Egg Biryani മുട്ട ബിരിയാണി

INGREDIENTS:

Basmati Rice - 1 cup

Onion – 2 medium, thinly sliced

Green chillies – 2 nos.

Ginger – 1 inch piece & 3 Garlic pods or 1 Tbsp.  ginger-garlic paste.

Tomato, chopped – 2 , medium

Coriander leaves – fistful

Mint leaves – fistful

Thick curd/plain yogurt - 3 Tbsp.

Fried Onions – 1 cup

Salt as needed

Oil - 2 Tbsp.

Ghee - 3 Tbsp.

Lemon Juice – 1 tsp.
Dry spices and powders for egg biryani  

• Star anise – 1
• Bay leaf – 1
• Shahi jeera / black cumin – 1/2 tsp.
• Green cardamoms – 3 nos
• Cloves – 3 or 4 nos.
• Cinnamon stick – 1 inch
• Black cardamom – 1 no.
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
• Red chilli Powder - 1 tsp.
• Homemade  Garam Masala Powder - 1 tsp.
• Freshly ground black pepper  – 1/2 tsp.

For the Eggs

• Eggs –3
• Red chilli powder -1/2 tsp.
• Gram flour/besan flour-1 tsp.
• Finely chopped onion – 1 Tbsp. (optional)
• Chopped coriander leaves – 1 tsp.
• Salt as needed

For Fried Onions 

• Onion for frying – 1medium, very thinly sliced
• Rice flour or corn flour – 1/2 tsp.
• Oil for deep frying 
   
        For Garnishing
• Fried Onions – 1 cup.
• Cashew nuts –10 nos.
• Raisins – 10 nos.
• Coriander Leaves - 1 tbsp.  finely chopped
• Ghee/clarified butter -1 tsp.
• Saffron - 3-4 strands
• Milk - 1 tbsp.

Preparation

• Wash and soak Basmati rice in water for 30-40 minutes. Drain the water completely and set the rice aside in a colander.
• Heat 1 Tsp. of ghee in a wide pan and sauté basmati rice in the pan for a few seconds. This step is optional but adds flavor to the biryani. Keep it aside.
• Hard boil 2 eggs, remove the shells and wash them. Give four long cuts on the white portion of each egg without separating them.
• Thinly slice 2 onions lengthwise and keep it ready. Wash well and finely chop mint and coriander leaves. Chop the tomatoes.
• Soak saffron in a tbsp. of warm milk. Keep it aside.

METHOD:

STEP – 1

How to make  Fried Onions – Cut 1 medium sized onion lengthwise into very thin slices, and ensure that they are almost of same thickness. Sprinkle corn flour on the slices and toss them. Heat oil in a deep pan till hot. Reduce the flame to medium. Add few onion slices at one time and deep fry until brown. Transfer them to an absorbent paper. Keep it aside.

STEP – 2

• Heat ghee in a wide, heavy- bottomed  pan and fry cashew nuts  stirring them on low flame. Fry them till they start changing color.Remove from the heat and transfer the cashews on to a plate lined with a paper towel.
• In the same pan, fry raisins stirring n a low flame as it might burn very quickly and impart an undesirable flavor and color. Fry till it turns a little brown . Remove them immediately from the heat and transfer them on to a plate lined with a paper towel. 
• Add 2 Tbsp. oil to the same pan, add the dry spices (Star anise, Shahi jeera / black cumin, Green cardamoms, Cloves, Cinnamon sticks, Black cardamom and allow them to sizzle.  Add bay leaves.
• Then add thinly sliced onions to the pan and saute until it turns golden brown. Add salt to speed up the process.
• Add slit green chillies and chopped tomatoes saute for a few more minutes.
• Add ginger-garlic paste and saute until the raw flavor of the ginger goes.
• Add mint and coriander leaves.
• Add Red chilli powder, black pepper powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder and salt needed. Saute well on medium flame until the raw flavor of the spice powder goes. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes on medium flame. Cook until the tomatoes turn mushy.
• Add yogurt/curd and cook for a further 3-4 minutes.
• Add 2 cup of water. When water starts boiling, add basmati rice and lemon juice. Mix well and cook covered. Check for salt by tasting the water. If it is slightly salty, it will be perfect once rice is cooked. When rice is three fourth done, you will see holes appearing on the surface. Add some fried onions, coriander leaves, mint leaves kept for garnishing, saffron soaked in milk and a tsp. of ghee.
• Reduce the heat to low and cook covered for another 10 minutes or until all the water is absorbed and the rice is soft. Mix gently until rice and egg masala are mixed well.

