Mogalai biryani

Ingredients
2 Whole Chickens (Skinned)
(Marinade Ingredients)
1 pint of sour curd
2 tbsp chopped onion
1 tsp chopped garlic
2 tbsp of ground coriander
1 tsp of turmeric powder
1 tsp ground pepper
1 tbsp ground poppy seeds
1 tbsp of ground almonds

(for Rice)
2 lbs of basmati rice
1 lb of ghee or butter
1 onion
1 crushed clove of garlic
1/2 tsp of saffron
10 whole cardamoms
10 whole cloves
2 2" sticks of cinnamon

Method
This is very rich and authentic recipe just the way it was prepared at
Moghul times.
You obviously need plenty of time to do this recipe.
The quantities specified are for a big party because that's when you
cook this
kind of dish.
This kind of biryani preparation is a long and slow process.
Most of the cooking must be done on low heat.

(For Korma)
Cut chicken into large pieces and Marinate them in mixture
of marinade ingredients for at least 2 hours.
In 2 ozs. of ghee (or butter), fry lightly for 2-3 minutes the
following:
1 tbsp of chopped onion, 2 cloves of garlic, 8 cloves, 6 cardamoms and
2 sticks of
cinnamon.
Add to this the marinated chicken and the whole of marinade, and allow
the chicken
to cook in its own juice without adding any water.
Cover and cook on low heat until the chicken is tender.

(For Rice)
In a large vessel fry onions, garlic and spices in ghee.
Add rice and mix it lightly.
Continue frying on low heat for 4-5 minutes.
Add saffron, salt to taste and sifficient boiling water to cover the
rice.
Cover the vessel and cook on low heat until the water is completely
absorbed
and rice is cooked.
Occasional tossing of rice using a spatula may be required to avoid
pulping.
Now work into it ½ lb. of raisins, ¼ lb of almonds, ¼ lb of pistachios
and ½ lb of dry dates.

(Finish)
The blending of Korma and rice must be done carefully to prevent
breaking up of meat or rice.
Take each piece of chicken and work it carefully into the rice,
using up as much of gravy as possible.
Cover the pan tight and stand it on very low (warm) heat.
Garnish this dish with silver leaf.

Serve the Biryani with Raita or some kind of light salad.

Egg pulao
Ingredients
2 cups of washed basmati rice (soaked for 10 minutes) 6 large eggs 1
onion sliced thin 10 green chilis slit 1 bay leaf 4 cloves 1/2 tsp
peppercorns 1 inch cinnamon 1 tsp each of ginger and garlic paste 1 tsp
pulao masala 2 tbsp of oil salt to taste
Method
1. Hard boil and shell 4 of the 6 eggs. 2. Heat oil in a large dish
and add the whole spices. 3. After a few seconds add the onion and
green chillies along with the ginger garlic paste. 4. Fry till
light brown. Now break the two eggs into the pan and scramble. 5.
Add the drained rice to it and fry for a minute. 6. Season with
salt.Now put the boiled eggs into it and pour 4 cups of water. 7.
Cover and cook till the rice is half done. 8. Stir in the pulao masala
and a little bit of lemon juice (optional) and mix gently. 9. Cover
and cook till all the water evaporates and the rice is done.
10.Garnish with coriander and serve hot.

Veg. Biryani - Chinese Style

Rice sauted with half boiled vegetables

Ingredients
1.5 Cup Rice 2 tbsp Oil (refined/ vegetable) 2 Cups Mixed Vegetable -
Cauliflower,Peas,French Beans, Carrot,Mushroom,etc. 1/4 Cup Cottage
Cheese(paneer) - small cubes -golden fried 1/2 Cup Cabbage (long ,thin
slices) 2 onion - medium sized - long sliced 8 flakes Garlic (chopped)
7-8 pieces Cashew (fried) - OPTIONAL 7-8 pieces Almonds (fried) -
OPTIONAL Salt to taste 1/4 tsp. red chilli powder 1/2 tsp. meat masala

/ vegetable masala Method Soak the rice into water for 30 mins. & cook
them adding a little salt. Par boil the vegetables cut into small cubes adding a little salt
in the water. In a pan / karahi heat up the oil , fry onions, when half golden add the
garlic & fry till the oil starts leaving corners. Add salt & chilli powder and then add the
boiled veg. Saute a little and add cabbage. Saute again and then Meat Masala . When
sauteed well add the rice and stir well. Add golden fried cottage cheese and the Biryani is
ready to serve. Garnish with cashews and almonds. Could be decorated with onion rings,
tomato circular slices and corrinder also.

