Mutton Biryani (Ooru style)

Biryani is made in many versions, differs from region to region. This version of mutton biryani taste exactly like the one you get in most of the down south tamil nadu hotels. It's main speciality is this biryani is made of seeraga samba rice (Jeera samba). The flavour is totally different from  the basmathi rice and it's main quality is you won't feel very heavy after having this biryani compared to our usual basmathi rice biryani. Most of the biryani will be accompanied with a curry but for this you don't have to prepare a separate curry.

Ingredients

300 gms Mutton
2 cups Seeraga samba rice
2 large Onions
1 Tomato
4 green chillies
1 1/2 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
Handfull of Pudina(Mint leaves)
1 tablespoon Yogurt
1 Bay leaf
1 Star anise
2 cardamom
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
Oil
Ghee (Unclarified butter)
Salt
For Masala 1
15-18 Shallots
Masala 2
5 Cloves
10-15 dry red chilllies
10 shallots
1 inch Cinnamon stick


Method

• Roughly slice the big onions and tomato.
• Marinate the mutton with a teaspoon of turmeric powder, chilly powder, ginger garlic paste and salt an hour before you prepare the biryani, refrigerate the marinated mutton  for an hour. This step is purely optional.
• Grind separately the shallots i.e masala 1.
• Grind into fine paste with the ingredients mentioned in the masala 2 column.
• In a heavy bottom pan or in a pressure cooker heat oil and a tablespoon of ghee and then add the cardamom, bay leaf,  fennel seeds, star anise.
• When the fennel seeds splutters add the chopped big onions and slitted green chilly.
• When the onions turns translucent add the ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw smell goes off.
• Now add the tomatoes and salt, when it turns gooey add both the masalas and saute till the raw smell goes off.
• Add the mint leaves and yogurt and mutton.
• Add two cups of water and pressure cook till the mutton is well cooked.
• ONLY AFTER THE MUTTON IS COOKED PERFECTLY YOU SHOULD ADD THE RICE.
• Now you can adjust the spice and salt, for extra spiciness add a tablespoon or less of red chilly powder.
• Add the washed rice and also sufficient water for the rice to get cooked.
• Pressure cooker whistles depends from one brand to another. You can cook like you regularly cook your white rice.
• When the biryani is ready stir well so the masalas will be well combined with the rice.

Note

• Periodically check whether your mutton is cooked
• If you are using a heavy bottom pan instead of cooker adjust the water accordingly and also continuously stir the rice to avoid burn in the bottom of your vessel.
• You can adjust the spice level by adding extra red chilly powder or by adding extra dry red chilly to your masala.

Chettinad Prawn Masala

This is a proper south Indian Prawn masala. This masala is very flavourful and lot of spices are added to this masala.

Ingredients
500 gms Prawn
1 cup shallots
2 Big Tomatoes
10-12 Curry leaves
1 teaspoon Ginger garlic paste
1 teaspoon Coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
Coriander leaves for garnishing
Oil and salt
For Masala
8-10 Dry red Chilly
1 teaspoon Coriander seeds
6-8 Black Pepper corns
1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 Cardamom
1/4 inch Cinnamon
10-12 Curry leaves
1/2 cup grated coconut

Method

• Devein the prawn and keep it aside.
• Heat a pan and dry roast all ingredients under the masala list except the coconut.
• When all the ingredients turns light brown in colour turn off the flame and add the coconut and mix.
• Allow it to dry and grind it into a fine paste.
• Chop the shallots and tomatoes. 
• In a heavy bottom add oil (I used Gingelly oil) and mustard seeds, when it splutters add the shallots and curry leaves.
• When the shallots turn golden colour add the ginger garlic paste, add the tomatoes when the raw smells goes off from the ginger garlic paste.
• Add the coriander, turmeric and the masala paste when the tomatoes start turn gooey.
• Add water and salt. Allow it to cook till the raw smell goes off.(it takes approx 10-15 mins)
• Add the prawn when the masala is ready, turn the flame to low and allow it cook for about 10 mins.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with Rice or any type of Roti.

