VEGETABLE TAHARI-VEG PILAF WITH THE NUTRITION FACTOR!!!

Tahari comes in the category of Biryani but the method of preparation is different,here the ingredients are cooked along with rice ,a One -pot meal to make your lunch or dinner special.Its prepared a lot in Hyderabad homes and relished by each and everyone.

Heres the recipe:

Cooking time:35-40mins.

Preparation time:20mins.

Serves4-5 persons.

Ingredients:

• Rice-3cups
• Mixed vegetables- 2cups(Carrots,French beans,Cauliflower,Peas,potatoes)
• Tomatoes- 250gms(chopped)
• Onions-2no(sliced)
Whole garam masala- 2"cinnamon,8 cardamoms,5 cloves,5 peppercorns,1/2 tsp shahjeera.
Ginger and garlic paste- 1tbsp
Red chilli powder-1 1/2tsp
Turmeric powder-1tsp
Corriander powder-1 tsp
Green Chillies(slit)- 2-3
Corriander leaves(chopped)-1/2 cup
Mint leaves(chopped)-1/2 cup
Oil-3/4 cup
Salt to taste

Cooking method:

• Wash and soak the rice for 30mins.
• Wash and cut all the vegetables in samll pieces.
• In a deep pan heat oil add onions and saute till golden brown now add whole garam masala and ginger and garlic paste and saute for another minute.
• Add tomatoes and vegetables and all the rest ingredients except mint,corriander and green chillies.Add 1/2 cup of water.cover and cook till vegetables half done and mixture absorbs all water
• Now for every 1 cup of rice add 1 1/2cup of water that is 4 1/2 cup of water and let it come to a boil.
• Now add rice along with mint,corriander and green chillies,mix well and Cook on medium heat.keep stirring in between.when there is very little water remaining reduce the burner  to  very slow flame for about 15mins.alternatively you can put this vessel on a pan and then put it on the burner for slow heating.
• Serve hot with  any Salad or Chutney

CHANA PULAO-CHICKPEAS,CARROT COOKED WITH RICE!!!

PULAO-a member of the widely appreciated family of  'Biryani'.In this the rice is cooked with meat,vegetables,spices and herbs unlike in Biryani where the rice and meat or vegetables are layered and cooked in its own steam.
Chana pulao-the chick peas gives it a nice nutty flavour(you can substitute it with chicken) and it is cooked in corriander seeds water,Aromatic!!
Heres the recipe:

 Cooking time: 30mins
 Preparation time:10mins
 Serves-5

Ingredients:

• Chick peas/Kabuli chana(cooked)-1cup
• Rice- 3cups
• Corriander seeds- 1/2cup
• Carrot(small cubes) - 1no(medium sized)
• Green Chillies(chopped)-8
• Whole garam masala-4 cloves/laung ,2"cinnamon/dalchini,peppercorns/kali mirch-5,Caraway seeds/shahjeera-1/2tsp
• Onions(sliced)-1 no(medium size)
• Tomatoes(chopped)- 4no(medium-sized)
• Ginger and garlic paste-2tsp
• Corriander leaves(chopped)- 1/2cup
• Salt to taste
• Oil-3/4cup

Cooking Method:

• Wash and soak raw chickpeas overnight,and pressure cook them till they are soft.
• Wash and soak rice for about 30mins.
• Take corriander seeds in a deep pan,add 4 cups of water and reduce till its 2cups.
• In a deep pan,add oil heat it and then add the onions saute till golden brown,now add ginger and garlic paste,whole garam masala,chopped green chilli saute for a minute or two.
• Add the tomatoes and cook till tomatoes are soft and pulpy.
• Add carrot and corriander leaves and cook covered for another 5 mins,adding little water.
• Now put the corriander seeds water 1.e 2cups and more 3 cups water,chick peas and salt and let it come to a boil.
• Add rice at this stage,stir well and cook covered stirring in between,when all the water gets absorbed,let it cook for another 5 mins in its own steam.

Note: If the rice is not cooked and no water is left add little water  about 1/4cup.

