Gutti Vankaya Biryani (Eggplant Biryani - Andhra style)

 

           This is a classic Andhra delicacy and my very first attempt at preparing this popular Eggplant biryani. It is done by layering the stuffed & cooked baby eggplants and cooked rice in a dum method. And Voila, you have a yummy and a flavorsome one-pot comfort meal. So all eggplant lovers, this is a must try recipe and it is also ideal for any special occasions. Do check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this vegetarian's delight.  

          The stuffing is an unique blend of spices and lentils along with some garlic, fresh grated coconut and peanuts that are first dry roasted (you can also sauté them in a bit of oil) and then ground along with some tamarind. 

        

          The eggplants are then stuffed with this chatpata masala and cooked, covered, on a low flame till done. Some spiced yoghurt is then added for a bit of a gravy consistency. The basmati rice is separately cooked al dente and then the two elements are layered in a greased pan and cooked to perfection in a dum style. Enjoy with some raita for a complete meal. 

Ingredients - 

• 8-10 baby eggplants
• 3-4 tbsp. oil 
• handful of coriander-mint leaves, chopped
• 2-3 onions, sliced
• pinch of food colour mixed with 2 tbsp. water (opt)
• 1-2 tbsp. ghee

Stuffing - 

• 6 dry red chilies
• 2 tbsp. coriander seeds 
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 2 tbsp. tuvar dal 
• 2 tbsp. urad dal
• 2 tbsp. peanuts
• 1 tsp. sesame seeds
• 2 tbsp. fresh grated coconut
• 1/4 tsp. fenugreek seeds 
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1/2 tsp. salt or to taste 
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida 
• 1 tsp. tamarind paste

Spiced Yoghurt Mix - 

• 1 cup yoghurt
• 1/4 tsp. salt or to taste 
• 1 tbsp. biryani masala
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder

Rice - 

• 1 & 1/4 cups Basmati rice, soaked for 30 minutes
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tbsp. oil 
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2 green cardamoms
• 4 cloves
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 2 fresh chilies, broken into half
• handful of coriander-mint leaves, roughly chopped

            Give two slits to each of the eggplants, keeping the stem intact. Dip them in salted water to avoid discoloration. 

          Spiced Yoghurt Mix - In a small bowl, whisk the yoghurt along with the remaining ingredients and keep aside.

           Stuffing - Dry roast all the ingredients (except turmeric powder, asafoetida and tamarind paste). 

          Switch off the flame and add the turmeric and asafoetida. Give a stir and keep aside to cool down. Add tamarind paste and grind to a powder. Then fill the eggplants with the stuffing masala.

          Rice - Bring sufficient quantity of water to a boil along with all the mentioned ingredients. Add the soaked & drained rice. Simmer till it is almost done (al dente). Drain and keep aside. 

           Heat oil in a pan and fry the onions till light brown. Drain and keep aside. In the same pan, arrange the stuffed eggplants and cook, covered on a low flame till one side is done. 

           Gently flip them over and cook till the eggplants turns soft. Add the remaining stuffing and mix well. Now pour the spiced yoghurt and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Switch off the flame and keep aside.

          Grease the same pan with some ghee and layer some rice, followed by some fried onion and  coriander-mint leaves.

          Then spread the cooked eggplant and some coriander-mint leaves. Spread the remaining rice and top it up with the fried onion, coriander-mint leaves, ghee and food color.

          Close with a tight lid and cook on a very low flame for 8-10 minutes. Keep it covered for 5 minutes before serving with some raita for a weekend lunch with your loved ones. 

                         Rice - Bring water to a boil along with all the mentioned ingredients. 

                           Add the soaked & drained rice. Simmer till almost done (Al dente). 

                                 Drain and keep aside. 

                    Spiced Yoghurt - In a small bowl, whisk yoghurt along with the remaining                                          ingredients and keep aside.

                   Stuffing - Dry roast all the ingredients (except turmeric powder, asafoetida

                   and tamarind paste). 

                      Switch off the flame & add turmeric and asafoetida. Give a stir & keep

                      aside to cool down. 

                                  Add tamarind paste and grind to a powder. 

                        Give two slits to each of the eggplants and dip them in salted water.

                                  Fill the eggplants with the stuffing masala.

                       Heat oil in a pan & fry the onions till light brown. Drain & keep aside.

                    In the same pan, arrange the stuffed eggplants & cook, covered on a low

                    flame till one side is done. 

                       Flip them over & cook till the eggplants turns soft. Add the remaining

                       stuffing and mix well. 

Pour the spiced yoghurt & simmer for 2-3 minutes. Switch off the flame.

                                  Keep aside.

                   Grease the same pan with some ghee & layer some rice, followed by some 

                   fried onion & coriander-mint leaves.

