Shahi Biryani

Ingredients:
1/2 kg mutton-cut into small pieces
1 cup onions-finely sliced
ghee for frying the onions
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup clotted cream
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves-to garnish

Mix together and marinate the meat in it for 4 hours
1 cup onions-grated
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp black cumin seeds
salt to taste
1 cup yoghurt
1 tsp garam masala

Rice
2 cups basmati rice-cleaned and soaked in water
2 green cardamoms
2 cloves
1/2 tsp black cumin seeds
a piece of cinnamon-broken into smaller pieces
salt to taste
1/2 tsp saffron-soaked in 1/4 cup of warm milk
2 tbsp ghee

Method:
Heat enough ghee in a broad heavy-based pan.
Fry the onions till brown and crisp.

Strain onions from the ghee and transfer on to an absorbent paper and set aside.

In 1/2 cup of the ghee that is left in the pan,
add the cumin seeds and bay leaf,
stir a few times till they change color a little and keeping the heat high,
add in the meat mixture.

Stir-fry meat over high heat till the pieces look opaque.
Lower the heat, partially cover and simmer,
stirring a few times till the meat is tender.

Saute till the water dries up and fat separates.
Add water and cook further, in case meat has not cooked through.
If meat cooks through before the water dries up, uncover the pan,
and let water evaporate over high heat.

Remove pan from stove and add the fried onions,
cream and coriander leaves and mix well.

While the meat is cooking, drain the rice and set aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons of ghee and add the black cumin seeds,
cardamom, cloves and cinnamon.
Stir a few times and add the rice and the salt.

Now add 2 1/2 cups of water, and bring to boil.
Lower heat, cover and let the rice cook for 8 minutes.

Shut off heat, leaving pan on stove.
The rice should be almost done.

Half an hour before serving, divide the rice and meat into halves each.
Take half the meat out of the pan, leaving one layer at the bottom.

Spread this layer well in the pan.
Now cover this with a layer of half the rice, sprinkle half the saffron flavoured milk over it, and then add the second layer of meat and finally the other half of the rice.

Sprinkle the rest of the milk and saffron mixture over rice.
Seal pan with wheat flour and place on a griddle over low flame for half an hour.

Alternatively, arrange in an ovenproof dish and place in a pre-heated oven for about half an hour.

Serve in the same dish or mix gently and transfer on to a serving dish.




Courtesy: Chef Roopa Gulati

Chettinad Urlai Roast

Ingredients:
Chettinad masala
1 grated coconut
10 gm whole red chillies
15 gm coriander seeds
15 gm ginger
15 gm garlic
5 gm cinnamon
5 gm cardamoms
5 gm cloves
3 gm kalpasi bark (stone flower)
3 gm star anise seeds
5 gm black pepper corns
3 gm curry leaves
2 gm turmeric powder

Urlai roast:
1/2 kg boiled small potatoes
1 tsp chettinad masala
2 tbsp oil
4 chopped onions
3 chopped tomatoes
1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste
3 slit green chillies
5-6 curry leaves
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp red chilli powder
4 tsp coriander powder
1/2 cup of water
coriander leaves

Method:
Keep boiled and peeled potatoes aside

For the chettinad masala:
gently shallow roast coconut, whole red chillies, coriander seeds, ginger, garlic, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves, kalpasi bark, star anise seeds, black pepper corns, curry leaves and turmeric powder.

Grind the shallow roasted spices to a fine paste.
The Chettinad masala is ready.

For the main preparation:
heat oil in pan.
Add onions in the pan and saute them till translucent.
Now add tomatoes, ginger garlic paste, green chillies, and curry leaves, turmeric powder, red chillies, coriander leaves and salt.

Pour water and cook the paste till it turns thick.
Then add the boiled potatoes and the chettinad masala.

Cook for 3-4 minutes till it becomes dry.

Urlai Roast is ready.
Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with rice or appams.




Courtesy: Chef Praveen Anand, 

Red Chilli Prawns

Ingredients:
4 large prawns
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small bowl chopped garlic
1/4 bowl Kashmiri dried red chillies
salt - to taste

Method:
Clean the prawns and cut the arms and whiskers but keep the heads and shells intact.
Heat the oil in a pan and add the garlic and red chillies.
Cook for about one minute.

Now add the prawns and stir for 30 seconds.
Then leave them to cook for a minute and a half without covering.

As it turns pink in color, switch off the gas.
Serve hot.




Courtesy: Chef Malvika Singh, 

Hamburgers and Fries

Ingredients:
250 gm minced mutton
4 tbsp onions - finely chopped
1/2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
salt - to taste
oil
3-4 tbsp butter
3-4 burger buns
4 tomato slices
4 onion slices
coleslaw (optional)
mayonnaise (optional)

For French Fries
3-4 large potatoes
salt - to taste
pepper (optional)
oil - for deep frying

Method:
Mix the minced mutton, onion, garlic-ginger paste, salt and pepper together.
Shape the mixture in 3 or 4 round patties and refrigerate for an hour.

Shallow fry these patties by browning both sides over a high heat, then lower the heat and let them cook through and remove.

In the same pan, melt some butter, slit the buns in half and semi-toast them in the butter.
Now make the hamburger with onion and tomato slices, coleslaw or mayonnaise.

Serve with ketchup or mustard and fries.

For French Fries
Peel and slice the potatoes into 'fingers'.
Boil some water with a pinch of salt.

When it boils, add the potatoes, switch off the fire and leave for 5-6 minutes.
Take the potatoes out and drain them well or wipe dry.

Heat oil in a pan and add the potato fingers.
Lower the heat to medium and fry till almost cooked.

Then remove from the oil and drain.
Just before serving fry the same potato fingers over a high heat till golden brown.

Sprinkle some salt and pepper and serve.



Courtesy: Chef Niru Gupta

MANGALOREAN PINEAPPLE CURRY

Ingredients:
1 kg chicken
1 green mango, chopped
½ pineapple, chopped
½ tsp red chili powder
¾ tsp turmeric powder
1½ tsp palm sugar
oil
salt to taste
fresh coriander for garnishing

Ingredients for dry masala:
1 tsp sesame seeds
1 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi)
1 tbsp grated coconut

Ingredients for tadka:
1 tsp mustard seeds
6-7 curry leaves


Method:
In a pan roast the ingredients for the dry masala, then grind or pound them together.

Blend the pineapple and green mango together into a thick puree.

Sear the chicken in 3 tbsp of oil and some salt till it is half cooked and turns golden brown.
Remove from pan and keep aside.

Pour the pineapple puree into the same pan with the left over oil from the chicken.

Mix in the red chili powder, turmeric powder, salt and palm sugar.

Add the ground dry masala and a dash of water.
Stir well for a few minutes.

Now add the chicken to the gravy and cook till tender.

Heat 2 tsp of oil in another pan.
Saute the ingredients for tadka till they crackle.

Pour the tadka over the chicken.

Garnish and serve hot.




Courtesy: Chef Aditya Bal