STEP – 3

How to prepare eggs for egg biryani

• In a bowl, break an egg, add chilli powder, chopped onion, salt need and gram flour (besan/kadalai mavu). Mix well.
• Coat well  the hard boiled eggs in the above mixture.
• Heat a tsp.  of oil in a pan and add the mixture along with the coated boiled eggs. Add finely chopped coriander leaves and cook until the mixture scrambles.

STEP – 4

Garnishing the Yummy Egg Biryani

• Add the hard boiled eggs and some egg scramble to the rice and mix well gently and

• Garnish Egg biryani with remaining scrambled eggs, fried onions, fried cashew nuts, fried Raisins, and chopped coriander leaves.  

• Serve egg biryani with a raita and papad or chips.

 

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Kerala Lunch : Rice with Curries

പാലക്കാടൻ മട്ട അരി ചോറും ചെറുപയർ തോരനും ചമ്മന്തിയും മുട്ട പൊരിച്ചതും –This is one of my most favorite lunch combination. It is  simple and quick to prepare.  This combination of side dishes along with rice is exceptionally tasty.

Green gram or Mung bean (whole moong beans) Stir Fry / Cherupayar thoran Recipe :: ചെറു പയർ  തോരൻ

Coconut Chutney recipe :: തേങ്ങ ചമ്മന്തി (കട്ട ചമ്മന്തി)

Egg Omelet Recipe :: മുട്ട  പൊരിച്ചത് (ഓംലെറ്റ്)

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Kerala Lunch -Rice with Curries

പാലക്കാടൻ മട്ട അരി ചോറും കൊഞ്ചു തീയലും ചെറു പയർ - കോവയ്ക്കാ തോരനും കപ്പ (മരച്ചീനി) പുഴുങ്ങിയതും _ This is one of my favorite lunch combination.

തീയൽ Recipe is here : Eggplant Theeyal (Vazhuthanenga Ulli  Teeyal)

Here is the recipe of tasty Cheru payar Kovaykka Thoran / Red Gram Ivy gourd Stir Fry / ചെറു പയർ കോവയ്ക്ക തോരൻ

കപ്പ പുഴുക്ക് Recipe  :: kappa puzhukku / Mashes Tapioca

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Shrimp Dum Biriyani Recipe / Prawn Dum Biriyani Recipe / Chemmen Biriyani Recipe

Here is the recipe of yummy Shrimp Dum Biriyani Recipe / Prawn Dum Biryani Recipe / Chemmen Biriyani / Hyderabadi Prawn Dum Biryani.

INGREDIENTS:

For the Rice

Long grain Basmati rice – 1 cup

Ghee – 1 tbsp. 

Thinly Sliced Red Onions – 1, medium sized

Cloves – 3

Cardamoms – 2

Bay leaves – 2

Cinnamon stick – 2 (1" pieces)

Fennel seeds – 1/2  tsp.

Star anise – 2

Water – 3 to 4 cups

Salt – to taste

Lemon juice – 1 Tsp.

To Marinade

Shrimps – 15-20  nos.

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Chilly powder – 1 tsp

Pepper powder – 1/2 tsp

Salt – As required

For the masala

Onion – 1 large, thinly sliced

Tomato – 1 medium, chopped

Fresh ginger-garlic paste – 2 tsp.

