Kofta Pulao

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This is another form of Biryani whick is hugely popular in Hyderabad. Its my personal favorite too along with so many other delicacies in Mughlai Cuisine.

This is also my first ever entry to any event and I'm sending it to RCI: Authentic Hyderabadi Cuisine at Mona's blog Zaiqa. It also happened to be my older son's birthday and I thought what better way to celebrate it than with this fabulous pulao. It certainly bought a smile on his face :)


Ingredients:
4 tbs oil for frying onions

Marinate Mix
2 cups yogurt
1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 turmeric powder
2 tbs ginger garlic
3 onions
32-35 kofte/meatballs
1 green chilli, slit


Note: I deliberately kept the spices in the yogurt to a minimum because the meatballs in itself are very spicy and once all of it is cooked, its gonna taste awesome.

For Boiling Rice
6 cups basmati rice washed and soaked in water for 30 min's
5 tsp salt
Garam masala (6 cardamom, 2 sticks cinnamon, 4 whole black peppers, 4 cloves, 2 tsp shahzeera and 2 bay leaves)

For Garnish
a few strands of saffron soaked in milk
3 tbs lemon juice
4 tbs ghee
1 whole bunch or more of cilantro


Method:
Heat oil and thinly slice the onions and fry them until golden brown, freeze them for a while and crush them lightly before garnishing.

In the remaining oil, add the marinate mix and cook till oil seperates, add the meatballs just long enough for them absorb the spices. Let it cool.

Boil rice and add the salt and garam masala...till half done. Strain the rice in the collander and oil a baking dish liberally with 2 tsp oil.

Spread the rice and top it with the cooked meatballs, ghee, lemon juice, saffron soaked in milk, fried onions and cilantro. Add the second layer of rice and top it with any leftover garnish.

Preheat the oven to 350*F and bake for about 1/2 hour. Serve with Tamate ki Chutney or Mirchi ka Salan, like I did and enjoy!

Note: I dug up the draft for Mirchi Ka Salan and blogged it recently, follow the link if you are looking for the recipe ;)

Qeeme ke Kofte

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Or Ground Lamb Meat Balls...is a very simple and totally Hyderabadi recipe. Now with Ramadan round the corner there's an upsurge in cooking activity, with elaborate Iftaars and Saheris'. So here I am with this excellent recipe which can be combined with a variety of gravies, cooked with onions or in the form of Kofta Pulao.

Ingredients:

2 tbs olive oil

3 lbs ground lamb

10 tsp salt

6 tsp red chilli powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

4 tsp ginger garlic paste

2 green chillies, finely chopped

cilantro and mint finely chopped as needed

2-3 tbs garam masala*
(2 tsp black cumin seeds, 20-25 cardamom, 2-4 sticks cinnamon, 10 whole black pepper, 4 cloves)

Method:

Thaw the qeema and wash it thorougly under running water. Drain it well, in it add all the above ingredients and let it marinate for an hour or so.

Make small round balls and fry them slightly on medium heat. Makes approximately 80-90 meatballs, which can be freezed and used as needed.

Quick Fried Prawns with Spices

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Ah finally a recipe to bring me back to blogging. I had been cooking of course but nothing spectacular and worth blogging. Plus I was just being lazy and enjoying the Olympics' season and on top of that the hot weather was also a reason for not staying in the kitchen for long!

I had bookmarked this recipe too long. Its taste is a complete surprise and the flavor will leave you licking it up and wanting more. Full of zest and down right delicious one dish meal!

This one is for you Kate...for pulling me back to blogging, time and again ;)


Ingredients:
1 lb shrimps, cooked and deveined
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp mustard seeds
4 green cardamom pods, crushed
4 tbs cup ghee or butter
1/2 cup coconut milk
2-3 tbs cilantro, chopped
salt and black pepper powder as needed

Method:

Wash the prawns under cold running water and pat dry, add ginger garlic paste, chilli powder, turmeric, mustard seeds, and cardamom seeds in a bowl. Add the prawns and toss to coat them completely with the mixture.

Heat a wok until hot, add the ghee or butter and swirl it around until foaming. Add the spiced prawns and stir-fry for about 2 min's until they start turning pink.

