Recipes for the regular homecook – Page 6 – Minimalistic and delicious recipes to empower homecooks

Punjabi Kadhi Pakoda

Here’s the most authentic and delicious Punjabi kadhi pakoda recipe with the softest, melt-in-the-mouth pakodas.

I’ll be honest, it took me a while to get the pakodas right. It’s easy to make a smashing curry but getting those perfect pakodas are no joke! So I dived deep and did multiple attempts to learn how to make the softest pakodas and a smashing kadhi.

This recipe was taught to me by my grandmom in law who carries a treasure trove of handloon Punjabi recipes in her memories. How lucky am I?

So here you go, a delicious Punjabi kadhi pakoda recipe, broken down to help you crack it in your kitchen.

What is the Recipe?

Punjabi kadhi pakoda is the most popular and well-liked dish of every Indian, and it is the best combination with jeera rice. However, kadhi is the savory, tangy, and spicy gravy of sour curd, gram flour, and spices. Onion pakoda are deep-fried, soft gram flour onion fritters, then combined with the tasty kadhi and finally tempered with herbs and spices.

How to Make?

Ingredients required:

Besan (gram flour/ chickpea flour): Gram flour is the key ingredient of Punjabi kadhi pakoda. Take 1 cup for curd gravy or premix and 2 cups for pakodas.

Curd: Sour curd or yogurt is the second key ingredient of this dish. Use 800g sour curd for slurry.

Water: Add 800 ml of water in a slurry and 1-2 tablespoons in fritter batter to dilute them well.

Oil: Use oil for frying pakodas and 3 tablespoons for final kadhi preparation.

Ghee: Use 1 tablespoon of ghee for tempering.

Salt: Use it in curd and pakoda batter to intensify the taste. The amount of usage depends on your taste.

Spices: Dried red chilies, red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, hing, ajwain, Kasuri methi, cumin seeds, carom seeds, methi seeds, and curry leaves helps to enhance the flavor.

Garlic: 1 clove of grated garlic in the pakoda intensifies the taste.

Baking Soda: A pinch of baking soda in pakoda batter helps to make them softer.

Steps to Make

Making Yogurt Gravy:

Step 1: Take a bowl, add 800 grams curd and whisk it well to make a smooth paste.

Step 2: Now add salt (taste according) 1 tablespoon turmeric powder in the whisked curd.

Step 3: Stir and mix all the ingredients well.

Step 4: Add 800 ml water and make a smooth paste without lumps. Then set aside the yogurt slurry.

Making Fritters:

Step 5: Add 2 cups of gram flour, taste according to salt, 1 teaspoon red chili powder,1 teaspoon ajwain, 1 teaspoon Kasuri methi, and 1 grated garlic clove in the bowl. Mix all ingredients very well for Punjabi kadhi pakoda.

Step 6: Add water in small portions and mix the batter.

Step 7: Make a smooth thick batter, then add a pinch of baking soda.

Step 8: Take a frying pan and add desirable oil for deep fry.

Step 9: Heat the oil at medium flame.

Step 10: Now drop the pakoda batter in the oil with the help of a spoon. Deep fry the pakoda, turn the pakoda to the other side and let it fry until it becomes crisp and golden.

Step 11: Remove the pakoda from the oil and place them on tissue paper. Remember to fry in small batches. Keep them aside and start preparing the kadhi.

Making Kadhi:

Step 12: Take a large bottom pan or pot, add 3 tablespoons of oil, and heat it on medium flame.

Step 13: Add ¼ teaspoon hing, 1 teaspoon methi seeds, and 8 to 10 curry leaves. Stir and saute the ingredients for 2 to 3 minutes.

Step 14: When the ingredients release a little oil, add the curd slurry. Stir all the ingredients at regular intervals to prevent the kadhi from sticking from the bottom.

Step 15: Cook the Punjabi kadhi pakora gravy for 15 to 16 minutes at low flame until it comes to a boil.

Step 16: Simmer it for 5 minutes more at low flame when the gravy becomes thick enough. Remember to add hot water to the gravy if it becomes too thick.

Step 17: Now add pakoda to the kadhi. Gently stir and simmer the gravy for a few minutes. And cook the kadhi for 10 minutes.

Final Tempering:

Step 18: Add 1 tablespoon ghee to the pan.

Step 19: Heat the ghee for tempering, then add 1 teaspoon mustard seeds, 1 tablespoon cumin seeds, 2 whole dried red chilies, 1 teaspoon chili powder for coloring.

Step 20: Pour the heated ghee with ingredients over Punjabi kadhi pakoda.

Step 21: Garnish the kadhi with fresh coriander leaves and enjoy your meal with roti or rice.

Tips to Get the Recipe Right

Sour: The choice of yogurt is essential; if you want the best Punjabi kadhi pakoda, choose sour and full-fat curd. If the curd is not sour enough, keep the curd set for a few hours at room temperature, or you can also add lemon juice or amchur powder to make the kadhi more delicious.

Pakoda: If you want your Punjabi kadhi pakoda super soft, always add a baking soda pinch. And if you wish for your pakoda to be crispier, add a little water at a time. Beat the batter with a whisk or spoon till fluffy. Fry pakoda in small batches, at low to medium flame, and use less oil to soften the inside.

Stir and simmer: Stirring and simmering at regular intervals are essential steps to give the kadhi Punjabi signature flavor and taste with adequate consistency and help cook without sticking the gravy from the bottom.

Baking Pakoda: If you want less fat kadhi, you can also bake the Punjabi kadhi pakoda at 180°C until the pakoda becomes golden and crisp. But remember to add 1-2 tablespoons of oil to the pakoda batter.

Choose the right pot: Remember to use a large bottom pot while cooking kadhi. A small bottom pot can result in kadhi spilling out when boiled.

Let’s take a look at the recipe:

Preparation time – 30 minutes

Cook time – 45 minutes

Serves – 6

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

For the yogurt pre-mix:

1 cup chickpea flour (besan)
800g yogurt
800 ml water
1 tablespoon turmeric powder
Salt according to taste

For The pakodas:

2 cup chickpea flour (besan)
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
Salt according to taste
1 teaspoon ajwain (carom seeds)
1 clove of grated garlic
1 teaspoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
1-2 tablespoon/1/4 cup water or as required
1 pinch baking soda
Oil (for shallows frying)

For final kadhi:

3 tablespoon oil of your choice
8-10 curry leaves (thin strips)
¼ teaspoon hing (asafoetida)
1 teaspoon methi seeds

For tempering:

1 tablespoon ghee
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 dried red chilies (whole)
1 teaspoon red chilli powder (Kashmiri lal)
1 tablespoon coriander powder [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

