Nolen Gurer Payesh (Rice Kheer with Date Palm Jaggery)

Ingredients –

• 1/4 cup gobindobhog rice
• 1 litre full fat milk
• 1/2 cup chopped date palm jaggery
• 1 small bay leaf
• 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
• 2 tbsp chopped cashews
• 1 tbsp golden raisins

Method –

1. Rinse the rice a couple of times
2. Then soak in enough water for 20 minutes
3. Chop the jaggery and set aside
4. Pour the milk in a heavy bottomed pan and let it come to a boil
5. Then continue to simmer the milk for 10 minutes
6. Stir often
7. Drain the water from rice and add it to the milk
8. Add the bay leaf and cardamom powder. Mix well
9. Cook on low heat, stirring often
10. The milk will thicken and the rice will become soft
11. Switch off the flame
12. Add the cashews and raisins
13. Mix well
14. After about 5 minutes, add the chopped jaggery and mix well
15. Serve warm or cold

Lau Bilahi Maas (Fish Curry with Bottlegourd and Tomatoes)

Ingredients–

• 6 pieces small fish
• 1.5 cups of bottlegourd, chopped
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 2 dry red chillies
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• Salt to taste
• 3 tbsp mustard oil
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

Method –

1. Smear the fish with salt and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder for 15 minutes
2. Heat oil in a pan
3. Fry the fish and set aside
4. In the remaining oil, add fenugreek seeds and dry red chillies
5. Sauté till the seeds darken
6. Add bottlegourd and sauté on low heat till water dries up
7. Add the chopped tomatoes
8. Cook till the tomato turns mushy
9. Add salt and turmeric powder
10. Cook covered till oil releases
11. Add 1.5 cups of warm water and let it come to a boil
12. Add the fish and lower the heat
13. Cook till the desired gravy consistency is achieved
14. Turn off the flame
15. Add lemon juice and chopped coriander leaves
16. Serve with plain rice

Hyderabadi Chicken Dum Biryani

Ingredients–

• 1 kg chicken, washed and drained completely
• 2 large onions, finely sliced
• 3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
• 1/3 cup mint leaves
• 1/2 tsp saffron
• 3 tbsp lukewarm milk
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsps ghee + 4 tbsps oil

For Marination–

• 3/4 cup sour thick curd
• 8-10 green chillies, make a small slit in them
• 1.5 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 tbsp red chilli pwd
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 3/4 tbsp coriander powder
• 1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves
• 1/2 cup mint leaves
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 3/4 tbsp salt

Biryani Masala Powder –

8 cloves
1″ cinnamon stick
4 green cardamoms
3/4 tsp shahi jeera (caraway seeds)
12 peppercorns

For Rice –

• 4 cups Basmati rice (1 kg)
• 6 cloves
• 3 cardamoms
• 1″ cinnamon stick
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 star anise
• 10 mint leaves
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1.5 tbsp salt
• Water as required

Method –

1. Heat 3 tbsp oil + 1 tbsp ghee in a kadhai.
2. Once hot, reduce flame and add the sliced onions and fry till they reach a nice golden brown color.
3. Remove the fried onions with a slotted spoon immediately as they quickly turn a darker color.
4. Set aside to cool.
5. Marinate chicken with the ingredients called for ‘marination’ along with three fourth of the biryani masala powder and 3 tbsps of the fried onions.
6. Leave to marinate overnight in the refrigerator
7. Add the saffron to the lukewarm milk and combine well. Keep aside.
8. Cook basmati rice in lots of water along with bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, cardamom, oil, salt till it is half cooked.
9. Strain the water and spread the rice on a large wide plate.
10. Take a wide deep vessel to prepare the biryani.
11. Add the leftover oil+ghee mixture (after frying the onions), add the marinated chicken and spread out over the vessel.
12. Cook on high for 2 min.
13. Add a tbsp of oil over the chicken pieces. Reduce flame.
14. Spread half of the rice over the chicken layer, pour half a tbsp of ghee all over the rice, add half of the caramelized onions and spread over the rice.
15. Next, sprinkle half of the chopped coriander leaves, half of the mint leaves, and a large pinch of biryani masala.
16. Pour 1.5 tbsp of saffron milk over the rice.
17. Over this layer, spread the remaining rice.
18. Again pour half a tbsp of ghee all over, add remaining caramelized onions and spread over the rice.
19. Finally, sprinkle the remaining chopped coriander leaves, mint leaves and a large pinch of biryani masala.
20. Sprinkle the remaining saffron milk over the rice.
21. Cover with lid and place a heavy weight over the lid
22. Seal the edges of the lid with wheat dough
23. Cook on high flame for 2 minutes
24. Remove the vessel from the stove and place an iron tawa.
25. Increase the flame and allow the tawa to turn hot.
26. Reduce to low flame and place the biryani vessel on the iron tawa and cook biryani for 20-25 mins.
27. Turn off heat and do not remove lid for 10 minutes
28. After 10 minutes , remove the lid, mix gently and serve hot with raita

