Saturday, November 7, 2009
Friday, November 6, 2009
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Bhaingan Bhartha (Suvir Saran)
Roast
1 Large Eggplant
directly on the burner of a gas stove, over medium heat, turning often.
Make sure its roasted well - skin should be peeling off (don't worry if the skin catches fire)
After cooling it, peel the skin off rinsing your hands in running water as you work.
Put eggplant in mixer, and make it into puree. Work it in your hands, and remove the central fibres that may be tough
Heat
Canola oil - 3tbsp .
Add
Ginger - 1 inch - peeled, chopped (I usually use 1/2-3/4 inch)
Cook 30s
Add
Red Onion - 1 large - finely chopped (if using two eggplants, use two onions)
Cook till onions brown around edges
Add
Garlic - 2 cloves, mashed to a paste
cook until smell disappears (but don't burn it).
Add
Shredded Coconut - 1 tbsp
Stir for 1 min.
Add
Coriander - 1 tbsp
Cumin - ground - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Cayenne pepper - 1/4 tsp
Cook for 1 min. Add some water - cook till onion sticks.
Add
Tomatoes - 2 ripe (Use 3 for 2 eggplants) - chopped
Pureed Eggplant
Cook for 5-10 min.
Stir in
Green chili - 1/2 fresh, chopped
Cilantro - 1 tbsp
Lemon - 1/2 juiced
1 Large Eggplant
directly on the burner of a gas stove, over medium heat, turning often.
Make sure its roasted well - skin should be peeling off (don't worry if the skin catches fire)
After cooling it, peel the skin off rinsing your hands in running water as you work.
Put eggplant in mixer, and make it into puree. Work it in your hands, and remove the central fibres that may be tough
Heat
Canola oil - 3tbsp .
Add
Ginger - 1 inch - peeled, chopped (I usually use 1/2-3/4 inch)
Cook 30s
Add
Red Onion - 1 large - finely chopped (if using two eggplants, use two onions)
Cook till onions brown around edges
Add
Garlic - 2 cloves, mashed to a paste
cook until smell disappears (but don't burn it).
Add
Shredded Coconut - 1 tbsp
Stir for 1 min.
Add
Coriander - 1 tbsp
Cumin - ground - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Cayenne pepper - 1/4 tsp
Cook for 1 min. Add some water - cook till onion sticks.
Add
Tomatoes - 2 ripe (Use 3 for 2 eggplants) - chopped
Pureed Eggplant
Cook for 5-10 min.
Stir in
Green chili - 1/2 fresh, chopped
Cilantro - 1 tbsp
Lemon - 1/2 juiced
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Stir-fried Cauliflower and Potato with crunchy bengali spices (Suvir Saran)
1. This is a dry dish.
2. Add the cauliflower along with the potato to brown evenly
Add
Canola Oil - 3 tbsp
Nigella Seeds -1 tsp (optional)
Cumin Seeds -1 tsp
Coriander Seeds - 1 tsp
in a kadai. Cook until cumin turns brown.
Add
Ginger -2 inch (peeled and chopped)
Cook for a minute.
Add
Potatoes - 1.5 lbs, red boiling, peeled, halved and sliced lengthwise about 1/2 inch thick)
Stir well to coat the spices
Cover and cook till poatoes have browned.
Add
Cauliflower - 1 medium to small, cored and cut into medium florets
Ground cumin - 1/8 tsp
Cayenne - 1/8 tsp
Fresh Chili - 1 chopped
and stir to coat the cauliflower with spices.
Sprinkle
Salt - 1 tsp or to taste.
Stir regularly, scrape bottom of pan to prevent burning.
Sprinkle
Chopped Cilantro - 2 tsp.
2. Add the cauliflower along with the potato to brown evenly
Add
Canola Oil - 3 tbsp
Nigella Seeds -1 tsp (optional)
Cumin Seeds -1 tsp
Coriander Seeds - 1 tsp
in a kadai. Cook until cumin turns brown.
Add
Ginger -2 inch (peeled and chopped)
Cook for a minute.