Whisk the yogurt well in the bowl until it becomes smooth.
Add other ingredients and mix all the ingredients well, then add water and make a smooth paste without lumps.
Set aside the yogurt gravy and prepare fritters for your Punjabi kadhi pakoda.
Add gram flour, salt, red chili powder, ajwain, Kasuri methi, and grated garlic and mix all ingredients well.
Then add water in small portions, according to the need to make a thick batter for Punjabi kadhi pakoda.
Then add 1 pinch of baking soda, mix well and set aside the batter.
Add oil to the frypan, and heat the oil at medium flame.
Firmly drop the batter in the oil and deep fry the fritters until it becomes golden and crispy.
Put out the fritters from the oil and place them on tissue paper.
Take another pan or pot, but remember to take a large pot with a large bottom and add oil.
Add hing, methi seeds, curry leaves and saute them well for a few minutes.
Then add the yogurt gravy and stir all the ingredients well.
Keep the kadhi batter stirring at low to medium flame and let them cook for 15 to 16 minutes until the gravy comes to boil.
Simmer the gravy at a lower flame for 5-6 minutes until the gravy becomes thick.
Add the fritters to the gravy and stir them gently.
Cover the lid and cook the kadhi for 9 to 10 minutes or until the pakoda is soaked well.
Add ghee to the pan.
Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dried red chilies, and Kashmiri red chili powder when the oil is heated.
Then pour the tempering over the cooked gravy.
Lastly, serve the Punjabi kadhi pakoda, garnish it with fresh coriander leaves and enjoy it with steamed rice or jeera rice. [/directions]

Punjabi kadhi pakoda is the most favoured, healthy, and delicate North Indian dish, with sour gravy and melt-in-mouth, soft pakodas. Making this dish is also so effortless you can easily and quickly make this dish. This flavoursome dish can efficiently go with any rice, roti, or paratha and satisfies your craving.

Palak Paneer

Palak Paneer is one of India’s most-loved vegetarian dishes. Besides its flavourful taste, this dish sums up various health benefits as it contains numerous nutrients.

This delicious palak paneer recipe goes well with paratha, naan, roti, or rice. Making this dish is easy and fuss-free.

The homestyle recipe of palak paneer is made with easy ingredients and comes out delicious every single time. Making this dish takes 40 to 45 minutes, which includes 30 minutes for preparation and 10 minutes for cooking.

Ingredients in This Palak Paneer Recipe

Oil, ghee, or butter- You need to take 2 tablespoons of oil, ghee, or butter as you desire and heat it.

Cumin seed- Add 1/2 teaspoon of cumin seed (jeera) in heated oil for tempering.

Asafoetida- ¼ teaspoon of Asafoetida (Hing) in heated oil for tampering enhances the taste and aroma.

Bay leaf- 1 small bay leaf (tej patta) in heated oil; it offers a delightful and slightly spicy aroma.

Cloves- 3 to 4 cloves in heated oil besides other ingredients for tampering.

Onion- ⅓ cup of finely chopped onion add, which acts well with your diet and gives a sweet taste. And use ⅓ cup of ring onions while serving the palak paneer.

Garlic and Ginger paste- Make a paste of ginger and garlic and use 1 tablespoon in the gravy to enhance the taste.

Salt- Salt is a necessary ingredient that intensifies the taste, and the amount of usage depends on your taste.

Turmeric Powder- ¼ teaspoon of turmeric powder, which enhances the taste, provides vibrant colour, and eliminates bitterness of Spinach.

Coriander Powder- 1 teaspoon coriander powder provides the gravy’s a slightly soft, sweet taste and aromatic touch.

Red chilli Powder- ½ teaspoon of red chilli powder offers the gravy a spicy and flavoursome taste.

Fenugreek leaves- 1 teaspoon crushed dried Kasuri methi (fenugreek leaves), this herb

Garam Masala- ¼ teaspoon of garam masala, a mixture of many different spices.

Paneer- Paneer is the main ingredient of palak paneer; use 200 to 300 grams of fresh paneer cut into cubes.

Cream- 2 tablespoons of fresh cooking cream of your desirable brand. But remember to use only 1 tablespoon of cream if you use heavy cream.

Tips To Get the Recipe Right

Here are some tips to get the perfect palak paneer recipe out of your kitchen:

– Treat the spinach right

Palak or spinach is the hero of this dish, so it needs to be treated right. Fresh, seasonal spinach works best. For the bright green colour, the spinach is blanched in hot water for just a few minutes, and immediately transferred to ice cold water. This not only adds to the vibrancy of the dish but also ensures the spinach is cooked halfway through before we add it to the final gravy.

– Use fresh paneer

Use fresh, and good quality paneer for best results. You can also fry the paneer in ghee before you add to the gravy.

– Onions

Onions play an important role in this palak paneer recipe. The onions need to be fried till they turn golden brown. This step is important to lend a unique taste to your palak paneer. The onion needs frying for a while along with the rest of the spices till it starts to sweat, turn translucent, and ultimately oil starts to release from the sides. That’s when you can add the spinach puree.

Steps For Making

Making of Spinach Puree:

Step 1- Take the Spinach according to the amount mentioned above, wash and clean it before boiling it into water.

Step 2- Take 3 cups of water in a pot, pan, or electric heater, add ¼ teaspoon of salt into the water and add Spinach to the water.

Step 3- Blanch the Spinach in water for 2 to 3 minutes, then immediately take them out and put them into ice water, which helps retain their vibrant green colour.

Step 4- Then, take the Spinach from cold water and press it to remove any excess moisture.

Step 5- Use a blender or grinder jar to blend the Spinach with garlic cloves, ginger, and chili peppers (amount mentioned above) to make a smooth spinach puree.

Making of Main Gravy:

Step 6- Add oil, ghee, or butter into a frying pan for tampering and heat it.

Step 7- Add cumin seed, bay leaf, asafoetida, clove, and onion to the hot oil.

Step 8- Stir the ingredients and saute them at low to medium flame until the onion turns slightly golden.

Step 9- Now, add ginger-garlic paste, finely stir the ingredients and saute them until the paste leaves its aroma.

Step 10- Add tomato and salt, then saute well until the tomato is mashed, mix well and become soft.

Step 11- Now add other spices like turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander, Powder, and garam masala and mix well.

Step 12- Saute the ingredients well, till a flavourful aroma comes out, cook it for 2 to 3 minutes, then add Kasuri methi.

Step 13- Add the spinach puree when the gravy becomes thick, then mix well, cover the lid and cook it at medium flame for 10 minutes.

Step 14- Now, you can check the taste of palak paneer gravy and add some salt if needed.

Step 15- Add paneer cubes to the pan, stir in the paneer and cook for 4 to 5 minutes.

Step 16- Then add cream after cooking for 5 minutes and stir the gravy gently.

Step 17- Lastly, switch off the flame, add lemon juice and mix well to give the touch of sour flavour.

You can garnish palak paneer with onion rings, lemon slices, chopped ginger, and a teaspoon of cooking cream, which look amazing and delightful. Now, you can serve it with roti, naan, rice, or paratha.

Let’s take a look at the recipe:

Preparation time – 30 minutes

Cook time – 40 minutes

Serves – 4

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

For the spinach puree:

500 g spinach, washed and cleaned
2 green chillies

For the gravy:

300 g paneer, cut into cubes
3 tbsp oil/ghee
1 bay leaf
4 cloves
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)
1 cup finely chopped onions
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp coriander powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tbsp crushed dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
2 tbsp fresh cream [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

Wash spinach well.
Heat water in a wide mouthed pot. Once it comes to a boil, add the spinach leaves and stalks and boil for 2-3 minutes.
Take out the spinach and immediately transfer it to ice cold water (to prevent it from cooking further).
Rinse the spinach to let out moisture, then blend it with ginger, garlic, and green chillies.
Heat oil to temper spices like cumin seed, cloves, asafoetida, bay leaf, and onion. Saute them until onion turns golden brown.
Add ginger-garlic paste and saute the ingredients till the raw aroma fades.
Add spices, cook them for 2-3 minutes, and add Kasuri methi.
Stir well on medium flame till spices cook and oil starts to release from the sides.
Pour the spinach puree and mix everything together. Cover and cook for 10 mins on medium to low flame (or till you achieve your desired consistency.
Add fresh cream and mix well.
Once well combined, add the paneer cubes and mix well.
Cook for five more minutes and serve. [/directions]

I hope you try this delicious Palak Paneer recipe soon. If you have any doubts, comments, or feedback, please reach out to me in comments or my social media handles.

