HYDRABADI CHICKEN BIRYANI

Ingredients:

Basmati rice 2 cups 
Black cardamom 3

Green cardamom 6
Cloves 6
Cinnamon stick 1 inch
Black pepper 6
Bay leaf 2
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Mint leaves 15
Brown onions 3 tbsp
Garam masala ½ tsp
Green cardamom powder ½ tsp
Saffron/food colouring
Ghee 2 tbsp

Marination: 

Chicken 900 gms
Ginger garlic paste 2 tbsp
Red chilli powder 1 tbsp
Salt
Yogurt 1 cup
Garam masala powder 1tsp
Green cardamom powder 1 tsp
Brown onions ½ cup
Ghee 2 tbsp
Coriander leaves 2 tbsp
Mint leaves 10-12
Green chillies 2 (chopped)
Turmeric powder 1tsp
Lemon juice 1 tbsp

Method: 

1. Wash and soak the rice for 20 minutes.
2. In a bowl, keep marinated chicken for 30 minutes. (add all the ingredients mentioned under “Marination”)
3. In a pot add 4 cups of water, black cardamom, green cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick, black pepper, bay leaf, cumin seeds and salt. Allow the water to boil, now add soaked rice. Once the rice is half cooked drain the water.
4. Now in a medium size pot, spread marinated chicken at the bottom and then layer half of the rice, sprinkle 1 tbsp coriander leaves, 10 mint leaves, brown onions 2 tbsp, garam masala ¼ th tsp and green cardamom powder ¼ th tsp. Now layer the remaining rice, sprinkle 1 tbsp coriander leaves, 5 mint leaves, brown onions 1 tbsp, garam masala ¼ th tsp, green cardamom powder ¼ th tsp, ghee 2 tbsp and saffron/food colouring. Cover the vessel and cook for 15-20 minutes. Turn off the flame, let it rest for another 15 minutes.


Note: 

Cooking rice to the right consistency is very important.
Brown onions – readily available in stores.

CARROT PUDDING

Ingredients:

Carrots 5 medium sized, shredded

Sweetened condensed milk 400gms

Cardamom powder ¼ th tsp

Unsalted butter 3 tbsp

Cashew nuts 10

Method:       

1. Melt butter in a pan, add shredded carrots mix it, allow it to cook for 5 minutes or till the carrots turn soft.

2. Add condensed milk, Stirring constantly, allow it to cook for 7-8 minutes or until the liquid evaporates.

3. Now add the Cardamom powder and cashew nuts. Give a final stir.

SPAGHETTI PASTA WITH CHICKEN NUGGETS

Ingredients:

Spaghetti pasta 200gms

Spaghetti sauce 500gms

Chilli & garlic sauce 3 - 4 tbsp (or depending on your taste)

Sugar 1 tsp

Chicken nuggets 6

· Spaghetti pasta, Spaghetti sauce, Chilli & garlic sauce and Chicken nuggets – all are easily available in stores.

Method:

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook as the label directs and then drain.

2. Heat 3 - 4 tbspn of oil in a pan and fry the nuggets as per the instructions given on the pack. Remove it on the kitchen paper towel (to soak excess oil). Cut them into small cubes.

3. In other pan add the Spaghetti sauce, Chilli & garlic sauce and sugar – bring it to a boil.

4. Now add the chicken nuggets and Spaghetti pasta mix them all together.

5. Serve hot.

CURD RICE

Ingredients:

Rice 1 cup

Green Chilli 1

Red chilli 1

Butter 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds ¼ ^th tsp

Cumin seeds ¼ ^th tsp

Urad dal 1tsp

Curry leaves 10-12

Salt

Coriander leaves 2 tbsp

Yogurt 2 cups

Hing a pinch

Ginger 1 inch

Method:

1. Cook the rice: For 1 cup of rice, add 2 cups of boiling water and salt, allow it to cook.

2. Take the cooked rice in a mixing bowl, add a pinch of salt, chopped green chilli, coriander leaves and yogurt. Mix it properly

3. Heat butter/ghee in a pan, add red chilli, mustard and cumin seeds. Allow them to splutter. Now add urad dal, when the dal gets slight brown colour add hing, ginger and curry leaves. Off the flame add this to your mixing bowl (rice). Mix the rice for the last time.

