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.

Baked Tandoori lamb Chops

From so long I was thinking of making lamb chops but many things were going through my mind, like how they will turn out, whether they will get cooked properly or not and whether they taste good if baked. But when I saw lamb rack in Costco, I thought of giving it a try and here it is today in my blog which I am sharing for all of my friends to try and let me know how this dish turned out.

Before making the lamb chops, I was thinking this dish as a time consuming one, but once you start the process, this dish will take less time and at the end you can enjoy a very healthy and tasty, delicious food.

Marinate the lamb rack using the marinade ingredients and bake it till done. A perfectly cooked, mouth watering, juicy lamb chops will be ready within no time and this will be a hit among the guests. Marination plays an important role in enhancing the flavors of lamb chops. this can be served along with Indian mint chutney or along with potato wedges or cooked veggies. I served them along with quinoa- veggie soup, a perfect combination. Hope you all might like this.

Ingredients:

1. Lamb Chops- 8-12 nos
2. Marinade:
3. Greek Yogurt- 1/2 Cup
4. Paprika powder- 1 tbsp
5. Turmeric Powder- 1/2 tbsp
6. Cumin powder- 1/2 tbsp
7. Minced ginger- 1 tbsp
8. Minced garlic- 1 tbsp
9. Garam Masala powder- 1/2 tbsp
10. Salt- as required
11. Coriander Powder- 1 tbsp
12. Lemon juice- 2 tbsp

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients under marinade in a bowl and keep this aside.
2. In the above mixture add the cleaned and drained lamb chops and coat the chops well with the marinade.
3. Let it sit for  3-4 hours. No need of keeping this in the refrigerator, if you are doing so, make sure the lamb should be in room temperature before baking.
4. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
5. Place the marinated lamb chops on the baking paper and pour the liquid on top and bake this for almost 10- 15 minutes. After 15 minutes let the chops broil for another 2- 3 minutes and switch off the oven and take the lamb chops out.
6. Cut accordingly and serve warm.

Dal Gosht/ Goat in Lentils Gravy

Dal gosht is a popular Indian dish which is a medley of mutton, spices, and lentils cooked till perfection. Dal gosht is a recipe I am sure that will be liked by all. This is so delicious and flavorful that it goes well with anything like rice/ rotis/ flavored rice/ naans. Even you can eat this along with brown bread (I like it that way). In this recipe, the lentils play an important role. This recipe can be prepared using any variety of lentils. Some use split Bengal gram, some use split pigeon peas. It all depends upon your taste and choice.

As a kid, I used to eat this dal gosht, when we were living in Andhra. Our neighbors often made this and whenever they make, they would share with us. Like all the other Hyderabadi dishes, I loved it at first bite. But as we moved out of Andhra, I completely forgot about this dish. Recently when I ate this at my friends' place, all the memories associated with this dish came through and my liking for this dish once again started.

Before I forget about this recipe, I thought of making it and posting it in my blog, so that it will be always there as a reference for me whenever needed.  In this dish, the mutton pieces are simmered along with the flavorful combination of spices and mixed with lentils to a perfectly thickened gravy. This will be a finger-licking delicious dish, which will be an instant hit among the guests and family members.
What are you waiting for????? Without wasting a single minute, let's get started with this recipe and let me know how this turned out.

Ingredients:

1. Tur Dal/ Split Pigeon Peas- 1/2 Cup
2. Split Red Lentils- 1/2 Cup
3. Goat Meat- 2 lbs (washed and drained)
4. Onions (sliced)- 2 nos
5. Green Chilies (slit)- 3-4 nos
6. Tomatoes (chopped)- 2 nos
7. Ginger n garlic Paste- 1 tbsp
8. Red Chilli Powder- 1 tbsp
9. Coriander Powder- 2 tbsp
10. Turmeric Powder- 1/2 tbsp
11. Garam Masala Powder- 2 Tsp
12. Lemon juice- 2 tbsp
13. Oil- 2 tbsp
14. Water- as needed
15. Salt- as required

Method:

1. Wash the lentils and pressure cook them till cooked and mushy. Keep this aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan, add the sliced onions and fry till translucent. Add a little salt to get the onions to cook fast.
3. Add the green chilis along with ginger and garlic paste. Stir well. When the raw smell disappears add all the spice powders. Mix well.
4. In the above add the drained meat along with the required amount of salt, mix well till everything gets well incorporated.
5. Close with a lid and let the meat cook till tender. Once when the meat gets cooked well add the cooked lentils, mix, drizzle the lemon juice, adjust salt accordingly and enjoy along with steaming hot rice, rotis or naan.

