Hyderabadi Mutton (goat) Biryani

Mutton Biryani….

Hydrabadi Mutton Biryani is a mouth-watering spicy and fragrant biryani from the land of the Nizams.
Hydrabadi mutton biryani is a traditional style of making the biryani by cooking the raw meat with whole spices and then covered with rice, fresh mint leaves, saffron milk & fried onions and kept on dum until done.

There are two styles of Hydrabadi Biryani . Kacchi dum biryani and Pakki dum biryani . Kachi biryani is prepared by marinating the meat with spices and yoghurt overnight and then 3/4 cooked rice is placed on top of the raw meat and cooked in dum.
Whereas for Pakki dum biryani we cook the mutton and rice separately and then layer them and cook on dum for 30-45 mins ..

It is a bit tedious recipe, but the outcome is so delicious that every minute spent on cooking this is well worth it.
For this spicy treat we will be needing

Ingredients:

Marinade:

1 lbs Goat meat cut into pieces
1/2 cup yogurt
1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
2 tsp Chili Powder
6 small Chilies split into two (adjust to your taste)
1/4 cup chopped fresh Mint Leaves
1/4 cup chopped Cilantro
Salt to Taste ( for the meat )
Garam Masala Powder 1 tbs

For Dum / Garnish 

1/2 cup fried onion
1 Lime
1/4 cup oil
½ tsp of saffron strands or orange food color
1/4 cup milk
2 cups Basmati Rice soaked for 30 minutes (rice cooker measuring cup)

Spices for boiling rice :

2 Cardamoms
3 Cloves
1Bay Leaf
1 tsp caraway seeds
½ tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
1 tbsp of Oil
First Full of Salt

Method:

Clean and cut the goat meat into medium pieces .

Mix all the ingredients of the marinade and marinate mutton pieces for at l2 hour , preferably overnight in the refrigerator .
Cook the meat with ½ the oil in a pressure cooker. Do not add any water as yogurt & meat will release its own water .In the pressure cooker it takes 2 to 3 whistles for the meat to get tender and 5 minutes on low flame to cook. Let it cool. Once the pressure in the cooker is released open it and cook the meat till all the water evaporates.
OR
You can cook the meat on the stove top until tender (about an hour or so )

Squeeze the lime juice on the meat and mix well.

In a pan, heat oil and fry the onions until light golden brown.

Soak saffron in hot milk.

In a big pot bring water to a boil, add all the spices ( Spices for boiling rice ):

Add rice and continue to cook until the rice is almost done. It takes about 7-8 minutes . Drain the rice and keep aside.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Grease large baking tray with oil, layer half the rice at the bottom.
Sprinkle some oil, fried onions and ½ the saffron milk.
Layer the meat over the rice followed by a layer of remaining rice.

In the end We will have 2 layers of rice with one layer of meat in between .

Top it off the remaining oil, fried onions and saffron milk. Cover the tray with aluminum foil.
Bake the biryani for 10 minutes on 450 degrees F and then for 20 minutes on 400 degrees F. The total bake time is 30 minutes,

Mix the rice and serve with raita .

Note :
Marination is important ,this way the meat get tenderize with yogurt n blends with spices and gives u soft, juicy n spicy mutton.

You can even use beef or chicken instead of Goats meat .

There are plenty of ready biryani masalas available in indian and Asian stores . One of my most favorite brand is Shaan . You can follow the instruction at the back of the package .

Sweet & Sour Kachoris for Holi…..

Pic courtesy Google

Holi is a spring festival also known as festival of colours, and sometimes festival of love. It is an ancient Hindu religious festival which has become popular with non-Hindus in many parts of South Asia, as well as people of other communities..
The festival signifies the arrival of spring,a season of joy and hope, end of winter, and for many a festive day to meet others, play and laugh, forget and forgive, and repair ruptured relationships.

Gujiyas , mathri, kachoris, sweets and other Deep fried snacks are prepared & once you eat one, you’ll always go back for a second. The festival is filled with so much fun and frolic that the very mention of the word ‘Holi’ draws smile and enthusiasm amongst people.