Moong Kabab: delicious veg kabab

Ingredients 2 tbsps. Cilantro (chopped) 1 tsp. 1 tsp. Garlic (paste) 1 tsp. Ginger (paste)
1 cup Green Gram (whole) 1 tsp. Pomegranate (powder) 2 nos. Potato Salt to taste 2
tbsps. Bread Crumbs 1 tsp. Green Chilies (paste) 1 pinch Food Color (tandoori)

Method

Boil potato and mash. Soak green mung 2 to 3 hrs. and boil it in one
cup water. Drain and keep aside. Add all above ingredients into mashed
potatoes. Mix properly, add boiled moong and mix properly. Heat oil
for frying. Form about 15 to 20 balls in kabab shape and deep fry. If
the kababs start breaking, add a little more bread crumbs to the
mixture. You can also shallow fry the kababs for less fat recipe.
Serve with sliced onions and kethcup.hyderabadi biryani
Ingredients:

1 lb basmati rice
1.5 - 2 lb lamb, bone in (use some pieces from the ribs) --make sure
it is tender meat

Fry 2 medium onions till golden brown. Take out of the oil. Save the
oil.
Mix well the following:
the meat pieces,
the onion, some of the oil,
3/4 tbsp ginger and garlic powders each (less if using fresh paste)
2-3 green chilies, split in two
1 stick of cinnamon, broken in 3-4 pieces
6 cardamom pods, crushed by hand
6-8 cloves
half a handful of cilantro leaves
half tsp red chili powder
3/4 cup yogurt
1 tsp salt (more if you wish)
Keep the above mix standing for about 4 hours (in the fridge)

Instructions:
Boil the rice in twice as much water, till it is halfway cooked. Drain.
Place the mix at the bottom of a baking pan (the blue pans you get here
for roasting are good, or else an aluminum baking dish will do). Spread
the rice on top of the mix. Heat up a pinch of saffron in half a cup
of
milk, and spread the milk around on top. Cover the pan with its cover,
or aluminum foil. Heat the oven to 400, and bake for about 45-60
minutes.
Check around 45 min -- for doneness of meat --some like it a little
chewy,
others soft. By now, the fragrance of the biryani should be wafting
through
the house, and you should be salivating. Enjoy it with dahi ki chatni!
Note: some people like to pour asli ghee on the mix -- while this makes it richer, its not
necessary. Also note that even in Hyderabad, there are several minor variations,
depending on the cook.

Vegetarian Biryani

Ingredients:
3 cups basmati rice
¼ pound green beans
3 carrots
3 potatoes
2 tomatoes
1/3 cup peas
1 onion
(any other vegetables according to taste)
½ cup oil
1 cup yogurt
2 tablespoons fresh ginger & garlic purée
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or according to taste
¼ teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon Hyderabadi garam masala (cinnamon, cardamom, black cumin, black pepper,
cloves ground together)
½ teaspoon salt, or according to taste
fresh cilantro
3 small green chilis
2 cinnamon sticks
5 green cardamom pods
5 cloves
3 pinches black cumin
2 pinches saffron soaked in 1/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons ghee
¼ cup fresh lemon juice

Directions:
Soak the rice. Quarter the potatoes and tomatoes. Halve the green beans. Cut the carrots
into 3-inch pieces. Chop the onion.

Heat the oil in a pan on slightly more than medium heat. Sauté the potatoes and remove
from the oil. Then sauté the green beans slightly and take them out. Then sauté the
carrots and take them out. Then sauté the peas slightly and take them out. Then fry the
chopped onion until brownish. Take out less than ¼ of the onion and leave the rest in.
Add the ginger-garlic purée, yogurt, turmeric, cayenne, and garam masala. Stir while
sautéing until little bit yogurt smell goes away, then add the vegetables and cook until the
potatoes are beginning to be tender. Add the sliced green chilis and cilantro. Remove the
vegetables from the stove.

