Ghee Rice (Ney choru ) Malabar style ghee rice

Ney choru  - Malabar style Ghee Rice

   Rice is a staple food in southern parts of India and is eaten in daily basis. You can find numerous varieties of rice preparation in south India .One such preparation very famous in northern parts of Kerala is  Ghee rice or as said "Ney Choru " in Malyalam . A the name can tell that in this rice preparation generous amount of ghee/clarified butter is used along with whole spices .Malabar region is famous for its whole spices and coffee .The use of ghee and whole spices in this rice dish gives it a rich flavor and is very fragrant .It  usually goes well with spicy non vegetarian dishes such as mutton or chicken curry . I served mine with  seekh kabab handi .

Churros con Chocolat (Churros and Chocolate sauce)

A churro, is a fried-dough pastry very similar the French choux pastry an is generally referred to as a Spanish doughnut only thing being its piped and cylindrical . Churros are vey popular in Spain, France and the United States. These are generally eaten as breakfast in Spain and Latin America and is usually served with warm chocolate sauce.

Seekh Kabab Handi

Seekh Kabab Handi

      " Seekh kababs " are the succulent  kebabs made from minced meat, herbs and spices which are put on the skewers and grilled till golden brown. I had posted the recipe earlier, for recipe Click Here
     I had made those kebabs numerous times but just as a starter and never thought of using it in curry, but when I invited my friends for an in-house party at my home , it got me thinking to make something different than I usually cook and wanted to woe my guests with some different and unusual yet easy to make and delicious preparation .

            I had come across this dish through youtube and found it very interesting, thought of trying it and it came out so delicious that I prepared it again over on Eid.

    I made it from frozen  seekh kebab due to time constraint  but seekh kabab can be made a day before or can be made using  readymade frozen ones. Its made in Handi or clay pot which gives a very unique earthen flavor to the dish ,but can be prepared in normal pan as well.

Seekh kabab handi with Malabar paratha  and Ghee rice

Chicken Goli Biryani ( Chicken balls cooked with rice and spices)

Chicken Goli Biryani
 

  Chicken Goli Biryani is a biryani made with chicken balls cooked with rice a and spices. Here we use chicken mince to make balls and the rice is cooked in chicken stock .

Ingredients

Chicken mince  500 gms
Long grain /Basmati rice - 1 1/2 Cups (Soaked for 30 minutes)
Red Chili powder    - 2Tsp
Turmeric powder   - 1/2Tsp
Coriander powder  - 1Tbs
Garam masala   - 1Tbs
Ginger garlic paste  - 1Tbs
Onions Medium    - 2 Sliced
Yogurt      -  1 1/2 Cup
Green chilies  - 2-3 slit into half and 1 chili finely chopped
ginger finely chopped   - 1"
Salt               - To taste
Shahi jeera /Cumin seeds  -1 teaspoon
 Black Cardamom - 2
 Mace  2 blades
 Green cardamoms -  6
 Cloves - 6-8
Cinnamon Stick  - 2
Bay leaves     - 2
Ghee - 4Tbs
coriander leaves - 1/4 Tbs Finely chopped
 Fresh mint leaves -  1/4 Tbs Finely chopped
A pinch of Saffron soaked in warm milk/water
Chicken bones (for stock) 1 kilogram


Directions

• First will prepare the chicken stock, for that wash and boil chicken bones in one and a half litres of water with 1Tsp of salt for 15-20 minutes. Strain and discard the bones.
• You can also use chicken bullions in case of short of time. Add 3-4 bullions in same amount of water mentioned above.
•  Drain the soaked rice and boil in chicken stock with bay leaves , 1/2Tsp shahi jeera until 3/4 done. Drain excess stock and set the rice aside.
• Take half a cup of yogurt in a bowl, add two tablespoons each of fresh coriander and fresh mint,red chilli powder .
• Mix the chicken mince with salt, two tablespoons of coriander leaves, half the green chillies and chopped ginger. Mix well and refrigerate the mixture for thirty minutes.
• Take out he chicken mixture from the refrigerator and make walnut-sized balls of chicken mixture. In a frying pan heat two tablespoons of ghee and lightly cook balls in it only to sear the edges. 

•  Dissolve saffron in hot milk and keep aside.
• In a pan heat the remaining ghee ,add shahi jeera/ cumin seedsand let it splutter. 
• Now add mace, green cardamoms and cloves ,cinnamon, black cardamom and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
•  Add onions and sauté till golden brown. Add ginger garlic paste and the remaining slit green chillies.
• Add turmeric powder and coriander powder and stir fry for 30 sec.
• Stir in the yogurt with red chilli powder . Add chicken balls and one cup of stock and salt to taste. Cook till gravy is reduced.
• Now in a heavy bottomed deep utensil or degchi or clay pot form the layers of half the chicken ball with gravy followed by a layer of half cooked rice and sprinkle a little yogurt coriander mint leaves mixture. Sprinkle a little garam masala and saffron water . Continue with maki layers with the remaining chicken ball gray and rice along with garam masala and saffron milk.
• Now seal the pot with a lid and close the lid with dough by sticking it on sides of the lid OR cover with a moist cloth and seal the pot with lid and cook in dum in a very slow flame until done.
• The dum can also be done in an oven. Preheat oven to 180 °C.  Cook in the preheated oven for fifteen to twenty minutes.
• Serve hot with raita of your choice.
• Enjoy!!!!

 

Hyderabadi Mutton Dum Biryani

Hyderabadi Mutton Dum Biryani

   As in my earlier post about biryanis ,I  had mentioned the types of biryanis. Though there are many versions of biryanis depending on the regions and history behind them, Hyderabadi  dum biryani is the most famous or can we say "the king of biryanis ".
  I am totally obsessed with the biryanis, and for that matter my husband also shares the same thought. Nothing can beat the aroma of a perfectly cooked biryani with every rice grain separated and the meat cooked succulent and tender. We take biryanis very seriously ,our obsession for biryanis is so much that whichever city we move or visit, we make sure to dig out the restaurant  with best serving biryanis. Though I make biryanis at home quite often but still the craving for a restaurant style biryani remains.
     The biryani for me is where the rice and meat is cooked in dum. So many restaurants having biryanis in their menu just disappoint us when we see the dish coming out of the kitchen being not biryani but the pulao. While preparing pulao all the  ingredients including meat ,masala and rice are cooked all together until the rice and meat are cooked ,where as for preparing an authentic biryani the rice MUST be cooked separately until 3/4rth done and then drained out from water and is then layered along with marinated meat (cooked or uncooked) continued with cooking it on "Dum"  traditionally done by cooking over coals below and above the utensils used.

     The hyderabadi dum biryanis is cooked using "Dum Pukht" method. Dum  means to ‘breathe in’ and pukht to 'cook' . Dum pukht is technique of  cooking  in which food to be prepared is tightly sealed usually with dough in a heavy claypot or handi and cooked over a slow fire which allows the food to cook in its own juices and steam thus retaining all the aromas of the herbs and spices used giving the maximum flavor to the dish. Hyderabadi biryanis is usually served with mirch ka salan and raita.

photo resource:Flikr