LAZY FISH AND POTATO MASALA WITH VEGE OPTION ...SHORT BREAK

These days I am quite busy with some long pending work. I follow 4 D principle of Management , Whenever some work comes, try to  Dump , Delay, Delegate and lastly  Do it, in case you cant do the first 3 Ds..Gone are the days " Jo kal Karo, so aj" instead it is now new mantra Jo aj karo so kal... because we really don't have the luxury to advance any work , we are too packed up today ...So all 1st 3 D options are over for me during last several years..so I am doing it.

BREAK

Finally I managed a break with SOMEONE. She could manage a week's off. We are going to Bangalore for 3 days to attend a marriage and decided to go to Kerala for 4 days ...too little time though to see the wonderful Kerala..I have traveled a lot in Kerala in 70s and 80s ..We ( me and my brother's family) will just hole up in Munnar and Kumarakam. After that , most probably my paid holidays will be over and may have to travel to Japan, Korea or Europe ..( I hate winter out side India)..

So here is a Masala dry curry which was up my sleeves since Milano days, and now used it to get rid of some Sardines in the fridge. I am posting this , so that you  dont forget me ..as such my performance has been very poor, only 50 odd postings over 18 months ..:-( 

THE RECIPE 

This is a normal recipe except that it will take less time to make and you can use all types of fried fish or Liver, and also  any one vegetables like Potato, Parmal, beans, Paneer, Turnips, Yam, Arvi etc ( The firm ones). A dash of vinegar is added to make it tangy. I used a Malabar seasoning ( a secrete from SOMEONE) instead of Bong Panch Phodon and no Garam masala. Of course I used fried fish..I like fried Sardines, one can chew the whole fish along with bones.

INGREDIENTS

8 Sardines cleaned, marinated in Turmeric and salt, dip fried to brown. ( I had only 8 in fridge) 

1 Potato medium-large , cut into fingers ( 8mm X 8 mm and length , as large as the  Potato permits) 

For grinding 

1 tomato chopped 

1 onion medium chopped ( same size as the tomato)

6 cloves garlic chopped

3/4th inch by 3/4th inch ginger chopped

2 green chili chopped ( more the merrier) 

2 tbsp Coriander leaves chopped.

For grinding

For seasoning 

1/3rd tsp of Cumin and Mustard seeds.

1/2 tsp Fennel seeds

2 dry red chili

Others

1/2 tsp cumin powder 

1 level tsp Turmeric powder ( you must have seen I use hell of a lot of turmeric )

Vinegar 1 tsp for marinating Potato

Vinegar 2 tsp for the gravy .

Oil 2-3 tbsp ( any oil of your choice but not ghee). ( other than oil, used for frying)

Optional... add as much red chili powder as you want  ( I added 1 tsp, extra hot red chili powder)

PROCESS

Fry the marinated fish and keep aside.

Grind all the ingredients to a uniform paste.

Cut Potato and soak in water and wash and drain dry..add 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp vinegar and mix, leave aside. ( this will give a sourish potato to the core.) 

Fry the potato ( stir fry or deep fry if you are left with enough oil from fish frying) and keep aside.

NOTE: Just before adding potato to the pan, squeeze out the water . ( salt will release water from Potato)

Fried fish, Potato, seasoning and the paste 

Heat oil to smoking and give seasoning.

Reduce heat and add 2 tbsp water to quench the heat so that the seasoning doesn't burn out.

Add the fried potato, the paste, salt, turmeric, Cumin powder  and mix. Simmer covered  for few minutes  to cook the potato.

Add the fish, vinegar and mix. Simmer open pan till the oil starts appearing. 

Saut'e for few minutes and the dish is ready. ( Any excess water will be soaked up by potato..so dont waste time drying the dish,,,but if you want to go ahead and fry the mix further, that too is very yummy).

NOTE : This is a small quantity dish , you want to increase the gravy ? If you double the onion, increase Tomato by half . In this recipe , Tomato and the onion is of same size.

LIVER OPTION

Marinate Liver in salt and turmeric. After adding seasoning, add the liver and saute till the pieces change color. Then proceed with or without potato.

VEGE OPTIONS

As all of you know, Vege food is delicacy for all non vegees and true for me too. Most of these vege options are well tried when I was in Milano. ( The beautiful reception girl used to lend me a mixer-grinder to make huge quantity of this paste ..with a condition that I will treat her and her boy friend with Indian Vege dish once in a while. I was surprised that the girl and her BF had become veges...I was more than glad to make many  dishes for her and her BF..including Malabar or Chetinad paneer , Patato, Zucchini  etc  etc...you should have seen the girl eating with red chicks,  running nose and eyes and still asking for more....great satisfying moments of life...

Potato option 

Boil Potato , and cut then into chunks. soak the potato in salt and vinegar ( little) and fry to golden brown...proceed as above adding potato at the last moment.

 Paneer option

Same as above , cut the Panner into chunks, prick with fork, marinate in salt and vinegar , deep fry to spotted brown and proceed.

Other vegetables ( hard ones , haven't tried soft ones like Brinjal, pumpkin, ridge gourd etc)  

Cut the vege to 1 inch pieces, soak in salt and Vinegar and proceed,.

OK friends...I will be reading your blogs during my break ...please keep cooking , I believe cooking is a great stress reliever apart form the great satisfaction we get, when our near and dear ones give a smile and appreciate the taste ...It is so satisfying ( well we all know it, I dont have to say )

Happy cooking and I will miss you all for some time ...

