Spicy Chicken Briyani

Ingredients:

(Serves 4)
4 pcs of chicken drumstick
4 hard boiled eggs
2 cups of Basmathi rice (70% cooked)
1 tbsp of coriander powder
1/4 tsp of cumin powder
1/4 tsp of fennel powder
1 tsp of red chilli powder
1/4 tsp of turmeric powder
1/4 tsp of garam masala
2 onions (chopped)
2 tomatoes (chopped)
2 green chillies (slit)
1 tbsp of ginger garlic paste
2 tbsp of cashew nuts
2 tbsp of raisins
A bunch of coriander leaves
1/2 cup of mints (chopped)
1 cinnamon stick
2 star anise
4 cloves
2 cardamom
3 tbsp of ghee
1 cup of water
Salt to taste

In a pan, heat ghee and add cinnamon stick, star anise, cloves, cardamom and stir for a minute then add  chopped onions fry until translucent. Now add in ginger garlic paste, mix well and add chopped tomatoes and cook until tomatoes turn mushy. Then add green chilli, chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, fennel powder and cumin powder, mix everything together so that the spices incorporates well and add in chicken drumsticks, half a cup of water. Let all this cook on medium flame until the chicken is cooked and the liquid is evaporated.

Now add in boiled eggs, 70% cooked rice to the chicken mixture mix everything well and pour in the balance water, adjust seasoning and cover to cook until rice is fluffy. Mix in coriander and mint leaves to the rice and cover for a couple of minutes so that the flavor will be infused in the rice. Finally add in cashews and raisins that have been fried in ghee to garnish.

Now our Spicy Chicken Briyani is ready to be served. Do try and let me know how it turned out for you!

Mint Watermelon Juice

Ingredients:

3 cups of watermelon (chilled)

5 mint leaves (or as you prefer)

1 tsp of sugar (optional)

Blend all the ingredients above and ready to be served for a nasty, horrible weather. Hehehe...this is lunch for me. Do try and enjoy!

Hyderabad Chicken Briyani

Recipe Source : VahChef
Recommended by: My Beloved Friend Priya Ranjit

I have made some alteration to the ingredients, I have used chicken instead f
Ingredients:
2 cups of Basmathi rice
500 g of chicken (I used whole leg)
3 large onion (sliced thinly and fried)
2 tsp red chilli powder
2 tbsp of coriander powder
1/4 tsp of turmeric powder
1 tsp of cumin powder
1 tsp of black pepper powder
1 tsp of garam masala powder
1 tsp of cumin seed
1 pc cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
2 cardamom
2 star anise
2 cloves
1 tbsp of lemon juice
1/2 cup of curd
5 pcs green chilli (chopped)
A bunch of coriander (chopped)
A bunch of mint leaves (chopped)
A few drops of yellow coloring/saffron milk
Salt to taste
3 tbsp of oil

Rice part 

Basmathi rice (washed & soaked for 30 minutes)

Cook rice with whole garam masala, oil and salt. We need to take out rice in two parts (40% and 60% cooked and separated)

Chicken masala

Marinate chicken with ginger garlic paste, green chilli, turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, cumin seeds, half of fried onion, salt, whole garam masala, lemon juice, curd, coriander leaves, mint leaves, bay leaf and oil for 30 minutes.

Now put the marinated chicken in a heavy bottomed pan or pressure cooker, layer with 40% cooked rice, coriander leaves, mint leaves, fried onion, then another layer of 60% cooked rice, coriander leaves, mint leaves, fried onion, garam masala powder and yellow coloring.

Let this cooked over medium flame for 30-45 minutes until the rice and chicken are completely cooked. As the chef said the whole house will have a wonderful aroma and you know your briyani is completely cooked.

Now our Hyderabad Chicken Briyani is ready to be served, I served this briyani with Tomato and Onion Raita. Do try and let me know how it turned out for you!

Guest Post by Swasthi Blank: Vegetable Biryani

It's the week of celebration at my blog, I think many of you have known many of my blogger sisters are doing guest post for the past few days. Adding to the list will be Swasthi the owner of Indian Healthy Recipes blog, I love her recipes especially the healthy versions and admire her pictures of food. If you have visited her blog before you would know how much love she puts in her cooking and photography, let me not waste any time and introduce our star today Swasthi Blank.

Hi Everyone! I am Swasthi , author of Indian Healthy Recipes. I am delighted to be here on Arthy’s space to share a simple Vegetable Biryani Recipe.  We all love biryani, but many never attempt to prepare this at home, feeling it to be a tedious process. But trust me! Making a good biryani is just a simple task and an art, which can be gained by practice. I have used a homemade biryani masala powder, but if you wish you can replace it with any store bought powders, though I cannot suggest you any brand as I have not been using them for years now. Now on to a non-mushy and spicy Vegetable Biryani recipe.