Add
Potatoes - 1.5 lbs, red boiling, peeled, halved and sliced lengthwise about 1/2 inch thick)
Stir well to coat the spices
Cover and cook till poatoes have browned.
Add
Cauliflower - 1 medium to small, cored and cut into medium florets
Ground cumin - 1/8 tsp
Cayenne - 1/8 tsp
Fresh Chili - 1 chopped
and stir to coat the cauliflower with spices.
Sprinkle
Salt - 1 tsp or to taste.
Stir regularly, scrape bottom of pan to prevent burning.
Sprinkle
Chopped Cilantro - 2 tsp.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Garam Masala (Suvir Saran, VIJ)
- You can cook the spices directly into the dish
- Add garam masala at the end since you don't want to burn it
- Garam masala imparts a mild but very fragrant flavor
Experiment, there is no unique garam masala recipe. Garam masala is best when prepared just before cooking.
Toast : (quantities are for wholescale / one dish)
A. (These are usually common for all garam masala recipes)
Cinnamon - 1 Stick / 1 inch
Cardamom Pods - 6 / 3-4 (Use only seeds)
Cumin seeds - 1/4 cup / 1-2 tsp
Cloves - 2 tsp / 4-5
(B) Additional :
Bay Leaves - 2 / 1
Coriander Seeds - 1/3 cup / 2 tsp - 1tbsp
Black Peppercorns - 6-10 / 3-4
Red Chili - 1 / 1/2 tsp chili powder
Grind in spice grinder, add some mace.
How to use garam masala :
To cook vegetables north Indian style :
Oil : Add cinnamon stick, cardamom, cloves , peppercorn (some or all of the above)
Cumin seeds
Red chillies
Ginger / Green Chillies / Garlic (if required)
Vegetables (raw or boiled)
Base - Use either tomatoes or yogurt - evaporate and concentrate
Add garam masala only at the very end.
- Add garam masala at the end since you don't want to burn it
- Garam masala imparts a mild but very fragrant flavor
Experiment, there is no unique garam masala recipe. Garam masala is best when prepared just before cooking.
Toast : (quantities are for wholescale / one dish)
A. (These are usually common for all garam masala recipes)
Cinnamon - 1 Stick / 1 inch
Cardamom Pods - 6 / 3-4 (Use only seeds)
Cumin seeds - 1/4 cup / 1-2 tsp
Cloves - 2 tsp / 4-5
(B) Additional :
Bay Leaves - 2 / 1
Coriander Seeds - 1/3 cup / 2 tsp - 1tbsp
Black Peppercorns - 6-10 / 3-4
Red Chili - 1 / 1/2 tsp chili powder
Grind in spice grinder, add some mace.
How to use garam masala :
To cook vegetables north Indian style :
Oil : Add cinnamon stick, cardamom, cloves , peppercorn (some or all of the above)
Cumin seeds
Red chillies
Ginger / Green Chillies / Garlic (if required)
Vegetables (raw or boiled)
Base - Use either tomatoes or yogurt - evaporate and concentrate
Add garam masala only at the very end.
Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani
(Taken from myspicychicken )
Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani - Meat and rice are cooked in an airtight pot on very low flame so that the rice is cooked in the flavors of the meat and gets the aroma of the meat. "Pakhi" = meat is pre-cooked. For chicken, its not required
Marinade :
Chicken - 2 Lbs (bone on meat)
Yogurt - 1/2 Cup
Garlic, Ginger - a few cloves, around 1/2 inch stick to get 1 tbsp paste
Chilli Powder - 2-3 tsp
Coriander Powder - 2-3 tsp
Chillies - 12 (small)
Mint Leaves - 1 cup (chopped)
Cilantro - 1 Cup (chopped)
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala Powder : To make, Grind :
Peppercorns - 10
Cloves - 10
Cardamom Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin - 1/2 tsp (use black cumin ?)
Cinnamon - 1 inch stick
Lime Juice - 1
Salt
(You can mince the chillies, ginger, garlic to make a fine paste)
Marinade overnight (preferably).
To oik, fry :
Onion - 1 Large, Sliced.
