Shahi Ghosht Biryani

Gosht Biryani

To simplify the recipe let us do it in stages.

Stage 1 is making stock to boil the rice. 

Pressure cook the mutton with 2 cups of water. 

Strain the water and keep aside. Now make a potli of masalas.

To boil the rice you require

1 small onion , cubed

1 tbsp chopped ginger

Few strands of javitri/mace

4-5 peppercorns

1 bay leaf

2-3 green cardamaom

2 black cardamom

Boil the stock with this potli and salt. While the stock is boiling wash 2 cups of basmati rice well to get rid of all starch. Once the stock comes to a boil add the rice. Parboil the rice and then spread it out to dry.

Stage 2 is to make the Shahi Korma

800 gm mutton

4 onions, thinly sliced

1 tbsp chopped garlic

1 tbsp chopped ginger

2 tbsp cumin powder

1 tbsp ground mace

½ tbsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp garam masala

1 tsp red chili powder

1 cup yoghurt

½ cup fresh cream

Heat some ghee. Sauté the onions till they turn a caramel colour. Be careful not to burn them. 

Add ginger and garlic and sauté. 

Add cumin, coriander, mace, cinnamon, garam masala and chili powder.

 Now add the mutton pieces.

 Fry on a high flame till the meat is evenly browned. 

Add beaten yoghurt, cream and salt. 

Fry some more, add some water, cover and cook till the mutton is coated well with spices. Since we have already pressure cooked the mutton this will not take much time.

Now you can make it on dum in a degchi. Slow cooking on stem ensures that each grain of rice is infused with the flavour.

 However if you are running short on time you can make it in an automatic rice cooker also. Since the rice has already been cooked in mutton stock it has its own distinct flavour. 

Simply layer the rice and mutton and add some ghee. Dissolve a few strands of saffron in milk and add to the biryani. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes.

Hare Matar ki gravy

Hare matar ki gravy

Winter is bidding us adieu..n with it is taking away all the lovely, fresh, green veggies. My kitchen garden looks morose during summers. It potatoes, okra and bottle gourd time. Alas my fresh peas will no more be available. Those frozen varieties are not as tasty. This is probably my last ode to my favourite veggie…

 Ingredients

2 cups boiled peas

2 tbsp cashews

1.2 cup yogurt

Seeds of 2 green cardamoms

½ tsp cumin seeds

4 onions

1” piece of ginger

2 tbsp kasuri methi

2 tsp coriander powder

2 tsp garam masala

½ tsp red chilli powder

½ cup milk

Make a paste of cashews and seeds of green cardamom. Make a paste of onions and ginger.

Heat oil. Add cumin seeds. Once the seeds begin to crackle add the onion paste and sauté.

Add kasuri methi, coriander powder, garam masala, red chilli powder.

Season with salt and sugar. Sauté for a minutes and then add the cashew paste. Fry till the oil separates.

Add milk and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the peas and cook covered for 5 minutes.

You can garnish it with slit green chillies,Chopped coriander leaves or quartered tomatoes. 

Chilli Cake

Chilli Cake

The first time I heard of this cake I was like…get out of here!!! Chilli in a cake!!! How is it going to taste?? We are supposed to use unsalted butter in the cakes and here is a cake with chillies in it!!!

Surprisingly the cake turned out really soft and utterly scrumptious. The batter does include chilli powder but in less quantity. The main chilli ingredient is in the syrup which is later poured on top of the warm cake. As the chilli cardamom syrup seeps into the cake it infuses it with a certain Kick...an after-taste that you feel while having the cake.

One thing you will notice is that we are not using any baking powder or baking soda. This is because there is so less flour. The softness of the cake is due to the stiffly beaten egg whites.

One confession…the actual recipe called for Brazil nuts. It is impossible for me to get Brazil nuts where I live. In fact if I go and ask for Brazil nuts people will think I am nuts. So I used almonds and of course it tasted superb. However if anyone does use Brazil nuts please do let me know how it tastes.

Ingredients

For the cake

300 gm dark chocolate

15 cardamom pods

6 large eggs, separated

100 gms Almonds/Brazil nuts, crushed

1 tbsp coarsely ground red chilli

175 gm butter, softened

175 gm sugar

25 gm flour

For the syrup

150 ml water

5 tbsp sugar

8 whole red chillies

15 whole cardamom pods

Preheat the oven to 160 degree Celsius.

De-seed the cardamoms meant for the cake. Take out the seeds and pound them. Do not throw away the husk. I will tell you why later.

Melt the chocolate, add the crushed cardamom seeds and cool the whole thing.

Mix the nuts, soft butter, sugar, chilli powder and flour.

Beat the egg yolks and add to the mix.

Add the stiffly beaten egg whites.

Add the chocolate.

Bake for about 55 minutes.

Prepare the syrup while the cake is baking. Mix together water, chillies, sugar and cardamom pods and put to boil. Here I also add the cardamom husks that I didn't throw away. The husks too are fragrant and so why waste them? Cook till a syrupy texture is formed.

When the cake is done take it out and let it cool a bit. Pour the syrup on the cake while it is still warm.

Now sit back and enjoy the gooey, buttery, tangy hot cake.

Banana Loaf

Banana Loaf

Its banana time again. Maybe it is a totally personal choice but I love the taste of bananas in my cakes. Also pineapple..but that recipe will come later. 

The original recipe called for raisins and rum and it just so happened that I was out of both. so i used tutti frutti and Coffee liqueur..sounds interesting right!! And it tasted very nice too. The combination of bananas and coffee really worked. 

The Banana Loaf is really easy to make and quite delightful to eat. A definite must try!!

Ingredients

100 gm raisins

3 tbsp rum

175 gm flour

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

125 gm butter, melted

150 gm sugar

2 large eggs

4 bananas, mashed

60 gm chopped walnuts

1 tsp vanilla essence

Boil the sultanas and rum together for a few minutes. Remove and cool.

Preheat oven to 170 degree Celsius.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Beat together melted butter and sugar well.

Add in eggs one at a time.

Add mashed bananas. Add walnuts, raisins, rum and vanilla essence. 

Add the flour mix in three batches, stirring well after each mix. 

Put in a loaf tin and bake for 1 hour or till a skewer inserted comes out clean.