Ingredients:

1 cup of aged basmathi rice (soaked for just 10 to 20 mins)

½  cup of chopped onions

1/3 cup of tomatoes chopped

6 to 8 baby potatoes or 1 large potatoes cubed and soaked in salt water till you prepare.

¼ cup of carrots chopped

¼ cup of green peas

Few thinly sliced capsicum pieces (optional, but adds aroma to the rice)

1 ½   tbsp ginger garlic paste

½ cup mint leaves

½ cup Coriander leaves

2 to 3 green chilies (adjust as per your taste)

A pinch of turmeric

1 ½ tbps melon seeds paste (smooth paste, optional, but adds a lot of taste)

1 ¼ tbsp. homemade biryani masala powder (can use store bought too, but adjust the quantity as needed) (adjust as per your taste)

1 ¾ cup Water (works right for me always)

4 to 5 tbsps. oil

Dry spices

1 bay leaf

5 green cardamoms

1 star anise

3 inch cinnamon stick

6 to 8 clove

Few pepper corn

Method

1.   Fry the capsicums in 1 tsp of oil and set aside.

2.   Heat oil in a pan, add spices and sauté

3.   Add ginger garlic paste, sauté

4.   Add tomatoes, little salt, turmeric and fry till the tomatoes turn mushy and then later become dry (all the juice must be evaporated)

5.   Add the onions, carrots, peas and potatoes fry on medium for 2 mins

6.   Add mint and coriander leaves, sauté for 2 to 3 mins

7.   Pour water, add salt, biryani masala powder

8.   Cover and cook till the potatoes are half cooked usually takes around 3 to 4 mins on medium flame.

9.   Add rice , melon seed paste and cook on a medium flame till all the water is evaporated. Mix well

10.Close the pan with a tight lid and simmer the flame to minimum, the flame should barely touch the pan. Cook this way for 7 to 8 mins, checking in between. If rice is undercooked can sprinkle some warm water and cook. Add the fried capsicums. Off the heat.

Serve after 15 mins

Thanks dear Arthy for giving me this opportunity.

The pictures makes me drooling, what you think? Awesome recipe isn't it, do try and visit her blog she has more surprising recipes there!

Peppermint Chutney/ Pudina Chammanthi

This chammanthi is another favorite of mine, the taste of it I can't describe in words. I prefer to have this as a side for rice and dosa, the tangy, spicy and minty taste is just awesome. I learnt to make this from my mom and aunt, they usually grind this using ammi kallu (grinding stone). Now let's get to the recipe;

Ingredients:

2 cups of peppermint leaves

1 cup of grated coconut

A small piece of ginger

5 pcs of dried red chili

1 tbsp of tamarind paste

4 garlic pods
3 shallots
Salt to taste

Dry roast peppermint leaves, grated coconut, ginger, garlic, red chili and shallot until fragrant DO NOT BURN and let it cool for a while.

Then take all the above ingredients and grind using a ammi kallu or dry blend without adding any water, only if necessary just sprinkle some water while grinding. For step by step pictorial on chammanthi click here.

Now our Pudina Chammanthi is ready to be served. Do try and let me know how it turned out for you!

Mutton Pepper Fry

I cooked this dish so specially for Diwali for my mom as she don't eat chicken and loves mutton dishes a lot. I cooked this twice in a week during Diwali as the first time mom said she couldn't get enough of the dish as we served for visitors also. This dish is so spicy and delicious, the thick gravy best eaten as it is or with pepper rasam.

Now off to the recipe;

Ingredients:

1kg of boneless mutton

3 large onions (sliced)

1 tomato chopped small

2 sprigs of curry leaves

1 tsp of cumin seed

2 tbsp of ginger garlic paste

2 tbsp of meat curry masala

1 tbsp of coarse pepper powder

1 tbsp of chilli paste

1 tsp turmeric powder

2 tbsp of roasted coconut paste (kerisik)

1 cinnamon stick

3 star anise

3 cloves

1 tbsp of oil

Salt to taste

3 cups of water

A bunch of coriander leaves

I have used pressure cooker to cook mutton, clean mutton add turmeric powder, water and salt then pressure cook until 5 or 6 whistle depending on the tenderness needed. Once done drain the mutton and take out the excess fat on the meat, keep aside the mutton and save the water for later use.

In a pan, pour oil then add cinnamon stick, star anise, clove, curry leaves, cumin and fry for a minute. Then add ginger garlic paste, onion, tomato and let the tomato turn mushy. Now add mutton, meat curry masala, chilli paste, pepper powder and salt then pour 2 cups of water from boiling the mutton let all the ingredients incorporate well and the gravy reduces to half.

