Hyderabadi Veg Dum Biryani

I enjoy eating & preparing spicy, slightly sweet veg biryani.

Ingredients: Vegetables

1) 1 big onion

2) 1 big potato

3) 1/2 cauliflower

4) 1/4 kg fresh french beans

5) 1 small bowl green peas

6) 1 small bowl corn

7) 1 big capsicum

8) 2 medium size carrots

9) 8-10 sprigs of corriander
10) 15-20 pudina leaves

Masala:

1) 2-3 tsp mustard seeds

2) 2-3 tsp dhania powder

3) 2-3 tsp turmeric powder

4) 3-4 tbsp chili powder (I added more, i like spicy)

5) 3-4 tbsp garam masala/goda masala/biryani masala (u can also add whole garam masala)

6) 1/2 inch ginger

7) 4-5 garlic cloves

8) 2-3 fresh curry leaves

9) 2 dried bay leaves

10) 3-4 green chilies

11) 3 tbsp dessicated coconut

12) Refined vegetable oil/Pure ghee (Quantity of your choice. I added 4-5 tbsp, to make biryani delicious. You can add less also.)
13) 2-3 oil fried onions 

Dryfruits:

1) 10-12 fried cashewnuts

2) 1 tsp kesar mixed in milk
3) 10-12 kismiss

Grains & General Items:

1) 2 cups of basmati rice (Add 3 1/2 cups water to cook rice)

2) Sugar to taste

3) Salt to taste

4) 1 tbsp milk
5) 1 cup curd

6) Water

Method:

1) Chop all the vegetables finely & wash the rice thoroughly.

2) Heat the oil/ghee in a large frying pan/a large non-stick container. Add all the masala, cashewnuts, onion. Saute it for 5 mins on low flame.

3) Add all the vegetables.Cook the vegetables in oil/ghee. Once the vegetables are half cooked, add the curd. Cook the vegetables. In another container, cook the rice by adding desired quantity of water & salt. Cook everything on low-medium flame. Once the rice is done, pour the rice in a plate & separate the rice with a fork before it cools.

4) Once the rice & vegetables are properly cooked, mix them properly.

5) If required, add oil/ghee & red chili powder (oily & spicy biryani tastes good.)

6) Mix kesar in a small quantity of milk. Add this milk in biryani.

7) Add sugar, salt, coriander & pudina leaves to taste. Now, keep tawa on a low flame. Cover the container with silver foil.
Keep the container on hot tawa for 30-35 mins. Once, you see the steam coming, switch off the flame.

8) Remove the biryani in a serving plate & decorate it with dessicated coconut, deep fried onion, finely chopped corriander & pudina leaves. Serve it with raita.

(For egg biryani, the recipe will be the same. Instead, of vegetables add boiled eggs).

Spanish Veg Paella

Spanish Veg Paella is one of my favorite spanish dish. It is very easy to make & it tastes very yummy.

Ingredients:

1) 1/4 cup olive oil

2) 4-5 chopped garlic cloves

3) 1 bowl chopped onion

4) 1/2 bowl chopped green capsicum

5) 1/2 bowl chopped tomatoes

6) 1/2 bowl corn

7) 1/2 bowl green peas

8) 4 cups vegetable broth

9) 2 cups rice

10) Salt to taste

11) 10-12 sprigs of coriander

Method:

1) Heat the olive oil in a non-stick pan & saute the onion & garlic, until the onion is translucent.

2 Add all the vegetables, rice & broth. Cook everything on a medium flame for 20 mins. or until the rice is properly cooked.

3) Add salt to taste. Spanish veg paella is ready. Serve the paella garnished with chopped coriander.