Paaya Shorba (Lamb trotters curry)

Paaya Shorba (Lamb trotters curry)

My mother has always made Dosa with all its strappings of alu bhaji, chutney, and red chutney for a Sunday breakfast from as far as I can remember.  It is always dosas without fail.  Its very rare that she makes anything else on Sundays...Paya shorba is one of the dishes for which she breaks her tradition and that too only for 2 reasons, either we have to nag her for a week to make it or we have overnight guests.  If she has already prepared the dosa batter, then we serve this shorba with dosa; if not, with bread/naan.  This recipe is quite commonly made in most muslim households in Bangalore at least (at least in my family and friend circles that is).

Ingredients:
6 lamb trotters (paya)
2 medium onions, finely chopped
4 medium tomatoes, pureed
3 tbsp coconut paste
2 tsp ginger garlic paste
2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
Salt
a few mint leaves
a few sprigs of coriander leaves, chopped finely
2 tbsp oil

Method:

• Pressure cook the trotters with 1 chopped onion, half the mint leaves, half the coriander leaves, turmeric powder, 1 tsp salt, and about 1 liter of water for 3 whistles and then lower the flame to low-medium and cook for 40 minutes.
• Let the cooker cool.
• Then, heat oil in another vessel and fry 1 medium onion (finely chopped) and the remaining  mint leaves till the onions are golden brown in color.
• Add the ginger-garlic paste, coconut paste, coriander powder, chilli powder, and mix well.  Add a little water (about half a cup) and let it cook till all the water is absorbed.
• Add the tomato puree and mix well.  Cook on a medium flame till oil floats on top.
• Open the cooker and add the gravy to the trotters.  Add the remaining coriander leaves and mix well and cover with a lid.  Adjust salt as per your taste.  The shorba shouldn't be too watery or too thick, so add water to make the adjustments and cook on a low flame for 10 minutes.   
• Serve hot with either dosas, naan, appams, or bread.

PS:  Ask the butcher to cut each trotter into 3 pieces but they should still be attached to each other and they should be roasted, not skinned.

kadai Matar Jhinge (Peas and Prawns Curry)

Kadai Matar Jhinge

This tomato based gravy with peas and prawns curry goes really well with chapatis/rotis.  Be sure to pat the prawns dry before you add them to the gravy or else your dish will be watery and prawns overcooked.  I hope you don't need the instructions to peel and devein the prawns.  So here goes...Kadai matar jhinge

Ingredients:
1-1/2 kg prawns
1/2 kg fresh peas
2 medium sized onions, chopped finely
3 medium sized tomatoes, chopped finely
5 tsp ginger-garlic paste
3 tsp of red chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp of black pepper powder
Chopped coriander leaves
2 tsp of salt
6 tbsp oil

Method:

• Peel and devein the prawns.  Remove the tails too.  Wash and pat dry and leave them on a dry towel.
• Heat oil in a Kadai.  Add the onions and fry till transculent.  Add the peas and cook for a couple of minutes.
• Add the ginger-garlic paste, chilli powder, turmeric powder, black pepper powder, and salt.  Mix well and fry for a minute.
• Add the chopped tomatoes and a cup of water.  Mix well and cook till the peas are done.
• Add the prawns and coriander leaves.  Stirring occasionall, cook on a high to medium flame till the water is absorbed and oil floats on top.

Authentic Muslim Chicken Biryani

Chicken Biryani

This is an easy to make recipe for biryani, if you opt to use the store bought biryani masala or if you wish, you can skip it completely.  The taste will be different but delicious all the same. Happy Cooking!!!

Ingredients:

1 kg chicken, medium pieces

1 kg basmati rice, soaked for 30 minutes

250 g onions, finely sliced

2 tomatoes pureed

250 gm oil

250 gm curds

8-10 cloves

8-10 cardamom

1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste

3 tsp chilli powder

2 tsp coriander powder

1 tbsp garam masala powder (recipe given below) or store bought biryani masala powder

1 cup milk

A handful each of coriander and mint leaves.

juice of 1 lemon

a few drops of orange/yellow food color

salt to taste

Method:

• Heat oil in a thick-bottomed vessel.  Add the cloves and half the mint leaves.
• Add the onions and fry till pink.
• Add the chicken and 2 tsp of salt and cook till the water is all absorbed.
• Add ginger-garlic paste, chili powder, coriander powder, and mix well and fry for 5 minutes.
• Add the curd, lemon, tomato puree, coriander leaves, and the garam masala powder/biryani masala powder and cook till the chicken is done and there is no extra water. Cook this on a low or medium flame.
• Heat water in a separate vessel.  When the water boils, add cardamom, rice, and 4 tsp of salt and cook the rice till half done.
• Drain the rice and mix in with the gravy.  
• Mix the food color in milk and pour over the rice in a circular motion all over.  Top it with remaining mint leaves.
• Now, cover the mouth of the vessel with a cloth and place the lid over it.  Keep a heavy object on top of the vessel so the steam does not escape. (you can save the water you drain from the rice and place it on top).
• Place the biryani vessel on a tawa, on low heat, and cook on dum for 20 minutes.
• Serve hot with raita.

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BIRYANI GARAM MASALA:

6 Green cardamom

2 Black cardamom

1 tsp peppercorns 

4 inch cinnamon stick

1 tbsp cloves

2 tbsp black cumin seeds/shahi jeera
2 tbsp nigella seeds/kalonji

½ tsp grated Nutmeg

1 bay leaf

1 star anise