Sweet Kesari Pulao

INGREDIENTS:

• ½ kg rice
• ½ table spoon orange color
• 6 green cardamoms
• 1¾ cups milk
• 60 grams raisins
• 15 grams pistachios
• 2 table spoons kewra flavour
• 150 grams ghee
• 300 grams sugar
• 4 cloves
• 4½ cups water
• 60 grams almond
• ¼ table spoon kesar
• 4 silver leaves

 Method:

Wash and soak the rice for 25 minutes.  Heat sugar and 1 cup water in a vessel until syrupy.  Heat the ghee with cloves and cardamoms, add rice, orange color, water and cook on a low fire until water is evaporated.  Now add the milk, Syrup and kesar dissolved in a little water.  Cook on a very low fire until the rice is tender and each grain is separate.  Mix blanched almonds (slit in halves), raisins, and pistachio slices with rice and cover the vessel.  Sprinkle kewra flavor and decorate with silver leaves.  Serve hot.   
                                                                                                              Serves 8.

Shahi Sweet Pulao

INGREDIENTS:

• ½ kg rice
• 6 cups water
• 30 grams cherries
• 15 grams raisins
• 6 silver leaves
• 150 grams khoya
• ½ table spoon kewra flavor
• ½ table spoon of color: orange, green, red and yellow
• 120 grams ghee
• 250 grams sugar
• 30 grams almonds
• 15 grams pistachios
• 6 green cardamoms
• 3 table spoon castor sugar

 Method:

Pick, wash and soak rice for 25 minutes.  Make syrup of sugar with one cup of water.  Remove from the fire and keep a side.  Heat the ghee; add crushed green cardamoms, rice and water.  When the water is absorbed, add the syrup.  Simmer until the rice is tender and the syrup has been absorbed; Pour each color separately on the rice.  Let the rice remain on fire for 2 minutes.  Remove from the fire, add khoya mixed with castor sugar and kewra, mix well with rice and keep it covered.  Chop cherries, almonds and pistachios for decoration.  Spread the rice in an oval plate.  Decorate with silver leaves, almonds, pistachios and cherries.  Serve hot.
                                                                                                              Serves 8.

Sweet Rainbow Fruit Pulao

INGREDIENTS:

• ½ kg rice
• 6 cups water
• 60 grams desiccated coconut
• 60 grams pistachios
• 8 green cardamoms
• 5 silver leaves
• ¼ table spoon of each color: green, yellow, and orange colors.
• 250 grams sugar
• 120 grams sultanas
• 120 grams blanched almonds
• 30 grams cherries
• 2 table spoons kewra flavor
• 120 grams khoya 

 Method:

Make a thin syrup of sugar and one cup water and keep a side.  Heat the ghee with cardamoms, then add soaked and drained rice and water and cook until water is absorbed.  Add the syrup, mashed khoya, fried sultanas, coconut and almonds and keep it on very low fire until the rice is cooked.  Now pour each color on the rice and cover the vessel with a close fitting lid.  Remove from the fire.  Serve pulao in an oval dish, decorated with silver leaves, pistachios and cherry slices.  Serve hot.   
                                                                                                              Serves 8.

Potato Kabab Pulao

INGREDIENTS:

• ½ kg rice
• 2 bay leaves
• ¼ cup red chilly powder
• 2 table spoons white cumin
• 2 Powdered cloves
• 6 cups water
• ½ teaspoon ginger paste
• 1 onion
• ¼ table spoon cinnamon power
• Salt to taste 

  Method:

Wash and soak the rice for 15 minutes.  Fry the onion slices with bay leaves until brown.  Add water, rice, spices, ginger paste, red chilly powder and salt and cook on a medium fire until tender and water is absorbed.  Remove from the fire.  Put fried potato kababs on top and cover the vessel so that the kababs become a little soft.  Serve hot.   
                                                                                                              Serves 6.

