, large, diced
Potatoes – 2, large, quartered
Yogurt – 1 cup, lightly whisked
Lamb meat with bones – 650 gms
Garam masala powder – 1 tsp
Juice of a Lime

Method:

1. In a vessel, add rice and wash it in 2-3 changes of fresh cool water. Then, soak it in surplus fresh cool water for about 30 minutes while you prepare the following meat preparation.
2. In a pressure cooker at medium high heat pour in oil and as soon as it warms up, add the sliced onions. Stir fry them until they are golden brown in color. Add ginger garlic paste and fry along for a minute. Add red chilli powder, salt, chopped tomatoes, chopped mint and cilantro and turmeric powder and mix well. Cook for 2-5 minutes until the tomatoes are mushy. Add the lightly whisked yogurt and keep stirring for a minute. Add the quartered potatoes and mix. Let cook covered until the potatoes are tender (test using a fork) and oil has separated. Add the lamb meat with bones and mix well. Cook until the meat is no longer pink. Cover with the lid and pressure cook until the meat is tender. Open the lid and add garam masala powder and lime juice. Let the mixture cook until oil separates. Now pour in about 4 cups of water, close the lid, increase the heat and let it come to a boil.
3. Drain the soaking rice and keep it ready.
4. As soon as the meat mixture begins to boil, add the drained rice and gently mix. Let it come to a boil again. Once boiling, reduce heat to simmer and cover with a lid. Let it cook till very little water remains. Keep checking it every now and then, and give a gentle stir everytime. Add a few splashes of water if you feel you need more water for the rice to cook. Once the water is mostly dried up, close the heat, but leave the saucepan on the hot stove so that a nice steam forms. Let the dish rest for 15-30 minutes. Serve warm along with a pickle or papad.

Note: You can even lightly fry the quartered potatoes before you add to the dish. I prefer not to.

Luv,
Mona

I do not fancy a day or two old left over plain rice for meals. Plain rice keeps well in the refrigerator for almost a week if stored in an air tight container. And it is convenient for working people. But I am not fond of stored left over rice. Fresh cooked rice tastes so much better. However there are days when there is leftover rice and you do not know what to do with it. My Ammi makes sun dried rice crackers using the day old rice just like the dal ki badiyan and they used to be so yummy. Unfortunately the weather here in Toronto does not always favor it. So I make an another of my Ammi’s speciality. Spicy and lemony Tala hua Chawal. Serve this chawal warm at breakfast or as a mid day meal.

Tala Hua Chawal – Recycled Spicy Rice

Ingredients:

Leftover plain Rice (1 day old) – 2 cups
Canola oil – 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds – 1 1/2 tsp
Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbsp
Curry leaves – 2 sprigs
Red chilli powder – 1 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Salt – to taste
Lemon juice – 3-4 tbsp

Method:

In a non stick skillet at medium high heat pour in oil and as soon as it warms up add the mustard seeds and ginger garlic paste and stir fry until the ginger garlic paste turns golden brown and the seeds begin to pop. Immediately add the curry leaves, red chilli powder, salt and turmeric powder. As they splutter, add a few splashes of water and add the 2 cups rice. Mix well. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes until the rice is well mixed. Pour lemon juice and cover with a lid. Remove with a lid and serve warm.

Enjoy Tala hua Chawal along with Khadi dal or on its own.

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A few days back, I was finally able to get my hands on a teeny weeny Curry leaf plant. It was quite costly but I couldnt resist buying it since I had been searching it from the past few years. Since it is almost spring, I transplanted the baby plant to a deeper pot and added manure to it as the fertilizer. It is now sitting in front of a large window in my house. Alhamdulillah it is growing nicely and I hope it will continue to flourish and hopefully will provide me soon with a fresh constant supply of curry leaves for my cooking purpose.

On an another note, hubby dear had gifted me a sewing machine this last Eid-ul-Adha, something that I had wanted since long. Sewing is an another favorite hobby of mine, so I have been doing a few sewing projects lately. There are a lot of interesting and clearly explained projects shared by very talented sewists on their blogs. Inshallah I will update my blog with projects that I will be doing.