Green chillies – 2, sliced lengthwise

Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp.

Chilly powder – 1 tsp.

Coriander powder – 2 tsp.

Garam masala – 1.5 tsp

Mint leaves – 2 Tbsp., chopped

Cilantro – 1/4 cup, chopped

Salt – To taste

Oil – 2 Tbsp.

To Garnish

Onion – 1 medium, sliced very thin and deep fried in oil/ghee till brown

Cashews and raisins – 1/4 cup deep-fried in oil / ghee

Cilantro – 1/4 cup

Saffron threads – 4-5

Warm Milk – 1/4 cup

Method :

Step 1 :

Soak saffron threads in warm milk and keep it aside.

Step 2 :

Cooking Rice

• To cook rice I usually follow the draining method. Soak the basmati rice for around 30 minutes. Drain and keep aside.
• Heat ghee in a pan. Add sliced onion, all whole spices (cloves – 3, cardamoms – 2, bay leaves-2, cinnamon sticks – 2, fennel seeds – 1/2 tsp., and star anise- 2) and sauté for few minutes. Now add the drained rice and sauté till rice combines well with all the spices.
• Boil required water in a heavy bottomed pan. When water starts boil, add flavored rice and enough salt. Mix everything well. The water should be slightly salty. Now add lemon juice. Mix well and cook rice to the perfect consistency. Rice  should be 95 percent cooked. It will take around 8 - 10 minutes  at medium heat. Drain excess water and allow the rice to cool.

Step 3 :

• Clean and wash the shrimps. Marinate the shrimps with the ingredients under To Marinade for at least 2 hours in a refrigerator. Shallow fry the marinated shrimps  in oil. It won’t take more than 3 - 4 minutes on each side, at medium-low heat. Drain on to a paper towel.

Step 4:

• In the same pan, add thinly sliced onions. Stir-fry until they turn light brown at medium heat. Now add ginger-garlic paste and green chillies. Stir fry for a few more minutes. Add turmeric powder, chilly powder, coriander powder and garam masala. Stir-fry for a few seconds and add the chopped tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes get mashed up. Now add salt,  1/4 cup water and mix well. Bring to a boil and add the fried shrimps. Cook for 5 minutes and add the chopped cilantro and mint. Taste check for salt. Switch off.

Step 5:

  Layering

• For layering you need a heavy bottomed cookware which can be put on stove or which is oven-safe.
• Smear the base and sides of the cookware with ghee. Then add some fried onions, cashews, raisins, cilantro, mint leaves and shrimp masala. Now add the cooked rice and repeat the process. The topmost layer should be that of rice with the items under To Garnish .  Now drizzle the saffron milk on the top of the rice.

Step 6:

• Seal the cookware well,  cover the vessel with a cotton cloth (preferably  very thick ) and seal it. Close the lid very tightly . Heat a dosa tawa/ dosa kallu  and place the biriyani vessel  on top. Reduce the heat to the lowest flame & cook for 20-25 minutes. Keep the heat at the lowest flame throughout, otherwise it might get burnt. Also place a pan of boiling water on top of the biriyani vessel at the same time. Make sure no steam escapes while cooking..Remove the lid and by using the fork mix the rice gently without breaking it .

Step 7:

• Transfer your yummy shrimp dum biriyani to a serving dish. 

• You can make a  tomato flower for garnishing as center décor of  your Biriyani and Serve hot with boiled eggs, biriyani chammanthi, raita, pappad and lemon pickle.

