Pudina Biryani

I have been quite lazy of late and been looking around for quick fix /one pot meals. While all that i want to do is lie down on the couch with a feel-good book and a hot cup of green/ginger/lemon tea, it is quite a case of wishful thinking with a two year old running around the house. This is a simple and nutritious rice recipe that I prepared last week. While I would have done good with my old Pudina Rice recipe, my kid has been looking forward to eating more spicy stuff these days. I guess its the cold which has dulled his taste buds. Without much delay, read on for the recipe:

Preparation Time - 20 mins

Ingredient - 2 cups Gobindobhog rice ( you can use sona masuri instead ), 1 cup soya granules, 1 medium sized potato, 3 tsp mint paste, 3 tbs thick yogurt, 1 medium sized onion, 2 dry red chillis, 2 tsp oil, whole garam masala (2 cloves, 1 inch cinnamon stick, 1/2 star anise, 1/2 javitri, a pinch of grated jaiphal, 1 small green cardamom) , salt to taste.

Preparation - Wash, peel and chop potato into small pieces. Cut onion into thin long slices.

Soak the soya granules in hot water. After 10 minutes squeeze and wash 2-3 times with fresh water.

Cooking - Heat the oil in a pressure cooker. Add broken red chilli and onion pieces. Fry till translucent.

Add the whole garam masala and saute for 30 seconds. Add mint paste and cook for 2 minutes on medium flame.

Add the potato and soya granules. Fry for another 2-3 minutes.

Stir in the yogurt and cook for 3-4 minutes on medium to high flame till the mixture starts leaving oil.

Add the washed rice along with 3 1/2 cups of hot water. [ Sprinkle some chopped mint leaves if you wish ]

Close lid and cook for 2 whistles.

Allow steam to escape before opening lid.

Serve hot with papad and raita. Or just pack some for your lunchbox.

Note - Instead of using pudina paste, one can use pudina and coriander leaves in equal proportion for making the paste. Throw in 5-6 garlic flakes for added flavor.

Vegetable-Soya Biryani

Nothing beats the comfort and warmth of a one pot meal. And biryani happens to be one of my favorite ones. Chicken, mutton, prawn, vegetable, soybeans or even kabuli chana, i enjoy all the varieties that come with this awesome dish. The Hyderbadi 'Dum' style of making biryani is the closest to my heart. And i have managed to replicate the results by using a presure cooker instead of a handi. 

One can get very close to the 'hyderabadi biryani' by half boiling the rice in a vessel and then transferring it to a pressure cooker ( with the whistle taken off ) along with the 3/4th cooked chicken for the final dish. But i always end up making it a one step process due to shortage of time. 

When we moved to Blore, my husband used to get very nostalgic about Hyderabad and that made him frequent 'Ammi's biryani'. It is the best we have had till date in Blore. and they deliver at your doorstep too. But the effects do show up on your waistline and that made him stop. 

Home made biryani allows more control over the quantity of ghee and spices used. Plus one can cook the chicken/mutton/vegetables/soya and keep it in the fridge for 4-5 days and make some mouth-watering biryani whenever desired. Vegetable biryani can provide the right balance of carbohydrates and fats along with dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals. This time i combined the vegetables with some soya chunks to enrich the protein content of my meal. 

Here is the recipe:

Preparation Time - 30 mins.

Ingredients - Basmati rice ( 2 1/2 cups ), milk ( 1 cup ), chopped carrot ( 1 /2 cup), chopped beans (1/2 cup), chopped onion ( 1 no, medium sized ), boiled soya granules (1 cup), green peas (1/2 cup), coriander powder ( 1 tsp ), cumin powder ( 2/3 tsp), chilli powder (1 tsp), turmeric ( 1/3 tsp), garam masala powder ( 1/6 tsp), ghee (2 tsp), oil (2 tsp), curd ( 3 tbs), ginger garlic paste ( 1 1/ 2 tsp), 1 inch cinnamon stick, 1 green cardamon, 1/2 of a mace, 1 star anise, 4-5 cloves, salt to taste.

Preparation - Take the curd, chilli powder, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, garam masala, coriander powder, cumin powder and salt in a mixing bowl. Mix together. Add the boiled soya granules, green peas and chopped vegetables. Mix and allow to marinate for 30 mins.

