Kuska Rice and Boneless chicken biriyani | Learn how to make plain biriyani rice and boneless Chicken Biriyani

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I am back with another biriyani recipe. The chicken biriyani that I made before was with chicken on bone cooked in dum style. Today I tried boneless version without dum cooking. I was trying to replicate my childhood favorite rice item Kuska Rice from my father's hotel. It's nothing but plain biriyani rice.  Me and my sisters loved to eat this kuska rice with sherva (Plain Savji curry). In the hotel they used keep the Kuska rice ready and prepare chicken/Egg/Mutton or Veg biriyani with it as and when the order was placed.

So this Kuska rice came out really well and it had all the flavors of a good biriyani. Then I thought of making a chicken masala and preparing biriyani with it. I had some boneless chicken in store so out came this delicious chicken masala and the biriyani! It tasted just like the famous Meghana Boneless Biriyani. My family loved it. This has all the qualities to be out next family favorite dish:) I have noted down the recipe to make Kuska Rice and the boneless chicken biriyani with it. You can replace it with chicken on bone. It was just another pefect Biriyani :) Please read on for the recipe.

Kuska Rice /Plain Biriyani rice recipe: 
Ingredients:

Rice: 3 cups

Green chillies: 4-5

Onion: 3

Ghee/Oil: 3 tbsp

Caraway seeds (shahijeera): 1 tsp

Cardamom pods: 3-4

Clove: 4

Cinnamon stick: 1

Bay leaf: 1

Ginger garlic paste: 1 tbsp

Yogurt/curd : 1/2 cup

Chopped coriander and mint leaves: 1 fistful

Salt to taste
Safrron: 1 pinch
Rose water: 1 tbsp (Optional)
Kewra Water: 1 tbsp (Optional)

Preparation:

1. Wash and soak rice in enough water for 30 mins

2. Thinly slice onion, slit green chillies, chop coriander and mint leaves.

3. Soak saffron in 2 tbsp of warm milk or water.

Method:

1. Heat ghee/oil in a thick bottomed wok, add caraway seeds and whole garam masalas - clove, cardamom, cinnamon and bay leaf. Sauté until the ghee is fragrant.

2. Add thinly sliced onion and fry until onion turns to golden brown and crispy.

3. Now remove 2 tbsp of fried onions and keep it for garnishing. Add ginger garlic paste and green chillies, sauté until the raw smell disappears.

4. Add beaten yogurt, salt, chopped mint and coriander leaves and mix well. Cook for 1-2 minutes.

5. Add soaked rice and fry it for 2-3 minutes. Add 4.5 cups of water (1.5 cups for 1 cup of rice)

6. When it starts boiling cover with the tight lid and cook until the water on top is dried.

7. Open the lid sprinkle 1 tsp of rose water and kewra water and saffron milk  and put the lid back and keep it on low flame for 15 mins and turn of the flame.

8. Allow it to cool for 10 mins, open the lid and mix the rice up slowly without breaking it.

Garnish with fried onions and the rice is ready. You can serve it some spicy gravy of your choice or make biriyani with it. Read on to to know how to make boneless chicken biriyani.

Boneless Chicken Masala for Biriyani:

For Marinade:

Lemon Juice: 2 tbsp
Red chilli powder: 2 tsp
Turmeric: 1/2tsp
Coriander powder: 2 tsp
Cumin powder: 1 tsp
Biriyani powder: 2 tsp
Egg: 1
Corn Flour: 2 tsp
Salt to taste
Boneless chicken cubes: 500 gms

In a large mixing bowl add all the items listed for marinade and mix well. Add boneless chicken pieces and mix. Keep it refrigerated for 2 hours.

For chicken masala:

Ingredients:
Ghee: 5-6 tbsp.
Cashews: 10-12
Onion: 2
Green chillies: 2
Ginger garlic paste: 1 tbsp
Mint and coriander leaves: 3 tbsp

Yogurt: 1 cup
salt to taste

Method:
1. Heat ghee in a pan and fry cashews until golden brown, remove and keep aside.

2. To the remaining ghee, add sliced onions and fry until golden brown, add ginger garlic paste and saute until the raw smell disappears.

