Spicy and Tangy Mutton Fry in 30 mins

This recipe , which I have tried is one of the easy-peasy mutton recipes that I have ever made. Mutton has a bad name for being too difficult to cook and most novice cooks avoid cooking this delicious item.
However this recipe that I will give today is sure to turn heads of any one tasting this heavenly recipe.

This is one of my comfort food, the best thing about the recipe is how quick it cooks.

There are 2 basic steps to cooking this dish,
1. Boiling the Mutton
2. Frying the Mutton.
The ingredients required for the step are different so I will go by the way you should prepare it.

Spicy and Tangy Mutton Fry

Prep time- 10-15 mins  Cooking Time - 30 mins
Makes : Mutton Side for 2-3 people


STEP 1- Boiling the mutton

INGREDIENTS:

1.  500 gms mutton cut into small bite size pieces
2. 2 tablespoon oil 
3. 1 tablespoon whole garam masala( 1/2 inch darchini. 2 bayleaves, 2 cloves, 2 cardamom)
4. 1 onion chopped roughly
5. 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
6. salt(according to taste)
7. 1/2 teaspoon haldi powder
8. 1 and 1/2 cups water
9. 1 pressure cooker

METHOD: ( for Step 1)

1. Heat the pressure cooker and add oil to it.
2. Add the garam masala.
3. When fragrant add the onion and ginger-garlic paste. Fry for 1 min.
4. Next add the mutton. Fry for 1 min.
5. Now add the salt and turmeric. Mix well. fry for 30 secs.
6. Lastly add 1 and 1/2 cup water (preferably hot water).
7. Now put the lid of the pressure cooker and let it whistle 8-9 times.
8. Let the pressure cooker open on its own.
9. Meanwhile lets prepare for Step 2.

STEP 2- Frying the Mutton

INGREDIENTS:

1.  2 tablespoons of Butter
2. 6-7 cloves of garlic
3. 1 teaspoon whole pepper
4. 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds(jeera)
5. 8-9 curry leaves
6. 2-3 sliced chillis
7. 1 teaspoon coriander powder(dhania)
8. 1/2 teaspoon chilli powder (according to taste)
9. 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder(jeera)
10. 1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
11. Chopped coriander leaves, a small bunch (optional)
12. 3 tablespoons of lemon Juice.
13. Onion rings to garnish

METHOD:

Take the garlic, whole pepper and cumin seeds in a pestle and coarsely grind it.

 It should be somewhat like above picture.

1. Open the lid of the pressure cooker and check the mutton. It should be melt-in-the mouth type. It is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY for the mutton pieces to be very well cooked. If the mutton pieces are not perfectly cooked put the pressure cooker on the flames again and give 2-3 whistle more. If there is excess water, put the pressure cooker back on the gas and let it boil till only some juice is left.Now lets go to the final step...
2. Heat the butter in a wide mouthed pan and add the above mixture of garlic, pepper and cumin.
3. Fry it for 2 seconds.
4. Add chilli slices and curry leaves. Fry it for 5 seconds till a nice yummy smell comes out.
5. Now add chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and garam masala powder to the oil. Stir for 10 seconds.
6. Add the mutton in the oil. Fry for 2-3 mins till oil leaves the mutton.
7. Switch off the flame.
8. Add lemon juice (it is a must for the tangy flavour) and coriander leaves.
9. Give a quick stir and serve it with onion rings and rice or roti or parathas...

I can assure you that this recipe will become your favourite mutton recipes of all time. The spicy and tangy melt-in-the mouth mutton pieces will forever  remain in your memory.

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Super Easy Vegetable Biriyani...in 30 mins

What to cook is the biggest challenge for women who have to cook meals everyday for their family. They are in charge of the nutrition, health and taste buds of the entire family. Most of the food that tastes good are not healthy. So what to cook today??

When questions of health arrive in my mind, I cook vegetarian dishes. As a pure non-veg I never took Vegetarian cooking seriously, until God decided to let me experience this style of cooking. I made friends with some amazing Vegetarian cooks, who made me wonder how vegetables turned so tasty with combination of simple ingredients.

Today I will share a recipe, taught by my friend Srinitha Munugala...in one word, this recipe is just "AMAZING!"
Super-easy, super-quick, super-tasty, super-healthy and "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious'!

