Khuska Biriyani

Ingredients

Basmati Rice - 2 cups (soaked for atleast 10 minutes and drained)
Onions - 2 (chopped)
Tomato - 1 (chopped)
Green Chillies - 5-6 (chopped)
Ginger garlic Paste - 1 tblsp
Coconut Milk diluted with water - 1.5 cups
Chicken Stock - 1.5 cup
Yogurt - 1/2 cup
Mint Leaves (Pudhina) - handful
Cilantro (Corriander Leaves) - handful
Whole Garam Masala - (2 Bay Leaf, 4 cloves, 2 cinnamon sticks, 3 Cardamom, 1 Star Anise)
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Fennel Seeds - 1 tsp (crushed)
Saffron Strands - 2 pinches (you could also use kesari powder or orange food colour instead)
Butter/Ghee/Oil - 2-3 tblsp
Salt - as needed

 

Method

1. Heat the oil/butter/ghee in a pan and add the whole garam masala to it.
2. Splutter the cumin seeds and fennel seeds.
3. Saute the onions and green chillies for 10 minutes followed by ginger garlic paste for another 1 minute.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes, finely chopped cilantro and mint leaves and cook for few minutes.
5. Add the yogurt, coconut milk, chicken stock and salt and bring it to a boil.
6. Add the soaked rice and bring it to a boil once again.
7. Reduce the flame to low, cover and cook till the rice is completely done.(app. 25 minutes)
8. Soak the saffron strands in 1 tblsp of milk and drizzle it over the cooked rice.
9. Fluff up the rice with a fork, garnish with cilantro, fried onions or chopped nuts.
10.Serve with some spicy curry and raita. This dish infact goes well with any kind of sidedish.

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Cauliflower Pulao

Ingredients

Basmati Rice - 2 cups
Cauliflower - 1 (medium size cut into small florets)
Onion - 1/2 sliced
Ginger garlic Paste - 1 tsp
Green Chillies - 5 (finely chopped)
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/4 tsp
Fennel Powder - 1 tblsp
Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds (Shahi Jeera) - 1 tsp
Cilantro - handful (finely chopped)
Oil/Ghee/Butter - 1 tblsp

Method

1. Heat little oil/ghee/butter in a pan and splutter the cumin seeds.
2. Saute the onions till it turns golden brown followed by green chillies and ginger garlic paste.
3. Add the cauliflower florets along with turmeric powder, garam masala, fennel powder, pepper powder and required salt.
4. Add the soaked rice, 3 cups of water and required salt.
5. Cover and let it cook till the pulao is done. You can cook in a pressure cooker for 1 whistle or in a rice cooker too.
6. Finally add finely chopped cilantro and serve with onion raita or any other vegetable raita.

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Vegetable Biriyani (Corn Biriyani)

Ingredients

Corn - 1 cup
Basmati rice - 2 cups
Onion -1 large ( cut lengthwise)
Tomato - 2 (finely chopped)
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Green chilli - 3 nos (chopped)
Oil -3 tblsp
Ghee - 3 tblsp
Coconut milk/Yogurt - 1 cup
Water -3 cups
Salt - to taste
Chilly powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Corrainder leaves - 1/4 cup (chopped)
Mint leaves - 1/4 cup (chopped)
Whole Garam Masala
(Bay leaf - 1, Cinnamon Stick- 2, Cloves -5, Cardamon -3)

Method

1. Soak 2 cups of Basmati rice for atleast half an hour. Drain the water and keep aside.
2. In a heavy deep vessel heat oil and ghee together and fry bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves and cardomon.
3. Add onions and saute till golden brown.
4. When onions turn slightly brown add ginger garlic paste and tomatoes. Saute till it becomes a paste.
5. Next add chopped green chilly, chopped corrainder and mint leaves.
6. Now add the corn kernels along with turmeric powder, chilly powder, yogurt/coconut milk and salt. Saute everything until it thickens to a gravy consistency.
7. Add this gravy to the (soaked and drained) rice along with 3 cups of water and mix well. Check for salt and cook it in a rice cooker.
8. Garnish with coriander leaves.