4. Add slit green chillies, salt, coriander and mint leaves saute for a while.

5. Mix in marinated chicken and fry for 5-6 minutes. Add a cup of beaten yogurt and cook until the chicken is done. It shouldn't be too dry, should be of thick gravy consistency. Add a little water if required.

6. Squeeze in lemon juice and the chicken masala is ready to go!

Serving:
1. In a serving bowl, add the plain biriyani rice and top it up with chicken masala and garnish with fried cashews, fried onions, chopped mint and coriander leaves. Serve hot with yogurt raita.

Notes:
1. Do not over cook the rice, Biriyani rice grains should be separated in a good biriyani :) you can add orange food coloring if you like the rice to be colorful.

2. Adding rose water/Kewra water is optional but recommended as it really brings the biriyani flavor out.

3. You can adjust the chicken masala according to your taste, you can add tomato puree or also can add 2 tbsp cream to make the gravy rich.

Please click here to know how to make biriyani powder.--> Fresh Biriyani Powder in a Jiffy

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Biriyani powder in a jiffy.

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Fresh biriyani powder is the soul of a good biriyani. You can buy ready made biriyani mixes from the market but the freshly ground biriyani powder makes all the difference. It certainly brings that "the biriyani flavor". I make very small batches of this powder so that I have the freshly pound masala everytime I make Biriyani. For 1 kg meat about 3 tbsp of this aromatic biriyani powder would be sufficient. 

It only takes 5 minutes to prepare the powder if you have all the ingredients at home.

Ingredients:
Cloves: 8-10
Black Cardamom - 3-4
Green Cardamom - 8-10
Mace(Javithri/Japathre) - 2
Bay leaf - 1
Cinnamon Sticks: 3-4
Peppercorn - 8-10
Kasuri Methi (Dried Fenugreek leaves): 1 tbsp

Stone flower (kalpasi/dagad Phool): 1 tbsp
Cumin powder: 1 tsp
Turmeric: 1/4 tsp
Coriander Powder: 2 tsp
Red Chilli powder: 1/2 tsp
Anardana powder : 1/2 tsp (Optional - it works as a meat tenderizer)

 Method:
1. Put all ingredients except the powders in the blender and grind to coarse mixture, Add in all the powders and mix well. Store in an airtight jar.
2. Do not use more than 3 tbsp for 1 kg Chicken otherwise the garam masala tastes overpowers the biriyani flavor.

If you make a big batch of biriyani powder it's better to dry roast the ingredients before grinding so that it stays fresh for longer.

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Mosaranna | Curd Rice | Simple and comfort food

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Weekends are for my food experiments. I usually try new recipes over the weekend. It was a bit different this time and we decided to dine out at our favorite Chinese restaurant "Old Chengdu" in china town. Both of us like spicy food and this restaurant offers the best chengdu/schezuan dishes. They cook with chilli oil and Sichuan peppers, we devoured our favorite super spicy chilli chicken and double cooked potatoes. 

Wondering what am I talking about? This is supposed to be a curd rice recipe:) yes! I am coming to it..last thing first, the next day we had a burning stomach (no regrets!! as the aroma and taste of chengdu food still lingered on). And I had to resort to something humble that will heal the burn instantly.  Our very own South Indian soul food Curd Rice came to our rescue. It takes a very few and humble ingredients to make this complete meal. It's also good for digestion, usually all the South Indian meals end with curd rice. You can simply eat plain rice and curd with a pinch of salt and also can make it a bit rich with fried cashews, raisins or fresh fruits with the mustard tempering. Here is my way of making this comfort food, inspired by my friend's mom's recipe. 

Ingredients:

Left over/Fresh Rice: 2 Cups

Thick Curd: 1.5 cups

Milk: 1/4 cup

Salt to taste

Coriander Leaves: 2 tbsp

Pomegranate seeds : 1/2 cups

Oil:1 tbsp

Split black gram /urad dal : 1 tbsp

Mustard: 1 tsp

Chopped Curry Leaves: 1tbsp

Green chillies: 1-2

Raisins : 2 tbsp

Method:

1. Take rice in a bowl, make sure its cooled down if you are using fresh rice. Add curd, milk, salt, chopped coriander leaves and pomegranate seeds and mix well. 

