Chicken Biryani...

The recipe for the day is Chicken biryani. It is an Indian delicacy where the mildly spiced chicken pieces are layered with herb favoured rice and served with raita.

I got this recipe from one of my colleagues... In the first sight, I was kind of disappointed with the long list of ingredients and numerous steps.. But believe me...its easy to make and definitely worth it...

Ingredients You need :
For marinating Chicken
Chicken - 1 Full
Big onions 3nos (Finely Chopped)
Tomatoes 2nos
Green chillies 20nos
Garlic 6nos
ginger 3cm
3-4 curry leaves
Coriander leaves
Pudina leaves
Corianderpowder - 3tsp
Turmeric powder - 1tsp
Lemon juice -1tsp
Curd - 3tsp
Salt - To taste

For the spices powder
Cardamom
Nutmeg
Cloves
Cinnamon

For Rice
Basmati Rice - 4 cups
Oil - 3 tsp
Ghee - 1tsp
Jeera - a pinch
Water - as reqd
Biriyani masala - 1tsp (optional)

For Layering
Big Onion 1no
Cashes and Raisins - as reqd
Oil -1tsp
Ghee -2 tsp
Pudina leaves
Coriander leaves
Spices powder

PreparationChicken Gravy

• Heat all the spices (Cardamom, Nutmeg ,Cloves, Cinnamon) and grint them into a fine powder for the masala.
• Chop the green chillies, garlic and ginger in a chopper and keep aside
• Take chopped onion, tomatoes, crushed green chillies,garlic and ginger in a big vessel and mix thoroughly. Tomato juice should mix properly.
• Add chicken to this and mix thoroughly.
• To this add coriander powder , turmeric powder, lemon juice and curd and mix.
• Put one spoon of the ground spices powder to the marinade and mix well.
• Keep the marinade aside for 20 minutes.
• After 20 minutes take some oil in a pan and heat.
• When its hot add the marinated chicken to this and cook on low heat till the chicken is cooked. No need to add water.

Ghee Rice

• Wash rice and keep aside
• In a pan heat oil and ghee
• Add a pinch of ground spices powder and biriyani masala(optional) when oil is heated
• Add pinch of jeera
• Add double the amount of water for the rice to cook.
• Add some salt.
• When water boils, add the washed rice and keep on low flame till the rice is cooked and keep aside.

For Layering

• Slice 2 big onions – very thin
• Add oil in pan and 1 spoon ghee. Fry cashew nuts and raisins and keep aside
• Deep fry the onions in same oil, till it become brown and keep aside(add pinch of salt for taste)

Final Layering

• Preheat the oven to 375 degree
• In an oven safe container, spread a layer of chicken gravy.
• On top of that spread a layer of rice.
• Over that place a layer of deep fried onions, a pinch of spices mix, finely chopped coriander and pudina leaves, fried cashew nuts and raisins over the rice layer
• Pour the chicken gravy and repeat the layering process till all the rice is over.
• Close the container with an aluminium foil and keep in the oven for 30 mts.

Serve the biriyani with raita, pappad and pickle..

I am sending this Biriyani over to Ravishing rice recipes event hosted by Nags and started by Meeta

Check for more Biryani Recipes at Foodista..

Fish in coconut gravy..!!

Fish is an indispensable item in Kerala menu. It comes in the form of either fish fry or fish curry or both in every household. Nothing is so sumptuous than a steaming cup of rice with fish curry and fish fry to accompany.

So the recipe for the day is Fish curry (Fish in coconut gravy). You can use any fleshy fish for this recipe. My favourites are Thilapia and Mahi mahi.. Generally fish curry is prepared in an earthern pot in Kerala which adds a unique flavour to the dish.