Bread Pizza

Ingredients –

For Filling –

• Zucchini chopped – ¼ cup
• Corn Niblets – ¼ cup
• Onion chopped – ¼ cup
• Tomato chopped – ¼ cup
• Green capsicum – ¼ cup
• Yellow capsicum – ¼ cup
• Red capsicum – ¼ cup
• Mushroom chopped – ¼ cup
• Salt – a generous pinch
• Pepper powder – a generous pinch
• Oregano dried – 2tsp
• Chilli flakes – 2tsp
• Tomato ketchup – 4tbsp
• Chilli sauce – 1tbsp
• Cheese Mozzarella grated – 1 cup

For Bread Pizza –

• Bread slices – 8
• Cheese slices – 4
• Grated cheese – handful

Method –

1. Mix together all the chopped veggies and sprinkle with salt, pepper, oregano, chilli flakes, tomato ketchup, chilli sauce and grated mozzarella cheese. Toss them together and keep aside
2. Cut 4 slices of bread into a smaller square using a square cookie cutter and leave 4 slices of bread as it is
3. Keep aside the centre of the bread for breadcrumbs
4. Place a whole bread on the chopping board and place a slice of cheese on it
5. Place the hollowed out bread on top
6. Fill the cavity with the vegetable filling
7. Top it with some extra grated cheese
8. Do this for the remaining breads
9. Preheat the oven to 170°C
10. Cook till the cheese melts for 10-15 minutes
11. Serve hot

Pabda Macher Jhal

Ingredients–

• 4 pieces of Pabda fish
• 1 tsp black mustard seeds
• 1 tsp white mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp nigella seeds
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
• 4 green chillies
• 3 tbsp mustard oil
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
• Salt to taste

Method –

1. Marinate the fish with salt and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder for 15 minutes
2. Soak the mustard seeds with a little water for 1 hour
3. Grind the mustard seeds with a little water, 2 green chillies and a little salt into a fine paste
4. Heat mustard oil in a pan
5. Fry the fish lightly and set aside
6. In the same oil, add nigella seeds and 2 green chillies
7. Sauté for 10 seconds and add 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and Kashmiri red chilli powder
8. Fry the spices and sprinkle a few spoons of water so that the spices don’t burn
9. Add the mustard paste and sauté till oil releases
10. Add 1 cup warm water and salt
11. Let it come to a boil
12. Add the fish and cook covered on low flame for about 5 minutes
13. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves

Duck Curry with Potatoes

Ingredients–

• ½ kg duck meat, cleaned and washed
• 4 tbsp mustard oil
• 2 tbsp garlic paste
• 2 tbsp ginger paste
• 2 tbsp cumin and black pepper paste (in 1:1 ratio)
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 4 onions, chopped
• 4 green chillies
• 4 dry red chillies
• 3 potatoes
• 2 bay leaves

Method –

1. In a bowl, marinate the duck with garlic and ginger paste, turmeric powder, cumin and black pepper paste, along with a tablespoon of mustard oil.
2. Peel and cut the potatoes into chunks.
3. Heat remaining oil in a kadhai. Add bay leaves, green red and dry red chillies.
4. Toss in the chopped onions and fry until golden brown.
5. Put in the marinated duck and continue frying for a few minutes.
6. Add the potatoes and keep frying. After a few minutes, add one cup of water.
7. Cover and cook on medium heat, stirring from time to time, until the duck is tender.
8. Remove from fire and serve hot with steamed rice.