Potato Kabab

INGREDIENTS:

• ½ kg potatoes
• 2 green chills
• ½ table spoon black pepper
• 1 table spoon cumin powder
• 30 grams flour for batter
• Ghee for deep frying
• ½ table spoon ginger, chopped
• 1 table spoon chopped coriander leaves
• Salt to taste

Method:

Boil the potatoes until tender.  Peel and grate them.  Mix ground cumin seeds, salt, black pepper, chopped ginger, coriander and chills into mashed potatoes.  Make small oval-shaped balls.  Dust with flour and dip into flour batter.  Fry in hot ghee until golden brown.    
                                                                                                              Serves 6.

Sweet Carrot Pulaos

INGREDIENTS:

• ½ kg rice
• 300 grams sugar
• 6 cups water
• 2 table spoons kewra flavour
• 3 sliver leaves
• 15 grams pistachio
• 150 grams ghee
• 6 grams cardamoms
• ½ kilo gram grated carrot
• 30 grams raisins
• ½ table spoon yellow color

 Method:

Put sugar, 1 cup and grated carrots in a vessel and cook until half tender.  Heat the ghee and fry soaked rice, cardamoms, 5 cups water and yellow color and cook until water is evaporated.  Now add the syrup prepared with 1½ cup water and sugar, carrots and raisins and cook until rice is tender.  Sprinkle kewra flavour and decorate with silver leaves and pistachios.  If the rice is grainy, cover it with a wet cloth and cover the vessel tightly and keep on very low fire or over a pan of hot water for a couple of minutes.  Serve hot.
                                                                                                              Serves 8.

Paneer and Guchhi Biriani

INGREDIENTS:

• ½ kg rice
• 2 bay leaves
• Coarsely grind 4 cloves
• 3 table spoons white cumin seeds
• 2 pieces cinnamon
• 4 green cardamoms
• 30 grams pannier, cubed
• 180 grams ghee
• 6 cups water
• 1 big onion
• 1 table spoon red chilly powder
•  240 grams guchhi
• 4 silver leaves
• 2 table spoons kewra flavour
• 1 carrot
• 2 table spoons salt

 

  Method:

Soak the guchhi in water overnight.  Wash and soak the rice for one hour.  Fry small pieces of pannier in ghee till light brown.  Fry the chopped onion and bay leaves.  Add water and salt and boil.  Now add the rice, chopped carrot, and ground spices.  Cook till water is absorbed and each grain is separate.  Mix kewra flavour.  Serve in an oval plate covered with silver leaves and fried cashew nuts. Serve hot.

Note:  Tinned black mushrooms can be used instead of guchhi.   
                                                                                                              Serves 6.

Vegetable Biriani

INGREDIENTS:

• ½ kg rice
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 carrot, sliced
• 6 cloves powered
• 3 small pieces cinnamon
• 240 grams peas
• 200 grams potatoes
• Coriander leaves
• 2 table spoons flour
• 2 table spoons salt
• 6 cups water
• 2 bay leaves
• 1½ table spoons chilly sauce 
• 2 green cardamoms
• 2 table spoons white cumin seeds
• 180 grams pannier, cubed
• 2 green chilies
• ½ table spoon ginger paste
• 4 table spoons ghee
• Salt to taste  

 

 
 Method:

Pick, wash and soak rice for 10 minutes.  Deep fry pannier in ghee and keep aside.  Fry the onion and bay leaf in ghee till brown.  Add chilly sauce, salt, cloves, cardamoms, cinnamon and cumin seed powder and water and boil.  Add the rice, carrot slices, peas and fried pannier pieces and cook until the rice has absorbed all the water and each grain is separate.  Put fried balls of potatoes and cover the vessel.
                                                                                                   Serves 6.

