Kitchen Corner-Try It

Middle Eastern Jeweled Pilaf with Chicken This pilaf is aromatic and flavorful one pot dish, which brings in the exotic flavors of east.This rice and chicken dish is popular in Turkey and Jordan. It is called jeweled rice because it is garnished with shining raisins,dates, almonds, pistachios and pomegranates. Fried onions and saffron take this dish to a new level. I saw this recipe in a cook book and instantly loved it. Tried it as our Sunday lunch and my family enjoyed. This is a two step recipe. First you cook the chicken and then you cook the rice in the chicken broth and finally layer it with rice,nuts,fried onion and chicken. Try this,you will surely love it. Recipe Source:Tom Kime, Street Food: Exploring the World's Most Authentic Tastes , DK Publishing,London. Ingredients Chicken- 1 medium chicken, cut into large peices Basmathi rice/long grain rice- 2 1/2 cups Cinnamon sticks-3 Green Cardomon-6 Olive oil- 3 tbs Pepper corns- 1/2 tbs Onions finely chopped-...

Cajun Chicken Jambalaya Today's dish is a one pot meal, a Spanish inspired chicken and sausage Jambalaya. This is Cajun style jambalaya and is a versatile main course dish.I used Cajun sausage and spice mix which imparts a smoky flavor. You can also add shrimp to this dish. Try this,you will surely love it. Ingredients Chicken- 1 lb Rice- 2 cup (Use long grain rice or basmathi rice) Onion- 1 large Tomatoes- 2 medium ( or half can diced tomatoes) Garlic- 2-3 cloves Green bell pepper- 1  medium Celery chopped- 1/3 cup Jalapeno pepper- 1 Bay leaf-2 Tomato paste- 1 tbs Cajun sausage- 8 ounce Cajun spice-3/4 tsp Cayenne pepper- 1/2 tsp Pepper- a pinch  salt to taste Heat olive oil in a pan and add bay leaf. Add the chicken and stir fry for 3-4 minutes till it changes color and get slightly browned up. Add the cubes sausage and fry for another 2 minutes. Drain and keep aside. Discard excess oil from the sausage. In the same pan saute, garlic, jalapeno...

Persian Saffron Rice Today's post is a special rice dish- Persian crispy crusted rice dish infused with saffron. Butter and saffron adds richness to the rice. Saffron's unique delicate flavor and golden yellow color makes it dish even more inviting.The rice for this dish is only partially cooked just like in biryani and then it is steamed until it is cooked through. The rice develops a light crispy bottom crust (tahdeeg/ Tah dig) along with the potatoes.Decorate the rice with toasted pine nuts or pistachios or fried onions and serve this with any spicy side dish. Ingredients Rice-1 1/2 cup saffron -  1/2 tsp (I used 0.26 gram sachet) Butter or ghee- 2tbs ( I used Ghee) Cloves-3, Cardamon- 1 Potato- 1 (cut into slices) Onion-1 Toasted pine nut- 2 tbs (use any nut you like) Slice onions and fry till crispy and golden brown. Toast pine nuts in low flame for about two minutes and keep aside. Gently pound the saffron and soak in 3-4 tbs of warm water. ...

Fried Chicken  Biryani Today's recipe is yet another chicken biryani. I have already posted a Talasherry chicken Biryani and a Trivandrum style chicken biryani ....so you may ask why another? This biryani is slightly different from the usual method,the chicken is first fried and them added to the masala. The first time I ate this biryani was at a function back home, it was a Trivandrum style biryani,but the frying took the  flavor and taste to a new level. I tried to recreate the same recipe here and my family enjoyed. Try this..you will love it. Ingredients To marinate the chicken Chicken- 2 lb Turmeric powder- 1/3 tsp Chilly powder- 3/4 tsp Ginger garlic paste- 1 1/2 tsp Salt to taste Lemon juice- 1/2 lemon For the rice Basmathi rice- 3 cups Cinnamon- 2 -3 pieces Cardamon-2 Ghee- 2 tsp Few strands of saffron Rose essence- 1 1/2 tsp Salt to taste For the chicken masala Shallots- 1 cup (slightly crushed) Onion- 1 medium (chopped) Ginger g...