Find me on Instagram – www.instagram.com/slurrpilicious

Find me on Facebook – www.facebook.com/slurrpilicious

Find me on Youtube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA-cJoo27OLSCswI4sy6lzA?

Happy cooking!

Vegetable Au Gratin

The perfect bake for this holiday season – Vegetable Au Gratin. An indulgent feast, with delicious, roasted vegetables dunked in a luxurious Bechamel sauce. A perfect and quick meal option, especially if you are hosting.

This Vegetable Au Gratin is made in three parts:

Part 1 – The vegetables are blanched
Part 2 – The Bechamel sauce is made
Part 3 – Everything is baked with cheese and bread crumbs

All these three steps are crucial and need to be done right to get the perfect Vegetable Au Gratin. Let’s go through them.

Blanching the Vegetables

We use both hard and soft vegetables for this recipe, so the order in which they are boiled greatly matter. The vegetables need to have a crunch in the final recipe, which is why the timing is so important.

We start with boiling the hardy vegetables, which is the potato and the carrot. Each of them go one after the other into the boiling water, with a gap of three minutes. Next, we blanch the cauliflower florets and the beans for another two minutes. the last addition is fresh green peas, which is blanched for last one minute.

For even cooking, it is crucial to cut all vegetables into similar sizes. We have cut them into 1/2 inch cubes and pieces. Once the blanching is done, strain the vegetables and set them aside.

Making the Bechamel Sauce

Bechamel sauce is a thick white sauce made with milk, butter, flour and a few spices and herbs. It is the heart and soul of this Au Gratin and needs to be done right for the perfect creaminess and texture.

The ratio of milk to flour defines a good Bechamel sauce. The ratio is 3:1 where 1/3 cup of flour is used for every 3 cups of milk. It’s important to cook the flour in the butter well. The rawness needs to fade and the temperature needs to be optimal to prevent the butter or flour from burning. I suggest you keep the flame at low to acquire those even flavours.

Once the flour gets cooked in the butter, whisking in the milk, little by little, will define the thickness of the sauce. Continuous whisking is essential to prevent any lumps.

The last step is to add a little bit of cream to take the sauce to a whole new level. Season it right and this sauce will add that magic to the final dish.

Let’s take a look at the recipe:

Preparation time – 15 minutes

Cook time – 30 minutes

Serves – 4

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

Vegetables:

1 cup potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 cup cauliflower florets
1 cup carrots, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 cup green beans, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/4 cup green peas

For the Bechamel sauce:

50 g butter
1/4 tsp minced garlic
1/3 cup all purpose flour (maida)
3 cups whole milk
1/4 tsp dried Rosemary
1 tsp salt (adjust as per taste)
1/2 tsp freshly crushed black pepper powder
1/4 cup cream

For garnish:

80 g grated cheese
3 tbsp Panko breadcrumbs [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

Heat water in a wide-mouthed pot. Add enough salt in it for the water to be saline.
Once the salt is well dissolved in the water, add the cubed potatoes and let it boil for three minutes.
Next, add the carrots and boil for another three minutes.
Cauliflower florets and beans go next – boil for 2 more minutes.
Lastly, add the peas and boil for one last minute.
Strain the vegetables and set aside.
Add butter in a skillet and let it melt. Keep the flame at low to prevent the butter from burning.
Add the minced garlic and saute for a few seconds till rawness disappears.
Next, add the flour and whisk till the rawness of the flour fades and it acquires a nutty aroma.
Add whole milk in three batches, whisking throughout the process to prevent lumps.
Keep the flame at medium to low and keep whisking.
Season with salt, black pepper powder and dried rosemary leaves.
Once thick, add the cream and whisk for another 10 seconds and turn off the flame.
Your Bechamel sauce is ready. Save half of it and add the blanched vegetables to the other half. Mix well.
Transfer vegetables in sauce to a baking dish. Pour the remaining Bechamel sauce on top and spread it out.
Garnish with grated processed cheese and Panko bread crumbs.
Bake at 200 degrees in an oven for 30 minutes.
Let it rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Enjoy with toasted bread or as it is. [/directions]

I hope you try this delicious and Vegetable Au Gratin soon. If you have any doubts, comments, or feedback, please reach out to me in comments or my social media handles.

Find me on Instagram – www.instagram.com/slurrpilicious

Find me on Facebook – www.facebook.com/slurrpilicious

Find me on Youtube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA-cJoo27OLSCswI4sy6lzA?

Happy cooking!

Seviyan Kheer

Seviyan kheer is a common Indian dessert made on festive occasions like Diwali, Eid and others. It’s one of the easiest and most luxurious desserts that comes together so quickly. Every household has their own unique recipe of seviyan kheer. Mine is one which is thick and bursting with creaminess and flavours. The perfect seviyan kheer is a result of patience and the right proportions of ingredients.

Just like my rice kheer recipe, this seviyan kheer also follows the same ratio of seviyan (vermicelli) to milk. The seviyan or vermicelli should ideally be roasted. If you have the plain one, make sure you fry it in ghee and roast it a bit before you add it to the milk.

The consistency of this seviyan kheer is thick and creamy. As it cools down, it keeps getting thicker, so we stop the cooking process once it reaches a semi thick consistency. The seviyan kheer is cooked in a way that it never becomes lumpy, even when you freeze it. As for sweetness, it is just the right amount of sweet for a festive occasion. You can always add more or reduce the amount of sugar as per your preference.

Tips to Get the Perfect Consistency

Though this seviyan kheer recipe is extremely simple and minimal, it can only taste so good if you take care of a few technicalities. Let’s take a look.

1. Get the ratio right

The secret to a great kheer is the correct ratio of milk to rice. The amount of rice is very less and we let it slow cook and merge with the reducing milk. If you get the ratio right, there is no stopping you from creating the best rice kheer at home.

2. Use the best ingredients

Like every simple recipe using a handful of ingredients, this rice kheer recipe also calls for sourcing the best ingredients. Make sure you use really good variety of roasted vermicelli or seviyan. Use good quality ghee.

This recipe cannot be replaced with low fat milk. The milk has to be full fat to get that perfectly thick and creamy consistency of the rice kheer. Get your hands on the best quality full-fat milk for this recipe.

3. Mind the heat

Cooking the seviyan kheer at the optimal temperature is very important to get it right. Once the milk comes to a boil, the flame will keep oscillating between low to medium, but it will never touch high. The temperature needs to be checked and regulated throughout the cooking process you would not want the milk to stick or worse, burn at any point. Keeping the flame high will also make the milk evaporate faster than it should, and affect the final consistency of the kheer.