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Vegetable Sevai

 

Ingredients: 2 cups instant rice sevai (I used MTR brand)
1 finely sliced large onion
3-4 slit green chillis
1″ ginger finely chopped
pinch of asafoetida/hing/inguva
1 tomato, chopped
1 1/2 cups diced and parboiled mixed vegetables (carrot, beans, green peas)
1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves (optional)
1/2 tbsp oil
1 tsp ghee (optional)
salt

For seasoning:

1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tbsp split black gram
1/2″ cinnamon stick (optional)
12-15 curry leaves

1 Boil 4 cups of water and add the rice sevai along with 1/4 tsp salt and 1 tsp oil. Once the sevai is cooked (it should be just soft and not mushy), turn off heat, pour into a colander to drain completely and and keep aside. The sevai cooks fast so watch out while its boiling.
2 Heat oil and ghee in a cooking vessel, add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add the black gram and curry leaves and saute them till the dal turns slightly brown and a nice aroma emanates the kitchen. Add the asafoetida and mix.
3 Add the sliced onions, green chillis and ginger and saute for 4 mts. Add the parboiled vegetables and green peas. Cook for 4 mts.
4 Add the chopped tomatoes and saute on medium heat for 4 mts.
5 Now, add the cooked sevai and and mix it lightly and see that no lumps form. Garnish with coriander leaves. Turn off heat.
6 Serve hot with chutney or pickle of your choice.

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Jeera Rice

Ingredients

Basmati rice - 2 cups
Ghee/ Butter/ Oil - 2 tbsp
Cilantro - handful
Onion - 1/4 (chopped)
Green Chillies - 2 (minced)
Cumin seeds (Jeera) - 1 tblsp
Whole garam masala - (1 bayleaf, 3 cloves, 1 cinnamon, 1 star anise)
Salt - to taste
Water - 3 cups

Method

1. Wash and soak the rice for atleast half an hour.
2. Heat the ghee in a pan and splutter the whole garam masala and cumin seeds.
3. Saute the onions (optional). Onions might change the colour of the rice.
4. Add the above tempering along with green chillies, part of the cilantro, drained
rice, water and required salt and cook in a rice cooker.
5. Garnish with cilantro and serve with any curry. It is a very versatile diah and goes
along with any sidedish.

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Kashmiri Pulav

Ingredients Basmati Rice - 2 cups Chopped mixed fruits (canned or fresh or dried) - 1 cup (like apples, raisins, apricots, peaches, pineapple, kiwi, dried cranberries, candied cherries etc) Mixed nuts - 1/2 cup ( Almonds, pecan, walnut, cashews etc.) Saffron strands - 1/4 tsp (for garnish) + 1/4 tsp (for cooking with rice) Whole Garam Masala - 1 bay leaf, 1 cinnamon stick, 3 cardomon, 3 cloves Cream - 2 tblsp Milk - 1/2 cup Water - 2 cups Sugar - 1 tblsp Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp Ghee/ Butter - 2 tblsp Rose water - 1 tsp Salt - as needed For garnish you can use Edible Rose Petals Fresh fruits (chopped) Fried Onions Cilantro Method 1. Wash and soak the rice for atleast 10 minutes. Drain it and keep aside. 2. Heat Ghee/ butter in a pan. Add cumin seeds and whole garam masala (cinnamon, bay leaf, cardamon, cloves). 3. Add the sugar to this and fry for a minute followed by the nuts. 4. Add the cream, milk, saffron and water to this and bring it to a boil. 5. In the mean time, fry the rice in little ghee/butter. This step is important as it makes the rice nutty and keeps each grain seperate after it gets cooked. 6. Add this fried rice to the boiling milk water mixture along with required salt. 7. After it comes to a boil, reduce the flame to low, cover with a tight lid and let it cook for 20-25 minutes. (If using a pressure cooker, just 1 whistle would do) 8. Transfer the rice gently to a large mixing bowl. 9. Add the fruits, remaining saffron strands and rose water to it. Gently mix with a fork. 10. Cover with a aluminium foil or a tight lid and let it rest for 5-10 to let all the flavors to blend. 11. Garnish with edible rose petals, more fruits, nuts, cilantro, fried onions and serve hot with raita.

