Hyderabadi Biryani by Sanjeev Kapoor

http://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/hyderabadi-biryani.aspx
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyuacqY8H8M

Ingredients

•Mutton,a mix of chops,marrowbone and shoulder pieces          500 grams

•Basmati rice 1 1/2 cups

 Salt     

•Bay leaves    2

•Green cardamoms   10

•Black peppercorns  25-30

•Cinnamon     3 inch stick

•Oil      1 tablespoon + to deep fry

•Onions,sliced            5 large

•Caraway seeds (shahi jeera)         1/2 teaspoon

•Cloves           10

•Ginger paste 1 tablespoon

•Garlic paste  1 tablespoon

•Red chilli powder    1 tablespoon

•Yogurt           1 cup

•Fresh coriander leaves,torn           2 tablespoons

•Fresh mint leaves,torn        2 tablespoons

•Pure ghee     4 tablespoons

•Black cardamoms    2

•Saffron (kesar),mix in 1/4 cup milk         a few strand

Prepare Rice:
Heat five to six cups of water in a deep pan. Add drained rice, salt, bay leaves, five green cardamoms, seven to eight black peppercorns, one cinnamon stick and cook till three fourth done. Drain and set aside.

Prepare the Chicken:

Heat sufficient oil in a kadai and deep-fry half the onion slices till golden. Drain and place on an absorbent paper. 

Grind caraway seeds, one cinnamon stick, remaining black peppercorns, cloves and remaining green cardamoms to a fine powder and set aside. 
Take mutton pieces in a bowl. Add ginger paste, garlic paste and salt and mix. 
Add the spice powder, red chilli powder, half the fried onions crushed, yogurt, coriander leaves, half of the mint leaves and one tablespoon oil and mix.
 Let it marinate for about two hours in the refrigerator. 

Method:

Heat two tablespoons ghee in a pan, remaining cinnamon and  black cardamoms and sauté till fragrant. Add remaining onions and sauté till light golden. Add marinated mutton, stir and cook on high heat for three to four minutes. Cover, reduce heat and cook till almost done.You can add water if needed.
 Heat the remaining ghee in a thick-bottomed pan.We use to put the vessel on top of a saucepan to make it thick bottomed. Spread half the rice in a layer. Spread the mutton over the rice. Sprinkle remaining torn mint leaves. Spread the remaining rice. Sprinkle saffron milk. Cover and cook under dum till done. Serve hot with a raita of your choice. 

Murgh Makhmali:

I got this recipe from Rannaghar Zee Bangla aired on 3 rd December. This is not the kabob recipe that is available on internet.

Ingredient:
1) Small pieces of chicken with bone 500 gm
2) Finely chopped onion - One small
3) Finely chopped garlic cloves - 6-8
4) finely grated ginger --1 inch
5) Tomato puree 2 Tb
6)  Tomato- 1
7) Carrot- 2
8) Salt
9) Oil
10)finely chopped green chillies -4
11) chopped Coriander leaves

 You do not need to marinate the chicken for this recipe and you do not need any spices.

Prothome chicken gulo ke 2-3 Tb spoon oil e halka kore bheje niye tule rakhte hobe. Carrot ebang tomato gulo ke sendho kore blender e blend kore nite hobe.

Ebar korai e tel gorom kore pejay,garlic and ginger ta ke bheje nite hobe, puro byaparta halka bhaja bhaja hole green chillies add korte hobe. ektu nere niye add korte hobe gajor o tomato seddho. gota jinista halka kosha kosha hole, nun o tomato puree add korte hobe. arektu koshano hole, mangsho gulo add kore dite hobe. ektu koshiye niye, ach komiye dheke dite hobe. mangso ta sedho hoye gele dhonepata kuchi choriye diye namiye nite hobe.
 ei preparation e kono jol lagbe na. gota preparation tai makha makha hobe. khub alpo ache korte hobe, jate lege na jay.

Chhanar Dalna (Paneer in Bengali Style)


Ingredients  are:
500 homemade paneer, cut into cubes
2 medium size white potatoes, cut into cubes
2 medium size ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 inch knob of ginger
4-5 green chilies
2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
One-fourth teaspoon garam masala powder
4  cardamoms
1 teaspoon red chili powder ( You can add kashimiri Degi mirch for color and avoid red chili)
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
4 tablespoons mustard oil
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt

Grind to a smooth paste two tablespoons cumin seeds, ginger, and the green chilies. Keep aside.
Heat mustard oil in a large sauté pan or wok. Toss in the cubed potatoes till they are browned on the edges, remove with a slotted spoon.

In the same oil, add the pieces of paneer, give a quick sauté and remove. 

Throw in a teaspoon of cumin seeds and the black cardamoms in the leftover oil of the wok, let them crackle for a few seconds before you add the chopped tomatoes. Stir well, add two tablespoons of the cumin-ginger-chili paste. With the back of your ladle, press the tomatoes to release all their juices. Add red chili powder, turmeric, sugar, salt and garam masala powder. Keep cooking this mixture on medium heat till the raw taste of the ingredients goes away and little bubbles of oil appear around it.
Pour about two cups of water into the tomato and spices. Let it boil for 7-8 minutes and then toss the sautéed potatoes.
Cook the potatoes till they are done, add the paneer, bring to a boil and turn the heat off. Check the seasoning and adjust if needed.

