Shirin's Special Goat Biryani- A delectable combination of spiced meat & rice!!!!

Eid Mubarak my friends!!!!

We visited our friend's house for the weekend and they celebrate bakrid one day before us, so we got to celebrate Eid with them. We enjoyed spending time with our friends. Kids had lots of fun time playing, all nighter, watching movies and so on. 

Usually we make some easy breakfast and then start the biryani process but at my friend's house they prepare the biryani in the morning and will have it for breakfast. We thoroughly enjoyed the biryani for breakfast. It was a new experience. As my friend Shirin, made this in her version,  I gave this biryani her name.

My friend, marinated the meat with spices and yogurt, cooked the rice separately and deep fried the onions. She then assembled it by layering and adding lemon juice and saffron milk in between. For breakfast, a delicious, scrumptious, finger licking and mouth watering biryani was ready. We relished the biryani the rest of the day.

I noticed a thing that this biryani doesn't require too many ingredients like a normal biryani. Hope you like the recipe and try it out. Please let me know how it turned.

 Ingredients:

Marination:

• Goat- 3 lbs
• Green chillies (slit)- 10-15 numbers
• Ginger- Garlic Paste- 3 tbsp
• Yogurt- 2 Cups
• Garam Masala- 2 tbsp
• Salt- as required

1. Basmati Rice- 6 Cups
2. Water- 11 Cups
3. Fried onions (sliced)- 8 numbers
4. Garam Masala- 3 tbsp
5. Lemon Juice- 1/2 Cup
6. Saffron with Milk/ Orange food color with milk- 1/4 Cup

Method:

For Marination:

1. Marinate the goat, yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, slit green chilies, garam masala and salt. Keep this aside for almost 3-4 hours or overnight. Cook this on medium flame for almost 2 hours or the meat gets tender.
2. Deep fry the sliced onions in oil till it gets golden brown. Keep this aside on a kitchen towel. Reserve the fried oil for assembling.
3. Rinse and soak the rice for 30minutes. After 30 minutes, drain the rice. Heat water required for the biryani and when it gets boiled add the drained rice and salt, mix and keep the lid and let it cook for 20 minutes on low flame. After 20 minutes switch off the flame and keep it for 10 minutes without mixing. Slowly fluff the rice using a fork.

For assembling:

1. In a deep bottomed vessel layer with a tbsp of fried onions, spoonful of goat masala, tbsp of garam masala and cooked rice and repeat the process and make sure that the top layer is of rice. 
2. Poke holes and pour the lemon juice and saffron milk in each hole and close with a lid. Let it cook on low flame for about 15- 20 minutes.
3. After 20 minutes, open the lid, mix and enjoy with raita.

Creamy Mushroom Toast- Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy!!!

 This creamy mushroom toast is an easy and a simple dish which the kids as well as the adults will enjoy. This will be a perfect lunch box dish or as an evening snack or as a breakfast dish. This is so easy to make and a dish which can be made with less ingredients. Instead of sour dough bread, you can also use thick slices of regular bread, ciabatta, country bread and so on.

This recipe requires only mushrooms, but as we like spinach and so added it. Using variety of mushrooms will increase the flavor and also gives great texture. Pan fry the mushrooms till it is browned.

In my house this is a hit and whenever we have mushrooms at home, this is one dish that is for sure to be made. Hope you all will try this and let me know how it turned.

Ingredients:

• Sour Dough Bread- 1

For Creamy Mushroom:

1. Mushrooms- 1 Cup (cleaned and chopped)
2. Garlic- 3-4 (chopped)
3. All Purpose Flour- 2 tbsp
4. Butter- 1 tbsp
5. Milk- 1/2 Cup
6. Oregano- 1 tsp
7. Red Chilli Flakes- 1 tsp
8. Salt- as required
9. Pepper Powder- 1 tsp
10. Chopped Spinach- 1/2 Cup

Method:

1. Slice the sourdough bread and toast the slices and keep this aside.
2. In a pan heat 1 tbsp of butter, add the chopped mushrooms, garlic and spinach, stir well for a min on high flame. Add little salt. Stir on low flame for about 5-10 minutes till the mushrooms are cooked. Transfer this to a bowl.
3. In the same pan add another tbsp of butter, add flour and stir for a minute till the raw smell disappears , add milk and whisk well till everything gets mixed well.
4. When it starts to thicken, add the salt, pepper powder, oregano and red chili flakes. switch it off and stir in the mushrooms and spinach. Mix well.
5. Place a spoon full of the creamy mushrooms on top of the toasted sour dough slice and enjoy a warm bite.

Homemade Pickled Jalapeños

I am so excited to share with you all that I made these spicy, crunchy and tangy Jalapeños which I never thought I would and I always had the store bought ones. This can be made within minutes. I am promising you that once you try making these you wont go back to the canned ones. My daughter and myself like the pickled things so this was a hit.