 

Tomato Flower looks Beautiful in garnishing. I got this Tomato flower making tutorial from here  

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Ghee Rice (Nei Chrou/ Ney Choru)

INGREDIENTS:

• Basmati rice - 1 cup (long grain rice)
• Onion – 1 , thinly sliced
• Green chilles – 2 sliced lengthwise.
• Ghee/Clarified butter - 2 tbsp
• Salt – to taste
• Cinnamon - 1 inch piece ( I used Cinnamon Powder)
• Cardamon – 1
• Cloves –2
• Bay leaf –1
• Star anise -1 (optional)
• Cashew nuts – 10
• Raisins – 10 (optional)
• Water – 2 cups

METHOD:

• Soak Basmati rice in water for 30 minutes. Washing them will also prevent them from becoming sticky while cooking. Drain the water and keep it aside.

• Heat ghee in a wide and heavy bottomed pan. Add cashews and fry till lightly golden, add raisins, when they plump up, keep them aside, we need them for garnishing.

• Add onions to the same pan and fry till they turn golden brown. Keep it aside. we need them for garnishing as well they add flavor to the ghee rice.
• To the same pan, add little more ghee and add all the spices(cinnamon, cardamom,cloves,bay leaf and star anise). Fry for a minute. Add 2 sliced green chilly and fry for a minute.
• Now add the drained rice to the pan and fry for 3 minutes.
• Add 2 cups of boiling water,  salt mix everything well and cook until rice is done.
• When rice is done fluff it with a fork and transfer to a serving dish.
• Garnish Ghee rice with raisins, cashews and fried onions.
• Serve hot with any spicy gravy or vegetable korma or Mushroom masala or serve with raita.

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Kerala Lunch

A normal Kerala lunch consist of plain cooked rice served with vegetarian gravy,  Fish curry or fish fry and side dishes.

Cheru Payar Thoran (whole moong beans/green gram)Recipe :

INGREDIENTS :

Cherupayar/Green gram/ whole moong beans – 1 cup

Turmeric powder –1/4 tsp.

Grated coconut – 1/4 cup

Ginger – 1" piece

Garlic –3 cloves

Shallots/chuvannulli/ Kunjulli  – 5 nos.

Green chilies – 2 nos.

Cumin Powder – 1/2 tsp.

Mustard seeds –1/8 tsp.

Red chilies – 4  nos.

Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Onion, thinly chopped – 1 Tbsp.

Pepper powder – 1/4 tsp.

Salt to taste

Water – 2.5 cups

Oil – 1 tsp.

PREPARATION METHOD:

Pressure cook the Cherupayar/Green gram/ whole moong beans by adding 2.5 cups water and turmeric powder. I cooked it for 6 whistles on high flame. Switch off the flame and keep it closed and let the pressure go all by itself.  Open the cooker and drain the excess water.

Meanwhile Peel, wash and Chop the shallots into thin (but not too thin) rounds.

Wash and cut green chillies into thin round slices.

Crush grated coconut, ginger, garlic, shallots, green chilies and cumin powder together. Set aside.

Heat oil in a wide pan ,add mustard seeds and let it splutter.

Add curry leaves , red chilies and chopped onions to the pan, sauté till the onion turns light pink color.

Now add the cooked cherupayar/green gram with the coconut mixture and mix everything well.

Add pepper powder and salt. Sauté for 2 minutes.

Cover and cook your payar thoran for 2-3 mins on low flame.

Switch off the flame and serve hot with Rice or Kanji.

NOTE:

• You can dry roast Cherupayar/Green gram/ whole moong beans before cooking to prevent it from mashing. If you like the payar to be mashed, then skip that step.
• Puli Inji recipe is here : http://ourharsha.blogspot.com/2013/01/puli-injiinji-puli-ginger-and-tamarind.html
• Oven roasted Tuna recipe is here : http://ourharsha.blogspot.com/2014/04/kerala-style-oven-roasted-tuna.html

 

 

 

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Kerala Lunch

A normal Kerala Lunch consists of Plain cooked  Rice served with Vegetarian gravy , fish curry or Fish fry and side dishes.

I love this combination of Cooked Rice with Sambar, Avial and Oven Roasted Tuna fish.