• Serve hot with Curd-raita.

This goes to CWS event hosted by Radhika and Priya.

Bitter-Gourd Biryani!!!

The word 'Biryani'can make anybody's taste-buds tickle and salivate.This is a very interesting version of it made with Bitter-Gourd.'Many'dont like the bitter taste of this vegetable thereby not consuming it and ignoring the health benefits.
Fortunately my Family falls in the 'Few' category and my task becomes all the more easy as I dont have to make an effort to make it like them and I dont put any sour or sweet ingredient in it to cut down the bitterness.
This recipe is for all who fall in the 'Many'category so i have added a little amount of jaggery and dried mango powder to cut the bitterness a little.Once you get used to this vegetable You will all love it to be more bitter.

Give it a try!!!

Cooking Time:20mins
Preparation Time:10mins
Serves: 2-3 persons

Ingredients:

• Rice- 2 cups
• Bitter Gourd- 1(large size)
• Nigella Seeds/kalonji- 1/4tsp
• Fenugreek Seeds/Methi seeds- 1/4tsp
• Onions(sliced)- 1
• Tomatoes(chopped)- 1
• Yogurt- 1/2cup
• Dried mango powder/Aamchur powder-1/2tsp
• Jaggery/Gur- 1tsp
• Corriander powder/dhanya powder-1/2 tsp
• Red chili powder-1tsp
• Ginger&Garlic paste- 1tsp
• Turmeric powder/haldi- 1/4tsp
• Mint leaves/Pudina- 10 leaves
• Whole garam masala-2 cloves/laung,4 peppercorns/kali mirch,2 cardamom/elaichi,1/2 tsp Caraway seeds/shahjeera,2"cinnamon stick,1 bay leay/tej patta
• Salt to taste
• Oil-1/4 cup 

Cooking Method:

• Wash the rice and soak it for 15-20 mins
• Scrape the skin of Bitter-Gourd,cut in diagonal slices and remove the seeds.
• Heat oil in a vessel add Nigella and fenugreek seeds,saute for 30 secs and then put the onions,cook till golden brown
• At this point add the tomatoes and beaten yogurt,Ginger&Garlic paste,turmeric powder,Red chilli powder,Corriander powder,salt.Cook till tomatoes are soft.
• Add jaggery and dried mango powder.and put the Bitter-Gourd slices.add little water and Cook for 1o mins covered on a slow flame till the mixture is cooked.
• Meanwhile for 1 cup of rice take 3 cups of water,add salt and whole garam masala and let it boil.Add rice and cook till it is 3/4th done.strain the water and add mint leaves.
• In a vessel put layer of rice and then the bitter-Gourd mixture and finally rice layer again.Cook on slow flame for 10mins.

• 
  
  When about to serve mix the layers lightly and serve with Curd-Raita

This goes to Yasmeen's event.

Spicy Tahari!!!

This spicy rice main dish is very popular in India.It is cooked with lamb/chicken/beef/vegetables + rice and other spices.Its a form of Biryani,but the cooking procedure is entirely different.Have it for any Sunday lunch or any day and your meals will become more special.Heres the recipe with chicken.

Cooking Time:30-35 mins

Preparation Time:15mins
Serves 4-5



Ingredients:

• lamb/chicken/beef-500gms
• Rice- 3 cups
• Red lentils/Masoor dal-1/4 cup
• Onions(sliced)- 2
• Tomatoes(chopped)- 500gms
• Whole garam masala- 2"cinnamon,8 cardamoms,5 cloves,5 peppercorns,2 bay leaves,1/2 tsp shahjeera.
• Ginger and garlic paste- 1tbsp
• Red chilli powder-1 1/2tsp
• Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
• Corriander powder-1/2 tsp
• Green Chillies(slit)- 2-3
• Corriander leaves(chopped)-1/2 cup
• Mint leaves(chopped)-1/2 cup
• Oil-3/4 cup
• Salt to taste

Cooking Directions:

