Vegetable Dum Biryani

After much research, I made this dish today. Once you get the hang of the recipe this should be somewhat simple to make.

Here is the general plan.

1. Cook Rice Separately to about 50% doneness. This can be done by soaking Basmati Rice for 20 mins and cooking it in water with 1 cup rice - 1.5 cup water proportion. You should be able to cook this in about 15 mins.
2. Prepare Vegetable curry separately
3. Prepare Savory water
4. Prepare Sweet Milk
5. Layer Rice and veggies in the dish and bake for 30 mins.

Here is the recipe:

Savory Water

1. Boil 2 cups water; 
2. Add 1 tbsp mace; 1 tbsp kala jeera; 3 pieces of cinnamon stick; 5 cardamom pods; 8 cloves; 2 tsp fennel seeds; 1 tsp nutmeg; 2 star anise pods; 1 tsp peppercorns; 2 long bay leaves
3. Simmer for 20 mins; Then filter out the spices and keep the water

Sweet Milk

1. Boil 1 cups milk
2. Add few strands of saffron; 2 tbsp rose water; 2 tbsp kewra water; 1 tsp cardamom powder; 1 tbsp sugar
3. Simmer for 10 mins

Rice

Soak 2 cups Basmati rice for 20 mins; Saute 2 cloves and 1 piece of cinnamon stick and onions in 2 tbsp of ghee and add 1 large diced tomato; Add rice and when it is coated with ghee, add water and cook for about 10 mins

Vegetable Curry

A medley of veggies can be used for this. For example, you can have 2 potatoes, 1 chayote squash, 3 med carrots, 1 cup peas, 1 cup cauli flower, etc.

1. Cut the veggies to small chunks. They should not be diced too small otherwise they will lose integrity during the cooking process and will turn mushy.
2. Sautee the veggies with 1 small diced onion and 3 garlic (minced - opt).
3. Grind the following in a blender: 2 tomatoes, 1 inch ginger, 5 green chilies, 1/2 cup cashews or almonds, 1 cup cilantro, 1 cup mint. (The herbs can also be added to the curry without blending).
4. Cook for just about 10 mins in med flame so that the veggies are still crunchy.
5. Add about 3 tbsp of the savory water prepared.
6. Add 3 tbsp yogurt when the veggies are about done and turn off the flame.

Dum cooking

• Take a thick dish that you can keep in the oven. Dutch oven will be good as it has a heavy lid. 
• You can either seal it with dough or cover it with aluminium foil.
• For sealing with dough, use 1/4 cup of flour with 1 tbsp water.
• Layer Rice and Veggies with the pattern of: 1 layer rice; Savory water and sweet milk swirled over the rice; 1 layer of veggies; 1 layer of rice again, etc. Seal the dish with dough or aluminium foil.
• Bake the dish in the oven for 30 mins at around 350 deg for 45 mins.
• Unseal after removing from the oven after about 20 mins.

This dish is not very spicy and should be served with onion raita or pickle on the side. Almonds and cashews can be added for garnish.

Tikka Masala (Aloo, Gobi, Vegetables, Paneer)

The word Tikka means "bits, pieces". Masala often refers to a gravy made with tomato and spices.

"Tikka Masala" can be made with marinated pieces of Vegetables(Peppers, onions, zuchhini, mushrooms, etc.),

 Aloo(potatoes), Gobi(Cauliflower), Paneer, etc.

The recipe is actually very simple. 

Marinading

When the vegetables are used the following procedure can be used for marinading: 

o 2 cups of Vegetables or Paneer cut to pieces

o 1/4 cup of yogurt. Thick yogurt is a better option. You can either strain yogurt with cheesecloth or use greek yogurt. But if you dont have em you can use just the plain yogurt.

o 1 tbsp coriander powder

o 2 tsp paprika

o 2 tsp chili powder

o Diced ginger 1 tbsp

o 1 tbsp Kasoori methi leaves

o 1 tsp turmeric

o Juice of 1 lime

o 1 tbsp amchoor powder

o 2 tsp of flour (corn, arrow root, wheat or rice in that order of preference)  for binding

o Mix spices with yogurt and add vegetables, coat them well, cover the vessel and leave in the fridge for 1 hour or more. (If you are in a hurry, atleast 10 minutes would be needed to marinade otherwise the contents wont absorb the flavor)

