KHUSKA/PLAIN BRIYANI/EMPTY BRIYANI/குஸ்கா/खुस्का बिरियानी ( PRESSURE COOKER METHOD)

   

                                                                                                               

A simple yet the most flavourful one-pot meal with an array of spices, onion and tomato base without vegetables or meat or chicken or egg.  The meal is wonderfully complete even with simple onion raita as Lunch or Dinner. It can be enjoyed in the family get together, Birthday party and other special family occasions.

STEP ONE;

Ingredients:

Basmati rice 2 cups

water as needed for rinsing and soaking

Procedure:

Rinse the basmati rice until clear water.

Soak the rice for 30  minutes.

Drain the water completely.

Set ready.

STEP TWO:

Ingredients:

Black Cardamoms 2 pcs

Green Cardamoms 2 pcs

Groundnut Oil/any cooking oil 1 tbsp

Fresh Ghee 1 tbsp

Bay leaves 5 pcs

Cinnamon 1 inch 4-5 pcs

Cloves 5 pcs

Mace and Stone flower 1/2 pc each

Star anise 1 pc

Chopped Bellary onion 1/2 cup

Slit Green Chillies 2 pcs

Curry leaves 20-25 pcs

Grated Ginger 1 tbsp

Grated Garlic 1 tbsp

Turmeric 1/2 tsp

Red chilly powder 1/2 tsp

Tomatoes medium-sized 3 pcs chopped

Himalayan Pink Rock Salt 3/4 Tsp

Lemon juice (half  lemon)

Water 2.5 cups

Procedure:

Heat groundnut oil and ghee on medium flame.

Add black cardamoms, green cardamoms.

Next, add cloves, cinnamons, mace, stone flower, star anise and bay leaves.

Let them fry for a while.

Add onion, green chillies and curry leaves.

Saute them until the onion fried transparent.

Add grated ginger and garlic.

Add turmeric and red chilly powder.

Transfer tomato and saute until mushy.

Transfer the drained rice. 

Saute for 5 seconds on low heat.

Squeeze the lemon juice.

Add 1/2 tsp ghee again.

Saute to mix.

Pour 2.5 cups of water

Add rock salt and stir well.

Give stirs several times.

STEP THREE:

Ingredients: 

Mint greens a fistful

Procedure:

Once the rice contents start boiling, close the cooker.

Place the weight.

Reduce the heat to simmer.

Let it cooked in simmer heat until one whistle.

Turn off the heat.

Set aside to cool down.

Open the cooker

Throw mint baby leaves.

Wait for 10 minutes to retain the good shape of the cooked grain.

Stir a couple of times and serve with onion raita.

Cooking Time: 50 minutes

Yield: 4 persons adjustably. 3 persons generously.

       

BARNYARD MILLET IDLIS/குதிரைவாலி இட்லி

Barnyard millet is known as குதிரைவாலி in Tamil, Udalu in Telugu, Oodalu in Kannada, Sanwa rice in Hindi, Shyama in Bengali, Moraiyo in Gujarati. It tastes like broken rice when cooked.

Barnyard millet is a good source of low caloried protein.
Since it is a low carbohydrate content, it is highly recommended as the best cereal for the patients suffering with cardio vascular disease and type 2 Diabetes.

This millet is also a gluten free cereal like all the millets.
It is a great source of iron.
Since it consists of the good source of dietary fibers, it prevents bloating and Cramping and constipation.


Ingredients:

Barnyard millet 3 cups/500 g
Whole urad dal. 3/4 cup
Fenugreek seeds 1 tsp
Castor seeds 6-7 (hull removed)
Water as needed to soak the lentils and rice.
Coldpressed gingelly oil 1/4 tsp
Himalayan pink rock salt 3/4 tsp
Water as needed to grind.

