Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

Ingredients: For Marination (Marinate chicken overnight)  1Lb Chicken skinned, washed and cut into cubes. Boneless chicken can also be used but I prefer to use whole chicken with bones. Make sure you drain all the water after washing the chicken.
1/2 Packet Shaan Bombay Biryani Masala
2 Tbsp Shaan Tandoori Masala
2 Tsp Garam masala
2 Tbsp Chilly Powder
1/4 Tsp Turmeric powder
1/4 Tsp coriander and cumin powder
2 Tsp Ginger Garlic paste
3/4 Cup Yoghurt
4-5 Green Chilly & 10 Springs Coriander Not too fnely pasted
10 Springs Finely Chopped Mint Leaves
1 Big Lemon juice
2 Pinches Saffron - Soaked in 1/4 Cup Milk
Salt to taste
1 Onion – finely sliced and deep fried till dark brown or can also use the ready made fried onion available at the Indian Store.
For the rice 
 Basmati rice – 2 cups.
Whole green Cardamom – 4
Cloves – 3
Black cumin seeds  – ¾ tsp
Bay leaves – 2
Black pepper corns – 4
Butter/oil/ghee – 1 tbsp
Salt – 4 tbsp
Water for boiling
Half cook rice with all the above mentioned ingredients and keep aside.
For cooking in layers Oven tray
Pinch of red, orange color dissolved in 2 tbsp milk
Aluminum foil to cover the pan.

Now that you have all the ingredients ready lets start layering the Biryani.
In a large bowl, mix all the marinade ingredients till well combined. Cover and let it rest overnight. This would let the chicken absorb all the flavors of the spices and enhance the taste of your biryani. Take a n oven tray and spray it with little ghee or oil, now arrange the entire marinated chicken at the bottom of this pan. This is your first layer. Then arrange the half cooked rice on top of the chicken. This is going to be your second and last layer. On top of the rice, add about 2 - 3 tbsp of oil, pour in the red orange color around in the center, sprinkle some fried onions and cashew. This would give your rice the restaurant style look with some of the rice grains looking orange in color. Who wouldn't want to surprise their guests with such looks!!!
Now seal the pot with an aluminum foil, pre heat the oven at 400 degrees and let the sealed biryani cook at this temperature for one hour. Just before serving open the lid, gently mix in the chicken at the bottom with the rice. serve it hot with raita and enjoy.

South Indian veggie pulao

 Ingredients:

Basmati Rice 3 cups
veggies of your choice (i used carrot,turnip,peas,beans,)
2 medium onion paste
8 green chillies
coriander leaves (optional)
ginger garlic paste 2 tsp
bay leaf 2
cloves 7
Cinnamon stick 1
2 cups thick coconut milk



Method:

1.grind onion into paste
2.grind green chillies n coriander leaves into paste
3.soak rice in water for 30 mins
Take oil in a pan when it is hot add bay leaves,cinnamon stick, cloves n fry for a minute add onion paste n fry till brown then add ginger garlic paste and fry for 2 mins n add chilly paste n all the veggies n cook till the veggies are half done n then add the coconut milk n rice n add required amount of hot water n leave for dum till the rice is done n serve with raita of your choice.

Prawn Pulao

Ingredients
 
Boiled rice ½ kg
Prawns cleaned ½ kg
Oil ½ cup
Ghee/oil 2 tbsp
Garlic paste 3 tsp
Kashmiri chilies 3 ground
Chili powder 1 tsp heaped
Lemon juice 2 tbsp
Tomatoes 3 chopped
Salt 1 ½ tsp
Turmeric ½ tsp
Roasted cumin crushed 1 ½ tsp
Roasted coriander crushed 1 ½ tsp
Green chilies whole 6
Yogurt ½ cup
Cream ½ cup
Curry leaves 15 to 20
Brown onion ½ cup
Saffron ¼ tsp
Coriander leaves chopped 2 tbsp

Method

1. Heat oil in a skillet. Fry curry leaves along with the chopped tomatoes for 5 minutes
2. in a bowl mix yogurt with garlic paste, ground kashmiri red chilies, chili powder, lemon juice, salt, turmeric, crushed cumin and crushed coriander
3. Add the prepared mixture into the skillet and cook for 5 minutes
4. Add in prawns and fry well. Lastly add cream with whole green chilies, coriander leaves, fry for 5 minutes and remove from fire
5. IN ANOTHER PAN BOIL THE RICE WITH SALT.
6. When done, drizzle the saffron liquid on top and arrange in a circle on the edge of the platter
7. Place the prawns curry in the middle, garnish with chopped green chilies and fried onions.

