Back with some Biriyani

After a long time, i am typing something for the blog. I love to write, at least I used to love. But typing (not writing) is not my happy-mood thing. This blog also started out of boredom. It was during 2012, I left my 1st job because it was monotonous; I was waiting for the second job confirmation (that was monotonous too, but at that time I thought of getting enough time for my hobbies along with good payment, what a wrong view I had!!!). Anyway, so during that waiting period, I was busy in cooking and making my friends eat those experimented foods; and I started sharing those experiences through this blog. It was kind of lovely experimental time. Once I got the job (the same job I am in now, completed 5 years, yeaaah,!!!), the cooking continued, but typing and posting was never the same. As I told, the job did not give me time for my hobbies during the 1st two years.

After the last post in 2014, so many things happened in life:: Induction training,few more trainings in different places, after a long discussion between the families finally married to 'college-friend cum long time love of my life" Mr Sarmah, experienced working with a Bad boss and fighting in workplace, late honeymoon to Rajasthan, a few more trips during last two years, lost my Father-in-law- a very kind person who used to prefer chicken biriyani cooked by me (just like my husband), became mother of a healthy baby and just like that my 35th birthday is around the corner.

Now I am on maternity leave till August and this writing flu is again showing it's symptoms. Symptom like sharing stories of all those special events which happened during  last few years. But before all that, I need to push myself to write ( type, precisely) and complete the first post of this year. So here is a old recipe presenting in new way with new pics.

17th June was Father's day. It was the first Father's day for my husband Mr Sarmah, as Deuta (in Assamese, father).

Also my parents are here, because of the baby. So I was able to celebrate the day with my Baba (in Bengali, Father).

First I planned to cook different tasty foods, searching for Father's Day special menu ideas. But then I did something else. I asked my hubby and my Baba about their favorite foods and guess what? Both replied same things. Luchi and Chholar daal (Poori and bengal gram lentil) in Breakfast; Chicken biriyani and some sweet thing in Lunch. It made work less for me. I am always lucky with the men in my life; they are not fussy and always helpful. 

So this was the lunch.

Paneer biriyani was there for Mother-in-law, a first time attempt and what I can say, it was so tasty, that we all had it. But since this post is about my old love of biriyani, so I will stick to less spicey but full of flavour Chicken biriyani.

Chicken biriyani for 4:

Biriyani Rice 3 cups (washed and soaked in water for 15mins, mixed with 2teaspoon refined oil and salt). This will help to make the rice non-sticky.

Chicken 500gm, you can use less or more as per your requirements.

Marinated this chicken overnight in paste of 2 big onions, 10/12 cloves garlic, 1inch ginger, 4 green chillies, 5 cardamom,2 1inch cinnamon, 1 tablespoon cumin powder, half cup liquid garlic butter, salt.

Onion 2 big for frying, make big slices

10/15 cardamom

1 cinnamon of 10cm

Cloves 5/6

Star anise 1

Nutmeg 1small piece

2 bay leaves

Saffron few strands soaked in milk

That's it. See no chilly powder, no curd. You can add cashew if you want. 

Generally the biriyani is full of spices and after eating this we are going to need a walk to digest all these spices and oil. The mailn masala is garam masala, which has beautiful fragrance but it is very rich in taste. But a few years back, I and Mr Sarmah (before becoming Mr and Mrs ), tasted biriyani in a restaurant, which was very mild in spices but made our heart (yes tummy too) full. I loved the smell of garam masala but the food was not at all spicey. We loved that biriyani and I started to recreate that biriyani. The first trial was a hit and I was finally able to cook biriyani which has the rich aroma of GARAM MASALA but does not have lots of spices. The procedure is a simple one and I shared the same recipe with one of my cousine and they loved it. According to her, the best thing about this biriyani was they did not have any medicine to digest the food. Hmmm that's another good reason for you to try this.

Now, i will type the procedure of cooking and finally post it. This is the most tiresome part for me. I will finish typing it soon.

Cook the soaked rice with all the whole masalas, in a pressure cooker. You will need 4 cups and little less than half cup of water to cook rice. Put the flame in high, one whistle and immediately turn off the heat. Let the gas pass and open the lid. Take out the whole masalas and spread tge rice in plate. You need to make it completely cool, otherwise while making the layers for biriyani, rice will become soggy.