Procedure:

Soak the millet and urad dal+Fenugreek seeds separately in water for three hours.
Rinse them until clear water.
Grind the urad dal and fenigreek seeds adding 1/2 a cup water until smooth and fluffy.
Tranfer the thick urad batter to the larger vessel.
In the same mixer-jar add the soaked and drained millet.
Remove the hulls of castor seeds.
Add the castor white pulps.
Grind using one cup of water until thin smooth runny Batter.

Add salt and grind again to mix well.
Now transfer the batter and mix with Urad dal batter.
Mix well in one direction.
Cover and set aside for overnight or 7 hours
Let the batter gets fermented for more than seven hours.
Mix the fermented batter again.
Pour one lit water in idli steamer.
Heat the steamer to the boiling point.
Place the idli-mould plat and apply gingelly oil in each mould using a brush.
Now pour the batter in each mould.
Cover the idli steamer and steam Cook for 8-10 minutes.
Splash some water and set for a while.
Renove the idlis gently.
Serve hot or warm...

Note:

Since the time immemorial, we, Kongu Folks have been adding a lumited no of castor seeds for making Idlis, Fenugreek idlis and millet Idlis. We remove the hull (toxic) and grind the white pulp with the rice. Don't add the castor seeds while grinding the urad dal batter. It reduces the fluffiness of urad batter. Add with the rice while grinding.
The benefits include
- make idlis softer and spongy.
- since it contain castor oil, it supports to lubricate the digestive tracts entirely.
It relieves the constipation.

BENGALI RASAGULLA IN KONGU STYLE/ இரசகுல்லா/रसगुल्ला

First step:

Ingredients:

Full fat milk 2 lit
Lemon juice1/2 cup

Procedure:

Bring milk to a boil on high flame.
Pour lemon juice.
Turn off the heat.
Stir to react.
Cheese separates from the milk.
Strain the cheese.
Tie it as a bundle.
Wash the cheese bundle with running water several times until clear water.
Hang it somewhere else to drip the water remains completly..(One hour)

Step two:

Cheese or chhena
All purpose flour 1 tbsp
Rock candy cubes 2 tsp

Procedure:

Take out the chhena from the cotton towel.
Place it on a clean surface.
Break it with hands.
Add all purpose flour.
Rub and knead the chhena to form a fine and smooth mass.
Take one spoon chhena and spread it.
Place 2 or 3 rock candy cubes in the centre.
Cover and roll out as a smooth ball using your palms.
Collect the chhena balls on a dry plate.

STEP THREE:

Ingredients:


Sugar 1 kg
Water 2 lit
Rose water 1 tsp or one rose 
Cardamom pods 8-10 pc
Saffron strands one pinch
Chhena balls about 40 pcs

Procedure:

Add sugar and 2 lit water in a heavy bottomed vessel.
Bring to a boil on high flame.
Add split cardamom ppods.
Add rose water or rose petals.
Stit multiple times to infuse the flavour.
Cover and bring the boiling point.
Add Chhena balls and stir gently.
Cover and cook for 10 minutes on high flame.
Cover and cook for another 8 minutes on medium heat.
Add one pinch of saffron strands.
Stir well for a while.
Open and cook uncovered for another 5 minutes.

Yummy Rasgullas are ready to enjoy

EGG FRIED RICE/ முட்டை காய்கறி கலவை சாதம்/अंडे के साथ तले हुए चावल

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice 225 gm
Water as needed.

Wash the rice thoroughly until clear water.
Soak the rice in sufficient water for 30 minutes.
Drain the water and keep ready.

Let's cook now.

Step one

Ingredients.

Water 450 ml
Soaked and drained rice 225 gm.
Ghee 1/4 tsp.

Procedure:

Pour water in a cooker.
Add ghee.
Bring to boil on medium heat.
Add drained rice
Once Rice contents starts boiling, simmer the flame.
Cover and pressure-cook until one whistle.

Set aside cool down.


