Prawn Biryani

INGREDIENTS

250 grams shrimp
2 cups Basmathi rice
1 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Red chili powder
1 tbsp Lemon juice
1 medium sized Tomato diced into cubes
2 medium sized Onions thinly sliced
1 Star Anise
1 Mace
7-8 Cloves
1 tbsp Cumin seeds
1 tbsp Coriander seeds
7-8 Green chilies
1 tbsp Ginger garlic paste
1-2 Bay leaves
2 inch Cinnamon stick


PROCEDURE

1. Wash and devein the shrimp. Marinate it with turmeric, salt, chili powder and lemon juice for atleast 60 minutes.

2. Wash basmathi rice and keep aside.

3. In a pan heat oil and saute the onion till it turns brown. Divide into three portions.

4. Heat oil in a pan and saute ginger garlic paste, cloves, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cinnamon and green chilies.
Allow to cool and grind along with one portion of fried onion.

5. In a pan heat oil add bay leaf, star anise and mace. Add the diced tomato, saute for a minute and add the onion spice paste saute for another minute. Add the marinated shrimp mix well.
Add the washed rice and one portion of onion combine well.

6. Add sufficient amount of water and transfer into a pressure cooker or rice cooker.
Once done sprinkle the last portion of onion.

Serve hot with raitha.

Fried rice with Japanese rice

INGREDIENTS

300 grams Japanese rice cooked and allowed to cool
1 Carrot cubed into small pieces and par boiled
2 Bell peppers thinly sliced
1 Onion thinly sliced
1-2 Red or Green chilies slit
1 tsp Vinegar
Few spring onions finely chopped
3 tbsp Peas
Salt
Pepper
Oil


PROCEDURE

1. Heat oil in a wok add onions and saute for about 2-3 minutes. Now add bell pepper and chilies stir fry for another 2-3 minutes.

2. Now add the cooked rice and stir well. I used Japanese rice you may use a rice of your choice.
Add the carrot, green peas and spring onion combine well.

3. Now sprinkle salt and pepper as required. Add the vinegar mix together until all the flavors are well blended. Stir quickly and uniformly to prevent burning.

You may include eggs or chicken or shrimp if you desire.

Almost Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

INGREDIENTS

3 cups Basmati rice
2 Large onions thinly sliced and deep fried until crisp divide into two portions
500 grams Chicken with bones
Oil

Marinate chicken with the following:

1 Javitri or Mace
2 Bay leaves
5-6 Cloves
5-6 Pepper
1 tsp Cumin seeds
3 1" Cinnamon sticks
1 1/2 tsp Cumin powder
1 1/2 tsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tbsp Red chili powder
5-6 Green chilies slit
1 Portion of fried Onions
50 grams Mint leaves finely chopped
50 grams coriander leaves finely chopped
2 tbsp Yogurt
Salt


PROCEDURE

1. Wash and soak the basmati rice in water for atleast 30 minutes.

2. Marinate the chicken for minimum 45 minutes.

3. Heat about 1 tbsp oil in a vessel, once hot add the marinated chicken and 2 tbsp water cook till well done on a low flame. Make sure this has a thick gravy like consistency.

4. Boil water in a pot add salt and 1 tbsp oil, now add the soaked rice and cook till almost done. Strain and keep aside.

5. In a thick bottomed vessel layer chicken, rice and left over portion of fried onions.

6. Add a pinch of saffron to 1 tbsp water and pour over the rice. Cover vessel with a napkin and then place a lid over it.

7. Heat water in a wide frying pan and place the heavy bottomed vessel in it. Let it cook on low flame for about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Serve with Raitha and Mirchi ka salan.

NOTE: I said almost because I haven't cooked my biryani over coal in a handi (type of a vessel).

Garlic pepper fried rice

INGREDIENTS

1 Cup boiled rice
1 Large red bell pepper thinly sliced
1 large green bell pepper thinly sliced
1 Small onion thinly sliced
Few green peas
Few Spring onions finely chopped
3 eggs beaten and scrambled
1 tsp Crushed black pepper
3 Cloves of Garlic roughly crushed
1 tbsp Garlic paste
1 tbsp Chilli Garlic paste
1 tsp White vinegar
1 tsp Soy sauce
1 Pinch Ajinomoto
4-5 Dried red chillies
Salt to taste

PROCEDURE

1. In a large frying pan heat oil and add red chillies,onion, red and green bell pepper saute for about 5 minutes.

2. Now add garlic paste and saute for another 5 minutes. Add garlic cloves, crushed pepper and salt.

3. Add the boiled rice,peas, vinegar,chilli garlic sauce,soy sauce and a pinch of ajinomoto.

4. Add the scrambled egg and spring onion combine well.
Remove from flame.

Serve hot.

