Rice Kheer

Ingredients

• 1 litre milk 
• 1 cup rice - uncooked
• Condensed milk - Half cup or Khova - 1 cup
• Sugar - 1 cup
• Vanilla essence 
• Dry fruits - Almonds, pistachio,raisins, cashew nuts...
• Whole cardamon, cinammon, and cloves - 1 -2 each
• Ghee - optional
• Food color - optional

Method

1. Wash and soak rice in water for 2 hrs minimum.
2. In a thick bottom vessel , add milk, once the milk comes to boil, lower the flame, add rice and allow the rice to cook, keep stirring constantly.
3. When the rice is half done, add sugar, condensed milk/ khova, food color and 2 - 3 drops of vanilla essence, mix well and let the rice cook completely.
4. If the milk dries out, you can add some more milk to it, the consistency of the kheer should be creamy.
5. Once the rice is cooked turn off the flame.
6. In a separate pan add 2 tbsp of ghee, whole cardamon, cinnamon  and cloves - 1 -2 each, chopped dry fruits, once this splutters add it to the kheer and mix well.

Kheer is ready to serve.

Note: while adding rice to the milk, add only the rice and not the water in which it was soaked.

Khichdi

Ingredients

• Rice - 2 glasses
• Moong dal - half a cup
• Masoor dal - half a cup
• Whole cardamom, clove and cinamon - 1 -2 each
• Onions sliced - 1 big
• Green chilies slit - 2
• Ginger garlic paste - 2 tbsp
• Coriander chopped
• Pudina (Mint) leaves - few
• Turmeric pwdr - 1 tsp
• Tomato - 1 - optional
• Salt
• Water
• Oil - 4 -5 tbsp

Method

1. In a bowl mix rice and dals, wash them and soak it in water and keep aside. 
2. Heat oil in a vessel, add cardamom, clove, cinnamon, onions and green chilies, saute them for 5 mins.
3. Add ginger garlic paste and fry it for some time, add water according to the consistency required to cook rice.
4. Now add turmeric pwdr, salt, tomato, chopped pudina and coriander.
5. Once the water comes to boil, add rice, dals and cook.

Khichdi is ready.

FYI: I haven't added tomato while making the above khichdi.

Note: You should add only the rice and dal and not the water in which it was soaked for the last step in the method.

Masala Papad

Ingredients

• Fried or Roasted papad
• Onions - 2 med size - finely chopped
• Tomato - 1 big - finely chopped
• Carrot - grated
• Coriander finely chopped
• Red chili pwdr
• Chat masala
• Salt

On a plate, place the fried or roasted papad and sprinkle all the above ingredients in the above order
 or
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and then spread it on the papad.

Crunchy and tasty masala papad is ready.

Eat immediately to enjoy the crispiness :)

Veg / Egg Fried Rice

Ingredients

• Cooked rice
• Carrots (diced)
• Capsicum (diced)
• Cauliflower chopped
• Cabbage chopped
• Onions sliced - 2 medium size
• Garlic pods - 4
• Green chilies - 2 finely chopped
• Dry red chilies - 2 finely chopped
• Soya sauce - 2 tbsp
• Ajinomoto - 1 tsp - optional
• Egg - 1 or 2
• Salt
• Oil

Method

1. Heat oil in a vessel, add crushed garlic pods and saute it for a minute, now add onions, all the veggies, ajinomoto and green chilies and fry them for about 7 - 8 mins.
2. Add soya sauce, dry red chilies,egg, salt and give it a good mix, lower the flame and let it cook for 5 mins.
3. Now add the cooked rice, mix well ,cover the vessel and let it cook for 5 mins on low flame, fried rice is ready to eat.

Note: Do not add hot rice (pre cooked rice) to any fried rice mixture, always allow the rice to cool down for a while before adding.

I prefer to cook the egg separately and then add to fried rice (Optional)

Mutton Biryani

Mutton biryani...hummm...what can i say about the taste, the name says it all - simply delicious, finally here i am posting the recipe for it. The method and procedure of cooking biryani might look very lengthy and complicated for you, but trust me guys biryani is very easy to cook, its just that you have to try cooking it once.

