Smoked Vegetable Biryani

The name Biryani is derived from the Persian word beryā which means "fried" or "roasted". Biryani was invented in the kitchen of Mughal Emperors. Lahore, Kashmir, Kolkata, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Delhi / Agra and Malabar are the main centres of biryani cuisine.

Since it is a Mughal recipe, authentic biryani dishes contain meat. However, the vegetarian version of this recipe can be as delicious and scrumptious as its non-vegetarian counterpart. Here is my take at vegetable biryani, and I am quite sure that meat lovers are not going to miss anything, once they try this surprisingly light, yet flavorful dish.

Ingredients:

basmati rice - 1 cup (soaked in water for half an hour)
oil / ghee - 7 tbsp
ginger-garlic paste -1 tbsp
onions - 2 medium (finely sliced)
potatoes - 1 large (cut in large cubes)
tomatoes - 3 large (finely chopped)
carrots - 1 (sliced)
beans - handful (cut in two's)
mint leaves (phudina) - 1 cup
red chilly powder - 2-3 tsp
whole garam masala (cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, bay leaf)
garam masala powder - 2 tsp
jeera (cumin) - 1 tsp
salt - to taste
curd - 3 tbsp
lemon - 1

For garnishing:
fried cashew nuts - handful
fried raisins - handful
fried sliced onions - 1 tbsp


Method:

• In a large pot of boiling water, add rice, carrots, beans, mint leaves, 1 tbsp ghee, and salt to taste. Cook till the rice is done. Strain and keep aside. (Do not overcook the rice)
• Take a deep heavy bottomed pan and heat oil / ghee. Add whole garam masala and jeera. When jeera begins to crackle, add sliced onions and fry till golden brown.
• Add ginger-garlic paste, potatoes and fry till the potatoes are almost cooked.
• Now add red chilly powder, garam masala powder and fry for a minute. 
• Add chopped tomatoes, lime juice, salt, curd and cook till oil leaves from the sides.
• Now add the rice and vegetables to this masala and mix gently without breaking the rice.
• Cover with aluminium foil and a tight lid and place on a very low flame for 15 minutes. 
• Garnish with fried cashews, raisins, fried onions, and fresh mint leaves.
• Served best with onion raitha or baingan ka salan.



Rice being cooked with vegetables



Masala

Adding a smoky flavour:

• Adding a smoky flavour makes a huge difference in the dish. It takes the recipe to an entirely different level. Follow the following steps before garnishing the biryani:
• Heat a piece of charcoal until its red. Place it in a small bowl.
• Place this bowl on the biryani and pour oil over it. This will release a lot of smoke. Quickly cover the dish with a tight lid to trap the aroma.
• Keep it on for 5 minutes.
• Garnish and enjoy restaurant style smoked biryani.

Note: Make sure you use all natural charcoal and not the one which has petroleum added to it.

Creamy Pasta Bake

Pasta bakes make a hearty meal that can often be prepared in advance. Hence, a great item on the menu if you have guests coming over. I particularly love to bake a pasta dish over the weekend, which brings the entire family together for a scrumptious and wholesome meal. 

CREAMY PASTA BAKE 

Ingredients:
sweet corn kernels - 1 cup
dried macaroni pasta - 1 cup
green peas - 1/2 cup
carrot - 1 (finely chopped)
capsicum - 1 (finely chopped)
mushrooms - 3-4 (sliced)

oregano - 1&1/2 tsp
bread crumbs - 2 tbsp
cheese - 1&1/2 cups
black sliced olives - handful
salt - to taste
olive oil - 1 tsp

For the sauce:
Flour (Maida) - 3 tbsp
Butter - 3 tbsp
Milk - 500 ml
Salt - to taste
Pepper - 1 tsp

Method:

• In a large pot of hot water, add pasta, corn kernels, peas, oil and salt. Boil till tender. Drain and keep aside. 
• To make the sauce, heat butter in a pan on medium flame until foaming. Add flour and cook for 1-2 minutes. Lower the flame, and gradually add milk while continuously stirring with a whisk. Keep stirring till all the lumps have vanished. Now add 1/2 cup cheese and cook till the sauce has started to thicken.
• Add salt, pepper, chopped carrots and capsicum to the sauce. Mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes, then turn off the heat.

