Zaiqa

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

These yummy stuffed griddle breads with spicy potato filling are a favorite breakfast choice in my house. I enjoy them along with a little tomato chutney on the side. A cup of chai to end the meal and I am satisfied. Bliss!

Aloo Paratha – Flat Bread stuffed with spicy Potato mixture

Ingredients:

For the Stuffing mixture:
Potatoes – 5, medium, washed, peeled and cubed
Canola Oil – 2 tbsp
Cumin seeds/Zeera – 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Green chillies – 2, very finely chopped
Turmeric/Haldi Powder – 1/2 tsp
Salt – to taste
Red Chilli powder – 1 tsp
Cilantro – 2 tbsp, very finely chopped
For the Bread:
Wheat flour (Durum Flour) – 450 gms
Canola Oil/Ghee – 2 tbsp
Salt – to taste
Water – as needed

Note: You will need additional oil for cooking the Parathas/Bread.

Aloo Paratha – Potato Stuffed Indian Bread served along with Tomato Chutney

Method:

1. Boil or pressure cook the potatoes until they are soft. Drain, peel and mash them and keep them aside in a bowl. Heat a pan on medium high heat and pour oil into it. Add cumin seeds and mustard seeds. When they splutter, add the chillies and fry them for a minute and add the turmeric powder. Add this to the the mashed potatoes. Also add salt, red chilii powder, and cilantro. Mix well and keep aside.
2. Now for the parathas, combine the flour, salt, oil and water (reserving some of the flour for rolling). Add only a little water at a time and knead hard for 10 minutes until the dough is smooth, firm and pliable. Divide the dough into 16 equal sized balls. Roll each ball into a circle with a rolling pin of 8 cm approx diameter on a lightly floured board. Divide the potato mixture and roll them into 8 balls between your plams, 4 cm approx diameter and keep aside. Put each potato filling in the middle of each of the 8 rolled out discs and flatten it a bit. Cover the remaining 8 rolled discs onto each of them like a sandwich, and press the edges of the discs to make a potato parcel and enclose the potato mixture inside. Cover them all with a kitchen towel.

3. On a lightly floured working surface, take the sandwiched bread+potato and roll out very lightly and carefully, each one by one, to a circle, the size of a breakfast plate. Do not press too hard on the rolling pin or the filling will break through the dough, and also, do not roll it too thin or the Paratha will tear. Keep the working surface generously floured to aid in the process. Roll gently.
4. When all the parathas are filled and ready to cook, heat a heavy flat bottomed frying pan/girdle/tawa until very hot. Keep oil/ghee ready in a small bowl. Put a teaspoon of oil/butter on the girdle, spread it and put a paratha on it carefully and let the paratha sizzle on the girdle for a minute. Spread another small teaspoon of oil/butter on top of the paratha. Turn the paratha over and cook another side until nicely golden on both sides. Remove into a platter lined with kitchen towel. Cover with another kitchen towel to keep warm. Repeat until all the parathas are ready and serve warm.

Suggested Accompaniments: Serve at once with Tomato chutney or have it with any curry you like. You can also enjoy them as it is.

Tip: If there is a leftover potato mixture (filling):
1. You can make Potato cutlets with it and store in the refrigerator. Shallow fry them later when you want and a snack is ready.
2. You can also use the potato mixture as the filling into mirchi and make mirch bhajiya with besan. A yummy snack is ready.

Luv,
Mona

Soft deep fried Pooris along with delicious spicy Cholay was my breakfast today, or call it a lazy weekend brunch.

There’s something about Poori’s that everyone loves. This breakfast is a favorite in my house. The prepared dough is rolled into a circular disc just like it is done for parathas or chapatis, but instead of being cooked on a hot griddle, they are deep fried till nicely puffed like a baloon.

I had posted the last time about the Palak Poori, in which spinach in added to the dough of poori for a different flavor. Today’s poori’s are plain poori’s, which people usually enjoy alongside a potato curry, or a chickpea curry called cholay. It is a classic Indian breakfast.

This recipe goes as a contribution to Anita of ‘A Mad Tea Party’ for holding this Party of Poori’s.

