Khatti Dal (Dal Hyderabadi)

Khatti Dal (Dal Hyderabadi) - is a very tangy and spicy dal preparation that will leave you wanting for more to slurp on :) This dal recipe fell into my lap from another foodie member Aman Kahlon who is a great cook himself.  It looked delicious by just looking at the recipe! I tried it immediately and simply loved it, it was finger licking good! Since then it became a regular curry in my kitchen!

As we know dal is a very important lentil used in Indian cooking, it is always nice to try new preparations and hope that everyone in the family likes it :), so that we can make it more often! Change is always welcome and yes khatti dal is one of them!

Originally from Hyderabad, the showstopper ingredient is tamarind, along with coarsely crushed coriander seeds. It gives that much needed fresh taste and flavors to the dal making it very special. Goes perfectly with the plain rice or jeera rice. You can change the consistency as you wish, keep it thick if serving with rotis or thin if serving with rice.

Let us take a look at the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup tovar dal (or yellow moong dal, masoor dal)
• 1 tsp turmeric( haldi )
• 3/4 tsp chili powder
• 10 curry leaves
• 2-3 red dry chillies
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 inch ginger crushed
• 3/4 tsp tamarind pulp
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp oil
• 1 tsp ghee
  

Preparation:

• Pressure cook dal with 2 cups of water, pinch turmeric, and ginger for 2 whistles or on stove top till dal is cooked mushy.
• In a mortar and pestle crush lightly coriander seeds and cumin seeds. In a bowl dissolve turmeric and chili powder in water to make a paste and keep aside.
• In a pan, heat oil, add mustard seeds till it splutters, then add curry leaves, pinch asafoetida, dry red chillies, then coriander/cumin and sauté quickly. Now add the mixture of chili and turmeric powder into the tempering. 
• Mix everything and pour the cooked dal into it. Mix and bring it to a boil.
• Add some water into tamarind pulp and drop it in the dal as you keep stirring. Add salt and let it simmer for 4-5 minutes. 
• Garnish with cilantro! Serve hot with plain rice or jeera rice!!

You may also like Dalitoy, Vali Bhaji(Randai), Bamboo Shoot Curry...

njoY!! happY cookinG!!

Notes:* Khatti Dal may appear more yellow if you add less chilli powder, I like to add more and my chilli powder imparts lovely color, hence you can see it more orange :)

Health Benefits: Lentil is a mighty member of the legume family, it's a good source of cholesterol-lowering fibre. It has a good amount of folate and magnesium which is needed for a healthy and loving heart :) It replenishes our iron stores. Light on body, a good source of protein for vegetarians. Lentils Rule :)

Besan Ladoo

Besan Ladoo is a very loved and famous sweet from India. Most of us have a fond memory of this sweet being made in our mom's kitchens where moms were busy rolling it out in their palms like an expert (which they are) over some gossip with other members of the house :) The aroma that lingered in the kitchen then is soo friggin nostalgic now that I cannot describe. These balls of goodness are nothing but a mixture of roasted gram flour, sugar, ghee, cardamom pwd and nuts. After mixing these together you create a ball of sweet!

My son actually got introduced to besan ladoos by a TV series called Little Krishna.  He got addicted and loved watching it when he was 4-5 yr old (after my India visit). There is this one scene in an episode where Krishna(as a kid) tells his friends that he loves ladoos, rasagullas and sandesh (something like that). Since then he loves these ladoos :)

Taking this opportunity to make besan ladoos again on the occasion of Janmashtami ( Lord Krishna's birthday). My kitchen smells so heavenly right now and nostalgia is hitting the roof! For the first timers, if you don't get it right don't lose heart, keep trying, because some things come to us by practice.