Cooking biryani took me only 45 mins but writing recipe for it took me 3 hrs...phewwww

If you are cooking mutton biryani for the first time please read the complete recipe more than once :)

Ingredients

• Mutton - 1 kg
• Basmati rice/ normal rice - 1 kg
• Ginger garlic paste - 9 tbsp
• Onions - 6 - 7 big size - sliced
• Tomatoes - 5 - 6 big size
• Green chilies slit - 4
• Mint leaves chopped - half cup
• Coriander chopped
• Whole Cardamom, Cinnamon, Cloves - 2 -3 each
• Bay leaf - 2
• Lemon - 2 med size
• Yogurt - half a cup
• Red chili powder - 3 tsp
• Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
• Dhanya (coriander) powder - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
• Carrot sliced - 1 big - optional
• Peas - half a cup - optional
• Salt
• Orange / green food color solution
• Oil - one big glass full

The entire procedure of cooking biryani can be broken down in 3 parts, 

one is cooking akhni, second is cooking rice and the third most important part is mixing.

For cooking Akhni

1. Heat one big glass full of oil in a big cooker or a vessel, add whole cardamom, cinnamon, cloves 1 -2 each, one bay leaf, green chilies, onions and allow the onions to fry for 10 - 15 mins until golden brown, now add chopped mint leaves (save little for rice ) and mix well.
2. Add ginger garlic paste, chopped tomatoes, red chili pwdr, garam masala pwdr, dhanya pwdr, salt and give it a good mix, cover the vessel, lower the flame and let it cook for 10 - 15 mins.
3. Now time to add mutton and mix well and cook it on low/ medium flame for 15 mins, keep checking and stirring it or the masala will get burnt at the bottom.
4. Add yogurt, salt and juice of one lemon and mix well.
5. If you are cooking in cooker you can close the cooker and pressure cook it on medium flame for 2 - 3 whistles or until the mutton is tender OR if you are cooking in a vessel, cover it up and cook it on low/ medium flame until the mutton is tender.
6. Once this is done take out the excess oil from the akhni and keep aside as you will need it later.

For cooking rice

1. Wash and soak rice in water and keep it aside, if it is basmati-rice wash and soak it 1 or 2 hrs before cooking.
2. Heat 4 - 5 big jugs of water in a big vessel, add whole cardamom, cinnamon, cloves 1 -2 each, one bay leaf, carrot, peas, turmeric pwdr, salt, few mint leaves, little chopped coriander, juice of one lemon and bring the water to boil and then add the rice.
3. After adding rice to the boiling water, keep a constant check on rice and be alert  because you should not allow the rice to cook completely, it should be half cooked or cooked a little more than half.                                                                                                                                         

While the rice is cooking keep a sieve ready in a clean kitchen wash basin and also in a half cup of water add very little food color / colors and keep it aside.

The next steps from now are very important for the biryani, you should be alert and quick or the biryani will lose its taste, you might also need someone's help to drain the hot water from the rice.

Mixing

1. Once the rice is cooked as above, drain the water completely in a sieve.
2. Quickly take aside 3 - 4 tbsp of plain rice and add it to the food color solution and keep aside.
3. Add akhni to the rice and mix well with a long table spoon, be gentle and quick while mixing because the rice might break or become too soft.
4. After mixing the rice and akhni, pour half the akhni oil (which you kept aside) around the rice and spread the colored rice on top , do not mix the rice after adding oil and colored rice.
5. Cover it well with silver foil and keep it on low flame for dum for 15 mins, your super delicious mutton biryani is ready for your tastebuds. :) 

Important points to remember while cooking biryani:

1. Akhni is nothing but the masala that we cooked with onions, tomatoes, mutton....etc
2. The process of covering the vessel air tight and keeping it on low flame is called DUM.
3. Always use thick bottom vessel for cooking akhni and a bigger size vessel specially  for cooking rice as later you have to mix rice and akhni in the same vessel.
4. When you keep water for boil for rice the water should be way more than what you normally add to cook rice.
5. Be quick, quicker from the time you drain water till you keep it for dum.
6. While mixing akhni with rice be gentle and soft, not necessary the akhni should coat every strand of rice, if the akhni covers 3/4th of the rice also its fine, but be quick.
7. I generally mix full akhni with the rice but not necessary you should also mix the complete akhni with the rice,  if you don't want too much of masala in your biryani you can always keep it aside and mix only as much as you want. But be generous because akhni only adds taste to your biryani :)
8. While keeping it for dum, you can follow any one of the following methods (Traditional method of dum ) Wrap the lid of the vessel in a clean cotton duppata or big cloth and cover it on the vessel and keep some weight on top of it so that its completely sealed. (Modern method) Cover the vessel completely with silver foil and close it with a lid. The idea behind this is to seal the vessel completely.
9. For making your biryani colorful you can make separate solutions of each color and spread it in the last step.
10. You can also fry 2 sliced onions in oil separately until dark golden brown, take it out on a tissue paper, cool them and spread it on the rice before keeping it for dum.
11. Be careful while adding salt because you would have added in both akhni and rice. I generally add 3 tsps for akhni and 4 tsps for rice.

