Pesarattu

Ingredients:

Whole green gram - 2 Cups
Ginger - 1 inch
Green chillies - 3
Roasted cumin seeds - 1 tbsp
Onion - 1 large (finely chopped)
Oil
Salt

Procedure:

1. Soak green dal overnight
2. Grind with ginger, green chillies and salt.
3. Add cumin seeds to the batter.
4. Take a non stick pan and grease it with oil and make a thin dosa.
5. Sprinkle some chopped onion (you can sprinkle finely chopped ginger and green chillies too) on top of dosa.
6. Sprinkle some oil on top and edges of dosa
7. Cook it till it is golden brown and flip it once it is done.
8. Cook the other side for 30 seconds.
9. Serve hot with Upma or coconut chutney or ginger chutney.

Bagara baingan

This is a very rich and famous hyderabadi dish. I have never seen biryani served without Bagara baingan or Mirchi ka salan. You will always find this dish in wedding menu or reception or any kind of gathering. You can prepare Mirchi ka salan by substituting eggplant with long and thick green mirchi.




Ingredients:

Eggplant- 4 (small)
Onion - 1 medium (Chopped)
Sesame seeds - 2 big tbsp
Peanuts - 2 big tbsp
Copra/ coconut powder - 2 big tbsp
Ginger-garlic paste - 1/2 tbsp
Green chilies - 2
Cumin powder - 1/2 tbsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tbsp
Red chili powder
Turmeric powder
Whole garam masala ( Cloves, cinnamon, Cardamom, mace, star anise , bay leaf)
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Tamarind pulp- 2 tbsp
Salt - acc to taste
Oil


Procedure:

1. Take a pan, add oil and fry peanuts, sesame seeds and copra till it is light brown in color.( you can dry roast too). Grind it into a coarse paste. ( Make sure don't grind it to a fine paste as it takes more time to cook.)
2. Take a sauce pan, add oil, whole garam masala, cumin seeds. Fry well and add chopped onions and ginger garlic paste, green chillies, turmeric powder and salt. Cook till onion turns golden brown.
3. Add 1/4 cup water and now add all the dry powders( cumin, chilli and coriander powder). Mix well and add some more water according to your desired consistency.
4. Add the ground paste and mix well. Adjust the salt and chili powder in this step.
5. Add tamarind pulp and keep mixing at regular intervals.
6. Meanwhile slit the eggplant keeping the stem intact. Fry it in oil and transfer them to the gravy.
7. Keep a lid on the gravy and temper the flame. Cook till oil separates. Finally, garnish with fresh coriander.
8. Serve hot with biryani, rice or roti.
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Paprika rice

Ingredients:

Paprika - 3 (Red, yellow and green one)
Cooked Basmathi rice - 2cups
Peanuts - 1 big tbsp
sesame seeds- 2 tbsp
Coriander seeds - 2 tbsp
Cinnamon stick -
pepper corns - 1/4tbsp
Cumin seeds - 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds- 1/2 tbsp
Star anise seeds - 2
Cloves - 5
Cardamom - 4
shajeera - 1/4 tbsp
Chilli powder
Salt
Oil

Procedure:

1. Cook the basmathi rice and cut paprika's into small pieces.
2. Take a wok, add oil . Add cloves, cardamom and shajeera. Fry well and add paprika pieces. Allow it cook for 10 mins.
3. Meanwhile, dry roast peanuts, sesame seeds, coriander seeds,cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, star anise seed, chilli powder and salt.
4. Grind them and make a fine powder.
5. Add it to the paprika and mix well. Cook for 5 mins.
6. Add basmathi rice to the above mixture and mix well.
7. Finally garnish with fresh coriander and serve with raita.

Egg Biryani

Ingredients:

Eggs (boiled) - 3
Basmathi rice - 3 cups
Onion - 1 large (sliced)
Pudina/mint - 1 cup (chopped)
Fresh coriander - 1/2 cup (chopped)
Ginger garlic paste - 1/2tbsp
Green chillies - 3
Yogurt - 1/2 cup
Whole garam masala (Cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, shajeera, bay leaf, mace, star anise, nutmeg.)
Readymade biryani masala - 4 tbsp
Saffron water
Oil
Salt

Procedure:

1. Wash and soak the basmathi rice for at 30 mins or 1 hr.
2.Take a pan, add oil followed by all the whole garam masala's.
3. When garam masala's are slighlty fried, add sliced onions, ginger garlic paste, green chillies and sprinkle some salt to speed up the procedure.
4. Add chopped mint and coriander when onions are slightly brown.
5. Cook the above ingredients for 3 to 4 mins and add yogurt and mix well (Reduce the flame before adding yogurt).
6. Add readymade garam masala (I've used Shah biryani masala) and cook it for about 3 to 4 mins.
7. Add 5 cups of water and let it boil. Add salt according to your taste.
8. Add soaked rice when water starts boiling. Place a lid and let it cook at medium flame for 5 mins and cook the remaining at low flame.
9. Meanwhile slit the boiled eggs and fill the slits with the mixture (red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and salt).
10. Take a pan and shallow fry these eggs in oil and keep it aside once they are done.
11. Transfer these fried eggs to the rice and cover it with rice. Slowly mix the rice and take care you do not break the rice.
12 Pour saffron water and place the lid and keep it in low flame for 3 to 4 mins and serve it hot with boondi raita or onion raita.