Note

• If you feel there is lot of masala paste then first add a 3/4 of the grind paste and if required add the remaining, you can refrigerate and use it for any other curry.
• Adjust the spice level according to your taste, if you want more spiciness then add a tablespoon of red chilly powder.

Tapioca cookie (Kuih Bangkit)

To be really frank i don't know the meaning of Kuih Bangkit but i definitely know that it is a yummy cookie made with tapioca flour. I just got impressed by the colour of the cookie when i first looked at a local bakery. Then i tried to google it and got loads of links for this cookie recipe. It is a very traditional Chinese cookie. This just melts in your mouth and also gives a crunchy feel when you chew.

Ingredients

400 grams Tapioca flour
5 tablespoon All purpose flour
3 pandan leaves
4 Egg yolks + 3/4 Egg white
135 grams (1/2 cup approx) fine Sugar
165 grams (3/4 cup approx) Coconut milk

Method

• Preheat oven at 350°f(180°c) for 10 mins.
• Sift tapioca and all purpose flour.
• Fry on wok or any heavy bottom large vessel for about half an hour in low flame.
• For the first ten mins fry with the pandan leaves and then remove it and fry only the flour.
• Leave to cool.
• Whisk the yolks and egg white with sugar till it forms a thick mixture.
• Slowly add in egg mixture into the flour mixture and also gradually add in the coconut milk and knead to form a dough.
• Continue kneading till the dough is smooth.
• Dust the tapioca flour in a clean surface and take a small portion of the dough and try to press it with your palm and spread it.
• With the help of cookie cutter your cookies are ready to be baked.
• (Traditional Chinese method is they have their unique wooden mould to get different shapes of cookie)
• Dot the cookies with different colours if desired
• Bake it in the preheated oven for 20-25 mins or untill cooked.
• The cookie is cooked when the back of the cookie is slightly brown.

Pineapple tart

The idea of trying Chinese cookies just popped out of my mind when i saw the cookie sales was heating up in almost all  food related shops in Singapore. During Chinese new year cookies are very special and their way of making cookies is very easy. Ingredients are very simple but they are very delicious:). There are many versions of pineapple cookie but i preferred the one which was shared in rasamalaysia website. 

Ingredients
175 grams (1 1/4 cup) All purpose flour
1 tablespoon Corn flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon Sugar
110 grams butter (4 oz)
1 Egg yolk
1 tablespoon Shortening (optional)
1/2 Egg yolk (for egg wash)
For Pineapple jam:
1 fresh pineapple or 1 can sliced pineapple
5 tablespoon Sugar
1/4 tablespoon cloves

Method

• If you are using fresh Pineapple remove skin and avoid the middle part and cut into pieces and blend for 8 seconds.
• If it is canned pineapple, drain the slices and squeeze the extra water with your hands and then blend.
• In a non-stick pan(preferably) add the blended pineapple, sugar and cloves.
• Stir continuously in a low flame(to avoid burning) with the wooden spoon till all water gets evaporated.
• Turn off the heat when it turns into light golden color.
• Remove the cloves and refrigerate the jam. 

• Meanwhile sieve all the dry ingredients in a big bowl and combine the flour mixture with butter, shortening and egg yolks together.
• Knead the dough and it shouldn't stick to your hand, if it is too dry add a bit of butter or if it is too sticky add a bit of flour and form a smooth dough.
• Divide the dough and pineapple jam into equal number of rounds.

• Preheat the oven to 350°f (180°c) for 10 mins.
• Flatten the pastry dough with your palms and put the pineapple filling in the middle and use the side part of the dough to cover the filling.
• Use your palms to round it up and then shape it into a roll.
• Use a small fork or knife to make criss cross patterns and brush it with egg wash using a pastry brush.
• Place the pineapple tarts 1 inch apart from each other on a cookie tray lined with parchment paper.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes or until light brown in a preheated oven. 

Note

• I used canned pineapple, if you are using fresh pineapple peel skin and avoid the middle part of the pineapple which is not required for the jam.
• Shortening is just optional, it just gives a extra smooth and crunchy texture.
• You can make  it in any shape of your choice.
• While preparing jam, add extra sugar if needed because sweetness differs from each pineapple to other.