RASHMI BIRIYANI ( with Vege option)

My greetings to all of you on the occasion of Dushera festival. I am sure all of you have excused me for my absence from the blog sphere. Not that I post many recipes , but I do read all recipes, like reading novels, newspapers. I was stuck with lot of work ( rare occasion) at the home front, could manage to read few blogs and could rarely post my appreciations . I shall catch up now before I proceed on official work again.

My daughter visited us 1st time after marriage and had sent request in advance for cooking few of her favorite dishes. Biriyani Rashmi was one of them.

THE RECIPE.

This recipe is adopted from the famous book by Maharaja of Sailana, the ultimate Royal dish book.

The recipe is very different from all the Biriyanis you might have eaten. It is devoid of onion and garlic and the spicing is different. This gives a unique flavor to the dish. I know many types of Biriyani and pulao, but always end up cooking this in a gathering ( which is rare) as the guests are very demanding about this Biriyani.

This Biriyani is cooked with goat or lamb meat. I haven't tried chicken and wont, in near future. If you try let me know how was it. I will -prefer a  paneer , patato biriyani over chicken

I have given a vege option with Paneer and potato. Absence of garlic and onion makes this dish a absolute Vege one , Jain or temple dish or like a prashad.

NOTE: As directed by the Maharaja, please do not compromise or change the recipe while trying for the 1st time.

INGREDIENTS

Mutton pieces 1 Kg

Ghee 250 ml ( I have reduced slightly from the original recipe) 

Fresh curd 350 gms

Red chili powder 4 tsp ( level) You can use less hot one.

Ginger fresh , scrapped and ground 30 gms

Asafoetida ( Hing) 1 level tsp , 30 % active content diluted in water . (You can use your measure) 

spices 

Coriander seed powder 25 gms ( dont reduce)

Cumin seed powdered 2 gms

Black cumin seed powdered( It is Sha jeera and not the Kala jeera or Nigela ) 2 gms

Clove powdered 20 pieces ( freshly powdered) 

black Cardamom 4 pieces , freshly powdered.

Saffron a good pinch diluted in warm water

Basmati rice 500 gms

Milk 350 ml

Kewada water 30 ml. ( This is also known as Kiya, Keya, Ketaki water in India . English name screw pine, botanical name Pandanus fascicularis .) If you are using Kewra concentrate , add less.

(Punjabi BaDi 12 gms, powdered,  is there in the original recipe , but I haven't used it. But it gives a good taste.)

THE PROCESS 

Preparing the meat 

* Heat ghee in a thick bottom deep pan, add the Hing water, immediately followed by meat, whipped curd, Red chili powder, ginger paste, salt and mix.

* When the liquid dries up , brown the meat lightly.

* Add hot water little at a time  so that when the meat is tender, there will be very little water left. CAUTION: Dont over cook the meat..that means the meat must not be falling off the bones.

If it is slightly undercooked, dont worry, it will get cooked at a later stage . Please apply your experience in meat boiling ...avoid use of pressure cooker.

Ready for spice addition 

* Now add all the spices mentioned above i.e.  Coriander, both cumins, clove, cardamom, saffron and Punjabi Badi powder ( optional) 

*Stir the mix and simmer on very low heat till the water dries up and ghee remains. NOTE: Please dont burn the spices, if in doubt, quench with 2-3 tbsp water and mix.

Preparing the rice.

* Wash and soak rice in water for an hour.

* Heat plenty of water (about 3 liters ), add about 6-8 level tsp  of salt and bring to boil. Add rice and cook.

* When the rice is 3/4th done, drain into a sieve or colander removing water completely.

* Transfer the rice to a big tray and spread evenly ..allow it to cool a bit.

Arranging the rice and meat for dum ( sealed steaming)

This is an interesting step and the layering technique is applicable to most type of Biriyani.

* Heat the milk , close to boiling and keep aside. mix 30 ml of Kewada water.

* Grease a thick bottom pan lightly with ghee. Dont take too big a pan. Ideally the pan should be 80% full when every thing is added.

* Divide the rice into 4 parts 

* Add 1/4th of the rice to the pan and spread evenly.

* Sprinkle all the milk on the rice layer

* add 1/2 the meat and spread evenly.

* Now add rice, 2 parts out of 4 parts and spread evenly. ( i.e 2 portions of the 1/4th rice...I mean after this addition, you will be left with 1/4th of rice.)

* Add rest of the mutton and spread evenly. Top it with the balance 1/4th rice.

Put on Dum ( on steaming under sealed condition.)

*Put the pan on medium heat , and allow steam to be formed.

When steam is formed, cover and seal the edges with flour ( Atta) dough

There are few ways of putting it on dum. 

Heat an OTG or oven to 180 deg C, and cook for 30-40 minutes

Or Put a flat steel griddle on heat, then put a separator. Keep the Pan on the separator and cook for 30-40 minutes. Adjust heat , there may be slight burn out at the bottom...

Open the Pan on the dining table, so that every one gets the opening aroma 

VEGE OPTION WITH POTATO AND PANEER 

The spicing and procedure will be same with some variation.

Peel medium potato and cut to half. Dont take much, may be 11/2 pieces per head or more.

Take generous quantity of paneer ( cottage cheese), cut them to 11/2 inch by 11/2 inch pieces and 1 inch thick. ( you can use smaller size too. I use 1inch pieces.)

Fry the cheese in ghee to brown , poke it with fork and keep aside.

Take ghee, fry the potato to light brown, add, hing , curd, ginger, red chili powder, salt etc and dry out to light brown.

Add the spices, stir for  a minute , add 1 cup of water.

Mix well, add the paneer and simmer until only the ghee is left.

Proceed as above.

Happy eating.