2. Heat oil in a tempering pan, add split black gram and then mustard seeds, when it splutters add chopped green chillies and curry leaves. Saute for 30 seconds. Then add in raisins, saute for a while and turn off the flame.

3. Mix this  tempering to the rice and serve with the pickle of your choice.

 

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The famous Saoji chicken Curry and Jawar Roti from North Karnataka

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Saoji (or Savji) food is a popular delicacy from Maharashtra and North Karnataka region in India. If you have been in these places you would have definitely come across Saoji Khanavali or Saoji hotels that serve jawar roti with spicy, aromatic and very delicious Saoji curries. The most famous one is the Saoji Mutton curry. My husband loves jawar roti with Saoji curry that we get in North karnataka. Making Jawar roti is bit of a task for me, I've failed miserably couple of times. This weekend I tried my luck again and made this delicious saoji chicken curry with jawar roti. To my surprise the roti came out perfectly and I was doing the happy dance :-)

Saoji curry is made with a masala powder prepared with dry red chillies, garam masalas, dry coconut and the special ingredient "jawar flour" (Sorghum/White Millet flour) Coconut and Flour in the masala help to thicken the curry. If you have the masala handy it will take less than 30 minutes to prepare the chicken curry. 

Ingredients:
Chicken 1 kg
Oil: 2 tbsp
Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp
Chopped Onion: 2
Ginger Garlic Paste: 1 tbsp
Turmeric: 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Lemon Juice: 1 tbsp
Saoji Masala powder: 3-4 tbsp 

Method: 

1. Heat oil, add cumin seeds and saute for 30 seconds.
2. Add finely chopped onion and saute until it turns into golden brown in color. 
3. Add ginger garlic paste and saute until the raw smell disappears.
4. Now add in turmeric powder, salt and the saoji masala powder, give a quick stir
5. Add in chicken pieces and mix well. 
6. Add enough water and cook it covered for 20-25 minutes. 
7. Adjust the seasoning and consistency and turn off the flame.
8. Add coriander leaves and freshly squeezed lemon juice. 
9. Serve hot with jawar roti/chapathi or rice with a piece of lemon wedge and onion roundels. 

How to make Saoji Masala:

Ingredients:

Cinnamon: 2 stick
Cardamom: 6-8
Cloves: 6-8
Black pepper corn: 1 tbsp
Black cardamom: 2
Mace: 1 string

Star Anise: 1/2 
Stone Flower (Kalhoovu/Dagad Phool): 1 piece
Coriander seeds: 2 tbsp
Fennel seeds: 1/2 tsp
Sesame Seeds: 1 tsp
Caraway seeds: 1/2 tsp
Red chillies: 8-10
Grated Dry Coconut: 3 tbsp
Jawar Flour (Sorghum/White Millet): 2 tbsp

Method: 

1. Dry roast cinnamon, cardamoms, Clove, Peppercorn, Mace, star anise and stone flower on medium heat for 2 mins. 
2. Add coriander seeds, fennel seeds, sesame seeds and caraway seeds and roast until its fragrant - about 1-2 minutes.
3. Add dry red chillies, coconut and jawar flour and roast for another minutes. make sure you do not burn the flour. 
4. Let it cool and grind to a coarse to fine powder and store in airtight jar. It can be used for 2 weeks at room temperature and about a month if refrigerated.

Making Jawar Roti:

There are only 2 ingredients needed to make this roti. Take a cup of jawar flour in a wide bowl and bring a cup of water to boil. Add half of the water to the flour and mix with a spoon. Do not mix with hand as it's very hot and can scald your palm.  Add water little by little and make a thick dough by kneading it well.

Dust the work top (or rolling board) with dry jawar flour. Take a big lemon sized dough and keep it on the dusted worktop and start patting it.Keep rotating the roti while patting. Add more dry flour if it's sticking to the board. 


Pat it and beat it with the help of your palm until a round roti is made. Keep joining the edges that break while patting. 

Lift the roti very carefully and put it on the hot griddle, dip a small muslin cloth in cold water and wipe the surface of roti (apply water all over). When the water dries up on top flip it and cook on the other side. Flip again and press with a dry cloth, it will puff up when you press, this is to ensure its cooked well. Serve hot with the curry.  

