One Pot Mutton Biriyani

(In this recipe Mutton can be replaced with Chicken for Chicken Biriyani)
Ingredients:

1. Cooking Oil       – 1/4 Cup
2. Basmati Rice    -  2 Cups
3. Mutton            -   1 lb
4. Cloves             - 4 nos
5. Cinnamon Stick – 1large or 2 small
6. Cardamom    - Black 1 or Green lightly crushed 2
7. Bay Leaf – 1 no
8. Red Chilli – 1 (Optional)
9. Black Peppercorns – 1/4 tsp
10. Cumin Seeds – 1 tsp
11. Fennel Seeds – 1/4 tsp
12. Onion – 2 Cups (roughly chopped)
13. Ginger and Garlic paste – 1/4 cup
14. Tomato – 1/4 cup
15. Mint – 1 cup
16. Corriander Leaves – 1 cup
17. Green Chillies – 4 nos
18. Red Chilli Powder – 1/2 tbsp
19. Turmeric Powder – 2 tsp
20. Corriander Powder – 1 tbsp
21. Garam Masala Powder – 1tbsp
22. Lemon juice – 2 tbsps.
23. Salt - 1tbsp

 Method:
1.Place the cooker on the stove add oil and the spices.
2.Add the onion.

3.The amount of ginger and garlic for the paste.
4. Add the Ginger and Garlic paste.
5.The amount of Mint, Corriander, and green chillies for the green paste.

6.Add the green paste.


7.Now add Salt, Chilli, Corriander, Turmeric and Curry Powder.

8. Add the tomatoes (yes only so much!)
9.Stir the pot well, until all the ingredients are mixed well.
10.IAdd the mutton.Add 1/2 a cup of water (While boiling, the meat releases water). Reduce the flame to medium.Cover the cooker, cook for two whistle sound or 20 mins. Now wash and soak the rice.
11. Wait till the whistle sound sets down, take off the lid and add the rice. Add 2 1/2 cups of water. Allow it to boil, now it’s time to test the salt. The salt taste should be little above the normal. Place the lid and cook them for about 15 mins.

12. When you open the cooker, it’ll look like a gravy (like the below picture). Add 2 tbsp of lemon juice. Now gently fold from the corners towards inside. Cover the lid for 5 mins.
13. Serve with  Raita . Ready to eat!
Note:
Mutton can be replaced with chicken. While cooking with chicken just cover the cooker do not pressure cook,  cook for about 20 mins in a medium  flame before adding the rice.

Raita

Ingredients:

1. Chopped Onion ( 1 cup)
2. Jalapeno or Green Chillies (1 no:)
3. Chopped Cucumber (1 cup)
4. Chopped Corriander ( 1 tbsp)
5. Plain Yoghurt ( 1 cup)
6. Cumin Powder ( a Pinch)
7. Salt to taste

Method:

Mix everything together. If the raitha is thick water can be added.

Macaroons

Ingredients:

1. Large egg whites - 2
2. Cream of Tartar - a pinch
3. Sugar - 1/4 cup
4. Salt - a pinch
5. Chopped nuts - 1/4 cup
6. Vanilla essence - 1/4 tsp

Method:

1. Preaheat the oven for 175 degress.
2. Beat the egg whites , with sugar, cream of tartar and salt, until it forms stiff peaks in the beater.
3. Add the chopped nuts and vanilla essence.
4. Fill the ziploc bag with the above mixture, cut the tip.
5. Make small peaks in the baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
6. Cook in the oven for about an hour or until its hard.
7. Take it out let them cool.
8. Ready to eat.

Tips

Some of the below tips are practically experienced , read from the books and heard from my friends. More tips are welcomed in this blog through comments.

