Bryani Special

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Special Afghani Bryani

Ingredients:

* 1 Whole Chicken (cut into serving pieces)
* 2 cups Basmati Rice (washed & pre-soaked)
* 1 Onion (peeled & chopped)
* 1 Carrot (chopped)
* 7 fresh Tomatoes (pureed in blender)
* Almonds (Baadaam) (slivered & fried) (for garnish)
* Raisins (Kishmish) (for garnish)
* 10 Whole Cardamom Seeds (Ilaichi Danay)
* 10 Cloves (Long)
* 1 Cinnamon Stick (Darchini)
* ½ tsp. Cumin Seeds (Saabut Sufaid Zeera)
* Salt (to taste)
* Black Pepper Powder (Pisi Kaali Mirch) (to taste)
* Cooking Oil (as needed)

Method:

1. Saute the onions and carrot in cooking oil. Add the chicken and mix. Then add the: cardamom seeds, cloves, cinnamon stick, cumin seeds, salt and black pepper and mix. Continue to fry until the chicken is half done.

2. When the chicken is half done, add the tomato puree and mix. Continue to cook over low heat with pot covered, until the chicken is well done.

3. Separately in a different pot, boil rice in water until cooked and drain.

4. Finally cover rice with chicken and spices and let cook covered on very low heat for 5 minutes.

5. Garnish with fried Almonds and Raisins for a most delicious taste.

 

Anarkali Bryani by Chef Zakir

Ingredients:

* 1/2 kg rice
* 375 gm boneless chicken
* 250 gm yogurt
* 5 green chilies, chopped
* 2 tomatoes, chopped
* 2 onion, thinly sliced
* 2 tbsp garlic ginger paste
* 1/2 tsp jailfel and jalwatrey powder
* 1/4 bunch fresh coriander, chopped
* 1/4 bunch mint leaves, chopped
* 8 whole black pepper
* 6 cloves
* 1 tbsp cumin seeds
* 4 green cardamoms
* 4 sticks cinnamon
* 20 cashew nuts
* 20 pistachios
* 20 chilghozas
* 1 tsp red food color
* Few bay leaves
* 2 tbsp crushed pomegranate seeds (anardana)
* 50 gm dry plums
* 1 tsp cumin powder
* 2 tbsp red chili powder
* 1 tsp turmeric powder
* 2 tbsp kewra
* Salt to taste
* 1 cup ghee

Method:

* Heat 1 cup ghee in a pan, add big and small cardamoms, cloves, bay leaves, 2 cinnamon sticks and whole black pepper and fry it for 1-2 minutes.
* Add garlic and ginger paste and onions together. Let them cook till they change color in light brown, then add1 tsp cumin seeds. Now cook it till the onions change its color into golden brown.
* Add tomatoes and green chilies and lower the flame. Cook it for 2-3 minutes and then add 1 1/2 red chili powder, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp turmeric powder and salt. Mix it and then add yogurt.
* In a bowl marinate chicken with 1/2 tsp garlic ginger paste, salt, 1 tsp red food color, 1 tsp red chili powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp cumin powder and mix it well with your hands.
* In a pan heat little oil and sauté the marinated chicken for 4-5 minutes. Remove it from heat.
* In other pan heat 1 tbsp ghee and roast all the nuts in it till they change their color in light golden. Remove them from heat.
* In a wok heat water for rice. Add bay leaves, 2 cinnamon sticks, 1/4 tsp cumin seeds and salt in water. When water starts boiling add rice.
* In a gravy add layer of chicken, coriander and mint leaves, dry plums and pomegranate seeds. When rice are half cooked add layer of drained rice on gravy. Then add roasted nuts and remaining rice.
* Add kewra and 2 tbsp ghee on top and now cook it covered. First increase the heat for 1 minute and when steam forms then lower the heat and put the biryani on dum for 10-15 minutes.
* Serve hot with raita and salad.

 

Vegetable and nuts bryani

Ingredients:

* 250g basmati rice
* 400g special mixed frozen vegetables
* a cup of raisins
* 1 vegetable stock cube
* 2 tbsp korma curry paste
* a cup of roasted salted cashew nuts

Method:

1. Boil the kettle. Get out a large microwaveable bowl and pile in the rice, veg and raisins.
2. Pour 600ml/1 pint boiling water over the rice mixture and crumble in the stock cube, then stir in the curry paste. Cover the bowl with cling film, leaving a small gap at the side to let out the steam. Cook on full power (850 watts) for 12 minutes – if your microwave is less powerful, add 2 minutes.
3. Remove from the microwave and stand, still covered, for 5 minutes to complete the cooking – if you don’t let it stand the rice will be too nutty. Fluff up the rice, scatter with cashews and serve.