Sometimes you can toss in some veggies like the carrots or bell peppers, they taste delicious. This is the best recipe for pickled jalapeños. Options are endless, you can  have these with burgers, nachos and so on. Usually we buy this from store, but when the last one got over, I thought of giving it a try and made them. It came out perfect. I am becoming a fan of refrigerator pickling, it’s very easy and this recipe is simple to make. Please try this recipe and let me know how it turned out.

Ingredients:

1. Jalapeños- 10- 12 numbers
2. Garlic- 2 cloves
3. Vinegar- 1 Cup
4. Salt- 1 tbsp
5. Water- 1 Cup

Method:

1. Cut the jalapeños peppers into slices and put it into mason jars.
2. Note: While cutting Jalapeño peppers use gloves or wrap your hands using cling wrap.
3. Mix the water, vinegar and salt in a bowl and heat it on a medium flame till it gets boiled.
4. Pour this into the mason jars filled with sliced jalapeños and when it cools down, close with lid and keep refrigerated.

Arabian Chicken Mandi

A traditional mandi is authentically cooked in an underground oven called Taboon. Coal is used to cook the meat hence the smokey flavor. My version is an easy and a simple way to make at home which is healthy as well as tasty. 

I googled around many recipes of chicken mandi and made this dish which surprisingly turned out the perfect one that we had when we were in India last time. I have marinated the whole chicken for overnight, if you plan well before you can do that or else it can be marinated for 2- 3 hours. I wanted the perfect mandi flavor so I marinated overnight. 

The rice is prepared by adding all the whole spices and the dried lemons which gives a flavor to the rice. Then this rice is transferred into the oven and the whole chicken is placed on top rack so that the water from the chicken directly falls into the rice by this the flavor of the meat lingers on in the rice.

As Kerala has wholeheartedly welcomed yummiest of dishes from across the seas, one such dish is "mandi". In Kerala, which ever restaurant you go this dish is available that too they prepare in the traditional way of digging a hole in the ground and filling it up with coal. 

At first I thought it is a long process of preparation but once i started the step by step everything came of quickly.The perfect combination along with this rice is "dakkous" a mixture of tomatoes, green chilies, onions. 

I will be posting some step by step pictures which I managed to capture while making this dish. Hope you all might really enjoy and try this dish.

Ingredients:

• Whole Chicken- Cleaned and washed

Mandi Spice Mix:

1. Cumin Seeds- 1 tbsp
2. Coriander Seeds- 1 tbsp
3. Cardamom- 3 nos
4. Cloves- 5 
5. Cinnamon Stick- 1"
6. Black Pepper powder- 1 tsp
7. Lemon Juice- 2tbsp
8. Turmeric Powder- 1 tsp
9. Olive Oil- 1 tbsp

Basmati Rice Mix:

1. Basmati Rice- 3 Cups
2. Water- 5 Cups
3. Dried Lemons- 2
4. Whole Spices (cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, star anise)- 1tbsp
5. Salt- as required

Method:

• Preheat the oven 350 degrees F.

For the spice mix. Heat a pan and roast the cumin seeds, coriander seeds. When cooled transfer to a dry grinder along with cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, black pepper powder and turmeric powder into a fine powder. Rub this mix along with salt, olive oil and lemon juice onto the chicken well and marinate for about 1 hour/ overnight. ( I marinated the chicken overnight as I had some time).

For the rice: Heat a pot, add oil, whole spices, mandi spice mix, dried lemon and add the rice, fry for a minute. Add water and let it boil by putting a lid. Once it starts boiling, switch off the flame and move the pot of rice into the preheated oven.

• Place the rice on the bottom rack and place the marinated chicken on top rack just above the rice so that when it gets baked the water from the chicken falls into the rice. 

• Bake this for 10 minutes and reduce the heat to 200 degrees F and bake for about 1 and half hour. After the time, switch off the oven and open the door for about 5- 10 minutes so that the chicken retains its flavor and juices. Once done, keep the rice outside along with the baked chicken on top of the rice. Enjoy the delicious dish.

Doukkous:

Ingredients:

1. Tomatoes- 2 
2. Onions- 1 
3. Green Chilies- 3 
4. Garlic Cloves- 3
5. Salt- as required
6. Olive oil- 1 tbsp

Method:

• Grind all the ingredients and transfer to a bowl. Enjoy with chicken mandi.

Hyderabadi Chicken haleem

Hyderabadi Haleem is an authentic and traditional Ramadan delicacy served during Iftar after breaking the fast. This dish has got all the nutritions that one requires after  fasting the whole day. Haleem is a delicacy, which you can never miss if you ever want a taste of Hyderabad food. the traditional haleem is a must try dish in one's life.  In recognition of its cultural significance and popularity, in 2010 it was granted Geographic indication status (GIS) by the Indian GIS Registry Office making it the first non vegetarian dish in India to receive the status.