Ladoos can be enjoyed as a snack with your tea/coffee or as a dessert after meals. Children have the privilege to gobble it anytime they want :)

Let us take a look at this wonderful recipe quickly!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup besan (gram flour)
• 1/2 cup ghee (clarified butter)
• 3/4 cup sugar (add 2 tsp more if you like sweet)
• 1 tsp cardamom powder 
• 2 tbsp roughly chopped nuts (cashews, pistachios, almonds)

Preparation:

• In a nonstick pan, add 2 tbsp ghee, 1 cup sifted gram flour and on a low heat, stir everything together. Keep stirring and adding 1 tbsp ghee after 5 minutes each till the half cup of ghee is used up. 
• Keep a close eye on the flour and ghee, we don't want to burn it. Keep stirring for about 30 minutes till the raw smell of besan goes away. 
• Switch off the gas, add the nuts(except 1 tsp) and cardamom powder. Keep it aside to cool down (for about 10-15 minutes)
• Add fine sugar into it and mix everything together with a spatula or use hands. 
• Grease your palms with little ghee. Take a little portion (2 tbsp) of the ladoo mixture in your palms and press it together to form a small ball. Keep rolling it into your palms till a firm round ball is made. 
• Makes around 14-15 ladoos. Sprinkle little nuts mixture on top of each ladoo to make it look more fancy :)
• Leave the ladoos on a plate to cool to room temperature before storing it in a container. The ladoos can be stored in an airtight container for 2 to 3 weeks.

njoY!! happY cookinG!!

Notes*: You can also add ghee and besan all at one time and stir the mixture till the raw smell goes away (I have found that this takes longer time). If the mixture is very gooey, keep it in the fridge for some time before you start rolling out ladoos.

Health Benefits: Well it is a dessert with sugar so health benefits are not so much other than it gives pleasure to your brain and well being :) If consumed in small portion should not do much harm. One can use sweeteners instead of sugar and make it a sugar-free dessert. Now the benefits of besan (gram flour) are indeed to take into consideration. It has a low glycemic index and has a soluble fiber in it , has low-calorie count, is gluten free, and a protein loaded flour. Nuts provide nutrients and good cholesterol oils. So yes, we all gotta live a little :) with small pleasures in life.

Chicken Tortilla Soup (Slow Cooker/ or Instant Pot Cooker)

Chicken Tortilla Soup is filled with many ethnic ingredients to create a filling and savory side dish or a soup that could be served as the main meal. This is a hearty and enjoyable combination of vegetables, meat and seasonings that are combined to create a flavorful soup for any meal.

This was in California a few years back when I first visited a Mexican restaurant (On the Borders), and it happened, yes! love at first sight with a spoon of slurpicious chicken tortilla soup! I fell in love with this bowl of creamy goodness! Since then whenever I am in a Mexican restaurant without even blinking I order this soup to start my course of meal! I like On the Borders recipe a lot! There are times when I am totally disappointed by what they serve and I don't shy away from telling the server about it.

The smoky flavors of the soup gets me all warm and fuzzy! Then the goodness of avocado gives all the creaminess texture to it and the tanginess of tomatoes along with cumin and chilli pwd makes this soup very irresistible.

I tried making it in a slow-cooker and the results were amazing! Then I tried it in my Instant Pot Cooker using slow cook mode, excellent results. Gotta use that slow cooker pot once in a while- don't want it to feel lonely lol. You can cook it in a regular way too. Makes a great 1 pot meal and is very very filling. Less work, less cleanup, great flavors and a filling dish! Who can say no to that :)

Let us take a look at the Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe!

Ingredients:

• 4-5 chicken drumsticks  or (2 whole boneless chicken breasts)
• 1 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 cup onion chopped
• 1/4 cup green bell pepper chopped
• 1/4 cup red bell pepper chopped
• 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 1 & 1/2 cup tomatoes chopped
• 32 ounces chicken stock (low sodium)
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 cup garbanzo (originally use  black beans (15 oz. can))
• 1 whole chipotle pepper in adobo (very spicy and smoky flavor, use more if you need spicy)
• salt and pepper as per taste

For Garnish:

• 3 corn tortillas (or regular tortilla)
• sour cream
• diced avocado
• Grated Monterey Jack Cheese
• Cilantro
• lime
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Preparation:

• Place the chicken in the slow cooker. Sprinkle on the chili powder, cumin, and salt and pepper. Add the onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, chicken broth, tomato paste, chipotle, and garbanzo (black beans). Stir, place the lid on the slow cooker, and cook on high for 5 hours or high (or 8 hours on low.) Stir in the lime juice.
• Using 2 forks, break up the chicken into chunks (or you may shred it more fine). Once its cooked chicken basically starts falling off the bone. Taste and add more salt if the soup needs it. 
• Now warm the corn tortilla on a griddle/tava on both sides till it is little hard (not soft). You can deep fry it too but former option is much better! Cut into strips of 2-3 inches.
• Serve the soup piping hot in a bowl topped with avocado, sour cream, grated cheese, cilantro leaves, and corn strips!

