Omani-Hyderabadi Dum Biriyani

My first attempt to make biriyani (5 years back), was a complete disaster! I had even thought i can never make it in my life time and i gaveup.

After marriage, like all indian girls, came my turn to make biriyani...it was then i browsed, collected recipes from Omani friends and ended up with this simplified, easier and fusioned version. The blend of Omani richness and Desi spices, makes it a truely international recipe!

Ingredients:

2 Medium Onions, sliced lengthwise
1-2 Tomatoes, finely chopped
Saffron Powder diluted in 2-3 tbsp water
1 tbsp - Lime Juice
1 tbsp Rosewater
Ghee/Oil generous amount

For Chicken Marination:

1/2 kg chicken, cut into medium pieces
3/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 1/2 tsp Corriander Powder
1 1/2 tsp Chilli Powder
1/2 Cup Curd
1 tsp Poppy Seeds
1 tsp Garam Masala Powder / Omani Masala

4 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Crushed
3-4 - Slitted Green Chillies
1 Sprig Curry Leaves
A Hand Few of Raisins, Cashew and Almond
Spices - 5 Cloves, 2" Cinnamon Stick, 2 Bay Leaves, 1 tsp Fennel Seeds, 1 Star Anise, 4 Cardamoms and 2 Black Cardamoms
Add salt keeping in mind the rice and chicken

Mix all of the above, marinade the chicken overnight in the mixture (always keep the chicken in the refrigerator during marination)

For Cooking the Rice:

1/2 kg Basmati Rice
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1/4 tsp Carraway Seeds
1 tsp Fennel Seeds
1 tsp Cidar Vinegar/Lemon Juice
2 tsp Oil

For Garnishing:

2-3 tsp ghee
1/2 bunch coriander leaves, chopped
1/4 bunch mint leaves, chopped
Onion Chips (finely chopped onions deep fried in oil)
(Omani style of garnishing will include deep fried egg plant pieces, fried eggs and/or french fries)

Method:

Step 1: Heat oil in a wide aluminum dish, fry onions, followed by tomatoes, and when done, add the marinated chicken and keep stirring

Step 2: (2nd step should be started simultaneously along with the 1st step) Wash, drain and cook the rice separately along with the above mentioned items and double quantity of water. Remove and drain the rice when it is 1/2 cooked

Step 3: Now, when the rice is done, it can be layered completely over the chicken masala

Step 4: Over the rice, pour saffron water in circular motion, then followed by rosewater and 1 tbsp lime juice (also in circular motion)

Step 5: Now dum the biriyani using a flour dough, or a heavy/tight lid for 10 minutes on medium flame (For the Dum, i usually cover the aluminum dish using a wet white cloth, place a pan filled with water over the cloth, and a huge/heavy stone on top of the pan to make it completely sealed and uniform distribution of heat)

Step 6: End of ten minutes, open the coverings and pour the ghee and all the garnishing items, and without stirring or mixing leave the lid semi closed (do not mix or stir for 10-15 minutes after opening, this will allow proper setting of the rice and chicken masala)

Serve hot with raitha, brinjal chops/chicken saloona and pickle.

(Picture shows Biriyani, Raitha and Pudhina Pepper Chicken)

Malabari Chicken Biryani

Biryani is by far the most popular and preferred rice recipe around the globe. Chicken Biryani is the king of all, and a favorite of many.  Among the umteen versions of biryani, my specialisation is a fusioned-version of Omani-Hyderabadi Dum Biryani.

Recently, i wanted to try something new apart from my regular style, so ended up with the 'Malabari Chicken Biryani'. The Malabari Chicken Biryani, as the name suggests, is a form of biryani cooked in the Malabar region of India. It has a lengthy, laborious preparation, but the work is definitely worth it! This royal dish is sure to draw you in with its lingering aroma and lip-smacking taste.

Ingredients:

1/2 kg chicken, cut into medium pieces
1/2 kg basmati rice
250 gm onion, sliced finely
2 big tomatoes,finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp Malabari biryani Masala

1/2 tsp Corriander Powder
1/2 tsp Chilli Powder
1/2 cup curd
1/2 bunch coriander leaves, chopped
1 small bunch mint leaves, chopped
Lime Juice - 1 tbsp
ghee/oil as needed
salt to taste

Chicken Marination

1 tsp kashmiri chilly powder
1/4 tsp Garam Masala
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
salt

(Note: Marination should be done for 2-3 hours. Marinating overnight will enhance the taste)

To grind to a fine paste

25 gm ginger
25 gm garlic
1-3 green chillies
1/2 tsp poppy seeds, soaked in hot water for half an hour

For Garnishing

Cashews
Almonds
Raisins
Finely chopped Onion (fry a handful of onions)
(I used some fresh green peas too)

Method:

1. Shallow fry the chicken pieces till light brown (this will keep the chicken pieces intact in Biriyani)

2. Heat oil/ghee in a kadai and fry the cashews, almonds, raisins and onion, keep aside

3. Heat oil/ghee in a deep vessel and fry the remaining onion till light brown, then add tomatoes and ginger paste to this and fry till the raw smell disappears