Kabuli Pulao

Ingredients:

mutton/beef = (cooked but not completely)500 gms
basmati rice =2 cups
onion = 1 large thinly sliced
all spices (garam masala) =1 tsp
cumin seeds = 1 tsp
black pepper = 1 tbsp
salt = to taste
carrot = 2 grated or thinly sliced
raisins = 1 cup
mix dry fruits =1 cup...( i used peanut,pistachio,almond) u can add cashews,coconut as well
oil = as required
water = half cup+ 4 tbsp
sugar = 2 tbsp + 2 tbsp

METHOD:
 
 boil mutton in 6 cups of water, dry coriander,1 tsp salt,1 tsp garlic paste... time depends but  be careful that the meat shouldn't be cooked completely...

  fry onion on low heat till golden brown....remove onion from the oil....and add mutton in the same oil till brown.... also add garam masala, brown n crushed onion,cumin seeds, salt, black pepper and soup of the boiled meat.it should b approx 2 cups....add water if needed....boil til only 1 cup of water remains.

remove meat from this brown mixture. and set aside both(meat and mixture).

boil rice for five minutes on a high flame.... it should b uncooked...drain the water n set it aside too.

deep fry dry fruits for 2 mins only...v need to make them a lil bit crispy only....n let it cool

in a separate pan take 4 tbsp oil.... fry raisins in it till it gets plump.....remove raisins n add carrots in the same oil ...fry fo 2 mins.... add 2 tbsp sugar n 4 tbsp water in it.... cook till dry.

FOR SHEERA

 heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan..add 2 tbsp sugar in it when it melts add water n simmer on a medium heat for 5 minutes.its texture should b lil bit thick.

put all the rice in a large pan along with the brown mixture n stir well so that the rice changes its color properly..... make a layer of meat, then a layer of raisins,carrot mixture.use only half.....n then the layer of half dry fruit mixture...at the end pour the Sheera on it... cover n cook on a very low flame for 10-15 mins
Garnish with remaining dry fruits n raisins,carrot mixture.

Sindhi Biryani

Ingredients:

Rice 1/2 kg (boiled with whole garam masala n salt)
Mutton 1/2 kg
Potato 1/2 kg
Tomato 4 (sliced)
onion 4 large (sliced n fried brown)
Yogurt 250gm or 1 cup
Red chilli powder 1tbsp
Coriander powder 2tbsp
Cumin 1 1/2 tsp
Fennel seed 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Dried plums 10 ( washed n soaked in a little water)
Cinnamon stick 2 pieces
Whole red chilli 8-10
Black Cardamom 2
Black pepper 10
Black cumin 1tsp
Green Cardamom 8
Salt to taste
Garlic paste 1tbsp
Ginger chopped 2tbsp
Lemon 2
Green chilli 12
Mint 1/3cup
Coriander leaves 1/2 cup
Ghee 1 1/2 cup( i used ghee it tastes fantastic)

Method:

* Heat oil add mutton fry a little add half of fried onion,
   garlic ginger and all garam masala.
* Add all spices chilli powder, coriander, cumin powder, turmeric,
* Add water and cook till meat is tender.
* I use pressure cooker, for that add 1 1/2 glass water and give a pressure
   for 15min.
* When meat is tender add yogurt and potatoes cook it.
* Add chopped coriander and mint.
* Set a layer of sliced tomatoes, green chillies, mint and sliced lemon and ginger julian cut .
* Now set a layer of boiled rice on top of it and some brown onion.
* Add pinch of orange food color.
* Keep on dum for 15min on low flame.
* yummy biryani is ready.

Tikka Biryani

Ingredients:

■1 kg chicken bone less (Cut into small cubes shapes)
■1 kg basmati rice
■1 tsp ginger paste
■1 tsp garlic paste
■1 tsp black pepper powder
■1 tbsp lemon juice
■3 tbsp green chili paste
■2 tsp red chili powder
■1/3 tsp turmeric powder
■1 tbsp chaat masala
■2 onion thinly sliced
■2 tomato
■1 cup yogurt
■5 cloves
■2 bay leaves
■4 cardamon
■4 cinnamon
■Salt to taste
■2 tbsp pure ghee (Desi ghee)
■1 cup oil
■Yellow food color some pinches
■Saffron a pinch
■1/2 cup milk 

Method:

Soak the rice in plenty of water for 1-2 hour. Soak the pounded saffron in the hot milk and keep set aside.
In a large bowl, add chicken bone less pieces, yogurt, red chili powder, green chili paste, turmeric powder, salt, cloves, cardamon, cinnamon, chaat masala, lemon juice, yellow food color, ginger paste, garlic paste and mix well. Marinate the chicken mixture for 1-2 hour on a refrigerator.
Heat oil in a pan and fry sliced onion till brown, Add tomatoes and cook till thick gravy, add bay leaves and marinate chicken mixture and cook for 5-10 minutes on medium heat until chicken is tender. remove from heat keep set a side.
In a big pot bring water to boil, add rice for boiling.Continue to cook until the rice almost done.It takes about 10 minutes on stove.Drain the rice and keep aside.
Now its time to arrange rice and chicken mixture layers.You should have 3 layers of rice and lastly add chicken mixture. Don’t mix layers. chicken gravy is top on the rice.
Top it off sprinkle saffron milk. Place the rice on a plate and top of the rice place chicken gravy.
Chicken tikka biryani is ready to eat. Serve hot with raita, lemon and green salad

Sindhi ( beef) biryani

Ingredients:

3 lb. meat
2 tbsp.ginger paste
1teaspoon. garlic paste
1 teaspoon coriander powder.
1/2 teaspoon. sugar
salt
4 tablespoon. yogurt
cinnamon
cardamom
black paper
1/2 cup onion paste
1/2 pk SHAAN sindhi masala
combine all ingredients together & marinated it for 8 to 10 hrs or over night...

Method:

 Put 1/2 cup ghee + oil in a pan..( non stick pan will be better). add 1/2 cup slice onion & fry it golden brown.
add marinated meats. cook it. add 1/4 cup hot water. cover it. cook it on medium heat until meat comes tender. remove the cover. put it on low heat until oil comes out. add 1/2 tsp. cumin pdr. remove from heat. set aside.

4 cups basmati rice ( i use TILDA or ZEBRA basmati rice)
1/4 cup ghee
1/2 cup onion slices
1/2 tsp. ginger pst
cinnamon
cardamom
cloves
bay leaves
salt
1/4 cup milk
2 tsp. shan sindhi masala.

in a pan put ghee, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, bay leaves, onion slices. fry little bit. add ginger pst. fry. add rice & fry. add 9 cup hot water and 1/4 cup milk. add salt & SHAN SINDHI MASALA. mix it well. cover it..put it on high heat until rice absorbed the water. reduce heat. after 15 or 20 mins,remove the cover & mix it. cover it again. remove from the heat..
in a separate pan spared the 1/2 cooked rice. pour the cooked meats over the rice..add 8 or 10 green chilli, rose water, 2 or 3 alu bokhara, raisins. pour left over rice over the meats. make 3 or 4 little hole in the rice & pour 5 or 6 drops food color in each hole ( mix food color with rose water)..
cover the pan & put it on low heat for 10 to 15 mins.
remove from the heat. after 1 or 1 1/2 hrs carefully mix it with big spoon or with a big fork. garnish it with bereshta ( fried onion)...

( it's my own way, i hope u like it....)

oooopsss, sorry, i forgot to mention that i also add fried potato.
add some food color & salt with potatos and fry it..add it when u add the green chilli, raisins etc.

Simple chicken biryani

Ingredients: 

 1 medium chicken, skin removed then cut into 8-10 pieces
3 cups rice
4-5 sliced and fried onions

Marinate the chicken in:

1 and half cups yoghurt
2 black cardamom
6 black pepper corns
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
1 tbsp chopped mint leaves
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
2 cloves
½ tsp cumin and coriander powders
2 tbsp each of ginger and garlic paste
2 chopped green chilli 
1 tbsp javetri/mace (optional)
1 tbsp lime juice
half of the fried onions
quarter cup oil
saffron color ½ tsp
salt to taste
turmeric to taste

 Directions:
 

Soak rice for 30 minutes. In a bowl add water, some oil, and salt. You can also add cumin, and cardamom to this water for more flavor. Bring to boil to cook rice, once the rice is half cooked drain the water.
Now in a pot, add marinated chicken spread at the bottom (I also added fried potato quarters during this stage on top of the chicken) and then add half cooked rice, sprinkle some mint leaves, the remaining fried onions, saffron color and cover tightly with the lid and cook for 30min. First 5 minute at high flame, next 15 minutes at medium flame and last 10 minutes at low flame. If your pot/pan is thin, make sure you place a tava (the flat pan for making chapatis/parathas/rotis) under the pot so that your Biryani doesn't burn. You can place this tava after the first 5 minutes.