Note: I normally add one teaspoon ghee at the end. I also do not use Garam masala.

Alu -Posto:

1. Cut 2 medium potatoes in cubes
2. 1 Cup of green peas
3. 3 table spoons of poppy seed. Grind it and add some water to make a thick paste. you can add one tea spoon of mustard oil.
4. 4 Tablespoons of mustard oil
5. 4 green chillies
6. panchforon
7. Turmeric powder
8. Salt and sugar to taste

Method:
Heat the oil in pan. Add panchforon and green chillies.  Add the green peas.  Saute for some time.After some time, add potatoes along with turmeric powder and salt. Saute the potatoes. Add the sugar and little water to make potato boil. Cover the pan  and wait till the potatoes are done. Add poppy seeds paste , bring it to boil. You are done.

Chingri Macher Dalna

Ingredients:

Jumbo Prawns - 500 g

Potatoes - 4-5 medium size, peeled and quartered

Tomato - 1 large, quartered

Onion - 1 large, thinly sliced

Garlic - 4 cloves, grated/paste

Ginger - 1", grated/paste

Green peas - 1/2 cup, fresh or frozen

Green Chillies - 2-3 whole, slit and deseeded

Coriander leaves/Cilantro/Dhonepata - 1/4th cup chopped

Sugar - 1 tsp

Salt - to taste

Ghee - 2 tbsp

White oil - 2 tbsp

Powder Masala:

Cumin powder - 1 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Red Chilli powder - 2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Whole masala:

Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Cinnamon - 1 inch sticks -2

Green Cardamom - 2

Cloves - 4

Preparations:

1. Marinate the prawns with a pinch of turmeric and 1/2 tsp salt for 5 min or so.

2. Add the powdered masalas into a bowl and mix with 1 tbsp water.

Cooking procedure:

1. Heat oil and saute the prawns for 2 min. Remove and keep aside.

2. Fry potatoes in the same oil for 2-3 min only. Remove and keep aside.

3. If needed, add a little more oil and 1 tbsp ghee in the pan and heat. Add garam masalas, onion slices, ginger garlic pastes & 1/2 tsp sugar. Fry on medium heat until the paste becomes slightly brown.

4. Add masala paste, tomatoes, and fry until the raw smell of tomatoes is gone. Add 2 cups of warm water into the pan, and bring to a boil.

5. Add fried potatoes, prawns, and salt and stir gently. Cover with a lid and boil for 5-7 min until the potatoes are almost cooked.

6. Add green peas and continue to boil another 3-5 min until well cooked. Just before removing add remaining ghee, green chilli and coriander (cilantro) leaves.

   
   

   Source: http://www.senskitchen.com/recipes/non-vegetarian/Seafood/chingri%20macher%20dalna%20redone.htm

Piyaj Kolir Torkari

Ingredients:

• Piyaj Koli/Spring Onion - 300 g, cut into 2 inch long pcs
• Potato - 200 g (about 2 medium), cut into rings
• Onions - 200 g (2 medium), cut into rings
• Tomato - 200 g ( 1 large), cut into rings
• Paanch phoron/Five spice mix - 1 tsp
• Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - To taste
• Sugar - 1 tsp
• *Mustard Oil - 1 tbsp
• White Oil - 2 tbsp

The use of paanch phoron or five spice mix gives this preparation of spring onions a very fresh and delicious taste. Five spice mix or paanch phoron is a mixture in equivalent amounts of Mustard Seeds (Shorshe/Sarso), Fenugreek (Methi) Seeds, Cumin (Jeera) Seeds, Onion (kalojeere) Seeds or Nigella Seeds, and Fennel (Mouri/Saunf) Seeds....often Radhuni is substituted for Methi!

Preparation:

1. Cut potato, tomato, and onions into quarter inch rings.

2. Cut piyaj koli into 2 inch long pieces.

Cooking procedure:

1. Heat oil in a kadhai.

2. Add paanch phoron and fry for 30 sec till seeds splutter.

3. Add potatoes, onions and fry for 2 min on medium heat.

4. Add tomato, turmeric, sugar and salt. Mix well, cover and fry on medium-low heat for about 8 min. Water is not required for this dish. The potatoes should be almost cooked at this stage.

5. Add piyaj koli/spring onions and mix. Fry on medium heat for 5 min till the vegetables are soft.

6. Remove from heat.

   Source : http://www.senskitchen.com/recipes/vegetarian/Dry%20vegetables/piyaj%20kolir%20torkari.htm

Begun Pora (Grilled Eggplant)

Ingredient:

• Eggplant/Begun - 1 big
• Onions - 2 tbsp, finely chopped
• Green Chillies - 3-4, chopped
• Cilantro/Dhonepata - 1/4 cup, chopped
• Mustard Oil - 2 tsp

Cooking procedure:

1. Wash the brinjal and pat dry. Make about 3 inch gashes in 3 or 4 areas.

2. Coat brinjal with 1 tsp oil using a brush.

3. Burn brinjal on stove top on direct heat. Rotate brinjal from time to time to allow grilling on all sides (On an electric stove set to 'High', grilling takes about 10 min)

4. Remove brinjal from heat when the skin starts peeling off, let cool

5. Remove the skin and mash

6.Add onions, green chillies, cilantro, salt and remaining 1 tsp mustard oil