Cooking - Heat 2 tsp oil in a wok. Add the chopped onion and fry till translucent. Add the marinated ingredients and cook for 5-6 minutes to get rid of the raw smell and half cook the vegetables.

Put a pressure cooker on the flame. Add 1 tsp of ghee and fry the whole spices in it for 20-30 seconds. Wash the rice and add to the cooker. Pour in the milk. Add enough water to cover the rice and an extra 1 inch above it. Stir in the cooked vegetables and soya . Drizzle the remaining ghee on top and close the cooker lid.

It takes about 10-12 minutes or 1-2 whistles to cook through. Remove from flame and allow to stand for 10 mins.

Serve hot with Dahi pacchidi/phalahari raita.

Soya Biryani

Cooking Time Required: 12-15 mins
Cost of Preparation: 20-25 rupees

Ingredients: Basmati Rice (1 cup), onion ( 1 small ), nutrela soya granules ( 1/3 cup ), tomato puree ( 1 tbs ), dry red chilli ( 2 nos ), biryani masala ( 1/3 tsp), cumin powder ( 1/5 tsp), coriander powder ( 1/5 tsp), salt, oil ( 1 tsp ).

Preparation: Cut the onion into small pieces and keep aside.

Cooking: Cook the rice with salt and 2 cups water in a pressure cooker for 1 whistle. One can also cook rice in a open vessel if one is not pressed for time.

Keep aside and allow to cool down completely.

At the same time boil the soya granules with a little bit of salt for 5 mins. Drain and allow to cool down. Squeeze out any remaining water.

Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan. Add the red chilli and onion and saute till it turns brown along the edges. Add the boiled soya and fry for 2 mins.

Add tomato puree, biryani masala, cumin powder and coriander powder. Stir fry for 2-3 mins.

Spread the cooked rice over the fried soya granules and sprinkle salt . Mix carefully without breaking the rice grains. Remove from fire after 2 mins.


Note: This is one quick and easy to make lunch box recipe. Goes well with any raita, especially the fruity ( pineapple/apple) ones.

Mutton Biryani

Cooking Time Required: 1 hour
Cost of Preparation: 250-300 rupees
Serves: 4-5 nos.

Ingredients:
For the marinade: Mutton (1/2 kg), ginger garlic paste ( 1 tbs ), mustard oil ( 1 tsp), sour yogurt ( 1 tbs ), dry red chillis ( 3-4 nos), salt, turmeric.

For the gravy: Onion ( 1 medium ), red chilli ( 2 nos), coriander seeds ( 1 1/2 tsp ), cumin seeds ( 1 tsp ), cardamon ( 3 nos ), cinnamon ( 1 inch long ), cloves ( 3-4 nos), tomatao ( 2 nos, medium ).

For the biryani rice: Basmati rice (1/2 kg), ghee ( 1 tbs ), bay leaf ( 1 no), star
anise ( 2-3 nos), javitri ( 1 flower), onion ( 1 medium), red chilli (2-3 nos), salt to taste.

For cooking: 5-6 tsp oil ( mix of oil and ghee is also good ), ginger garlic paste ( 1 tsp ).

Preparation: Mix all the ingredients for marination and keep aside for 2 hours.

Grind all the gravy ingredients into a fine paste.

Cut the onion into rings and keep aside.

Cooking: Heat the oil in a wok. Add the ground paste along with a bit of salt. Allow to cook for 3-4 mins. Add ginger-garlic paste and cook till the oil separates from the masala.

Add the marinated mutton and cook for 10 mins in the open vessel. Transfer to a
pressure-cooker and add 1-2 cups water along with salt. Close lid and cook for
2-3 whistles or till it is soft.

Remove from fire and keep aside.

Wash the basmati rice, drain and keep aside.

Heat another pressure cooker ( large one, 5ltr preferably). Add the ghee followed by the whole masalas and red chillis, and fry for 30 secs. Add the cooked mutton and the washed rice. Mix well.

Add 1 1/5 cups of water for every cup of rice. Sprinkle salt and the onion rings. Close lid and allow to cook for 2 whistles.