In the mean time, heat sufficient amount of oil in a wok. Put the chicken pieces and cook in very low flame. Keep the marinated masalas for later use. Turn the pieces once it becomes red in one side. In this way chicken will become tender.

Take out the chickens. Fry the onuons in that oil with medium heat. Once onions are red and fried (not burnt), take it out, keep the oil for later use.

Now the final part. Put a tawa on stove. Place the pressure cooker on it. Use the oil now. Add the marinated masala. Spread half portion of rice on this. Place the chicken pieces. Add the rest of the rice. Spread the fried onions. Pour the saffron milk. Close the cooker lid, without whistle. Put the heat on high for 3mins. Now make the heat low and very slowly and carefully shake the cooker. Again after 5min shake tge cooker very slowly. And the biriyani is ready. Shaking should be done very carefully. This will mix the lower level of marinated masalas and other ingredients with rice properly; but if shaken fast or hard, it will make the rice sticky and you will lose the proper taste of biriyani.

Yes, finally done typing my post, the first post in a long time. Hope you enjoy the recipe and give it a try. Anyone who is afraid of indigestion (which is common in Bengalis), can give this a try, you will not have acidity or any unwanted burp! 

We all had this fruity punch after the biriyani. My father liked it so much that today, on Jamai soshthi, he wants this again. Just enjoy the view, I will tell the recipe in my future posts.

In a few days will come with another biriyani and some other story.
 Till then Bye.

Rui mach-er Kalia - Spicy Rohu Curry

A Bengali meal is incomplete without fish and the most popular among them is Rui or Rohu.  Rohu is easily available in any Indian fish market and also it is one of the most affordable fish you can find. There are a number of preparations for rohu such as Jhal (extra spicy curry), Jhol (a simple gravy with vegetables like Potato, Cauliflower & granished with Coriander leaves), Kalia (a spicy recipe in tomato & onion gravy), Bhaja (plain fry) & Dom (Steamed recipe in a mustard-poppy-curd paste).

I prepared the Rui maach-er Kalia after knowing it's popularity in my non-Bengali friend's home. There, they ask me the simple question, "what is the meaning of Kalia?" & I could not answer it. I know the dish but did not know how to make them understand. So I googled & found the name meaning and the proper recipe as well. In every recipe I found "garlic paste" but at our home, Ma always said "fresh fish does not need garlic & onions". So I modified the recipes & created my own recipe without Garlic & I did not make paste of onions. 

One interesting thing, I helped R to find his another favorite dish "Rui maach-er kali". Now R loves the dish so much that if I want to prepare kalia with some other fishes, R has no problem in doing some household works; what a help!

• Rohu Fish – 500 grms cut into medium sized pieces 

• Potatoes – 3 large, cut into long thick slices (many prefer to dice it in round shapes even)

• Tomato – 2 medium sized finely chopped

• Onion – 1, thin sliced 

• Ginger paste – 1 tbsp

• Cumin seeds – ½ tsp

• Cumin powder – 1 tsp

• Turmeric powder – 3 tsp 

• Red Chili Powder – 1/2 tsp (optional)

• Mustard Oil – For frying the fish & cooking

• Green chilies – 3 to 4

• Coriander leaves – finely chopped

• Salt & sugar to taste

Method:

1. Wash the fish pieces thoroughly in water and pat dry. In a bowl put the fish, add salt and turmeric and rub the spices in the fish pieces. Keep aside for 30 mins.
2. Once the fish pieces have absorbed the turmeric and salt, heat mustard oil in a kadai. The oil should be adequate enough for frying. 
3. Once the smoke starts coming slowly slide the fish pieces one by one. Make sure you don’t crowd them in the kadai. Also make sure the oil is well heated otherwise the fish will stick to the bottom of the kadai. 
4. Fry both the sides of the fish in medium heat. Once done, take the fish pieces out, drain the excess oil and keep aside. Now in the same oil add the potato pieces and fry them till they are light golden brown in color. Fried potatoes add a special flavor. 
5. Pour out the excess oil from the kadai in a separate dish and keep 4 tbsps of oil in the kadai. Rohu Kalia is a spicy and oily dish. So if you have excess oil, it does not matter. I don’t use fresh oil because, the smell & taste of the fish remains in the oil and makes the dish tastier. 
6. Now re-heat oil in the same kadai. Add whole jeera and let it splutter. Now add ginger paste, fry for some time. Add onion and fry till the onions become soft & little brown. Add finely chopped tomatoes and fry again. Once the tomato starts to cook, add cumin powder, turmeric, salt, sugar, red chili powder and slit green chilies. 
7. Fry the entire mixture for few minutes and keep adding water from time to time. Once the entire mixture has cooked add the potatoes and fish pieces. Add adequate water. Usually Rohu curry will have a spicy thick gravy. The amount of gravy depends upon your requirement 
8. In a medium heat let the fish and potato cook. Cover the kadai with a lid. Check from time to time and stir occasionally. Once the potato is soft and fish is done sprinkle chopped coriander leaves and stir once. Turn off the heat. 
9. Pour the entire content in a big dish. Garnish with coriander leaves and slit green chilies. 
10. Serve hot with white rice. Your Spicy Rohu Curry or Rui Macher Kalia is ready to eat.

Honey-Orange Chicken with Sesame Sauce

To the 8-years Old Friendship! To Yambem & Bunny! Love you Both.

This one was our in our 31st Night Girls-In Party Dinner. I and my old friend Nandita (we share the same Name!) Yambem spent a great 31st night with her 2 years old son Boon. Boon was busy in his cute-naughty things & I was busy with trying some new recipes. My friend Yambem was taking care of us :) But that night, we missed our old friend & my best friend Nabamita, the third member of our "N-Team" (our name starts with 'N').

This recipe went very well with the Pulao. I was not able to post the recipes regularly because of a major incident of my life. Now I have done my work for that "Major Thing", now waiting for the result. Wish me Luck! After the result, I'll be very much regular in posting. I have so much recipes to share with you all. In the mean time, you can visit my Facebook page "Foods from my Kitchen".

I am sorry I could not take the photo, as my friend R, who always reminds me about taking photographs after I finish cooking something, was not present on that day. But I would love if any of my readers share their photo.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup(s) fresh orange juice

1/3 cup(s) orange blossom or clover honey

1 teaspoon(s) grated ginger

1 teaspoon(s) garlic

1 teaspoon(s) orange zest

1 teaspoon(s) salt

1/8 teaspoon(s) ground black pepper

500gm Chicken

1 teaspoon(s) vegetable oil

1 teaspoon(s) toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon(s) toasted sesame seeds

Recipe:

1. Combine juice, honey, ginger, garlic, zest, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Add chicken; stir to coat. Cover; refrigerate 30 minutes.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat until hot; add vegetable oil and swirl to coat. Lift chicken from marinade and let excess drip back into bowl. When oil is hot, add chicken and cook over medium heat 3 minutes per side, or until golden brown.

3. Add reserved marinade to skillet and boil over medium-high heat, turning chicken once or twice, 3 to 5 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and sauce is reduced by half. Transfer chicken to a cutting board, cut into diagonal slices, and arrange on a platter. Stir sesame oil into thickened sauce and spoon it over chicken. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Sfiha

Sfiha are meat pies widely spread in the middle east specially in Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine and Iraq. Sfiha is an appetizer that is prepared at homes specially during Ramadan and the dough can be bought from pastry restaurants.

This Eid special appetizer was my first attempt with egg & we liked it very much. Hope you like my modified recipe & send me your feedback :)

Ingredients - Sfiha:

Maida - 500gm
oil - 2bs

Egg - 2

Tomato - 2 large, finely chopped

Onion - 4 medium, finely chopped

salt
sugar
Carrot - 2 medium, grated

Black pepper - 1teaspoon

Tahini - 1 tbls (sesame paste)

Pomegranate juice - 1 tbls (if available)

Method:


1. Sieve the maida well with salt, sugar and place in a flat dish. Make a bay in the center and put a little of oil for leavening. Add warm water and make a stiff dough.

2. Beat the eggs in a bowl. Heat oil in kadai & add onions, tomatoes, carrots and spices. Add sesame paste and pomegranate juice. Lower the flame. Saute for 10-12mins. When the vegetable mixture becomes soft, add eggs & keep tossing until the egg gets mixed well with the vegetables. Turn off the heat & keep aside the mixture. 

