Thursday, August 7, 2008

Masoor Biryani

Masoor, the dark black-brown lentils and rice make a very good combination and with all the spices in it ends up in a tasty flavoured biryani. I followed a short cut so made this in the pressure cooker but you can also make the masoor masala and then mix it with the cooked rice giving layers of the masala. That makes a tempting flovoured Biryani. Here is how i made it.
Ingredients -
1 cup rice
1/2 cup masoor
1 large onion cut lenghtwise
1 tomato diced finely
1 tspn ginger-garlic paste
2 green chilis
1/2 tspn cumin seeds and mustard seeds each
a pinch of asafoetida
1 tbspn cumin-coriander powder
1 tspn chilli powder
2 cups water (double as that of rice)
Salt as per taste
Oil
Method -
1) Wash the masoor and rice together and soak it for sometime.
2) Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add the mustard seeds. Once they crackle add cumin seeds, asafoetida and green chillis.
3) Add the onions and saute for sometime. Then add tomatoes and saute for some more time till the tomatoes are mushy.
4) Now add all the powders and stir well.
5) At this stage add the masoor and rice and mix well so that all the masala would be nicely mixed with the rice.
6) Add water and salt. mix well and cover the pressure cooker. Make 3 whistles.
7) Remove in a serving bowl and garnish with cilantro. The Masoor Biryani is ready.

Friday, August 1, 2008

Prawns Curry with Vegetable Stir Fried


I have never made prawns like this before. We usually make prawns with the normal onion-tomato gravy with lots of spices and ofcourse Kolhapuri Masala with it. But this one was pretty interesting to cook. Something different. I liked it.
Ingredients -
1/2 pound fresh prawns
1/2 bowl mixed vegetables frozen
1 tbspn chilli powder
1 tspn cinnamon powder
1/2 cups coconut milk
Butter
Salt as per taste

Method -
1) Wash the prawns nicely.
2) Melt little butter in a skillet and nicely cook the vegetables. Remove the vegetables and keep aside.
2) Again heat little butter and put the prawns in it. Once the prawns are nicely cooked put the cooked vegetables and mix it nicely with the prawns.
3) Add all the powders, salt and coconut milk and stir well. Cover the lid and let it cook for 10 minutes.
4) Serve hot with rice or chapati.