Achari Baingan Ki Kadhi (Fried Eggplant in Pickle Flavoured Yoghurt Sauce)

          Kadhi is a very common dish in the menu platter of any North Indian homes. It is a sort of a comfort food and is best relished with steamed rice or any flavored rice. Some people enjoy them with chapattis or any Indian bread too. 
         
          They are sometimes served plain or with pakoras (fried fritters) / veggies added to it. Today I decided to add in some fried eggplants in an achari (Pickles) based yoghurt sauce. The end result was simply yummy and I enjoyed it with steamed rice. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1 long eggplant, cut into roundels
• 1/2 cup yoghurt
• 2-3 tbsp. besan (gram flour)
• 3 cups water
• 1 tbsp. bottled mango pickle (or any other pickle)
• 1 tbsp. oil for tempering
• required quantity of oil to shallow fry
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. coriander-cumin powder
• coriander leaves to garnish (opt)

          Marinate the eggplants with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder and leave aside for 10 minutes. In a bowl, whisk together yogurt, besan, water, salt and pickle masala. Keep aside.

          Heat oil for shallow frying and and fry them till golden brown on both sides. Drain and keep aside. 

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil and temper with mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Allow it to splutter. Then add the asafoetida followed by the onions. Sauté till light brown.

          Add the ginger-garlic paste and all the remaining powdered spices mixed with 1/4 cup water. Fry till oil separates. Add the yoghurt mix and bring it to boil.

          Simmer on a medium flame for 8-10 minutes or till it turns slightly thick to the desired consistency. Stir at intervals.

          While serving, arrange the fried eggplants on a serving dish and pour the kadhi over it. 

          Garnish with coriander leaves and enjoy with plain rice, jeera rice, pulao, chapatti or any Indian bread.

                                  Shallow fry the eggplants & keep aside.

                                  Heat oil & temper with mustard seeds & cumin seeds.

                               Add asafoetida followed by the onions. Sauté till light brown.

                          Add ginger-garlic paste & all dry spices mixed with some water. 
                          Sauté till oil separates. 

                        Add yoghurt mix & bring to a boil. Then simmer on a med. flame 
                        till slightly thick or till desired consistency.

                   While serving, arrange the eggplants on a dish & pour the kadhi over it. 
                   Enjoy with any form of rice or Indian bread.

Achari Kathal Kofte Ki Kadhi (Raw Jackfruit Koftas in Pickled Yoghurt Sauce)

          Kadhi (yogurt sauce) is very popular in most North Indian homes. They differ from one region to the other in regard to the usage of ingredients. It is made with or without some pakoras dipped in it. Kadhi being my personal favourite, I keep experimenting. 

           So here in this recipe, I made some raw jackfruit koftas to go with the kadhi. I gave a twist by just adding some homemade mango pickle to the kadhi to enhance the flavour. It can be had with jeera rice, plain biryani, pulao, plain steamed rice, naan, tandoori roti or chapati. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

Koftas - 

• 1 small size raw jackfruit, boiled & mashed 
• 1 potato, boiled & mashed
• 2 tbsp. besan (Gram flour)
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• a handful of coriander & mint leaves, chopped
• oil to shallow fry

Kadhi - 

• 1/2 cup yoghurt
• 2 tbsp. besan (gram flour)
• 3 cups water
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. coriander-cumin powder
• 1 tbsp. bottled pickle (I added some homemade mango pickle)

Tempering - 

• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• pinch of asafoetida
• 1 sprig curry leaves

Garnishing - 

• 1/2 tsp. chili flakes (opt)
• 1 tbsp. fried onions (opt)
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped (opt)

          In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients (except oil) mentioned under 'Koftas'. Make equal sized balls out of it and refrigerate for an hour.

          Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry them in batches till light golden in colour on all sides. Drain on a kitchen towel and keep side. 

          In a bowl, whisk together all the ingredients mentioned under 'Kadhi'. Heat oil in a pan and temper with the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida and curry leaves.

          Sauté for a few seconds. Add the yoghurt mix and gently simmer till  it reduces to the desired consistency.

          While serving, arrange the koftas on a serving dish and pour the kadhi over it. Garnish with coriander leaves, chili flakes and fried onions. 

          Relish it with plain steamed rice, plain biryani, pulao, jeera rice, naan, tandoori roti or chapatti.          

                               The boiled raw jackfruit & potatoes.

 Mix together all ingredients (except oil) mentioned under 'Koftas'. 

Make equal sized balls out of it & refrigerate for an hour.

                              Whisk together all the ingredients mentioned under 'Kadhi'. 

                           Heat oil & shallow fry them till light golden in colour on all sides.

Drain on a kitchen towel & keep side. 

                    Heat oil & temper with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida & curry leaves.

 Add yoghurt mix & simmer till  it reduces to the desired consistency.

                Arrange koftas on a serving dish & pour the kadhi over it. Garnish with 
                coriander leaves, chili flakes & fried onion. Enjoy with steamed rice, plain 
                biryani, pulao, jeera rice, naan, tandoori roti or chapatti.         

Achari Mutton Dum Biryani (Pickled Mutton Dum Biryani - Hyderabadi/Telangana Style))

          Biryani is universally popular. I gave a twist to the original recipe by adding some bottled garlic pickle masala. This gave the Biryani a slightly different flavour. It turned out simply awesome with a hint of achari taste. It is a perfect party meal. Serve this yummy one-pot delicacy with some raita, sliced onion and lemon. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1 cup Basmati rice, soaked for 30 minutes
• 1" cinnamon
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 5-6 cloves
• 400 gms. mutton on bones, cubed
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tbsp. raw papaya paste
• salt to taste
• 2-3 green chilies, chopped
• 2 tbsp. yoghurt
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder 
• 1 & 1/2 tbsp. bottled pickle masala
• 2 tbsp. oil
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• handful of coriander & mint leaves, chopped
• 3/4 cup fried onions
• 1 tbsp. ghee 
• few strands of saffron mixed in 1/4 cup milk
• sliced onion, lemon wedges & mint leaves to garnish

          Marinate the mutton with ingredients starting from ginger-garlic paste to fried onions (leave aside 1/4 cup fried onions and 2 tbsp. coriander-mint leaves) for 4-5 hours or preferably overnight.

          Boil sufficient water in a pan and add the rice, salt to taste, cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves. Cook till it is 80% done. Drain and keep aside.

          In a heavy bottomed pan, add the marinated mutton and then layer the rice. Sprinkle  remaining fried onion, coriander-mint leaves, ghee and saffron milk.

          Cover with an aluminum foil and place a lid on it. Cook on a high flame for 2-3 minutes. 

          Then place the cooker on a hot tawa / griddle and cook on a very low flame for 45 minutes. 

          Switch off the flame and let it remain covered for another 5 minutes. Serve this yummy Biryani along with raita, sliced onion, lemon wedges and green chilies.

                   Marinate mutton with ingredients starting from ginger-garlic paste to 
                   fried onions (leave aside 1/4 cup fried onions & 2 tbsp. coriander & mint
                   leaves) for 4-5 hours or preferably overnight.

                   In a heavy bottomed, add marinated mutton & spread a layer of rice. 

                   Sprinkle remaining fried onion, coriander-mint leaves, ghee & saffron milk.

                     Cover with aluminum foil tightly & place a lid on it. Cook on high flame

                     for 2-3 min. Then place pan on a tawa & cook on low flame for 45 min. 

                                 Biryani is done.

                              Serve with raita, sliced onion, lemon wedges & green chilies.