Brinjal curry

Ingredients

• Brinjal - half kilo
• Onions - 2 big size
• Coconut pieces - 1 big cup full
• Tomatoes - 2 big size
• Garlic pods - 6 -7
• Turmeric pwdr - 1 tsp
• Red chili pwdr - 2 tsp
• Coriander (Dhanya) pwdr - half tsp
• Rye
• Dry red chilies
• Tamrind Pulp - 2 tbsp
• Zeera powder - 1 tsp
• Curry leaves
• Salt
• Coriander for garnish
• Oil - 4 - 5 tbsp

Method

1. Slit whole brinjals, soak it in salted water and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan and fry these ingredients one by one until golden brown - onions, coconut pieces, tomatoes and curry leaves.
3. Add the fried ingredients in the mixer along with garlic pods, red chili pwdr,zeera pwdr, turmeric pwdr, salt, dhanya pwdr and half glass of water and mixie it to a fine paste.
4. In a vessel heat oil, add rye, curry leaves and dry red chilies, let it splutter, now add 2 tbsp of the above masala and fry well, then add the whole brinjals and roast them until the color of the brinjal changes, then add the remaining masala, tamrind pulp, coriander, half glass of water and cover the vessel, allow it to cook on low flame for 10 - 15 mins or until the brinjals are cooked. Whole brinjal curry is ready to eat.

Can be served with Khichdi, roti, rice, pulav....etc

Note: 

1. The consistency of the gravy should not be too watery, it should be thick like a gravy.
2. If you have time and patience ;) you can stuff some masala in the slit brinjals and then roast them. ( i normally skip this step as i don't like brinjals but if you love to eat brinjals then this extra effort will add more taste to it. :)

Poha / Avalakki bhat

Ingredients

• Poha - 2 glasses
• Curry leaves
• Green chilies - 2-3 finely chopped
• Onions - 2 medium size -finely chopped
• Rye - 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Dry red chilies - 3-4
• Chana dal- 1 tbsp 
• Urad dal - 1 tbsp
• Peanuts 
• Pinch of Hing
• Turmeric pwdr- 1 tsp
• Coriander finely chopped
• Lemon juice- 1 tbsp
• Salt
• Oil

Method

1. Heat oil in a vessel and add these ingredients one by one slowly - rye, cumin seeds, dry red chilies, chana dal, urad dal, peanuts, pinch of hing, curry leaves, green chilies and onions.
2. Once the above ingredients are nicely cooked, add the washed poha, salt, chopped coriander, lemon juice ,give it a good mix and close it with a lid and keep it on simmer for 5 mins and serve hot.

Note: Wash poha with water before cooking , if the poha is thick then soak it in water for 4 - 5 mins. 

Macaroni and cheese

For all the cheese lovers...here it is Mac and Cheese plain, simple and cheesyy :D

Ingredients

• Macaroni - 400 gms
• Grated cheese - 2cups
• Butter - 50 g
• Milk - 2 cups
• All purpose flour (maida) - 2tbsp
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Oregano or mixed herbs
• Red chili flakes

Method

1. Cook macaroni according to the packet instructions and keep aside.
2. Take a non stick pan add butter once the butter melts add the flour and keep stirring on medium heat,gradually add milk and keep stirring until smooth, once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat and keep  it on simmer for another 2 - 3 mins
3. Remove from the stove and add grated cheese and mix well until the cheese melts and its smooth.If it is not smooth add little more milk to it.
4. The consistency of the white sauce should be like a smooth but slightly thick sauce.
5. Now add the cooked macaroni to the white sauce and mix until nicely coated.
6. Season with salt,black pepper, oregano or mixed herbs, red chili flakes and give it a good mix.
7. Serve immedietly.