RECIPE: Sambar, Avial and Oven Toasted Tuna Fish

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Vegetable Salad with Hard-Boiled Eggs

It can sometimes be difficult to scale down recipes to cook for one or two persons. But If you plan ahead, you can enjoy home-cooked meals without a lot of extra fuss.

INGREDIENTS:

• Chopped Kale – 1/2 cup 
• Celery stalk, chopped   – 1 no
• Seedless Cucumber, peeled and sliced into 3" long   – 1/2 cup
• Baby carrots, peeled and thinly sliced  – 1/2 cup
• Hard boiled eggs – 2 no's
• Cooked Rice –  2 Tbsp. 
• Black pepper powder – 1/8 tsp.
• Salt – 1 pinch

METHOD:

• Wash well all the vegetables. 
• Kale’s curly leaves provide multiple traps for dirt, so kale should be cleaned carefully.
• Wash kale in a deep bowl of cold water, stirring it a bit to release the grit, then lift it out. Pour out the water, and refill the bowl with fresh water. Repeat until you no longer see any grit in the water.
• Then spread the leaves out on a large kitchen towel and roll them up into a cylinder. This dries the leaves. 
• If you want to remove the stems from the leaves , you can either fold each leaf in half, then cut away the stems or grab the leafs with your hand and pull the steam away in the opposite direction.
• Now chop leaves in desired size and rinse in colander.
• Wash well, peel and slice baby carrots and Cucumber.
• Wash well, Cut both ends off a celery stalk.
• Rinse celery stalk thoroughly in cold water and dry with a paper towel and chop them.
• Remove the shells of the hard boiled eggs,  slice thinly and set aside. An egg slicer is perfect for this job.
• Place all the cut vegetables  in a bowl and mix well.
• Transfer the mixed vegetables to serving plates. This healthy Salad is enough for two servings.
• Now place the sliced eggs on the salad.
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper on top of the egg slices.
• Serve and enjoy you tasty healthy Salad.

NOTE:

• You can make healthy and tasty salads using your favorite vegetables and fruits.
• Raw foods are low in calories, so incorporating more raw foods in your diet can help aid weight loss and help detoxify our bodies.
• Raw foods contain a high water content which helps to cool down your body and keep you hydrated.

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Healthy Salad Lunch

It can sometimes be difficult to scale down recipes to cook for one  or two persons. But If you plan ahead, you can enjoy home-cooked meals without a lot of extra fuss. You can really enjoy preparing healthy food at home for 1 or 2 .

INGREDIENTS :

• Chopped Kale – 1/4 cup
• Celery stalk, chopped – 1 no
• Seedless Cucumber, peeled and sliced into 4" long– 1/4 cup
• Baby carrots, peeled and thinly sliced - 1/4 cup
• Pomegranate Seeds – 1/2 cup
• Cooked Rice – 2 Tbsp
• Unsalted cashew nuts – 3 or 4 no's
• Almonds – 3 or 4 no's

METHOD:

• Wash well all the vegetables.
• Kale’s curly leaves provide multiple traps for dirt, so kale should be cleaned carefully. Wash kale in a deep bowl of cold water, stirring it a bit to release the grit, then lift it out. Pour out the water, and refill the bowl with fresh water. Repeat until you no longer see any grit in the water.
• Then spread the leaves out on a large kitchen towel and roll them up into a cylinder. This dries the leaves.
• If you want to remove the stems from the leaves ,  you can either fold each leaf in half, then cut away the stems or grab the leafs with your hand and pull the steam away in the opposite direction.
• Now chop leaves in  desired size and rinse in colander.
• Wash well, peel and slice baby carrots and Cucumber.
• Wash well, Cut both ends off  a celery stalk.
• Rinse celery stalk thoroughly in cold water and dry with a paper towel and chop them.
• De-seed Pomegranate :Instruction is here : http://ourharsha.blogspot.com/2013/11/how-to-open-and-de-seed-pomegranate.html
• Place all the cut vegetables and Pomegranate Seeds  in a  bowl and mix well.
• Transfer half of the mixed Vegetables and Pomegranate Seeds  to a serving plate with 2 Tbsp Cooked rice, Unsalted cashew nuts (3 or 4 no's) and Almonds ( 3 or 4 no's).