Remove from fire and allow to stand for 10 mins. Serve with ajwain raita.


Note: Tastes best when the mutton has a bit of fat in it.





Mutton Biryani

Vegetable Biryani ( without onion and garlic )

Cooking Time Required: 1 hour + 25 mins
Cost of preparation: 50-70 rupees
Serves 2

Ingredients: Long grained Biryani rice ( 2 cups ), diced vegetables ( 2 1/2 cup , includes beans, cauliflower, green peas , potato ), milk ( 1 cup ), cashew ( 6-7 nos ), khus-khus or posto ( 1 tsp ), khada garam masala ( cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves, mace, star anise, peppercorn, cardamon ), ghee ( 1 tbs ), sour curd ( 2 tbs ), tomato puree ( 2 tbs ), cumin powder ( 1 tsp ), coriander powder ( 2 tsp ), fenugreek powder ( 1/2 tsp ), red chilli powder ( 1 tsp ), tumeric ( 1 tsp ), oil ( 3 tsp ), salt.

Preparation: Transfer the diced vegetables to a mixing bowl. Add sour curd, tomato puree, fenugreek powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, chilli powder, turmeic and salt. Mix well and marinate for 1 hour.
















Grind the khus-khus and cashews into a fine paste.

Cooking: Heat oil in a wok.















Add the khada garam masala and fry for 1 min. Add the khus-khus and cashew paste. Fry for 4-5 mins and then add the marinated vegetables.

Cook the vegetables till they are done. Remove from fire.















Wash the rice and transfer to a pressure cooker. Add the cooked vegetables, 1 cup water, 1 cup milk, ghee and salt and mix well . Cover the lid and allow to cook for 13-15 mins or 2 whistles.

Remove from stove. Allow to stand till the steam is let off. Remove the cover and let it stand for another 5 mins. Serve with raita.

Note : I have not used garlic or onion for this preparation, instead the cashew-khuskhus paste is used to add richness to the dish.


Vegetable Biryani

Hyderabadi Chicken Dum Biryani (Pressure cooker method)

Cooking Time Required: 45 mins
Cost of preparation: 100-150 rupees

Ingredients: Basmati Rice ( 2 cups), skinless chicken ( 600 gm), curd ( 1 cup ), cumin seeds ( 1 tsp), ginger garlic paste ( 2 tsp), coriander seeds ( 1 tsp), tomato puree ( 4 tbs), cinnamon ( 1 stick, medium), cloves ( 4 nos ), star anise ( 2 nos ), cardamon ( 2 nos ), javitri ( 1 no), nutmeg (2 pinch), onion ( 1 large ), oil ( 4 tsp), milk ( 1/2 cup), saffron ( 1 strand ), chilli powder ( 1 tsp), turmeric ( 1/2 tsp), handful of mint leaves, handful of coriander leaves, salt to taste.

Preparation: Heat a pan. Dry roast the coriander and cumin seeds and ground into a fine powder.

Beat the curd, cumin-coriander powder, ginger garlic paste, chilli powder, turmeric, tomato puree, salt, powdered cinnamon and cloves, star anise and javitri togather. Add the chicken pieces to it and allow to marinate for 2 hours.

Cut the onion into thin rings and keep aside. Soak the saffron in the milk.

Cooking: Heat a pan. Add the oil. When it becomes hot, add the onion rings, mint leaves, corainder leaves and stir fry till they turn opaque. Add the marinated chicken pieces and cook for 15-20 mins or till the chicken is 80% done.

Wash the rice and add to a pressure cooker. Add 2 cups of water, crushed cardamon, nutmeg and the saffron-milk along with the chicken pieces . Mix well. One can also add 1 tsp ghee at this stage to prevent the rice grains from sticking to each other. Close the lid and allow to cook for 10 minutes. Remove from fire and allow the steam to escape. Serve with raita.

Tip: The most important part of getting the biryani recipe is cooking the rice just right. Make a trial of cooking the rice in a cooker before making the biryani, just to get the cooking time and water proportion right.


[The below pics are my latest ones ( taken on 08/05/2014 ).....I guess blogging has really helped me improve on everything fom cooking to presentation and even my photography skills. ]