4. Use a heavy bottomed pan

Make sure you use a heavy bottomed pan like a heavy stainless steel pot or kadhai or a cast iron pot. This will ensure that the kheer does not burn and cooks uniformly.

4. Be patient

This is probably the most important virtue to have while making kheer. There are no shortcuts to making a good seviyan kheer. Nothing can match the taste and excellence of slow cooking. So you will have to have patience and give your undivided attention to this recipe for at least 30 minutes. The results will really be worth it, I promise.

Preparation time – 15 minutes

Cook time – 30 minutes

Serves – 3

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

1 tbsp ghee
1/4 cup cashews
1/4 cup roasted vermicelli/seviyan
1 litre full fat milk
7 tbsp sugar
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp cardamom powder
Chopped almonds for garnish
Chopped pistachios for garnish
Dried rose petals for garnish [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

Heat ghee in a kadhai and fry the cashews till golden brown. Set aside.
Saute the vermicelli or seviyan in the same kadhai for a minute. Set aside.
Heat milk in a kadhai or pot and let it come to a boil. Keep stirring to prevent the milk from sticking to the bottom.
Once the milk starts to boil, add the fried seviyan. Keep stirring continuously on medium flame.
Add the bay leaf to the milk for enhanced flavour.
Keep stirring continuously to prevent sticking. Milk will start to thicken and turn creamy.
Once the milk is reduced by half and seviyan is cooked completely, add the sugar and mix well.
Once you reach the desired consistency as shown in the video, garnish with some cardamom powder and give it one last mix.
The final consistency should be a bit runny as the kheer will thicken as it gets cold.
Garnish with chopped pistachios, chopped almonds and dried rose petals. Enjoy warm or cold. [/directions]

I hope you try this delicious and fool-proof seviyan kheer this festive season. If you have any doubts, comments, or feedback, please reach out to me in comments or my social media handles.

Find me on Instagram – www.instagram.com/slurrpilicious

Find me on Facebook – www.facebook.com/slurrpilicious

Find me on Youtube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA-cJoo27OLSCswI4sy6lzA?

Happy cooking!

Mushroom and Spinach Pasta

An easy and quick dinner recipe to go in 30 minutes, this mushroom and spinach pasta comes in handy in busy weeknights. This is not an Alfredo recipe, and does not use anything else except pasta water to bind everything together. It is a healthier version and you can take it up a notch with lentil pasta or non-refined flour pasta. I have used fettuccine in this recipe but you can go with any kind of pasta that you have with you.

We cook the mushrooms first in garlic and chilli flakes infused oil. I have used button mushrooms, but you can use any kind that you have available. The trick to making the mushrooms taste fabulous is to let them sit in the pan untouched for a few minutes while they are getting cooked. This step ensures that the edges of the mushroom get their space and time to turn crispy, rather than soggy. Once that is done, we add the chopped spinach and mix everything together. Final addition is that of the al dente pasta, some pasta water and basil leaves. And the simplest and yummiest mushroom and spinach pasta is ready!

Let’s dive straight into the recipe.

Preparation time – 10 minutes

Cook time – 30 minutes

Serves – 3

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

200 g pasta of choice, cooked as per package instructions
200 g button mushrooms, each cut in half
2 cups chopped spinach
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp finely chopped garlic
1 tbsp chilli flakes (adjust as per preference)
4-5 tbsp pasta water (adjust as per need)
Grated parmesan cheese for garnish
Fresh 8-10 Italian basil leaves [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

Heat water in a large pot. Add enough salt to make it saline (or how you would like your soup to taste).
Once the water starts to boil, add your pasta and cook till al dente (or as per package instructions).
In another stove, heat extra oil in a skillet at low. Add the garlic to the oil and let it slow cook and release its flavours into the oil.
Once the garlic is aromatic, add the chilli flakes and mix.
Add the chopped mushrooms and mix for a few seconds.
Let the mushrooms sit in the oil for a few minutes till they start to shrink and the edges start to crisp up. Keep the flame at medium to high.
Once the mushrooms look cooked, add the spinach. Make sure the spinach does not have too much water in them.
Mix the spinach with the mushroom for a minute or two. If there is any water, let it dry up.
Salt the mushrooms and spinach right before they are cooked completely.
Add the al dente pasta, along with some pasta water and let everything come together.
Garnish with Italian basil leaves and grated Parmesan cheese. Serve hot. [/directions]

Hope you try out this delicious mushroom and spinach pasta in your own kitchen.

Feel free to reach out for feedback, suggestions or connect with me on Instagram or Facebook. Subscribe to my YouTube channel for all my videos and upcoming recipes.

Chutney Potatoes

Who doesn’t like potatoes! There are just so many ways we can use this humble vegetable to create delicious recipes, and here’s one that is going to knock your socks off! Chutney potatoes is a recipe I developed last year and I just have not been able to get enough of it. The idea sparked off from my coriander rice recipe which you all loved so much during the first lockdown. Similar to the coriander rice recipe, this chutney potatoes recipe is also simple to make, with minimal ingredients, but tastes unbelievably delicious.

The only trick to get the perfect chutney potatoes is to ensure you do whatever it takes to get light and crispy fried potatoes. The way to do that is to treat your potatoes right. You have to soak them in water for about 30 minutes to release all the excess starch. And before frying, the potatoes need to be cut into thick strips and patted dry completely! That’s all you have to do. The rest is so easy.

Let’s take a look at how to make these mind-blowing chutney potatoes.

Preparation time – 30 minutes

Cook time – 20 minutes

Serves – 3

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

5 medium sized potatoes, cut into fingers
3 tbsp mustard oil (or any oil you have)
1 cup chopped coriander leaves and stalks
15-18 curry leaves
2-4 green chillies (adjust as per the level of heat you want)
8 medium garlic pods
Salt to taste
1 tbsp lime juice
3 tbsp water [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

Cut potatoes into fingers and wash well.
Soak the potatoes in water for 30 minutes.
While the potatoes are soaking, make your green chutney. In a blender, add the coriander, green chili, garlic, curry leaves, lime juice, salt and a few tablespoons of water and blend. Set aside for later.
Release all the excess starch by running the potatoes under water.
Pat dry the potatoes completely with kitchen towel or a cotton napkin. Set them aside.
Heat oil in a pan or kadhai. Once hot, add the potatoes and fry on high heat for five minutes, till you start to see the potatoes turn golden and crispy.
Regulate the heat at this point to prevent burning. Once the potatoes turn slightly golden brown and are 30% cooked, add the chutney. Mix well and cover and cook on low flame till potatoes are done.
Once potatoes are soft, increase the heat and continue to saute gently for another minute.
Serve hot with roti, paratha or rice. [/directions]

Pro Tip: Use a heavy bottomed pan for this dish to prevent the chutney or potatoes from sticking to the base, or worse, burning!

If you love potatoes or only have potatoes to cook with tonight, you must try these chutney potatoes. Spicy, perfectly pan roasted and such amazing flavours, I honestly love those crunchy bits. The best part is the ease at which so much flavour can be delivered. Try it and I promise you will love it! You can enjoy these chutney potatoes with rotis, parathas or even make a sandwich out of it. A winner no matter how you have it🥔🥔

Hope you try out this delicious chutney potatoes recipe in your own kitchen.