Then spread the cooked eggplant & some coriander-mint leaves. 

          Spread remaining rice & sprinkle fried onion, coriander-mint leaves,

             ghee & food color. Close with a lid & cook on a very low flame for 8-10 min.

 Serve with some raita for a weekend lunch with your loved ones. 

Pan Fried Salmon with Goan Recheado Masala

 

          Check out this delectable Salmon Fish Fry marinated in a classic Goan Recheado spice paste, that is both fiery and tangy. This red chili paste is full of flavors and is a must have in your refrigerator as it is quite handy. It turned out super yummy and ideal for a weekend light dinner along with some salad. You can also enjoy as an appetizer with any chutney / dip/ hummus or as a side dish with plain biryani / pulao / jeera rice. 

          Earlier I had tried with King Fish and it came out absolutely yummy. So tried with salmon this time. It was my first experience of pan frying salmon using Indian spices and was a bit skeptical as to how it would turn out. However, the end result turned out just the way I wanted. Superb!!!

         I skipped the mandatory salt, pepper, garlic and butter seasoning and wanted to try out in an Indian style. So the Goan Recheado spice paste came to my rescue as it is both spicy and tangy and suits my palate. 

• 2 Salmon fish fillet, washed & drained
• Recheado masala (recipe given below)
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 2 tbsp. butter

          Marinate the fish fillet with the spice paste for 2-3 hours.

          Heat oil and butter in a pan and shallow fry the marinated fish on both sides till done. 

          Serve as it is or with salad for a nice comfort meal.

Recheado Masala - 

• 5-6 Kashmiri red chilies, broken into small pieces
• 1 small onion, roasted on an open flame
• 5-6 garlic cloves
• 1/2" ginger
• 1/4 tsp. whole peppercorns
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 4-5 cloves
• 1" cinnamon stick
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. tamarind paste
• 1/3 cup vinegar or as required

          Soak all the mentioned ingredients in vinegar for an hour. Then grind in a mixer grinder into a smooth paste. (Do not add any water). 

Chole & Paneer Kulche (Stuffed Flat Bread with White Chickpea Curry)

 

          Enjoy these delicious homemade Paneer Kulchas along with chole, a simple chickpea curry for a sumptuous one-pot meal. It is a very popular menu in every North Indian restaurants universally. An ideal combination, you can enjoy it for breakfast, brunch or lunch.  

          I gave a slight twist to the stuffing, as I have incorporated some grated raw mango to the paneer mix to give a slight tang. I also kneaded the dough by adding soda water instead of the mandatory baking soda and baking powder.

         Serve this traditional delicacy with raita, onion rings, fresh green chilies and a dash of lime. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare these two delectable comfort food that is just perfect for a lazy weekend meal. 

          

          Kulcha can be of many varieties, either plain or stuffed. This North Indian styled flat bread is basically made of plain flour and stuffed with potato / cottage cheese or chicken / mutton mince for the non-veg. version. However, do not forget to brush them generously with some butter, ghee or olive oil for a healthier version.

          Similarly, there are many variations of preparing chole too. At times, tea bags are used to get a rich dark colored gravy in a traditional Punjabi style chole, known as Pindi chole. It is very yummy with full of flavours and a blend of various spices. So, to sum up, a chole recipe differs from one North Indian State to the other. 

           Besides Kulcha, you can also enjoy Chole, an ultimate comfort food, with naan, tandoori roti, poori, paratha, bhatura, chapatti, plain rice or jeera rice.

Chole - 

• 1 cup kabuli chana (white chickpeas), soaked overnight
• pinch of baking soda
• 2-3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2 cardamom
• 4 cloves
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tbsp. coriander powder
• 1 tsp. cumin powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tsp. ghee
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

Kulcha Dough--

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup plain four
• salt to taste
• 3 tbsp. yoghurt
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. kasoori methi, crushed
• 1/2 tsp. pepper powder
• soda water as required
• chopped coriander leaves, kalonji (Nigella seeds), chopped garlic & red chili flakes as required
• oil / butter / ghee as required

Stuffing-

• 200 gms. paneer, mashed
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 small mango, grated
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1/2 tsp. red chili flakes
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 1-2 green chilies, chopped
• 2-3 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Chole - 

          Boil the soaked chickpeas in 3 cups water and a pinch of baking soda for 4-5 whistles. Keep aside. 

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, bay leaves and cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Add the onion and stir fry till light brown. Add the ginger-garlic paste and all the dry spices (except garam masala powder) mixed with some water. Sauté till the oil separates.

          Add the chopped tomatoes and cook further till it is nicely mashed. Now time to add the boiled chole. 

         Cover with a lid and simmer on a low flame for 8-10 minutes or till you get the desired consistency.