Preparation using Instant Pot Cooker :

• Place the chicken in the Instant pot Inner vessel.  Sprinkle chili powder, cumin, and salt and pepper on the top (or use taco seasoning packet). Add the onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, chicken broth, tomato paste, chipotle, and garbanzo (black beans). Stir, place the lid on the Instant Pot, seal on venting and hit slow cook button, adjust the time for 6 hours. 
• Open the lid, using 2 forks, break up the chicken into chunks (or you may shred it more fine). Once its cooked chicken basically starts falling off the bone. Taste and add more salt if the soup needs it. 
• Stir in the lime juice.
• Now warm the corn tortilla on a griddle/tava on both sides till it is little hard (not soft). You can deep fry it too but former option is much better! Cut into strips of 2-3 inches.
• Serve the soup piping hot in a bowl topped with avocado, sour cream, grated cheese, cilantro leaves, and corn strips!

njoY!! happY cookinG!!

Notes:* I have tried this soup many times, using both ways- cumin and chilli powder and sometimes adding packet of taco seasoning, it comes out good every single time! Also I like to add meat with the bones as it imparts more depth and taste to the broth and taste.

recipe courtesy Pioneer Woman.

Health Benefits: Chicken is a very good source of protein. It helps one build muscles, keeps your bones healthy, relieves stress, boosts immunity and promotes heart health. Always buy organic or a good quality chicken and try to include it in your diet regularly. Avocado is loaded with heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids, fiber and is known to lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels. The beans again is a good source of proteins and nutrients!

Indo-Chinese Vegetable Fried Rice

I love Indo-chinese fried rice so much that I may think of abandoning (veg) biryani for this :) The love for it has never once diminished in my heart. I was miserable when I didn't find a good tasting fried rice out here. Whenever I visit India, 70% of the time I am having fried rice and manchow soup along with chicken lollipops :) in the restaurants.

When in a restaurant I behave like a desperate kid with zero patience till I serve the rice on my place and start feeding myself. After I am done I start looking into others plate greedily lol {yeh don't roll your eyes, I am sure you have your story about your fav dish hehe}

I have tried making restaurant style fried rice but was not all there. I had to make my peace with a mediocre version of it. But not for long, till I started adding and deleting sauces in it. Finally, I was happy with this recipe and mind you no msg here! Many restaurants add msg in their dishes and that's why it tastes simply YUM!

Inchins Bamboo Garden has a nice fried rice on their menu. Also, Thai fried rice is another dish which satisfies my taste buds. Last but not the least Hibachi restaurants butter loaded rich fried rice is not to be missed!
You may also enjoy chicken drumsticks, manchow soup from my blog.

So here is my version of fried rice for you to enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rice soaked and drained
• 1 1/4cups veggies chopped finely ( carrots, green beans, capsicum, mushroom)
• 3 stalks of green onions(spring onions) chopped
• 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce (low sodium)
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 2 garlic pods minced
• 1 green chili optional
• 1 egg ( pure vegetarians can drop it from the recipe)
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp butter

Preparation:

• To cook rice, take a tall utensil, bring 3-4 cups of water to a boil and add the rinsed and drained rice in it. Cook for about 6-7 minutes and drain out the water in a colander. Your rice should be fluffy and not sticking to each other. Spread it on a plate if you want. 
• Take a wok or nonstick pan, work on a high flame, heat oil, and butter, then add garlic keep sauteeing quickly.
• Drop an egg in the wok and keep stirring till the egg is cooked (takes just a minute or so)
• Add all the chopped vegetables along with white part of spring onions and saute for a couple of minutes.
• Add the cooked rice and gently fold it in the veggies. 
• Now add soy sauce, pepper, salt to taste and mix everything together. 
• Garnish with remaining green onions and serve hot with other sauces of your choice and indo chinese dishes like manchow soup, chicken lollipops etc.

njoY!! happY cookinG!!