1. For perfectly hard boiled eggs: Place the egg one by one in a saucepan filled with cold water cover them. Bring them to boil and turn off the stove, leave them for 15 mins on the stove.
2. To find cracked eggs: Cracked eggs releases air bubbles when placed in water, so it can be removed and can be used for scrambled eggs. Use them immediately. 
3. Add a tbsp of Chopped frozen spinach or any chopped greens, to Sambar, kuruma except Rasam just 5mins before turning off the stove.Just like adding corriander for garnish. Greens are good for health, people who even hates them will never notice. 
4. To get rid of ants in sugar: Just add 3 cloves in the sugar box.
5. Never melt chocolates in Microwave unless you want it dry.
6. To clean greasy stove tops, just sprinkle some baking soda on the grease and wipe it with dry cloth or tissue.
7. Always de-stem the green chillies and store in refrigerator, it'll stay fresh longer.
8. Always add rice flour in the end to "Vada" batter so that you can adjust the consistency of the batter.
9. The purpose of adding rice flour to any deep frying batter is to make the product crispier. Watch the quantity while adding, the more flour more oil is absorbed in the food.

Yellow Sponge Cake

Ingredients:

1. All Purpose flour - 1/2 cup
2. Sugar -1/2 cup
3. Baking powder -1 tsp
4. Baking soda -1/4 tsp
5. Eggs - 2
6. Unsalted butter - 1/2 cup (1 stick)
7. Vanilla extract -1/4 tsp
8. Salt - a pinch
9. Orange juice - 2 tbsps (optional)

Method: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

1. Add eggs, butter, sugar, salt, vanilla extract in a bowl beat them well these are the wet ingredients.
2. In another bowl swift the flour, baking powder, baking soda these are the dry ingredients.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients little at a time.
4. Mix them well.
5. Add orange juice (optional).
6. Grease the cake pan.
7. Pour the batter into the pan.
8. Bake them for about 25 to 30 mins, until the tooth pick comes out clean when poked in the middle.

In Microwave oven:

1. Pour the batter into a microwave safe cake pan or bowl.
2. Bake them for about 5 to 7 mins, until the tooth pick comes out clean when poked in the middle.

Note:Orange juice actually adds flavour. You can add any citrus juice.

Yellow Sponge Cake

Ingredients:

1. All Purpose flour - 1/2 cup
2. Sugar -1/2 cup
3. Baking powder -1 tsp
4. Baking soda -1/4 tsp
5. Eggs - 2
6. Unsalted butter - 1/2 cup (1 stick)
7. Vanilla extract -1/4 tsp
8. Salt - a pinch
9. Orange juice - 2 tbsps (optional)

Method: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

1. Add eggs, butter, sugar, salt, vanilla extract in a bowl beat them well these are the wet ingredients.
2. In another bowl swift the flour, baking powder, baking soda these are the dry ingredients.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients little at a time.
4. Mix them well.
5. Add orange juice (optional).
6. Grease the cake pan.
7. Pour the batter into the pan.
8. Bake them for about 25 to 30 mins, until the tooth pick comes out clean when poked in the middle.

In Microwave oven:

1. Pour the batter into a microwave safe cake pan or bowl.
2. Bake them for about 5 to 7 mins, until the tooth pick comes out clean when poked in the middle.

Note:Orange juice actually adds flavour. You can add any citrus juice.

Lemon Pasta

Ingredients:

1. Whole wheat pasta - 1/2 box
2. Salt - 1/4 tsp
3. Red chilli flakes - 1/4 tsp
4. Parsley - 1 tbsp
5. Lemon juice - 1/4 cup.
6. Garlic - 2 cloves, chopped
7. Olive oil - 1 tbsp

Method :

1. Cook the past a as per the instructions on the box, it should have a little bite to the tooth.
2. In a frying pan, add Olive oil, Garlic, and red chilli flakes.
3. Drain the pasta and add it to the pan.
4. Turn of the stove, add lemon juice, salt and parsley.
5. Stir and Cover them for 5 mins. To let the pasta absorb the juices.

Note:

This serves 2 person. For side dish, any stir-fry can be used.