Soak Saffron in hot milk (If no milk, add saffron as is)
In a big pot, bring water to a boil. Add :
Cardamom - 6
Cloves - 3
Bay Leaves - 2
Bay Flower - 1 (optional)
Cumin - 1 tsp (black cumin if you have it)
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt - about a fistful (enough for the 4 cups of rice)
Mix well. Add the
Basmati Rice - 4 cups ( I usually use 5)
Continue to cook till you get a "boil" - the rice should roll over with the boiling water (about 2-3 min). Drain the rice and keep aside.
(At this point, the rice has absorbed a lot of the moisture)
Arrange the chicken and rice in layers. From bottom to top :
Oill - 1/2 cup
Chicken pieces
Oil to sprinkle
Boiled Rice - 1/2 of the portion above
Oil to sprinkle
Fried Onions - 1/2 of the portion above
Saffron Milk - 1/2 of the portion abobe
Boiled Rice - 1/2 of the portion above
Oil to sprinkle
Fried Onions - 1/2 of the portion above
Saffron Milk - 1/2 of the portion abobe
Seal the container and make it airtight using aluminum foil. Put a heavy object on top of the lid if required so that the steam doesn't escape easily.
Cook (time is important, as the chicken is raw - you dont want to overcook it)
8-10 minutes on high (I use 10 min)
20 min on medium low
Let it sit for 10 min before opening it. Taste for salt. Add Lime if you like.
My Variation :
Prepare Amma's Masala (D)
Add this to the onion layer. Since there are already tons of green chillies in the marinade, reduce the number of red and green chillies in Masala D. This also gives the biryani a brownish color.
Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani - Meat and rice are cooked in an airtight pot on very low flame so that the rice is cooked in the flavors of the meat and gets the aroma of the meat. "Pakhi" = meat is pre-cooked. For chicken, its not required
Marinade :
Chicken - 2 Lbs (bone on meat)
Yogurt - 1/2 Cup
Garlic, Ginger - a few cloves, around 1/2 inch stick to get 1 tbsp paste
Chilli Powder - 2-3 tsp
Coriander Powder - 2-3 tsp
Chillies - 12 (small)
Mint Leaves - 1 cup (chopped)
Cilantro - 1 Cup (chopped)
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala Powder : To make, Grind :
Peppercorns - 10
Cloves - 10
Cardamom Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin - 1/2 tsp (use black cumin ?)
Cinnamon - 1 inch stick
Lime Juice - 1
Salt
(You can mince the chillies, ginger, garlic to make a fine paste)
Marinade overnight (preferably).
To oik, fry :
Onion - 1 Large, Sliced.
Soak Saffron in hot milk (If no milk, add saffron as is)
In a big pot, bring water to a boil. Add :
Cardamom - 6
Cloves - 3
Bay Leaves - 2
Bay Flower - 1 (optional)
Cumin - 1 tsp (black cumin if you have it)
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt - about a fistful (enough for the 4 cups of rice)
Mix well. Add the
Basmati Rice - 4 cups ( I usually use 5)
Continue to cook till you get a "boil" - the rice should roll over with the boiling water (about 2-3 min). Drain the rice and keep aside.
(At this point, the rice has absorbed a lot of the moisture)
Arrange the chicken and rice in layers. From bottom to top :
Oill - 1/2 cup
Chicken pieces
Oil to sprinkle
Boiled Rice - 1/2 of the portion above
Oil to sprinkle
Fried Onions - 1/2 of the portion above
Saffron Milk - 1/2 of the portion abobe
Boiled Rice - 1/2 of the portion above
Oil to sprinkle
Fried Onions - 1/2 of the portion above
Saffron Milk - 1/2 of the portion abobe
Seal the container and make it airtight using aluminum foil. Put a heavy object on top of the lid if required so that the steam doesn't escape easily.
Cook (time is important, as the chicken is raw - you dont want to overcook it)
8-10 minutes on high (I use 10 min)
20 min on medium low
Let it sit for 10 min before opening it. Taste for salt. Add Lime if you like.
My Variation :
Prepare Amma's Masala (D)
Add this to the onion layer. Since there are already tons of green chillies in the marinade, reduce the number of red and green chillies in Masala D. This also gives the biryani a brownish color.
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