Stir in the coconut milk and simmer for about 3-4 min's till the prawns are cooked through and oil seperates.

Season to taste with salt and black pepper powder. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot.

Mango Lassi

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Ah we are knee deep in summer, and what better way to beat it than with this lassi. And mango being my perennial fave...you will find my place flooded with either fresh mango or the next best thing, its pulp. This lassi is very easy to make and tastes heavenly.

Ingredients:
850 gms can mango pulp
4 tbs yogurt
6 tsp sugar
1 1/2 cup milk
Ice as needed

Method:
Blend the mango pulp with the milk and yogurt in Vitamix. Add sugar and ice and blend till it becomes thick and creamy. Serve chilled!

Mango Tomato Chutney

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This chutney is very spicy and at the same time sweet to taste. It was so delicious that it got over in the first serving itself! The recipe asked for green mangoes but it looked too appealing and I decided to make it with the sweet mangoes I had at hand ;p

Ingredients:

1 Mango, peeled and cubed

2 large tomatoes, cored, blanched and deskinned before chopping

20 curry leaves

3 tablespoons ghee or butter

2 teaspoons black mustard seeds

2 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 cup chopped green onion

1/2 - 3/4 teaspoon salt

Cilantro to garnish

Method:

In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, melt the ghee, add the mustard seeds. As the seeds begin to pop add the curry leaves, stirring briefly until wilted.

Add the tomatoes, cumin, red chilli and turmeric. Stir, then cook on low heat for about 10 minutes.

Stir in mango, cover skillet, and cook for another 10 minutes. Add salt and green onion, cooking uncovered for about 3 minutes. Serve hot or cold.

Bagare Baingan

{Eggplant in Saucy Tamarind Gravy}

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This is another recipe which goes great with Biryani, Bagara khana or even plain rice! There has been many versions of this gravy but I always trust Mommy dearest for the ultimate taste.


Ingredients:
11-12 eggplants/baingan
10 curry leaves
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp salt
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
4 tbs dessicated coconut
4 tbs til
1 handful peanuts
1 tsp khash khash
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 tbs oil
1 cup tamarind puree
1 large onion, finely sliced
1 green chilli, slit
Cilantro to garnish


Method:
Heat oil and fry the onion till crisp and golden brown. Using a slotted spoon remove and freeze for a while.

Dry roast, coconut, peanuts, khash khash and til and once they are cool enough, grind them seperately.

Boil the tamarind in water and let it soak completely, remove and strain the pulp in a bowl. Mix the ground mixture and make sure it has blended well in the puree.

Wash the eggplants and trim the head a little, make a + cut at the bottom, soak them in salty water.

Heat oil in a big saucepan and fry mustard and cumin seeds, as they begin to splutter add the curry leaves. Slide a slit green chilli and stir for a while and add the eggplants.

As the eggplants start to glaze, pour the tamarind puree and ground mixture. Finally add the fried onions and cilantro, shut the lid and cook till oil seperates.

Note: Too much onions can make the gravy too sweet and ruin the tangy flavor, make sure you balance the tamarind and onions to your taste.

Coconut Cilantro Chicken

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Now here is one recipe which will undoubtedly make your family drool...an exquisite combination of flavors which will leave you wanting for more.

Well I got a little carried away with all that Cilantro :p

Ingredients:

2 lb boneless chicken

1 onion

1 tsp ginger garlic paste
2-3 tsp salt

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

13.5 oz can coconut milk

3 green chilli

6 cardamom

1 stick cinnamon
1 tsp black cumin seeds

1 cup water

almost 2 bunches of cilantro or more

Method:

Clean the chicken of excess fat and cut into bite size pieces. Chop the onion finely.

Heat oil and add the cardamoms, cinnamon and black cumin seeds. Add green chilli and the chopped onion and as it starts to turn slightly brown put ginger garlic paste and stir in briskly.

Sprinkle salt and red chilli powder and immediately add the chicken cubes. Stir it well and make sure the chicken is coated well in the mixture.

Now add coconut milk and water along with half the cilantro, mix it well and shut the lid. Keep checking to see if the chicken is cooked through.

