Instant Rava Idli

Idli or steamed indian dumplings has many variations.

When you run out of idli batter, the best is make an instant idli batter that does not require any soaking,grinding and fermentation.  It is your quick fix either for breakfast and dinner.  The idli itself is a complete meal with nuts and vegetable.  It is soft and crunchy because of cashew, goes well with coconut chutney and sambar or dhall fry.


Preparation Time : 20 mins + 5 mins resting of batter + 10 mins cooking
Quantity : 18 medium sized idlis
Serves : 3-4 person

Ingredients
2 cups of rava/semolina/suji
8 whole cashew nuts - break into small pieces
6 tbs of yogurt - whisked
3 tbs  thinly sliced carrot
2-3 green chilly- sliced finely
1 tbs sliced finely ginger
1 sprig of curry leaves - finely sliced.
Water enough to make a batter

Tempering
2 tbs of ghee
1 tsp of mustard seeds
1 tsp of urad dhall
a pinch of asofetida

Method
1.  Prepare your idly steamer

2.  Dry fry rawa.  Make sure not to burn the rava.  Keep an eye and constantly stir till slightly brown. Remove into a bowl to cool down.

3.  In the same pan, heat ghee. Roast the cashew nut till brown on low fire, remove only the roasted nuts into the rawa leaving behind the ghee.

4.  Into the hot ghee, add in mustard seeds.  Once splutter, add in urad dhall, once it turn brown and add in asofetida frying for a few seconds.

5.  Add in the chopped chilly, curry leaves and chopped ginger.  Fry for a few more minutes till aromatic.

6.  Next add in the sliced carrots and fry till the raw smell of carrot is disappears and it become soft and crumbly.  Remove from fire and add into the rawa mixture

7.  Add in the whisked yogurt and salt and mixing well .  Add in water slowly mixing at the same time.  The batter should be neither too thick nor too thin - medium consistency.

Enjoy

Sathiarani

Chicken Hyderabadi Briyani

Late post  of Kiren's birthday lunch treat - Chicken Hyderabadi Briyani

The first time I prepared this briyani was long before I started blogging, actually when we first move to Doha.  You have to marinate the chicken and set aside for a short while.  Prepare the rice separately.  Put them together and cook and you get a nice aromatic briyani.

Typically Malaysian briyani's  comes with in a set of briyani rice, chicken/mutton/beef either as a thick gravy and side dish like raita or acar buah- @ fruit pickle

So when I was cooking this briyani, I keep thinking that I need a gravy to go with.  But you will surprise there enough gravy once you get it all done.

I cant remember whose recipe I had used previously, but this time I used Chef Sanjay Tumma of Vahrehvah.com

My portion consists of 1kg of chicken thigh drumstick part which I cut into two ending up with 12 pieces altogether.

As for the rice I used 3 cups about 480gm - it was more than enough for 3 of us for lunch.

Ingredients Required
3 cups of basmati rice or any long grain rice
1kg of chicken - cut into medium size
6 pc - peppercorn
3tbs oil/ghee
1.5 tbs of lime juice - I used lemon instead
1 tsp - coriander powder
1 tsp - cumin powder
2 bay leaves
4-6  green chilly  - slit diagonally
3-4 of cloves
3-4 of green cardamon
2 small sized cinnamon
2 large fried onion
Salt to taste
2 black cardamon - I did not use this
4-5 tbs chopped coriander leaves
1-2 tbs of mint leaves -
3-4 tbs of ginger garlic paste
2-3 pcs of mace
2.5 cups of yogurt
1tsp of tumeric
pinch of saffron soaked in 1tbs of hot water and let it dissolved


Preparation Method

1.  Put all ingredients except rice, fried onions and safron.  Set aside some coriander leaves and mint leaves for rice   Mix well and set aside to marinate.

2. Wash and soaked basmati rice for 1/2hour.  This will ensure the rice be long and fluffy..

3.  In a pot, add some oil  to the boiling water and salt to taste.  The right amount of salt will give you a good taste of the briyani,  You will it is the the right amount of salt is when you taste the water it is salty.   Add ingredients like whole cardamon, cloves and cinnamon, if desired.

Rice being cooked

4.  Add in the soaked rice into the boiling water and half cooked the rice.  To know what is half cooked rice is when the rice is boiling about 50% done.  The grain of rice is crushed but not fully cooked - that is perfect for the rice.

Strained rice before adding to marinated chicken

5.  How to cooked the briyani - In a deep, thick based bottom, lay the marinated chicken, lay evenly and spread well.  Next spread in the half cooked rice. Spread evenly.  Sprinkle the remainder coriander and mint leaves, fried onions and sprinkle the saffron liquid.  Cover the briyani tightly and cooked over medium heat for about 20 mins and the remainder 10 mins on low fire.

Rice spread over marinated chicken with the remainder fried onions and herbs

Note : This is a tip from my friend, on how to avoid the meat from the sticking to the bottom of the pan (thats what happened to me though not to much), place a tray of water over the stove and then putting over the pot in the tray - in the other word - bain marie 

The final product served with onion raita

Chicken Hyderabadi Briyani

Enjoy

** Sathiarani**