Soy Chap Hyderabadi Biryani

I am a big biryani lover and just love different ways  to make and different ingredients to make my biryani. I already have posted Soy chap Dum Biryani, but this is little different than dum. This biryani is very flavorful , spicy and lip smacking good. I keep my soy chap can in the pantry and leftover chap will go in freezer for later use. I am not making chap at home since you will never get that texture from home made. 

This recipes serves two and I used 3 sticks of soy chap. You can always adjust the quantities as per your taste and quantity. Biryani has just two steps, make rice separately  and make masala separately and then cook it in layers and done. If you have time, you can give dum too  otherwise perfectly layered one is fine to eat it. I had it with Raita and papad. 

Ingredients : 

3 soy chap stick in brine from can

2 cups basmati rice

2 big onion finely sliced

1/2 cup tomato puree

1 tbsp. ginger garlic paste

2 green chilies slit

whole spices - cinnamon stick , cloves, black and green cardamom, star anise, bay leaves

2 tbsp. biryani masala

1 tbsp. turmeric powder

1 tbsp. cumin coriander powder

1/2 tbsp. red chili powder

2 tbsp. Kashmiri red chili powder - its not spicy but for the great flavor

1/2 cup coriander and mint leaves chipped

Salt as per taste

3 tbsp. ghee

1 tbsp. oil for frying chap

Method : 

In big pot bring water to boil. Add salt, whole spices and add soaked and washed rice in it. Cook till the rice is done 85-90%, I personally like 80% since it will get more flavor in it while cooking with masala.

When rice is done, drain the extra water and keep it aside. I like to take out whole spices too since my kids don't like to eat those masala by mistakes and any ways, you got all the flavor in rice so you don't need it now. 

Now let's prepare masala, 

First take the sticks out of the chap, cut it from middle and make 3 inches long pieces.

Heat the oil and fry those pieces till its golden brown in color. 

Keep it aside. 

In the same pan, now add ghee and fry the onions till its golden brown. Take it out 2-3 tbsp. of onion to garnish on the top.

Now in the leftover onions, add ginger garlic paste and chilies and cook till its raw smell goes away. 

Add the tomatoes and cook till its cooked perfectly and masala is dry. 

then add all powder masala and salt and  mix it. Add fried chap pieces and water just to coat the masala. 

Cook for 2 minutes. 

Add cooked rice on top of the masala, then chopped coriander and mint leaves and leftover fried onions on top. 

Sprinkle biryani masala on top and my secret yellow curd mix and  cook it on low flame with cover for 10 minutes. 

Remove from heat and keep it aside for 10 minutes. DONT TOUCH THE HOT RICE, you don't want to break it. have patience. 

Once its little cool down, mixed gently to serve it and enjoy it with raita, dal, papad or as it is. 

Plant Based Meatballs Sliders

I just love to explore new cuisine or ingredients, so when I see this product and above all it was on sale I have to buy it so I can try it. One Friday I decided that its going to be the sliders for the dinner. I had nice brioche buns for that and perfect sliced mozzarella cheese to go along with it. On a side I made roasted vegetables and French fries to complete the meal. and it was enjoyed by everyone in the family. 

I have made it with red marinara sauce but you can have it with pesto also. There are lots of ways to use this meatballs in any cuisine you can think of it. You will see more recipes in the future since I have a lot to share with you all. 

You can make kofta curry from this, IKEA style meatballs, soup, spaghetti and meatballs or go in to Asian directions too. 

Ingredients :

1 pack of Meatballs you can use whatever brand you like

2 cups of Marinara sauce

8 Slices of Mozzarella cheese

8 Brioche buns

Method

Heat a pan , when its hot add the frozen meatballs in it. and cook 1- to 15 minutes till its cooked from all sides. Other way you can do it in the oven too. Bake it at 375F for 15 minutes.

When its done, put mozzarella cheese on one side of the bun and toast it on griddle or pan and other side just as it is toasted. 

If you want you can warm up the marinara sauce also so everything is on same temperature. 

When cheese is melted, take two meatballs and put it on the bun , cover it with other side of the bun,  now its up to you if you want you can break the balls and have it or as it is. I like mine whole so I had it as it is along with my roasted vegetables and fries. 

Perfect weeknight meal is ready under 20 minutes.