Spinach Paneer Rice This is a simple and tasty one pot meal with spinach/palak and paneer.Spinach with paneer or cheese is a much loved and popular combo and for me,a well made palak paneer is an irresistible, healthy dish. This  meal is filling with rice,healthy greens and the flavor is enhanced by the marinated and sauteed paneer. You can bring innumerable variations for this rice dish.If you wish you can blanch spinach and blend it to give the rice a rich green color.To marinate the paneer I used a little of tandoori masala.You can add other type of flavorings or just add simply fried paneer.Serve this with raita,pickle and papad. Ingredients Basmathi rice cooked- 3 cup To marinate  Paneer- 200 gms Chilly powder- 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder-a pinch Ginger garlic paste- 1/2 tsp Garam masala- 1/2 tsp Kasoori methi powder- a pinch (optional) Yogurt- 1/3 cup salt to taste To saute Spinach chopped- 2 1/2 - 3 cup Onion- 1 medium Garlic cloves-3 Garam masa...

  Neychoru/ Malabar Ghee Rice   Ghee rice is a rich and fragrant rice that can be paired with spicy chicken or mutton curry. Ghee/ clarified butter gives an exotic twist to regular boring rice and transforms it into a beautiful and satisfying meal. Ghee adds a richness and nutty flavor to the rice, and the dish is garnished, with aromatic spices, fried onions, nuts, and raisins- all preferably fried in ghee. It also has a mild yet pleasing aroma from spices, lemon, and rose water. You can get creative and try flavors like mint, saffron, and pineapple. Ghee rice is so versatile that it goes with any curry, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian. But let us talk about the best combination. It goes well with spicy Malabar chicken curry, mutton curry, beef fry, or Malabar chicken fry. Together the flavors and taste is simply unique, and it is a great way to spruce up your meals. If you are in a time crunch or have sudden guests and do not have much time to make an elaborate dinner or...

Egg Biryani  Egg biryani is interesting,quick and tasty recipe.It may look a long process with lots of ingredients,but believe me there is nothing complicated in this dish.It is perfect for a lazy day where you still crave for a royal exotic  meal.It has layers of aromatic rice with spicy egg omelet masala and coconut milk topped with fried hard boiled eggs. Give this recipe a try,you will surely love it. Recipe adapted from here Cooking time- 1 hour Recipe type- Rice/Main Course Cuisine: Indian Ingredients For the rice Basmathi rice- 2 cups Cinnamon- 2 inch thick,Cloves- 4-5,Cardamon- 3,Star Anise-1 Salt to taste Ghee- 1 tbs Rose water- a few drops(optional) For the biryani masala Cinnamon- 2 inch thick,Fennel seeds- 1 1/3 tsp,Star Anise- 1 Cardamon- 4 -5,Cloves- 4-5,Cumin- a pinch,nutmeg- a small piece,Black pepper- 1/2 tsp ( lightly roast this and make a fine powder) (It should be about 2 1/2 tsp- 1/2 tsp to make the omelet 1/3 to fry the egg an...

Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani  Here is the recipe for the rich and fragrant Hyderabadi chicken biryani.This was on my to- do list for a long time.It is an elaborate process but once you taste this aromatic and filling rice delicacy you will feel that it is really worth the effort.The biryani masala is somewhat similar to the Kerala chicken biryani,but the addition of shahi jeera imparts a unique flavor to this biryani. Ingredients To make rice Basmathi Rice- 1/2 kg Salt as per taste Bay leaf-2 Green cardomon-2 Black cardamon- 2 Cloves- 4 To make masala Chicken- 1/2 kg Sliced onion- 250 grams Green chilly-4-5 Ginger paste- 2 tsp Garlic paste- 1 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp Chilly powder- 1 1/2 tsp Coriander powder- 3/4 tsp Yogurt- 1 cup Lemon juice- 1 lemon Garam masala- 1 tsp Coriander leaves- 1/3 chopped Mint- a few Shahi jeera- 1 tsp Cinnamon- 1 inch thick Black cardamon- 2 Cloves- 4-5 Bay leaves- 1 For layering and garnishing Fried onio...

