Chicken Biriyani

This time  my post is a very common and popular dish "Chicken Biriyani" but prepared in my own way. This is the first time I am trying something like this without knowing the conventional method of doing this. Again here I tried to make it in a easiest way, less spicy and with less oil. Try this. I am sure You will enjoy it.

Ingredients:

2 cups Basmati Rice

500gms Chicken (Chicken with bone also can be used)

1 Large Onion (grated)

1 large onion (diced)

2 tbsp.grated ginger

2 tbsp garlic paste

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp.cumin powder

1tsp. coriander powder

2 tsp. red chilli powder

1 tsp. garam masala powder

5 to 6 cloves

4 to 5 cardamom

3 cinnamon sticks

2 Bay leaves

 10 gms cashewnut

Salt

Sugar

20 gms mint leaves

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan. Add onion ginger and garlic paste. Fry them for a couple of minute, then add turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, red chili powder and salt. Fry the masala and add  chicken pieces to it. Saute till the chicken is half cooked and the oil gets separates from it.

2. Wash  basmati rice properly, strain the excess water and keep aside.

3 Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add bay leaves, cinnamon stick, cardamom and clove. Stir fry for few seconds . Add diced onion grated ginger and garlic paste. Fry them until onion becomes golden. Now add rice, garam masala, cashewnut pieces, salt(as required) and 1/2 tsp sugar. Stir properly and finally  add cooked chicken along with masala and then chopped mint leaves. Mix it properly and add water (water should be added upto the rice level just to cover the rice and chicken). Close the lid and pressure cook it it low flame until 3 whistles comes. Turn off the flame keep it aside and let the pressure comes out. Open the lid and serve hot with raita.

Palak Pakora (Spinach onion pakora)

Pakora is one of most delicious and easy to make snacks.  The taste of deep fried Spinach Pakora dipped in red or green (coriander and Mint) chutney is just unbelievable. It can be served as teatime savory as well as a side dish accompanied with meal.  

Ingredients:

1 bunch Spinach (Finely Chopped)

1 onion (Finely Chopped)

2 pods garlic (chopped)

1/2 cup Gram Flour (besan)

1 tsp.turmeric powder

1/2tsp.red chili powder

1 green chili chopped(optional)

1 tsp. salt.

1/2 Sugar.

Oil for frying

Method:

1 Mix thoroughly chopped spinach, chopped onion, Garlic,  Besan, turmeric powder, red chili powder , salt and sugar in a bowl. If required add 1 or two tablespoon of water but avoid adding excess water as the batter should be thick and sticky.

2. Heat oil in a deep bottomed pan. Make small fritters and drop them in  hot oil and deep fry them until golden brown in medium flame.

3. Drain out excess oil and keep it in a tissue paperin order  to soak the excess oil.

Serve hot with Tomato chili Sauce or Green chutney.

Chichinge Aloor Dalna( Snake Gourd Potato curry)

Snake Gourd is one of those vegetables which are rarely used and I think we have limited knowledge of preparations  of snake gourd. This dish is an authentic Bengali dish made of snake gourd as I am using "Paanch Phoron" ( mixture of Mustard, Cumin, Fenugreek, Black cumin and Sauf) which is the common phoron (tarka) in bengali veg curry  and I love the aroma of that. This  curry can be prepared with Parwal also as both the vegetables belong to same family. 

Ingredients:

 500 gms Snake Gourd

 2 Large Potatoes

 10 gms ginger piece.

3 green chili's

1 tomato (chopped)

1 tsp. turmeric powder

1 tsp roasted cumin powder.

1 tsp garam masala powder (powder of clove, cinnamon and cardamom)

1 tsp. paanch Phoron ( mixture of Mustard, Cumin, Fenugreek, Black cumin and Sauf) 

2 red chilis

Salt

Sugar

1 tsp. Ghee

Method:

1. Wash and cut  potato and snake gourd into  small pieces. Heat a little oil in a pan. Add the vegetables and little salt and saute for about 8 to 10 minutes. Take it out and keep aside.

