Gutti Vankaaya Kura (Stuffed Egg Plant/Brinjal Curry)

INGREDIANTS:

10-12 fresh tender purple brinjals(vankaayi,aubergine)

2 onions finely sliced

6 flakes garlic

2 tbsp tamarind paste

1 tsp red chilli pwd

1/3 tsp turmeric pwd

1 tsp coriander pwd

1/2 tsp cumin pwd

1 tbsp white butter or ghee

1/2 tsp sugar (optional-but tastes good with sugar or jaggery)

oil

1 tsp cumin seeds

12 curry leaves

1/3 tsp methi seeds(menthulu,fenugreek)

salt

1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves(garnish)

METHOD:

Wash and dry the purple brinjals.Keep the stalks.Prepare the stuffing first.Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and add the garlic cloves and onions and fry on medium heat for 7-8 minutes or till transparent.Remove from fire and cool.Grind to a paste adding little water.Add the coriander pwd,cumin pwd,chilli pwd,butter or ghee,sugar or jaggery and salt.Mix well.Now take each brinjal and cut from the base end (opposite side of stem)and make a slit towards stem side but not all the way through i.e slit each brinjal into four sections lengthwise without cutting off the crown.The brinjals are ready for stuffing and the stuffing requires some patience…:)Seperate the brinjal quarters gently and fill the stuffing inside slowly without breaking the brinjals.You dont want to break the brinjal…:)Stuff all the brinjals in this manner.Keep aside the remaining paste.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a cooking dish.Add cumin seeds and let them splutter.Add the methi seeds and curry leaves and fry for 5 seconds.Now slowly place each of the stuffed brinjals in the dish and add the remaining paste on top and sprinkle 1/4 cup of water.Cover and cook for 20-30 minutes on slow heat.Do check in between to stir the brinjals without breaking them.Once the brinjals are three fourth cooked add the tamarind paste and one cup water. Adjust salt.Cover and cook further for another 15 to 20 minutes or till the brinjals are well cooked and soft to touch.Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
To serve, gently lift the stuffed brinjals with a wide spoon and place on serving plate and pour the gravy.Tastes wonderful with hot rice or roti.

Chicken Tikka

Ingredients:

1 full: Chicken (large)
2 cups: Curd
1 cup: Onions(Grinded)
4-5 cloves: Garlic
1/2"piece: Ginger
2"piece: Raw papaya
1 tsp: Chilli powder
1tsp: Garam Masala

2 tbs: Lemon juice
2-3 drops: Red colour
Ghee as required
Salt to taste

Method

Clean the chicken. Remove the bones and slice it into small pieces.
Grind onions, garlic, ginger, and papaya into smooth paste. Mix it with curd, chilli powder and garam masala. Blend well to make the marinade. Add a few drops of red colour to the marinade with salt and lemon juice. Smear the chicken pieces with the mixture and let them marinate for 8-10 hours.
Heat ghee in a pan and add the marinated chicken pieces, fry for 5-6 minutes, then pour the remaining marinade on it. Cover the pan and cook on a low fire until chicken pieces are tender and dry. Serve hot.

Hyderabadi Chicken Biriyani

Ingredients

8 medium pieces (about 800 grams) of chicken

2 cup(s) flavored rice(basmati)

6 cups water

2 cup(s) yoghurt

4 medium sized onions sliced

½ teaspoon(s) saffron soaked in a little milk

1 tablespoon(s) lime juice

2 tablespoons clarified butter (ghee) / butter

salt to taste

a sheet of aluminum foil for sealing slices of boiled eggs

fried nuts and raisins to garnish.

To be ground

2" cinnamon stick broken

2 cloves and green cardamoms each

2 large onion(s) chopped

2 tablespoon(s) each of chopped ginger and garlic

2 green chilli(es) chopped

2 tablespoon(s) of chopped coriander leaves

1 tablespoon(s) poppy seeds

½ teaspoon(s) grated nutmeg

2 mace blades and black cardamom each

Method

Grind the ingredients to be ground to a fine paste. Mix this paste with yoghurt and salt. Make cuts on the chicken pieces and rub this marinade into them well. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least four hours.

In a large vessel combine the rice, water, salt and cook till the rice is half-done. Drain the excess liquid and spread the rice on a plate to cool.

Heat the clarified butter (ghee)/ butter in a heavy-bottomed pan till hot and fry the sliced onions till they are crisp and golden brown. Add the marinated chicken pieces, mix well and cook on low level for about 20 minute(s) or till the chicken is almost done.

In a large heavy-bottomed pan add some hot melted clarified butter (ghee)/ butter, a layer of chicken with gravy, a layer of rice topped with a portion of the saffron milk. In this way arrange alternate layers of melted clarified butter (ghee)/ butter, chicken, rice and saffron milk till they are all used up. Make sure the topmost layer is of rice topped with melted clarified butter (ghee) / butter and saffron milk. Spread the aluminum foil on the top of the pan and cover it with a tight fitting lid. Cook on very low level (a griddle can be kept under the pan to cook on indirect flame) for another 20 minutes. Alternatively cook for the same amount of time in a pre-heated oven.

Garnish with slices of boiled eggs, nuts and raisins.