Jackfruit Biryani - Kathal Biryani

By now you all know that biryani is my favorite food , I prefer biryani over roti subji and believe me its not that hard to make it , I have made quite a bit of all different kind of biryani but this one was left out, so made it. I got frozen Jackfruit from Indian grocery store and defrost it and put it in spices and made biryani, it was perfectly spiced and moist. 

Ingredients:

2 cup basmati rice - soaked

2 cups frozen jackfruit pieces

2 tbsp. ghee

1 onion thinly sliced

1 tbsp. ginger garlic paste

2-3 green chilies slit

1 bay leaves

2 tbsp. sindhi biryani masala

2 pods of Cardamom 

few cloves, black peppercorns, cinnamon stick, star anise, badi eaichi (all the whole spices)

2 tbsp. Kashmiri red chili powder

1 tbsp. red chili powder

1/2 tbsp. Turmeric powder

1 tbsp. cumin coriander powder

1 cup yogurt

salt as per taste

1.4 cup fresh mint and coriander leaves

Method :

First defrost jackfruit pieces so it can absorb the flavors of the marinade.

In a big bowl, add yogurt, biryani masala and mix it. Add jackfruit pieces in it and mix it nicely.

Keep it in this marinade for at least half an hour. 

In that time, heat the heavy bottom pan and add water , twice the quantity of the rice, 1 tbp, ghee , salt , star anise in it. 

Once water boils, add rice and cook till its 70% done.

Take the rice out and discard star anise from it.

Now in the same pan, add ghee, then add all the whole spices and cook it for few seconds. 

Then add onions and cook it , till its pink in color.

Add ginger , garlic paste, green chili and cook for 1 more minute. 

Add Jackfruit pieces with the marinade and mix it. Add all the powder masala and salt for the masala, remember we have salt in rice.

Now cook the jackfruit till its cooked 70% , take one bowlful of masala out.

Now Layered masala, rice, mint and coriander leaves, masala, rice and mint and coriander leaves. 

You can add fried onions on it too.

Cover it tightly and cook it on low flame till its cooked 100% and all the water is evaporated.

When its done, shut off the gas. 

Leave it untouched for 10 minutes , you don't want to break the rice.

Serve warm biryani with cucumber raita or dal or as it is. 

Vegan Kimchi

I made kimchi before also but that time it was for my husband so it was mild in flavor and little different spices than regular one.  Since last few days was craving for real spicy kimchi and got the big head of napa cabbage , when I was cutting the cabbage , my husband said don't make it too spicy, I also want to eat it , I said no I want to eat this so I will add spices as per my taste, But being a good wife and thinking about him, I have added not that much pepper powder in it and still in mild side but its 100% vegan so we can enjoy it since outside ready made kimchi looks very good but all has anchovies in it and can not eat that. 

Ingredients :

1 Large Napa Cabbage

3/4 cup sea salt or regular salt

Ingredients for paste

2 tbsp. rice flour

4 cloves garlic finely chopped

4 tbsp. either gochugaru or Korean red pepper flakes or spicy red pepper powder

1 tbsp. Kashmiri red chili powder for color

1 tbsp. Vegan fish sauce

Few pieces of white radish lengthwise chopped

2 green onions cut  lengthwise

Few ginger pieces cut lengthwise

Method : 

Cut the cabbage in quarter lengthwise and remove stem then cut into bite size pieces

Put the cabbage in big strainer and sprinkle handful of salt. Mix it nicely so everything is covered by salt. 

After 3-4 hours, you will see that cabbage has released the water. Now wash it thoroughly under running water and drain completely. 

For the paste, in a bowl, add rice flour, garlic, gochugaru, Kashmiri red chili powder and fish sauce.

Mix it nicely .

in a big mixing bowl, add paste, vegetables and cabbage  and mix it, if you have sensitive skin wear gloves and then mix it or use a spoon.

If you like you can add sesame seeds too. Now transfer to a air tight glass bottle and make sure bottle is not full , it has space to ferment. 

Close tightly and let it leave it on kitchen counter for 2-3 days , the more it sits the nice it taste. 

Once its ready take it out and enjoy as it is or with your favorite food. 

Gajar Halwa Truffles

Had enough of the same cakes and cookies  for Christmas, try something new and easy and loved by everyone. 

Make the way you make gajar ka halwa, once its cool down, make small balls and dip them in  melted dark chocolate and voila, you have carrot halwa truffles. 

You can make halwa as    Vegan - Pressure cook - Gajar Halwa (Carrot Porridge) or Carrot Halwa Roulade, final result will be awesome as it is.

Once its done, dip them in and cool it in freezer for 30 minutes and then enjoy.

