Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Vazhakai Chips ( Raw Banana Chips)

Raw Plaintain Chips



Ingredients:

Raw plantain-2
Chilli powder- 2 tbsp(adjust according to your taste)
Salt- 1 1 /2 tsp
Asoefotida- 1/4 tsp
Oil- for deep frying.
Chips slicer

Method:

Mix the chilly powder,salt and asoefotida and keep the mixture ready to sprinkle on the hot chips .






Peel the raw plantain keeping the top intactso you can hold it and slice in the chips slicer to save your fingers from being sliced.Keep it soaked in a bowl of water to avoid darkening.


Keep the slices soaked in water in a bowl till you fry it in oil..




  1. Fry the slices in hot oil and initially the slices stick to each other.
  1. Don't stir with a ladle trying to separate the slices as it'l stick to the ladle.allow it to cook then it'l separate.
  1. Fry till the sides start to brown.Drain and take it out of oil onto tissue,wait for 2 minutes so the tissue absorbs some of the excess oil.
  1. Sprinkle a teaspoon of the chilly powder salt mixture and shake the chip so it coats evenly.
  1. Allow to cool completely and transfer to a airtight container.
  1. This lasts for a month crisp and tasty..but if it's left without being munched by gluttony snackers like me...


Enjoy these crisp and easy homemade chips..


Thursday, January 10, 2013

Muslim style Mutton Biriyani (Bai biriyani)

Muslim style Mutton Biriyani.  (Bai biriyani)

This recipe holds a special place in our household and I've not gone wrong in this as I've made upto 3 kg for a big crowd as well as 250 gms and the end result is just showered by compliments -that's what is required end of it...got this recipe from one of our friend( a authentic Muslim).She said they don't add any colours like even turmeric is not added and they just sprinkle red food colouring mixed in milk/water at the final dhum process.

The process involves cooking and mixing and finally put the entire setup on drum,where you can do iron your stovetop with another big vessel of boiling water kept over the biriyani vessel's lid- care should be taken to place a very firm lid so no steam escapes and can hold the vessel containing water so it does not topple and make a mess...believe me this recipe is sure a keeper

Muslim Bai style Mutton biriyani







NOTE:

1.Chop onion,tomato and clean mint and coriander and wash clean,grind all the required pastes,extract lime juice.

2.Clean the mutton and cook for 2 /3 whistles in the pressure cooker if you find it tough.

3..Wash and soak rice in clean water before getting ready with the process.

4.Measure water for rice in the ratio- 1:2.5 cups rice:water ratio....just check if rice is old/new...if old-add 1/4 cup extra for each cup of rice so for 5 cups of rice- you;l need 12,5 cups water...if the rice is old-itz 1/4 cup extra so 1.75+12.5 cups water=13.75 cups totally.

Ingredients:

Mutton- 1 kg(5 cups standard measuring cup)
See raga samba rice/ basmati- 1 kg
Big onion- 250 gms Slice thin
Tomato- 250 gm chopp fine
Coriander leaves- 1 cup( the cup you use to measure rice)
Mint leaves- 1 cup- must be loosely packed
Ghee-100ml
Oil- 100ml can use olive oil,gingerly oil/ refined oil.
Lime-1/2 
Curd- 100gm
Green chillies-5 nos
Salt to taste
Red chilli powder- 5 tsp(adjust accordingly as this will be hot as my family prefers this )

Seasoning:

Cloves- 5 nos
Cardamom- 5 nos
Cloves- 5 nos

To grind:each separately

Small onion- 100 gm
Garlic-100 gm
Ginger- 100 gm
Spice mix-(cloves-10 nos,cinnamon-10 pieces each 1 inch size,cardamom-10 nos)

Method:

