Food fun

DUM BIRYANI 

Dum Biryani, also known as Hyderabadi Biryani, is a flavorful and aromatic rice dish cooked with marinated meat, fragrant spices, and basmati rice. Here's a recipe to make Dum Biryani

Ingredients:

2 cups basmati rice, washed and soaked for 30 minutes

500 grams chicken, mutton, or vegetables

1 cup yogurt

2 onions, thinly sliced

2 tomatoes, chopped

4 green chilies, slit

2 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste

1/2 cup chopped mint leaves

1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves

1 teaspoon red chili powder

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon garam masala powder

1/2 teaspoon biryani masala (optional)

Whole spices: 2 bay leaves, 4-5 cloves, 4-5 green cardamoms, 2-inch cinnamon stick

Salt to taste

Ghee or oil

Saffron strands soaked in warm milk (optional)

Fried onions for garnish

For Dum Cooking:

Dough made from wheat flour or aluminum foil

Heavy-bottomed pan with a tight-fitting lid

Instructions:

Heat ghee or oil in a pan and fry the sliced onions until golden brown. Remove half of the fried onions and set aside for garnish.

Add whole spices (bay leaves, cloves, cardamoms, cinnamon) to the remaining onions in the pan. Sauté for a minute until fragrant.

Add ginger-garlic paste and green chilies. Sauté for another minute.

Add chopped tomatoes and cook until they turn soft and mushy.

Add the chicken, mutton, or vegetables along with yogurt, mint leaves, coriander leaves, red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, biryani masala (if using), and salt. Mix well and cook until the meat is partially cooked or the vegetables are slightly tender.

In a separate pot, bring water to a boil and cook the soaked rice until it's 70% done. Drain the rice and set aside.

Now, it's time to layer the biryani. In the same pan where the meat/vegetable mixture is cooking, spread half of the partially cooked rice evenly over it.

Sprinkle some fried onions and saffron milk (if using) over the rice layer.

Add the remaining rice on top, followed by another layer of fried onions and saffron milk.

Seal the pan tightly with dough or aluminum foil to trap the steam. Place a heavy object on the lid to ensure a tight seal.

Cook the biryani on low heat (dum) for about 20-25 minutes until the rice is fully cooked and the flavors are infused.

Once done, remove the lid carefully and gently fluff up the biryani with a fork.

Butter Chicken 

Butter chicken is a classic Indian dish known for its rich and creamy tomato-based sauce. Here's a recipe for butter chicken:

Serve hot garnished with more fried onions and fresh coriander leaves. Enjoy your delicious Dum Biryani!

Feel free to adjust the spices and ingredients according to your taste preferences. Enjoy your cooking!

Ingredients:

500g boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 cup plain yogurt

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons ground turmeric

2 teaspoons garam masala

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon chili powder (adjust to taste)

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons grated ginger

Salt to taste

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 can (400g) crushed tomatoes

1 cup heavy cream

Fresh cilantro for garnish

Instructions:

In a bowl, mix together yogurt, lemon juice, turmeric, garam masala, cumin, coriander, chili powder, garlic, ginger, and salt. Add chicken pieces to the marinade, making sure they're well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably longer for better flavor.

In a large skillet or pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add chopped onions and cook until they're soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.

Add marinated chicken pieces to the skillet, along with any excess marinade. Cook until the chicken is browned on all sides, about 8-10 minutes.

Stir in crushed tomatoes and simmer for another 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together.

Pour in heavy cream, stirring continuously, and let it simmer gently for another 10-15 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.

Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. If you prefer a smoother sauce, you can blend it using an immersion blender or regular blender.

Garnish with fresh cilantro before serving. Serve hot with rice, naan, or roti.

Enjoy your homemade butter chicken!

SHAHI TUKDA

Shahi Tukda is a delightful Indian dessert made with bread, ghee, condensed milk,  

And nuts

Ingredients:

4 slices of bread (white or whole wheat)

Ghee or clarified butter for crying

1 cup Water

1 cup sugar1

1 cup milk

1/2 cup condensed milk

1/2 teaspoon cardamom powderSaffron strands (optional)Chopped nuts (almonds, pistachios, cashews) for garnishEdible silver leaf (optional, for decoration)

Instructions:

Trim the edges of the bread slices and cut them diagonally to form triangles.

Heat ghee in a pan over medium heat. 

Fry the bread triangles until they turn golden brown and crisp on both sides. 

Remove from the pan and place them on paper towels to drain excess oil.

In another saucepan, combine water and sugar to make a sugar syrup. 

Bring it to a boil, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves completely.

 

Simmer for a few minutes until the syrup thickens slightly. 

Turn off the heat and set aside.

In a separate saucepan, heat milk over medium heat. 

Once it starts boiling, reduce the heat to low and add condensed milk, cardamom powder, and saffron strands (if using). 

Stir well and let it simmer for a few minutes until it thickens slightly. 

Turn off the heat.Arrange the fried bread triangles in a serving dish in a single layer.

 Pour the sugar syrup evenly over the bread, allowing it to soak in.

Pour the thickened milk mixture over the soaked bread.

 Ensure that the bread is well coated with the milk mixture.

Garnish with chopped nuts and edible silver leaf (if using).

Refrigerate Shahi Tukda for at least 1-2 hours before serving, allowing the flavors to meld together and the dessert to set.

Serve chilled and enjoy the rich and indulgent

RASMALAI 

Rasmalai is a delicious Indian dessert made with flattened balls of paneer (Indian cottage cheese) soaked in sweetened, thickened milk flavored with cardamom, saffron, and sometimes nuts.

Ingredients:

1 liter whole milk

1/4 cup lemon juice

4 cups water

1 cup sugar

4-5 cardamom pods, crushed

A few strands of saffron (optional)

Chopped nuts (pistachios, almonds) for garnish

Instructions:

Boil the milk in a heavy-bottomed pan. 

Once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat and add lemon juice gradually while stirring until the milk curdles. 

Once the whey (greenish water) separates from the curd, turn off the heat.

Strain the curdled milk through a muslin cloth or fine sieve.

 Rinse the curdled milk under cold water to remove the lemon taste.

Squeeze out any excess water from the chenna (curdled milk) and hang it for about 30 minutes to drain completely.

After draining, knead the chenna well until it becomes smooth and soft.

Divide the chenna into small equal-sized balls and flatten them slightly between your palms.

In a wide pan, bring the water, sugar, crushed cardamom pods, and saffron to a boil.

 Once the sugar dissolves completely, gently slide the chenna balls into the boiling sugar syrup.

Cover and cook for about 15-20 minutes on medium-low heat.

 The chenna balls will double in size and become spongy.

Turn off the heat and let the Ras Malai cool down to room temperature.

Garnish with chopped nuts and refrigerate for a few hours before serving.