Peas and Paneer Pulao

INGREDIENTS:

• ½ kg rice
• ½ kg shelled peas
• 2 onions, sliced
• ½ table spoons red chilly powder
• 4 green cardamoms
• 3 cloves
• Salt to taste
• 6 cups water
• 120 grams pannier
• 2 bay leaves
• 150 grams ghee
• 2 small pieces of cinnamon
• 2 table spoons of cinnamon
• 2 table spoons white cumin powder
• 60 grams cashew nuts

 

 
 Method:

Soak the rice for 15 minutes.  Fry onion slices with bay leaves, cloves and cardamoms until brown.  Add water, rice, red chilly powder, salt, cumin powder and pannier.  Cook until tender and water is absorbed.  Garnish with fried cashew nuts.  Serve it   
                                                                                                              Serves 6.

Bolied Rice

INGREDIENTS:

• ½ kg rice
• 6 cups water
• 1 table spoon salt

 

Method:

Pick, wash and soak the rice for 25 minutes.  Boil the water with salt, add rice and mix well.  Cover the vessel and cook on a low fire till the rice is cooked and water is absorbed and each grain is separate. 
                                                                                                              Serves 6.

Spinach cream soup

INGREDIENTS:

• ½ kg spinach
• 30 grams butter
• 1 cup milk
• 1 onion
• 6 cups water
• 5 grams corn flour
• ½ cup cream
• croutons
• salt and white pepper to taste

Method:

Wash the spinach thoroughly.  Slice the onion and fry in butter for a few minutes.  Add the spinach and water and cook on low fire for 30 to 40 minutes.  Pss through a sieve and add the arrowroot blended to a smooth paste with milk.  Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, season to taste.  Serve hot with croutons and cream mixed lightly in it.
                                                                                                                Serves 8.

 

Tomato Soup

INGREDIENTS:

• ½ kg tomatoes
• 1 medium carrot
• 2 cloves
• 1½ table spoons pepper
• 2 slices of fried bread
• 2 table spoons sugar
• 4 cups water
• 1 onion
• ½ cm cinnamon
• 30 grams butter
• 2½ table spoons corn flour
• White pepper to taste
• Cochineal color
• Salt to taste

 Method:

Cook whole tomatoes, whole spices with water, on low fire for 45 minutes.  Rub through a wire sieve, return to the pan and cook.  Blend the corn flour with stock or water, add to the soup and boil for 7 minutes.  Mix sugar, salt and pepper, color if necessary with cochineal.  Serve hot with croutons.  (Fried bread cubes)
                                                                                                              Serves 6.

Tomato Cream Soup

INGREDIENTS:

• 1½ kilo grams tomatoes
• 2 onions
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 cloves
• 2 table spoons sugar
• 15 grams butter
• 3 table spoons flour
• ¼ table salt
• 1/8 table spoon white pepper
• 1 cup milk
• Salt to taste
• Water to cover the tomatoes

 Method:

Chop the onions.  Put the tomatoes, chopped onions, bay leaves, salt, cloves with water in a pan and cook until tender and a little thick.  Remove from the fire, cool and pass through a sieve.  Heat the butter, fry flour in it till it is golden brown.  Add the milk slowly, stirring constantly; cook till a little thick and smooth.  Pass through a sieve and add salt and pepper.  Heat the above strained tomato pulp and add the strained cram and mix it lightly.  Serve hot with croutons.
Note: Do not heat the soup after mixing cream.
                                                                                                              Serves 8.

Potato Soup

                                                                                                                       
INGREDIENTS:

• 4 large potatoes
• 2 spring onions
• ½ table spoons chopped ginger
• 1 cup tomato ketchup
• ¼ table white pepper
• 3 table spoons grated cheese
• 3 table spoons butter
• 1 table spoons chopped coriander leaves
• ½ table spoons salt
• 4 cups warm water
• Salt to taste

 
 Method:

Boil the potatoes until soft; Peel and pass through a sieve.  Melt butter in soup pan, add chopped spring onions, coriander leaves, ginger and carrots and brown a little.  Add tomato ketchup, salt, pepper, warm water and potatoes and simmer for 15 minutes.  Server with grated cheese 

                                                                                                              Serves 6.

