Hyderabadi Chicken Korma

Ingredients :

• 1kg medium chicken pieces
• 3 onions, sliced and fried to Golden Brown
• 1/4 kg yoghurt
• Coriander leaves
• 2 tsp. Ginger Garlic Pas
• 1 tsp. Chili Powder
• Mint leaves
• 6 cashew nuts
• 12 almonds
• 1 tbsp. Poppy seeds
• 4 Cloves
• 2" Cinnamon
• 3 Green chillies
• 3 Cardamoms
• 1/4 tsp. Turmeric powder
• 2 pinches saffron, dissolved in ½ cup water
• 3 tbsp. ghee or oil
• Salt to taste

 Method :

 1. Marinate the chicken with salt, chilli powder, turmeric powder, yoghurt, ginger and garlic paste.

 2. Fry sliced onion till golden brown..

 3. Make a smooth paste of almond, cashew nut and poppy seeds.

 3. Grind cinnamon, cloves,  cardamom to make powder.

 4. Heat oil or ghee in a pan. Put the smooth paste to the oil stir till it becomes brown and then add the marinated chicken cook for 15-20 mins.

 5. Add the fried onions and green chillies and keep stirring for 5 Minutes.

 6. Add dissolved saffron keep on low flame till u see the oil on the top.

 7. Finally garnish with coriander and mint leaves.

 8. Your Hyderabadi CHicken Korma is ready to eat.

Chettinad Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1 big Chicken (cut into small pieces)
• Salt as needed
• 1/2 tsp. Turmeric powder
• 5 or 6 Green chilli paste
• 2 tsp. Ginger garlic paste
• 1 sprig Curry leaves
• Oil
• 2'' Cinnamon stick
• 3 Green cardamom
• 3 Cloves 
• Bay leaves - 3
• 2 big Onion paste
• 1/2 tsp. Pepper powder
• 1 tsp. Coriander powder  
• 1 tsp. Cumin Powder
• 1/2 tsp Fennel seed powder
• Chilli powder (according to your taste)
• 1 tbsp. dry roasted Coconut powdered
• 1 tbsp. dry roasted and powdered Poppy seeds
• 1 big Tomato chopped
• Coriander leaves - for garnish
• 1 cup Water 

Preparation:

1.  Add turmeric, salt, ginger garlic paste, green chilli paste in the chicken pieces and marinate for an hour.
2.  Cook the chicken with water in a pressure cooker for 3 whistles and set aside.
3.  Heat oil in a pan and after the oil is hot enough, add curry leaves, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, bay leaves and saute for a minute.
4.  Add the onion paste and fry till golden brown.
5.  Add ginger garlic paste - 1tsp and fry till all the rawness(smell) is gone.
6.  Add pepper powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, fennel seed powder, chilli powder and stir well.
7.  Add the chopped tomatoes, ground coconut, ground poppy seeds and cook till tomatoes become soft.
8.  Then add the chicken along with the remaining water to the pan and stir well.
9.  Chicken should be fully cooked as you pressure cooked the chicken. If you feel the chicken is not fully cooked then cook the chicken until done.
10.  Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with plain white rice or naan.

Lentil Fritters

Ingredients :

•   1 Cup Red Lentils
•   1 Large onion (chopped)
•  3 Chillies (chopped)
•  ½  Tsp Turmeric powder
•  ½  Tsp Cumin powder
• 1 handfull Coriander leaves (chopped)
•  1 Tbsp Rice Flour (optional)
•   Salt to taste

Method :

1. Soak the lentils for overnight and drain water thoroughly.
2.  Place in a blender or use a hand blender and make a coarse paste. (Do not over blend )
3. In a bowl, add the lentils with the chopped onions, turmeric powder, cumin powder, rice flour coriander and the green chillies, mix well.
4. Heat a pan on medium heat and add oil, get ready to deep fry the fritters.
5. Take small amount of the lentil mixture and drop it slowly in the hot oil.
6.  Fry until golden brown.
7.  Place on a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain any excess oil.
8. Serve hot and enjoy!

