Vegetable Biryani

Ingredients For Rice

• Basmati rice - 1 cup
  
• Water - 2 cups
  
• Salt - 1/2 Tsp
  
• Ghee - 1 Tbsp
  
• Saffron - 2 pinch
  
• Milk - 2 Tbsp
  

For Vegetable gravy

• Oil - 2 Tbsp
  
• Asafetida (hing) - 1/4 Tsp
  
• Cumin seed (Jeera) - 1 Tsp
  
• Chopped tomatoes - 4 medium size
  
• Green chili finely chopped - 2 nos
  
• Shredded ginger - 1 Tbsp
• Ginger & Garlic Paste - 1 Tbsp
  
• Yogurt (Curd) - 1 1/2 cup
  
• Red chili powder - 1/2 Tsp
  
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 Tsp
  
• Cubed paneer - 1/2 cup
  
• Chopped cauliflower - 1 cup
  
• Chopped carrots - 1/2 cup
  
• Chopped green beans - 1/2 cup
  
• Chopped green bell pepper - 1/2 cup
• Chopped Potatoes - 1/2 cup
  
• Cashew nuts - 4 Tbsp
  
• Salt to taste
  
• Chopped mint leaves - 1/2 cup
• Chopped coriander leaves - 1/2 cup
  

For Garnish

• Garam masala - 1 Tbsp
  
• Melted butter - 4 Tbsp
  
• Sliced almonds - 4 Tbsp
• Long thinly sliced onions - 1/2 cup
  

Method Rice

• Wash rice gently.
  
• For fluffier rice, the rice should be soaked for at least 15 minutes prior to cooking.
• Drain the rice.
• In the saucepan add ghee and fry the rice for few minutes. Add water and salt, and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling reduce the heat to low and cover the pan.
• Cook about 15 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the water has evaporated. Turn off the heat and fluff the rice with a fork.
• For a few minutes soak saffron in warm milk then gently mix the milk into the cooked rice.

Vegetable And Gravy

• Blend tomatoes to make a puree.
• In a bowl add yogurt, ginger, ginger & garlic paste, green chili, salt, turmeric, chili powder – mix it well.
• Add all the vegetables (cauliflower, beans, bell pepper, carrots, paneer, potatoes and cashews) to the yogurt. Mix it well then let it marinate for 15 minutes.
• Heat the oil in a saucepan. Test the heat by adding one cumin seed to the oil, if seed cracks right away oil is ready. Add asafetida and cumin seeds.
• After the cumin seeds crack, add the tomato puree, and cook on medium-high heat until tomato mixture starts leaving oil and reduces to about half the volume.
• Add the marinated vegetables to tomato puree. Let it cook covered for 10 to 15 minutes on medium heat until vegetables are tender but not mushy. Stir the vegetables in between so they cook evenly.
• Fry the onions seperately and keep aside.
  

Prepare The Biryani

• Preheat the oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit.
• Take baking dish put half of the cooked vegetables into the baking dish.
• Spread half of the cooked rice over vegetables. Over the rice, sprinkle with mint, coriander leaves and garam masala.
• Pour the remaining vegetables evenly over the rice.
• Spread remaining rice evenly over vegetables.
• Next sprinkle remaining mint, coriander leaves, garam masala, fried onions and sliced almonds evenly over the rice, and then spread melted butter over the entire dish.
• Cover the pan and bake for about 30 minutes.

Even you can cook on stove top on low flame covered for 10-20 minutes (Layering is same as above).

Cauliflower/Gobi Manchuria

Ingredients

• Cauliflower/Gobi - 250 gms
• Corn flour - 2 tbsp
  
• Maida - 3 tbsp
• Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Soy sauce - 1 tsp
  
• Salt to taste
• White pepper powder - 1/4 tsp
• Oil For frying

For sauce

• Chopped garlic - 1 tbsp
• Chopped ginger - 1 tbsp
• Chopped onions - 2 tbsp
• Chopped green chillies - 1 tbsp
  
• Chilli paste - 1 tsp
• Tomato ketchup - 2 tbsp
• Soy sauce - 1 tbsp
• Green portion of spring onions - 2 tbsp
• Oil - 1 tbsp

Method

• Wash the cauliflower florets and cook them in salt water for few minutes
• Drain the water completely and pat dry with a kitchen towel.
  
• Mix maida, corn flour, salt, red chilli powder, white pepper powder and soy sauce. Make a fine paste by adding some water and add cauliflower and toss to coat it with the paste.
• Fry the gobi pieces and keep aside.
• To prepare the sauce heat oil in a pan add garlic, ginger, onions and green chillies and fry.
• Now add chilli paste, tomato ketchup and soy sauce.
• Mix all the ingredients well to prepare the sauce.
• Add the fried gobi pieces to the sauce and mix.
• Also add the green portion of spring onions and serve hot.