Note: The secret of making a smooth and velvety white sauce is to keep string continuously  :D 

Ghee Rice

Ingredients

• Rice - 2 glass (uncooked)
• Onions - 2 big size - sliced
• Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
• Green chilies - 2
• Cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaf - 1 or 2 each
• Carrot - Diced - 1 big
• Peas
• Coriander chopped
• Pudina - Mint leaves 
• Juice of onesmall size lemon
• Salt
• Water - 3 glasses or more (Depends upon the rice)
• Ghee / Oil - 4 -5 tbsp

Method

1. Clean, wash and soak rice in enough water and keep aside.
2. Heat ghee/oil in a vessel, add cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaf, let it splutter for a bit.
3. Add sliced onions, and fry this until golden brown.
4. Add green chilies and ginger garlic paste and fry this for a while.
5. Now add water, carrot, peas, few pudina(mint) leaves,coriander, salt and once the water comes to a boil add lemon juice and rice.
6. Cook till the rice is soft.

Can be served with any curries, dal fry etc

Note: Add water according to the rice ratio ( iam very bad at this) 

Chicken Kabab

All time favourite chicken kabab .

Ingredients:

• Chicken  - 1 kg
• Ginger garlic paste - 2 tbsp
• Red chili pwdr - 1 tbsp
• Balck pepper pwdr - 1 tsp
• Garam masala powder - half tsp
• Cumin powder - half tsp
• Coriander powder - half tsp
• Cornflour - 2 tbsp 
• Lemon juice - 3 tbsp
• Egg - 1
• Red food colour - optional
• Salt
• Oil for frying

Method: 

Marinate chicken with all the above ingredients.
Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the marinated chicken on medium flame for 10 - 15 mins. 
Chicken kabab is ready to eat.

Note: Marinate the chicken and keep it aside for minimum an hour, the longer the chicken is marinated the better the kababs are :)

Egg Paratha

For the dough:

• Wheat flour
• Curd
• Water
• Salt
• Oil

Mix all the above ingredients and make a soft dough. Cover the dough and keep it aside for half an hour.

For the filling:

• Hard boiled eggs - 4 (grated)
• Onions finely chopped - 3 med size
• Cumin pwdr - 1 tsp
• Red chili pwdr - 1 tsp
• Black pepper pwdr - half tsp
• Chat masala - half tsp
• Coriander finely chopped
• Salt

1. Heat oil in a pan, add onions, red chili pwdr, cumin pwdr and fry well until the onions turn slightly golden.
2. In a mixing bowl, add grated eggs, above mixture,black pepper pwdr, chat masala, coriander, salt and give it a good mix

Method:

1. Take a small portion of the dough, roll them in the shape of round paratha.
2. Add 3- 4 tbsp of the stuffing in the center of the paratha (be generous while adding the stuffing) and pat it with the spoon so that it becomes flat.
3. Fold the paratha from 4 sides and seal the stuffing, after folding it should look like a sqaure. 
4. Now you can either roll the paratha a little bit or pat the paratha to extend it and cook the paratha on a hot tava with little oil and your garam garam paratha is ready :)

Chicken Roll

For the dough

• Wheat flour
• Maida
• Salt
• Oil
• Curd
• Water

1. I used wheat flour and maida in half n half quantity, mix all the above ingredients and make a dough.
2. Brush some oil on the dough, cover it and allow it to rest for an hour.

For the filling

• Shredded chicken
• Ginger garlic paste  
• Red chili pwdr
• Cumin pwdr
• Garam masala pwdr
• Coriander pwdr
• Tomato ketchup - 2 tbsp
• Tandoori chicken masala
• Lemon juice - 2 tsp
• Onions - thinly sliced
• Red food colour - optional (i dint use it)
• Eggs
• Salt
• Oil

Method

Heat oil in a pan, add onions, g & g paste and fry until golden brown.
Add rest of the ingredients except tomato ketchup and eggs, give it a good mix.
Let this cook on medium flame until the chicken is soft and tender.
Now add tomato ketchup and mix, roast the mixture until it becomes dry.

Whisk one egg with little salt and keep aside.
Take small portion of the dough and roll it to a 8 inch roti.
Put the roti on tawa...when it is half cooked, spread some oil on one side of the roti and pour the whisked egg on it and spread it evenly , now flip the roti and cook it ( should be quick while doing this or else the roti will get burnt)

Place the egg - roti on a plate and add 2 - 3 tbsp of the chicken filling and some raw sliced onions in a line down the center of the roti and roll it tightly and poke a toothpick in the center, so that roll doesn't fall apart.

Relish the yummmyyyyy roll :)