Notes:* Try to work on high flame while making this rice dish, and more butter/oil you add more taste and glaze you get on your rice. Addition of egg imparts great taste and aroma to the rice, I cannot miss adding it :) In the assortment of veggies that you use, don't miss on carrots and beans.

Health Benefits: All the vegetables that you incorporate in the fried rice are loaded with fibre, carbs, minerals and vitamins. If using brown rice, it will be provide you less cal and less carbs. Always use soy sauce with low sodium version.

CreamCheese Pound Cake

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Cakes are the best pastries/desserts in the world! I am totally 101% a cake-girl! Put that damn freshly baked cake in front of me and see me in action :) Now if the cake is pastry or not is a whole new topic but I always considered it as a pastry and will continue to do so- doesn't matter if it is or not!

Baking a cake makes you feel better about the world and yourself :) It kind of makes you feel like a real chef! Once you see how perfectly you have baked it, you may actually feel like you have a 'halo' around your head hehe. And when people are compelled to take a second piece of your cake you may just achieve a nirvana lol! [ I know, I went too far <wink> Kidding!!]

Baking is soothing, thanks to the summer vacation and hungry growling stomachs of kids looking for snacks every 2 hours after playing in the hot sun! My kid loves these pound cakes so much. It is a bliss and sheer joy to watch him go Umm Umm "It is so good mommy" and closing his eyes while he devours it!

(BTW, I have a deal with my husband, when I bake it is his responsibility to take care of cleaning the dishes! yes! loads of it :) only then he is promised a second helping of these delicious baked goods!)

Ok let's get back to the cake:) This one was baked on the occasion of my hubby's bday! We both are not very fond of frostings. I like simple dense, soft, hit the spot kind of cakes a lot! Whereas my kid likes frosting, so I do end up making those kinds too. Here cream cheese and orange zest take this pound cake to another level! You will love it, mark my words :)

Let us take a look at the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all purpose flour (maida)
• 2 1/2 cups fine sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 1/2 cups butter at room temperature
• 8oz cream-cheese
• 5 large eggs at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla essence (or maple syrup)
• 2 tsp orange zest (or lemon zest)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder (optional)

Preparation:

• In a mixing bowl take flour, baking soda and powder, and salt. Mix gently and keep aside.
• In another mixing bowl add butter and cream cheese, whip it with a hand blender till it comes together. (Can use a stand mixer too) 
• Add sugar in 2 parts and whip for good 5 minutes till it is smooth and has a ribbon like consistency. Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix everything.
• Add vanilla essence and orange zest, mix it.  
• Now add flour in 3 parts and mix just until incorporated. 
• Grease a bundt cake vessel with butter and pour the cake batter into it. Smooth the top of the batter with a flat surface spoon. 
• Preheat the oven on 350F (180c) and bake for 60-65 minutes. Check if the cake is done by inserting a butter knife in the center portion, if it comes out clean, your cake is done!!
• Let it cool for 30 minutes before you devour this heavenly melt in the mouth treat! 😀👍🏻

njoY!! happY bakinG!!

Recipe adapted from website: Joy of Baking!

Happy 70th Independence Day to India!

I cannot describe India in just 5 lines here on my blog! Today she celebrates 70th Independence Day and has come a long way! 31 States, 1618 Languages, 6400 Castes, 6 Religions, 6 Ethnic Groups, 29 Major festivals and one Country! 

India sits on layers upon layers of history, with each layer contributing to the present in some strange way, adding to our rich culture and spirit of tolerance. This is a land where many of the great religions of the world were born. It is the land where foreign influences of the past, Persian, Greek, Chinese, etc were welcomed and assimilated. In theory, India is “secular,” but in many ways, she is a Hindu land, with her 30 crores deities:) But it is the land where, for the better part Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Parsis, Buddhists, and Jains can live in absolute freedom. All religions are free by law to preach and propagate their beliefs. 

It is a land of every possible form of contrast—a clash of colour and a cacophony of sound. She is wealthy. She is poor. She is highly educated. She is illiterate. She is cultured. She is wretched. She is finicky about cleanliness and rules. She is utterly filthy. India is extremely corrupt and bogged down by bureaucracy, chaotic and crowded. Cricket is a religion and Bollywood stars are worshipped.