 
 

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Potato and Bell Pepper Stir Fry

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Potato and Bell pepper stir fry is another easy recipe that can be prepared in less than 30 minutes from scratch and gets emptied in minutes:) It must be the simplest veg dish that I make.This absolutely delicious stir fry pairs well with hot rotis/Chapathi or you can serve it as a side dish with rice and dal. Other veggies like beans, Carrot or cauliflower can also be added to it.. Read on for the recipe

Ingredients:

Potato : 2

Onion: 2 

Capsicum/bell pepper : 2

Garlic: 5-6 cloves

Oil: 2 tbsp

Cumin seeds: 1 tsp

Red chilli powder: 2 tsp

Turmeric: 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste

Lemon juice: 1 tbsp

Coriander leaves for garnish 

Method: 

1. Scrub, peel and cut potato into wedges. Cut capsicum into long strips, chop onion into cubes and keep aside.

2. Heat oil in a deep pan and add cumin seeds, sauté for 30 seconds. 

3. Add chopped garlic and onion and sauté until onion turns translucent.

4. Add potato wedges and mix well. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Do not add any water.

5. Potato will start browning on the edges then add capsicum and sauté for 2 minutes.

6. Mix in salt, red chilli powder and turmeric give a quick stir so that everything is combined well. Cook for another 3-4 minutes on high flame and turn off the gas.

7. Add lemon juice and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve delicious stir fried veggies with roti/chapathi.

Notes:
1. Do not over cook the capsicum which will make it soggy. I prefer to keep it slightly crunchier retaining all its flavors.
2. You can add other masalas like coriander powder and garam masala if you like more masala flavors.

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Dahi Achari Gobi | Cauliflower cooked with yogurt and pickling spices.

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After hectic work week I can't wait to begin weekend on Friday and feel really low in energy. Once the weekend mode is on I do not want to be disturbed unless it's something about food, fun or laughter. Everything else have to wait until Monday ;-)

Usually my Friday dinners are something quick and easy. Dahi Achari Gobi comes handy when I am pressed for time and energy. This is a Punjabi style dish that can be prepared in a jiffy. Cauliflower florets cooked with pickling spices and then sauted to perfection with beaten yogurt makes this dish finger-licking good. It goes well with any Indian flat breads like roti, naan or paratha. Do give it a try when you are running out of time and idea to cook cauliflower. 

Ingredients:

Cauliflower : 1 medium head.

Onion : 2

Yogurt : 1 cup

Oil: 2 tbsp

Mustard seeds: 1 tsp

Cumin seeds : 1 tsp

Nigella seeds (kollonji): 1 tsp

Fenugreek seeds: 1/4 tsp

Fennel seeds: 1 tsp

Ginger: 1"

Garlic: 5-6 cloves

Green chillies: 5-6

Turmeric: 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

1. Separate the cauliflower florets, rinse well and keep in salt water. Chop ginger, garlic and onion, slit green chillies and keep aside.

2. Heat oil in a wok and Add achari(pickling) spices - mustard, cumin, fennel, fenugreek and nigella seeds. Sauté until the oil is fragrant. 

3. Add chopped garlic, ginger, slit green chillies and fry until the raw smell is gone.

4. Mix in chopped onion and sauté until they turn golden brown in color.

5. Add salt and turmeric and give a quick stir. Now mix in cauliflower florets and sauté for 2 mins. Add a little water and let it cook covered for 5-6 minutes.

6. Lastly add the beaten yogurt and mix well. Sauté on high flame until the yogurt is almost dried and sticking to the cauliflower florets. Serve hot with rotis. 

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Chicken Dum Biriyani | Restaurant style chicken biriyani

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Side effects of being married to a big foodie!! One way or the other you are always thinking about cooking something new for your better half who just loves to eat. I was a simple rice - rasam type girl before marriage and in last 5+ years I not only learnt cooking but started enjoying cooking so much that I started my own blog. Doesn't it feel good to make something and get appreciated for it every time :-) 

Some side effects of being with a foodie or being a foodie yourself are so glaring.

1. You are just finishing your lunch and you start thinking about cooking dinner.

2. In the supermarket , you are almost like a robot scanning the vegetables/meat - your mind starts thinking about all possible recipes and what you can cook this week.

