Chicken Dum Biriyani

Authentic and elegant delicacy --
biriyani turns an ordinary day into an extraordinary day.

It is perhaps the best complete meal in the world that is the contribution from Mughals to India.
I am not fond of rice or rice related any recipe.
After marriage my husband prepared this recipe on the eve of New year and made me to taste it.
I tasted it for the first time. It was delicious mouth watering recipe full of aroma.
I found something unique about it but I was not good at cooking those days except for making chapathis ;)
He is adept at making many kinds of exotic recipes. I user to be silent spectator most of the time when he cooks anything.
I wanted to make for so long and on his birthday I presented Chicken DUM BIRIYANI with a small twist.

Surprisingly it came out so good and perfect, my husband liked it to the core
rich in flavours and tasted so luscious, lip smackingly yum that just one serving wasn't going to be enough.. The rice grains were fluffy, cooked well and separate. 

This biryani is one of the popular biryanis in India. The preparation method is quite different from the other kinds.  

Dum Pukht is a technique of cooking in steam by not allowing the steam to pass. The Basmati rice cooked with layers of marinated chicken or meat is kept in a sealed container – usually clay pots which are sealed tightly with wheat flour dough. This does not allow the steam to pass. The food gets cooked in its own steam and infuses the nutrients, flavors and aroma of its own herbs and spices in the food.  You can feel it when taking each and every bite. You won't miss out individual taste of any single element. Every element is shown star in this recipe which is I believe a best word of complement of it.

Ingredients:

250 gms Basmati Rice
1 Star Anise
500 gms Chicken with bone (boneless if you want)
1/4 cup Oil
2 large Onion, sliced thinly
Salt to taste

For Marination:

1/2 cup coriander leaves, chopped finely
1/2 cup Mint leaves, chopped finely
1/2 cup Curd 
4 Green Chilies, chopped 
3 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
1 tbsp Special Garam Masala Powder
2 tbsp Chili Powder
3 tbsp Coriander Powder
Salt to taste

For Special Garam Masala Powder:

10 Cloves
10 Cardamom
1 cm piece Mace
2 Bay Leaf 
5 cm piece Cinnamon
1 tbsp Cumin Seeds
1 tbsp Fennel Seeds

For Finishing:

Saffron a pinch
1/4 cup Lukewarm Milk
1/4 cup Coriander leaves, finely chopped
1/4 cup Mint Leaves, finely chopped
3 tbsp Ghee
50 grams Cashews
50 grams Raisins 
Rose Essence few drops

Method:

1. Marinate the chicken with all the ingredients. Let it marinate for minimum 2 hours but if you can keep it for overnight, it is great.
2. Wash and soak basmati rice for an hour.
3. Dry roast elements for special garam masala powder and blend them to a powder.
4. Take 2 glass of water in a pot and bring water to a boil. Once it boils, add in the drained rice and drop one star anise.
5. Add a tbsp of butter or oil to the boiling water while cooking rice. Cook it till it is 80 percent done. 
6. Drain it and set aside.
7. Heat oil in a pan. Shallow fry the onions till crisp, drain and set aside.
8. In same pot, add chicken and cook it in high flame, saute in between to avoid it from burning.
9. Cook it till the chicken is 90 percent done. Pre-heat the oven to 175 degrees C. 
10. Place chicken in a roasting pan. Bake uncovered 10-15 minutes in the preheated oven.
11. Get it out of oven and allow to rest.
12. Soak saffron in some warm milk.
13. Heat ghee in a pan and fry cashews and raisins till golden.

Layering biryani :

1. Take 1 ltr water in a pot and heat it.
2. On the top of this water pot, take a big pot where you want to cook biriyani so that the steam from water pot will provide heat to it. In this way, the base of biriyani will not get burnt while cooking.
3. Add 2 tbsp ghee. Spread over with the help of spatula.
4. Now a 1 inch layer of the rice over it, top with fried onions, chopped herbs, saffron milk, fried nuts and rose essence. Sprinkle 1 tsp of garam masala on it.
5. Place cooked chicken layer on it.
6. Repeat 2-3 steps.
7. Make a flour dough, stick on the lid and cover the entire pot or cover the entire pot with foil and cover with a plate. 
8. Place a weight over it and let it cook on a very very low flame for 20-25 mins.
9. Now remove the weight and foil and serve carefully.

Mini Eggplant Pizza

Globe eggplant is a spongy, mild-tasting vegetable that's meaty yet low in calories.  It's never eaten raw, but it can be baked, grilled, or sautéed.   The best eggplants are firm and shiny eggplants with unbroken skin.

