Thursday, June 12, 2014

Biriani

Biriani

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 teacups basmati rice
curry of choice
3 cardamon pods
5 cloves
piece of cinnamon bark
5 curry leaves (preferably fresh, otherwise dried).
some strands of saffron
fried oninon rings

The curry can be whatever type of biriani you want to prepare - lamb, chicken, vegetable (mixed or a single vegetable curry). You will need enough for a single helping for one person

Method

Soak the saffron in a little hot water

Wash the rice and allow to dry.
Melt some ghee in a saucepan and stir in the rice
Add 3 1/2 teacups water with the cardamon, cloves, cinnamon, curry leaves and a little salt
Bring to the boil, turn the heat down, cover and cook for 10 minutes
Lift out the cinnamon bark

Grease the inside of a casserole with butter.
Add a layer of rice (about 1/3 of the rice) and pour in 1/3 the saffron water
Add a layer of curry then rice plus saffron water, curry and rice plus saffron again
Top with fried onion rings
Cover the casserole tightly and either place on the stove on a low heat for 10 minutes or in the oven for about 20 minutes

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Aloo dum

There are dozens of recipes for potato curry (often called Aloo Dum). I have adapted this recipe from a dish I cooked with Chef Lokesh Mathur in his cooking class in Jaipur.

Serves 4 as side dish

Ingredients

Peeled potatoes in 1 cm cubes, 16-20 pieces
1 red onion chopped
3 green cardamons
1 black cardamon
3 cloves
2 tsp ginger and garlic paste
1 flat teaspoon red chilli powder
1 heaped teaspoon coriander powder
Tube of tomato puree
1 heaped tablespoon ot cashew nuts and melon seeds ground together
Yogurt, preferably Greek style, full fat 
small handful methi (fenugreek) leaves.

Method

Boil potatoes for about 10 minutes (until just cooked). Drain and set aside
Fry onions in some oil until golden brown
Add crushed cardamons and cloves, ginger & garlic paste, chilli and coriander powders and two generous squeezes of tomato puree. Fry for a few minutes.
Add ground cashew and melon seeds 
Add enough water to give a good paste
Stir in the yogurt and the methi leaves
Add salt to taste
Add the cooked potatoes and stir to coat them evenly
Cook briefly to heat the potatoes