Coconut Rice

Coconut Rice (using coconut milk)

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A very easy recipe but a festive one.You can make this for any occasion.

Ingredients:

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Coconut milk - 1 can (8 oz)

Basmati Rice - 4 rice cooker cups

Garlic - 8

Ginger - 1 inch size

(Grind ginger and garlic together and make a paste)

Green chilli - 4

Cashew - 12 (optional)

Onion- 1 small

Cinnamon stick - 1

Cardamom-2

cloves - 4

Dries bayleaf - 1

Butter - 1/2 stick

oil - 1/4 cup

salt - app. 1 tbsp

Method:

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Soak basmati rice in water for 1/2 an hour and drain well.

For Rice cooker,

Heat butter and oil in a pan.Add the cinnamon,cardomom,cloves,bayleaf and cashew.Add onion and green chilli and cook for a minute. Add ginger garlic paste and cook for a few minutes.

Now take 1 can coconut milk(it comes upto 2 1/2 rice cooker cup) and 31/2 cups water in the rice cooker.Ratio of rice and liquid is 1:1 1/2.Add salt.Now add basmati rice and the cooked masala.

For oven ,

Heat butter and oil in a pan.Add the cinnamon,cardomom,cloves,bayleaf and cashew.Add onion and green chilli and cook for a minute. Add ginger garlic paste and cook for a few minutes.

Add 1 can coconut milk(it comes upto 2 1/2 rice cooker cup) and 31/2 cups water.Ratio of rice and liquid is 1:1 1/2.Add salt.After it starts boiling,add basmati rice.Now when the liquid is all soaked up by the rice,cover it airtight with an aluminium foil and put it in the oven.350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Serve hot with any gravy... preferably non veg !!

Mutton Biryani

Mutton Biryani

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This is an ultimate dish for all the non vegetarians ...Everytime I cook biryani(by God's Grace),it comes out with consistent taste.Thats because I calculate...Its more like a formula..Its a very easy recipe....I will give you the exact mesurements.You cannot go wrong!!

Ingredients:

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Mutton - 2 pounds

Basmati Rice - 4 cups(rice cooker cup) (soaked for 1/2 hour)

Butter - 3/4 stick

Oil-1/4 cup

cinnamon stick - 1/2 (cut the whirled shape stick(big) into two,if the whirled stick is small you can add it whole)

cloves - 4 (1 per cup)

aniseed - 1

bayleaf-1

Green chillies - 8 (2 per cup)

onion - 1

tomato-2

turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

chilli powder - 1/4 tsp (adjust according to your spice level)

coriander leaves - handful chopped

mint leaves - 1 box (box as in the mint in american stores-handful)

Salt - to taste

To Grind:

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fennel seeds - 1 tbsp

garlic - 12 (3 per cup)

ginger - 1 inch

cloves 4 -( 1 per cup)

cinnamon stick - 1/2 ( the rest of the stick or 1 small stick)

Method:

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In a cooker,take mutton with 4 cups of water.pinch of tur pd,1/2 spoon cumin powder,1/4 spoon pepper powder,salt,few coriander and mint leaves.cook for 3-4 whistles.

Heat butter and oil in a large pan.Add the whole spices.Add green chilli.saute for a minute.Add onion.Now cook very well till the onion gets golden brown...till you get nice onion aroma...now add the grounded paste,tomato,tur pd,chilli pd and cook well till oil seperates.Add the coriander and mint leaves.now add the mutton (only the mutton-not the stock).Cook for a few minutes.Add the stock.Add 6 cups.If you don't have enough stock,add water.Now comes the most important step.Add salt.Add salt so that when you taste it..you should really taste salt..if you think.."well i think i taste salt" ..then you should add more..hehe...you should taste salt very well...okay you get the point...Now when it starts to boil,add the drained basmati rice.when the rice absorbs all the water.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Close it with aluminium foil airtight and put it in oven.for 20 minutes.

Note:

1)As soon as the water is absorbed...close it airtight and 'immediately' put it in oven or else you get half cooked and half uncooked rice.learnt my lesson the hard way hehe!!

2)If you are cooking for guests,you can make it till you add the water and switch off...you can make this hours ahead...just 1/2 an hour before the guest arrives,add the basmati rice and pop it in oven.By this way,you can serve your guests real hot biryani..straight from the oven...they will surely appreciate it!!!!

If you have any doubts...write in the comment..