Biriyani

Ingredients:

• Mutton-1 kg
• Bashmati rice- 1/2 kg
• Potato(cut in cube) - 3 medium size(around 250gm)
• Onion - 1 cup(chopped)
• Yogurt - 1 cup
• Milk- 1 cup
• Cinnamon stick -4 pieces
• Cardamom-5-6 pieces
• Clove-3-4 pieces
• Bay leaf- 4 pieces
• Garlic paste-1 and 1/2 Tbs
• Ginger paste- 1 and 1/2 Tbs
• Garam masala powder- 1 ts
• Cumin powder- 1 ts
• Red chili powder- 1 ts
• Black pepper powder- 1 ts
• Nutmeg powder (Jaifol)- 1/2 ts
• Mace powder (jaiotri)- 1/2 ts
• Aloobukhara/Dried prune-7-8 pieces
• Raisin -10 pieces
• Keora water-1/2 Tbs
• Sugar-1 ts
• Ghee- 1/2 cup
• Oil- 2 Tbs
• Salt- 2 Tbs or according to your taste

Procedure:

1. Clean and wash the mutton properly and keep them on a strainer to drain the excess water.
2. Now take the mutton in the pan (try to use an ovenproof  heavy pan with heavy lid), add yogurt, salt, sugar, half of the ghee, ginger paste, garlic paste, whole masala (cinnamon, cardamom, clove, bay leaf) and all powder masala. Mix all these things well with mutton, cover it and keep it aside to marinate for around 2-3 hour.
3. In the mean time fry the potatoes lightly in oil and keep it aside. Then fry the chopped onion till it get nice golden color and take them out on a paper towel to soak extra oil and keep aside.
4. Wash rice and cook it half and drain through a strainer to drain water.
5. Now add milk on the top of the mutton and then spread the rice on it.Then spread the fried potatoes , fried onion, rest of the ghee, aloobukhara/Dried prune, raisin, keora water one by one on the top.
6. Then cover the pan with lid. If the lid is not tight enough, seal the edge with flour dough.
7. Now preheat the oven to 375 degree F. Then put the pan in the oven and bake it around 20 minutes and then  reduce the heat to 350 degree F and bake it around 45-50 minutes.
8. Then turn off the oven and leave it for around 30 minutes.
9. Now carefully open the lid and slowly mix the biryani from the bottom to top to make an even mix of mutton and rice in the biryani.
10. Serve your biryani hot and enjoy.

Lamb and Pea Keema Curry

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp ghee, butter or oil
• 2 medium-sized onions (100g each), quartered and thinly sliced
• 20g ginger, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 green chilli, finely chopped
• 1 piece cinnamon
• 3 cardamoms
• 300g lamb, minced or cubed
• 2 tbsp ground coriander
• 2 tbsp chilli powder
• 2 tomatoes (250g), roughly chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp salt shopping list
• 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
• 1/2 cup coriander leaves and stalks, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup mint leaves, roughly chopped

Method:

1. In a pan, heat the ghee and fry half the onions until they begin to brown. Add ginger, garlic and green chilli and whole spices.
2. Cook 2-3 mins and add the lamb, stirring until meat browns. Add ground coriander and chilli powder and cook for 1-2 minutes, add chopped tomatoes. Cook on medium heat until the tomatoes break down, then add a cup of water.
3. Lower heat, stir in the salt and simmer, partially covered, until lamb is tender - about 20 mins. Add peas and cook for a few minutes. Stir in coriander and mint, remove from heat.

Rajma (Red kidney bean curry)

Ingredients:

• 2 cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed under running water
• 2 tbsps vegetable/canola/sunflower cooking oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 medium-sized onions chopped fine
• 2"piece of ginger julienned
• 6 cloves of garlic minced
• 2 large tomatoes chopped into 1" cubes
• 2 fresh green chillies chopped fine
• 2 tsps coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• A pinch of asafoetida
• Chopped coriander to garnish

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a deep pan and add the cumin seeds. When they stop sizzling, add the onion and fry till soft.
2. Add the ginger and garlic and fry for 2 minutes.
3. Add the green chillies, tomatoes, coriander, cumin, turmeric and garam masala powders and fry till the oil separates from the masala.
4. Add the red kidney beans, 3 cups of warm water, asafoetida, salt to taste and cook till beans are very soft (approximately 10 minutes).
5. Mash some of the beans roughly (this thickens the gravy).
6. Garnish with coriander and serve piping hot with plain boiled rice.