Lemon rice or chitrannam is a classic South Indian rice recipe. It is also served as prasadam in temples. The tangy rice with its inviting fresh aroma is hard to resist. If you have left over rice this is a great option for lunch/dinner.Serve it with roasted potatoes, papads and pickle and it makes a  simple and elegant meal. Ingredients Cooked Basmathi rice- 3 cups Chana dal- 1/4 cup Urad dal- 1 tsp Peanut- 1/4 cup Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp Ginger sliced- 1 inch thick Green chilly slit- 3 Dry red chilly- 3 Turmeric powder- 1/3 tsp Hing or asafoetida 1/3 tsp Lemon juice-  1 1/2 lemon ghee- 1/2 tsp oil- 2 tbs Curry leaves- a few For this recipe, you need two cups of freshly cooked rice or leftover rice. Dry roast peanuts or cashew nuts and keep aside. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and when they splutter add curry leaves, dry red chilly and chana dal, and urad dal and fry till golden brown. Add turmeric and hing and saute for a few second...

Pepper Capsicum Rice Capsicum rice is easy to make and is a perfect lunch box recipe.I love to try different variations with rice dishes and many of the rice recipes around are no fail recipes and you can experiment with a variety of flavors.Capsicum definitely has its own unique flavor but it combines well garam masala, cumin or fresh herbs. Here I have used a combination of capsicum/bell pepper with fresh ground black pepper.  Ingredients Cooked Basmathi rice- 2 cups Bell Pepper/Capsicum chopped- 1 cup ( I have used a combination of red, yellow and green) Chopped celery- 1/3 cup Chopped spring onion- 1/3 cup Chopped onion-1 medium Ginger garlic paste- 1 1/2 tsp Fresh ground pepper- 1 1/2 tsp (adjust according to your taste) Garam masala- 1 tsp Lemon juice-1/2 lemon Butter/ Ghee- 1 1/2 tsp Salt to taste Heat Ghee/butter in a pan and add ginger garlic paste and saute for a minute. Add crushed black pepper and fry for a few seconds. Now add choppe...

Tangy Spring Onion Rice This is a pretty simple dish to make and believe me its bursting with flavor.This is a very versatile recipe and comes handy if you are short of time. You can alter this recipe in which ever way you like..add some garam masala and get an Indian flavor to this rice or you can add some Italian spices or herbs to give another unique flavor. Here I have used soya sauce and pickled chilly. Pickled chilly has vinegar and garlic in it. If you do not have it you can use chilly sauce instead.Give this recipe a try, you will surely love it. Ingredients Jasmine Rice ( cooked)- 2 cups Spring onion- One bunch Garlic clove- 3 Celery chopped- 3 tbs Soya sauce- 1 tsp Chicken bouillon powder- 1/3 tsp ( optional) Pickled ground red chilly- 1 1/3 tsp ( or chilly garlic sauce one tsp) Lemon juice- 1 tsp Chop spring onions and keep the white part and green part separately.Heat oil in a pan and add garlic cloves and stir fry for a few sec...

Tawa Pulao Tawa pulao is a very famous street food delicacy in Northern India. It is spicy and aromatic and the unique flavor for this rice comes from the pav bhaji masala.Just like any street foods of Bombay this pulao will surely tickle your taste buds.Even though they call it pulao it is an Indianised version of fried rice cooked with Indian spices.It is instant recipe and can be put together if you have left over rice.Add some crunchy vegetables and masala and your dish is done.. Ingredients Basmathi rice cooked- 2 1/2 cup Onion- 1 medium Ginger garlic paste- 1 tsp Tomato small -1 Green peas- 1/2 cup Carrot and bell pepper diced- 1/2 cup turmeric powder- 1/3 tsp Cumin seeds- 1/3 tsp Chilly powder-1/2 tsp Pav Bhaji Masala- 2 tsp lemon juice- 1 tsp Coriander leaves - a little Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds and roast for a minute. Add onions and saute till its color changes. Add ginger garlic paste followed by tomatoes and sautes till t...

Chicken Biryani  Biryani is my favorite one pot meal. Biryani is so popular that there is hardly an occasion or a celebration without it. This chicken biryani is a Southern Kerala style ( Trivandrum) and is very flavorful and more spicy. I got this recipe from my mom and  is simple and easy version. Ingredients 1)For the rice Basmathi rice- 3 cups Cinnamon- 2 -3 pieces Cloves- 4 Cardamon-2 Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp Ghee- 2 tsp Rose essence- 1 1/2 tsp Salt to taste 2)For the chicken masala Chicken - 1 1/2 lb Shallots-2 cup Ginger- 2 inch thick piece Garlic- 10 Green chilly- 7-8 Tomato- 1 medium Yogurt- 1 cup Chilly powder- 1 1/2 tsp Coriander powder- 1 tsp Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp Pepper powder- 1/2 tsp Thin coconut milk- 1/4 cup Lemon juice- 1 tsp Coriander leaves -a little 3)Masala powder( to roast and grind) Cinnamon- 1 piece, Cardamon-2, clove- 2-3 nutmeg- a small piece,star aniseed- 1cumin- a pinch,black cumin- a pinch Fennel...

