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.

Prawn Szechuan Fried Rice

Szechuan is a part of Chinese cuisine and it is originated from the Sichuan province in Southwesteren China. They cook with their unique sichuan pepper, and very liberally they use garlic to all dishes. My Prawn Szechuan fried rice is kind of Indo-Chinese, and definitely easy to make. In all supermarket Szechuan sauce is available but i myself prepare my sauce, which is very easy to make and if it is well stored, it will last for more than a month.

Generally all the saute process is done separately and Rice is cooked separately, but i felt cooking together in cooker is much easier and flavorful than mixing it.

Ingredients
3 cups Basmati Rice (Any rice of your choice)
2 Onions
4 Cloves Garlic (If it is smaller cloves then it is 8 cloves)
1 inch Ginger
1/2 - 1 cup Shrimps (Prawns)
5 tablespoon chopped Spring Onions
1 Green Bell Pepper / Capsicum
6-8 Dry Red Chilly
3-5 Eggs
1 tablespoon Chilly Sauce
2 tablespoon light Soy sauce
1 tablespoon Tomato sauce
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce (optional)
Oil
Salt and pepper

For Szechuan sauce
10-12 Dry red chilly (soaked in warm water)
1 inch Ginger
6 large cloves Garlic

Method

• Finely grind the ingredients under Szechuan sauce, Finely cut onions into long stripes, cut capsicum in the same way.
• Devein and clean the Prawns. finely chop the ginger and garlic. Scramble the eggs.
• In a heavy bottom pan or in a Pressure Cooker add 4-5 tablespoon of oil and when the oil is heated add the chopped ginger garlic and also dry red chilly. 
• Add the Onions and saute for 2 mins, then add 2 tablespoon  Szechuan sauce and saute for 2-3 mins, then add Capsicum and shrimps and saute well. Add all the sauces, salt and a tablespoon of black pepper powder.
• Add 5 cups of water or water according to the rice and allow it boil for a min and then add the washed rice.
• Pressure cook for about 10-15 mins (depends according to the pressure cooker) and when the rice is cooked perfect, mix well and then add the chopped spring onions and scrambled eggs.
• Prawn Szechuan is ready  to be served.

Note 

• The dry chilly and the Szechuan sauce is according to the taste, if you like to have with mild spicy then reduce the quantity of chilies.
• If you want a very nice shrimp flavor then you can add upto 1 cup of it otherwise 1/2 cup is sufficient.
• You can also prepare the way you prepare for fried rice.
• If you are boiling rice separately and saute the shrimps separatly, saute the rice in the pan for 2-5 mins when you mix with shrimps, this requires additional oil. 
• If you do not have light Soy sauce, then add only 1 tablespoon of Dark Soy sauce.

Paneer Pulao

This is very simple pulao, done with cottage cheese(Paneer) and Capsicum. Generally the color of the Pulao is White but please excuse me for it, to get the flavour i added tomato puree which totally changed the color, but still it is very delicious.

Ingredients
150 gms Paneer
1 Onion
1 Tomato
3/4 cup Tomato Puree
5-7 Green chilies
1 Garlic
Handful Mint leaves
2 tablespoon Coriander leaves
2 Cups Basmati rice
1/2 Capsicum
2 tablespoon Coconut paste(optional)
1 tablespoon Butter
1 teaspoon Sugar
Oil and salt

Method

• Wash and drain the rice. Chop the onion into thin slices. Cut the paneer in cubical shape or any shape of your wish.
• In a deep bottom pan or in a pressure cooker, add 4 tablespoon of oil and fry the Paneer till Golden brown. Drain the excess oil.
• In the same pan, add butter to the remaining oil, saute the onions and green chilies.
• Add the chopped garlic, tomato, salt and sugar and saute till the tomato is well cooked, to that add the tomato puree. Mix well.
• Now add the coconut paste, capsicum, mint, coriander leaves, paneer, Basmati rice and  enough water for the rice to cook.
• If it is pan stir occasionally, if you are using pressure cooker leave it for 1 or 2 whistles depending on your pressure coooker. When it's done, mix well and serve hot with any raitha or chips of your choice.

