Kofta Dum Biryani

BIRYANI- just calling out that name gives me the feeling of a party; with a huge handi of steaming biryani and wonderful friends and family devouring it. Whether it is a wedding, a banquet or just a simple lunch/dinner at home, biryani is a dish that a host loves to serve and guests love to eat!

Making a perfect biryani is both a science and an art, but it is in no way a long, tedious process where we need to slog in the kitchen for hours and hours. With a little bit of organisation and correct understanding of the dish, I think biryani is one of the easiest and tastiest dishes to cook.

Like any other traditional, homely dish, even biryani has several varieties and every house makes it a different way- every city and state have a secret recipe for it and it can be made with mutton, chicken, seafood or even vegetarian.

This is my version of a kofta biryani served with a quick mint raita- something I came up with in an attempt to cut the monotony of the usual chicken/mutton biryani. The recipe below is a standard recipe for a basic biryani which I use for chicken.

 

 

 

 

 

Serves: 3-4 persons.

 

Ingredients:

 

For the chicken koftas:

Chicken mince                                                                500 gms

Ginger                                                                          1 inch piece

Garlic                                                                            6-7 cloves

Fennel seeds (saunf)                                                       1 tbsp

Salt                                                                                 1/2 tsp

Green chilli                                                                    1-2 nos.

 

For the gravy:

Oil                                                                                      4 tbps

Whole garam masala

(cumin seeds,cardamom,cinammon,cloves,peppercorns)  1 tbsp

Ginger-garlic paste                                                        1 and 1/2 tbsps

Tomatoes                                                                    1 large or 2 medium

Red chilli powder                                                              1-2 tsps

Coriander powder                                                              2 tsps

Turmeric powder (haldi)                                                   1/4th tsp

Crushed black pepper                                                        1/2 tsp

Cumin powder (jeera)                                                       1/2 tsp

Yoghurt                                                                             1 cup

Water                                                                              as required

Salt                                                                                    to taste

 

For the rice:

Note- The success of a good biryani is in the rice. Once you get the rice cooked to perfection, the biryani will turn out just right. Some people boil the rice with whole garam masala, I prefer only adding shahi jeera, salt and few drops of oil to the water.

Rice                                                                                3 cups

Salt                                                                                 a pinch

Shahi jeera                                                                      1 tsp

White vinegar or lemon juice                                        1/2 tsp

Water                                                                            as required

Oil                                                                                2-3 drops

 

For the layers:

Clarified butter (ghee)                                                    1/2 cup

Bay leaf                                                                          2 leaves

Fried onions                                                                    1 cup

Chopped coriander leaves                                          as required

Chopped mint leaves                                                 8-10 leaves

Chopped green chillies         

Salt

Lemon juice

Garam masala powder

 

For the raita:

Yoghurt                                                                        2 cups

Dried mint                                                                    1 tsp

or fresh mint leaves                                           3-4 leaves (chopped)

Salt                                                                              to taste

Cumin powder                                                             1/4 tsp

Black pepper powder                                                  a pinch

 

 

Method:

• Wash the rice well (atleast 5 times) and put it in a vessel. Add lots of water and fill the vessel till the brim just like you would cook pasta. Add salt, shahi jeera, oil and vinegar/lemon juice. (The vinegar or lemon juice keeps the colour of the rice white and also helps the grains to be separate without getting mushy). Keep to boil. Keep an eye on the rice once it starts to boil and when you see the cooked rice coming and settling on the surface, take few grains and test it by pressing it gently with your finger. The rice should break into 2 or 3 without getting squishy. Turn off the gas and immediately strain the rice in a colander. Use a fork and fluff it up. Keep it aside to cool.

• Next, slice 2 large onions thinly. Heat a tbsp of oil in a pan and fry these with a pinch of salt and sugar. Make sure you stir the onions to get a uniform brown colour. Once the onions turn dark brown and caramelised. Take off on kitchen tissue and keep aside.

• For the koftas- using a food processor/dry grinder or mortar and pestle, mince the ginger,garlic,green chilli and fennel seeds together. Add this to the chicken mince along with salt and mix together gently. Do not over-mix.

 

• Take small portions of this mixture and shape into balls- the size can vary according to your choice. Make sure there are no cracks and the surface is smooth. Keep aside.

 

Note- There are 2 ways how you can cook the koftas. Either you shallow fry them in few tbsps of oil and keep aside or you drop the formed balls into the gravy and cook it in the gravy. But, this method can be risky as it requires a little bit of technique and you need to be gentle and patient; since I am a bit impatient, I used the former method and shallow fried my koftas and kept it aside till my gravy was ready.