Gravy

The gravy is fairly simple. Essentially, it is just pureed tomatoes and aromatics with spices.

o 1 can of tomatoes or about 1 lb of fresh tomatoes - Diced. Fresh ones are better for this dish.

o 1 big onion  - diced

o 1 tbsp of ginger and 1 tbsp or garlic (optional)

o 2 tbsp coriander powder

o 1 tbsp Garam Masala powder

o 1 tbsp paprika

o 1 tbsp chili powder

o 2 tsp turmeric

o 1 tsp cumin 

o Heat oil, add cumin and when they pop add onions. Add ginger and garlic (or ginger garlic paste) as an option.

After Onions caramelize a bit, add tomatoes

o Once the tomatoes are cooked a bit and disintegrating, add the spices with Garam masala as the last step.

o Cover and cook for 10 mins; Then use a hand blender or food processor to puree the gravy

Putting it together

o Heat some oil, add 1 tsp cumin seeds and when they pop, add the marinated vegetables and fry them for a bit until the vegetables or cooked or when paneer browns a little bit. Do not overcook.

o Add the stir fried vegetables to the gravy and cook for about 5 mins.
o Garnish with Cilantro Leaves.

Serving

Tikka Masala can be served over Basmati Rice and it makes a wonderful meal.

It can be had with Roti/Chapati/Puri, etc.

Katti Rolls

You can easily make Katti Rolls out of it with Roti/Chapathi or some flat bread 

(Pita, Middle Eastern Flat Bread, Tortilla, Lavash of these can qualify). 

Smear a bit of yogurt and optionally any kind of chutney you may have.

Place a bit of Basmati Rice, Tikka Masala and shredded lettuce and roll up the flat bread. That's it!

Puliyodarai - Tamarind Rice - Iyengar style

Dry Powder ingredients

Dried Red Chillies --- 15 

Coriander seeds---- 2 tbsp

Methi (fenugreek) seeds----1 tsp

Wet ingredients

Tamarind - One large lemon size (pulp extracted as per directions)

Dried Red Chillies --- 5 cut into half

Asafoetida – A pinch or two

Turmeric powder- 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tbsp

Urad Dal - 1 tbsp

Chana Dal (bengal gram) - 2 tbsp

Peanuts - 1/4 cup

Cashew nuts - 10 or so(optional)

Jaggery - 1 tbsp

curry leaves - 2 sprigs

1/4 cup gingelly oil (sesame oil).

Salt to taste

• This dish is most flavorful if enough time is given. It is not as tasty if prepared in a rush. Give the ingredients enough time to come together and develop flavor.
• Soak the tamarind in 1 cup of warm water; leave it for 15 mins and then use your hands to mash the tamarind into pulp. It doesnt take much effort. Leave for another 30 mins or so and then use your hands to squeeze the fruit matter to extract out the pulp and throw the fiber and seeds away. 
• Heat 1/4 cup of Sesame oil aka Gingelly Oil aka  Nallennai in a heavy pan. Add mustard Chana Dal, Urad Dall and after a few mins Peanuts and mustard and Asafoetida. After muster seeds start popping add cashew nuts and then curry leaves; Finally add jaggery and the chilies
• Finally add the tamarind pulp and turmeric; Cover and leave for 10-15 mins on low flame to reduce and to lose the raw tamarind flavor after cooking
• Dry roast the dry powder ingredients and then powder them in a coffee grinder/ Mixie
• After the tamarind pulp mixture reduces after the water evaporates, add the powder and then take off the heat. Add salt to taste. This is Pulikaichal, which will make the Tamarind Rice or Puliyodarai
• 
  
• To prepare rice: Cook 2 cups of rice in a rice cooker with about 5 cups of water.
• Once the rice is done open the lid, add 2 tbsp of sesame oil and spread the rice on a mixing bowl or plate
• After the rice cools add Pulikaichal to the rice and mix using your hands. Add salt as needed. Thee ingredients should be cool at that point. Leave the mixed rice for about 2-3 hours to develop the flavor. 
• This tastes much like the Perumal Kovil Puliyodarai.