Kobbari annam (coconut rice) and alu curry

ALU CURRY (Potato curry)

INGREDIENTS

1 Large Onion finely chopped
1 Large Potato diced into small cubes
1 tbsp Red chilli powder
1 tbsp Ginger garlic paste
1 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Cumin powder
1 tsp Amchur powder
1/2 tsp Garam masala powder
1/s tsp Pepper powder
1/2 tsp Fenugreek seed powder
1 pinch Asafoetida
1/2 tsp Clove powder
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1/2 Cup Water
2 tbsp Oil
salt

PROCEDURE

1. Heat oil in a pan add mustard and cumin seeds once they splutter add chopped onions and saute till they turn golden brown.

2. Now add asafoetida,ginger garlic paste,fenugreek seed powder,clove powder,pepper powder,garam masala,turmeric,cumin powder,coriander powder,amchur powder,salt and red chilli powder saute for another 5 minutes.

3. Add the diced potato and combine well.

4. Transfer into a pressure cooker along with half a cup of water cook for 5-6 minutes.
Remove from heat, when pressure drops open the lid.

Serve hot with rice or chapati.

Capsicum spicy rice

INGREDIENTS

SERVES 2

2 cups cooked Basmati rice
3 large cubed Bell pepper(capsicum) I used red, yellow and green
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tsp Urad dal(minnapappu)
2 inch Cinnamon stick
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tbsp Coriander seeds
5-6 dried Red chillies
10 Curry leaves
3 tbsp Roasted Peanuts
1 tbsp grated Coconut
3 tbsp Ghee or Oil

PROCEDURE

1. In a thick bottomed pan dry roast mustard seeds,urad dal,cinnamon stick,cumin seeds,coriander seeds,red chillies and curry leaves.

2. Once they are roasted add the peanuts and toss for about 10-15 seconds then add the grated coconut mix well for about a minute and remove from flame.

3. Keep aside and allow to cool. Once cooled put it into a blender and grind it into a coarse powder.

4. In a pan heat ghee and add the cubed bell pepper. Toss for about 5 minutes make sure the pepper dosent loose its crispiness. Now add the powdered mixture to this and mix it well.

5. Take the cooked rice in a large mixing bowl and add the above mixture to it and combine well.

Serve hot with yogurt.

Dussehra meal

SOOJI PARATHA

INGREDIENTS

1/2 Cup Sooji
1 Cup water
2 tsp Red chilli powder
Few Coriander leaves finely chopped
Salt to taste
1 Cup Wheat flour

PROCEDURE

1. Boil water,add sooji,salt and red chilli powder mix well on medium flame till it cooks to form a thick mass.

2. Add the chopped coriander leaves. Allow the mass to cool. Once cooled make lemon sized balls. Keep aside.

3. Knead wheat flour as you would for any roti or chapathi.

4. Make balls out of the dough in the size of a large egg.

5. Roll it into a circle of 4-5 inches and place the sooji mixture in the center, seal the edges to make it into a ball.

6. Flatten this ball and roll it into a 6-7 inch round.

7. Pre-heat a griddle(Tawa) ,place the paratha on it cook both sides till golden brown by spreading butter or oil on both the sides.

Serve hot with Indian pickles and yogurt.





LEMON RICE (NIMMAKAYA PULIHORA)

INGREDIENTS

2 cups rice cooked
1/4 th cup lemon juice
1/4 th tbsp Turmeric powder
5-6 slit Green chillies
5 Dried red chillies
10 Curry leaves
100 grams Peanuts
1 tbsp Channa dal
1/2 tbsp Mustard seeds
1/2 tbsp Cumin seeds
1 pinch Asafoetida
3-4 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste

PROCEDURE

1. Heat oil in a cooking vessel add mustard seeds and allow to splutter then add cumin seeds,channa dal,peanuts,curry leaves,dried red chillies and green chillies fry till brown color is obtained.

2. Now add asafoetida,turmeric powder stir for 10-15 seconds.

3. Add the lemon juice and salt also add 10 ml of water cook for about 10 minutes.

4. Remove from flame once cooled mix it with the cooked rice and allow it to sit for about 1 hour before you serve.

Tamarind rice or Chintapandu Pulihora

INGREDIENTS

SERVES 2

2 cups rice cooked
2 lemon sized balls of Tamarind
1/4 th tbsp Turmeric powder
5-6 slit Green chillies
5 Dried red chillies
10 Curry leaves
100 grams Peanuts
1 tbsp Channa dal
1/2 tbsp Mustard seeds
1/2 tbsp Cumin seeds
1 pinch Asafoetida
3-4 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste

PROCEDURE

1. Soak tamarind in warm water for about 30 mins and extract juice free of seeds.

2. Heat oil in a cooking vessel add mustard seeds and allow to splutter then add cumin seeds,channa dal,peanuts,curry leaves,dried red chillies and green chillies fry till brown color is obtained.

3. Now add asafoetida,turmeric powder stir for 10-15 seconds.

4. Add the tamarind juice and salt also add about 50 ml of water cook until the raw smell disappears and water evaporates. Remove from flame when gravy consistency is achieved.

5. Mix the above gravy with the cooked rice allow it to sit for about 1 hour(for the rice to absorb the flavor).