In this recipe the eggplant is wonderfully flavoured and meshed so well with the pizza toppings.
Instead of sauce you can use slice of tomato.
I eat the whole eggplant since no one else likes eggplant.
It has protein from cheese and veg, sometimes I make garlic toast to go with it.
Also before oiling eggplant, I season oil with Italian seasoning... yummy!

To make it Hawaiian, you can add cubes of ham and pineapple-much more flavor that way. give it a try.

Add some protein more. Ham, sausage, pepperoni. anything. You will not dissapointed.

Pleasantly surprise on how simple, quick and tasty this recipe was try and I will be trying this one again and sharing.

Ingredients: 

1 globe eggplant, 9-10 inches long
1 Tbsp salt, for drawing water out of eggplant (optional)
2 Tbsp olive oil, for brushing eggplant before roasting
2 tsp dried Italian seasoning, for sprinkling on eggplant before roasting
10 large basil leaves, cut in chiffonade strips (optional)
1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan/mozzarella
hot red pepper flakes for sprinkling finished pizza (optional)

To prepare Sauce:
3 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 cups diced fresh tomatoes
1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp dried oregano
Salt as required

Method:

1. Remove the stem from the eggplant,then cut it into 3/4 inch thick slices.
2. Sprinkle salt on both sides of slice.  (You can skip this, it will just make the slices brown. Sprinkling salt prevents slices from browning)
3. Keep the salt coated slice about 10 minutes to draw out the water. 
4. Meanwhile turn on the oven to 190C.

Preparing Sauce:

1. Heat 3 tsp olive oil.
2. Once hot,add finely chopped garlic and saute in medium flame for about 1 minute or till raw aroma goes away. Don't let it brown.
3. Add the diced tomatoes.
4. Once it starts melting, add dried Italian seasoning and dried oregano.
5. Let the sauce cook at a low simmer until it's thickened. 

Preparing Pizza:

1. After 10 minutes, wipe the eggplant dry with paper towels, it 
2. also take the salt out.
3. Take the bake tray and apply/spray the olive oil on it.
4. Lay eggplant slices on, brush/apply the tops and sides of the eggplant slices with olive oil.
5. Roast the eggplant about 25 minutes or till the slices are done. Make sure not to over-baked that slices lose their shape.  
6. While the eggplant roasts, finely slice the fresh basil leaves (if using).
7. Combine freshly grated Parmesan and low-fat mozzarella. 
8. After 25 minutes or when eggplant pieces are done, remove the slices from the oven.
9. Spread a few tablespoons of sauce on the top of each eggplant slice.
10. Sprinkle with thin basil slices (if using) and top with a generous amount of cheese.  
11. Put pizzas in oven with broil mode and let it broil until the cheese is melted and slightly browned. This took 8 minutes for me.

Sprinkle red paprika flakes and dried oregano on pizza.Serve hot

Pomfret Recheado

A traditional goan fish preparation is originated from portuguese cuisine.
Recheado means “stuffed” in Portuguese.
A tangy spicy with little sweetness paste best suited for most seafood dishes like shrimps and mackerels. 
Tried this mix and the outcome was just wonderful. The flavor and taste was so authenticate.
It looks super tempting and the recipe is truly unique, loved it:)

INGREDIENTS

4 medium sized whole pomfret
16 Garlic cloves
1 and 1/2 Inch Ginger chopped
1 and 1/2  tbsp Cumin seeds
4 Tamarind Pieces
10 Peppercorn
4 Green Cardamoms
8 Red dried Chiles/roasted green chillies
5 Cloves
2 and 1/2 tsp Turmeric
1 tbsp Sugar (optional)
10 tbsp Vinegar
10 tbsp Oil to fry
4 tbsp Semolina
2 tbsp Rice flour/Wheat flour
Salt as per taste

To garnish :
Onion slices
Tomato slices
Mint leaves
Coriander leaves
Lemon slices

METHOD

1. Clean the pomfrets and remove the unwanted flesh from the mouth with your hands and discard them. 
2. Make a few slits on the fish including the sides of the fish.
3. Combine all the above listed ingredients except oil, semolina and flour (garlic, ginger, cloves, pepper corn, cardamom, Red chilies, tamarind(without seeds), sugar, turmeric, salt in a grinder). 
4. Add vinegar to it and blend them to a smooth thick paste. 
5. Stuff this paste into the pomfret's slits and coat this paste on the outer cover of pomfrets. 
6. Keep the pomfrets for about an hour or overnight.
7. Heat oil in a pan on low flame.
8. Take semolina and flour in a plate and mix well.
9. Dip the marinated pomfrets in the above mixture. Coat them from both the sides.
10. Shallow fry the pomfret from both sides until crisp and brown in color from both sides.
11. Place the fried pomfrets on tissue napkins to remove excess oil from them.

