Egg/Paneer Biryani in Minutes

Biryani is a dish that is loved by all. The aroma and presentation of the dish if mastered becomes an instant heart-throb at home and in parties alike. However, the problem with the dish is that  it is very time consuming and people who don't eat non vegetarian food are restricted to relish a good  biryani. Here is a recipe of Egg biryani that can be made within no time.  For my veggie Friends u can alter the egg with Panner and the dish becomes  much better and tastier and my non vegetarian readers can enjoy this divergent version of Biryani.

GOES WELL WITH: veg Korma, Bhuna gosht, raita.

WHAT TO DRINK: Khus Sherbat, Buttermilk, Fresh lime water or White Wine or Bombay Sapphire.

TIME TAKEN: preparation 20 mins; arrangement and cooking: 8 mins preheat time and cooking time  (microwave version) 10  mins (stove version)

INGREDIENTS:
1.  1 cup Biryani rice/ Mogra rice/ Basmati rice
2.  3 boiled Eggs/ 250 gms  Paneer
3.  2 medium sized potato
4.  2 tomato
5.  50mls  milk
6.  few strands of Saffron
7.  1 tsp cumin powder
8.  1 tsp chilli powder
9.  1 tsp garam masala powder
10.  1 tbsp cardamom powder
11.  1 tbsp Kewra water
12.  2tbsp Oil
13.  1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
13.  salt to taste

POINTERS
1.  Cut the Paneer  pieces into thin stripes of 2 inches length. soak them in luke warm water.
2.  Hard boil the eggs and immediately put the shelled eggs into cold water. This will make slicing easier.
3.  If u dont have garam masala then take whole spices like cumin seeds (1 tsp), Corriander seeds (1 tsp), Nutmeg, Mace (1 tsp), cloves(2), star anise (1), Cinnamon (1 2 inches stick). Take all the  spices and roast them slightly so that they start releasing their oil. keep aside and bring them to room temperature  and grind them into powder.
4. Make a paste of the spice powder in water. Doing so will make the spices tender and will increase their flavour and colour.
5.  If you are making this dish for an occasion then add few fried/roasted Almonds and Cashew to the top layer of the biryani

METHOD:
1.  Soak the saffron in the warm milk. Keep aside.
2.  Make a paste by adding all the masala or spice powders together with water. Keep aside.
3.  Heat oil in a kadhai/ wok. add to this cumin seeds. Once they start crackling add the ginger garlic paste and the finely sliced onions. Let these fry.
4.  Add finely sliced tomatoes to the onions and fry it till the oils leaves from the sides. At this point add the masala  paste.
5.  By the time the Masala fries and the oil starts leaving from the side, take the soaked rice and put it in the pressure cooker, add 1 tsp of oil and the kewra water to it and 2 cups of water and cook the rice.
6.  once the masala is done add the Egg / Paneer to it. Season it with salt cinnamon powder and immediately turn the heat off.
7.  Microwave Version: take a flat bowl with higher edges. first place a layer of the rice and  then the layer of Egg/ Paneer. Bear in mind that the final layer must be of  the rice. Top it with the saffron milk. Pre heat the oven for 4 mins and then place the bowl into it for another 4 minutes.
8.  Stove Version: take a flat bottomed utensil and start layering up first rice and then the Egg/ Paneer mix. Bear in mind that the final layer must be of the Rice. Top it with saffron milk. Now place a Tava / skillet on the stove and let it become hot. Then place the Biryani utensil over it and cover it with a lid and place something heavy like a stone over it. let it cook for 10 mins in the indirect heat.
9.  Enjoy the Biryani while its still hot.
 

Potato Kulcha

Kulcha is a north Indian bread that is usually stuffed with either cottage cheese or mutton or mashed potato. It is an amazing soul food especially in winters. Kulcha is crisp on outside while soft n mushy  from the inside. Although many people consider it to be a food at leisure but with time management one can make it in no time.