 

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Zafrani Pulav

Ingredients   

Basmati Rice - 2 cup
Saffron - 1 tsp
Nuts (Cashews, Almonds, Pistachios, Walnuts etc) - 1 cup
Dried Fruits (Black Raisins, Golden Raisins, cranberries, pineapple, papaya etc) - 1 cup
Fresh fruits (Pomogranate, Grapes, Apple ) - 1 cup
Whole Garam Masala - (1 bay leaf, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 cardomon, 3 cloves)
Black Cumin - 1/2 tsp
Fried Onions - 1/2 cup
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Cilantro - handful
Mint - handful
Sugar - 1 tblsp
Corriander- Cumin Powder - 1 tblsp
Milk - 1/4 cup
Oil - 2 tblsp
Ghee - 1 tblsp

Preparation Steps

1. Wash and soak the rice for atleast 10 minutes.
2. Slice the onion lengthwise and fry it.
3. Soak the saffron strands in the milk.
 

Method

1. Heat oil in a pan and splutter the cumin seeds and whole garam masala.
2. Add the nuts and dried fruits and saute for a minute on very low flame to prevent them from getting burnt.
3. Add the ginger garlic paste, sugar and corriander-cumin powder.
4. (After this you can cook in a rice cooker or stove top.) Add the above mixture to the rice along with required water, fried onions, half of the saffron- milk mixture and finely chopped corriander and mint leaves.
5. Let it cook till the rice is done. At this stage add the remaining saffron-milk mixture on top of the rice.
6. Add the fresh fruits and mix gently with a fork without breaking the rice.
7. Add few drops of ghee on top.
8. Garnish with additional nuts, fruits, cilantro and fresh saffron strands.

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Peas Pulao

Ingredients

• Basmati rice - 1 1/2 cups, wash and soak in water for 5 mts
• Green peas (fresh) - 1/2 cup
• Cloves - 4
• Cinnamon stick - 1"
• Bay leaf - 1
• Onions - 1, large, finely sliced
• Green chilies - 2-3, slit
• Ginger garlic paste - 3/4 tsp
• Sugar - pinch (optional)
• Pudina - 15 leaves (fresh mint)
• Water - 2 2/3 cups
• Salt to taste
• Oil - 1/2 tbsp
• Ghee - 1/2 tbsp (vegans can avoid ghee and substitute with oil)

Method

1. Heat ghee and oil in a pressure cooker or cooking vessel. Once hot, add cloves, cinnamon and bay leaf, allow to sizzle. Add sliced onions and green chilies and saute for 5 mts till translucent.
2. Add ginger garlic paste and mint leaves and saute for 3 mts. Add green peas, salt and sugar and mix. Add the washed and drained rice and mix. Saute the rice on low flame for 2 mts. Do not over mix as the rice might break.
3. Add water and bring to a boil. Reduce flame to low and place lid. Cook till the rice and peas are cooked, approx 15 mts.
4. Remove lid, mix well and remove into a serving bowl. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with a korma style curry and raita.

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TAMARIND RICE RECIPE

Ingredients:

2 cups basmathi rice
1/2 cup tamarind juice
salt to taste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp jaggery powder
1 tsp fenugreek
a pinch of asafoetida
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp channa dhal
6 red chilly
100 gms sesame oil(as needed)
a bunch of curry leaves
1 tsp peanuts

How to make tamarind rice:

• Pressure Cook the rice and spread on a plate. keep aside.
• Heat the non-stick skillet add fenugreek and asafoetida dry fry (without oil) for a minute.
• Grind this into a fine powder. Set aside.
• To the tamarind juice add salt, turmeric powder, jaggery, ground powder of fenugreek and asafoetida.
• Fry mustard, red chillies, channa dhal, peanuts and curry leaves in sesame oil.
• Pour into the tamarind juice mixture.
• Boil tamarind juice till it reaches thick gravy form and until oil comes out with good flavour.
• Add cooked tamarind gravy to the rice.
• Pour in 1 tsp. of oil, if needed. Mix well and serve.