Note

• If you do not like to cook Basmati rice, you can try it with any other rice of your choice.
• I don't prefer to fry the Paneer into golden brown, if you are frying till it turns to golden brown, try to soak it in a cup of water, so that it won't looses it's softness.

Beetroot Rice

Beetroot is a rich source of potent antioxidants and nutrients, including magnesium, sodium, potassium and vitamin C, and betaine, which is important for cardiovascular health and also protect against liver disease.
When i was searching for variety rice randomly, i got this recipe, made some modification and did it. Different variety rice, worth trying it:).

Ingredients
1 cup grated Beetroot
1 1/2 cup rice
1/2 cup onions
8-10 curry leaves
Oil and salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

For Grinding
3 cloves
2 inch cinnamon
6-8 Red chilies
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 cup onion
1/4 cup tomatoes
3 tablespoon Coconut
1 inch ginger
3 garlic cloves

Method

• Grind all the ingredients under 'for grinding'.
• In a deep bottom pan or in a pressure cooker, heat oil and add cumin seeds, chopped onions, curry leaves.
• When onions turn golden brown, add the grated Beetroot, fry for 2 mins and add the masala and saute for atleast 8-10 mins.
• Add sufficient water for rice to cook, add rice and salt.
• Serve hot with chips or raitha.

Note

• You can separately boil rice and just mix with the cooked masala and allow it to cook for 5 mins.

Pudina Rice (Mint rice)

Here is the simple and delicious Pudina rice, very easy to make and gives you a good flavor too.

Ingredients
2 cups Basmati rice( or any rice of your choice)
1 Onion
1/2 cup pudina leaves
1/4 cup Coriander leaves
5-7 green chilies
4 tablespoon grated Coconut
2 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
Small piece of Cinnamon
2 Cloves
1 Cardamon
1 Bay leaf
Oil and Salt as required

Method

• Wash and rinse rice, chop onion.
• Grind pudina, coriander, green chili and coconut to fine paste.
• In a heavy bottom pan, pour 4 tablespoon of oil, add cinnamon, cardamon, cloves and bay leaf.
• When it splutters add the onion and saute till it turns transparent and add the ginger garlic paste, fry till the raw smell goes off.
• Add the pudina paste and fry for a couple of mins and add salt.
• Add 3 cups of water and the rice. It takes the usual time to cook the rice.
• Serve hot with any raitha or chips.

Note

• You can separately cook the rice and the masala, so that you can mix it and serve, but cooking together will be a better option.
•  If you do not like basmati rice, you can cook with any rice of your choice, water ratio changes according to the rice.
• 5-7 green chilies is average spice level, you can reduce or increase the number of your choice.

Mutton Biryani

Here comes my fav mutton biryani:):). It is very special for me, because my family loves my mutton biryani so much. It is very simple and very very delicious. Most important for this recipe is that the choice of the mutton, always try to get the tender one and also the fresh one. Easy to cook and very tasty. Served with onion raitha or any curry (which shouldn't be much strong as it may dominates the biryani flavour).
If you are the beginner, trust me this is gonna be the easiest biryani recipe for you.

Ingredients
250gm Boneless Mutton
2 cups basmati rice
2 large Onions
1 large tomato
6-8 green chili
1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
1 teaspoon red chili powder
1 teaspoon fennel powder
1/2 cup mint leaves
1 tablespoon yogurt
2 inch cinnamon
2 cardamon
3 cloves 
1 star anise
Salt
Oil and ghee

Method

• Clean mutton, cut onions into strips, chop tomatoes, cut green chilies into halves.
• In a heavy bottom pan or in pressure cooker add 5 tablespoon of oil and 2 tablespoon of ghee.
• When the oil is hot, add cinnamon, cardamon, cloves and star anise. When it splutters add the onions and green chilies.
• When the onions turn golden brown, add ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell goes off.
• Add tomatoes and saute for a min, then add mint leaves, yogurt, mutton, salt, fennel powder, red chili powder and salt.
• Saute for 3-5 mins. Then add 4 cups of water and close the lid, if it is pressure cooker leave it for 2-3 whistles.
• When you feel the mutton is well cooked, you can add the basmati rice and pressure cook for 1 whistle or accordingly.
• When the basmati rice is cooked well, stir once (so that the masala is spread evenly) and serve hot.