• Clean the chicken pieces trimming all the excess fat n cutting in to medium sized pieces.
• Wash and soak the rice for 30mins.
• Heat oil in a vessel and put the onions and cook till brown then add the whole garam masala and let it crackle for a minute.
• Then add the ginger and garlic paste,then add tomatoes and saute till tomatoes become soft.
• At this point add Chicken,Turmeric powder,red chilli powder,corriander powder and salt to taste.Add 1/2 cup water and Cover and cook for atleast 15 minutes.
• Put water.Now for every 1 cup of rice you have to put 1 and 1/2 cupof water.As the rice is soaked it vl require less water,if you put more water the rice will become sticky.
• Let the water boil.
• Then put the washed red lentils,,rice,corriander leaves,mint leaves and green chillies.
• Cook on medium heat.keep stirring in between.when there is very little water remaining reduce the burner  to  very slow flame for about 15-20 mins.alternatively you can put this vessel on a pan and then put it on the burner for slow heating.
• Serve hot with Curd-raita.

Forever-Favourite Mutton Biryani!!!

I think the less said the better for this World-renowned Indian dish.It needs no introduction,originating in Persia,and took many a turns to arrive in India.'The word 'Biryani' originates from the Persian word 'Birian' meaning "fry before cooking".To make Biryani, mutton is fried in ghee and
 par-cooked,cooked (Pakki yakni) or the mutton is kept raw marinating in youghurt and other spices(Kacchi yakhni).Separately,the Rice is par-cooked. The rice and meat are layered (layer of rice on top of layer of meat) in a cookware.The cookware is sealed with dough and Dum cooked (baked) on low heat.One of the most famous variation of this dish is the "Hyderabadi Biryani",originating in Hyderabad,influenced by the Mughals.It's a permanent fixture of the menu across the Globe.There are varieties in this category "Veg-Biryani","Chicken-Biryani","Fish-Biryani","Prawns-Biryani",with variations in the ingredients and the way of cooking them.
I know u all will love this recipe.This recipe is of Pakki Yakhni.Give it a try!!


Cooking Time: Approx 40mins
Preparation time:20 mins
Serves::6 Persons.





Ingredients:
For yakhni

• Mutton- 1 kg
• Yoghurt- 250 gms
• Green chillies(broken in halves-not cut!!)-5-6  
• Red chilli powder- 1 tsp  
• Garam masala powder-1 1/2tsp  
• Ginger n garlic paste- 4 tsp  
• Corriander(chopped)- 1 bunch  
• Mint(chopped)- 1 small bunch  
• Fried onions-1/2 cup  
• Nigella seeds(kalonji)-1/4 tsp  
• Onions (medium sized-sliced)- 1  
• Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp  
• Oil-1/2 cup  
• Salt to taste 

For rice:

• Wole garam masala-1"cinnamon stick,1 tsp shahjeera,8 cardamom,5 cloves 
• Basmati rice-750gms
• Ghee-1/2 cup, 
• Saffron color-1/4 tsp 
• salt to taste

Cooking Method:

• Wash and soak the rice for 30 mins.  
• Clean the lamb n mix all the ingredients and half of the fried onions.If kept for marinating for atleast 1/2 hr,it brings out a better taste. 
• Take oil in a vessel n put the mutton.Add 1 cup water and cook till mutton well cooked.It takes 30 mins for this process.you can add little water if the mutton is not cooked n mixture becomes dry.Finally the meat has to become tender and there should be no water left. 
• In a separate deep vessel put water(for 1 cup rice-4 cups water->this ratio is very good and the rice grains are well cooked n dont stick together),the whole garam masala and salt,bring it to a boil and then put the rice,cook till 3/4th cooked.strain the rice.
•  Now for the finale,grease the vessel with ghee,put 1/4 th cup water,arrange a layer of half of the rice and then put the mutton layer and finally rest of the rice,put fried onions,saffron color mixed in little milk and ghee,put on high flame for just 2-3mins,and then on a very sim flame(u can use a pan n then put the vessel on it to slow cook it) for about 15 mins.while serving mix the rice n mutton layer lightly else the rice grain will break.
•  Serve with Curd Raita.