Dondakaaya/Tindora curry

Ingredients

• Dondakaya/Tindora - 25-30
• Chilli powder - 2 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Sesame seeds - 2 tbsp
• Peanuts - 1/4 cup
• Coconut (Dry) - 3 tbsp
• Salt to taste
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Dry red chillies - 1
• Oil - 2 tbsp

Method

• Cut dondakaya/tindora into length wise keep aside.
• Fry peanuts, sesame seeds, and coconut seperately and grind them with salt and turmeric powder and keep it aside.
• In a pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and dry red chillies.
• When mustard seeds start spluttering add the cut dondakaya and fry for 5 mins. When they turn light brown add the grounded powder and mix well.
• Fry it for more 5 mins. Turn off the heat. Serve hot with rice or chapathi.

Poha/Atukula upma

Ingredients

• Poha / Atukulu - 2 to 3 cups
• Oil - 2 tbsps
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
• Dry Red chillies - 2
• Curry leaves - 1 spring
• Carrots thinly sliced - 1 medium size
• Green chillies slit lengthwise - 4
• Onion chopped finely - 1 medium size
• Potatoes sliced very thin - 1 medium size
• Peanuts - 1/2 cup
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Lime juice - 3 tbsp
• Salt to taste
• Chopped coriander to garnish

Method

• Put the poha in a collander and wash under running water for 2 minutes. Keep aside to drain.
• Heat the oil in a pan on a medium flame and add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds and dry red chillies.
• When mustard seeds starts spluttering add curry leaves and green chillies.
• Add the chopped onions. Fry them till soft.
• Add the peanuts, carrots and potatoes and stirr frequently, cook for 2-3 minutes.
• Drain the poha completely to remove all water and add it to the above mix. Add the turmeric powder and salt, stir well to mix all ingredients.
• Cook for another minute. Turn off the heat. Pour lime juice over the poha and mix well.
• Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot.

Bhindi Masala

Ingredients

• Bhindi washed and dried - 20
• Oil - 4 Tbsp
• Cumin Seeds (Jeera) - 1/2 Tsp
• Pinch of asafetida powder
• Coriander powder - 3 Tbsp
• Dried Mango powder (Amchur) - 2 Tbsp
• Chilli powder - 3 Tbsp
• Sambar powder - 4 Tbsp
• Salt to taste

Method

• Cut each bhindi lengthwise.
• Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and fry bhindi for few minutes.
• Combine stuffing ingredients and mix well. (Amchur,Coriander powder,Chili powder,Sambar powder,salt and little oil just enough to mix all dry ingredients )Stuff each bhindi with the mixture.
• Saute cumin with the remaining oil when it starts to crackle then add asofetida and cook for few seconds.
• Add the bhindi and saute till it is cooked completely.
• Serve stuffed bhindi hot with chapati or rice.

Saunf Aloo

Ingredients

• Baby potatoes, boiled - 15-20
• Fennel seeds (saunf), crushed - 1 1/2 tsp
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
• Yogurt or Curd- 1/2 cup
• Fresh coriander leaves, chopped - 2 tbsp

Method

• Heat oil in a pan. Add asafoetida and turmeric powder.
• Add potatoes and mix. Sauté for two to three minutes.
• Add salt, coriander powder, red chilli powder and crushed fennel seeds and mix well.
• Add yogurt and salt and mix. Cook for two minutes.
• Add coriander leaves and mix well.
• Serve hot with puris or rotis.

Tomato Rice

Ingredients

• Tomato - 4 medium sized chopped thinly
• Onion - 1 Large chopped finely
• Rice - 2 cups
• Broken cashewnuts - 1/4 cup
• Chopped ginger - 1 tbsp
• Chopped green chilli - 1 tbsp
• Chilli powder - 1 1/2 tbsp
• Garammasala powder - 1 tbsp
• Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin Seeds / Jeera - 1 tbsp
• Channadal - 1 tsp
• Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
• Red chillies - 2
• Curry leaves - Few springs
• Chopped coriander - 2 tbsp
• Ghee / oil - 2 tbsp
• Hing - pinch
• Salt to taste

Method

• Cook the rice and keep aside.
• Heat some oil in a pan add the red chillies, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, channadal ,urad dal, hing and broken cashew nuts.
• When the nuts turn brown, add the chopped onions and fry them till they turn transperent.
• Add chopped green chillies, ginger, curry leaves and tomatoes and fry for 5 minutes.
• Add the chilli powder and garam masala powder and keep frying till tomatoes are mushed up.
• Add the boiled rice and salt. Mix well and fry for few minutes.
• Garnish with the chopped coriander and serve hot.