Feel free to reach out for feedback, suggestions or connect with me on Instagram or Facebook. Subscribe to my YouTube channel for all my videos and upcoming recipes.

Lemon Rice

Get dinner ready in 10 minutes with this simple, easy and delicious lemon rice. It is a beautiful way to use up leftover rice and make a wholesome meal. The zing of the lemon along with flavourful rice and crunchy nuts make for a perfect bite. Try this easy recipe for this classic and you will make it a regular in your kitchen too.

Ingredients in this Lemon Rice Recipe

The ingredients in this lemon rice recipe are easy to find and very minimal. The nuts include cashews and peanuts which add a beautiful crunch to the recipe. The flavours in this lemon rice recipe comes from a simple tempering of pulses, mustard seeds, curry leaves, asafoetida or hing. The beautiful yellow colour comes from turmeric powder.

For the leftover rice, make sure you separate the grains before you add the to the tempering. This will ensure each grain of the rice remains separate. And lastly and the start of this recipe – the tanginess of lemon. It comes from fresh lime or lemon juice, along with a pinch of lemon zest for the additional pop of citrusy flavour.

When you make this recipe, make sure you have everything prepared and at an arm’s length because things move really fast. You can enjoy this lemon rice with some salad or any curry of your choice.

Let’s take a look at the recipe.

Preparation time – 10 minutes

Cook time – 10 minutes

Serves – 3

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

3 cups cooked white rice
3 tbsp oil/ghee
1/4 cup cashews
1/4 cup peanuts
2 dried red chillies
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp chana dal
1 tbsp split urad dal
1/4 tsp hing
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
7-10 curry leaves
Salt to taste
1 tsp lemon zest
4 tbsp lime juice [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

Heat oil or ghee in a pan or kadhai.
Add the cashews and fry them slightly till they turn golden brown and crunchy. Set aside.
Fry the peanuts after the cashews till they are golden and crunchy. Set aside.
Into the same pan, add mustard seeds and allow them to splutter. Keep the flame at low to prevent burning.
Temper with dried red chillies, urad dal, chana dal, hing, turmeric powder, curry leaves and finely chopped ginger.
Saute on low flame for a few seconds.
Add the cooked rice and mix everything together.
Pour the lime juice and add the lime zest, giving it all a good mix.
Season with salt as per your taste. Mix till well combined.
Add the fried cashews and peanuts and give everything one last mix. Serve hot. [/directions]

Hope you try out this delicious lemon rice in your own kitchen.

Feel free to reach out for feedback, suggestions or connect with me on Instagram or Facebook. Subscribe to my YouTube channel for all my videos and upcoming recipes.

Vegetable Biryani

Here’s an easy, fuss free and delicious vegetable biryani recipe that you can bookmark for your next get together. A heavenly mix of chunky vegetables with aromatic spices and fluffy rice, this vegetable biryani is made to impress! It is a great choice for vegetarians and comes together much faster than traditional biryanis cooked with meat. The reason being we do not really have to marinate the vegetables in this recipe. And another little secret – this biryani always tastes better the next day!

I love making this vegetable biryani during the festive season or any kind of micro get together at home. It has always been a conversation starter. You can serve this vegetable biryani with raita, salan and some salad. A complete meal in itself, this along with some rice kheer makes for the perfect weekend feast or a dinner party at home.

A few tips and tricks are essential to make the perfect vegetable biryani. I have jotted it all down in this recipe. I urge you to go through them so that you can make the most delicious biryani in your own kitchen.

Steps To Making This Vegetable Biryani

There are mainly seven parts in this vegetable biryani making process. Let’s go through each of them one by one.

Step 1 – Making the birista or fried onions

The birista or fried onions play a crucial role in any biryani recipe. The fried onions and its oil adds a unique earthy flavour to the biryani and also some delicious crunch in every bite. There are stores that sell fried onions, but I prefer to make them on my own. I also use the left over oil in the biryani layering, and it creates a world of a difference.

Making birista is a long process that requires patience and good handling of the temperature you fry your onions in. The good part is you can make a big batch and store it for weeks in an air tight jar. Fried onions lend their own taste and colour to recipes, especially to rich ones like biryani and kormas.

To make the fried onions, chop the onions finely and separate them from each other. Make sure you pat the onions completely dry with a paper towel. There should be no moisture in them. Once the onions are chopped and dried, heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan (to prevent burning). The oil needs to get really hot before you add the onions. Add the onions and fry for a minute. Add some salt (the secret) after a minute. The salt helps with the caramelisation.

Once the onions start to brown, turn the flame to medium and keep an eye on the onions till you get the desired texture. One look away and the onions can burn. Once they have shrunk and turn crispy, take them out and spread them out on a paper towel. Let the onions cool completely before using them. Do not throw away the oil as it is packed with flavour. The entire process can take you anywhere between 45 minutes to one hour.

Keep aside one cup of the birista for the chicken gravy and keep the rest for layering the biryani.

Step 2 – Marinating the vegetables

Unlike my chicken biryani preparation that requires prior marination, vegetable biryani does not. Just mix your vegetables with the yogurt and spices and you can put them straight in the pot to cook. What is crucial here is to season the vegetables well and chop them in chunks, so that they still have a certain bite to them in the final recipe.

Here is what we marinate the vegetables with:

Yogurt

Salt

Biryani masala

Fried onions

Red chilli powder

Ginger garlic paste

Step 3 – Making the saffron milk

Saffron milk is what lends a beautiful colour to the rice strands in this recipe. Food colour can also be used but they might have synthetic flavours in them. Using saffron milk is a natural and delicious way to add colour as well as flavour to the chicken biryani.

A perfect biryani is one which has the most aromatic and fluffy rice. The par boiled rice in this recipe needs enough moisture to cook perfectly. This is where the saffron milk adds its value, by giving the rice some level of moisture to soak in order to cook to perfection.

To make the saffron milk, add a few saffron strands to about 1/4 cup of warm milk and give it a stir. Over time, it will acquire a beautiful orange hue that we can use in the layering phase.

Step 4 – Preparing the rice

The sign of a good biryani is perfectly cooked and separate grains of rice. The rice needs to be soft, aromatic, fluffy and a single entity not sticking to anything else.

To achieve this, you have to follow certain steps without fail.