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GARLIC RICE RECIPE

 

Ingredients:

2 cup cooked rice
2 tsp crashed garlic
2 green chillies chopped
2 tblsp cashewnuts (kaju)
1 tblsp almonds(badam), slivered.
1 tsp chopped fresh coriander
2 tblsp ghee
Salt and pepper to taste.

How to make garlic rice:

• Take a heavy wok and heat ghee in it.
• Now add garlic and green chilies to it.
• Once garlic turns golden in color, add the dry fruits and roast for half a minute.
• Now add the cooked rice, sprinkle salt and pepper and mix well.
• Garnish the Garlic Rice with fresh coriander and serve.

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LEMON RICE RECIPE

Ingredients:

2cups boiled Rice
1/3rd cup Lemon Rice
6Tbsp Oil
1/2tsp Black Mustard seeds
Few curry leaves
3-4 green chilies
Salt to taste
1/4th tsp. turmeric powder
1/4th cup peanuts

How to make lemon rice:

• Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, allow to splutter.
• Add turmeric powder and peanuts, fry till brown.
• Now add green chilies, curry leaves, salt and fry for 2 minutes.
• Take it off from the flame and add lemon juice and mix well.
• Now add this to the boiled rice and mix well.Lemon rice is ready to be served.

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VEGETABLE BIRYANI RECIPE

Ingredients:

2 cups Basmati Rice
1 cup Mixed Vgetable (cauliflower, potato, carrot, french beans)
150 gms Green Peas
3 Finely Sliced Onion
2 Finely Sliced Green Chillies
Salt to taste
1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
2 tsp Cinnamon(dalchini), Caraway Seeds(zeera)
4 Cloves (laung)
1/2 tsp Black Pepper Powder
4 Tomato
1/2 cup Yogurt (curd)
4 tbsp Vegetable Oil
1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
3 tbsp Dry Fruits (cashew nuts, raisin)

How to make vegitable biryani :

• Wash the basmati rice well before cooking.Then take rice with 3-3/4 cup water and a little salt added to it and 2 tbsp of dry fruits.Cook it in pressure cooker or in a pan or microwave.
• Cut all the vegetables into small thin pieces and fry each one of it separately in oil. Fry the green peas also.
• Take 1 tblsp oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, green chilli, cinnamon and caraway seeds powder, cloves, black pepper powder and stir for about half minute. Then add onions and saute them for a minute ot till they get pink in color.
• Add salt and red chilli powder and stir.
• Add fine chopped tomatoes and fry till they are properly cooked.
• Take the yogurt and make it fine by putting in a blender for just 2 rotations. Add this fine yogurt and stir well.Heat it for about 10 seconds.
• Add all the fried vegetables.
• Add the cooked rice and mix well with very light hands so that the rice grain doesn't break. Cook for about 3 minutes.
• Take this vegetable biryani out in a rice serving dish.
• Garnish with dry fruits and green coriander leaves.
• Serve the vegetable (veg ) biryani hot with raita and pickle.

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KESAR PULAO

Ingredients:

1cup long grain (basmati) Rice
1cup Sugar (or according to taste)
3-4 Cardamom (green elaichi, split & crushed)
Few strands of Saffron (kesar)
4 cloves
11/2tbsp Mixed Dry fruits (Pista, cashewnut, almond)chopped
1tsp Raisins
a Pinch of saffron (kesar)color dissolved in 2tsp warm water
2 tbsp pure ghee
1 tbsp mustard seeds
silver paper (varak)
Water for boiling rice.

How to make kesar (saffron) rice:

• Wash soak and drain rice.
• Bring water to boil and add the rice and simmer the flame.
• When rice is half done add sugar (dissolved in little water) and ghee.
• When fully done add the saffron, cardamom, cloves and half of the dry fruit.
• Stir gently and cover for 10 minutes.
• Garnish it with remaining dry fruit and silver paper.
• Serve the kesar pulao fresh and hot.

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