Step Two

Ingredients:

Cold pressed Groundnut oil 2 tbsp
Finely chopped Bellary onion 1/2 Cup
Curry leaves 8-10 pcs
Lengthwise cut Green Chilly one
Grated Garlic 1 tsp
Grated Ginger 1 tsp
Lengthwise Carrot 3/4 cup
Chopped Bush beans 1/2 Cup
Chopped Cabbage 1/2 Cup
Salt 1/4 tsp
Lemon juice 1/2 tsp
Water 20 ml

Procedure:

Heat the groundnut oil on medium heat.
Add onion and curry leaves
Saute for a while..
Add green chilly. If you want, you may add one more.
Add grated ginger and garlic. Saute until nice aroma.
Now, add carrot, beans and Cabbage.
Sprinkle 1/4 tsp powder salt and saute to combine.
Splash some water and let them cooked on low-medium heat until the water remains no more.
Set aside.

Step Three:

Ingredients:

Eggs 3 pcs
Groundnut Oil 2 tsp
Salt 1/4 tsp
Pepper 1/2 tsp (optional)

Procedure:

Heat the oil in a tempering pan.
Crack the eggs and pour the yolks.
Mix the yolks gently.
Sprinkle salt and pepper.
Scramble the egg yolks on medium heat.
Keep ready.

Step Four:

Ingredients:

Cooked rice
Cooked Veggies
Scrambled egg yolks
Coriander greens finly chopped

Procedure:

Set the low heat.
Mix the cooked veggies, cooked rice and scrambled eggs.
Combine all the ingredients together.
Add little salt say 1/4 tsp
Mix well.
Add finely chopped coriander greens.
Mix to infuse the aroma of the greens.
Turn off the heat.

Flavourful and fluffy egg fried rice is ready to be served.

ALMOND FUDGE/பாதாம் மென்பர்பி/बादाम ठगना

Almond fudge is so soft and chewy. Supremely delicious.

Let's cook now. This procedure involves five steps.

First step

Ingredients we need:

Almonds 250 gm
Boiled water 4 cups
Boiled and cooled milk 250 ml
Saffron strands 20 pcs

Soak almonds in boiled water for about one hour.
Soak saffron strands in cold milk for an hour.
Peel the skin. ( refer the video)

Second step

Ingredients:

Ssffron moll content
Peeled almonds.
Water if needed.

Procedure

Grind to a smooth paste with saffron milk and water as needed.

Third step

Ingredients:

Fresh Ghee  4 tbsp
Ground almond paste
Sugar 250 gm
Crushed Cardamom coarse powder

Procedure:

Heat ghee on medium flame.
Add almond paste and Sugar
Give constant stirs to avoid burning.
Stirring dissolves sugar and helps to combine with almond paste.
Cook until nonsticky and transparent.
Add cardamom powder and mix to combine the flavour.
Turn off the heat.

Fourth step

Ingredients:

Ghee 1 tsp
Almond flakes 2 tbsp

Procedure

Apply ghee on all the sides of a dry tray, using a brush.
Transfer the almond contents.
Level it up with a spoon and brush.
Let it rest for 5 minutes.
Add almond flakes over the surface of almond mass.
Give gentle press to embed the almond flakes evenly.
Let it cool down for another 10 minutes.
Cut into a desired shape and size of your choice.

Healthy and super delicious almond fudge is ready to be served.

Cooking time: 90 minutes
Yield.              : 15 Pcs

KADAI CHICKEN/கடாய் சிக்கன்/CHICKEN KARAHI/

Step one

For dry masala

Ingredients:


Organic coriander seeds 2 tsp
Cumin Seeds 1 tsp
Pepper 3/4 tsp
Cinnamon  2 inch 3 pcs
Fennel 1 tsp
Poppy seeds 1 tsp
Black cardamom 1 pc

Procedure:

Dry roast all the ingredients above mentioned on low-medium heat until pop up.
Set aside to cool down.
Grind to a fine powder.