The way this great giant of a country rouses herself every morning and functions amidst all this chaos belies explanation. When so much of money is siphoned off due to corruption, from government projects, why do the bridges stay strong and why do the buildings not collapse? Why, with the chaotic roads, the accident rate is not higher than in other countries. I think God Himself must love India very much.

Salute to her and may she be blessed with greenery, no-smoke, peace inside out!!

Recipe:

Shown in this post are the colors of Indian Flag: 3 bottles of glasses with orange roundels, lime roundels and mint, and ginger with blueberries! Washes down the acidity and helps you keep your body cool in hot summer days aiding in digestion and losing weight!

njoY!! happY independencE!! :)

excerpts from courage to tremble.

Beets Carrots Salad (Koshimbir)

Beets is the new popular super food and it has the most beautiful color on it. So deep and so intense that I always yearn to have a saree in that color along with eggplant color :) It is used as a natural dye color. It has a natural sweetness to it and makes a wonderful add-on ingredient in any salads. This particular dish is very simple and one can incorporate it in their meals every few days as a side dish. Raw beets leave an after taste to my taste palate :( Also I don't want to cook it before using it in salads as I will be losing on important nutrients. Catch 22 situation eh?:) So this is what I do, I give a very basic tempering to it and voila that weird after taste just vanishes.

Here is a  recipe for a beets carrots salad (koshimbir):

Ingredients:

• 1 beetroot med size
• 1/2 carrot
• 2-3 tsp oil
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 green chilies split
• 3-4 curry leaves(optional)
• pinch asafoetida (hing)-(optional again)
• salt as per taste
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• salt as per taste
• cilantro for garnish
• grated coconut for garnish (optional)

Preparation: 

• Grate the beetroot and carrot. Add lemon juice, salt, cilantro.
• Make a tempering, heat oil, add mustard seeds, once it starts to splutter, add green chillies, curry leaves, hing. Pour this over the grated beets. 
• Mix everything and serve at room temperature.

njoy!! happY cookinG!!

Nutrition Facts: Beets consumed raw or beetroot juice consumed regularly has shown to improve the blood pressure levels in individuals. Research shows that it has high nitrate levels and hence helps in lowering BP and also treats cardiovascular conditions. Beetroot juice supplementation has been shown to improve muscle oxygenation during exercise, suggesting that increased dietary nitrate intake has the potential to enhance exercise tolerance during long-term endurance exercise. 

Manchow Vegetable Soup

This heavenly tasting soup is a darling in my house. My son loves it so much that he keeps requesting/demanding to make it every week. Thanks to this spicy tasting soup that he has learnt to enjoy other spicy dishes churning out of my kitchen :)

Manchow soup has been one of my favorite oriental  Indo-Chinese soups from day 1. I tasted it for the first time, when I was in my teens and till today I don't exit an Indo-Chinese restaurant until I have tasted it. It is hard to find that 'hit the spot' taste in the restaurants out here so I finally started trying out recipes and zeroed in on this recipe. Have been making it from past few years :) so you can be rest assured that it is well tried and tested/tasted and enjoyed!

My senses love the aromatic blend of ginger, garlic and chillies. It is very nostalgic for me when I bring these 3 ingredients together on my chopping board! I always take a minute to take deep breaths to get that aroma in :):) Best part of this soup is that you get the liberty of adding so many vegetables into it like green beans, carrots, cabbage, mushrooms, green onions, capsicum, cauliflower etc etc. What more a mother wants than to see all that goodness going into the tummy of her little ones :) Then there are spices- chilli paste, hot sauce, vinegar etc. which basically gets that hot, spicy, sour taste into the soup which is so soul satisfying!

Only downside in making this soup is it requires lots of cutting and chopping:) If you have a cutting gadget/processor, go for it by all means. I enjoy my chopping board and a good sharp knife!