 

 

• For the gravy- heat the oil and crackle whole garam masala. Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry for 2 minutes.

• Add chopped tomatoes and fry it well to get rid of any rawness.

• Add the red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and water just to de-glaze the pan and cook all the masalas. Cover and simmer for 2 mins.

• Beat the yoghurt to make it smooth and add it to the gravy along with crushed black pepper, cumin powder and salt.

• Mix well and keep on medium heat for 5-8 mins till the liquid dries up and the gravy becomes thick.

• While it is getting thick, add the fried koftas in a single layer into the gravy. Cover and simmer.

• Make sure that the gravy becomes dry and it is not too liquidy.

• Turn off the gas.

• For the layers- take a degchi and grease it with clarified butter on the bottom.
 
• Place 2 bay leaves at the bottom of the greased degchi.

• Put a layer of rice on top of the bay leaf.

 

 
• Next, put a layer of the gravy, along with the koftas. You can first place the koftas and then top it with the gravy.

• I always make only 2 layers of rice with 1 layer of masala in the middle. So, I used half the quantity of rice for the bottom layer and topped it with the all of the gravy and koftas.

• Next, sprinkle the fried onions, chopped coriander leaves, mint leaves, pinch of salt, garam masala powder, salt, chopped green chillies and a tbsp of clarified butter.

• Top with the remaining rice and top it with a sprinkling of salt, lemon juice, chopped coriander leaves, mint leaves and garam masala powder, remaining fried onions and remaining clarified butter. Also, sprinkle little water- very little, just few drops of plain water on the top layer. This keeps the biryani moist.

• Now, cover the top of the degchi with aluminium foil tightly. Keep a lid on it. This will ensure that the steam is retained within the degchi.

• To give the biryani dum- place a griddle pan or normal, flat pan on the flame on high heat. Make sure the pan is a size bigger than your degchi. Once it is heated up, turn the flame to low and place your sealed degchi on the pan.

• Keep it on low heat for 20-25 minutes. To check, just lift the lid, and lift the foil only from the corner, just enough to peep. If you can see the steam coming out of the degchi, then you know the biryani has got dum.

• Turn off the heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes before unveiling and serving.

• To make the raita- beat the yoghurt until smooth and combine all the ingredients.

• To dish out the biryani, take out the foil carefully. Take a wide spoon and spoon out one corner of the biryani onto the platter first. Then carefully serve the remaining biryani with the koftas and masala equally distributed.

• Serve the biryani on a nice platter with the raita in a bowl on the side.

 

 

 

Tweaking Tips:

 

If you do not wish to make the koftas, just use boneless chicken, marinated with the kofta spices and follow the exact same recipe. Make sure you do not cut the chicken into small pieces and keep the pieces fairly large. Alternatively, you can also use bone-in chicken pieces or medium sized shrimps (prawns).



 

 

 

 

 

Happy Cookin' & Keep it stylish!!

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

Crusty Chicken with tossed salad and dry mushroom sauce

 

 

All of us like variety in our food and we get excited to walk into a plush restaurant and eat something exotic and different. But that is just a 'once in a blue moon' experience. I like creating exotic, gourmet dishes in my own kitchen and serving it in an appetizing way!

 

You will be surprised to see how you can whip up a good-looking dish, with just few ingredients in a jiffy!

 

 

There are recipes of crusted chicken wherein you dip the chicken in a batter, roll it in crushed cornflakes and deep fry it to perfection; this also gives us a feel of KFC at home. But, my crusty chicken is different- easy, light and quite healthy too.

 

 

 

Serves: Individual platters with 1 chicken fillet per person.

 

Ingredients:

 

For the chicken:

 

Chicken breast fillet (boneless and skinless)    1 fillet

Melted butter/margarine/olive oil                     1/2 cup

Garlic (paste/minced/grated)                             1 tbsp

Salt                                                                    to taste

Crushed black pepper                                        1/2 tsp

Oil                                                                   few tbsps

Readymade potato chips (unflavoured)        1 small packet  

Note- Yes, you read it correctly. This chicken recipe requires regular potato chips/wafers we buy in the supermarkets.

 

 

 

 

For the mushroom sauce:

Oil                                                             few drops

Fresh mushrooms                                      3-4 nos

Butter                                                        1 tsp

Lemon juice                                              1/4 tsp

Salt                                                           a pinch

Crushed black pepper                              a pinch  

 

For the tossed salad:

Lettuce leaves (any variety or mixed)    as required

Extra Virgin Olive oil                            3 tbsps

Lemon juice                                           1 tbsp

Salt                                                        half a pinch

 

 

Method:

• Crush the potato chips pretty finely. Use a food processor or open the packet of chips and bash the packet with a rolling pin. Two bashes and you will have finely powdered chips. (This is my 'stress-buster' method!)