Kilikood/ Birds Nest

Kilikood/ Birds nest is a classic traditional Malabar snack which is very popular and is liked by all. The shape of this kilikood makes it very unique from other snacks. 
A perfect blend of meat, potatoes, and spices, that are shaped and indented, which is later dipped in egg batter and pressed with roasted vermicelli to get the exact shape of birds nest. This requires a lot of patience and time. This is made on special occasions in Kerala.

This is my first attempt and it came out pretty well. I made this for a food fest here in the US, where a bunch of people was organizing a Kerala food fest for the Kerala flood relief. I want to contribute and so myself and my friend decided to make these birds nest, which was a super hit. For the food fest, lots of Malabar dishes were made by different members, which were sold out within minutes.

This birds nest is very different from other Kerala snacks is because of its unique shape. This is also called as Semiya cutlet. My family is big-time fans of this snack. Here we have to use thin vermicelli as the thick ones won't be good. I have made two eggs using rice flour just for the decorations. If making it for home, just omit the rice flour eggs. Hope you all will like and try this out.
Ingredients:

1. Mutton (minced)- 1.5 lbs
2. Red Chilli Powder- 1 tbsp
3. Turmeric Powder- 1 tsp
4. Garam Masala Powder- 1/2 tbsp
5. Ginger- Garlic Paste- 1 tbsp
6. Salt- as required

For the Masala:

1. Onions- 2 nos
2. Green Chillis- 3 nos
3. Ginger- Garlic Paste- 1tbsp
4. Red Chili powder- 1 tbsp
5. Turmeric Powder- 1 Tsp
6. Coriander Powder- 1 tbsp
7. Cumin Powder- 1/2 tbsp
8. Garam Masala Powder- 1 tbsp
9. Boiled Potatoes- 2 nos
10. Salt- as required
11. Egg- 2 nos
12. Roasted Vermicelli- 2 Cups
13. Oil- for frying

Method:

1. Pressure cook the mutton along with all the spices till done.
2. Heat oil in a pan, saute the chopped onions, green chilies till translucent. Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry till the raw smell disappears.
3. Add all the spice powders, mix well. Add the cooked spiced mutton. Stir till everything gets well blended. Switch off the flame. Adjust the salt accordingly.
4. When the masala cools down, add the boiled mashed potatoes. Mix well. Make small round shaped balls and press in the middle, shape it like a birds nest. You can make almost 20- 25 cutlets.
5. Prepare the egg batter by beating the eggs along with salt. Arrange the roasted vermicelli in another bowl.
6. Heat oil for shallow frying the bird's nest.
7. Dip each cutlet in the egg batter and then coat it with roasted vermicelli, drop them in hot oil ( keep the oil on low flame)and fry till done on both the sides. Repeat with all the bird's nest and drain on a kitchen towel. Enjoy them along with tomato sauce or just like that.

For decorating:

• Prepare the rice flour like the pathiri dough . Add cumin seeds in the dough. Make small round balls and place them on the bird's nest. It will look like a birds nest with eggs.

Lamb In Yogurt Gravy/ Dahi Gosht

Lamb in yogurt gravy is my mom's style of preparation which she makes within no time. In this dish the lamb is cooked slowly in a spicy onion- yogurt based gravy till it absorbs all liquid and becomes a semi- gravy.

This month's MFB challenge is a special EID dish which is prepared at home or anywhere in the world. So today I choose my most favorite, my mom's lamb dish which is a delicious, mouth-watering dish which is one among her different varieties of dishes. Before going for the morning Eid prayers, my mom would prepare breakfast, like appam or idiyappam and this amazing lamb curry, which can be prepared in a very less time. After the prayers, we all enjoy the delicious breakfast. Today I am with this perfect dish for the perfect occasion. I hope you will try this and will love it.
In this dish, I made a paste of coriander leaves and added them as you all might know that my husband doesn't like the leaves to be seen on top. Like that also it tastes good. Try this out and let me know.