Meanwhile, set 10 cups of water to boil. Before it begins to boil, add the salt, cinnamon
sticks, green cardamom pods, cloves, and black cumin. When the water boils, drain the
soaked rice and put in the boiling water. Boil the rice until partly cooked (about 5-10
minutes). Drain the rice in a colander.

Spread half the rice in a baking pan, put the vegetables on the rice, and then put the rest
of the rice on top, followed by the remainder of the fried onions. Sprinkle the ghee,
saffron milk, and lemon juice over it. Cover with foil and bake at 350° for 30-45
minutes.

Vegetarian Biryani
Source: Quick from Scratch - Vegetable Main Dishes

Serves 4

The cooks of India and Pakistan take their rice seriously. It is in these regions that the
humble grain is transformed into some of southern Asia's most delicious dishes, such as
biryani, a richly perfumed combination of rice, vegetables, and sometimes fruits, nuts,
and meats. Our vegetarian version features potato, carrots, and peas.
For Rice:
1 1/2 cups rice, preferably basmati rice, rinsed

For Vegetables:
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 baking potato (about 1/2 pound), peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
2 carrots, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
2 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 10-ounce package frozen peas, defrosted
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 jalapeno chiles, seeds and ribs removed, minced
1 tomato, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup cilantro leaves

FOR RICE: Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Stir in the rice and boil until
just done, about 10 minutes. Drain the rice, return to the pot, and cover to keep warm.

FOR VEGETABLE: Meanwhile, in a large frying pan, melt the butter with the oil over
moderately low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent,
about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1
minute. Stir in the cumin, turmeric, curry powder, and cayenne and cook, stirring, for 1
minute longer. Add the potato, carrots, water, and salt. Increase the heat to moderately
high and simmer until the vegetables are tender and no liquid remains in the pan, about
10 minutes.

TO SERVE: Stir the peas into the other vegetables and remove the pan from the heat.
Stir in the yogurt and rice and serve topped with the jalapeno, tomato, and cilantro.

WINE RECOMMENDATION: The sweet, floral perfume of basmati rice calls to mind
the similar aromas of Vouvray. A demi-sec will strike just the right balance with the
slight heat of the biryani.
Rice Pulao/Biryani
Recipe type: reduced fat, cholesterol free
Preparation time: 30 minute
Ingredients: for 3
1 cup Basmati Rice(preferably Indian Dehraduni type)
1 potato
1 onion
1 tomato
1 Tbsp green peas
1 Tbsp finely chopped green chilies
1/2" ginger, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves
1 Tbsp Canola oil or any vegetable oil
2.5 cup water

Spices:
3/4 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste
Preparation
Select good quality basmati rice, preferably Dehraduni. After washing with water
soak the rice in water for half an hour.

Peel the potato, onion and the tomato. Cut potato and onion into thin circular
pieces. Cut the tomato into 8-10 pieces.

Drain all the water from the rice. Discard the water.

Take a non-sticking skillet and place it on medium heat. Pour oil and when it is
hot, add all the spices. Stir for 2 minutes. Add water and letit boil. Add
potato pieces. Put the rice in the boiling water and let it cook for 10-15
minutes. The rice will be semicooked in this time.

Add tomato, onion, and peas, lime juice and slowly stir. Cover the skillet and let
it cook for 5 minutes. By this time all the water will evaporate.
Sprinklecoriander leaves.
Serve hot. Good with papad, yoghurt, vegetable curry, etc.

Variation
Recipe Type:Reduced Fat
This variation is for those who don't have higher levels of cholesterol.

Additional ingredients:
2 bread slices, cut into 8 pieces
extra oil for frying
Preparation:

Steps 1-3: as above.

Take a non-sticking skillet and place it on medium heat. Spray oil when it is hot,
and stir fry potato, onion and bread pieces and take them on a kitchen towel
so that any extra oil is absorbed.
Again place non-sticking skillet on medium heat. Pour 1 Tbsp oil and when it is
hot, add all the spices. Stir for 2 minutes. Add water and let it boil. Put the
rice in the boiling water and let it cook for 10-15 minutes. The rice will be
semicooked in this time.
Add potato, tomato, onion, bread pieces and peas, and slowly stir. Cover the
skillet and let it cook for 3-5 minutes. By this time all the water will
evaporate. Sprinkle coriander leaves.
Serve hot. Good with papad.