Experiments:- Biryani and cutlets

This is another recipe post :) . This recipe is a mish-mash from various original recipes( authentic from home/ my neighbor/the net etc).This is for a home style (Tamil nadu) chicken/mutton biryani.

1) Marinate chicken in yogurt/chilli powder /coriander powder/turmeric powder/jeera powder. If mutton, pressure cook for 15 min with masalas.
2) Grind together onions (3/4 of a big onion or handful of shallots)/mint( very important ingredient)/garlic( generous amount- 7-8 pods)/ginger/yelakai/pattai/krambu/green chillies/coriander seeds.
3) Take a pressure pan and spray cooking oil spray on the sides . Heat a table spoon of ghee.
Fry thin slices of onion/1 tomato (diced)/ biryani leaf/ yelakai/pattai/krambu.
4) When the onions are brown, add the ground paste and fry till it loses its moisture. Add jeera powder/garam masala powder/ chili powder(v little)/coriander powder.
5) Add the chicken/cooked mutton. If needed add a little bit of yogurt.Add mint leaves and fresh coriander leaves.
6)Add two cups of rice/salt / enough water. When water boils, close the pressure pan and let the rice cook for 15 min on Sim fire.

Yummy biryani is ready!

Note:-
1) Mint gives the authentic taste to the biryani.
2) Be careful while adding water- since the masala has some water already and the meat marinade will have some water too.


Beetroot cutlets
1) Pressure cook beets and potatoes.
2)Mash the potatoes.Grade the beets.
3) Fry finely diced onions/jeera/ginger-garlic paste/garam masala/amchur powder.
4)Mix the mashed potatoes/salt/grated beets and the thadka from step3.
5) Make lemon sized balls from this mix. Dip it in Maida-water mix(all purpose floor in water) and roll over a bed of sooji rava.
6) Heat a tava and spray oil over it . Flatten the cutlet balls and fry in the tawa till they are brown and crispy.