Vegetable Dum Briyani

Hyderabadi Dum Vegetable Biryani is a recipe from the land of the 'Nawabs'. The hyderabadi vegetable biryani recipe is full of spices, aromatic and extremely delicious. An authentic Briyani is always slow cooked, the slow cooking gives the Briyani a medley of aromas which makes it unique.

Ingredients ( serves 3-4 )

For masala

1/2 tsp shahi jeera

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp Fennel seeds ( saunf)

1/2 tsp mustard powder/ mustard seeds

2 cloves 

2-3 black pepper corns

2 green cardamon

1 green chili

6-7 curry leaves

6-7 mint leaves

salt to taste

2Tbsp whisked curd

For Briyani

1 inch piece of cinnamon 

1 cup basmati rice ( soaked in water for 1/2 an hour)

2 medium sized onions ( finely chopped)

1 carrot ( chopped in cubes )

6-7 florets of cauliflower

1 potato ( chopped in big pieces)'

7-8 french beans ( finely chopped)

Saffron n milk

pinch of Yellow food color

1-2 tbsp desi ghee

salt to taste

Dough for sealing

Fresh coriander leaves and mint leaves for garnishing

Raita

1 medium sized onion ( finely chopped)
1 Green chili ( finely chopped)
3/4 Cup Whisked Curd
1/4 cup water
salt to taste
chopped fresh coriander for garnishing

Procedure

Fry the masala in oil and add chopped onions, grind it into a paste, let it cool for few minutes and add curd, add salt to taste and mix well. Keep Aside.

Shallow fry ur choice of cut vegetables, cauliflower, potato, carrots, french beans, add to the masala and mix well.

Cook basmati rice add 1/2 tsp ghee while cooking and 1/4 tsp salt. Strain out 1/2 the quantity and to the remaining add yellow food color. Drain out the startch. 

Now fry finely chopped onions in ghee, add a piece of cinamon, put half of the fried onions for first layer in a deep pan, spread out white rice, top it with veg masala, cover the rice completely, now add a layer of yellow rice,if u have more rice and veg masala repeat the process. Add fried onions on top. Warm 2 tbsp milk and add 6-7 threads of saffron sprinkle it on top of the briyani.

Spread 3-4 mint leaves and cover the pot and seal it with dough. Put a tawa and leave the pot on it and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes on low flame.

Raita

Mix all the ingredients and it's ready to serve.

Mirchi ka salan

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Serve with Mirchi ka Salan and Raita

Mirchi Ka Salan

Hyderabadi Briyani for me is incomplete without mirchi ka salan. It has deep fried long chilies in a thick gravy made with sesame seeds, peanuts and few other spices. 

Ingredients

5-6 long green chillies , slit it 

1 tsp jeera
1/2 tsp mustard seeds 
1/4 tsp methi seeds
1/4 tsp kalonji
6 curry leaves
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp coriander powder
2 tsp chilli powder
1 tbsp tamarind pulp
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander 
5 tbsp oil
Salt to taste

To Be Ground Into A Dry  Powder

2 tbsp roasted peanuts2 tbsp roasted sesame seeds 1 tbsp roasted cumin seeds

To Be Ground Into A Paste

6 cloves of garlic  1/2 inch piece of ginger1/2 cup chopped onions1 cup chopped tomatoes3 tbsp grated coconut


Procedure

Fry chilies in hot oil until they turn whitish in colour. Remove and keep aside.In the same oil, add the cumin seeds, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, nigella seeds and curry leaves.When the seeds crackle, add the paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add the turmeric powder, coriander-cumin seed powder, chilli powder and powdered peanut-sesame mixture. Cook over a medium flame, stirring continuously until the oil separates.Add 2 cups of water and tamarind pulp and bring it to a boil.Add the fried green chillies, coriander and salt and simmer until the gravy thickens.

Jalebi

Jalebi is a popular Indian sweet dish. 





Ingredients

For Jalebi

1 cup All Purpose Flour ( Maida)
2 Tbsp Gram Flour ( Besan)
1/4 tsp Baking Powder
1 Cup Water
1-2 Tbsp All Purpose Flour ( to be added after fermentation)
Oil for frying
Icing bag with medium nozzle


For Syrup

1 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Water
1/4 tsp Saffron
1/4 tsp Lemon Juice


Procedure

 Jalebi batter

In a mixing bowl, take all purpose flour, add 2 tbsp gram flour, a pinch of baking soda. Mix well, add water add 3/4 cup first mix well, to reach the desired consistency add more. Stir the batter briskly for 4-5 minutes. This will help adding volume to the batter and make it even and smooth. The batter should have a flowing consistency. Now cover and leave the batter overnight for fermenting in a warm place. The fermented batter will have some bubbles on the top. Stir the batter and you will observe the batter has become slightly diluted. So to reach the desired consistency and make it thicker add 1-2 tbsp all purpose flour. Mix well.this is how the batter looks the next day. you will see small bubbles on the top.

Now pour the batter into an icing/piping bag.

Sugar Syrup

Take sugar in a pan, add saffron strands to it.  Add water, keep the pan on low flame and keep stiring so the sugar dissolves. Cook till you get one string consistency in the sugar syrup. Turn off the flame and add lemon juice. Stir well. Keep the sugar syrup warm by leaving it on the burner itself.

Heat oil for deep frying in a pan. ( Using Desi Ghee gives better flavor) Add a tiny amount of batter to the oil to see if its ready for frying. Now squeeze the icing bag and make rings with the batter. Starting from the center move around. It requires a little effort to get the desired shape. Fry from both sides till golden brown, using a tong drain the excess oil into the pan and put the jalebi in the sugar syrup. Keep them in the hot syrup for 2-3 minutes. Remove using the tong and shake lightly to remove excess syrup. Serve hot you can also serve jalebis with curd. Garnish with fresh red rose petals!!!

Curd Rice ( Yogurt Rice)

Curd Rice is a dish of South India. Curd in India refers to unsweetened yogurt. It's an ultimate comfort food. It boosts digestion and works best for indigestion. High in Calcium and good fats, it is a natural substitute for pro-biotic.



Ingredients

1/2 cup cooked Rice
1.5 cup Thick curd
1 Tbsp finely chopped Ginger
1 Tbsp finely chopped green chilies
1 tsp split urad dal ( White Bengal Gram)
1 tsp mustard seeds
6-7 curry leaves
1 Tbsp Oil/ghee for tadka
pinch of asfoetida ( hing)
Salt to taste
pomegranate seeds and finely chopped coriander for garnishing


Procedure

Smoothen the curd with a hand blender, keep aside. Heat oil in a pan and add urad dal, once it becomes light brown add asfoetida, mustard seeds, curry leaves, ginger n chili. Add this tadka to the Curd. Add salt and cooked rice. Mix well. 
Garnish with chopped coriander and Pomegranate seeds!!!