Kaju Katli

HAPPY DIWALI TO ALL!

 DROOLSSS CELEBRATED DIWALI WITH SOME KAJU KATLI!

Ingredients

1 cup cashew nuts(kaju)

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1 teaspoon rose water

few saffron strands(optional)

1 tablespoon ghee.

Method

• In a dry grinder,grind  the cashewnuts(kaju) to a smooth powder.
• In a pan, make sugar syrup by boiling sugar,rose water,saffron and water on low flame until it reaches one string consistency.
• Now add the cashew powder and stir on low flame until it thickens and reaches a soft dough consistency(this will approximately takes 8-10 minutes).
• Transfer the dough to a plate.
• When the heat is enough to handle add 1 tablespoon ghee and knead well.
• Flatten the dough and place it on a greased butter paper.
• Roll the kaju dough with a rolling pin.
• Cut into diamond shapes.
• Cool and store in an airtight container.

*If there is crack on the dough while rolling,place a butter paper on top and roll for a smooth even surface.
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Hyderabadi Dum Chicken Biriyani(Kachi style)

 This beautiful and aromatice traditional biriyani was actually scheduled to be posted during the Eid holidays. But somehow it got delayed due to some engagements. Anyhow as it said  ' better late than never'. 

Now this recipe was shared to me by my little one's classmate's mom Zara. Thankyou Zara for sharing this authentic dish of your place. It was really yummy! The smell that lingers in your home when this biriyani is getting cooked is really droolworthy. So off to the recipe of HYDERABADI DUM BIRIYANI- Kachi style i.e the uncooked meat is cooked along with the rice.

Ingredients
1 kg chicken, cut into medium sized pieces
1 kg basmati rice, washed well
1/4 cup oil

 For the marination
2 Tbsp fresh ginger- garlic paste
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp garam masala powder
4-5 green chillies + a handful of mint leaves and coriander leaves(all grinded into a paste)
500 gm yoghurt
6-8 medium sized onions, sliced thin and fried in oil till golden brown and crisp
salt to taste

For the rice
1/4 tsp garam masala powder
 1 tsp shahi jeera/black cumin
3 broken cinnamon sticks
4 cardamom
3 cloves
 4 green chillies
 few mint leaves
3 bay leaves
salt

1-2 Tbsp ghee
a pinch of saffron mixed in 1 Tbsp warm milk
 juice of 1 lemon
handful of chopped mint and corainder leaves

Method

• Marinate the chicken with all the ingredients under marination(except the fried onions) for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight.
• Boil water for the rice with salt, garam masala. shahi jeera, cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardomom, green chillies, mint leaves and bay leaves.
• Add washed and drained rice to the boiling water and cook for just 5 minutes.( The rice grain should break into two pieces when pressed with the end of your thumb i.e. just 1/4 cooked). Drain the rice and keep aside.
• Crush the fried onions with your hands and add it to the marinated chicken.
• Take a heavy bottomed big vessel and pour 1/4 cup oil and layer the marinated chicken at the bottom of the vessel.
• Layer the rice on top the chicken.
• Sprinkle the top of the rice with chopped mint and coriander leaves.
• Drizzle the ghee, lemon juice and saffron milk mixture on top.
• Close the vessel with a tight lid. Seal the edges with a dough made of maida/wheat flour+water (or you can even seal it tightly with aluminium foil).
• Cook this on very low heat for 20 minutes. Once you start to get the aroma increase the flame to  medium low and cook for 5 minutes more. Switch off and relish the beautiful aroma that engulfs you as you open the dum.

* The same recipe can be done with mutton too. The only variation is the cooking time. Mutton will take approximately 45 minutes to get cooked and moreover tender mutton must be used.

Almond & Coconut Ladoo

The time when the forces of good won over the forces of evil.

 The time when victory stood with truth.

Wishing everyone a Happy Vijayadashami!

 Lets celebrate this auspicious day with some sweet ladoos:)

Ingredients
1 cup fresh grated coconut
1/2 cup jaggery
1 Tbsp ghee
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1/2- 1 cup coarsely ground almonds

Method

•  Melt the jaggery in little water and strain to remove the impurities if any and keep it aside.
• Add the grated coconut to the jaggery and cook until the jaggery is almost absorbed by the coconut.
• Add the ghee , vanilla essence and mix well.
• Add the  ground almond little by little mixing well until you get the mixture into such a consistency that you can make small balls out of it and that it holds its shape.(You can grease your hands with a little ghee to prevent the mixture from sticking onto your hands)
• Roll these ladoos in ground almond powder and serve.