• Wash the chicken fillet and pat it dry. If the fillet is too thick, flatten it using a mallet, kitchen hammer (also called meat tenderiser) or rolling pin. Be gentle.

• Using a sharp knife, very gently, make slits or incisions on the fillet. Season with salt and pepper. Keep in mind that the potato chips also contains salt. I did not add any salt to my chicken fillet. Alternatively, if you want to serve the chicken as an appetizer for a cocktail party, cut the fillet into cubes/chunks or even into strips.
• In a separate, flat bowl, take the melted butter and add the garlic to it. Mix it well.
• Next, immerse the chicken fillet into the melted butter so that the butter coats the chicken completely.

 

Note- If you are apprehensive with the idea of dunking your chicken into butter or face health restrictions, just omit the butter and use buttermilk instead. Buttermilk works wonderfully well with meats and chicken and it also keep it tender and moist, especially the breast piece of chicken which otherwise tends to get a bit dry after cooking. Alternatively, you can also use a combination of butter and buttermilk. Whatever you choose, do not forget the garlic.. lots of it!

• Next, coat this chicken with the crushed potato chips and make sure the fillet is well coated. Press the chips onto the fillet so it sticks well.

• In a pan, heat few tbsps of oil and fry the chicken fillet on low heat till you get a golden colour on the crust. Each side will take 4-5 minutes on low heat. Turn off gas and keep the chicken aside.

• In the meanwhile, take another pan and heat 1-2 tbsps of oil, saute the sliced mushrooms without covering the lid and without adding water. Do not overcrowd the pan otherwise the mushrooms will lose its shape and will shrink and become cranky.

• Once the mushrooms have cooked slightly and released some of its liquid, add the butter, salt and pepper. If you think it is dry and want it more saucy, add little water and cook it.

• Finish it with a light squeeze of lemon juice.

• For the salad- in a bowl, just toss in all the ingredients.

• To plate it up- place the chicken fillet onto the plate, slightly spoon the mushroom sauce on the side and serve with the salad. Alternatively, you can also cut the chicken into strips and serve.

 

 

 

 

Happy Cookin' & Keep it stylish!!

 

 

 

 





Pakoda Kadi with hot phulkas!

Pakoda Kadi is a popular dish in Gujarat and Rajasthan. There are different ways you can make it, but the principles and base ingredients remain the same.

A light, comforting dish for a simple afternoon lunch. My mother makes it for me, but this time I learnt to make it myself for the purpose of putting it up here!

Every household has a different version of it. However, this is our (my mother and my) version of Pakoda Kadi; served with hot phulkas and pickle.

 

 

Serves: 3-4 persons

 

Ingredients:

 

For the kadi:

Thick Yoghurt              1 cup         

Gram flour (besan)       1 tbsp

Ginger (grated)             1 and 1/2 inch piece  

Red chilli powder         1/4 tsp

Turmeric powder         1/4 tsp

Coriander powder        1/2 tsp

Salt                               to taste

Sugar                            to taste

Water                           1 and 1/2 cups

 

For the pakoda:

Gram flour                 1/2 cup

Red chilli powder      1/4 tsp

Whole cumin seeds    1/4 tsp

Asafoetida (hing)       a pinch

Salt                             to taste

Soda-bi-carb              a pinch

Water                         to make a paste

Oil                             for deep frying

 

For the tadka:

Oil                                  4 tbsps

Mustard seeds                1/4 tsp

Whole cumin seeds        1/4 tsp

Green chilli (chopped)   1 nos.

Curry leaves                   8-9 leaves

 

Coriander leaves           for garnish

 

For the phulkas:

Wheat flour (atta)              2 cups

Plain water                 to knead the dough

 

 

Method:

• For the kadi, in a bowl, whisk together all the ingredients listed under "for the kadi" EXCEPT water.

 

• Transfer this whisked mixture into a vessel and add the water. You may need more water depending on the consistency. The kadi should not be too thick, neither thin and runny. Keep on low heat to boil.

 

 

• In the meantime, in a separate bowl, put all the dry ingredients listed under "for the pakoda" EXCEPT the water.

 

• Now slowly add in the water. Keep stirring and add the water slowly because you need a thick, paste-like mixture for the pakoda. The consistency should be thick.

 

• Keep the oil to heat and once it is heated, spoon out small portions of the above batter into the oil very carefully.

• Do not overcrowd the oil and do not fry too many pakodas at once.









• Fry the pakodas on medium heat until they get a nice, golden colour.

• Take them out and drain on kitchen tissue for a minute.