I wanted to share with you all this project that had caught my attention a few days back, and it turned out pretty good. I used hubby’s old t-shirt and a time-worn kitchen towel instead of the chenille sock and I got 3 reusable swiffer mop pads. I plan to use them to wipe my kitchen floor and when they are soiled, just wash them and they are again good to go. How convenient is that.

Luv,
Mona

One of the most delicious beans that as the name suggest grows in clusters and a native of South India – Cluster beans, also called as Gavar ki Phalli in Urdu language, are high in proteins and fibre and low in fat, making them a very good option for people with diabetes and cholesterol.

young cluster beans growing on plant

The beans have a delicate taste and tiny pods inside them. Choose young beans to cook and discard any blemished or mature beans. They can easily be distinguished from the regular green beans as they have a flat appearance and pointed ends.

These are available both fresh (in season) and frozen at Indian grocery stores. My grandmother had a very tedious method of preparing these beans before cooking which my Ammi always followed. The following picture should help you all understand the procedure.

What she used to do was wash them well, drain, then top and tail the beans. After all this done, the beans are then split from one side – the ridged side, using the tip of the knife all along its length and then chopped into 1 inch pieces. All this really makes a difference as it allows the masala to go into the beans as they are split open to absorb all flavors and make them really delicious. The beans can also be completely split into two halves instead of splitting them from one side only.

vegetable vendor selling fresh vegetables door to door on a street cart : a common sight in India

My Ammi cooks this vegetable either with meat, or along with a roasted sesame seed paste. Most vegetables are cooked along with a little amount of meat in Hyderabadi households. We are fond of meat. But for this totally vegetarian preparation, adding a little bit of roasted sesame seed paste adds a lot of flavor as well as imparts creaminess to the curry.

Til Wali Dum ki Gavar ki Phalli – Cluster beans cooked in a Spicy Sesame Seed Sauce

Ingredients:

Olivado Avocado Oil (or any other cooking oil) – 2 tbsp
Onion – 1, large, peeled and diced
Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp
Green chillies – 3, finely chopped
Tomato – 1, diced
Red chilli powder – 2 tsp
Salt – 1 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Sesame seeds – 2 tbsp
Cluster beans – 340 gms, fresh or frozen
Cilantro – 1 tbsp, finely chopped

Til Wali Dum ki Gavar ki Phalli – Cluster beans cooked in a Spicy Sesame Seed Sauce

Method:

1. In a small frying pan at medium high heat, add the sesame seeds and dry roast them without adding any oil until they are a few shades darker. Remove from from heat and transfer to a spice grinder. Add a little bit of water and puree into a smooth paste. Keep aside.
2. In a pressure cooker at medium high heat, pour in oil and as soon as it warms up, add the diced onions and cook them while stirring until they are browned. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute. Add the chopped green chillies and diced tomatoes, red chilli powder, salt and turmeric powder and let cook on low heat for two minutes. Add the roasted sesame seed paste prepared earlier and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the prepared cluster beans and stir gently to mix. Pour in about 2 cups water and pressure cook until the beans are soft. Remove the lid and let cook for 3-5 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve warm along with Baghara Chawal or along with Parathas.

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Cooking Oil Review:

[Disclosure: Olivado sent me samples of their oil to review. I was under no obligation to review the samples or, if I did review them, to post a positive review. I received no monetary compensation for this review.]

A few months back I received an email from Katelyn from Olivado Oils if I was interested in trying out their products. I obliged and in a few weeks time I received a wonderful package of a gorgeous chestnut faux leather box filled with carefully packed beautiful looking cooking oils. Until now I have been a fan of only two kinds of oils, one is the Olive oil, and the next comes Canada’s own Canola oil, both of which are a regular in my house. I was pleased to try out a new oil and hopefully include it into my choices.

this can be yours

And I am glad I tried these oils. Just the name Avocado oil intrigued me as I love the creamy rich flavor of avocados. The four varieties of oils that I received are Olivado Omega Plus Blended Oil, Olivado Avocado Zest Oil, Olivado Macadamia Nut Oil and Olivado Kenya Avocado Oil. Each variety of oil has its own benefits and uniqueness to offer. The avocado oils are organic, fair trade, cold pressed and extra virgin. I have been using them as salad dressings, in baking, grilling, salsas and cooking my daily meals. The oils have a fresh fruity aroma and the taste is not overpowering at all.