Garnish with sliced onion, mint leaves, coriander leaves and lime.
It tastes terrific with pav, bread, roti or just have it. This Pomfret Fish is a must try.

Paneer Pasanda

Fried paneer cubes and pureed onion, tomato and cashew nut paste to make delicious curry with rich creamy gravy.

Extremely tempting dish, sure to satisfy all cravings!

INGREDIENTS

For Stuffed Cottage Cheese:
250 grams cottage cheese
2.5 tbsp grated cottage cheese
6-8 raisins, chopped or add per your taste
8 cashews, finely chopped
2 green chilies, chopped
1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
½ tbsp chopped mint leaves
¼ tsp red chili powder
½ tsp cumin powder
Salt  as required
4 tbsp oil for frying

For corn flour paste:
6 tbsp corn flour
4 tbsp water

For Tomato paste:
3 medium, roughly chopped
12 cashews
½ inch cinnamon
2 green cardamoms
2 single thin strands of mace
2 cloves
1 cup water

For Onion paste:
2 large onions chopped onions
2 tbsp oil
4 tbsp water

For gravy:
2 tbsp of the fried oil or fresh oil
½ tsp caraway seeds (substitution: cumin seeds)
1 Indian bay leaf
1.5 tsp ginger garlic paste
½ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp kashmiri red chili powder or 2 green chilies, slit
½ tsp coriander powder
1 tsp Garam masala
¼ tsp sugar or as per taste (You can skip it if you don't want)
1 tsp dry fenugreek leaves, crushed
1 cup water
2 tbsp low fat cream
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves for garnish
Salt as required

METHOD

Preparing onion paste:

1. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and add chopped onions.
2. Add pinch of salt. Stir and saute the onions on a low flame till it turns golden brown.
3. Switch off the flame. Let the onions cool.
4. Blend the fried onions along with 4 to 5 tbsp water to a smooth paste. Keep this paste aside.

Preparing tomato paste:

1. In same pan, take tomatoes, cashews, cinnamon, green cardamoms, single thin strands of mace, cloves and 1 cup water. Cook it in medium flame.
2. Stir this mixture till the tomatoes start melting.
3. Switch off the flame. Let this mixture cool. 
4. Blend the cooked tomatoes-cashews-spices mixture to a paste. Keep this paste aside.

Preparing Stuffing :

1. In a bowl, take grated cottage cheese, raisins, cashews, green chilies, coriander leaves and mint leaves.
2. Add red chili powder, cumin powder and salt. You can add few Lemon juice drops to make it tangy.
3. Mix everything and keep aside.

Preparing Stuffed Cottage Cheese :

1. Slice the Cottage Cheese in triangles/squares/rectangles. 
2. Again slice each triangles/squares/rectangles into two halves gently.
3. Repeat above two steps for all cottage cheese.
4. Place some of the stuffing on the cottage Cheese triangle.
5. Top it with its other half slice gently. Don't press. 
6. Make all cottage cheese triangles stuffed with the filling this way.
7. In a bowl, make a batter of corn starch with water with medium consistency. Add little salt.
8. Dip the stuffed cottage cheese slice in the batter.
9. Use a spoon to coat the slices as the stuffing may come out while turning to coat it using hand.
10. Place the cottage cheese slices in a medium hot oil for shallow frying.
11. Shallow fry till the base is golden, turn over and continue to shallow fry. 
12. Drain the fried cottage cheese slices on paper towels. keep aside.

Preparing the gravy:

1. In the same pan, in which the tomatoes were cooked, add oil. 
2. Add  tej patta and shahjeera/cumin seeds. Saute till the seeds crackles. 
3. Add ginger garlic paste. Stir and saute till raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.
4. Add the tomato-cashew-spice paste. Stir and saute for 5 minutes on a medium flame.
5. Add the fried onion paste. Stir and saute for 3 to 4 minutes.
6. Add turmeric powder, coriander powder and kashmiri red chili powder. Mix well.
7. Add 1 cup water. Mix well.
8. Simmer the gravy on a low flame and cover the pan with a lid.
9. Saute the gravy for 5 minutes. The gravy should also thicken. 
10. Add salt as required.
11. Add sugar as required.
12. Stir and then add garam masala, kasuri methi and 2 tbsp low fat cream.
13. Stir very well.
14. Place the stuffed cottage cheese in the gravy. 
15. Coat the paneer pasanda in the gravy.

Serve paneer pasanda hot garnished with some coriander leaves.

It tastes good with all varieties of Indian breads and jeera rice or veg pulao.