Add more water if you want it a little extra gravy. Garnish with the remaining cilantro and serve hot with either rice or naan.

Lamb in Fragrant Spinach Sauce

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I recently bought a cookbook judging merely by its cover, which looked absolutely delish and mouth watering. Now as I was browsing the recipes on my kitchen island, my hubby glanced and said "Another cookbook?" when he actually meant "Oh God another round of experiments". But I quickly put his doubts to rest with this recipe ;p and boy was he happy!

The cookbooks a good buy...the collection of recipes is however brief but very precise, delectable and surprisingly easy to make. Here's the cookbook by Mridula Baljekar, from the Food Lovers' Collection.

I decided to make the recipe on the cover, although it didn't turn out to be in the exact rich color, it tasted heavenly...next time I should probably put a little less spinach. Here's the list of ingredients, some of which have been altered according to my taste.

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless lamb

1/3 cup yogurt

2 tbs vinegar

2 tbs gram flour or chana besan

1 tsp turmeric

4 tbs oil

2 inch cinnamon stick

5 cloves

5 cardamoms, crushed

2 bay leaves

1 onion

1 tsp ginger garlic paste

2 tsp black cumin seeds

1 tsp red chilli powder

5-6 tomatoes, chopped

3/4 cup warm water, plus another 4 tbs

1 tsp salt to taste

1 tsp sugar

9 oz fresh/frozen chopped spinach

2 tsp ghee or butter

1 tsp garam masala

1/2 cup light cream

Method:

Take yogurt in a glass mixing bowl, add vinegar, gram flour, turmeric and beat till well blended. Remove excess fat from the lamb and add it in and let marinate for 4-5 hours.

Heat oil, fry cinnamon, cloves, cardamoms, bay leaves and stir gently for a few sec's. Add the onion and fry till its tranlucent, put ginger garlic and cook for an additional 5-6 min's, until the onion is gloden brown.

Add black cumin seeds and red chilli..cook a further 5-6 min's, stirring frequently, add warm water and cook till oil seperates from the paste.

Add the marinated meat and increase the heat, until meat changes color. Sprinkle salt and sugar and the 3/4 tsp water. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally for almost 1 hour.

Meanwhile blanch spinach in a large saucepan of boiling salted water and cook for 2 min's. Drain and plunge into cold water.

Heat ghee or butter in another saucepan and add ginger garlic paster and garam masala, stir until slightly brown. Drop the spinach into this spiced butter and stir to mix in thoroughly.

Add the spinach mixture to the curry, stir in the cream. Mix well and let it simmer uncovered for 2-3 min's. Once nicely mixed, remove from heat and serve.

Karahi Lamb

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The recipe combines cardamoms and cinnamon with apricots giving a sweet and succelent flavor to the tempering which adds an irresistable touch to the recipe. The list of ingredients can however sound a bit overwhelming but that's the beauty of this gravy.


Ingredients:
1 lb boneless lamb
3/4 cup yogurt
1 tbs tomato puree (I used a 5.5 fl oz can of V8 vegetable juice instead)
1 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp black cumin seeds
2 tsp salt
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp red chilli powder
2 tsp oil
2 onions, finely chopped
2 tbs ghee or butter
1 cinnamon stick
2 cardamoms
5 dried apricots, quartered
Cilantro to garnish

Method:
In a bowl blend V8, yogurt, garam masala, black cumin seeds, salt, ginger garlic paste and chilli powder.

Trim excess fat from the lamb and cut into bite sized pieces and add it in the above mixture and let it marinate for an hour.

Heat oil in a wok and fry onions till crisp and golden brown. Remove and freeze it for a while, crush it and return to the pan.

Add the marinated lamb and stir fry for 2 min's. Cover the pan and cook the meat stirring occasionally. This would be a good time to add water, cook till the lamb is tender.

Heat ghee or butter and add cardamom and cinnamon , stir in the apricots and fry over low flame for 2 min's.

Pour this sauce over the lamb, garnish with cilantro and serve immediately with rice.