1.Heat a big vessel with the ghee and oil,when piping hot add the whole spices given under seasoning and fry for a minute careful not to burn.
2.Add the thinly sliced big onions and salt and sauté till it turns golden brown.
3.Add the small onion paste and fry till it is brown and this gives the unique colour and flavour to Muslim Bai biriyani.
4.Then add the ginger paste and fry carefully as it will stick keep stirring till raw smell disappears.
5.Add the garlic paste and fry till raw smell disappears.
6.Add the curd and the mutton pieces and the whole green chillies and tomato and red chilli powder washed cleaned mint and coriander leaves and fry till it all blends well and oil separates,add a glass of water from the measured quantity of water and cover and cook till meat is 3/4th cooked.
7.Add the measured water and juice of lime and mix well careful not to crush the mutton,Check for salt at this point it should be a bit more so when you add rice it'l be alright.
8.Cover and bring the water-gravy mixture to a rolling boil and add the washed soaked rice without water and mix well at the same time you should not break rice..
9.Mix well as it cooks it'l become thick and tend to get burnt in the bottom,so be watchful and you need to mix from down.
10.Now cover with lid and keep a big vessel of boiling water over the lid and reduce flame to minimum and leave the arrangement undisturbed for exactly 5 minutes and remove the boiling water vessel after 5 minutes and mix the rice from bottom till evenly mixed up switch off the stove and cover immediately with the lid and keep the boiling water vessel over the lid and leave for 30 minutes on dhum..This is stove top dhum method where they put charcoal on the lid when they make on fire..
11.Serve after 30 minutes fluffing up rice ...Enjoy !!
























Do msg me if you have any doubts...

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Mushroom Biryani

Mushroom Biriyani





Ingredients:



Seeraga samba rice/basmati rice- 1 cup(I used see raga samba)
Onion- 1 sliced thin
Tomato-1 small chopped
Coconut milk-1cup(I used milk instead of coconut milk)
Water 1:2 rice:water ratio in cups I used 1cup water as I add 1 cup milk
Lime-1/2
Ginger garlic paste- 2 tsp
Salt to taste
Mushroom-clean thoroughly and slice into half if small and into 4 if big..


To season:

Cloves,cardamom,cinnamon- 2 each.

To grind(sauté in a tsp of oil and grind):

Small onion- 5 to 6 nos
Green chilli-2 or 3 according to you taste
Jeera-1 tsp
Pepper-1/2 tsp
Cinnamon-1 1" piece
Cardamom-2 nos
Cloves-2 nos
Coriander leaves- a small fistful
Curd- 2 tablespoon

 Note: you can grind the ginger garlic with the above masala.




Method:


1.Heat a pressure cooker with ghee and oil,fry spices add the sliced onions and sauté till golden brown.
2.Add the tomato and fry till mased well,mix in the ground masala and fry well till raw smell disappears and oil separates.
3.Add the sliced mushrooms and fry till they shrink add the measured water and milk and add salt and mix well.
4.Squeeze the lime and bring the water to. Boil add the washed and soaked rice mix well,check salt.
5.Pressure cook placing pressure valve and reducing flame for 5 minutes.
6.Fluff up with a fork once pressure is released and serve hot with onion raitha.


Monday, January 7, 2013

Banana walnut muffins

Banana Walnut Muffins


Ingredients:


Overripe banana- 3 nos

Butter/ cooking oil- 1/3 cup(have tried with rice bran oil and sunflower oil)

Maida/all purpose flour- 1 1/2 cup

Baking soda- 1 tsp

Vanilla essence- 11/2 tsp

Egg-1 no

Milk- 1/8 cup(to adjust batter consistency) use as required

Sugar- 3/4 cup

Salt-a pinch(ignore if using salted butter)

Walnuts/almonds- for garnish





Grease the muffin pan or line with the paper liners and keep it ready,preheat the oven and then proceed with the steps below.






Method:

1. Peel and mash banana in a bowl and keep.

2. Sift flour,baking soda and salt at least twice.

3. Take the butter/oil and sugar and cream till sugar dissolves add in the egg and vanilla essence and beat till pale yellow add the flour and soda mix in portions and mix till everything is incorporated DON'T OVERBEAT.

4.Add few spoons of milk and mix if the mixture is too thick..

5.Spoon the prepared mixture into the prepared liners till 3/4th filled (as it'l further rise on baking) garnish with the chopped nuts and bake in a preheated oven for 20 minutes at 180 degrees ,check with a toothpick ..

6.Allow to cool and then serve ..