Haleem is a stew composed of meat, different varieties of lentils, spices which is made into a thick.paste. Traditionally this haleem is cooked on a low flame for about 12 hours and two people are required to stir the haleem using a wooden paddle. It is made by adding loads of ghee to make it richer, but at home we can add as we want. In Hyderabad, Pista house is famous for haleem. When we were in Bangalore, we used to order haleem from Hyderabad Pista house and would get our share within a day. In Andhra, almost all the people who are fasting will make this dish and during one fasting time, I tasted this dish when my neighbors prepared and instantly fell in love with this dish. Every year one time during fasting, I would make this dish as my daughter and my husband love this.

I have posted one haleem dish before in my blog, But that only has broken wheat and chicken. Over the years I tried different versions and here I am today with the most authentic version, but I have added less ghee and also a less time consuming version.  Here I have blended everything using an electric hand blender, you can also use a hand masher. This is a dish which is packed with full of proteins and one of the best delicacies to be eaten during the month of Ramadan. With a dash of lemon juice, will bring out the flavors in this dish. Hope you will try this dish and please let me know.

 Ingredients:
For the Chicken:

1. Boneless Chicken- 1lb
2. Ginger garlic paste- 1 tbsp
3. Red chili powder- 1 tbsp
4. Cumin Powder- 1 tsp
5. Turmeric Powder- 1/2 tbsp
6. Coriander powder- 1 tbsp
7. Garam Masala Powder- 1 tbsp
8. Chopped Coriander Leaves- a bunch
9. Onions(sliced)- 1no
10. Lemon Juice- 1 tbsp
11. salt- as required

Pulses:

1. Broken Wheat- 2 Cups
2. Urad dal/ Black Gram - 2 tbsp
3. Chana Dal/ Split Chick peas- 2tbsp
4. Toor Dal/ Split Pigeon Peas- 2 tbsp
5. Moong Dal/ Yellow Split lentil- 2 tbsp
6. Water- 4 Cups
7. Salt- as required
8. For assembling:
9. Red Chili powder-1 tbsp
10. Garam Masala Powder- 1 tsp
11. Pepper powder- 1 tsp

For Frying:

1. Oil- 1 tbsp
2. Onions- 1/2 no
3. Lemon Juice- 1 tbsp

Garnish:

1. Coriander leaves

Method for preparing chicken:

• Put all the ingredients required for the chicken in a pressure cooker and cook on a low flame for almost an hour.

Method for pulses:

• Soak the pulses for 3-4 hours.
• Pressure cook all the ingredients under pulses and cook well for almost an hour on a low flame.

Method for assembling:

• Blend the cooked chicken well using a hand blender.
• Add this chicken mixture to the cooked pulses and blend well so that everything gets mixed thoroughly. Cook on a low flame. Add little water if required.
• Add the red chili powder, Garam masala powder, pepper powder and salt if required. Mix well. Switch off the flame after 15 minutes.
• Fry the onions to golden brown, keep it aside.
• Garnish the haleem using fried onions, lemon juice, coriander leaves and a table spoon of ghee. Enjoy hot and delicious haleem.

Prawns Idli

As Ramadan month is going on, some days I will get some ideas of trying variety dishes for us to eat during breaking fast. In US as the sunset is at 8 pm, we eat  dinner as soon as we break the fast (after prayer). We prefer to eat some breakfast item, rather than rice during that time as by drinking a cup of water itself, we will be full.

As my daughter who is fasting along with us, I have to think of different ideas for her to eat. As she is a big prawn lover, I decide to try making idli filled with prawns. When I searched in google, there are not many blogs with this dish, so I decided to give it a try and prepared the prawns roast like how I usually make and added a tbsp of the roast to the idli batter in each mold. This was a super hit at my place and so a new dish is formed. As prawns take less than 3 minutes to cook, it is really easy to make. Try this out and please let me know how it turned. For the idli batter recipe, follow my dosa post. The preparation for the idli and dosa batter are same only the consistency varies.

Ingredients:

• Idli Batter

Prawns Roast:

1. Prawns- 2 cups
2. Onions (Chopped)- 1 no
3. Tomatoes (chopped)- 1 no
4. Chopped Green Chillies- 2 nos
5. Ginger- garlic Paste- 1 tbsp
6. Red Chili Powder- 1/2 tbsp
7. Turmeric Powder- 1 tsp
8. Tamarind Extract- 1 tbsp
9. Oil- 1tbsp
10. Mustard Seeds- 1 tsp
11. Cumin Seeds- 1 tsp
12. Salt- as required

Method for Prawns Roast:

1. Heat oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, when the splutter, add the chopped onions, stir well.
2. When they turn translucent add the ginger- garlic paste,  chopped tomatoes, stir well. Add the red chili powder, turmeric powder and salt. Mix for a minute. Add the chopped prawns along with tamarind extract. Mix well and close with a lid and let it cook for 2- 3 minutes.
3. Switch off the flame.

Method for Prawns Idli:

• Oil the idli plates and pour a ladle full of idli batter, top with a tbsp of the prawns roast and repeat till done on all the idli molds.
• Steam the idlis till done and enjoy with sambar or chutney.