Sweet & Sour Gujarati Kachoris

Every bite of these Crispy, flaky roundels with a delectably sweet,Sour and spicy filling of seasoned moong dal is worth a fortune!
I cannot emphasise enough how good lentils are with sweet,hot and sour flavours

The secret to perfect kachori is to ensure the pastry is short, yet pliable enough to wrap thinly enough around the filling without creating holes which may break them whilst frying. Take care to deep-fry these kachoris on a very slow flame to ensure even cooking and also to make the crust nice and flaky.

Taking these Sweet and Sour beauties to Sonal’s holi collective ..
Do check her blog Simply vegetarian777 for finger licking good vegetarian food …

Sweet & Sour Gujarati Kachoris

serves 8-10 people

Ingredients
Cooking oil for deep frying

For Dough
1 1/2 cup APF/ Maida
2 Tbs Suji / Coarse semolina
Salt as per taste
2 Tbs ghee / clarified butter ( room temperature )
2 tbs cooking oil
Cold water as needed

TO PREPARE THE DOUGH
1.Mix together all the dry ingredients.
2.Rub in the ghee and oil until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
3.Add enough cold water to form soft dough. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate it for one hour.
Lets prepare the filling while the dough is resting

FOR THE SWEET AND SOUR FILLING
1 cup dry yellow moong dal ( soak the dal in water for 3-4 hours))
1/4 cup grated coconut ( I used dried grated coconut )
2 tsp red chili powder Or as per taste
2 tsp coriander / dhaniya powder
1 tsp jeera / cumin powder
2 tsp fennel seeds / Sauf powder
2 tsp ginger powder
1/4 cup seedless raisins / kishmish ( i chopped them a little )
1/4 cup chopped cashews / kaju
1/4 cup chopped peanuts Optional
2 tbs sesame seeds / til
2 tbs sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tsp hing / Asafoetida
Salt as per taste
2-3 tbs oil

Procedure
1.Place the soaked and drained daal in a blender and grind
it into to a coarse paste.
2.Heat oil in a pan and add asafoetida and dal paste .
3.Cook it on medium high heat for 3-4 minutes.
4.Add sugar, ginger, chilli, cumin, coriander, and fennel powder and mix it well.
5.Now add sesame seeds, raisins, and coconut, salt and lemon juice.
6.Cook it for 10minutes or till all the water evaporates and the lentil is cooked.
7. Now add the chopped up cashew and peanuts and let it cook
for 4- 5 minutes.
8. Remove the mix from the stove and let it cool completely
9. Divide the stuffing into 20 equal parts and form each part into a firm balls

To prepare the Kachoris

1.Remove the dough from the fridge and knead it a little
2.Divide the dough into 20 pieces and make small
balls .
3.Now roll the balls into small discs to fit in the filling .
4.Place a ball of the stuffing in the centre and pull the
dough around it and make small roundels.
5.Roll the ball gently between your palms ensuring
that it is sealed properly.
6.Repeat for the rest and leave the prepared kachori
for around 10 minutes on the kitchen counter to dry out a little.
7.Heat enough oil in a wok to deep fry the kachori .
8.Each batch needs to be fried on a medium low flame for around15- 20 minutes until golden brown in color..
9.Remove from the oil and drain completely..
I like to serve these with fresh coriander chutney, tamarind and date chutney or fig chutney.

“Cooking is like love: It should be entered into with abandon or not at all.” — Harriet van Horne

Asian Tofu Salad….

Asian Tofu Salad … Diabetes Friendly Thursdays

Creating Recipes with a Cause!
I am a proud DFT blogger. To learn about DFT, Click on the picture above ..

March is the month of start of Spring and cleansing of house and yards and discarding the old and welcoming the new. Let’s begin the onset of spring with some healthy PROTEIN PACKED Salads!

In our house We eat Salads as one of the regular rotation for lunch especially during summer months . My kids love to add loads of leafy greens along with carrots , cucumbers fresh mushrooms and other fresh vegetables and sprouts in their salads along with grilled chicken, shrimps, or fish.. I myself love to Sprinkle some nuts or seeds on top, add a few dried cranberries, some avocado chunks to take it to the next level and they’re filling enough to make into a main dish.

