Andhra Pradesh Special

1. Hyderabadi Biryani



Ingredients

    1 kg meat
    1 Tbsp salt
    1 Tbsp ginger garlic paste
    1 Tbsp red chilli paste
    1 Tbsp green chilli paste sauteed brown onions to taste
    1/2 Tbsp cardamom powder
    3-4 sticks cinnamon
    1 Tbsp cumin seeds
    4 cloves pinch of mace mint leaves to taste
    2 Tbsp lemon juice
    250 gm curd
    4 Tbsp clarified butter
    750 gm semi cooked rice
    1 tsp saffron
    1/2 cup water
    1/2 cup of oil

Method

Clean the meat. Then in a pan add meat, salt, ginger garlic paste, red chilli powder, green chilli paste, sauteed brown onions, cardamom powder, cinnamon, cumin seeds, cloves, mace, mint leaves and lemon juice. Mix it well.
Add curd, clarified butter, semi cooked rice, saffron, water and oil and mix it well.
Now apply sticky dough on the sides of the pan.
Cover with lid to seal it and cook for about 25 minutes.
Hyderabadi Biryani is ready to eat. Garnish it with boiled eggs, sliced carrots, cucumbers and serve hot.



2.Mirchi Ka Salan



Ingredients

2 cups long green chillies (bhavanagari chillies) or capsicum , cut into thick strips
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1/2 tsp mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)
1/4 tsp fenugreek (methi) seeds
1/4 tsp nigella seeds (kalonji)
6 curry leaves (kadi patta)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
2 tbsp coriander-cumin seeds (dhania-jeera) powder
2 tsp chilli powder
1 tbsp tamarind (imli) pulp
2 tbsp chopped coriander (dhania)
5 tbsp oil
salt to taste

To be ground into a dry peanut-sesame powder
2 tbsp roasted peanuts
2 tbsp sesame seeds (til) , roasted
1 tbsp cumin seeds (jeera), roasted

To be ground into a paste
6 cloves of garlic (lehsun)
12 mm. (½") piece of ginger (adrak)
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped tomatoes
3 tbsp grated coconut

Method

    Wash and slit the green chillies. Remove the seeds and fry in hot oil until they turn whitish in colour. Remove and keep aside.
    In the same oil, add the cumin seeds, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, nigella seeds and curry leaves.
    When the seeds crackle, add the paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add the turmeric powder, coriander-cumin seed powder, chilli powder and powdered peanut-sesame mixture. Cook over a medium flame, stirring continuously until the oil separates.
    Add 2 cups of water and tamarind pulp and bring it to a boil.
    Add the fried green chillies, coriander and salt and simmer until the gravy thickens.
    Serve hot.



3.Ghongura pickle



Ingredients

    1 bunch gongura or sorrel leaves (wash them, separate leaves from the stalk and dry them without water)
    10 red chillies
    3 Tbsp vegetable oil
    1 Tbsp urad dal or black gram
    2 Tbsp coriander seeds
    6 garlic cloves
    1 Tbsp chana dal or bengal gram
    Pinch of hing
    Salt to taste

    For tempering:
    1 tsp mustard seeds
    5 Tbsp vegetable oil
    4 garlic cloves
    3 dry red chillies
    1/2 tsp cumin seeds
    1 spring of curry leaves

Method

Heat 2 tbsp of oil in pan.
Add the gongura leaves, saute until the leaves lose their colour and become soft.
Remove them from the pan and let them cool.
Add 1 tbsp of oil and mustard seeds to the same pan.
When the mustard seeds start to splutter, add cumin seeds, red chillies, urad dal, coriander seeds and garlic cloves.
Fry till they are golden brown in colour.
Grind these above mentioned ingredients with salt.
Add the fried gongura leaves and grind very coarsely.
Heat 4 tbsp of oil in a pan and add mustard seeds to it.
Add dry red chillies, crushed garlic, cumin seeds, curry leaves when the mustard seeds start to splutter.
Fry until garlic is slightly brown.
Remove the tempering from the heat. Let it cool before adding it to the ground gongura pachadi.
Serve with steamed rice and spoon full of ghee.

4. Kodikoora




Ingredients

    Chicken: 1 kg, washed and cut into bite sized pieces
    Onions: 2 finely chopped
    Ginger garlic paste: 1 tbsp
    Green chillis: 2 slit length wise half way
    Tomato puree: 1 cup
    Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
    Red chili powder: 1 tsp
    Coriander powder: 1 tbsp
    Cumin powder: 1/4 tsp
    Coconut milk: 1 cup
    Garam masala powder: 1" dalchini, 1 green cardamom, 4 cloves finely ground
    Curry leaves: saute in a tsp of oil till crisp (for garnish)
    Salt: to taste
    Oil: 2 tbsps
    Dry roast and make a paste:
    Dry Red Chilies: 5-6
    Poppy Seeds: 1 tbsp
    Peanuts: fistful
    White Sesame Seeds: 1 tbsp

Method

    Heat oil in a cooking vessel, add the onions and saute till pink. Add the green chillis, ginger-garlic paste and saute for 4 mts on medium heat.
    Add the cleaned chicken pieces and cook on high heat for 5-6 mts, mixing once in a while.
    Add the turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder and salt, mix well.
    Add the ground paste and tomato puree and mix. Reduce heat to medium, cook without lid for 7-8 mts.
    Add half a cup of water and cook covered for 20-25 mts or till the chicken is cooked.
    Add the coconut milk and cook without lid for a few minutes till you get the desired gravy consistency.
    Finally add the garam masala pwd, mix well. Turn off heat.
    Remove onto a serving bowl and garnish with curry leaves or fresh coriander leaves. Serve warm with steamed rice, rotis or flavored rice or pulao.

Tips

    You can follow the pressure cook method to quicken the cooking process. Once you add coconut milk, do not pressure cook. Let it cook without lid till you get the desired gravy consistency.