Let us take a look at this recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups vegetables chopped finely (carrots, cabbage, green beans, mushroom)
• 1 tsp each ginger, garlic, green chillies finely chopped
• 5 cups vegetable stock 
• 2 tsp distilled vinegar
• 2 tbsp soy sauce (low sodium)
• 2 tsp red chilli sauce
• 1/2 tsp green chilli sauce
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• salt to taste
• 2-3 tbsp corn starch
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 cup fried noodles to garnish
• 3 tbsp green onion/spring onion to garnish

Preparation:

• Heat oil in a wok or a soup pot, keep on high flame, add ginger garlic green chillies and toss quickly, Add all the chopped vegetables+1 tbsp of spring onions and saute for a minute or two. 
• Pour vegetable stock and mix everything together once. 
• Add red chilli sauce, green chilli sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, stir once and bring to a boil. 
• Make a mixture of corn starch and little water, pour into the soup while you stir continuously else starch lumps may form. 
• Add black pepper and taste the soup, you can adjust the sauces at this point. Simmer the soup till it thickens. 
• Serve hot soup in a bowl topped with fried noodles, spring onions. Keep bowls of soy sauce, vinegar with green chillies and hot sauce for adjusting the taste as you like :) 
• I have noticed that when kids get that privilege of adding extra sauces/condiments by themselves, they tend to eat and enjoy more cause they feel like they are the sous chefs :)

njoY!! happY cookinG!!

Health Benefits: All the vegetables that you incorporate in the soup are loaded with fibre, carbs, minerals and vitamins. It a filling appetiser and the blend of spices that go into the soup gives that extra kick to your taste buds along with providing anti-inflammatory, antibacterial properties. Broth based soups are always low on calories and filling which in turn will make you eat less food. You only have to keep an eye on sodium intake. Add less salt as soy sauce contains sodium.

Plantain Dry Sabji (Raw Banana Curry)

Raw Banana Sabji

Plantains are very nutritious, healthy and the best part is it's available all year around and easily found in supermarkets. I have always enjoyed snacking on plantain chips which are the best chips in the whole wide world :). Plaintains can be used in avial (coconut based curry), sukka (dry sabji), gravy curry, koftas, patties, chips, fritters etc and yes I chose to post a very basic- plantain dry sabji today!

Plantains contain more starch and less sugar than ripe bananas and are therefore usually cooked or processed before being eaten. They are always cooked or fried when eaten green. At this stage, the pulp is hard and the peel often so stiff that usually has to be discarded. Mature plantains can be peeled like typical ripe bananas. They can also be boiled, baked, microwaved or grilled over charcoal, peeled or still in the peel.

Plantain is a tropical fruit and a staple food in most of the households. During my vacation to Carribean, Hawaii- I saw fried plantains just about everywhere along with sweet potatoes, taro root, jackfruits etc. I have very sweet memories of freshly made plantain chips in coconut oil at home and many times plantain chips and jackfruit chips was shipped by my uncle to us from our native place. Ummm that taste still lingers on my taste buds!

Let us check the recipe for Plantain Dry Sabji:

Ingredients:

• 2 big plantain (raw/green) bananas
• 5-6 curry leaves
• 1-2 green chillies slit
• 1 tsp minced ginger
• 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
• pinch fenugreek seeds (methi seeds)
• 1 tsp turmeric (haldi)
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 2 tsp coriander powder (dhania)
• 1/2 tsp amchur (mango powder)
• salt as per taste
• chopped cilantro for garnish
• 2-3 tsp oil

Preparation: 

• Peel the skin off of plantain and chop into cubes. In a pan add water and cubed plantains along with 1/2 tsp turmeric and cook it till done for around 10-15 minutes on the stove. (You can pressure cook it for 2 whistles too) Keep an eye on it, don't overcook else it will get soggy. Keep aside (you can drain the water if too much is left after cooking plantains)
• In a pan add oil, add cumin seeds, methi seeds as it splutters add curry leaves, green chillies, ginger and saute for 30 secs, lower the flame to sim.
• Now add the powders turmeric, red chilli powder, coriander powder and saute quickly, dump your cooked turmeric plantains and mix everything with a light hand. 
• Add salt, cilantro and cook on simmer for 5 minutes. You can add water if it looks too dry. Lastly, add amchur and mix it one last time.
• Serve hot with Chapati, Roti or Rice.

njoY!! happY cookinG!