4. Serve hot with pickle.

CABBAGE SUKHA

Ingredients:

Cabbage 800gms

Oil 2.5 tbsp

Mustard seeds 2 tsp

Urad dal 2tsp

Curry leaves 10-12

Cumin powder 2.5  tsp

Turmeric powder ½  tsp

Tamrind extract 1tsp

Grated coconut ¼ cup

Sugar 1 tsp

Salt

Method:


1. Slice the cabbage finely, wash it.

2. In a bowl take grated coconut, add cumin powder, turmeric powder, sugar and tamrind extract, add sufficient water and mix it. Keep it aside.

3. Heat oil in a vessel add mustard seeds, allow the seeds to splutter, add urad dal and curry leaves. Allow to fry till the dal turns lightly brown.

4. Now add the coconut mixture and salt, fry for a minute or so.

5. When the mixture comes to a boil, add cabbage and mix it well.

6. Add little water. Cover and cook for few minutes till cabbage is cooked.

POTATO BHAJI (SOUTH INDIAN)

Ingredients:

Oil 3tbsp

Onion 3 (finely chopped)

Boiled potatoes 4 (cut into small pieces)

Frozen green peas ½ cup (optional)

Red chillies 2

Broken Cashew nuts 10 nos

Coriander leaves 2 tbsp

Ginger 1 inch

Green chilli 2

Salt

Chana dal 1 tsp

Urad dal 1tsp

Turmeric powder ¼ ^th tsp

Curry leaves 10-12

Cumin seeds ¼th tsp

Mustard seeds ¼ th tsp

Asafoetida (hing) a pinch

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a pan, add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, red chillies and asafoetida.

2. When the seeds splutter add chana dal and urad dal, saute till they get light brown color. Add ginger, cashew nuts, onions, green chillies, curry leaves, salt, turmeric powder and saute for a minute.

3. Now add potatoes and green peas, mix well and cook for 5 minutes on a slow flame.

4. Add the coriander, stir gently. Remove from the flame.

CORIANDER CHICKEN

Ingredients:

Cashews 10 nos

Chicken 900gms

Coriander leaves 1 bunch

Curd 1 cup

Ginger Garlic paste 2tbsp

Green chilli 4

Oil 3tbsp

Salt

Turmeric powder ¼ ^th tsp

Curry leaves 10-12

Cumin seeds ½ tsp

Coriander powder 1 tsp

Coconut scraped 1 ½  tbspn

Method:

1.    Grind: Cashews, Coriander leaves, Green chilli, Curry leaves and Coconut to a fine paste.

2.    Heat the pan, add oil - when it’s hot add cumin seeds, coriander powder, ginger garlic paste stir fry for few seconds.

3.    Now add the ground masala paste, turmeric powder and salt. Allow it to cook for a minute.

4.    Add chicken, cook it for 10 minutes.

5.    Now add curd mix it well, cover and cook for another 5-10 minutes, stir occasionally. 

CHICKEN MASALA

Ingredients:

600g Chicken breast cut into cubes

2 tbsp oil

1 onion finely chopped

2 green chilies chopped

3 garlic cloves

1” ginger chopped

½ tsp red chili powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp garam masala

1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp tomato puree

2 tomatoes chopped

Salt

3 tbsp yoghurt 

½ tsp paprika

½ tsp kasuri methi powder

Coriander leaves

Method:

1. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a pan. Add sliced onion and fry till they get little brown color. Now add chopped chillies, ginger and garlic, cook for 2-3 minutes.

2. Now add the chilli powder, turmeric, garam masala and sugar and cook for 1-2 minutes. Next, add the tomato puree and chopped tomatoes to the pan and allow them to cook for a further few minutes.

3. Transfer the sauce to a food processor and blend until smooth.

4. Add a tablespoon of oil into the pan and fry the chicken pieces until lightly coloured. Pour in the blended sauce and add salt, kasuri methi and paprika powder. Simmer gently for 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

5. Stir in the yoghurt into the chicken and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve with rice.