Zaiqa

Rizruby, one of the very regular commentators, participant and reader of my blog had shared with me her recipe for this wonderful and nourishing drink of nuts and milk a few days ago. She also adds that back home in Hyderabad a beautiful aroma of ‘Oodh’ (Oodh ka dhua) is added to the drink that makes it even more flavorful.

Doodh ka Sherbat – Nuts and Milk Drink

Milk – 5  cups (8 ounce size)
Sugar – 1/4 cup according to ur taste
Cardamom/Elaichi powder – 1/4 tsp
Pistachio/Pista – 40, in number (I use samsclub pistachios without shells, I just wash in plain water to remove the salt)
Almonds – 20, in number (I use samsclub whole almonds)
Saffron – 1 pinch
Fennel/Saunf powder  – 1 tsp  (You can get this in indian stores)

Method:

1. Add almonds in a bowl and add water and microwave for 2-3 minutes. Rub off the almonds skins.
2. Grind the peeled almonds and pistachios to a fine powder in coffee grinder. Take this powder in bowl and add some milk to make a paste.
3. Boil the milk on a medium flame. Also add elaichi powder with sugar to milk and stir for a while. Add the nut paste and saunf  powder when milk is ready to be boiled. Stir milk a little. The saunf powder makes the milk taste less sweet, so add sugar now according to your taste. Also add pinch of saffron to boiling milk. Let the milk cool down. Serve cold and store the remaining in refrigerator.

The technique to infuse ‘Oodh ka Dhua’ into milk is as follows:
Place burning oodh onto a small aluminium foil, and invert a large vessel over it so that the vessel collects all the smoke from the burning oodh. In a few minutes, quickly turn the vessel and cover it with a lid. The vessel has all the aromatic smoke from the oodh. Now pour the milk into the vessel and close the lid. Gently swirl and serve.

Recipe and picture belongs to Rizruby

This yummy, creamy and nourishing sherbat is my contribution to Yasmeen’s ‘Healthnut Challenge 3‘ event that is hosting on her super healthy blog ‘Healthnut‘.

Luv,
Mona

The Rice shortage had severly affected my family’s dietary lifestyle. Rice is a staple food for me and my family. Nowadays, we rely on other sources as rice has become too costly here in Canada too and because of its unavailibility. I hope and pray that Rice will be available very soon again in the markets in surplus amounts.

A few days back I got my hands on the cookbook Regional Indian Cooking by Ajay Joshi and Alison Roberts. After a moments of spending my time browsing through the recipes of the book, I knew I will be trying out some dishes as the recipes and presentation pleased me a lot. The recipes were easy to follow and described and divided the different Regional Indian Cuisines very well.

Kashmiri Lamb Qorma

I tried the following recipe from the this cookbook and modified it here and there according to my tastes. I and my family enjoyed it, as it was very delicious and I mostly liked it because I found it very simple to prepare. I put the meat to cook for about an hour and then went on with my other house chores and activities and later came back to finish the dish which took me not more than 30 minutes and did not require any laborius techniques or ingredients for the preparation. 

Kashmiri Lamb khorma

Ingredients:

• Boneless Lamb Meat – 650 gms, cut into 2 cm approx cubes
• Tumeric/Haldi – 1/2 tsp
• Salt – 1 tsp
• Water – 3 cups
• Unsalted Butter – 3 tbsp
• Green Cardamom pods/Sabut Elaichi – 4
• Cloves/Laung – 6
• Whole Cinnamon Stick/Dalchini Sabut- 2 inch piece
• Aniseed/Saunf – 3/4 tsp, powdered
• Red Chilli powder – 2 tsp
• Fresh grated Ginger – 1/2 tsp
• Tamarind concentrate – 2 tsp

Method:

• In a saucepan, combine lamb, turmeric, salt and water. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, uncovered, until meat is very tender, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Drain meat, reserving cooking liquid. Set meat aside.
• In a heavy-bottomed frying pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, aniseed, chilli powder, ginger and tamarind. Reduce heat to low and stir until oil seperates, 2-4 minutes.
• Raise heat to high, add meat and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes to coat meat with seasonings. Stir in 1 cup reserved stock, reduce heat to low and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes to blend flavors. Serve immediately.