3. Divide dough into walnut size balls. Roll between hand palms to smooth.

4. Roll out balls with a rolling pin to form 8 cm diameter circles. Put one tbls of egg mixture on dough circle seeing that a cube is in each spoon.
5. Apply the flour paste along the edges and fold over to make a semi-circle. Pinch at the outer rim.
6. Arrange egg pastries in a tray brushed with butter. Bake in a moderate heat oven (180° C) for 30 minutes or till dough is golden.

7. Serve hot.

(The original recipe adapted from homemade-recipes)

Chicken Kabsa

Chicken Kabsa is one of the most popular dishes in Saudi Arabia. The recipe is less oily, less spicy & very tasty with a beautiful aroma. Hope you like it. The recipe (with a little modification) is here.
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Ingredients:

1 2/12 - 3 pound chicken, cut into eight pieces

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 (12 ounce) can tomato puree

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

2 medium onions, sliced

5 cloves garlic, crushed

2 medium carrots, grated

4 cardamom pods

3 sticks cinnamon

Salt and pepper to taste

1 pound long grain rice

1/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup sliced almonds

I have removed the orange rind & added 4tbs lemon juice in the recipe.

Method:

1. Saute onion in oil until it begins to brown. Add chicken pieces, tomato puree, chopped tomatoes and garlic and stir for about five minutes over low heat.

2. Stir in three cups hot water, grated carrot, spices, salt and pepper to taste.

3. Cook over medium heat, covered, about 20-25 minutes, until chicken is done.

4. Remove chicken. Set aside to keep warm.

5. Stir rice into the liquid in the pan, and cook, covered over low heat for about 35 - 40 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. Add lemon juice & toss properly.

6. Put rice on a serving platter with chicken pieces arranged around the circumference. Toss raisins and almonds over all.

Serves: 6

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(The original recipe is adapted from homemade-recipes)

Fish Biriyani with Thekera

I have tried biriyani in different flavors, but this time I tried biriyani with fish & added a tangy flavor. So here is my recipe. Hope you enjoy it & send me some of your feedback :)

Ingredients:

1 large - Capsicum, cut into small diamond shapes

2 medium - Onion, chopped

3 cups thekera soaked water (soaked for whole night)

1 large - Carrot, grated

2 - Chilly

1 cup - Dhania patta, chopped

200gm - Fish

4 tbs - thekera paste

2 cups - Basmati Rice

Salt To Taste

Turmeric powder

1 tb spoon - garam masala

2 - bay leaves

1 tbs - Sesame seeds

4 - cardamom

2 - Cinnamon sticks

6 - raisins

Rice:Water - 1: 1 1/2

Method:

1. Wash & soak rice for half an hour. Soak kismis in water.

2. In the cooker heat refined oil; add bay leaves, cardamom, cinnamon, thekera water, drained rice and salt.

3. Cook on high flame & wait for the cooker to whistle once. Turn off the heat & let it set for 10-15 mins.

4. Spread rice on a plate to cool. 

5. Clean fish & marinate them with salt & turmeric powder for min 1/2 an hour.

6. In a kadai, heat oil & dip fry the fishes; keep in a separate plate. Keep the remaining oil in a bowl.

7. Take 3tbs of that oil (in which you fried the fishes) in the same kadai & add chopped onions. When onions become soft, add the vegetables. Add salt, dhania patta & chilly. Lower the flame. Saute for 6-7mins or until the vegetables become soft. Keep aside.

8. In that same kadai, heat 1tea spoon of that oil; add half of the cooked rice, add turmeric powder & saute for 3-4mins.

9. Now in the cooker, heat 1tbs of the fish-fried remaining oil. Add bay leaves, garam masala powder, sesame seeds & thekera paste.

10. Arrange a layer of the turmeric rice & then place the fishes and spread the remaining white rice over it.

11. Sprinkle lime juice, saffron with milk. Spread the fried vegetables.

12. Place the cooker (without the whistle) on heat & cook on medium flame for 5min.

13. Place the cooker in a kadai filled with water & cook on low heat for 10 min.

14. Garnish with dhania patta and fried onions. Serve hot.