Step 2

Ingredients:

broiler chicken with leg pieces 1/2 kg
Groundnut oil 2 tbsp
Cinnamon sticks 3 pcs
Star anise 1 pc
Cloves 4 pcs
Fennel 1/2 tsp
Bay leaves 2 pcs
Mace 1/2 pc
Stone Flower, a small piece
Finely chopped shallots one cup
Deseeded green chilly 1 finely chopped  ( your choice)
Grated Ginger 1tbsp
Grated garlic 3/4 tsp
Turmeric 3/4 tsp
Red Chilly Powder 1 tsp
Rock Salt 3/4 tsp
Finely chopped tomatoes 4 pcs
Finely chopped coriander greens a fistful
Butter 1 tbsp
Ground masala powder


Procedure:

Heat Kadai/wok/non-stick pan/copper pan/pressure pan or any heavy-bottomed pan with
2 tbsp Groundnut oil.(on medium heat)
Add cinnamon, star anise, mace, cloves and bay leaves respectively and saute on low-medium heat.
Add fennel seeds to fry.
Add finely chopped shallots, de-seeded and finely chopped green chilly, grated ginger, grated garlic.
Saute until the shallots fried translucent.
Add stone flower.
Add turmeric, red chilly powder
Saute on low flame to retain the colour of turmeric and red chilly powders.
Place the washed chicken gently and saute for a while on medium heat.
Cover and cook for 8 minutes.
Open the lid and turn over the chicken,
Add curry leaves and dry ground masala and mix to combine
Add Salt
Add finely chopped tomato and stir to combine.
Add one cup of water.
Cover and cook for 135 minutes on medium heat.
Open and check if the salt needed.
Add coriander greens.
Stir well and turn over the leg pieces for even cooking.
The water contents reduced to a thick gravy.
Add one tbsp butter and let it sit on medium flame until the butter melts and dissolves.
Turn off the heat.

Ready to serve.

Cooking time 30 minutes
Yield: two servings

BANANA BREAD/LOAF/தேன்வாழைப்பழ ரொட்டி

Banana bread is very easy to bake. It can be made with OTG or microwave oven or without oven. It can be made using a pressure pan.

The making of banana bread involves into Sixsteps.

First step:

Ingredients:

All purpose flour 2 cups/225 Gm

Baking powder 1.5 tsp

Cooking Soda 1/2 tsp

Procedure:

Sift all the ingredients four to five times.

Set aside.

Step two:

Ingredients:

Bananas of any kind 4 pcs

Honey bananas are being used here.

Procedure:

Peel the bananas and cut into 1/2 inch slices.

Place all the slices in the mixer jar and blend for 3 seconds to get a smooth puree.

Set aside.

Step three:

Ingredients:

Butter @ room temperature 150 gm

Organic cane sugar without lumps 150 gm

Eggs @ room temperature 4 pcs

Salt 1/4 tsp

Flour mixture

Banana Puree One bowl

Vanilla essence 1/4 tsp

Procedure:

Place the butter in a dry mixing bowl.

Blend until smooth.

Add cane sugar and blend until smooth using a beater or blender.

Add one egg at a time and beat for five seconds.

Beat all the eggs to combine with the butter mixture.

Add vanilla essence.

Add salt

Add flour mixture in two batches.

Mix well to combine together without lumps.

Transfer the banana puree and fold in one direction until soft smoothy mixture.

Cake mixture is ready to bake.

Grease the loaf pan with one tbsp butter.

Sprinkle all purpose flour and make the floor coat all over the sides.

Place the fit-parchment paper.

Apply little butter with a brush and dust with little flour.

Transfer the cake mixture to the prepared loaf pan.

Tap twice to level up.

Step four

Pre heat the microwave oven @ 200 ° c for 10 minutes.

Step Five

Place the loaf pan on the lower rack and close the door.

Set the temperature @ 200°c and time for 24 minutes using convection mode.

Bake the cake.