Moist Chocolate Cupcake with Vanilla Frosting

Rich, tender homemade chocolate cupcake topped with my favorite vanilla frosting

The special occasions present a pleasant break from the daily routine. My bestfriend's sister is in town and on the occasion of her birth day i wanted to gift her something really sweet and flavourful creation...
At the same time I wanted to try my hands on muffins for long time, I thought this will solve my purpose...
Super easy and super yummy chocolate coffee cupcakes make any occasions even more special! And the recipe didn't disappoint me.This cocoa-based cake is deeply chocolaty and incredibly moist.

It came out sinfully delicious, with simple ingredients. It is very easy in the sense the beginners in baking, like me, can try it out without giving a second thought.

Chocolate and coffee always make a super cool couple and they reach perfection in these chocolate coffee cupcakes! Coffee just deepens the flavour of the chocolate and the heat helps smooth out the batter and get rid of lumps.
Do you ever dip your chocolate into coffee to double your happiness ? You will have a similar feeling when you are devouring these cupcakes. 
Buttermilk is required for this recipe – the lactic acid present is what will allow the baking soda to react and leaven the cake.

I followed this recipe from 
http://foodess.com/6134-moist-chocolate-cupcakes-with-oreo-cream-cheese-frosting.html

Lovely blog with lovely bakery recipes

Instead of Oreo Cream Cheese frosting, I used vanilla frosting. 

Ingredients:

CUPCAKES

 Unsweetened cocoa powder 1/2 cup
 All purpose flour 3/4 cup
 Baking soda 1/2 tsp
 Baking powder 3/4 tsp
 Salt 1/4 tsp
 Large eggs (at room temperature) 2 
 Granulated sugar 1/2 cup 
 Light brown sugar 1/2 cup
 Melted butter 1/3 cup 
 Vanilla extract 2 tsp
 Buttermilk 1/4 cup 
 Hot coffee  (or 2 tsp instant coffee in 1 cup boiling water) 1/4 cup

VANILLA FROSTING

 Unsalted butter, softened to room temperature 1 cup 
 Confectioners' sugar 4-5 cups 
 Heavy cream 1/4 cup 
 Vanilla extract 2 teaspoons 
 Salt, to taste

Methods:

1. Preheat the oven to 170C degrees. 
2. Line a 12 cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Set aside.

Make the cupcakes: 

1. In a large bowl, whisk the cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together until thoroughly combined. Set aside. 
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla together until completely smooth. 
3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Beat it for 3 minutes
4. Then take small amount of buttermilk. Gently stir about 5 stirs. 
5. Repeat it till all the buttermilk is poured and mixed. The batter won't be very thick.
6. Pour hot coffee in small amount and stir it. Repeat it till all the hot coffee is mixed.  (The batter for the cupcakes is very thick. Very thick – almost like frosting)
7. Pour/spoon the batter into the liners - fill only halfway to avoid spilling over the sides. 
8. Bake in batches for 20 minutes (Check by inserting a toothpick, if a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, then its done.)
9. Allow to cool completely before frosting. 

Make the frosting: 

1. Beat the butter until creamy - about 2 minutes. 
2. Add confectioners' sugar, cream, and vanilla extract . beat for 3 full minutes. 
3. Add more powdered sugar if frosting is too thin or more cream if frosting is too thick. 
4. Add a pinch of salt if frosting is too sweet.
5. Frost cooled cupcakes however you'd like.

Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days and in the refrigerator up to 5 days.

Delicious Butter Garlic Calamari

You can't just go wrong with butter and garlic combination for this calamari.
Being hedonist after my own heart, and this delicious recipe only goes to prove it. 
I can think of nothing better than feasting on massive amounts of calamari.
Keep the squid rings/calamari in the freeze, take it out in the morning at breakfast or let it thaw in time for the evening's meal or starter for party. You won't be disappointed ever. Easiest and the simplest recipe 

The infusing  flavour of the garlic into the squid will always be showstopper 


INGREDIENTS:

Squids ( cleaned and cut in rings) 2 cups 
Butter 2 tbsp 
Finely chopped/crushed garlic 1 tbsp
Pepper powder 1 tbsp
salt (as per taste)
oil

METHOD:

1. Set the heat on a high 
2. Take butter on pan and when it sizzles, add chopped garlic and saute it till it turns  light brown and butter is nicely flavored with garlic
3. Season with salt and pepper
4. Now add squid rings and toss them for 2 mins
5. Remove from flame. Drain them on a oil absorbent paper. Serve them hot

You can sprinkle li'l amount of lemon juice on it, if you wish.

Note:
Squid ideally needs just a few minutes to cook. When over cooked it tends to turn chewy and rubbery.