Poori – Deep Fried Puffed Bread
Makes: 14 pooris

Ingredients:

Durum Wheat Flour – 3 cups (or) 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flor + 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
Salt – 1/4 tsp
Canola oil – for deep frying
Lukewarm Water – about  1 1/2 cups

Golden deep fried puffed Pooris ready to be eaten

Method:

1. Add flour and salt in mixing bowl and mix. Add water a little at a time and mix to form a kneadable but stiff dough. Soft dough will absorb more oil while deep frying. Knead the stiff dough for 5-8 minutes until soft. Divide the dough into 3 parts. Roll each part into a cylinder. Cut/pinch each cylinder into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into smooth and even balls between palms of your hands. Cover the balls with a damp towel.
2. Roll out all the dough balls one by one on a lightly floured board to a circular disk (approx 12 cm diameter) and arrange them on a tray. Turn the disk several times to make even circles. Use as less flour as possible while rolling the pooris. Do not roll the poori’s too thin, or else they will not puff up like a baloon.
3. Heat approximately 2 inch of oil in a deep frying pan or kadai/wok. (Never use non-stick pan for deep frying). Drop a tiny ball of dough into the hot oil, if it rises quickly then the oil is ready to deep fry the pooris. Slip a rolled out poori into the hot oil, making sure it does not fold over. Using a slotted spoon gently press the poori in the centre into the oil while rotating it and spoon hot oil continually over the cooking poori. Within seconds it puffs and swells and turns into a lovely light golden color. Turn over and fry other side in the same way. When both sides are pale golden brown, remove to a paper lined tray and continue frying until all the pooris are cooked. Do not stack them. Stacking deflates the puffed up pooris and makes them soft. My hubbby likes soft pooris so I stack a few especially for him. Serve immediately while still hot along with Cholay. Pooris can be kept warm for a few minutes in 200°F oven if stood on their sides without crushing them. The pooris will deflate eventually if left uneaten, but they will still taste great. You can also use them as a great snack along with any curry of your choice for picnics and while travelling.

Cholay – Chickpeas in a spicy sauce

Ingredients:

Dried whole Chickpeas/Garbanzo beans/Kabuli Chana – 1 cup
Ginger garlic paste – 2 tsp
Salt – to taste
Turmeric – 1 tsp
Dry roasted Ground Cumin seed powder – 1 tsp
Dry roasted Ground Coriander seed powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Red Chilli powder – 1/2 tsp
Green chillies – 3, finely chopped
Tomatoes – 3, medium sized, finely chopped
Yellow Onion – 2, medium sized, chopped
Oil – 2 tbsp
Cilantro – 1 tbsp, for garnishing
MDH Chana Masala – 1 tsp
MDH Chaat masala – 1 tsp

Cholay – Chickpeas in a spicy sauce

Method:

1. Soak dried chick peas overnight in plenty of water.
2. Next day, drain the old water and add about 4 cups fresh water, 1 tsp salt and pressure cook until soft. Drain the chickpeas in a colander but reserve the liquid in a bowl.
3. In a heavy bottom pan, pour oil and add the onions, reserving a little amount for garnishing. Cook until they are lightly golden bown. Add the ginger garlic paste and fry along for a minute. Add tomatoes, salt, turmeric, red chilli powder, chana masala, chaat masala, green chillies, cumin powder, coriander powder and cook until the tomatoes are mushy and well cooked. Add the boiled chickpeas, 2 cups of the reserved water and mix well. Mash up a few of the chickpeas to impart a gravy consistency. Let it cook for 10 minutes and remove from heat. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and chopped onions. Serve along with poori or just as a snack.

Luv,
Mona

Canned Tuna is a staple in my home. There are always a few tins stacked up in the pantry that come handy to me at times when I am in the mood of a quick fix.

Serve these cutlets as snacks with tomato ketchup, or as a side dish with Rice or Parathas.