This rice tastes really good and has the tempting and refreshing flavor of mint. This spicy seafood rice is just a twist to my family favorite recipe of prawns pulao..I was a little bored to cook on Sunday evening and thought of making a mint pulao and fried prawns and ended up with this recipe. But it tasted delicious with the fragrance of fresh mint, spices and prawns together made this an aromatic and delicious rice recipe and was perfect with cucumber raita. Ingredients Basmati rice-  1 1/2 cup Prawns- 15 nos fried onion- 1/2 cup (I used store brought ones) Mint leaves- a hand full Carrot chopped- 1/2 cup Jalapeno peppers-3 Green chilly- 2 Ginger -1 inch thick Garlic- 3 pods Thick coconut milk- 1/3 cup (optional) Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp Garam masala- 1/2 tsp lemon juice- 1/2 lemon Make a fine paste of  mint, jalapeno peppers, green chilly and fried onion( I used store brought ones..you can also fry onions till crispy or just avoid it here ). Chop...

Chicken pulao is a  quick and delicious one pot aromatic meal.It is different from the elaborate chicken biryani,but equally tasty and great for weekend lunch .Its simplicity in preparation yet delicious taste and flavor makes it a sure winner. Ingredients Basmathi rice- 2 cups Chicken - 1 lb Yogurt- 3/4 cup onion- 1/2 medium tomato puree- 1/2 green Chilly-3-4 Chilly powder- 1 tsp Turmeric powder- 1/2tsp garam masala powder- 1/2 tsp Ginger- garlic paste - 1 1/2 tsp Mint leaves/mint powder - a few/ 1/2 tsp Ghee- 1tsp oil-2 tsp salt Cashew nuts- a few water-3 cups Cinnamon - 1 stick cloves- 4-5 Star aniseed- 2 cardamon- 2 Wash rice, drain and keep aside. Clean and marinate the chicken with chilly powder,turmeric powder, salt garam masala,yogurt and mint leaves and keep aside for half an hour. Heat oil in a pan and add whole garam masala and fry for a minute followed by cashew nuts,onions and ginger garlic paste till onions are golden brow...

Delicious Fish Biryani- Kerala Fish Dum Biryani Are you a biryani lover? If you are looking for delicious fish recipes this Kerala-style fish dum biryani is a must-try. It is an irresistibly delicious, soul-satisfying meal and packed with flavor. Fish Biryani is easy to make for a lazy weekend meal or when you have last-minute company. Fish takes very little time to cook, and there is no compromise to taste. It tastes exotic and is finger-licking good. It is a classic combo of rice and fish masala topped with caramelized onions, nuts, cilantro, and mint. There are countless variations of Biryani in India, and each region has its unique flair and taste. For fish biryani, coconut milk, and Malabar spices, add a unique Kerala touch. Kerala-style fish dum biryani is a filling meal that everyone loves. In Kerala, almost everyone loves  fish. The clues of the cuisine of Kerala lie in its geography. The state of Kerala, in South India, is blessed, with a long coastline, rivers, backwate...

Easy Chicken Fried Rice Recipe Chicken fried rice is simple and easy to make at home. Who does not like fried rice? There are so many varieties of fried rice that you can try, and it is irresistibly delicious and packed with flavor. Chinese restaurant-style fried rice is the best healthy weeknight dinner, and the leftovers are great for lunches. It is my number one favorite when it comes to takeout. But you got to admit sometimes the takeout fried rice can be boring, and bland with little veggies and under cooked rice. So why not try making fried rice at home. This homemade fried rice recipe has been a lifesaver that is better than takeout fried rice!  I make a big batch of fried rice once a week, and it can be easily customizable.You can make delicious fried rice with whatever we’ve got on hand in the fridge or freezer. Try different kinds of proteins like chicken, beef, pork, shrimp, fish or eggs or with veggies like peas, carrots, beans, bell pepper, mushroom, pineapple, etc. ...