Ingredients You need

Fish (Mahi mahi/Thilappia/Mackerel/King Fish/Smelt)

Tomato(small)-1no
Green Chillies - 2 nos

2-3 pieces of Gambooge (Kudampuli)

Oil

To Grind

Coconut - 3/4 th of half piece
Chilly powder - 1 tblspoon

Coriander Powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Shallots - 2nos
Garlic - 2 nos
Ginger - oru piece (small)

To season

Shallots - 1 no

Mustard seeds

A sprig of Curry leaves

Red chillies - 2 nos

Preparation:

• Clean the Cambooge pieces in running water and soak them in luke warm water.
• In a mixer put all the ingredients to grind and 1/4 cup water and grind it to a thick paste.
• Now in a pan loosen this thick paste by adding some water.
• Add the fish pieces to this gravy and boil it in a low flame.
• Add the cambooge soaked water (along with the cambooge) to this and stir well.
• When it boils add the chopped tomato pieces and the slit green chillies
• Boil it in low flame for atleast 5 mins. If you want fish curry with thick gravy boil it for some more time. Make sure that the fish pieces are cooked properly.

For the seasoning:

• In another pan heat some oil and when its hot add mustard seeds, curry leaves, red chillies and finely chopped small onions. Saute them well and pour this seasoning over the fish curry..

Scrambled egg and peas...!!

Recipe for the day is Scrambled egg peas curry.. Its a great side dish which you can make in a jiffy...

Ingredients You need:

Medium size Onion 1no

green chillies 3nos

Cooked Peas 1/4cup

Egg 2nos

Garam masala 1/2 tsp

chilly powder - 1/4 tsp

turmeric 1/4tsp

mustard seeds

Oil

A sprig of curry leaves

Preparation

• Finely chop the onions, green chillies and set aside
• Heat oil in a wok and splutter some mustard seeds and curry leaves.
• To this add finely chopped onion, green chillies and saute well.
• Then add the powders turmeric, chilly and garam masala to this and stir well.
• Now add the cooked peas to this and saute well so that the peas is coated with masalas.
• Break the eggs into this and scramble well till it is cooked.

Watermelon Milk Shake..!!

Today im gonna post a simple and easy drink..Water melon shake..an ideal drink for summer!!

Ingredients You Need:
2 pound Watermelon slice
1 cup whole milk
Sugar
A scoop of ice cream (optional)

Preparation:

• Cut the watermelon into small pieces.
• Add the water melon pieces, milk and sugar in a blender and blend until smooth..

This goes to the 15 minute cooking event hosted by Mahimaa of Indian Vegetarian Kitchen.

Also sending this to AFAM-Melons event hosted by Ashwini of Ashwinis spicy kitchen...

Kungpao Chicken...!!

My first tryst with Kung pao chicken happened long back, during my first visit to T.G.I. Friday's. My order of main entree, low carb Dragon fire chicken, came with a grilled chicken breast glazed with Chinese Kung Pao sauce served with brown rice and broccoli. I fell in love with the Kungpao sauce at the first bite.. I became a big fan of their mashed potatoes as well..

After my last visit, I seriously thought of trying it at home. So this weekend we had a chinese day in with egg fried rice and Kung pao chicken.

Inredients You need:

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 teaspoon rice cooking wine (bought it from Shaw's super market)
2-1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoon oil ( i use corn oil)
8-10 whole dry chili peppers (if longer, cut in half)
1/4 cup diced green onion
1 teaspoon ginger paste
1 teaspoon garlic paste

11/2 teaspoon crushed red chili pepper
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1/2 tablespoon water

For the Marinade:
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 egg
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons oil

Preparation

• Cut the chicken breast into small pieces and keep aside
• Mix all the marinade ingredients.
• Add the cut chicken pieces into marinade,mix well and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
• Make a mixture of rice wine, soy sauce and water and set aside.
• Heat wok. Add 2 tablespoons oil and heat well.
• Remove chicken from marinade and add to wok. Stir-fry quickly for 2 minutes.
• Remove chicken and drain well.
• Now to the same wok add some oil, and add dry chili peppers. Stir-fry until they darken.
• Add green onions, ginger, garlic and crushed red chili pepper and stir-fry 15 seconds.
• Now add the chicken to wok, stir soy sauce/wine mixture and add; stir until sauce boils.
• Then add cornstarch mix to thicken. Stir and cook until ingredients are thoroughly mixed and the chicken pieces are cooked.