Veg DUM Biryani !

Try this dum biryani once, I am sure you will never order in any restaurant. 

For Rice:

1 cup rice
Salt as per taste
2 cloves (laung / lavang)
3 Big cardamoms

5-6 Whole black pepper

1 star anise
1 stick cinnamon (dalchini)
2 bayleaf (tejpatta)

1 T spoon oil
Masala Paste:

6 whole dry kashmiri red chillies
1/2 cup cashewnuts (kaju)
2 tsp chopped ginger (adrak)
3/4 cup chopped onions

Curd Paste:

1/4 cup beaten curds (dahi)
2 tbsp chopped coriander (dhania)
2 tbsp chopped mint leaves (phudina)
1 T spoon garam masala


Veggies gravy:

2 T spoon oil
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1/4 cup sliced onions
3/4 cup chopped potatoes
1/4 cup chopped carrots
 1/4 cup chopped french beans
1/2 cup cauliflower florets

Method :

Clean and wash the rice. In a large pan, add 3 cups of boiling water to the rice with clove, cinnamon, bay leaf, cardamom,star anise, black pepper oil and salt.Cover and simmer till the rice is nearly cooked. Drain and keep aside.

Heat the oil in a pan add the cumin seeds.When the seeds crackles, add the onions, mix well and cook till the onion turns to golden brown in color. Add all the vegetables, salt, grounded red masala and 1/2 cup water, mix well and simmer till the vegetables are 3/4 done. Remove from the flame and keep aside.

In a deep wok, pour the vegetable gravy as first layer,top with the rice and spread the curd paste over the rice.Cover with a tight lid, you can also place vessel filled with water above the lid to keep it intact and keep the vessel on a tava and cook over a slow flame for 25 to 30 minutes.

Serve hot with raita of your choice. You can serve with instant Dahi Kadi .

Easy Dahi Kadi...

Sometimes, you don't wanna spend much time in kitchen and  sametime you also don't wanna order from outside...
I tried this version of kadi for such times..and hence sharing same in my blog..try once..

1 cup  curd
1/2 cup soaked boondiya..
chopped coriander
chopped mint leaves
2 Chopped green chillies
1 T spoon mustard seeds
1/4 T spoon crushed ginger
3-4 curry leaves
Salt as per taste
2-1/2 cups of water
1 T spoon oil
1/4 t spoon turmeric powder
1 T spoon red chilli powder

Method:
Mix curd and water, make it like buttermilk.
Heat oil in deep pan, add mustard seeds, when they start spluttering add curry leaves and green chillies. Now add ginger, turmeric and red chili powder and let it roast for a 30 seconds.  Add buttermilk. You can add more water if required. Let it boil for 5 minutes. Off the flame. add salt and garnish with coriander and mint leaves.

Add boondies just before serving. Serve dahi kadi with rice or chapati.

Variations: Instead of boondies you can add fried/roasted onions.

Kofta Curry

Ingredients:
For Kofta
2 Cups of grated lauki (bottle gourd)

1 Cup gram flour

1/2 Tspoon crushed ginger
1/2 Tb spoon mint powder
1/2 Tb spoon ajwain
1/4 T spoon turmeric powder.
Salt as per taste
Oil for frying

For curry:
2 Medium onions
Puree of 4 Medium tomatoes
3 Red chilies
5-6 curry leaves


Method:

Mix all the ingredients of kofta in a bowl , make fine dough(it could be lil sticky). Heat oil in deep pan, using a spoon make a small lump from mixture and deep fry. Make 8-10 such kofta balls. Keep them aside.

For curry, blend onions,, chilies and curry leaves in a mixture. Heat oil in a wok, add cumin seeds and add onion mixture into it. Saute till onion becomes translucent.
Then add tomato puree and 2 cups of water.Add dry spices of your choice (1/2 T spoon  turmeric powder, 1/2 Tspoon chilli powder and 1 T spoon coriander powder). Cover the lid and let it get cooked on medium flame for atleast 15-20 minutes, till it starts leaving its aroma. Add kofta into the curry . Let them soaked in the curry on low flame for about 10 minutes.
Off the flame, Serve hot with chapatis or rice.

Baked Chapati Rolls!!

Sunday morning after diwali , lazy beginning ...after breakfast hubby left for spanish lessons, maid finished her work. House was clean, laundry was done , I was relaxed and reading newspaper. Suddenly my cell phone rang and my dear friend who has missed her flight and her next flight was  in late afternoon, was coming to spend few hours, also she wants to have some quick bite.

I checked my fridge, nothing much :(, few leftover chapatis, milk and a bottle of appy fizz..... 10 mintues became hours for me, just to think what I can cook with limited options ..I came upto an idea , made paneer from milk(Homemade Paneer) and used leftover chapatis.
My friend could not stop appreciating the dish.

Just try this:
You can also try with fresh ones but crisp will come from leftover only.
Ingredients:
Few leftover chapatis
Paneer 1/2 cup
2 Tb spoon apple juice ( juice can be of any variant)
Spices of your choice to season.
Method:
Marinate Cottage cheese in apple juice and spices for 30 minutes.( I used crushed roasted cumin seeds, salt , mint powder, red chilli powder, chat masala).
Preheat microwave for 15 minutes. Divide the chapati in halves, place a spoon of cottage cheese mixture on one half chapati and fold it or make a roll. Using water on fingers, try to close the ends.
Repeat the procedure for other halves.
Grease the baking tray and place the rolls in tray and bake them for 10-12 minutes at 200 degree celsius.

Your dish is ready. Serve with sauce or chutney.

Tips:  You can also trying using mashed vegetables for filling, can use cheese or jams

Tomato-Basil Soup

This is my favorite soup, easy and quick to make and delicious in taste.


Ingredients:
4 Tomatoes
1 Packet of basil leaves
3-4 Garlic  (crushed)
1 Tb spoon olive oil


Method:

Pressure cook chopped tomatoes and basil leaves with 2 cups of water.
Blend them well in mixer. Heat oil in a deep wok, add crushed garli and immediately pour tomato-basil mixture.
Mix well and let it boil for 5-7 minutes.Add salt as per taste, season with black pepper.

Serve hot.


Tip: You can enhance its flavour by adding 1 big cardamom while cooking tomatoes and basil.

Tomato-Mint Soup

Healthy soup for stomach. It really do wonders when you have an upset stomach.
Do try this once.

Ingredients:
6 Tomatoes
1/2 Bunch of mint leaves
1 Tb spoon olive oil


Method:

Pressure cook chopped tomatoes and mint leaves with 2 cups of water.
Blend them well in mixer. Heat oil in a deep wok and add blended mixture.
Boil well, add salt as per taste and season with your favorite spices.
Serve hot.