Onion Raitha

Amma's Thayir Pachadi

---

The Thayir Pachadi, a classic dish made by my mother, a very tasty one and my favorite Raitha, which can be served with various rice dishes. I do not like the smell of raw onions therefore prefer this fried onion Raitha.

Ingredients:	Quantity
Beaten Yogurt	1 cup
Small sized Onion	1 nos
Ginger grated	1/2 tsp
Green Chili Chopped	1 nos
Coriander Leaves Chopped	2-3 strands
Mustard Seeds	1 tsp
Curry Leaves	1 strand
Oil	2 tsp
Sour Cream (Optional)	1 tbsp
Salt	To taste

Preparation:
1) Heat oil in a small fry pan add mustard and curry leaves, once the mustard splutters add the green chilies, grated ginger, chopped coriander and chopped onion. Fry until the onion caramelizes.
2) Add this to the yogurt and add the sour cream if you are using it.
3) If the yogurt is too sour, then add a little milk. Add salt just before serving.
4) This can be served with Pulao's, Biryani, Tomato Rice or other Rice varieties.

Note: For a traditional Biryani Raitha do not fry the onions along with the other stuff. Just add them raw at step 2 along with the tempering.

Tandoori Chicken Biryani

Tandoori Chicken Biryani

---

Ingredients:	Quantity
Basmati Rice	5 cups
Big Onion	2 nos
Tomatoes	4 nos
Ginger garlic paste	2 tbsp
Green Chillies	5 nos
Garam Masala Powder	1 tsp
Bay Leaf	2 nos
Cinnamon Sticks	2 nos
Cloves	6-7 nos
Cardamom	3 nos
Star anise	2 nos
Mace	1 nos
Ghee	2 tbsp
Saffron	Few strands
Milk	1/2 cup
Lemon juice	2 tbsp
Chopped Mint Leaves	1/4 cup
Chopped Coriander Leaves	4 tbsp
Oil	2 tbsp
Fried Onion	1/4 cup
Tandoori Chicken
Chicken Drumsticks	4 nos
Chicken Thighs	4 nos
Lemon Juice	4 tbsp
Dried Fenugreek Leaves	1 tbsp
Yogurt	1/2 cup
Oil	1 tbsp
Ginger Powder	1 tsp
Garlic Powder	1 1/2 tsp
Onion Powder	1 tsp
Turmeric Powder	1 tsp
Red Chili Powder*	2 tsp
Coriander Powder	1 tbsp
Cumin	1 tsp
Pepper Powder	1/2 tsp
Amchoor Powder	1 tsp
Cinnamon Powder	1/2 tsp
Cloves Powder	1/2 tsp
Cardamom Powder	1/2 tsp
Mace Powder	1/2 tsp
All spice	1/4 tsp
Fennel Powder	1/4 tsp
Powdered Bay leaves	1/4 tsp
Mustard Powder	A pinch
Salt	To taste
Red Orange Color	A pinch (Optional)

Preparation:
1) Clean the chicken and cut the Chicken thighs into two to three big pieces and make incision on the drumsticks.
2) Mix all the ingredients for tandoori masala and marinate the chicken for 3-4 hours or overnight.
3) Preheat oven to 375°F and roast the well marinated chicken for about 25-30 mins turning sides once in between. Baste oil.
4) Soak basmati rice for 30 mins. Boil enough water adding the whole garam masala, once the water boils add the rice and salt.
5) When the rice is half cooked remove from heat and strain the water.
6) Heat oil in a large pan and fry the sliced onions until they are caramelized and add green chillies and ginger garlic paste. Fry until the raw smell of the ginger garlic paste is gone. Sprinkle the garam masala powder and then saute for a min.
7) Add the tomatoes and once the tomatoes are well cooked add the tandoori chicken and saute for a min or two and remove the gravy mixture.
8) Soak the saffron in warm milk for 10 mins.
9) Layer a large pan with half the quantity of rice, then sprinkle half mint and coriander leaves and layer the remaining rice and sprinkle rest of the mint coriander leaves. Sprinkle the ghee and pour in the saffron soaked warm milk.
10) Finally layer the chicken gravy mixture and close it with a lid and let it cook on low heat for 15-20 mins. Garnish with fried onion and serve with raita.

Note:* You can substitute the list of spices with Ready Made Tandoori Masala and Garam Masala.
You can adjust the red chili and green chilly to make it very fiercer. The above recipe(spices) is suitable for kids to eat.
You can add the juices that got out while roasting chicken into the gravy in step 7, once the tomatoes are cooked.

Chicken Biryani

Simple and Easy Chicken Biryani

---

This is one of the first dishes I have blogged long time ago. Updated it to my current standard of cooking. The biryani is easy and for beginners, where the rice and chicken are cooked together in a pressure cooker.

Ingredients:	Quantity
Basmati Rice	2 cups
Chicken cut into large pieces	1 lb.
Onion Sliced	2 nos
Tomato	2 nos
Ginger Garlic Paste	2 tbsp
Green Chilies	2-3 nos
Chili Powder	2 tsp
Coriander Powder	1 tsp
Black Pepper	1/2 tsp
Cumin Powder	1/4 tsp
Turmeric Powder	1/2 tsp
Garam Masala	1 tsp
Cardamom	2-3 nos
Cinnamon	1 stick
Cloves	2-3 nos
Bay Leaves	1 nos
Ghee	1-2 tbsp
Salt	To taste
Milk	1/4 cup
Saffron	3-4 strands
Yogurt	1/2 cup
Lime juice	1-2 tbsp
Fried Onions	1/2 cup

Preparation:
1) Marinate the chicken in the yogurt, turmeric powder, chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala, salt, finely chopped green chilies, one tbsp ginger garlic paste, half of the whole garam masala, half of finely chopped tomato, half of fried onion, ghee, lime juice and mint & coriander leaves. Let it marinate for at least for an hour or two.
2) Soak the basmati rice for 30 min's and fry in ghee for few min's (frying is optional) and set aside. Soak the saffron in the warm milk.
3) Heat oil in a pan and add the remaining whole garam masala, ginger garlic paste and the chopped onions and sauté for few Min's and add the tomatoes and slit green chilies.
4) Add the marinated chicken with all the marinade and the saffron soaked milk. Sauté for a few min's and then remove from heat. Measure the liquid in the gravy and add remaining water enough to cook rice. (Rice:Liquid is 1:1.5 ratio)
5) Pressure cook the rice and gravy mix on medium high until pressure is released. Add the whistle and simmer it for 10-12 min's. (No whistles).
6) Once the pressure reduces remove the lid and garnish with the remaining fried onion and chopped coriander and serve with raita or any curry dish.