Bottle Masala Chicken Curry

Ingredients–

• 1 kg chicken
• 2 medium potatoes, halved (optional)
• 2 onions cut in cubes
• 5-6 pods of garlic
• 2 tbsp fresh or desiccated coconut
• 2 green chilies
• 1 large tomato
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 2 cloves
• 3 peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 star anise
• 1 black cardamom
• 2 green cardamoms
• 2 tbsp East Indian bottle masala powder
• A handful of mint leaves
• A handful of coriander leaves
• 1 tbsp ghee or oil
• Salt to taste

Method –

1. In a nonstick pan, add onion, coconut, garlic, chillies, curry leaves, peppercorns, cloves, bay leaves, star anise and cardamoms.
2. Roast it until the coconut starts changing colour and the whole mixture becomes aromatic
3. Cool it and grind to a fine paste along with tomatoes
4. Add 1 tbsp ghee to the same pan.
5. Add the ground paste and cook on low flame till oil separates
6. Add the bottle masala and let it cook
7. Add chopped mint and coriander
8. Add chicken and potatoes and mix well
9. Sprinkle salt.
10. Cook covered on low flame till the chicken releases water
11. Once the chicken is 80% done, add about 350 ml warm water
12. Cook covered till the chicken is soft and the gravy is of the right consistency
13. Serve with steamed rice

Chicken Gravy Noodles

Ingredients –

• 200 gm egg noodles
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 150 gm boiled chicken
• 1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped
• 1 big onion, cut in big pieces
• 1/2 cup carrot, cut in roundels
• 1 cup cabbage, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup capsicum, cut in squares
• 2 green chillies, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp cornflour, mixed with 3-4 tbsp water
• 1 tsp mix garlic
• 1/2 tsp pepper powder
• 1 tsp vinegar
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• Salt to taste
• 3 tbsp oil

Method –

1. Boil the noodles in 1 litre of water with a tsp of salt.
2. Drain the water, drizzle 1 tsp oil on the noodles and set aside
3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and fry the noodles for about 4-5 minutes. Set aside
4. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok
5. Add minced garlic and sauté
6. Add onions and sauté for 2 minute
7. Next, sauté the carrot, cabbage and green chillies for 2 minutes
8. Add the capsicum, boiled chicken and mushrooms and sauté for a minute
9. Add soy sauce
10. Add salt and pepper powder
11. Add the chicken stock and let it come to a boil
12. Add the cornflour paste and let it boil till it reaches desired consistency
13. Add vinegar and switch off the flame
14. Pour this mixture over the noodles and serve hot

Boror Tenga (Red Lentil Fritters in a Tangy Gravy)

Ingredients–

For the Fritters –

• 100 gm masoor dal (red lentils)
• 25 gm rice
• 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
• 2 medium sized onions, chopped
• 2 chopped green chillies
• A pinch of cumin seeds
• Salt to taste
• Mustard oil for frying

For the Curry-

• 3 tsp rice flour
• 6 pieces of thekera (kokum)
• 100 ml warm water
• A pinch of fenugreek seeds
• 600 ml hot water
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp mustard oil
• Salt to taste

Method –

1. Clean, wash and soak the rice and dal for 3 hours
2. Grind it to a smooth paste
3. Add the chopped coriander leaves, onions, green chillies, cumin seeds and salt to the paste
4. Mix well
5. Heat mustard oil in a kadhai
6. Fry the fritters on medium flame till crisp
7. Remove on absorbent paper and set aside
8. Make a paste of rice flour and water. Set aside
9. Soak the thekera in 100 ml warm water for 30 minutes
10. Mash the softened thekera with fingers and set aside
11. Heat 1 tbsp mustard oil in a kadhai
12. Add the fenugreek seeds
13. When the seeds turn red, add the mashed thekera along with the water
14. Also add hot water
15. Sprinkle turmeric powder and salt
16. Let it cook for 5 minutes
17. Add the fritter and cook covered on low heat for 5 minutes
18. Add the rice flour paste
19. Cook for another 2 minutes and remove it from heat
20. Serve with steamed rice

Narikolor Laru (Coconut Laddoos)

Ingredients–

• 2 cups grated coconut
• 1 cup sugar

Method –

1. Add sugar and grated coconut
2. Mix it well
3. Transfer it to a Kadhai
4. Heat the pan on low heat
5. Stir the mixture continuously on low flame
6. Keep on mixing till the mixture turns crumbly and sticky
7. Switch off the flame
8. Make round balls while the mixture is hot