ROASTED CORN SALAD

Ingredients:
Corn kernel – 1 ½ cup
Onion – 1 small, chopped finely
Tomato – 1 medium, chopped finely
Cucumber – 1 chopped, finely
Green chili – 1 chopped
Fresh chopped coriander leaves
Jeera powder – ½ tsp
Red chili powder – ¼ tsp
Lemon juice – 1 tsp
Salt

Cooking Procedure:
Take 1 tsp oil in a pan. Add corn and roast till they get cooked. Then add red chili powder, salt and mix well. Remove from pan immediately or the red chili powder will burn and keep aside to cool. After the corn gets cooled add the chopped onion, tomato, cucumber, green chilies, jeera powder, lemon juice, and finally add chopped coriander leaves.
You can use fresh as well as frozen corn kernel. I barbeque the corns remove the kernels and freeze them in small freezer bags, so that I can use one packet at a time to make the salad. In that case I add the red chili powder and salt after I thaw the corn.

COUSCOUS SALAD

Ingredients:
Couscous – 1 cup
Water – 2 ½ cups
Butter – 1 tbsp
Salt – 1 tsp
Ginger – 3-4 slices
Green peas – ¼ cup
Chickpeas – 15 oz can
Onion – 1 medium, chopped
Tomato – 2 small, deseeded and chopped
Cucumber – 2 small, chopped
Jalapeno – 1, deseeded and chopped
Freshly chopped coriander leaves
Roasted cumin powder – ½ tsp
Lemon juice – 1 tbsp
Extra virgin olive oil – 2tbsp
Salt

Cooking procedure:
Put the water in a pot. Add butter, salt, ginger and green peas to the water and bring it to a boil. Now remove the pot from the burner and add the couscous. Cover the pan with the lid and keep aside for couscous to cook. Let the couscous cool down completely. Fluff the couscous with fork. In a big bowl add onion, tomato, cucumber, jalapeno and coriander leaves. Mix well then add chickpeas, cumin powder, lemon juice, salt and olive oil. Mix well and then add the couscous. Mix everything well and keep the salad aside for 15-20 mins , so that the couscous takes the flavors from the vegetables. You can eat this salad cold. It’s a meal in itself and is very good for picnics.

HYDERABADI MURGH BIRYANI

Ingredients:
Garam masala:
Black pepper – 2 tbsp
Cloves – 1 tsp
Green cardamom – 6-7
Black cardamom – 2
Cinnamon stick – 2”

Grind all the above ingredients to form a fine powder.

Chicken – 1 lbs
Ginger Garlic paste – 2 tbsp
Green chilies – 4-5
Fried onion* - 1/3 cup + 2-3 tbsp for layering
Yogurt – ¾ cup
Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
Red chili powder – 1 tbsp
Freshly chopped coriander leaves
Freshly chopped mint leaves
Oil
Potato chips of 1 potato, thinly sliced

Rice – 1.5 lbs, 3 cups
Water – 9 cups
Cinnamon stick – 1”
Cardamom – 3-4
Cloves – 3-4
Shahijeera (caraway seeds) – ¼ tsp
Salt
Milk – 200 ml
Saffron – 4-5 strands

Cooking procedure:
To marinate the chicken, take the yogurt in a big bowl. Add ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chili powder, 1 tsp garam masala, 3-4 tbsp of oil and whisk well. Then add then green chilies, fried onions, 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves, 1 tbsp chopped mint leaves and salt. Mix well and then add the chicken. Massage the chicken properly with the marinate using your hands. Cover the bowl and keep aside to marinate for 2-3 hours.
Add the saffron to the milk and keep aside.

Prepare the heavy bottom pot in which you are making the biryani by spreading the potato chips at the bottom. Now put the marinated chicken over the potato chips. Spread the chicken evenly.

Wash the rice till the water runs clear. Drain the rice in colander and keep aside. Mean while in a big pot, bring the water to a boil. Add the cinnamon stick, cardamom, cloves, shahijeera and salt. Then add the rice and boil it on medium high heat till the rice gets half cooked.

