Sindhi Biryani

~ Huma ~ 1 Comment
Facebooktwitterlinkedinrssyoutubeinstagram
 Biryani is weekend must in my family. Fridays are never complete without Biryani .
Sometimes it is Bombay or Delhi Biryani, my ammi’s style (Gujarat) or my ma in law style(Maharashtra). But this weekend decided to make Sindhi Biryani.

Sindhi Biryani, as the name suggest comes from the region of Sindh located in Pakistan  I had watched this recipe on a TV show cooking with Farah. Have made a few minor changes according to our taste. Those who are more on spice side (My family is) and need more masalas with rice, will surely like it.
Don’t be scared by a long list of ingredients. Once you get a grip,all are at hand available at home.I have tried to simplify the recipe  as much as possible

Serves 4 – 5
Ingredients:-
1 kg Rice (parboiled  with few sprigs of mint leaves 2 cloves, 4 pepper corn, 1tsp shahjeera,1 small cardamon,4 tbsp salt, 1tbsp ghee)
1 kg chicken
2 medium size onions slice & fried to brown
Whole garam masala (2 cloves, 3pcs peppercorns, 1inch cinnamon, 1 black cardamon)
4tsp ginger garlic paste
1/2 cup curd (whipped )

For the Paste:
2 tsp red chilly powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
2 1/2 tsp Coriander powder
1 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1 1//2 tsp salt
1/2 cup water

1/2 bunch coriander chopped
6 -7 mint leaves (Note: using excess will over power the flavour)
3 – 4 green chilly
2 medium size tomato slice 1 inch thick
1/2 tsp black pepper powder + 1/2 tsp salt
3 big spoon oil

2 tbsp pure ghee
few strands of saffron mixed in 1/2 cup of milk.

Method:
Prepare paste of the following masalas:

 2 tsp red chilly powder + 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder + 2 1/2 tsp Coriander powder + 1 1/2 tsp garam masala powder + 1 1/2tsp salt + 1/2 cup water

Fry onion in oil till brown. Drain and keep aside on an absorbent paper.
Note:- For crispier onions, add 1/2 tsp of salt.
  • Add whole garam masala to the heated oil( used the same oil in which I fried onions).
  • Now add in the prepared masala paste with water. Fry for a few minutes.
  • Add in Chicken & fry for a minute
  • Crush & add in the fried onion the chicken. Stir
  • Add in ginger garlic paste. Stir continuously for a minute
  • Remove the vessel from flame & add in curd. Stir again for few minutes.
  • Mix in chopped coriander, mint & green chillies. Cook at a low flame till chicken is tender.

  1. While the chicken is cooking, cut the 2 tomatoes in 1inch slice.
  2. Heat 1 tsp oil in a nonstick pan & place tomatoes.Sprinkle black pepper powder & salt
  3. When soft (but not mushy) on one side  turnover & sprinkle black pepper powder & salt.Cook till soft.

ASSEMBLING THE BIRYANI

  1. First of all spread the 1/2 of the par boiled rice in a deep flat pan (I use a special vessel call Lagan for this process)
  2. Spread the cooked chicken. On it the prepared tomato slices
  3. Spread the remaining 1/2 rice. Pour  over in circle the safron + Milk Mixture. 
  4. Now pour the ghee on the rice & a brown onions
  5. Cover with aluminium foil & keep on Dum on low flame for 1/2 n hour.
  6. Dum: I have an old iron pan. Heat this pan on full flame for 5 minutes. Now slow the flame & put the prepare Biryani vessel on it.
Ready to eat. Njoy!!

Celebrating 15th December with Neapolitan Cake

~ Huma ~ 29 Comments
Facebooktwitterlinkedinrssyoutubeinstagram
This is my first entry in the Baking Partner Challenge. And with this I really hope to improve my baking and specially my  decorating skills. I am super excited.

After seeing beautiful cakes of our FB group page by my friends, I am really nervous about my cake. Their cakes have come out so beautiful. Honestly, I am good at baking cakes. But when it comes to decorating, I go numb. So please bear with my decorating skills.
This wonderful recipe was suggested by Swati, Suja & Archana. 


Its been a long time I have made cakes using only egg whites. I love the texture of whipped egg whites. So this time I had to go for this cake only.
And we publish our recipe on 15th.

Well 15th of December has lots of importance in my life. 
This is the date I got married. 

This is the day I started  my blog. 
And  its a co-incidence , that this will be my first entry into the group of Baking Partners on 15th December. 