Baked Tomato Yogurt Chicken

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This recipe is taken from Mona's Zaiqa, a link to the original recipe can be found here
I must say its super quick, easy and not to forget delicious. The only exception I made was to add the chopped green chilli...it made the chicken very zesty. For people looking for the ingredients, here they are.

Ingredients:
Chicken: 2 lbs, cut into bite size pieces
Tomato Paste: 3 tbsp
Oil: 1 tsp
Red Chilli Powder: 1 tsp
Salt: 1 tsp
Yoghurt: 2 tbsp
Ginger Garlic paste: 1 tsp
Garam Masala: 1 tsp
Turmeric: 1/3 tsp
Green chilli: 1, chopped
Cilantro: as needed, finely chopped


Method:

In a flat baking dish mix all the above ingredients, except the cilantro. Let it marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 350°F

Cover the dish tightly with an aluminium foil and slid it into the middle rack of the oven.

Remove from oven after 25 minutes, and mix it well. Cover it again with the aluminium foil and put it back and let it cook completely.

Remove the dish after 45 minutes. Stir it well and garnish with the chopped cilantro. Serve hot.

My First Award!!!

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Mona from Zaiqa presented the Nice Matters Award to me.

Thanks for including my name in the Nice Matters Award. Its my first one too and it definately feels great to be part of the blogosphere and to be recognised by the small contribution I'm making in other bloggers lives.

Also another thanks to Mona for getting me out of my hibernation. Hopefully I'll be more frequent with my posts.

I would like to pass this award to Rahin at Lazzat, Archana at Spicyana, Fiber at 28 Cooks, Kate/Kajal at Aapplemint, Sailu at Sailu's Kitchen and again to Mona at Zaiqa.

Happy New Year to all the Bloggers

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Hope this New Year find all you bloggers with health, happiness and love. Looking forward to more delicious recipes from everyone this year too!

Mirchi ka Salan

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This recipe has an amazing taste to it and coupled with the tamarind and onions has a sweet and tangy taste to it. It goes beautifully with all kinds of biryani...right from chicken, mutton and even kofta pulao!

Ingredients:
5-6 Thai chillies
10 curry leaves
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp salt
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
4 tbs dessicated coconut
4 tbs til
1 handful peanuts
1 tsp khash khash
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 tbs oil
1 cup tamarind puree
1 1/2 large onion, finely sliced
Cilantro to garnish


Method:
Heat oil and fry the onion till crisp and golden brown. Using a slotted spoon remove and freeze for a while.

Dry roast, coconut, peanuts, khash khash and til and once they are cool enough, grind them seperately.

Boil the tamarind in water and let it soak completely, remove and strain the pulp in a bowl. Mix the ground mixture and make sure it has blended well in the puree.

Wash the thai chillies and trim the head a little and cut them in 3 pieces.

Heat oil in a big saucepan and fry mustard and cumin seeds, as they begin to splutter add the curry leaves. Slide a slit green chilli and stir for a while and add the chillies.

As the chillies start to glaze, pour the tamarind puree and ground mixture. Finally add the fried onions and cilantro, shut the lid and cook till oil seperates.


Note: If this recipe sounds similar to Bagare baingan...it is! The recipe is the same only the main ingredient changes, again care should be taken when adding red chilli powder, since these chillies are quite spicy themselves :)

Cheesy Quesadilla

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Ingredients:
Mission brand Tortillas, burrito sized: approx 8
Sour Cream as needed
Mexican blend four cheese to garnish
Qeema as needed
Ranch dressing, again as needed

Method:

Slightly warm the tortilla on a semi-warm flat pan. Remove and apply sour cream all over.

Fold the tortilla in the middle and spread qeema evenly and top it with shredded cheese and Ranch dressing. Fold it in half and press lightly.

Microwave for a about 30-40 seconds. Run a pizza cutter and slice into three parts. Serve hot!

Gorgeous Lemons!

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Here are some pictures of the lemon harvest from my backyard this season. The yield has been better from last year, as you can make out from the pictures the lemons are absolutely juicy and so very gorgeous to look at.

After distributing it among friends and family I'm still left with a lot of lemons. I wanted someone to please suggest what I can make with them....apart from lemon pickle, that is!