Once the oven beeps four times, turn off the oven.

Take out the cake pan from the oven.

Step Six

Let it rest for 10 minutes.

Separate the cake from the pan using a knife all over the sides.

Just tilt down on the dry plate or rack.

Cut into slices.

Ready to enjoy!

Preparation time 20 minutes

Cooking time 24 minutes

Waiting time 20minutes

Yield four servings

RIDGEGOURD BAJJI/பீர்க்கன் பஜ்ஜி

Ingredients:

5-6 inch Ridge Gourd piece
Raw Rice Flour 1.5 Tbsp
Besan flour 4 Tbsp
Cooking Soda 1/2 Tsp
Salt 1/2 Tsp
Red chilly coarse powder 1/2 Tsp (optional)
Asafoetida one pinch
Water as needed
Coldpressed Groundnut oil 400 ml

Procedure:

Step one

Peel the ridges of the veggie.
Slice lengthwise
Set aside.

Step two

In a mixing bowl, add Raw rice flour, Besan
Flour, Cooking Soda, Salt, Asafoetida and Red Chilly powder.
Mix to combine.
Add water little by little and mix to combine a thick paste like batter.

Step three

Heat the groundnut oil on medium flame to attain deep-fry temperature.
Check the hot oil with a bit of the batter thrown into oil. If it raises up instantly, the oil is reasy to deep-fry.
Now dip the ridge gourd slice and lower it into hot oil gently and carefully.
Add one by one with utmost care.
Deepfry four to five per batch.
Let them fried golden brown and oil bubbles cease.
Take out and wait to drain excess oil.
Place them on dry plate.
Repeat the process till the batter exhausted.

Ready to serve.

Cooking time 15 minutes.
Servings. 2-3 persons
Yield 10 Bajjis per one five inch veggie

THE ULTIMATE CARROT LOAF/கேரட் ரொட்டி/गाजर की रोटी

This recipe consists of five steps.

First step:

Ingredients:

Ghee 1 tsp
All purpose flour 1 tsp

Apply ghee in baking pan all over the sides and bottom.
Dust the pan with maida flour/ sll purpose flour.

Second step:

Preheat the microwave oven at 200 ° c for 10 minutes

Third step:

Ingredients:

Carrots shredded one cup
All purpose flour/ Maida 2 cups
Baking powder 1.5 tsp
Cooking Soda 1/2 tsp
Organic Cane sugar one cup
Melted butter one cup
Eggs 4 pcs
Cinnamon powder 1/2 tsp
Nutmeg powder 1/2 tsp
Dry Ginger powder 1/2 tsp
Salt 1/4 tsp

Procedure:

Peel the carrots and shred them finely.
Set aside.
Sift the flour with baking powder and cooking soda, four or five times.
Set aside.

Fourth Step:

In a dry mixing bowl add melted butter and cane sugar.
Using an electric blender, beat well to combine.
Add egg yolks one at a time and beat well.
Beat until pale yellow froth.
Add cinnamon powder, nutmeg powder, dry ginger powder and salt.
Stir to combine.
Add maida/ flour mixture in two batches and mix well until no lumps.
Add shredded carrots.
Fold continuously in one direction using a spoon until well combined.

Fifth step:

Transfer the cake mixture to the prepared baking pan.
Tap twice to level evenly.
Place it on lower rack carefully.
Close the door and bake for 24 minutes @ 200°c.

Switch off the oven once the oven beeps.
Take out and wait until standing time of ten minutes.
Peel out the parchment paper gently.
Lift the cake out of the pan by just tilt down on a dry plate.
Slice and serve!

Enjoy the real flavourful and plain Carrot loaf.
No nuts!
No raisins!
No dominant flavour of vanilla essence.
The most favourite tea time loaf!

Preparation time 20 minutes
Cooking time: 24 minutes
Servings: adjustable five persons

Audio background: Relaxing Piano by Snow flake.