Note

• You can adjust the spicy level, it you don't like the rice much spicy, you can reduce the number of green chili.
• If you are totally away from ghee, then no prob you can prepare only with oil.
• Some mutton may take more time to cook so it make take more than 3 whistles.
• If it is taking more time to cook the mutton, it may absorb the water and it won't be sufficient for the basmati rice to cook, so add extra 1 cup of water.
• Fennel powder is nothing but just grind the fennel seeds with the help of your food processor.  

Mushroom Biryani

Ingredients

200 gms Button Mushrooms

2 cups Basmathi Rice

3 Onions

2 Tomatoes

6 Green chilies

1/4 cup mint leaves

1/4 cup coriander leaves

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon coriander powder

1 teaspoon garam masala

1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste

1/2 cup Coconut milk

1 small piece Cinnamon

2 cardamons

3 cloves

Salt

Oil and Ghee

Method

• Wash the mushrooms and cut into halves or quarter pieces of your choice.
• Wash and drain rice from water and keep it aside.
• In a deep bottom pan or pressure cooker, pour 2 tablespoon of oil and 2 tablespoon of ghee, add the cardamons, cloves and cinnamon, when it splutters add the finely sliced onions, green chilies and saute till it turns transparent.
• Add ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell goes off, then add the tomatoes, saute for 2 mins.
• Add chili powder, coriander and garam masala powder and also the cleaned mushrooms and fry for 2-3 mins, when the mushrooms leaves water add the mint leaves and coriander leaves.
• Add salt, coconut milk and  2 cups of water and also the rice.
• When the rice is cooked, serve hot with Onion raitha or any raitha of your choice

Note

• Add water carefully because mushrooms leave lots of water, so adjust the water accordingly.
• If your green chilies are very spicy then you can avoid chili powder.

Peas Pulao

Peas pulao is one of the simple dish and tastier too. If you have frozen peas with you, then this recipe becomes much easier. It goes with any non-veg gravy or any spicy veg gravy.

Ingredients
3 cups - Basmati rice or any rice of your choice
1 cup peas
3 Onions
7-9 green chilies (according to your taste)
3 tablespoons coconut paste
1 tablespoons ginger garlic paste
1 inch Cinnamon
2 Cloves
2 Cardamon
1 teaspoon Ghee (optional) 
Salt
Oil

Method

• Slice onions into strips shape, and also cut chili halves lengthwise.
• Rinse and drain the rice.
• In a pressure cooker, pour oil and ghee, add cinnamon, cardamon and cloves, when it splutters add the onions and chili.
• Fry for few mins, when it turns golden brown, add the ginger garlic paste and fry until the raw smell goes off.
• Add the peas, coconut paste, and 5-6 cups of water( as required) and salt.
• Add rice and allow it to cook in the closed pressure cooker.
• After the whistle, switch off the stove and let all the pressure to release by itself and then mix the rice once, so that the flavor is spread equally.
• Peas pulao is ready to be served.

Note

• Count of whistle vary according to each cooker, if you don't use pressure cooker, you can cook in heavy bottom pan, but you have to stir once or twice while cooking rice to avoid the rice to stick at the bottom of the pan 
• I have used 5 cups of water for 3 cups of basmati rice, if you are using any other rice, adjust the water accordingly.
• Coconut past is optional but if you use coconut paste it gives more flavor, instead of paste you can use 1/2 cup of coconut milk. 
• Too much of peas will turn your rice sweeter so be careful in adding peas.
• Green chilies can be reduced if you want less spicy.