Thoroughly wash your rice. Once you get your raw rice, wash it thoroughly under running water at least 5-6 times till the water that drains out is crystal clear. This step is very important as it helps to ensure that all the excess starch is removed so that you get rice that is fluffy and also not too heavy. Pro tip – Do not waste the starchy water. It is full of nutrients. Use it to water your plants.
Soak the rice for at least 30 minutes. Once your rice is washed, soak the rice in clean water for 30 minutes to one hour. Till step will ensure that the rice fluff up to its maximum potential.
Buy biryani rice, not long-grained basmati rice. To make restaurant-style biryani, make sure you purchase rice which is known as biryani rice. This rice is actually perfect for making biryani and is really thin, light, and long-grained. Buying basmati rice might not give you the same results as this rice would. There are many brands in the market that offer “biryani rice” in particular. Choose one of those.
Make room for a lot of water. Your rice will cook perfectly when it gets a lot of water to swim in. So make sure you fill up your pot with lots of water so that the rice gets submerged in it. In this recipe, I have used 500 grams of rice and 3 liters of water.
Salt your water well. This is crucial to make sure every grain of rice is well seasoned. Add enough salt in the pot of water as much as you would want in your soup. Mix it well and taste it before you add the rice.
Cook the rice before layering it only till it’s 80 percent done. This step can honestly make or break your biryani. When we cook the rice before layering it, make sure it’s cooked just enough that it still has a bit of a bite to it.
Strain the par boiled rice well. When you take the rice out of the water to save it for the layering, make sure you strain every bit of that excess water in which it was cooking. Leaving the rice in water will make it lumpy and stick to one another and that’s no good!
Be gentle when using the spoon. At all points of handling the rice, be it raw or semi-cooked, be gentle so that you don’t break the grains.
Use a cast iron pot or a good quality stainless steel pot/handi to cook the biryani. The last thing you would want is burnt rice at the bottom.
To prevent rice from sticking to the bottom, place an iron tawa below the pot you’re cooking the biryani in.

Step 5 – Cooking the vegetable masala

Once your rice is 80 percent ready and set aside to cool, the next step is to cook the marinated vegetables.

The vegetables need to be cooked for ten minutes before adding the rice. This way we ensure that no vegetables remain undercooked or overcooked in the final biryani.

Step 6 – Layering the biryani

Now comes the best and my most favourite part of making this vegetable biryani – the layering. It is a highly rewarding technique that gives that ultimate respect to your biryani by making it all come together. The layering involves many ingredients so make sure you do not miss out on any of the following ingredients as each one of them plays a very crucial role in making the biryani what it is.

Fresh coriander leaves
Fresh mint leaves
Birista oil
Ghee
Kewra water
Saffron infused milk

The first layer is the vegetable mix. We top that with mint and coriander leaves. On top of that goes the par boiled rice, and finally layering is of birista oil, saffron milk and ghee.

Step 7 – Slow cooking the biryani on “dum”

The last and final step of this vegetable biryani is slow cooking it to perfection. While traditional biryanis are dum cooked in handis, we will use our own hacks to make it at home. You can either make a dough with whole wheat and spread it around your pot to make sure the air does not escape, or you can put something heavy on top of your lid like I did. It is important to keep a strong base like an iron tawa at the bottom to prevent your chicken biryani from burning. Keep the flame at low and let time do its own magic.

The time for cooking the biryani on low heat is about 45 minutes for this quantity. Once it’s done, let it rest without the flame for another 10 minutes before you serve it.

Let’s take a look at the recipe:

Preparation time – 1.5 hours (with fried onions)

Cook time – 1 hour

Serves – 4

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

For the fried onions/birista:

3 large onions
1/2 cup oil

For the marination:

1 cup whisked yogurt
1.5 tbsp ginger garlic paste
Salt to taste (I put 1 tbsp)
1 tbsp red chilli powder
2 tbsp biryani masala
1 cup crispy brown onions
500g vegetables – 1 medium cauliflower, cut in florets – 2 medium carrots, diced in chunks – 1/4 cup green peas – 1/2 cup green beans

For the rice:

500g biryani rice
3 litres water
Salt – enough to make the water taste saline
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp shah jeera
1 star anise
2 green cardamom
2 cloves
1 inch cinnamon stick
1 black cardamom

For layering the biryani:

1/4 cup saffron milk
1 tbsp ghee
2 tbsp kewra water
2 tbsp birista oil [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

Chop the onions finely and separate them from each other. Make sure you pat the onions completely dry with a paper towel. There should be no moisture in them.
Once the onions are chopped and dried, heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan (to prevent burning). The oil needs to get really hot before you add the onions.
Fry the onions on high heat. Add some salt (the secret) after a minute. The salt helps with the caramelisation.
Once the onions start to brown, turn the flame to medium and keep an eye on the onions till you get the desired texture. One look away and the onions can burn.
Once they have shrunk and turn crispy, take them out and spread them out on a paper towel. Let the onions cool completely before using them.
Do not throw away the oil as it is packed with flavour. The entire process can take you anywhere between 45 minutes to one hour.
Keep the vegetables ready by cutting them in chunks as shown in the video. This will ensure they do not turn into mush in the final recipe and still have a bite intact in them.
Heat water in a wide pot. Add shah jeera, salt, mace, star anise, green and black cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon. Stir well till it boils. Check the salt, add more if required. The water should be as salty as soup.
Add the soaked rice to the boiling pot of water. Cook it till it’s about 80 percent done. The grains should be cooked, but still have a bite to them.
Drain the rice well and set it aside.
Add a few saffron strands to about 1/4 cup of warm milk and give it a stir. Over time, it will acquire a beautiful orange hue that we can use in the layering phase.
Whisk curd in a bowl till lump free. Add ginger garlic paste, salt, red chilli powder, biryani masala and crispy fried onions. Combine everything well.
Add the raw vegetables (except peas) to this mix and stir till every piece of vegetable is coated in the yogurt mixture.
Heat oil in a pot or handi. Add the marinated vegetables to the oil and cook for just about five minutes.
Add turmeric powder and peas at this point and stir for another five minutes. We will cook the vegetables for some time before we layer the biryani.
Garnish with coriander and mint leaves as shown in the video.
To the same pot, add the parboiled rice and layer it well.
Drizzle ghee, saffron-infused milk, birista oil and kewra water over the rice.
Heat an iron tawa on the gas. Once hot, lower the flame and put the biryani pot on top. Seal the air with either wheat dough or put a heavy object on top. Let this slow cook for on low flame for 45 minutes. Once done, it it rest for ten more minutes.
Gently take the lid off and mix all the layers of the chicken biryani. Be gentle as the rice and meat would be tender.
Garnish with fried onions on top.
Serve hot with raita, salan, and salad on the side. Enjoy! [/directions]

I hope you try this vegetable biryani recipe super soon. If you have any doubts, comments, or feedback, please reach out to me in comments or my social media handles.

Find me on Instagram – www.instagram.com/slurrpilicious

For more such delightful food, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Happy cooking!

Chicken Biryani

Here’s a delicious and aromatic chicken biryani recipe for you. Soft, flavourful and succulent pieces of chicken married to aromatic rice cooked in whole spices, it just does not get better than this. I have spent uncountable number of hours in the kitchen to get these techniques for chicken biryani right. And I can say with confidence that after attempting this chicken biryani recipe, you will not be intimidated by making biryani ever again.

Like most of us, I had always found making biryani very intimidating. I started my trials in my home kitchen and the few attempts of the beginning were not very impressive. There are many crucial elements that go into making a perfect biryani, and ignoring any of them can lead to a bad chicken biryani. I have tried to painstakingly list them all out so that you do not miss out on anything.

Prepare in advance, keep everything ready, and you can nail this chicken biryani in one go!

Steps To Making This Chicken Biryani

There are mainly seven parts in this chicken biryani making process. Let’s go through each of them one by one.

Step 1 – Making the birista or fried onions

Keep aside one cup of the birista for the chicken gravy and keep the rest for layering the biryani.

Step 2 – Marinating the chicken

Unlike my egg biryani preparation that requires no prior marination, chicken biryani is incomplete without this step. Marinating the chicken with the right ingredients and quantities is absolutely critical to get the best biryani out of your kitchen.