• Now, drop these pakodas into the boiling kadi.

 

• Once you add the pakoda to the kadi, do not use a spoon to stir. Just shake the vessel. If you use a spoon, the soft pakodas might break.

• Turn off the heat of the kadi, garnish with chopped coriander leaves and keep aside.

 

• Keep a pan for the tadka and heat oil.

• Crackle the mustard seeds, whole cumin, chopped green chilli and curry leaves. Fry for half a minute.

Note- Whenever you use mustard seeds in your dish, always make sure you add it to the oil before all the other ingredients and also make sure that the mustard seeds crackle. This is important because if you hurry and the mustard seeds do not crackle and sputter, your entire dish will be ruined and will end up being bitter and nasty.

 

• Pour this tadka over the kadi and cover with a lid so the flavours come together.

• For the phulkas, take a clean bowl, put the wheat flour and slowly add the water, just enough to knead a soft dough. Allow to rest for atleast half an hour.

• Roll out into chappathis and put on a hot tava (pan) without any greasing like oil or ghee.

• Once it is done on one side, flip it over on the pan for one second using tongs and then flip it on the flame to puff up.
 
• You can apply some ghee to your phulkas once they are done if you wish. I did not because I would like to believe that I am trying to diet ;)

 

Tweaking tips:

• You can jazz up your pakodas by adding in some finely chopped onion, chopped palak leaves, methi leaves or coriander leaves or even a combination; I like mine plain.

• If you wish to make plain kadi, just follow the exact same recipe. Omit the pakodas.

 

 

 

Happy Cookin' & Keep it stylish!!

 

 

 

 

 

 



Palak Corn

One vegetarian dish synonymous with Indian cuisine is "Palak Paneer" and we have all eaten it at some point. Infact, I know people who think the only dish one can cook with panner is palak paneer!

As much as I like Palak Paneer, I reached a point where I was bored of it and I wanted to create something different; a dish which would be new for my guests and would also give the good old palak paneer a twist!

Hence, this dish- Palak Corn came into being. Just a couple of stages and what you get is a delicious gravy which definitely gives palak paneer a run for its money.

Serves: 4-5 persons 

 

Ingredients:

 

For the base masala:

Large onion                           1 nos.

Large tomato                         1 nos.

Ginger-garlic paste                2 tsps

Red chilli powder                  1 tsp

Turmeric (haldi) powder       1/4 tsp

Coriander powder                 1/2 tsp

Oil                                         2 tbsps + 1 tbsp

 

For the palak:

Palak leaves (with stalks)  2 bunches

Corn kernels

 

Note- Here, I used frozen and thawed corn kernels because it is easily available. Alternatively you can use tinned corn or buy fresh, whole corn. Take a sharp knife and keeping the corn vertically on the chopping board, just run your knife through it, against the cob. Lightly boil the kernels and use it in the dish.

 

For the tadka:

Whole cumin seeds (jeera)          1 tsp

Butter/Margarine                       2-3 tbsps

 

Garam masala (for garnish)

 

 

Method:

• In a non-stick kadhai, heat 1 tbsp of oil and fry chopped onions with ginger-garlic paste until the raw smell disappears. Add the tomatoes and all the remaining ingredients under "for the base masala". Add little water if required just to loosen the masala.

• Grind this to a fine paste and keep aside.

 

• Chop both the bunches of palak. Reserve 1 bunch of chopped palak in the side and use only 1 bunch for the next step.

• In the same kadhai, without any oil, saute the chopped palak till it wilts and releases all its liquid.

Note- Usually the palak is blanched and then pureed because it is believed that this retains the colour. But I always saute it a little as it gives the dish a nice flavour and the colour still stays lovely and green.

 

• Puree this palak to a fine paste and keep aside.

 

• Next, in the same kadhai, heat 1 tbsp of oil and put the base masala with 1/4th cup water.

• Once this base masala starts to simmer, add the palak puree and mix well until both are incorporated and the entire gravy turns into a nice, green gravy.

• Add the reserved chopped palak and corn and little water if required.

• Check seasoning and add salt.

• Cover and let everything come to a simmer.

• Sprinkle the garam masala and mix well. Turn off the gas.

• On the side, keep a small pan for the tadka. Heat the butter/margarine and crackle the whole cumin seeds. Let it bubble for 2 seconds.

Note- If you are under a diet or have dietary health restrictions and cannot consume butter, just use regular vegetable oil. Though, it is butter which makes this dish Yum Oh!

• Now pour this tadka over the prepared dish.

• Cover it and allow all flavours to mingle.
 
• Dish it out in a serving dish and serve hot with roti or rice.

 

 

 

Happy Cookin' & Keep it stylish!!