          When done, add the garam masala and ghee. Give it a stir and switch off the flame. Garnish with coriander leaves and keep aside.

          Paneer Stuffing - 

          Mix the paneer with rest of the mentioned ingredients. Form 6 equal sized balls out of it and keep aside. 

          Kulcha - 

          In a bowl, mix together both the flours, salt, kasuri methi and pepper powder. Now add the yoghurt and oil. Combine everything well and knead into a dough with required quantity of soda water. 

          Apply some oil and cover it with a cling film. Keep aside for 2-3 hours. Knead the dough once again and divide into 6 equal portions. 

          Roll out each portion into a small circle by dusting some flour / oil. Stuff a portion of the paneer stuffing and bring all edges together to secure firmly. 

          Sprinkle some kalonji, coriander leaves, garlic and red chili flakes over it. Gently roll again into an oblong shape.

          Heat a tawa / griddle and roast the kulchas, one at a time, on a medium flame for a minute or so. When one side is done, flip it over and cook the other side too. Brush some oil / butter / ghee over it.

          Make similar kulchas with the remaining dough and the paneer stuffing. Serve with the prepared chole, raita, onion rings, green chilies and lemon.

                      Heat oil & temper with cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, bay leaves and

                      cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds. 

                                  Add the onion and stir fry till light brown. 

                          Add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté till the raw smell disappears. 

                                  Add chopped tomatoes & cook till it is nicely mashed. 

                                  Now time to add the boiled chole. Simmer on a low flame for 

                                  8-10 minutes or till you get the desired consistency.

                                  When done, add the garam masala and ghee. 

                            Mix together both the flours, salt, kasuri methi & pepper powder. 

                                 Add the yoghurt & oil. Mix everything well.

                       Knead into a dough with required quantity of soda water. Apply some 

                       oil & cover it with a cling film. Keep aside for 2-3 hours. Knead the 

                       dough once again and divide into 6 equal portions. 

                     Mix paneer with rest of the ingredients. Form 6 equal sized balls out 

                     of it and keep aside. 

                   Roll out each portion into a small circle by dusting some flour / oil. Stuff a 

                   portion of the paneer stuffing.

                                  Bring all edges together to secure firmly. 

                     Sprinkle some kalonji, coriander leaves, garlic & red chili flakes over it. 

                     Gently roll again into an oblong shape. 

                    Heat a tawa & roast the kulchas, one at a time, on a medium flame for a 

                    minute or so. When one side is done, flip it over & cook the other side too. 

                    Brush some oil / butter / ghee over it.

                   Serve with the prepared chole, raita, onion rings, green chilies and lemon.

Dahi Bhindi (Okra in Yoghurt Sauce)

 

           This is a very easy homemade dish where sautéed okra is cooked in a yoghurt based gravy.  Very simple to prepare, it tastes absolutely yummy. It is truly a vegetarian's delight and can be enjoyed with any form of rice or Indian bread. This humble and common veggie takes very less time to prepare so you can dish out this delectable curry in no time. Do check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

• 12-15 okra, cut into 1" thickness
• 1 cup yoghurt, well beaten
• 3 tbsp. mustard oil 
• 2 cardamoms
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 4 cloves
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tbsp. coriander-cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. kasuri methi, crushed
• 2 slit green chilies
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan and stir fry the okra till light brown. Drain and keep aside.  

         Heat remaining oil in the same pan and temper with cumin seeds, asafoetida, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves and bay leaf. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the onion and stir fry till light brown. Then add the ginger-garlic paste and cook till the raw smell disappears. 

          Add the coriander-cumin powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder and garam masala powder. Give it a stir and then add the yoghurt, kasuri methi, salt and green chilies.

          Keep stirring continuously on a medium flame for 2 minutes. Now add the fried okra and simmer, covered till the gravy thickens to a desired consistency. 

          Switch off the flame and transfer to a serving bowl. Garnish with coriander leaves and relish with steamed rice, jeera rice, pulao, paratha, poori or chapatti.

                     Heat 1 tbsp. oil & stir fry the okra till light brown. Drain and keep aside.  

                     Heat remaining oil & temper with cumin seeds, asafoetida, cinnamon, 

                     cardamoms, cloves and bay leaf. Sauté for a few seconds.

                                   Add the onion and stir fry till light brown. 

                              Add the ginger-garlic paste & cook till the raw smell disappears. 

                   Add coriander-cumin powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder & garam 

                   masala powder. Give it a stir.

                       Add yoghurt, kasuri methi, salt & green chilies. Keep stirring continuously

                       on a medium flame for 2 minutes.

                    Add the fried okra & simmer, till the gravy comes to a desired consistency. 

                       Garnish with coriander leaves & relish with steamed rice, jeera rice, pulao, 

                       paratha, poori or chapatti.