Note:

• This healthy Salad is enough for two servings.
• You can make healthy and tasty salads using  your favorite vegetables and fruits.
• Raw foods are low in calories, so incorporating more raw foods in your diet can help aid weight loss and help detoxify our bodies.
• Raw foods contain a high water content which helps to cool down your body and keep you hydrated.

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Kappa (Tapioca) Avial

Kappa Aviyal is just a regular dish in Kerala

INGREDIENTS:

• Yucca root/Tapioca(Kappa) – 1 big ( peel and cut into 3-inch  long thin pieces)
• Grated coconut – 1/4 cup
• Garlic, crushed – 1 pod
• Shallots(Kunjulli) – 4 nos
• Jeera seeds (cumin)– 1/4 tsp
• Curd – 1tsp or Tamarind(Vaalan puli)- little (may be half the size of a gooseberry)
• Turmeric powder – 1/8 tsp
• Chilly powder – 1/2tsp
• Salt – to taste

For Seasoning :

• Coconut oil – 1 tsp
• Curry leaves – a sprig
• Shallots(Kunjulli) – 2 nos (cut into small round pieces)

 

METHOD:

• Tapioca should be washed very well before cut  since they tend to collect dirt.
• Peel the brown bark-like outer skin and thick pinkish -white color skin of the tapioca with a peeler or a knife.
• Now wash the tapioca.
• Place the washed and peeled tapioca on a chopping board and cut  it into 3-inch  long thin pieces  with a sharp knife.
• Place the tapioca pieces in a large bowl and wash them under running water for 3, 4 times.
• Transfer tapioca pieces to a thick heavy bottomed pan, Cook them on medium-high heat by adding 4 cups of water.
• When the water starts to boil, drain the tapioca and cook it again by adding enough water to cover the tapioca pieces.
• Add 1/4 tsp salt, a pinch of turmeric powder and cook until Tapioca become soft and tender.
• Switch off the flame, Drain excess water and keep tapioca aside.
• If you using tamarind, soak tamarind in a little warm water for sometime,mash it well with your hand, strain and reserve the tamarind juice.
• Grind together coconut, cumin seeds, shallots, and red chilly powder into a rough and coarse paste.
• Add the drained tapioca pieces to the pan,  add the ground coconut mix and crushed garlic to the  cooked tapioca pieces and mix well.
• Now switch on the heat in low flame and cook the tapioca for 2 minute, stirring frequently.
• Add curd (or 2 tsp of tamarind water) and cook until it is thick.
• Meanwhile heat oil in a small pan and splutter mustard seeds in  it. Then add curry leaves and shallots (kunjulli), sauté till shallots become translucent, and  pour this seasoning to Tapioca/Kappa  coconut mixture and mix everything well. Check for the salt.
• Remove Yucca root /Tapioca (Kappa) Avial from heat.
• Transfer your tasty Kappa avial to serving plates and enjoy !!!!

NOTE:

• Yucca root/Tapioca(Kappa) have 2 layers of skins. The brown bark-like outer skin which is thin while the second layer is thick and pinkish white in color. These skins must be removed before cooking.
• Select the tapioca roots which are firm and without any blemishes or soft spots. The tapioca powder should be checked for lumpiness and best before date.

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Kerala Lunch

A normal Kerala Lunch consists of Plain cooked  Rice served with Vegetarian gravy , fish curry and side dishes.

Kappa or Tapioca with Meen curry (fish curry )is a tasty combination that can be served  with cooked rice for lunch or dinner .

RECIPE ::  Rice with Tomato Rasam,   Swordfish Curry,   Swordfish Fry,  and  Kappa Puzhukku/Mashed Tapioca/Kolli Ishtu

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