So today’s my Marriage anniversary , my 1st  Blog anniversary and a beginning of a new chapter with a wonderful group of  Baking Partners.




TRIPLE Celebration Time 
Neapolitan cakes with its Triple layer is fit for this celebration.

I have gone with the original recipe for the cake changing only the round pan (18 cm) for baking instead of loaf pan. But have made changes in the filling. As we don’t use gelatin (Made of Beef fat),  I have gone for simple whipping cream and opted out coconut flakes also (secret Mr P doesn’t like coconuts).
I have made an angel cake before so this recipe was easy for me to follow. But this cakes required three separate layers of color.  I have a mini oven & can bake one cake only at a time.So was a  bit concerned that stiff peaks of whipped egg white might collapse for the waiting time. But thankfully I overcame this battle. My 3 layers of sponge cakes had risen nicely.

My camera battery has exhausted at last minute but was able to take few snap of the process.

Ingredients
1 cup cake flour
½ cup ground almonds
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
8 egg whites (about 1 cup)
¼ tsp cream of tartar
¾ cup granulated sugar
¼ tsp almond extract
Green and red food coloring

Filling
1 ¾ cup heavy cream
3 tsp confectionary sugar
¼ cup strawberry jam

 Red & Green Sugar crystals

Method:

  1. Pre heat oven to 350 degree F. Coat three loaf 9 1/4x 5 ¼ inch loaf pan with non stick cooking spray and line with wax paper
  2. Whisk together flour, ground almonds, baking powder and salt.
  3. In a separate bowl beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy.
  4. Gradually add granulated sugar in medium high until stiff peaks are formed.
  5. Sprinkle half of the flour mixture over the beaten egg whites and fold in gently. Repeat with the remaining flour and fold in almond extract.
  6. Measure ¼ cup of batter into two separate bowls and mix one with green food color and another with pink and keep the remaining as white.
  7. Pour this batter into three separate pans  and bake for about 12 minutes.
  8. The center of the cake layers springs back when lightly pressed with finger tips. Invert cake into wire racks and allow cooling.

Filling

  1. With a mixer on medium speed beat the remaining 1 1/2 cup cream and confectioners sugar till it thickens and is frothy. Beat until stiff peaks form
  2. Place green cake on a platter and spread two tablespoons of jam over the cake and then spread 1/3 cup of whipped cream on top.
  3. Repeat layering with white cake and finally place the pink cake on top. 
  4. Refrigerate the cake for 45 minutes or till the whipped cream is firm.
  5. Decorate with sugar crystals (added a few drops of red & green color to grainy sugar)
Baking Partners


Sending to:


Past Month

~ Huma ~ 2 Comments
Facebooktwitterlinkedinrssyoutubeinstagram
I miss cooking

Well my office work occupies much of my time now a days.I sleep on the thought what next errand I have to get it done tomorrow. In this hush I still managed to make a few stuff & took snaps of the leftovers.

Some of my creations

Gram Flour (Besan) Laddu for the surprise guests.
Poky Lemony cupcakes for my neighbors.





Quick Egg Fudge for the sweet craving
Chicken Qalia for the soul.

Lemon ice – cream to bid an adieu to summers
 Almond cake for Tea time

Baking Partners

~ Huma ~ Leave a comment
Facebooktwitterlinkedinrssyoutubeinstagram
Baking Partners: A new Baking Group
A group of home bakers helping each other to achieve perfection.


Baking a home made Baking a homemade bread, cake or cookies will give the best outcome. However in order to achieve the best results, a perfect recipe and right techniques are required.

We are a small group of home baker friends, who love and want to learn more about the nook and corners of baking.  We are planning to try out recipes from books/magazines and cooking shows.  Every member gets a chance to present their choice of recipe and share important points with the rest of the group.
Main purpose of this group is to learn the techniques, critic the procedure if there are ways to improve, and to eat a delicious food.
Rules are simple, we will choose one recipe and send it out to the group by 16th of every month and the reveal date will be 15th of the next month. On that day we will blog about it. A linky tool will be open during that time and each member can link their post.
First month we are going to do a recipe, 2nd and 3rd month will be a theme and the 4th month we will be back at a recipe. By doing in between recipes, we will able to learn more.
All enthusiastic bloggers interested in baking are welcome, please email Swathi  of Zesty South Indian Kitchen  at favoriterecipes12@gmail.com.
We will appreciate the use of logo or worded link that will help to spread the word.  A bunch of thanks to Tina for designing this beautiful logo
If you   want to make it a gluten or vegan free diet, you can do those modifications also.