Chicken Biryani (Quick and Easy)

Every Friday evenings my family likes something fancy. Before leaving for work, I stood in front of the refrigerator wondering what to make with a tray of chicken that I had purchased the previous day. I didn't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen after a long day at work and thought of making something like a one pot meal which would make everyone happy which resulted with this recipe.

When I first tried making Biryani over a decade ago, it was a never ending process and it made me feel I was in the kitchen forever. I found this unplanned recipe very simple and good for any first timers.

Ingredients:

2 cups basmati rice, washed & soaked for atleast 10 mins

3 lbs cut up chicken (with bone)

1 cup yogurt

1/2 cup coriander leaves (cilantro),chopped

1/4 cup mint leaves

4 green chillies, slit in half

6 cloves

4 green cardamom
1 stick cinnamon
1 tsp pepper corns

1 medium onion, chopped roughly

5 cloves garlic, chopped

2"ginger, chopped

1 tsp saunf (fennel seeds)
1 tsp jeera (cumin seeds) + 1 tsp

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp haldi powder (turmeric)

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp jeera powder (cumin)

saffron, a pinch

3 tbsp oil

salt
2-3 tbsp milk

food coloring (red/orange)

How it's made:

Marinate chicken for 6 hrs with all the above ingredients except rice, milk and food coloring. In a heavy bottom deep pan, cook marinated chicken until 3/4th done. Do not add water.

While the chicken is cooking, in a separate pot, boil 4 quarts water with a tsp of oil, salt & 1 tsp jeera. {You can add whole garam masala (cloves, pepper corns, cinnamon  cardamom) which is optional}. Add rice & cook until 3/4 done. Drain and set aside.

Warm 2-3 tbsp milk, add food coloring & set aside.

To the 3/4th cooked chicken,(which should have about 1/2-1 cup liquid left behind) add rice and spread evenly. Do not mix with chicken. Pour colored milk on rice. Cover dish with tight fitting lid. Cook on high heat for 2-3 mins. Lower heat to simmer for 15 mins. Mix chicken & rice just before serving.

Serve with raita.

Serves: 6

Fish Rava Fry (Konkani Fish Fry)

Seafood has always been my favorite food. Growing up & living on the coastal area of Karnataka we had seafood every day of the week unless it was a religious day.  A small piece of fish at every meal would be a fulfilling enjoyable meal. Amma cooked different variations of fish fry but this one is my all time favorite. I find the crunchiness of  Rava very appetizing. Deep frying gives the fish a very crunchy coating but I prefer to shallow fry to keep it healthy!

Ingredients:

2 medium size King fish
1-2 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp haldi (turmeric powder)
1/4 tsp hing (asafoetida)
1/2 tsp coriander powder
salt to taste
1/2 cup rava/sooji/semolina
oil for frying

How it's made:

Cut fish into 1/2"thick slices. Wash under running water. Pat dry. Add a tsp of water to the chilli powder, haldi, hing, coriander powder, salt & make a paste. Rub the paste onto the fish & set aside for a few mins. Roll fish in rava until well coated & pan fry in a few tsp of oil for 4-5 mins on either side on medium high heat. Drain on paper towel. Serve hot.

Serves: 4 -6

Banana Bread

Banana Bread is something that I make every time when I have over ripe Banana's. This recipe was passed on  by my Akka (Fathers sister) & has turned out perfect every time I've made it. The original recipe was a combination of whole wheat flour and maida (flour). But recently, I decided to try to make it healthy and used whole wheat flour only & it turned out well.

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup ripe mashed bananas (approx 3 medium)
1/4 cup margarine, room temperature
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 egg
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup roasted, crushed walnuts

How it's made:

Pre-heat oven to 350deg F. In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except raisin & walnuts. Beat at medium speed for 2-3 mins. Fold in raisins. Pour batter into a greased loaf pan or a pan lined with wax paper. ( Greasing pan is not required if you decide to use wax paper).

Top with walnuts. Bake for 45-50 mins or until toothpick/skewer/knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool completely for an hour & store in airtight container.

Note: For glass pan, set oven temperature to 350 deg. For metal pan, 325 deg. 
         All my friends & relatives who inquired on how ripe the bananas should be for this                recipe, here is the image.

Palak Kulitha Kodel (Spinach Horse gram Curry)

I like the combination of palak & kulithu. 2 healthy ingredients makes this dish delightful on a cold autumn evening.

Ingredients:

6 oz Kulithu (Horse gram)
1 bunch fresh spinach
1/2-3/4 cup kook (Chinese potato)
1 cup fresh grated coconut
6 dried red chillies, roasted
marble size tamarind
5-6 cloves garlic
oil

How it's made:

Wash & pressure cook horse gram. Clean & roughly chop spinach. Grind coconut along with red chillies and tamarind with a little water to a fine paste.
In a heavy bottom pot, add cooked horse gram, spinach, Chinese potato and salt to taste. Cook for 5 mins. Add ground masala. Boil for 10 mins.
In a "phana davlo"or skillet, heat oil. Add peeled crushed garlic cloves. Fry until light brown and season it to the curry. Serve hot with plain white rice and dalitoy.

Chinese potato can be substituted with kadgi (jack fruit).

Serves: 4