Ingredients :
For Marination:

1. Lamb- 2 lb
2. Red Chilli Powder- 2 Tsp
3. Garam Masala Powder- 1 Tsp
4. Turmeric Powder- 1 Tsp
5. Ginger - Garlic Paste- 1 tbsp

For Masala:

1. Oil- 2 tbsp
2. Cloves, Cinnamon and Cardamom- 1 tbsp
3. Onions- 3 nos (chopped)
4. Tomato- 1 no (chopped)
5. Ginger- Garlic Paste- 2 tbsp
6. Curry Leaves- few
7. Red Chilli Powder- 1 tbsp
8. Coriander Powder- 1 tbsp
9. Turmeric Powder- 1 Tsp
10. Garam Masala Powder- 1 Tsp
11. Curd- 2 cups
12. Coriander Leaves- a bunch (chopped)

Method:

1. Wash the lamb pieces and marinate with the ingredients under marination. Keep this for about 30min- 2 hrs.
2. Heat oil in a pressure cooker, add the chopped onions, once they turn translucent add the ginger- garlic paste and tomato, stir till the raw smell disappears.
3. Add all the spice powders, mix well add the marinated lamb. Stir till everything gets well blended and cook on medium-high heat, till all the water gets evaporated.
4. Add the curd, mix well and on low heat cook on pressure till few whistles or till the meat gets cooked well. If there is liquid left out, cook on slow flame till all the liquid gets absorbed well in the gravy. Garnish with the chopped coriander leaves and enjoy steaming lamb curry along with your favorite roti/ kulcha/ naan/ ghee rice/ appam /idiyappam or anything of your choice.

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Mutton Do Pyaza/ Mutton in Onion Gravy

Mutton Do pyaza is a classic North Indian dish in which onions are added twice in two different ways. Loads of Onions are added at two stages, sliced and ground. This dish is full of flavors. The mutton pieces are slowly braised on low heat in which the onions are added at two different stages.
This dish is very rich, spicy and loaded with flavors. We can prepare this dish using chicken or veggies of your choice. An amazingly flavored lip-smacking dish can be prepared within no time using all the ingredients available in your kitchen.

The beauty of a perfect mutton do pyaza lies in the caramelization of the onions. As a kid, I remember the first time my mom made this dish using chicken. She got this recipe from a paper cut out, which she always does whenever she sees a recipe in magazines or newspapers. A perfect dish during festive time and get-togethers. We can have this along with chapatis, naans or with pulav. I am sure that this will be a super hit among everyone.

If you are a mutton fan, do try this, I swear that you will enjoy this dish to the core.
Ingredients:

1. Mutton- 2 lbs/ 1 kg
2. Onions- 3 nos
3. Ginger- Garlic Paste- 1 tbsp
4. Red Chilli powder- 1 tbsp
5. Coriander Powder- 1/2 tbsp
6. Turmeric Powder- 1 Tsp
7. Cumin Powder- 1 Tsp
8. Garam Masala Powder- 1 Tsp
9. Red Chilis- 4-5 nos
10. Oil- 2 tbsp
11. Salt- as required

Method:

1. Finely slice 1 onion and grind remaining 2 onions and keep them aside.
2. Heat oil in a big pot, add the sliced onions along with ginger- garlic paste and saute well till the raw smell disappears and everything gets mixed well.
3. Meanwhile, add the clean and drained mutton pieces and braise well on high heat for 5 minutes and then lower the flame, braise the meat till it releases water.
4. Add all the powders, mix well so that the meat is coated well with the spices. At this point add the ground onion paste, stir. Let it cook for 5 minutes. Adjust the salt accordingly.
5. Pour 2 cups of water and pressure cook the meat along with the spices till soft and tender.
6. When the gravy thickens, switch off the flame and serve along with rotis. 

Nalli Nihari/ Slow cooked Mutton in Spices

EID MUBARAK!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Eid ul Adha or Bakrid is also called as “feast of sacrifice. Bakrid is one of the most important Muslim festivals. Eid began with we all getting ready to go to the eidgah for the eid prayers. This is the first time, I went to the mosque to offer festive prayer. I was pretty much excited and after finishing the prayers, there was a small breakfast session and kids enjoyed a lot as many games were there for them. After spending some time, we came back and my lunch work started.

This time I wanted to make it simple, so instead of biryani, I planned to make ghee rice, mutton curry and Kerala style parippu payasam.  For the mutton curry, I thought of making something different, which I never made before and so I finalised on “nalli nihari”, which from so long I was thinking of preparing.

Nihari is a stew made of meat in which traditionally the meat is slow cooked for hours. The spices and the taste will make this dish unique.

The word “Nihari” is originated from Arabic “Nahar” which means “day”, this is cooked overnight for 6- 8 hours. This is served to the emperors after the morning prayers. If the Nihari masala is made and stored prior to cooking, it will make easier to prepare. This is prepared with the leg pieces of goat. Hope you all like this. Try this out and let me know.