2. In a grinder grind ginger , green chili and roasted cumin powder  to make a fine paste

3. Heat oil in a pan and add red chilli's and paanch phoron. Add ginger paste and fry for a couple of minutes. Now mix 1 tsp turmeric powder in 2 tbsp water and add the paste to the fried masala. Fry the masala for about 5 minutes. Now add chopped tomato and saute for 2  to 3  minutes. Add fried Snake gourd and potato pieces. Stir for sometime and add Salt , garam masala powder and a 1/2 tsp. of sugar.  

4. Add 1 cup of water. Cover with a lid and let it cook for 6 to 8 minutes with stirring in between. Once it is cooked, add 1 tsp. of ghee  and then turn off the heat.

Serve hot with Plain rice or chapatti.

Vanilla custard

This one of the most favourite dessert of my kid. She loves it very much specially cherry spread on the top. It is different from other custard as I cut it into cube shape to make it look more delicious. The preparation is very easy and fast.

Ingredients:

 1/2 litres. Milk

 2 tbsp. Custard powder(vanilla flavoured)

 3 tbsp. Sugar

 Cherry (sliced lengthwise)

Method:

1. Pour milk in a pan, keep it in flame and let it boil. Reduce the flame and stirr for about 6 to 8 minute so as to reduce its volume. Add 3 tbsp of sugar and stir again. 

2.Take 1/4 cup of cold milk and add 2 heaped tbsp. of vanilla flavoured custard powder and mix thoroughly so that the powder gets diluted properly in the  milk.

3.  Now pour the custard powder and milk mixture slowly on the boiled milk with one hand and stir the milk with other hand  as it will avoid formation of lump. Stir continuously until the custard becomes thick. 

4. Reduce the flame and Pour the custard into and flat bottomed container (grease the container before pouring). Let it cool  in order to set the custard (You can keep it in refrigerator for an hour. Spread cherry pieces over it. Now cut it into cubes or different shape according to your kids choice.  

This  recipe goes for "Cooking For Kids (Milk/Milk products)" event going on Preety's blog. Wish you all the best for hosting such a cute event.

Shorshe Maach (Fish With Mustard) Recipe

This is an authentic bengali recipe which is simply delicious.The taste of this recipe is completely different from other bengali dishes because of the pungent flavor of mustard.This recipe is considered to be healthier than other non veg dishes as it is cooked in steam and very less oil is required for it. Any fish like Rohu, Katla,Telapia, pabda, pomfret and specially Hilsa (illish maach) which is highly recommended for this dish. Another specialty of this recipe is that this dish is very easy to cook in Microvewave and takes very less cooking time. 

INGREDIENTS:
500 gms fish.
2 tblsp. mustard paste(0.
1 tsp. green chili paste.
1 large onion finely chopped.
2 green chilis (slitted).
1 tsp. turmeric powder.
1 tsp. Salt (as per taste).
1 tsp sugar.
2 tblsp. kachhi ghani mustard oil.
METHOD:
1.Wash and cut fish into pieces.

2.Take a microwave cooking container  and mix fish pieces, mustard paste, green chili paste, chopped onion, turmeric powder, salt,  sugar and mustard oil. after mixing add slitted green chilis. Close the lid of the box.

3. For microwave preparation, keep it in the microwave and and let it cook in microwave for 12 to 15 minutes in 850W with Stiring twice or thrice in between.

Garnish with chopped coriander  leaves. Serve hot with plain rice.

I am reposting the recipe as it goes for the "Microwave Oven Recipes" event going on SriLekha's blog. Congrats! Sri for such a gr8 event.

Semiya upma (Veg Vermicilli upma)

Semiya Upma is my favourite break fast dish. I cook it very often specially on Holidays when I want to prepare something very fast and Delicious for my hubby and kid. My preparation for upma is little different as I don't fry or roast the Vermicelli  and I add vegetables always available like Carrot, green peas, Capsicum, beans etc to make it more nutritious. It take very less time to cook. I like to eat it with Tomato Sauce or Pickles.