Today I bring to you one of our favorite Asian flavors inspired tofu salad The slices of protein-rich tofu that top this salad is lightly seasoned in low sodium soy sauce and chili flakes and grilled to give it a bold, rich flavor Plus, they’re filling enough to make into a main dish.

Asian Tofu Salad…

Makes 1 serving
Serving size 1 cup + 4 slices of tofu

Ingredients for the salad
1/4 cup shredded Red Cabbage
1/2 cup shredded lettuce of your choice ( I used iceberg )
1/4 cup carrots cut into matchsticks
50 grams pat dried tofu cut into 4 ( marinade all over in 1 tsp soy sauce or chili sauce and grill it )
1 tsp oil ( I used peanut oil )

For the dressing
1 tbs unsalted dry roasted peanuts
1 tbs juice of a lemon
1 small date
A pinch or two chili flakes optional
1 tsp fresh ginger

Method
Blend all the ingredients under dressing to a smooth paste . If the dressing becomes too thick then add a little water or low sodium soy sauce to thin it out .

The Salad
1. Heat a medium size skillet and add 1 tsp oil .
2. Once the oil is hot add all the ingredients for salad and toss for a minute EXCEPT GRILLED TOFU .
3. In a serving bowl add the tossed Salad , Top with tofu and serve with the salad dressing on the side .

Lets look at the benefits of the ingredients used in making this Salad..

Red cabbage
Eating cabbage is an inexpensive way to add vitamins K and C, as well as antioxidants, to your diabetes-friendly diet. Cabbage also contains manganese, fiber, and vitamin B6. This low-carb veggie is at its peak in the fall and early winter. Pick a head that’s firm with shiny leaves. When you get it home, put it in the refrigerator. Cover it with plastic wrap once it’s cut to slow down the loss of vitamins. Experiment with recipes that use this low-carb vegetable raw as well as cooked.

Lettuce
The glycemic index estimates the effect of a food on your blood sugar levels, with foods having a low score being less likely to cause spikes in blood sugar levels than those with a high score. Lettuce have very low glycemic index scores, according to the American Diabetes Association, so you don’t have to worry about them greatly increasing your blood sugar levels.

Carrots
Rich in the antioxidant beta-carotene, vitamin A, B, C and K, magnesium, folate, and dietary fiber, carrots are bright in color and provide a sweet taste. Carrots are a good choice if you have diabetes as their carotenoid and vitamin A content helps protect your eyes from diabetic retinopathy or damage to the blood vessels in the eye from long-term diabetes. Carrots are a great low-carb, crunchy snack.

Tofu

The Joslin Diabetes Center recommends that adults get 20 to 35 g of dietary fiber each day, especially if they are diabetic, as fiber slows down the absorption of carbohydrates. Tofu has an excellent balance of the nutrients required to lower blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetics. CalorieKing.com states that a fourth of a block of firm tofu only has 117 calories, but also 7 g of fat, 12.8 g of protein and almost 1.9 g of fiber. Tofu can be grilled, baked, used in a soup or in a stir-fry dish.

Disclaimer
I am not a nutritionist or dietician. My knowledge and information is based on my research and reading from different resources. Please consult your doctor or dietician before making any changes to your diet.

FOR MORE DIABETES FRIENDLY SALADS RECIPES,CLICK ON THE LINKS BELOW

Sonal’s Kosumbari, raw mung salad

Apsara’s Edmame Salad with Hemp Cilantro Dressing

Suchitra’s Horsegram/Kulith Kosambari

Swati’s Grilled Chicken & Quinoa Salad

Sarika’s Nam Sod

“Cooking is like love: It should be entered into with abandon or not at all.” — Harriet van Horne

Suran / Jimikand / Elephant Foot Yam Kofta Curry …

Suran/Jimikand/Elephant Yam Kofta Curry..

Today I bring to you one of my Mom’s recipe which I love and can eat any time .. Suran Or Elephant foot Yam koftas tastes like lamb koftas or meatballs when cooked with the Spices used in Non-Vegetarian Cooking. Infact no one will miss non veg if served these delectable koftas and people will not stop wanting them again and again ..

Koftas originated from Middle East, it being a variation of the more known meatballs in the Western countries.
Koftas in India are usually served cooked in a spicy curry/gravy and are eaten with boiled rice or a variety of Indian breads. In Iran, Iraq and Azerbaijan, koftas are served with a spiced gravy, as dry variations are considered to be kebabs.