Kashmiri Lamb Qorma in a pan 

Suggested Accompanimeant: Basmati Chawal or Paratha or Naan or Coconut Rice.

Luv,
Mona

I had always disliked vegetable biryani. My Ammi had to run behind me to make me finish my plate. The other day while I was browsing through this cookbook, I came across this recipe and I am so glad I tried it. This recipe is a keeper and I will definitely be trying it again and again in my kitchen.

Vegetable Dum Biryani –  Rice Cooked With Vegetables and Spices
Source: India’s Vegetarian Cooking
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• Spices for the Rice water:

1. Bay Leaves – 2
2. Fennel Seeds/Saunf – 1 tsp
3. Nutmeg Powder – 1 tsp
4. Cinnamon – 1 small stick
5. Cloves – 5
6. Black peppercorns – 8
7. Green cardamom – 3

• Milk – 4 tbsp
• Saffron strands – 1/2 tsp
• Rose Water – 4 tbsp (optional)
• Green cardamoms – 2
• Butter/Canola Oil – 6 tbsp
• Yellow Onion – 3, medium, thinly sliced
• Ginger Garlic paste – 1 tbsp
• Tomato paste – 2 tbsp
• Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp
• Garam Masala powder – 1/2 tsp
• Salt – 1 1/4 tsp
• Frozen Mixed Vegetables (Corn, Carrots, Potatoes, French Beans, Lima beans) – 270 gms
• Red capsicum – 1, chopped
• Basmati Rice – 300 gms
• Mint leaves – 1 tbsp
• Cilantro – 1 tbsp
• Slivered Almonds – 3 tbsp

Vegetable Dum Biryani / Tarkari Ka Chawal

Method:

• Preheat Oven to 425 °F /220 °C/Gas Mark 6
• Put the spices meant for the rice water in 600 ml of water. Bring to a boil and turn off heat. Cover the pan and allow the flavours to infuse. This will be our liq. 1.
• Meanwhile crush the two green cardamoms with milk and saffron and rose water and keep aside in a small bowl. This will be our liq. 2.
• In a pan on medium heat, pour 3 tbsp of butter/oil and stir fry the chopped red capsicum. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.
• In the same pan and butter/oil fry the onions until brown. Remove half of them and reserve for garnish. Add Ginger garlic paste to the pan and stir fry it along with the remaining onions. Remove from heat and let it cool. Grind the fried Ginger-Garlic and Onion.
• Heat 1 1/2 tbsp butter/oil in a pan and pour the above grinded mixture along with turmeric powder, Garam masala and tomato puree. Season with salt and let it cook for 5-10 minutes.
• Add the frozen mixed vegetables to the tomato and onion mixture in the pan. Also add the stir fried red capsicum. Mix Well and simmer. Let it cook for 10 more minutes. Remove from heat and reserve.
• Strain the liq. 1 and keep aside. Throw away the spices.
• In a pan add 1 1/2 tbsp of butter/oil and fry the rice over high heat. (Note: Do not wash the rice before hand. Rinsing will wash away the significant amount of surface starch that contributes to the dish.)
• When the rice has become shiny, add half of the liq. 1 and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cover for about 6-8 minutes or until the water has evaporated.
• Take an oven proof dish and start the layering process of the Biryani. The top and bottom layers are always the rice in a Biryani. Start by a layer of rice in the bottom of the dish, then add a layer of Vegetable mixture, then a layer of rice, and layer of vegetable mixture, and then the final rice layer. Pour evently the remaining liq.1 and the liq. 2 and the reserved fried onions on the rice layer. Also sprinkle the chopped coriander and mint leaves, and the slivered almonds on it. Seal the dish with tinfoil.
• Cook the biryani for 40 minutes in the oven reducing the heat to 375 °F/190 °C/Gas Mark 5 after 20 minutes. Open the dish/Remove the tinfoil from the dish, just before serving.

Suggested Accompaniments: Tamatar ki Chutney

This goes as my contribution to Sharmi for the event she is holding Jihva for Ingredients JFI and its Rice this month at her place.

Luv,
Mona