 Lentil Soup

INGREDIENTS:

• 120 grams lentils
• 9 cups hot water
• 1 large carrot
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ table spoon white pepper
• 2 table spoon chopped coriander leaves
• ¼  inch piece cinnamon
• 1 cup milk
• 15 grams rice
• 1 large onion
• 1 turnip
• Salt to taste
• 2 cloves
• 30 grams butter
• 1½ table spoons corn flour
• croutons 

   Method:

Wash the lentils and rice with water. Chop the vegetables finely.  Fry the vegetables and lentils in melted butter for five minutes.  Add hot water, spices and slat, Bring to boil, cover the pan and simmer the vegetables till soft.  Stir occasionally.  Rub the ingredients through a sieve.  Reheat the soup; blend the corn flour with milk, add to soup and cook for 7 minutes.  Season well.  Serve hot with croutons and coriander leaves sprinkled on it.   
                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                Serves 8.

Pea cream soup

INGREDIENTS:

• ½ kg green peas
• ½ table spoon chopped mint
• 30 grams butter
• ¼ cup cream
• 4 cups water of pea pods
• 1 spring onion
• 5 grams arrowroot
• 1 cup milk
• 1 table spoon chopped onion
• Salt, white pepper to taste
• Salt and white pepper to taste

 
 Method:

Shell the peas and wash the pods several times.  Put the pods in a pan, add water, salt and simmer gently for 35 minutes to extract their flavor and color.  Strain the stock.  Melt the butter, add onion and fry for one minute.  Add the stock, peas, chopped spring onion and cook on low fire till the peas are tender.  Pass through a sieve.  Blend the arrowroot with milk and add to the soup, stirring all the time.  At the time of serving, mix cream and chopped mint leaves lightly.  Serve hot. 
                                                                                                             
                                                                                                               Serves 6.

Mixed Vegetable Soup - II

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 carrots
• 1 potato
• 120 grams peas
• 60 grams butter
• 3 cups milk
• 3 table spoons corn flour
• 1 big turnip
• 1 spring onion
• 2 table spoons chopped coriander leaves
• 4 cups boiling water
• Salt and white pepper to taste

Method:

Melt the butter in a pan and fry the chopped vegetables and peas slowly on medium heat for 5 minutes.  Then add water and salt and let it simmer till tender.  Remove from the fire.  Mix corn flour with milk and cook till a little thick.  Pour it on cooked vegetables, stir and cook for a few minutes.  Add salt, white pepper and serve hot. 
                                                                                                              Serves 8.

 

Mango Ice - Cream

INGREDIENTS:

• 12 ripe mangoes
• ¼  cup milk
• ½  cup sugur
• ½  cup cream
• one egg
• food coloring
• few drops of mango essence
• a few mango pieces 

Method:

Make mango into pulp.  Mix mango pulp and sugar and beat well.  Put all the other ingredients in a mixer except mango pieces and a little cream (about 2 teaspoons).  Add the mango pulp and whip for about 10-15 minutes, till light and frothy.  Freeze. Remove the mixture when semisolid and ship again for five minutes.

Serve decorated with cream and mango pieces.

Amazing Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

This is our families secret chocolate chip recipe. We have a large family so this one makes over 4 dozen chocolate chip cookies. You can experiment with most cookie recipes to adjust to your own taste. Remember the more brown sugar you use the more chewy type cookie you create. I don't think this one needs much adjusting. First we will start with ingredients.

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
1cup butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups yellow cake mix
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4cup sour cream
3 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions to cookie recipe:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Melt butter and unsweetened chocolate together.
3. Sift cake mix, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together.
4. In a large bowl, beat sugar, eggs, and vanilla.
5. Stir the chocolate mixture into the eggs.
6. Stir in the sifted ingredients with sour cream.
7. Mix in chocolate chips.
8. Drop rounded tablespoonfuls cookie sheets.
9. Bake for until edges are starting to turn dark brown.