My conclusion is that I am thoroughly impressed and totally recommend these new health oils to everyone. The good news is that they are available all over the world and also in Canada. So go ahead and try them out for yourselves.

Giveaway: Olivado has agreed to giveaway just a similar package as that which was sent to me (the above mentioned four varieties of oils in a chestnut faux leather box) to one lucky reader of my blog (open to residents of US and Canada only).  A very good chance for all of you to sample these new cooking oils. To participate, simply leave a comment below. The last date to enter is February 28th 2011. The winner will be announced in the first week of March 2011.

Luv,
Mona

I remember my Ammi used to prepare all the dishes she wanted to serve at parties and events which my parents used to host during our childhood with her own two hands in her own little kitchen. Sometimes a maid would come for help when the party was large, but it was all under Ammi‘s strict supervision. She never opted for ordering food from a catering company or something like that. I have very vague memories when my mother was young and we were little kids, of the parties and the array of traditional food she used to prepare. I did not have an interest in cooking back then. I never entered the kitchen to help Ammi with parathas in the mornings or helping her with cutting and preparing vegetables on the weekends at the least. I regret, I wish I had paid attention and worked along with her. I was either busy studying, or being rebellious like a typical teenage child. It was only when I choose Nutrition as my subject that my curiosity for cooking evolved.

Today I call my Ammi and ask her on the phone of the doubts I get, but I lost the best chance of actually learning from her in action. I have learnt that sitting and enjoying meals in ones parents house is a blessing. But one should try to develop interest in all that is offered for them to learn at their parents house, from learning their mothers cooking, to the hobbies they master, to the little traditions they follow, because life while at parents house is the best time to learn from the best teachers you will ever get in your life. Parents should also encourage children to develop interest in learning to cook and teach them from a tender age, atleast so that they get in touch with their traditional activities and so that all that does not get lost with time. I am glad alhamdulillah I am able to document and preserve my family’s recipes through my blog, and this way help many young woman alongside as well.

Just like the famous Mirchi ka Saalan and Baghare Baingan, Tamatar ka Saalan is also ubiquotous to Hyderabadi cuisine. All these three mentioned curries, the perfect sides to a Biryani, have the same base gravy, with only brinjals in Baghare Baingan, chillies in Mirchi ka Saalan and tomatoes here in Tamatar ka Saalan. You can also add fish to the same curry base and you get Machli ka Saalan. I have used cherry tomatoes for the curry. Usually regular tomatoes are used which are simply cut into two halves. Tamatar ka Saalan is also referred to as Bagharay Tamatar by some people.

Cherry Tomatoes

Whenever in Hyderabad, I recommend food enthusiasts to attend high class weddings of traditional muslim Hyderabadi families in order to get in touch with the traditional Hyderabadi food which is not very easily available in restaurants or hotels. Or if you are lucky, enjoy home cooked traditional meals locally at a friends house.

Tamatar ka Saalan/Bagharay Tamatar – Tomatoes simmered in a creamy fragrant sauce

Ingredients:

Cherry Tomatoes – 8 (or medium sized tomatoes, each cut into two semi circles)
For masala paste:
Khus Khus/White Poppy seeds – 1 tbsp
Till/Sesame Seeds – 1/2 cup/50 gms
Groundnuts/MoomPhalli – 1/2 cup/50 gms
Dry Desiccated Coconut – 3/4 cup/50 gms
Coriander seeds/Dhania – 1 tsp
For gravy:
Canola oil – 1/4 cup
Yellow Onions – 3, large, each quartered into 4 pieces
Ginger garlic paste – 2 tsp
Salt – 1 tbsp
Red Chilli Powder – 2 tsp
Turmeric/ Haldi – 1/4 tsp
Cilantro/ Kothmir – 3 tbsp, finely chopped
Thick tamarind pulp – 3 tbsp
For baghaar/tempering:
Cumin seeds/ Zeera – 1 tsp
Curry leaves/ Kariyapaak – 2 sprigs
Mustard seeds/ Rai – 1/2 tsp
Nigella seeds/ Kalaunji – 1/3 tsp
Fenugreek seeds/ Methi dana – 1/8 tsp