Tuna Cutlets
Makes: 26 cutlets

Ingredients:

Canola Oil – 2 tbsp
Yellow Onions – 2, large size, finely chopped
Green chillies – 10-12, finely chopped
Tuna Flakes – 2 tins
Salt – 2 tsp
Red Chilli powder – 2 tsp
Garam Masala – 1/2 tsp
Black Pepper powder – 1/2 tsp
Potatoes – 3, boiled, peeled, and mashed
Egg Whites – 3, whipped
Bread Crumbs – 2 cups
Canola Oil – as needed for shallow frying the patties

Tuna Cutlets/Patties

Method:

• In a non stick heavy bottom pan on medium heat stir fry the onions and green chillies in oil till the raw flavour of onions is lost and they are translucent.
• Add the drained tuna flakes to the pan. Mix and let it cook for almost 20 minutes till the tuna is light brown in colour. Keep strring it occasionally ensuring it doesnt get burned.
• Add salt, red chilli powder, black pepper and garam masala.
• Add the mashed potatoes to it mix well.
• Keep stirring it continuously and let it cook for 7 minutes more.
• Once ready, keep aside and let it cool.
• Make small patties of the cooled mixture.
• Pour the whipped egg white in a cup and bread crumbs in an another cup.
• Dip the patties once in the egg white, then in the bread crumbs and store them in a plastic box if you want to store some, and arrange remaining on a tray to fry them.
• Pour oil in a pan shallow fry them till brown on both sides.
• Serve them hot.

Luv,
Mona

Weekends are usually grocery shopping days. I love the sight of fresh fruits and vegetables. This week I had bought a few taro root and decided to prepare this ambrosial curry using them.

Arvi Ka Khatta Salan – Colocasia (or) Potatoes and Lamb Stew

Khatta Salan means ‘soured stew’. The sourness from the tomatoes, a slight heat from red chilli powder and the subtle sweetness from  caramelized onions along with the roasted spices impart an aromatic and delectable flavor to this Taro stew. This same base is used in many other versions of the khatta shorba, which are Bhendi Ka Khatta, Karele ka khatta, Aloo-Gosht ka Khatta etc.

The consistency of this curry is slightly thin and not like a thick gravy. Replace potatoes with colocasia to make it ‘Aloo aur Gosht ka Khatta Salan – Potatoes and Meat in a tangy sauce’.

Arvi aur Gosht Ka Khatta Salan – Colocasia (or) Potatoes and Lamb meat Stew

Ingredients:

Colocasia/Taro root/Arvi –  4-5, large sized, peeled, and cut into 1.5 cm cubes (or) Potatoes – 5, large sized, peeled, and cut into 1.5 cm cubes
Lamb meat with bones – 600 gms, cubed into bite size pieces
Curry leaves – 2 sprigs, fresh
Ginger garlic paste – 1 1/2 tsp
Yellow Onions – 3, large, sliced
Tomatoes – 5, large, diced finely
Salt – 2 1/2 tsp
Turmeric – 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder – 1 tbsp
Roasted Cumin seed powder – 1/2 tsp
Roasted Coriander seed powder – 1/2 tsp
Tamarind concentrate/Lemon or Lime juice – 2 tbsp
Cilantro/Kothmir – 3 tbsp, chopped finely
Oil – 8 tbsp

Method:

• Take a pressure cooker and put it on medium heat and add oil. As soon as it heats up, add onions and fry until they are light brown in color. Add ginger-garlic paste and fry for a minute. Add the meat, curry leaves, red chilli powder, salt and turmeric powder, cumin and coriander seed powder and cook until meat is no longer pink. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook along for a furthur 3-5 minutes until the tomatoes are soft and oil starts to leave. Now pour in water to cover and pressure-cook till the meat is tender.
• Later, open the lid of the cooker and add the colocasia/potatoes and stir well. Also add the tamarind paste/lemon or lime juice and around 4 cups of water. Half cover the lid and let it cook on simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the tuber has become soft. You can test it by piercing one cubed colocasia/potato with a fork. It should be soft. If it isnt, let it simmer for a little more time. Garnish with cilantro and serve immediately along with rice or parathas.

Note: You can replace colocasia with peeled and quartered turnips to make it ‘Shalgam aur Gosht Ka Khatta Salan’ – Turnip and Lamb meat in a Tangy Sauce.

Luv,
Mona