If you pinch the grain of rice and if it’s a little soft, then its time to drain it. Immediately put half of the drained rice above the chicken. Evenly sprinkle some garam masala, chopped coriander leaves, mint leaves and fried onions over the rice.

Now top it with remaining rice. Finally pour the saffron milk and 3-4 tbsp of melted ghee evenly over the rice. Transfer the pot to the burner. Cover the pot and cook on medium heat for first 10 minutes. Then sprinkle some water, cover and then cook on low heat for 30-35 mins. Serve with raita and mirchi ka salan.

* I have used store bought fried onions. While buying fried onions make sure to take a look at the ingredients, it should contain only onion, oil and salt. Some times they add cornflour or maida to make the onions crispier fast. That changes the taste and texture of the gravy. To make fried onions at home, slice the onion and fry them on medium flame, stirring continuously till they become dark brown. Then remove the onions on the paper towel and spread them evenly in a thin layer so that they remain crispy.

You can fry the onions a day before you plan to make the biryani. Also marinate the chicken a day before and the next day you just need to layer the biryani and cook. Also you can use dough to cover the lid, so that the vapor doesn’t escape and gives the dum effect. I sometimes use dough to cover the lid and sometimes just put on the lid.

MIRCHI KA SALAN

Ingredients:
Jalapeño pepper – 8-9
Roasted peanuts – ¼ cup
Sesame seeds – ¼ cup
Dry grated coconut – 2 tbsp
Black pepper – 5-6
Cloves – 2-3
Cinnamon stick – 1”
Onion – 1 medium, chopped
Garlic – 3-4
Ginger – 1”
Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
Red chili powder – 1 tsp
Hing – a pinch
Salt
Tamarind pulp – ½ tsp

Cooking Procedure:
In a small fry pan add the sesame seeds and roast till light brown now add the roasted peanuts and roast for a minute (as they are already roasted). Then add the coconut and roast till golden brown. Now remove the pan from heat and keep aside to cool. Now grind these seeds to a fine paste. If required, add little water while grinding. Make ginger garlic paste.
Remove the stem of the chilies and cut them lengthwise into two pieces. Remove the seeds and the white pulp which is the hot part of a chilland keep aside. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan and add the chilies. Fry the chilies for 2-3 mins, then remove and keep aside. Frying will remove the raw flavor from the chilies. In the same pan add 2-3 tbsp of oil and add the cloves, black pepper and cinnamon stick. Then add the onion and sauté till golden brown. Then add ginger garlic paste and fry for 2 minutes. Then add the sesame seeds paste and fry till oil seperates. Then add the turmeric powder, hing, red chili paste and salt. Mix well and then add water as per the required consistency. Finally add the tamarind pulp and boil for 5 more minutes. Serve hot. This salan tastes good with naan, rice or biryani.

KASHMIRI DUM ALOO

Ingredients:
Baby potato – 12-13
Garlic – 2-3, chopped
Kashimiri chili powder – 1 tsp (I used red chili paste)
Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
Hing – a pinch
Cloves – 3-4
Yogurt – 3-4 tbsp
Salt
For ground masala –
Jeera – 1 ½ tsp
Cinnamon stick – 1”
Green cardamom – 3-4
Seeds of Black cardamom – 2
Dry ginger powder - ¼ tsp

Cooking Procedure:
Boil the potatoes, peel them and poke holes with fork. Poking the potatoes inserts oil in the potato and eventually the spices. Now deep fry the potatoes and keep aside.
Grind the cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, green cardamom, black cardamom and dry ginger powder into a fine powder.
Heat two tbsp of oil in a pan. Add cloves, garlic, turmeric powder and kashmiri chili powder. Mix and then add yogurt (whisk the yogurt before adding). Mix well, then add the ground masala. Bring it to a boil and add the potatoes. Mix well and let cook till the oil seperates for about 10 mins. Serve hot with chapatti/ rice.