GOES WELL WITH: Shahi paneer, rogan josh, dum mutton, or you may eat it just like that.

WHAT TO DRINK: Try Red Chateau Wine to go with the Kulcha or else buttermilk with cumin works like magic.

TIME TAKEN: preparation 15-20 mins; rest period 1/2 hour; cooking period 5 mins; Finish in no time.

INGREDIENTS
1.  2 cups Maida/ Refined Flour
2.  1.5  cup buttermilk
3.  1 tsp sugar
4.  1/2 tsp salt
5.  2 tbsp ghee
6.  ghee or oil to fry
for filling
1.  2 medium size potato
2.  2 tbsp coriander
3.  1 chilli
4.  Salt to taste 

POINTERS
1.  It is important to remember that your hands must be cold will kneading the dough.
2.  Do not knead the dough too much the dough must be extremely soft, wet and sticky.
3.  The consistency of the filling must be that of the mash potato salad.

METHOD
filling:
1.  Boil the potatoes and mash them to a smooth no chunk consistency.
2.  Add the finely chopped coriander and chopped chillies, salt to the potato paste.
3.  Keep aside
dough:
1.  Put the maida in a deep base bowl, add sugar salt ghee and buttermilk. Do not knead  much and keep it on rest  after covering the bowl with a cling wrap. Give the dough rest for 30 mins in a  refrigerator.
2.  Take out the dough make balls out of it with a diameter of 5 cms each.
3.  Fill the ball with a scoop of the filling and close the ball and start rolling. Instead of using a rolling pin try flattening the dough ball with your fingers.
4.  Place the flattened bread on Tava or skillet and let it cook from either side.  Once almost done brush the kulcha with ghee or oil and let it fry and get a bit dry on the tava.
5.  The kulcha is ready to be devoured. 

SHAHI PANEER

Shahi Paneer is an all time veggie delight. I am starting my post with this dish since most of us now a days are working women and we end up at home all tired and exhausted in the evening, but, the family demands some gastronomic delight. Shahi Paneer, as explained here is  simple and easy on pocket too. My version is comparatively light on stomach and of lower calorie. Hope that you enjoy making it the way I  did. A reminder Shahi Paneer is tad sweet on the palate.

Goes well with: Kulcha, Paratha, Peas Pulav.

What to drink: If you enjoy wine with food then pick white wine with this dish; in case u enjoy non alcoholic beverage then you can try pineapple juice or cola drink with this white satin delight.

Time taken :  20 mins

Ingredients
1.  1/2 Kg Paneer/ Cottage Cheese
2.  2 small Onions
3.  1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
4.  1 tsp Cumin seed
5.  1/2 cup peanuts roasted and skinned
6.  3 tbsp sugar
7.  250 ml milk
8.  1 tsp cumin powder
9.  2 tbsp refined oil/ ghee
10.  salt to taste

Pointers
1.   To get perfectly succulent and soft Paneer soak the cut paneer cubes in warm water. If you want to fry the Paneer then immediately immerse the Paneer pieces in luke warm water.
2.  Soak the roasted and skinned peanuts in a mixture of water and milk in 2:1 ratio.

Method
1.  Cut the onions in small cubes set aside.
2.  Pour 2 tbsp oil in a kadhaai or a wok. once the oil gets hot add the cumin seeds and let it pop. add onion and ginger garlic paste to the hot oil and saute it well. once the onion turns translucent then add dash of cumin powder and let the mixture fry till oil comes out of it from the side.
3.  While the mixture is frying, grind a fine paste out of the peanut and milk mix.
4.  Once the onion is fried add  the Peanut paste to it and immediate add a bit of water to it. bring it to boil and reduce it.
5.  At this point add the remaining milk, sugar and salt to the wok.
6.  Once the mix comes to a boil add the paneer cubes straight out of the water after straining them.
7.  Immediately after the first boil after adding  the paneer cubes turn off the heat.
8.  Serve the dish hot or semi  hot...it just tastes great.