4. Now, add curd and salt, followed by the chicken pieces and mix well

5. Cover and cook on medium flame

6. When it is half cooked, add the lime juice, corriander powder and chilli powder

7. Now, add the malabari chicken masala, mix well and cook till the water is absorbed

8. Now, Wash and drain the rice. Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed deep vessel and roast the rice till soft and water is dried

9. Now, cook the rice separately, with salt and double quantity of water. Remove and drain the rice when it is 3/4th cooked

10. Now the layer assembling can be started

11. Take a wide aluminum dish, spread a layer of the cooked chicken masala, then spread the rice over the first layer of chicken and sprinkle little biryani masala, fried cashews, raisins and onion over this and layer again with chicken and continue the whole process

12. The final layer should be rice with garnish

13. Now dum the biryani using a flour dough, or a heavy lid for 10-15 minutes (depends upon your rice texture and chicken tenderness)

14. Open the lid and allow to set (without mixing), then serve hot with raita and brinjal chops.

Ven Pongal & Rava Pongal

Ven Pongal/Pongal

Iam sure this dish will be a favorite for many of us. Though the main ingredient of this recipe is rice, we would not hesitate to have it for breakfast or dinner! This one among the VIP (Vadai-Idly-Pongal) combo, is a staple in all our South Indian Hotels' menu, festivals, auspicious days, as 'prasadam' in temples, marriages...and the list goes on!

This festive food is easy to make and rich in taste as well! The blend of finely cooked lentils with mashed rice and some fried nuts, spices along with the magical aroma of ghee makes it all the more delicious and lip-smacking!

Ingredients:

Raw rice - 1 cup

Moong dal - 1/4 cup

Grated ginger - 1 teaspoon

Green chilli - 1 split

Black pepper corns - 1 teaspoon

Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon

Ghee - 3-4 tablespoons

Bunch of curry leaves for seasoning

Roasted cashewnuts - 12

Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp

Water - 4 cups normal water, 1 cup hot water

Boiled Milk - 1 cup

Salt to taste

Method:

1. Wash rice and moong dal and rinse completely. Cook the rice and moong dal with 4 cups of water, cumin seed and salt in the pressure cooker for upto 6 whistles

2. Meantime, heat ghee in a small wok, fry the pepper corns, curry leaves, ginger, chilli and finely when done add the asafoetida

3. Now, add the hot water and milk to the cooked rice and dal, and mash-mix well (more hot water can be added depending upon the pongal consistency)

4. Now, add the fried items to this and mix gently

5. Pongal is ready!

Rava/Sooji (Semolina) Pongal

1. For this pongal, substitute rice with 1 cup of ghee roasted rava

2. Cook the roasted rava in 3 cups of boiling water

3. Pressuse cook 1/4 cup moong dal

4. Mix the cooked rava and dal along with the fried items (same as above) and salt

5. Rava Pongal is ready! (the taste of this pongal is as good as Ven Pongal made of rice)

Pongal goes well with many sidedishes, whether it be a simple coconut chutney or kathirikai gotsu (egg plant curry), it tastes like heaven!

My personal choice is kathirikai sambar, along with medhu vadai!

Tomato Rice (Thakali Sadam)

Like every Tom, Dick & Harry will love bread...every one of us from the south would love to open our lunch boxes filled with 'Lemon Rice & Potato fry' or 'Pulisadam & Masalvadai'...Drooling right!

The 'Thakalisadam & Muttai' combo sharing one such chemistry is equally good! We (hubby & I) love it!

Out of the myriads of methods and recipes for making tomato rice, this is my fav!

Ingredients:

Rice: Basmati/Ponni - 2 cups

Freshly prepared coconut milk - 2 cups

Mustard seed: 1/2 tsp, Channa dal/Kadalai parupu: 1/2 tsp, Urid dal/ulundu: 1/2 tsp

Spices: Fennel Seeds (sombu/saunf), Bay leaf (biryani elai), Cloves (lavangam), Cinnamon stick (pattai) - as per your spice level

Masala: Chilli powder - 1 tsp, Corriander powder (dhaniya) - 1 tsp, Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp, Garam masala - 1/4 tsp

Vegetables: Onion (Big) - 1, Tomatoes - 3 (or 4 depending upon the size), Garlic - 4 pcs, Corriander & Mint leaves, Curry leaves - All finely chopped

Oil & Salt for taste

Method:

1. Heat oil in pressure cooker and fry mustard seeds, channa dal, urid dal and all the spices

2. Now, add the chopped onions

3. Then when onion is done, add the chopped tomatoes followed by garlic, cover the cooker with a plate and allow it to fry till the tomatoes are done withoit raw flavor

4. At this level you can wash the Basmati rice and drain the water and keep aside

5. Now, add all the masala and cook for 2 minutes

6. Now, you can add the rice into the cooker and gently stir it for 1-2 minutes without breaking the rice

7. Now add salt, coconut milk and then 1 cup water

8. Close the cooker with its lid and cook for 2 - 3 whistles (my rice got cooked in 2 whistles), wait and open the lid

9. Finaly, garnish with finely chopped corriander and mint leaves



10. Ready to go!

Tastes heaven with raitha, or boiled egg!

(Note: for pressure cooking 2 cups of basmati rice you normally need 3 cups of water, but since you are using 2 cups of coconut milk, reduce water to 1 cup (if your rice needs more cooking, then increase the water level)