Health Benefits:

An average plantain has about 220 calories and is a good source of potassium and dietary fiber. It is a good source of starch and energy. Plantains also contain folates, niacin, riboflavin and thiamin. Folates (folic acid) are essential for healthy pregnancy. Plantains are famed to be diuretic and can help prevent kidney and bladder problems. Plantains also provide adequate levels of minerals such as iron, magnesium, and phosphorous. Magnesium is essential for bone strengthening and has a cardiac-protective role as well. It contains less sugar than ripe bananas and hence is good for diabetic patients.

Banne Nawab Chicken Biryani

I always fall short of adjectives when I have to describe a delicious Chicken Biryani.  It is a royal treat to give your kith and kin :) who will sing your praises for days to come! I am a big fan of this dish and these days enjoy making it every now and then. As we all know there are various kinds of Biryani preparations. So this particular one is using Banne Nawab Biryani masala packet. Makes life easy and the taste of the biryani is just like you eat in the restaurants, even better as it is home made. You will need few ingredients and undivided attention to Biryani preparation as the key is to make the rice cook right before you put it on dum.

'Birian' basically means “fried before cooking" in Farsi. Actually, it is not a traditional Indian dish but was brought to India by travelers and merchants from Iran and Western Asia. Hence, biryani dishes can be found all over South-East Asia, in Arabia and even in the Middle Eastern countries. Not to mention there are a variety of cooking techniques and ingredients that are used to make biryani. The most typical ingredients are ghee, cloves, cinnamon, cumin, cardamom, bay leaf, garlic, ginger, onions, mint, cilantro, and saffron. For a non-vegetarian biryani, apart from the spices, meat such as lamb, goat, chicken, or shrimps may be used. Vegetarian biryani is made of various vegetables like cauliflower, carrots, beans etc. Biryani is usually served with a raita on the side and spicy thin curry called rassa in many regions of India. It can be garnished with slices of boiled egg, fried onions or dried fruits.

Once you get a hang of it, there is no looking back :) Makes an excellent entree when you have guests at home, make them feel royal by feeding them this shahi Nawabi Biryani.

This post is special as it marks my 100th recipe on the blog :)

Let us take a look at the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 750gm chicken (1lb chicken thighs/legs)
• 2 1/2 cups rice
• 1 Banne Nawab Chicken Biryani Packet
• 1 cup mint chopped
• 1 and 1/2 cup cilantro chopped
• 1-2 green chilli
• 1 cup thick yogurt
• 1 tbsp milk
• pinch saffron (pinch yellow food color optional)
• 3 cups onion sliced
• 3-4 tbsp ghee
• 1/2 cup oil
• 3 tbsp oil

Preparation:

• Clean and cut Chicken into big pieces. Marinate with Banne nawab masala mixture along with yogurt, 3 tbsp oil, mint, cilantro.
• Warm milk and add saffron, can add a pinch of yellow color and pour it in the marinade.
• Heat 1/2 cup oil in a pan and saute the onions till they are dark brown. Place it on a paper towel to let the extra oil drain out. Keep a couple tbsp of fried onion aside and add the rest fried onions to the marinade. Mix well.
• Let it marinate for good 2-3 hours, more the better.
• In the meantime, wash and rinse the rice. In a big cooking pot, add around 7-8 cups of water and bring it to a boil. 
• Add rice and add contents of the other packet from Banne Nawab masala box which consists of whole masala (bay leaf, cloves, pepper etc) to the boiling water. Be careful, we don't want any spills and burns.
• Cook the rice exactly for 5-6 minutes and drain out all the water.  Rice is 75-80% cooked at this point. 
• In a big non-stick pan add marinated chicken and cook for 10 minutes. Now pour the drained rice over the chicken, add remaining fried onions on top. Make deep holes in the rice in between and pour ghee evenly. 
• Cover the lid tightly (with a foil or add dough on the edges). Place the Biryani pan on a frying tava. Sim the gas and cook for good 30 minutes. This is basically the "dum" process in biryani making.
• Switch off the gas and open the lid, you can smell that rich aroma. Slowly with a light hand mix the biryani and serve hot with curry, raita, onions, sol kadi.

njoY!! happy cookinG!!

You may also like Bhatkal style Biryani, Vegetable Rice Pulao, Vangi (Baingan) Rice.
Shown in the pics is a summer drink Sol kadi