Here are some nutrient information of yam.

Elephant foot Yam is an edible tuberous plant and has the protein content same as in the potato.
It is very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium. It is also a good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Potassium and Manganese. The tubers are believed to have blood purifier property.
Yam generally has a lower glycemic index than potato.

THIS IS HOW i made it ..

Cook time : 30-45 mins
Serves : 4

For The Koftas
300 grams peeled , boiled and drained Elephant foot Yam /Jimikand ( Suran ) ( I used 1 pack frozen Yam from Indian store )
1-2 finely chopped green chillies
1 tsp finely grated ginger
1 tbs finely chopped cilantro / coriander
1 tsp Red chili powder
1 tsp Garam masala powder optional
1/4 cup Besan / gram flour
Salt as per taste
A pinch of Hing
Oil for deep frying

Method
Mash the boiled and drained yam well and add all the ingredients under kofta except for oil .
Mix well and make small oval or round balls and deep fry them in a frying pan .

For The Gravy

1 large onions
2 medium sized tomato
1 tbs ginger garlic paste
1 Bay leaf
4-5 cloves
2 whole black cardamom
1 inch cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp jeera/cumin seeds
salt as per taste
1 tbs cooking oil
coriander/cilantro leaves for garnishing

Method
1. Grind onion, tomato, ginger garlic into a smooth paste.
2.In a big enough pan heat 1 tbsp oil and add jeera / Cumin seeds.
3.Once the jeera splutter add cinnamon , cardamom,cloves, bay leaf and let them bloom for a minute .
4.Add the ground paste . Saute till the raw smell goes off .
5.Now add salt, turmeric powder, half of red chili powder , coriander powder, garam masala powder and sauté till the oil separates..
6.Add water to get the required consistency of the gravy you want .
7.Reduce the heat and let the gravy boil for 10 mins on medium flame .
8.Once the required consistency of gravy is acquired switch the stove off .

Just before serving, arrange koftas in a serving bowl, pour hot gravy on top , garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves . Serve hot with steamed white or brown rice, chapathis, naan or parathas and a salad on the side to make it into a complete soul satisfying meal .

“Cooking is like love: It should be entered into with abandon or not at all.” — Harriet van Horne

Here is another version of Jimikand / Elephant foot Yam curry by Sonal ….

Jimikand Curry By Sonal Gupta

Gujrati Style Bharwa Baigan ( stuffed eggplants )

Bharelu Ringna Nu Shaak/Gujrati Style Bharwa Baigan

Bharwa Baingan also known as “Bharelu Ringna Nu Shaak” in Gujrati is a vegetable prepared using small brinjals filled with sweet , spicy and tangy masala …..
This recipe has been passed On to me direct from my Grandmother’s Kitchen and hold such found memories of my time spend at her place in Ahmedabad . This recipe is very simple yet delicious and can be made quickly….

Serves 4-6 people
Cook time 30 mins

12-14 small bhaigan / eggplants
2 tbs cooking oil
Leftover ground masala
1/4 cup Water or as needed
1 tbs desiccated coconut for garnishing
1 tbs finely chopped cilantro for garnishing

For Masala Ground Coarsely..
Roasted Peanuts – 1/4 cup, coarsely ground
Roasted Sesame seeds – 1/4 cup, coarsely ground
Desiccated coconut – 1/4 cup ( I used dried coconut )
Cilantro/ Coriander leaves – 1/4 cup, finely chopped
Green chilies – 3} finely chopped optional
Ginger paste – 2 tsp
Garlic paste 1 tsp
Red chili powder – 2 tsp or as per taste
Sugar – 1 tbs or as per taste
Salt -as per taste
1/4 teaspoon hing/ asafoetida powder
Juice of a Lemon OR 1 tbs thick tamarind past
Grind all the ingredients mentioned above and keep aside.

Preparation
Make a slit at the bottom of the brinjal vertically towards the stem, making sure not to slice the brinjal in the half. We want the brinjals to be a single piece but slit three fourth way through
Make cut to the chilies .Make sure not to slit all the way through.
Stuff eggplants and chillies with prepared masala.