Tamatar ka Saalan/Bagharay Tamatar – Tomatoes simmered in a creamy fragrant sauce

Method:

1. Wash the cherry tomatoes well. Discard the stalks and make four incisions, perpendicular cuts (an X) from the stem end of each cherry tomato, taking care the other end is intact. Keep aside.
2. Puree the onions into a smooth paste. Also, smoothly/finely grind all the ingredients seperately under the heading ‘for masala paste’ adding just a few drops of water if needed.
3. Heat oil in a heavy non-stick pan at medium heat and as soon as it is warm, add the baghaar ingredients – cumin seeds, curry leaves, mustard seeds, nigella seeds and fenugreek seeds. Once they start spluttering, add the pureed onion paste and mix. Cover with a lid for a minute. Uncover and keep frying until the raw smell of the onions goes away. Add ginger garlic paste, salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and chopped cilantro and the masala paste and mix well. Keep cooking until the raw smell of the masala paste goes away and you can see the paste leaving oil on the sides. Add a few drops of water if needed during the process. This might take about 5-10 minutes. Later add tamarind pulp and mix well. Now pour in about 4-5 cups of water (or less) and mix. Let it come to a boil. Once boiling, add the prepared tomatoes and cover with a lid. Let cook for 5 minutes. Once the tomatoes are soft, remove from heat and serve the curry along with Pulao or Biryani. (In the picture you can see that I have prepared a loose consistency of the curry. You can cook it furthur until you achieve the desired consistency. The preferred consistency of this curry is semi-loose.)

On an another note, my blog has been selected for Best Of Indian Blogosphere 2010 polls by blogjunta.com. Please vote for me here.
Thanks.

Luv,
Mona

Easy to cook and full of flavor, lamb chops are one of my favorite meats to prepare whenever I am hosting a party. Even kids love to nibble them, and adults will not be able to resist.

I prefer rib lamb chops for this recipe, and you can even bake them in the oven or grill them outdoors during summer instead of cooking on stovetop. Serve them along with a chutney, or raita and a salad on the side.

Lamb Chops

Ingredients:

Lamb Chops – around 2 kg
Red chilli powder – 1 tbsp
Salt – 2 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Garam masala powder – 1 1/2 tsp
Lemon juice – 3 tbsp
Ginger garlic paste – 1 1/2 tbsp
Canola Oil

Method:

1. Trim off any excess fat, wash the chops well, drain and pat dry. Slash the meaty side of the chops 2 or 3 times with a knife. In a mixing bowl, add all the ingredients except the chops and oil and mix well. Add the chops and rub the spice paste into the chops well. Cover with a lid and let marinate overnight.
2. The next day bring it to room temperature before you start cooking. In a wide thick bottomed non-stick frying pan at medium high heat, pour 2 tbsp oil and as soon as it warms up, add the chops in a single layer and let them sear well. Once they are browned, turn them so that they brown on the side as well. Once nicely browned, add a cup of water and cover the pan with a tight lid. Lower the heat to simmer and let cook until the meat is tender. Once the meat is tender, increase the heat, uncover the pan and cook until the water evaporates. Serve warm.

This is my second contribution to the Hyderabadi Bakr Eid Food Festival that I am hosting this month on my blog. Click on the link or the logo for more details. The logo for the event is:

Remember that the event is on and you can all send in your entries to me before December 31, 2010.

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And now for what you all have been waiting for. Thank you all for participating in the giveaway. The lucky winner of the Tetley Tea giveaway is Maryam. Congratulations Maryam, I hope you enjoy the gift basket of goodies.

Luv,
Mona