Ingredients for melting chocolate

1/2 stick of butter

1/4 cup chocolate wafers or chocolate chips ( I used milk chocolate, you can what ever you like)

Method

Make small balls of cold carrot halwa. 

Using the double boiler, add butter and chocolate chips in bowl, when its melted, with the help of fork, dip one ball in chocolate and coat from all sides and take it out on parchment paper.

Finish will all and then put the balls in freezer for 30 minutes.

Take it out and enjoy.

Vegan Thai Peanut Curry

I loved Thai flavors for their sweet, spicy, sour taste in one bite , make lot of different kind of curries too. But when I made this peanut curry , that was it, it was easy , quick and flavorful. You need minimum ingredients with maximum flavor. I made it vegan and tofu but you can use your favorite protein in it.

I have used the vegetables I had it on hand but again you can have it your favorite vegetables too. Its a one pot meal, make the curry base, add your protein and vegetables and its done , have it with your just plain rice and your lunch or diner is ready. Peanut sauce is very easy and handy since we all have peanut butter at home and to make this curry it comes handy

Ingredients : 

To Marinate Tofu

1 block of tofu

2 tbsp. soy sauce

1/2 tsp. Cinnamon powder

1/2 tsp. Turmeric powder

1 tsp. Roasted cumin powder

1 tsp. Paprika

1 tsp. Brown sugar

For the curry

3 cloves of garlic finely chopped

1 onion sliced length wise

1 inch piece of ginger finely chopped

3-4 asparagus cut in pieces

few florets of broccoli

4 bulbs of bok choi, cut in big chunks

7 spring beans cut in pieces

1 cup vegetable stock

1/4 cup peanut butter

1 tsp. sugar

1 tbsp. Tamari sauce

1/2 can of coconut milk

to garnish fresh coriander leaves, fresh lime juice

2 tbsp. of oil

Method :

First we have to marinate tofu. so cut the tofu in small bite size pieces. In one plate, add all the spices from the ingredient mentioned in the  list. Add the tofu and mix it with the spices and leave it on side till we prepare the vegetables. 

Meanwhile, prepare the curry base, in one bowl, add peanut butter, stock, sugar and tamari  sauce and add little water to make paste. Warm water will help to dissolve the peanut butter

Once vegetables are ready, lets cook the tofu. Heat the pan, add 1 tbsp. of oil, add the tofu in single layer in pan and cook it from all the side and keep it aside.

For the curry, clean the pan with paper towel and add 1 tbsp. oil in it. 

When its warm, add ginger , garlic and sauté for few seconds, then add all your vegetables in it and cook it. 

Now add the peanut butter mix , tofu and mix it. 

Add coconut milk and mix it and depend upon the thickness of your coconut milk and curry, add more if needed.

Just cook till everything is incorporated nicely , taste  it and adjust the seasoning. shut it off.

Before serving add fresh lime juice and fresh coriander leaves and serve it warm with hot white rice , brown rice or noodles , what ever you like

Air Fried Methi na Muthia - Gluten Free

Muthia is a yummy snack from verities of vegetables you can make it from. Each one has its unique flavor, but the texture more over same. You can either steam it or deep fry it  specially this one. Because methi na muthia is mostly used in undhiyu which is a winter specialty in Gujarat and since methi is in season during winter, hence the use of it in cooking is. This muthia you can make it as regular steamed muthia and have it as a snack, or deep fried it or better , now with the new gadget , air fried it. It takes hardly 10 minutes and its ready. You can eat it as it is or use in undhiyu or muthia with lilva and val na dana nu shak, I used it in eggplant , lilva nu shak.

Ingredients :

2 cups of washed and chopped methi leaves

1/2 cup bajri flour

1/2 cup juvar flour (if you want you can take whole wheat instead of Juvar)

2 garlic cloves finely chopped

1 green chili finely chopped

1 tsp grated fresh ginger

Pinch of Turmeric powder

1/4 tsp each baking soda and powder 

Salt to taste

1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder

Juice of one lime / lemon

2 tbsp. oil

Water as needed to make the dough

1 tbsp. sugar - optional  

Method : 

In a bowl,  add methi leaves, both flours, Turmeric powder, chili powder, salt, ginger, garlic, chili, juice, oil and baking soda and powder.

Mix nicely and try to knead it so you don't need to add too much water.

Now add little water at a time to make it all combined and it comes out as a dough. 

Now take small portion of it and shape into small oval shaped, its totally up to you how long or small you want to make it. But we are air frying so keep everything same size and portion to cook it at same time.

Once all done, put it in air fryer plate, spray the oil on both sides.

Set the fryer on 400 for 10 minutes and  put the tray in it

Flip it in between from every side so it cook evenly. If you don't get the color, keep it longer for few minutes since all air fryers are different. 

Use it as it is with chutney or save it to make it undhiyu or what ever your heart desires.