Ingredients:

 200 gms. Semiya (Vermicelli)

1 Large Onion (Chopped)

1 Carrot (Chopped)

1 Capsicum (Cut lengthwise)

10 gms. Peanut (Roasted)

10 gms. Green peas

3 to 4 whole red chilis

1/2 tsp.Mustard seeds

1 /2 Cumin seeds

1 tsp. turmeric powder

1/2 tsp. red chili powder

 Curry Leaves

Salt

Sugar

Coriander leaves

Cucumber (chopped)

Method:

 1. Heat water in a pan. When the water starts boiling put the vermicelli into it. After 2 minutes when the vermicelli becomes soft pour the content of pan into a strainer (Don't over cook the vermicelli otherwise it will get sticky) to strain out the  water. Now hold the strainer under running cold water so that vermicelli becomes cold then it will not stick to one another. Keep it aside.

2. Heat Oil in a nonstick pan. Add Red Chili, Cumin seeds and mustard seeds and finally curry leaves. When mustard starts spluttering add Chopped onion. Fry onion until becomes golden brown. Now add Carrot,  Capsicum, green peas and roastedPeanut, Saute all the vegetables for about 5 minutes.  Add turmeric powder, Chili powder and Salt. Stir again. Now add the Vermicelli and stir fry it for 5 to 6 minutes. Add little bit of sugar and finally chopped coriander.

Serve hot  with tomato sauce and chopped Cucumber spread over it.

This Recipe goes for MBP: Easy Breezy Breakfast event  on SIMPLE INDIAN FOOD- AN EASY COOKING BLOG

Karaishutir Ghugni (Chickpea curry)

'Ghugni' is considered to be one of the most  popular dish in the  eastern part of India Specially Bengal. This is a delicious curry made of mainly Chickpeas (Karaishuti)  which goes very well with snacks like Luchi, Samosa and other chaat preparations and it also can be served as main course with Roti, chapatti and Naan.  

Ingredients:

250 gms Chickpea

2 Large Potatoes (Diced)

2 green chilies (Slitted)

1 Onion (Sliced)

1 Onion (Grated)

1 tbsp grated ginger.

4 to 5 clove garlic (minced)

1 Tomato (Chopped)

1 tsp. Cumin seeds.

2 Whole Red chili

1 tsp. Turmeric Powder

1 tsp. Cumin Powder

1 tsp. Red chilli Powder

1 tsp. Chaat masala Powder

1 tsp. Garam masala Powder

Salt (As per taste)

Sugar(As per taste)

Coriander Leaves

Method:

1.Wash chick peas and soaked overnight. Diced Potatoes into medium pieces. Put both of them in a pressure cooker , add 1 tsp. salt and cook them for 8 to 10 minutes (minimum 3 whistles).

2. Heat oil in a pan and fry those boiled potatoes until it becomes yellow. Take it out and keep aside.

3. Heat oil in a large pan and add red chilies and cumin seeds. Now add chopped onion and fry until golden brown. Add grated onion, ginger and garlic. Stir and fry for about 5 minutes. Now add Turmeric powder, cumin powder, red chili powder, salt and little water . Fry again until the oil separates from the masala. 

4. Add chopped tomato and stir for a couple of minute. Now add fried potatoes, boiled chickpeas and chaat masala. Stir for about 5 to 6 minutes in medium flame. Add 1 cup of water, little Sugar and garam masala powder. Cover the lid and let it cook for another 5 minutes in medium flame. When the gravy is  little thick take it out from fire.

  

Finally Garnish with chopped onion and coriander leaves. 

This is one of the favourite dish of my Hubby. So this just for you my dear and I am sending this recipe to Alka of Sindhi Rasoi 'just for you' event. Congrats! Alka for hosting this great event.