Showing posts with label INDIAN. Show all posts
Showing posts with label INDIAN. Show all posts

Sunday, March 29, 2015

Hyderabadi Dum ki Machchli

I must confess I am a vegetarian. But for the love of a husband who loves his fish I have learnt how to cook it. I find cooking fish easiest since it requires very little time and mostly does not need elaborate recipes. I am using fresh water fish here. The Local fish is called "Katla" and is abundant in lakes in Rajasthan particularly Jaisamand lake.
This recipe has been adapted from a wonderful cookbook "Hyderabadi Cuisine" by Pratibha Karan. Interestingly she is a Vegetarian too with great non vegetarian recipes in her book. :)
One main ingredient that adds flavour to the dish is Watermelon & Muskmelon seeds. They are easily available in supermarkets and shops. Popularly called Khabooja & Tarbooj dried seeds. They are soft and can be crushed fresh using a pestle & mortar.


You need:
1/2 kg Fish cut into slices

To be ground into a paste

2 medium onions
1 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
3-4 green chillies ( add more for more heat)

1- 1/2 cup yogurt ( thick)
oil for cooking
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tablespoon ground seeds of watermelon & musk melon seeds
Salt to taste

Tempering
1/2 Tsp caraway seeds ( shahi jeera)
1/2" cinnamon stick
4 cloves

How to make:
Wash fish and pat dry. keep aside.

















Paste Onion, Ginger ,Garlic & chillies.














Heat Oil, Add Tempering . Add Onion Paste to it and fry well.














Add salt , turmeric to it and fry . Add whisked Yogurt to it. Make sure the heat is turned down while adding yogurt or it separates.














Meanwhile crush Watermelon & Musk melon seeds.


Add fish and the crushed seeds to the pan. and simmer for about 12-15 minutes till fish starts to flake.
It should be cooked but not overcooked.















Can be served with rice . Garnish with coriander if you wish. The fish tastes best if it is cooked slightly in advance may be 2-3 hours . The flavours seep in the fish much better. You could re heat and serve hot. :)







Sunday, July 18, 2010

PHIRNI

Kheer is perhaps one of the most common dessert dishes made in north indian homes... smallest of occasion or celebration kheer would be there with puris ... Phirni's though are not so common.. i first tasted phirni at rajputana shereton courtesy my chef friend... and the way they serve it as an individual portion in a miiti ka bartan makes it yummier.. later when i tried the recipe at home it turned out even easier..

The most difficult part is getting the rice to be ground into grainy consistency.. the problem was solved when i found packets of ground rice rawa in local super markets.. this made the whole recipe a matter of minutes..( okay almost 60 min still easy..)


YOU NEED

1 liter milk

60 grams rice rawa

60 grams sugar

elaichi powder

saffron leaves 3-4

kewra essence

Method

Put milk for boiling in a heavy bottom pan. let it boil till it is reduced to 2/3 rd of actual quantity.

Add 60 grams rice rawa and keep stirring occasionally so it does not stick to the bottom.

Add saffron and elaichi for flavour. Cook till the rice granules are almost translucent.

Take off the flame. Let it cool a bit.

Add sugar to the slightly cooled phirni. Mix well. Add Kewra essence.

Garnish with finely chopped pista..