3.You have no issues with your spouse inviting guests for dinner every other weekend.It's an even prouder feeling to receive appreciation from guests ;-)

Do you have any other side effects??- do comment below so we can laugh a bit together:))

Every time there are guests coming over, I start planning  the menu and this Hyderabadi Chicken Biriyani has to be the first in the list. Then I go on adding my specialties such as Roasted chicken, Fish Rava fry or Masala fry, Chicken sukka etc as certified by the foodoholic of my house aka my husband:) 

There are 100s of variations of making biriyani, the process and the ingredients differ a lot but who can beat the taste of a biriyani with the aroma of spices, fried onions, fresh mint leaves etc.  This post has been in the draft for the longest time and finally I am posting it with all my love for Biriyani. The whole process of making this biriyani is very interesting and I split it into three categories - marinating the chicken with the spices, cooking the rice to the right consistency to be layered and finally dum cooking the biriyani in a handi (pot).

So lets get started with the ingredients, do not faint looking at the long list, after all it's not everyday one makes such elaborate and special dish :-))

Ingredients:

Chicken on bone: 1 kg

Long grained basmati rice : 1 kg
Shahi Jeera/ caraway seeds: 1 tsp
Cloves: 3-4

Oil: 1tsp

Saffron: few strands
Water/Milk: 2-3 tbsp 
Salt to taste
Ghee: 3 tbsp
Broken Cashew Nuts: 15-20
Rose water: 1 tbsp (Optional)
Kewra water: 1 tbsp (Optional)

For Marinade:

Biriyani powder : 3 tbsp

Red chilli powder: 1/2 tsp

Cumin powder:1 tsp

Coriander powder:1 tbsp

Turmeric powder :1/2 tsp

Green chillies: 3-4

Ginger garlic paste: 1 tbsp

Curd: 1 cup
Oil: 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Lemon juice: 2 tbsp

Chopped Mint leaves: 1/4 cup +1/4 cup 

Chopped Coriander leaves:1/4 cup +1/4 cup

Fried onions: 1/4 cup +1/4 cup

Method:
Marinating the chicken:
1. Take all the ingredients for marinade and mix well. Save half of the chopped coriander leaves, mint leaves and fried onions for dum cooking. Add cleaned chicken pieces and marinate for 3-4 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

Cooking the rice:

2. Wash and soak rice in enough water for 1 hour. Heat water in a big pot and add salt, 1 tsp oil, caraway seeds and cloves. when the water starts boiling add the soaked rice. We are going to cook it partially. When the rice starts popping up take a grain and press it with your fingers, it will break into 2. It should be half cooked at this stage. Turn off the flame and drain the rice in a colander. Do not overcook the rice as it will get mushy after Dum cooking with Chicken.

Dum cooking the biriyani.
3. Take a thick bottomed pot with a tight lid and heat ghee in it. Fry Cashew nuts and take it out. Soak Saffron in warm milk or water and keep aside.

4. Now add marinated chicken to the remaining ghee in the pot and gently mix it.

5. Add half cooked rice on top of the chicken in layers, arrange the remaining chopped coriander leaves, mint leaves and fried onions on top of the rice, sprinkle rose water, kewra water, saffron milk and add fried cashews.

6. Put a thick cloth on top and cover with the tight lid or you can also seal the lid with chapathi dough.

7. Keep it on high flame for the first 15 minutes and simmer the flame and let it cook for 30-45 minutes. You can also keep the pot on a heavy bottomed pan so the pot is not directly on fire and the chicken won't burn at the bottom of the pot.

8. Let it cool for 15 minutes. Open the lid and check the rice it would have turned fluffy and fully cooked. Gently mix the chicken and rice together and serve with chilled Cucumber Raita.  

Simple Cucumber raita:
Finely chopped onion: 1
Finely chopped green chillies: 2
Finely chopped/grated slender long cucumber: 2
Chopped Coriander leaves: 2-3 tbsp
Salt to taste
Chilled Yogurt/Curd: 3 cups

Mix all the ingredients together and chill in the refrigerator.
Please click here to know how to make biriyani powder.--> Fresh Biriyani Powder in a Jiffy

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