Arranging the pasta:

• In a baking tray, spread the pasta, corn and peas mixture.
• Pour the sauce over it and spread it evenly.
• Now spread the sliced mushrooms, and sprinkle oregano over it.
• Layer grated cheese, olives and bread crumbs, in that order.
• Bake the dish for 20 minutes in a preheated oven at 220 degrees; or until the top layer is golden brown.
• Garnish with fresh basil leaves.
• Serve with toasted bread and enjoy the meal!

Alternate Variations:

1. Add chicken breast fillet pieces along with the mushrooms and bake for 30 minutes at 220 degrees.
2. Place boiled, pureed and seasoned spinach paste at the bottom most layer of the dish for a delicious flavour.

Chole Masala

Chickpeas are high in fiber, iron, vitamins and antioxidants. 20 percent of the legume is protein, a percentage comparable to meat's. The Latin name for the word chickpea means "small ram" because the legume somewhat resembles a ram's head. 

A Chinese company is attempting to patent chickpea extract as a diabetes medicine because it is shown to lower triglycerides and cholesterol, improve insulin sensitivity and regulate blood sugar.

Here is a classic chole masala recipe which can be made with either white or black chickpeas.

Ingredients:

Grind the following ingredients together to make the masala powder:
Coriander powder - 1 & 1/2  tsp
Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
Black salt - 1/2 tsp
Dry pomegranate seeds (anardana) - 2 tsp
Dried mango powder (amchur) - 1 & 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Black pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Dry fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi) - 2 tsp
Big cardamom - 1
Cinnamon - 1" piece
Cloves - 4
Dry Ginger (sonth) - 1 tsp
Nutmeg powder - 1/2 tsp
Mace - 1

Other ingredients:
Chickpeas - 250 grams
Bay leaf - 1
Onions - 2 medium
Tomatoes - 2 medium
Green chillies - 1
Ginger - 1" piece
Oil / Ghee - 1 tbsp
Lemon - 1
Salt - to taste

Method:

• Wash and soak the chickpeas for a couple of hours. Pressure cook it with water and a little salt and keep aside.
• Grind the onions, tomatoes, green chilli and ginger to make a paste. 
• Heat a heavy bottom pan and add 1 tbsp ghee or oil. Add the above paste, salt, and cook for 10 minutes.
• Add the masala powder and cook for another 5 minutes.
• Now add the boiled chickpeas, 1/2 cup water and pressure cook for one whistle.
• Remove from flame and squeeze the juice of 1 lemon.
• Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Grandma's tip: Do not throw away the excess water that remains after boiling the chickpeas. This nutrition packed water could be used in the gravy. 

Palak Ki Poori

I was about 13 when I first saw round green puffed up pooris being served at a wedding. After 14 years, I tried to make them by myself; only to find out that they are not only easy to make, but delicious and nutritious  too.

Before

After

So, here is the recepie for PALAK KI POORI  (Served best with black chana (chickpea) gravy)

Ingredients:

Palak (spinach) - 1 bunch

Wheat flour - 4 cups

Ajwain (carom seeds) - 1 tsp

Green chilies - 1

Salt - to taste

Oil - to fry

Method:

• Wash the spinach and boil it in half cup water, along with some salt and green chilies  Boil for 5 minutes. Cool it, and grind to form a paste.
• To the flour, add salt, ajwain, and spinach paste. Knead it into a dough. (Add a little water if required)
• Rest the dough for 10 minutes.
• Split the dough in small parts, roll into pooris and fry in hot oil.

Tip for washing the spinach: Immerse the spinach leaves in a large tub of water and leave it for 5 minutes. Any soil in the leaves with settle at the bottom of the tub. Then gently remove the leaves. Preferably, do not cut the leaves while washing, to retain maximum nutrients.