FINGERMILLET VERMICELLI UPMA/இராகிசேமியா உப்புமா

Easy fingermillet upma.

Audio background: Relaxing piano by Snow Flake

Ingredients:

Step One:

Finger millet Vermicelli 180 gm
Water 1 lit

Wash the vermicelli once. Soak the Vermicelli in enough water for 2 minutes.
Drain the excess water completely.
Set ready.

Step Two:

Steam cook the drained Vermicelli for 5 minutes.
Open and set aside to cool down.

Step Three:

Ingredients:

Groundnut Oil 1.5 Tbsp
Mustard Seeds 1/2 Tsp
Whole Urad Dal 1 Tsp
Shallots 20 pcs, chopped
Green Chillies, slit 2 pcs
Curry leaves 25 pcs
Grated Ginger 1 Tsp
Asafoetida 1 pinch
Steam-cooked vermicelli
Salt 3/4 Tsp
Lemon Juice 1/2 Tsp
Chopped Coriander Greens 1/2 cup

Heat the wok or pan with Groundnut Oil on medium flame.
Add mustard seeds.
Once the mustards start crackling, add Urad dal.
Following, add shallots, green chillies and curry leaves.
Saute until the shallots fried translucent.
Next, add Ginger.
Sprinkle asafoetida.
Transfer the steam cooked vermicelli.
Mix to combine.
Sprinkle powder-salt.
Squeeze lemon juice.
Add coriander greens.
Now incorporate all the ingredients together.

Fluffy fingermillet vermicelli upma is ready to serve.

Cooking Time:17 minutes.
Yield: 2 persons

VEGETABLE PULAO/காய்கறி சாதம்/VEGETABLE GHEE RICE

Step One:

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice one cup
(India Gate Rice used here)
Water 3 cups

Soaking:

Wash the rice untilclear water.
Soak the washed rice in enough water for 20 minutes.
Drain the water completely.
Set aside.

Step Two:

Blanching:

Ingredients:

Vegetables ( Cauliflower florets one cup+Bush Beans, 2 inch one Cup+chopped Carrots 1/2 cup+Green Peas 3/4 cup)
Boiling water 3 cups

Thoroughly wash the vegetables.
Pour the boiled water over the veggies.
Let them sit for 2 minutes.
Drain the water and set them ready.

Step Three:

Pressure-cooking

Ingredients:

Groundnut Oil 1 Tbsp
Ghee 1 Tbsp
Cloves 4 pcs
Black Cardamom 1 pc
Green Cardamom 2 pc
Bay leaves 2 pcs
Mace 1/2 pc
Star anise 1 pc
Bellary onion 1/2 cup
Slit green chilly 1 pc
Curry leaves 10 pcs
Grated garlic 1 Tsp
Grated Ginger 1 Tsp
Salt 1/2 Tsp+Himalayan pink rock salt 1/2 Tsp
Water 1.25 cups

Heat the cooker with groundnut oil and ghee.
Add cloves, mace, black cardamom, green cardamoms, mace, star anise and bay leaves. Let them fry.
Add onion, green chilly and curry leaves.
Saute until onion fried transparent.
Transfer the vegetables and saute for a while.
Add salt 1/2 tsp and saute for 2 seconds.
Transfer the drained rice and saute until no remains of water contents.
Add 1.25 cups of water and Rock salt.
Stir well to incorporate all the ingredients.
Cover and cook on low heat until one whistle.(8 minutes)
Set aside to cool down.

Step Four:

Ingredients:

Ghee 1 tbsp
Whole cashews 20-25 pcs
Mint leaves, few for enhancing fine aroma.

Heat the tempering pan with ghee.
Add cashews and fry until golden brown.
Transfer them along with ghee to the cooked rice.
Fold gently to incorporate all the ingredients.


Vegetable pulao is ready to be served..

Audio background:

Accoustic_Symphony
Serenity by Akash gandhi