Once gravy reduced, add coconut paste and let gravy completely thicken. Adjust seasoning if needed and our Mutton Pepper Fry is ready to be served with a bunch of coriander leaves.

Do try and let me know how it turned out!

Keralan Briyani

The moment I saw this recipe in Sherin's Kuk's Kitchen, I told myself I'm definitely going to try this but I have made some changes to it. But no much changes but I didn't add chicken to this dish as the recipe calls for as we get a lot of vegetarians guests for Diwali. Sherin, thank you so much for sharing this recipe with everyone, the taste was awesome.

Okay now let's check the recipe;

Ingredients:

4 cups of rice 
6 pcs cardamom 
6 pcs cinnamon 
6 pcs cloves
1/4 cup of ghee 
4 large onions (sliced)

2 tbsp of ginger garlic paste

5 green chilli paste

15 pcs of cashewnuts

30 pcs of raisins

1/2 cup of yoghurt

5 cups of water

1 lemon (squeezed)

1 small can of crushed pineapple

A few drops of rosewater

Salt to taste

Coriander and mint (garnishing)

Dry blend masala:
1pc cinnamon 
6 pcs clove

1 tsp nutmeg

6 pcs cardamom 
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp fennel
10 pcs peppercones 

Dry roast and blend all the ingredients for masala and keep aside.

Fry raisins ans cashew nuts in ghee and keep aside. Fry sliced onion until crispy golden brown and keep aside.

I have used rice cooker to cook this dish, pour ghee and fry cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger garlic paste, green chili paste fry for a minute then add washed rice and fry together in the ghee. 

Pour water, yoghurt, lemon juice, rose water, crushed pineapple and let rice completely cook until fluffy. 

Finally add a few drops of saffron with milk and garnish with fried onions, cashews, raisins, coriander and mint leaves.

Now our Keralan Briyani is ready to be served, do try and let me know how it turned out for you!

Pudina Choru/ Peppermint Rice

It's lovely Sunday again but Eidulfitri holidays is about to end. Students and working adults will start working tomorrow, for some it's going to be a blissful Monday and for some will be waiting for Friday because it's a public holiday for Malaysians it's our 55th National Day.

Mint is full of medicinal properties, peppermint calms the muscles of the stomach and improves bile flow which helps in fats digestion.  Usually mint is used mainly for chutney, curries, cakes, cookies, beverages, candies and many more. I have used mint to cook my rice dish today, this is a very simple rice recipe.

Let us look at the recipe and see how I made this.

Ingredients:

2 cups of rice (soaked and drained)

2 tbsp of ghee

1/2 cup of mint 

1 1/4 cup of water

1 tsp ginger garlic paste

1 cinnamon stick

1 bay leaf

2 cardamom

2 cloves

1 star anise

Salt to taste

Blend mint with 1/4 cup of water and keep aside.

In a cooker, melt ghee and add ginger garlic paste, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cardamom, cloves and star anise saute for a minute. Add in rice and fry in the ghee mixture until fragrant, now add the blended mint, water and salt. Cover and cook rice until fluffy and ready to serve.

I'm sending this recipe to  Anu's Healthy Kitchen event co-hosted by Reva Kaarasaaram "SYF&HWS - Cook With SPICES" Series Cinnamon

Raisin Pilaf

I love Sundays and cooking will start as early as 10am, the moment my husband wakes up lunch will be almost ready and he has brunch usually. Today I have prepared Raisin Pilaf, this is a very simple dish to prepare and so delicious to eat. The whole house smells of the spices and anyone will drool just because of the aroma.

Let us look at the recipe and cooking method.

Ingredients:

2 cups basmathi rice (soaked and drained)

2 cups of water

1/4 cup of raisins

A bunch of peppermint

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

2 tbsp ghee

1 star anise

3 cloves

3 cardamom

1 cinnamon

Salt to taste

Few drops of yellow coloring

I have used rice cooker to cook this dish, you can even use pressure cooker depending on individual preference. 

Pour ghee in pot, add star anise, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and ginger garlic paste. Stir for a couple of minutes, add in rice and mint leaves stir well now add in water and salt. Cover and cook until rice is   3/4 cooked, add in raisins and few drops of yellow coloring and cover until rice is completely cooked.

Stir cooked rice with a chopstick carefully not to break the rice. Our Raisin Pilaf is now ready to serve.

Do try out this recipe and let me know how it turned out. Thank you.

I'm sending this recipe to  Anu's Healthy Kitchen event co-hosted by Reva Kaarasaaram "SYF&HWS - Cook With SPICES" Series Cinnamon