Vegetable Biriyani in 30mins (Actually it takes less than 30 mins)
Prep-time: 5-7 mins  Cooking Time: 20-25 mins
Makes Biriyani for 2-3 people

INGREDIENTS

1. 2 cups washed Basmati Rice (here I want to mention that the quality of Biriyani depends a lot on the rice used, so if you want good Biriyani, use good quality Basmati rice)
2. 1 cup of chopped vegetables of your choice ( I used 1 carrot, 2 beans, 6 mushrooms, 2 babycorns, 1 tablespoon peas)
3. 1/2 cup boiled Nutrella chunks (optional)
4. a bunch of Mint Leaves
5. a bunch of Coriander Leaves
6. 1-2 green Chillis
7. 2 medium onions sliced
8. 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
9. 2 medium tomatoes chopped
10. 1/2 inch stick of cinnamon (darchini)
11. 2 cloves
12. 2 cardamon
13. 1 bay leaf (tej pata)
14. 1 mace ( javitri) (optional)
15. 2 star anise (optional)
16. 1 teaspoon chilli powder
17. 1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
18. salt according to taste
19. 1 tablespoon oil
20. 1/2 tablespoon ghee

METHOD

1. Take a heavy bottomed pressure cooker.
2. Heat the cooker, switch off the flame and add the oil and ghee.
3. Now add the cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, bay leaves, mace and star anise.
4. Switch on the gas on medium flame, fry lightly till it is fragrant. Be careful not to burn the whole-spices.
5. Add slices onions and stir fry till it turns soft.
6. Now add the ginger-garlic paste. Fry till raw smell goes away.
7. Now add the mint and coriander leaves. Fry.
8. Now add the chopped tomatoes. Fry till tomatoes become soft and mushy.
9. Now add the chopped veggies and Nutrella chunks. Fry till a nice smell comes out of the mixture.
10. Now add chilli powder, salt and garam masala powder. Fry for some time.
11. Now add 2 cups of rice and 3 cups of water. ( Do not mess with the rice- water proportions)
12. Take out the siti of the pressure cooker and cover the lid of the pressure cooker upside down. 
13. Keep the rice 5 mins on high flame and then lower the flame and cook for 10 mins.
14. Now keep checking so that the rice doesn't burn below.
15. If you see the rice has still not cooked and the water has dried up add half cup of water by sprinkling it on top.
16. When  the rice gets cooked, turn off the gas and let it sit for 5 mins before serving.
17. Fluff up the rice and serve with raita or chicken fry or fish fry or any side you want.

Served with raita , this makes a complete meal.

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Chicken Biriyani, in 30 mins...

This post of mine, is one of my favourite recipes, of all times. Can you believe that you get a plate full of steaming Chicken Biriyani in about 30 mins!

I generally choose this recipe on lazy weekends, when the family wants good food, and you want REST!!!! Trust me this is such a good and hassle free recipe, that you are bound to fall in love with it.

This recipe is a less spicier, less oily, lighter and easily digest-able version of the famous Hyderabadi Biriyani. Thus its tasty, healthy and delicious... The only thing is you will have to shop the ingredients before-hand!! No cheating on that buddy...:D

Now lets straight go into the recipe.

Easy Home-Style Biriyani
Prep time- 10-15 mins  Cooking Time - 30 mins
Makes : Biriyani for 3-4 people


INGREDIENTS

For the chicken marination:

1. 500-600 grams of medium sized chicken
2. a bunch of Mint leaves
3. a bunch of Coriander leaves
4. Chopped Chillies ( amount is according to taste)
5. 2 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
6. 1 tablespoon Chilli powder
7. Salt according to taste
8. 1 tablespoon jeera powder
9. 1 tablespoon coriander powder
10. 1/2 tablespoon turmeric powder
11. 1 inch stick of Cinnamon (Darchini)
12. 4 cloves
13. 3 cardamoms
14. 1 mace (javitri)
15. 1/2 teaspoon peppercorn (Gota Gol Marich)
16.  2 bay leaves (tej pata)
17. 1 cup thick dahi
18. 3 tablespoons oil

For the Rice:

1.  3 cups of Basmati rice ( soaked for 30 mins)
2. 1 tablespoon oil
3. 1/2 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
4. 2 bayleaves ( Tej pata)
5. Salt

 METHOD

For the Chicken:

1. Marinate the chicken with all the ingredients listed under chicken marination and keep aside.

For the Rice:

1. Boil water  in a pot and add 1 tablespoon oil, 1/2 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste, salt and 2 bay leaves.
2. Pour soaked rice into the boiling water and boil it till the rice is 50 % cooked.( that will be when you can break the rice with your finger, but it is not fully cooked)
3. Strain it and keep aside.

 Layering:

1. Take a pressure cooker, heat it and switch it off.
2. Add 2 tablespoons of ghee in it, let the ghee melt, put all the chicken on the ghee, smooth it with a spoon.
3. Now add the rice on top of the chicken.
4.  If you have food colour  and want to add it, take 2 tablespoons of curd in a bowl, add a pinch of food colour, and 4 tablespoons of rice in the curd. Mix well and keep the coloured rice in a corner on top of the white rice.
5. Take out the rubber from the lid of the pressure cooker.
6. Cover the pressure cooker with a clean kitchen towel, and put on the lid, without the weight(citi) and the rubber.
7. Switch on the gas, high for 5 mins and then low for 25 mins.
8. Keep it for 2 mins after that and then open the Lid.

 

Your fragnant and super yummy biriyani is ready... Serve immediately with any gravy item or just raita.

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