Clean and pat dry the chicken pieces before you add any marination to it. Marinate the chicken covered for atleast 2 hours in the refrigerator before you start the cooking process. In the mean time, you can do your preparation for the rest of the processes.

Here is what we marinate the chicken with:

Yogurt

Salt

Turmeric powder

Biryani masala

Fried onions

Red chilli powder

Ginger garlic paste

Step 3 – Making the saffron milk

To make the saffron milk, add a few saffron strands to about 1/4 cup of warm milk and give it a stir. Over time, it will acquire a beautiful orange hue that we can use in the layering phase.

Step 4 – Soaking the rice

The sign of a good biryani is perfectly cooked and separate grains of rice. The rice needs to be soft, aromatic, fluffy and a single entity not sticking to anything else.

To achieve this, you have to follow certain steps without fail.

Thoroughly wash your rice. Once you get your raw rice, wash it thoroughly under running water at least 5-6 times till the water that drains out is crystal clear. This step is very important as it helps to ensure that all the excess starch is removed so that you get rice that is fluffy and also not too heavy. Pro tip – Do not waste the starchy water. It is full of nutrients. Use it to water your plants.
Soak the rice for at least 30 minutes. Once your rice is washed, soak the rice in clean water for 30 minutes to one hour. Till step will ensure that the rice fluff up to its maximum potential.
Buy biryani rice, not long-grained basmati rice. To make restaurant-style biryani, make sure you purchase rice which is known as biryani rice. This rice is actually perfect for making biryani and is really thin, light, and long-grained. Buying basmati rice might not give you the same results as this rice would. There are many brands in the market that offer “biryani rice” in particular. Choose one of those.
Make room for a lot of water. Your rice will cook perfectly when it gets a lot of water to swim in. So make sure you fill up your pot with lots of water so that the rice gets submerged in it. In this recipe, I have used 500 grams of rice and 3 liters of water.
Salt your water well. This is crucial to make sure every grain of rice is well seasoned. Add enough salt in the pot of water as much as you would want in your soup. Mix it well and taste it before you add the rice.
Cook the rice before layering it only till it’s 80 percent done. This step can honestly make or break your biryani. When we cook the rice before layering it, make sure it’s cooked just enough that it still has a bit of a bite to it.
Strain the par boiled rice well. When you take the rice out of the water to save it for the layering, make sure you strain every bit of that excess water in which it was cooking. Leaving the rice in water will make it lumpy and stick to one another and that’s no good!
Be gentle when using the spoon. At all points of handling the rice, be it raw or semi-cooked, be gentle so that you don’t break the grains.
Use a cast iron pot or a good quality stainless steel pot/handi to cook the biryani. The last thing you would want is burnt rice at the bottom.
To prevent rice from sticking to the bottom, place an iron tawa below the pot you’re cooking the biryani in.

Step 5 – Cooking the chicken

Once your rice is 80 percent ready and set aside to cool, the next step is to make the chicken gravy. This is when we take the marinated chicken out of the refrigerator and cook it in spices and hot oil for about ten minutes. We just want to ensure the chicken is not entirely raw before we layer it with the rice.

For the chicken, I have used biryani cut pieces. These pieces usually have chicken thighs and legs, which tend to not dry out in the cooking process.

Step 6 – Layering the biryani

Now comes the best and my most favourite part of making this chicken biryani – the layering. It is a highly rewarding technique that gives that ultimate respect to your chicken biryani by making it all come together. The layering involves many ingredients so make sure you do not miss out on any of the following ingredients as each one of them plays a very crucial role in making the biryani what it is.

Fresh coriander leaves
Fresh mint leaves
Birista oil
Ghee
Kewra water
Saffron infused milk

The first layer is the chicken. We top that with mint and coriander leaves. On top of that goes the par boiled rice, and finally layering is of birista oil, saffron milk and ghee.

Step 7 – Slow cooking the biryani on “dum”

The last and final step of this chicken biryani is slow cooking it to perfection. While traditional biryanis are dum cooked in handis, we will use our own hacks to make it at home. You can either make a dough with whole wheat and spread it around your pot to make sure the air does not escape, or you can put something heavy on top of your lid like I did. It is important to keep a strong base like an iron tawa at the bottom to prevent your chicken biryani from burning. Keep the flame at low and let time do its own magic.

The time for cooking the biryani on low heat is about 45 minutes for this quantity. Once it’s done, let it rest without the flame for another 10 minutes before you serve it.

Let’s take a look at the recipe:

Preparation time – 2 hours (with fried onions)

Cook time – 2 hours

Serves – 4

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

For the fried onions/birista:

4 large onions
1/4 cup oil

For the rice:

500g biryani rice
3 litre water
Salt
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp shah jeera
1 star anise
2 green cardamom
2 cloves
1 inch cinnamon stick
1 black cardamom

For the chicken marination:

1 kg chicken, biryani cut pieces
1 cup yogurt, whisked
2 tbsp biryani powder
1.5 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1 tbsp red chilli powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 cup fried onions
Salt to taste (I used 1.5 tbsp)

For cooking the chicken:

2 tbsp oil
Marinated chicken

For layering the biryani:

1/4 cup saffron milk
1 tbsp ghee
2 tbsp kewra water
2 tbsp birista oil [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

Chop the onions finely and separate them from each other. Make sure you pat the onions completely dry with a paper towel. There should be no moisture in them.
Once the onions are chopped and dried, heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan (to prevent burning). The oil needs to get really hot before you add the onions.
Fry the onions on high heat. Add some salt (the secret) after a minute. The salt helps with the caramelisation.
Once the onions start to brown, turn the flame to medium and keep an eye on the onions till you get the desired texture. One look away and the onions can burn.
Once they have shrunk and turn crispy, take them out and spread them out on a paper towel. Let the onions cool completely before using them.
Do not throw away the oil as it is packed with flavour. The entire process can take you anywhere between 45 minutes to one hour.
Clean the chicken pieces and pat them dry with a paper towel.
Whisk curd in a bowl till lump free. Add ginger garlic paste, salt, red chilli powder, biryani masala and crispy fried onions. Combine everything well.
Marinate the chicken with all the ingredients mentioned above. Cover and rest for atleast 2 hours in the refrigerator. You can also leave it overnight.
Heat water in a wide pot. Add shah jeera, salt, mace, star anise, green and black cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon. Stir well till it boils. Check the salt, add more if required. The water should be as salty as soup.
Add the soaked rice to the boiling pot of water. Cook it till it’s about 80 percent done. The grains should be cooked, but still have a bite to them.
Drain the rice well and set it aside.
Add a few saffron strands to about 1/4 cup of warm milk and give it a stir. Over time, it will acquire a beautiful orange hue that we can use in the layering phase.
Heat oil in a pot or handi. Add the marinated chicken to the oil and cook for just about ten minutes on low heat.
Garnish with coriander and mint leaves as shown in the video.
To the same pot, add the parboiled rice and layer it well.
Drizzle ghee, saffron-infused milk, birista oil and kewra water over the rice.
Heat an iron tawa on the gas. Once hot, lower the flame and put the biryani pot on top. Seal the air with either wheat dough or put a heavy object on top. Let this slow cook for on low flame for 45 minutes. Once done, it it rest for ten more minutes.
Gently take the lid off and mix all the layers of the chicken biryani. Be gentle as the rice and meat would be tender.
Garnish with fried onions on top.
Serve hot with raita, salan, and salad on the side. Enjoy! [/directions]

I hope you try this chicken biryani recipe super soon. If you have any doubts, comments, or feedback, please reach out to me in comments or my social media handles.