Enjoy these wonderful cookies at any occasion. They disappear very quickly at family events. You might notice my secret ingredient. It is the boxed yellow cake mix. Cake flour gives the cookie a little more body than the regular unbleached flour.You may use any of your favorite brands. If you are making smaller cookies don't forget that the baking time goes down. Many ovens produce heat from the bottom of the oven, so as not burn the bottom of the cookies many times I will double pan the cookies before I bake them. Baking is similar to a gigantic chemistry experiment. The best way to get the experiment right is to keep experimenting. Once you have found the best combinations of ingredients and procedures, stick with it. Enjoy!

HYDERABADI CHICKEN BIRYANI

Cooking time 20-25 mins. approx. Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Basmati Rice
• 3/4 kg Chicken Pieces
• 1/2 cup Milk
• 1 cup Yogurt (curd)
• 3 sliced onion
• 1 tsp Ginger Paste
• 1/2 tsp Garlic Paste
• 1 tsp Green Chilli Paste
• 1/2 cup Tomato Puree
• 2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
• 1 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1 tsp Roasted cumin powder
• 2 tsp Garam Masala Powder
• 1/2 tsp Green Cardamom Powder
• Saffron a pinch
• 1 tsp Coriander Powder
• 2 tbsp Green Coriander Leaves
• Salt to taste 
• 7 tbsp Oil

Preparation::

1. Mix tomato puree, yogurt, ginger garlic paste, green chilli paste, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, roasted cumin powder, garam masala, coriander powder and salt. Stir well.
2. Marinate the chicken with this mixture and keep aside for 3-4 hours.
3. Heat oil in a pan. Fry the onions until golden brown.
4. Add the marinated chicken and cook for 10 minutes.
5. Add 4 cups of water to the rice. Mix saffron in milk and add to it.
6. Add cardamom powder. Add the chicken pieces.
7. Pressures cook the rice. Mix gently.
8. Garnish with green coriander leaves and serve hot.

KADHAI PANNER, MATTER PANNER, PANNER CURRY, Recipes

Ingredients:

•                 1 16 oz. bag of frozen green peas
•                 3 medium size tomatoes
•                1/2 lb pannier
•                 3 tablespoons oil 
•                 Pinch of asafetida (hing)
•                1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
•                2 bay leaves (tajpat)
•               1/2 inch of cinnamon stick (dalcheene)
•               1 tablespoon chopped ginger
•               1 tablespoon coriander powder (dhania)
•               1/2 teaspoon turmeric (haldi)
•               1/2 teaspoon chili powder
•               1/2 teaspoon paprika
•               1 teaspoon salt or adjust to taste
•               1/2 teaspoon sugar
•               1 tablespoon cornstarch 

Method:
   

1.      Cube the pannier into half inch pieces and deep-fry them on medium high heat. Fry until the pannier becomes a light golden color. Take the pannier out and place on a paper towel so the extra oil is absorbed.

2.      Mix cornstarch with three tablespoons of water and keep aside.

3.      Blend the tomatoes and ginger to make a paste.

4.      Heat the oil in a saucepan. Test the heat by adding one cumin seed to the oil. If the cumin seed cracks right away, the oil is ready.

5.      Add the asafetida (hing), cumin seeds, bay leaves and cinnamon and stir-fry for a few seconds.

6.      Add the tomato paste, coriander, turmeric, chili powder and paprika. Cook until the mixture reduces to half.

7.      Add the green peas and 1/4 cup of water. Cook on medium heat pan should be covered. When the peas are tender, add the salt and pannier.

8.      To thicken the gravy adds corn starch mix. Cover the pan and let it cook for 3-4 minutes.

 

Suggestion:

Add 1 tablespoon fresh chopped fenugreek leaves or 1/2 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves to the gravy when cooking.