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Sunday 4 May 2014

Bendekaayi/Ladies-finger/Okra Huli




There are hundreds of ways for preparing Huli, but this is the way it is prepared in my home with Bendekaayi . You could use any seasonal vegetables like beans, carrots, radish, pumpkin, cabbage or even fresh greens either alone or in combination. 

Ingredients for Bendekaayi/Ladies-finger/Okra Huli :

1 lb bhendi,(called Ladies-finger or Okhra) washed , cut into small rounds and smeared with salt
2-3 tsp cooking oil/ghee(clarified butter)
1 tsp mustard seeds
2-3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 small onion, chopped finely
1/2 tsp turmeric
1-2 tsp chilli powder
A pinch of hing

For masala :
2-3 tablespoons of coconut , roasted
2 tsp of sambhar powder
1 medium tomatoes
1/2 tsp methi, roasted
1 tsp jeera, roasted
1 medium onion, sliced and roasted
1 small ball of tamarind

To prepare Bendekaayi/Ladies-finger/Okra Huli :

1. Blend masala ingredients to a smooth paste and set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds and
the crushed garlic. When the garlic turns brown, add the chopped onion and
fry till it turns translucent.
3. Now add the bhendi pieces. Fry till the bhendi is almost done.
4. Add the spices (red chilli and turmeric) and fry for a minute.
Now add the ground masala, salt to taste and bring to a boil.
5. Cook covered on a low flame for about 10 minutes.
Stir in the hing and take it from the heat.
6. Serve hot with rice or with Chapati/Roti.


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Simple Rooh Afza or Indian Rose Sharbat



Rooh Afza Sharbat is easy to make and refreshing beverage to sip on a sunny afternoon.


Ingredients for Rooh Afza Sharbat :
1/2 cup normal water
2 cups cool Water
5 to 6 tbsp Rooh Afza / Rose Syrup
Ice cubes

To prepare this Rooh Afza Sharbat :

1. In a glass, add 1/2 cup of normal water and Rooh Afza and stir well.
2. Then add the cool water and stir well.
3. Serve it by adding ice cubes.

Tips / Notes:

·        Rooh Afza will stay in the bottem even after mixing if u use cool water.
·        First mix Rooh Afza with normal water then add to the cool water.
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HYDERABADI CHIKEN DUM BIRYANI


Hyderabadi Dum Biryani is an Chicken pieces and Basmati rice / sonamasuri Rice that is cooked on some spices in dum over slow heat. There are many different types and versions of regional biryani recipes. And Hyderabadi Dum Biryani is one of the most popular of all. An amazingly flavorfull biryani recipe for all my friends....




Ingredients For Hyderabadi CHIKEN DUM Biryani :

Basmati rice / Sonamasuri  Rice  -  3cup
Bay leaf  - 3 nos
Cardamom  -  2 nos
Cinnamon sticks  - 2 nos
Cloves  -  3 nos
Star anise -  1 no
Coriander, chopped  -  3/4 bunch
Mint, chopped - 3/4 bunch
Golden fried onions  -  4 big onions
Green chillies  -  3 nos
Oil  -   ½ cup

To masala powder :
Cardamom  -  1 no
Cinnamon sticks  - 2 nos
Cloves  -  3 nos
Star anise -  2 leaves

To marinate :
Chicken  -  500 gms
Shahi chiken biryani Masala - 1 1/2 tbps
Coriander powder - 2 tbsp
Red chilli powder   -  1 1/2 tbsp
Turmeric pwd - 1 tsp
Ginger garlic paste  - 1 tbsp
Lime juice  -  2 tbsp
Salt  -  to taste
Shahi jeera   -  1 tsp
Yogurt/Curd -  1 cup
Mint, chopped - 1/4 bunch
Coriander leaves - 1/4 bunch
Oil - 2tbsp

To prepare Hyderabadi CHIKEN DUM Biryani :

1. Take a bowl, add chicken pieces and add the Shahi chiken biryani Masala, chilli powder, coriander powder, ginger garlic paste, green chillies, turmeric, salt, curd, chopped mint leaves, coriander leaves, lime juice, oil and mix well. Refrigerate the chicken mixture overnight.
2. Take Cardamom  -  1 no, Cinnamon sticks  - 2 nos, Cloves  -  3 nos, Star anise -  2 leaves and make powder.
3. Heat water in a vessel and let it come to a boil, add oil, salt, shahi jeera, bay leaf and Basmati rice / Sonamasuri  Rice (soak the rice in water for 1/2 hour). Cook the rice till 70% done.
4. Mean wile in a kadayi put oil and cook the marinated chicken with masala powder and cook till 70% done.
5. In the biryani handi  add layer of cooked chicken, Sprinkle fried onions, mint leaves, coriander  leaves, and then layer with rice (drain off the water). On the top again Sprinkle fried onions, mint leaves, coriander  leaves  add dissolved saffron strands soaked in milk (optional), ghee (optional), and cover the handi with a lid and seal with a sticky dough.
6. Then place the biryani handi on medium flame and leave it to cook on dum for 10 min.
7. Open the seal of the lid. Never mix the biryani, first check the rice on the top and bottom and then serve.

Tips / Notes:
1. On stove place a non-stick Dosa pan with evenly spreded salt under the biryani handi  to avoid bottom burn.
2. To actually relish a heavenly Hyderabad CHIKEN DUM Biryani, have it with Cucumber Raita and Hyderabadi Mirchi ka salan.
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