Find me on Instagram – www.instagram.com/slurrpilicious

For more such delightful food, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Happy cooking!

Spaghetti Arrabiata

A delightful pasta recipe, this spaghetti arrabiata oozes comfort. Arrabiata in Italian translates to “angry.” Arrabiata sauce is made with a simple mix of garlic and tomatoes, and the “angry” element is added with red pepper flakes. In this version, I have used chilli flakes for the added heat. If you do not like your pasta to be hot from the chilli, you can adjust the quantity as per your preference.

This spaghetti arrabiata recipe is very easy to make. However, easy does not always mean quick. Getting this luscious and thick tomato base for your pasta requires a lot of love and some patience. But the results are absolutely worth it.

You can make this spaghetti arrabiata for a weeknight dinner. Pair it with toasted sourdough or some salad, and you have a delicious and gourmet meal at home. You can also fasten the dinner prep by making the sauce before hand and storing it in the refrigerator. Just boil some pasta and add it to the readymade gravy at meal time.

I have a video where I made this tomato basil sauce in bulk during lockdown and enjoyed it for a whole week. If you have less time or have a number of people to cook for, you can check the video out here.

So let’s get started with this recipe. Let’s take a close look at the ingredients.

Ingredients in this Pasta Arrabiata Recipe

Tomatoes

In this recipe, I’ve used the local red tomatoes that we find easily in the Indian markets and it has turned out to be just so good. Tomatoes are just the right amount of sweet and sour that balances all the flavours in this sauce. The tomatoes go through a four step process to get this rich sauce made.

First, they are boiled in water till the skin starts to show slits. Second, they are transferred to ice cold water and the skin is peeled. Third, the tomatoes are blended to a fine paste and finally, the tomatoes are cooked in olive oil and reduced to a thick sauce.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

This spaghetti arrabiata recipe is minimalistic in terms of ingredients, which is why quality should not be compromised. Make sure you use high quality extra virgin olive oil for this recipe to get the best flavours.

Garlic

Garlic plays an important role in adding a lot of flavour to the simple tomato sauce. In pastas, the garlic is always slow cooked in the olive oil to give it enough time to release its flavour. We follow the same step with garlic in this recipe. The garlic is finely chopped and added to cold extra virgin olive oil. Then it is allowed to slow cook and take its time to release its oils into the pan.

Chilli Flakes

Arrabiata means “angry” in Italian. The bright red colour and the hint of chilli justifies this name. To add this chilli element, I have used good quality chilli flakes. You can use authentic red pepper flakes if you have it, or also soak red chillies in warm water and blend it wit the tomatoes.

Italian Basil

Basil is a culinary herb used in almost all Italian recipes and several other cuisines worldwide. The flavour of basil is sweet and savoury, with hints of mint, anise, and pepper; however, the herb ultimately adds a hint of sweetness to any dish. While dried basil has more concentrated flavours and can be used in place of fresh, using fresh basil for your recipes is always better as dried uncooked herbs have a slight dusty taste to them and never fully substitute fresh herbs.

Cooking the Spaghetti

No one likes a plate of mushy broken pasta, and so, while it is important to put in our best efforts in perfecting the sauce, where the entire flavour lies, it is also extremely important to boil the pasta to perfection. It is not rocket science, just a few basic steps and you’ll have yourself perfectly cooked pasta every single time:

Boiling water

It is very important to have enough water in the pan to properly drown the pasta- The lesser volume of water may result in it getting extremely starchy, and bring it to a roaring boil before adding your pasta- the boiling water agitates the pasta pieces, thus helping them cook more evenly, keep them separated from one another and avoid clumps.

Salt

A very common mistake a lot of people make is adding oil to their pasta water in order to keep them from sticking to one another. However, this is completely false, as the only thing that can keep the pasta from sticking is an ample amount of water and a rolling boil, and hence is a waste of oil. Adding salt to the pasta water ensures that the pieces/strands of pasta do not remain bland while the only flavour and seasoning are in the sauce, because no one likes to bite into the pasta that has all the flavours in the sauce and none into those pasta pieces.

Save the pasta water

Saving a couple of ladles of pasta water goes a long way. Not only does the salty pasta water help flavour your sauce, but it also plays a major role, along with butter and olive oil, to bring that glossy magical finish to your pasta. In this recipe, the saline pasta water plays a major role in making the sauce thick and creamy!

Cook according to package instructions

There is no universal rule to cook the perfect pasta, it completely depends on the brand or product you are using and it is advisable to cook as per the packet instructions; especially timing. The most common way to cook pasta is until al dente, which loosely translates to “to the bite/tooth”, which means almost cooked but not completely cooked. However, the above tips ensure getting perfectly cooked pasta every single time.

Let’s take a look at the recipe.

Preparation time – 45 minutes

Cook time – 40 minutes

Serves – 2

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

1 kg tomatoes
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp finely chopped garlic
1 tbsp chilli flakes
200 g spaghetti, cooked till al dente in salty water
Salt to taste
Fresh Italian basil leaves
Parmesan cheese, for garnish [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

Fill a wide mouthed pot with water and let it come to a boil.
Put it on the heat and let it boil for about 30 minutes or till the skin of the tomatoes starts to wrinkle.
Once the tomatoes are boiled, place each of them directly into ice-cold water so that they stop cooking.
Once the tomatoes cool down and become easy to handle, peel the skin off each tomato and place the peeled tomatoes in a separate bowl.
Put the peeled tomatoes in a blender and blend them into a fine paste. Do it in batches to avoid a mess.
Finely chop the garlic and keep ready.
Pour extra virgin olive oil into a pan and add the garlic before turning on the heat. We need to slowly simmer the garlic and let it cook well and release its flavours into the oil.
Be patient and cook the garlic in the oil at low flame until the maximum flavour of garlic isn’t released into it. Do not burn.
Pour the blended tomatoes into the pan and stir till everything is well combined. Keep the heat at medium to low.
The sauce will take some time to reduce. You can use this time to cook your pasta. Heat water in a pot and add generous amount of salt till the water is saline. Now cook your choice of pasta in the water as per package instructions.
Cook the tomatoes, stirring regularly till it thickens and is reduced to almost ⅓ rd of its original volume. Make sure you use a heavy bottom pan otherwise your tomatoes might stick to the bottom and burn.
Cover and cook the tomatoes for about 15-20 minutes or till it reduces to a luscious sauce.
Season with salt and throw in some Italian basil leaves.
Keep simmering till sauce thickens and all rawness fades.
Add your al dente pasta to the sauce along with some salty pasta water and gently mix everything together.
Once the pasta is cooked well with the sauce, serve on a plate and garnish with grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy hot! [/directions]

Simple, rustic and uber delicious. Try out this pasta and have a gourmet restaurant experience at home. I hope you try this delicious spaghetti arrabiata at home.

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