Ingredients:

Nihari Masala:

1. Fennel Seeds- 2 tsp
2. Cumin Seeds- 2 tsp
3. Cloves- 4 nos
4. Cinnamon- 1 small stick
5. Cardamom- 3 nos
6. Big Cardamom- 2 nos (optional)
7. Nutmeg- 1 tsp
8. Mace- 1 Tsp
9. Black Pepper- 1 tbsp

For the Curry:

1. Mutton- 2 Pounds
2. Onions- 4 nos
3. Green Chillies- 3 nos
4. Oil- 2 tbsp
5. Ginger and Garlic Paste- 1 tbsp
6. Red Chilli Powder- 2 tbsp
7. Coriander Powder- 2 tbsp
8. Salt- as required
9. Nihari Masala- 3 tbsp
10. Whole wheat Flour- 4 tbsp
11. Water- 1 Cup
12. Lemon Juice- 2 tbsp

Method:

For masala:

• Dry roast the ingredients in the masala till nice aroma comes. Switch off and grind to a fine powder when cooled.

For the Curry:

1. Slice the onions and green chillies and wash and drain mutton. Keep this aside.
2. Heat a pan with oil, add the sliced onions and green chillies.
3. When the raw smell disappears and when they turn light brown in colour add the ginger- garlic paste. Stir well.
4. Add the red chilli powder, coriander powder and salt. Add the cleaned mutton pieces and stir for about 5- 6 minutes on a medium flame.
5. Add the Nihari masala. Mix, add little water and cook on low flame with a lid, till the spices all get blended well with the mutton pieces.
6. Meanwhile, add the whole wheat flour to a cup of water and stir well and make sure that lumps are not formed.
7. After some about 45- 50 minutes, take off the lid and add the whole wheat flour mixture in the mutton gravy and mix well.
8. When the gravy thickens, switch off the flame and add the lemon juice on top.
9. Garnish this using julienned ginger and serve along roti, chapatis, naan, biryani, pulao. I served along with ghee rice.

Ummachi's (Mom’s) Coriander Mutton Curry

Mom’s mutton curry is one of my all time favorite dishes which I love to the core. As we grew up in Andhra, we add coriander leaves in almost all the dishes. I love the taste and aroma of these leaves, but my husband who is very picky in eating veggies doesn’t like these leaves at all and so I have to sneak these leaves in biryani by grinding them. I like to add them to all the curries but thinking about him I skip adding these.

When my mom makes these dishes she uses the homemade garam masala and the homemade ginger- garlic paste which she makes and stores. The scintillating aroma of these fried spices fills the house. She also had a kitchen garden, in which she grows almost all the vegetables possible. My dad who is very interested in gardening helps her. In between the vegetable plants, there used to be always these coriander plants which she grows by sowing seeds. She used to add them to curries. As she plucks the leaves, they will grow twice faster.The smell of these homegrown plants is awesome. I try different methods in gardening but some will grow and some won’t. I didn’t get her green thumb.

It’s time for the monthly challenge and this time it is to prepare something using meat and so here I am with my all time favorite dish, in which the main ingredient is coriander leaves, which I added by grinding along with tomatoes and sauteeing for almost 15- 20 minutes. In the recipe, I have added the leaves along with mutton pieces. Try this amazing dish and let me know.

Ingredients:

1. Mutton- 2 lb
2. Oil- 1 tbsp
3. Onions (sliced)- 2 nos
4. Tomatoes (sliced)- 2 nos
5. Ginger and Garlic Paste- 2 tbsp
6. Green Chillies- 4 no
7. Grated Coconut- ½ Cup
8. Khus Khus/ Poppy Seeds- 2 tbsp
9. Red Chilli Powder- 1 tbsp
10. Coriander Powder- 1 tbsp
11. Turmeric Powder- 1 tsp
12. Garam Masala Powder- 1 tsp
13. Coriander/ Cilantro Leaves- ½ Cup

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan and stir fry the sliced onions. When they turn translucent add the ginger and garlic paste.
2. Saute well till the raw smell disappears. Add the tomatoes, meanwhile, grind the coconut and poppy seeds by adding a little water till it becomes a paste.
3. Add the red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and garam masala powder.
4. Fry for a minute and add the ground coconut- poppy seed paste.
5. Mix well and add the washed and drained mutton along with coriander leaves and required amount of salt.
6. Pressure cook for about 5- 6 whistles or till the mutton gets cooked well. Enjoy with hot steamed rice.

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