VEGETABLE BIRYANI

INGREDIENTS:

1. Basmati Rice - 1 Cup (Soaked as u start preparing the dish for around 15-30 mins)


2. Onion - 1/2 Medium (diced finely)


3. Tomato puree - 1 Spoon


4. Ginger Garlic paste - 1.5 Spoons.


5. Cream - 1 Spoon


6. Potato - 1 small (skin peeled and diced into bite sized Pieces)


7. Carrot - 1 (Skin peeled and diced into circles..again Bite sized)


8. Peas , corn - 1/4 Cup


9. Cauliflower - Seperate into huge Florets..


10. Mushroom - 2 ( Diced into big chunks)


11. Green chillies - 4 Slit lengthwise


12. Mint Leaves - 1 bunch Diced well


13. Corriander Leaves - Handful ..Diced Finely


14. Veg Stock - 1 glass


15. Water - 1/2 glass ( Proportion for 1 cup rice = 1.5 glass of water)


16. Whole Spices- Patta, Cardamom,Elachi,Javitri,Bay Leaves - 1 Each


17. Chilli Powder - 1 Spoon


18. Corriander Powder - 1 Spoon


19. Turmeric - 1/4 Spoon


20. Salt- to taste


21. Ghee - 1 spoon


22. Oil - 3 Spoons

METHOD:

1. Heat the Pan..add Ghee and Oil..


2. When warm ...addthe whole Spices..make sure its not burnt..


3. Immediatly add the Onion,throw in some salt and saute for a minute..


4. Now add the ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw smell diminishes..


5. Now add the tomato puree..if its not available..just coarsely ground tomatoes just work perfect..


6. Now add the Vegetables..Saute well..Add the green chillies, mint and corriander leaves..Saute well..


7. Throw in all the spices..
   Chilli Powder - 1 Spoon
   Corriander Powder - 1 Spoon
   Turmeric - 1/4 Spoon


8. Mix the vegetables well with the spices..so they can coat them well..


9. Now add the cream..mix well..


10. Throw in the stock..and also 1/2 glass of water..


11. Throw in some salt..


12. Add the rice..


13. Mix well and cover and cook..in medium flame till the veg and rice absorb the water..


14. Then reduce the flame further and allow it to cook and set well..


15. When rice is fluffy..switch off the stove and let it set well..


16. Just mix the rice..just before serving..


17. Serve with Raitha and Navarathna Kurma..

Note:

Always allow the rice to soak in water for 30 mins..This makes the rice not to stick ..it looks long and thin..yet its well cooked..

Dont mix the rice too often..thereby breaking the long beautiful grains..Just mix once when the stock is poured in..

Proportion for 1 cup rice = 1.5 glass of water..When u feel its too dry..u can sprinkle a handful.of water....that way u dont overcook ur rice..

Here we used 1 glass of stock, and half glass of water..

Nandu Kuzambu / Crab Curry

INGREDIENTS:

1. Blue Crab - 1 Pound



2. Onion - 1 big (diced)



3. Tomato - 1 big (diced)



4. Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 Spoon



5. Green chillies - 2



6. curd - 4 Spoons



7. Chicken / Veg broth - 1/2 Glass



8. Chilli powder - 1 Spoon



9. Corriander Powder - 1 Spoon



10. Pepper Powder - 1 Spoon



11. Turmeric - 1/4 Spoon



12. Garam Masala - 1/4 Spoon



13. Curry Leaf - 4 Leaves



14. Shredded Coconut - 3 spoons



15. Almonds- 4 (soaked in warm water for 30 mins) Else just..plain almonds fine



16. Khus Khus - 1 Spoon



17. Aniseed - 1/2 Spoon



18. Salt - to taste



19. Lemon - 1/2

METHOD:

1. Coarsely grind the Onion..(just 1 Round...)



2. Coarse grind the Tomato with the curry Leaf and green chillies)



3. Heat oil in a pan..



4. Throw in Some Mustard..



5. When it splutters..add the onion..Saute for a minute..



6. Throw in some Salt and continue sauteing ..till it changes color..



7. Now..Throw in the ginger garlic paste..Keep mixing with a spatula..



8. Now throw in the coarsely ground Tomato..



9. Add all the spices..
   Chilli powder - 1 Spoon
   Corriander Powder - 1 Spoon
   Pepper Powder - 1 Spoon
   Turmeric - 1/4 Spoon
   Garam Masala - 1/4 Spoon and continue to saute..



10. Add curd..Mix well..



11. Cover and cook for a minute..while we prepare the blue guy..(Crab)



12. Give him a nice bath with water and turmeric..that should control his stench..



13. Then Drop him ,nice and slow into the pan and let him mix well with the spices..



14. Cover and cook..Throw in the broth..Allow it to Simmer..



15. Meanwhile Grind coconut,aniseed,Almonds and khus khus finely ..



16. When the crab is cooked for about 5-7 mins..add the ground coconut mixture ..



17. Cover and cook till its done..



18. Squeeze half a lemon to get the Tangy Taste..

Note:

1. If making it dry..Avoid chicken broth..Check for the required consistency..

ISLAND FRIED RICE

INGREDIENTS:

1. Jasmine Rice - 1 Cup (Found in Chinese and American Grocery Stores)


2. Mixed Vegetable - 1 cup (Carrot - slit lengthwise..Look at pic for details,Pineapple – Diced into medium size Chunks,Raisins,Peanuts,Mango – Alphonso Variety)


3. Onion - 1/4 (medium Sized)


4. White Pepper Powder – ¼ spoon


5. Red Whole Chilli - Coarsely Ground


6. Fish Sauce - 1 Spoon


7. Soy Sauce - 1 Spoon


8. Chilli Garlic Sauce- 1 Spoon (Actualy looks like Coarse paste) (Found in Chinese and American Grocery Stores)


9. Spring Onion - Finely Diced..


10. Egg - 2


11. Salt - to Taste


12. Oil - 4-5 Spoons


13. Garlic Oil – 1 spoon (optional)


14. Ajenomoto – a pinch
    Salt to taste

METHOD:

1. Cook Rice with Enough water, sprinkle some salt.. and drain water when 75% cooked..(Rice should look like the one in picture)Sadly Overcooked rice..never taste good when making fried rice..


2. Spread Cooked rice in a Tray..Drizzle few drops of oil and allow it to cool in the fridge..


3. Heat a Kadai or Wok ,Add some Oil ,When warm Add Onion, Carrots, Peanuts,Raisins and fruits and stir them ..(be Cautious not to Burn the Raisins)


4. Now add the Cooled rice.. and now add Fish Sauce..


5. Just Random Stirring just to make sure that the vegetables, fruits and rice are mixed well..Also make sure not to break the rice grains.. The entire process till here shud not take more than 2 mins..Else everything will be overcooked...


6. Now add the chilli garlic sauce...


7. Now sprinkle the Ajenomoto..


8. Now add the pepper powder and coarsely ground red whole chilli..


9. Crack the eggs and pour it in a bowl and add 1 spoon soy sauce and 1 spoon oil and mix well..with a fork.


10. Heat a wide mouthed pan/ Wok and pour oil..


11. Now add the egg and Soy sauce mixture to the wok.. and keep scrambling them to avoid them sticking together..The more the oil..the more tastier..
    Don't overcook the eggs..Transfer the contents to the fried rice ..mix well and serve....


12. Garnish with Spring Onions..