Lobia (black-eyed bean curry)

Ingredients:

• 2 cans of black-eyed beans (400 gm each)
• 2 tbsps vegetable/ canola/ sunflower cooking oil
• 3 large onions sliced
• 2 large tomatoes chopped
• 2 tbsps garlic paste
• 1 tbsps ginger paste
• 2 tsps coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tsps garam masala
• 2 tbsps tamarind pulp (soak a walnut-sized ball of tamarind in hot water and squeeze out pulp)
• 1"piece of ginger julienned
• 2 tbsps fresh coriander leaves chopped

Method:

1. Grind 2 onions, the tomatoes, ginger, garlic together into a smooth paste.
2. Heat the oil in a deep, thick-bottomed pan on a medium flame.
3. Add the remaining sliced onion and fry till light golden. Add the onion-tomato paste and fry till the oil begins to separate from the paste. Add the tamarind pulp and mix well.
4. Add the dry spices - cumin, coriander, red chilli, turmeric and garam masala powders. Fry for 5 minutes.
5. Drain the water in the can from the beans and rinse them well under running water. Add the beans to the masala. Mix well.
6. Add salt to taste and water to make gravy (about 1 1/2 cups).
7. Simmer and cook covered for 10 minutes.
8. Use a flat spoon to mash some of the beans coarsely. Mix well.
9. Garnish with juliennes of ginger and finely chopped fresh coriander leaves.

Kaali Daal (Black lentils) - Daal Makhani

Ingredients:

• 1 cup split urad daal (black lentils)
• 2 large onions sliced thin
• 2 green chillies slit
• Salt to taste
• A pinch of asafoetida
• 2 large tomatoes chopped into cubes
• 2" piece of ginger julienned
• 1 tbsp garlic minced
• 2 tsps coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/2 cup thickened/ double/ heavy cream, whisked
• 2 tbsps vegetable/ canola/ sunflower cooking oil
• 2 tbsps ghee
• 1 tsp cumin

Method:

1. Soak the Urad Daal (black lentils) in a bowl of water, overnight if possible.
2. Boil the soaked lentils with 3 cups of water, 1 sliced onion, green chillies, asafoetida and salt to taste till they are very tender.
3. In a separate pan, heat the oil and fry the other onion till soft. Add the ginger and garlic and fry for a minute.
4. Add the tomatoes, coriander, cumin and red chilli powders and fry for another 5 minutes.
5. Add the boiled lentils and enough water to make a thick gravy-like consistency and mix well. Simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Pour in the whisked cream and mix well. Turn off the fire.
7. In another small pan, heat the ghee and when hot add the cumin seeds and cook till they stop spluttering.
8. Pour this into the lentils (it will all sizzle) and mix well.
9. Serve hot with a vegetable side dish and Naans (tandoor-baked leavened Indian flatbread) or Butter Chicken and Naans.

Murg makhani

Ingredients:

• 1 kg boneless chicken skin removed
• Juice of 1 lime
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp red chilli powder (adjust to suit your taste)
• 6 cloves
• 8-10 peppercorns
• 1" stick of cinnamon
• 2 bay leaves
• 8-10 almonds
• Seeds from 3-4 pods of cardamom
• 1 cup fresh yoghurt (must not be sour)
• 3 tbsps vegetable/canola/sunflower cooking oil
• 2 onions chopped
• 2 tsps garlic paste
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 2 tsps coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 can (400g or 14 oz) of tomato paste
• 1/2 litre chicken stock
• 2 tbsps kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
• 3 tbsps unmelted, soft butter
• Salt to taste
• Coriander leaves garnish.

Method:

1. Mix the chicken, lime juice, salt and red chilli powder in a large, non-metallic bowl. Cover and allow marinating for 1 hour.
2. Heat a flat pan or griddle on medium heat and gently roast (stirring frequently) the cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon, bay leaves and almonds till they darken slightly. Cool and add the cardamom seeds. Now grind into a coarse powder in a clean, dry coffee grinder.
3. Mix the yoghurt, above whole spice powder (from previous step), coriander, cumin and turmeric powders together and add them to the chicken. Allow to marinate for another hour.
4. Heat the oil in a deep pan on medium heat. When hot, add the onions. Fry till a pale golden brown in color and then add the ginger and garlic pastes. Fry for a minute.
5. Add only the chicken from the chicken-spice mix and fry till sealed (chicken will turn opaque and the flesh will go from pink to whitish in color).
6. Now add the tomato paste, chicken stock, kasuri methi and remaining part of the yogurt-spice mix to the chicken.
7. Cook till the chicken is tender and the gravy is reduced to half its original volume.
8. Melt the butter in another small pan and then pour it over the chicken.
9. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with naan or rice.
10. For an authentic and traditional cooked-over-the-coals flavour: When the Butter Chicken is cooked, make a small bowl shape with aluminium foil and place it on top of the curry ('floating' on it). Heat a briquette of charcoal on an open flame till red hot and gently put the charcoal in to the aluminium foil bowl. Cover the dish immediately. Remove the cover just before serving, discard the foil bowl and charcoal and serve. The curry will be infused with a Smokey flavour.