Few months ago, one of my friends asked me if I can cook for a function in temple. I had to make a large tray of Chole . I said yes, but I had no idea how much chickpeas were needed to make that. I bought 8lb of chickpeas and soaked about 6lb. But I used about 4lbs from it. Remaining, I froze to use later. For next two weeks, I prepared few dishes with those frozen chickpeas.
I wanted to try Falafel for a very long time now. But I hardly deep fry, so it never happened. Finally I tried it. I did not follow the traditional Falafel recipe, but followed my own recipe. They tasted great.
Ingredients: 2 cups soaked chickpeas 1/4 cup chopped onions 1/2 tea spn cumin powder 1/2 tea spn coriander powder 1/2 tea spn chilli powder 1 tbl spn chopped coriander leaves Oil Salt
Method: Grind chickpeas without adding water. Add all other ingredients except oil. Make small balls from the mixture and deep fry them. Serve hot. They taste great on their own.
Serves : 2-3 Preparation time : 30mins
Pictorial:
This is another recipe sent to me by my pachi (aayi’s sister). I hardly buy shrimp here as we are not big fans of the huge fresh shrimp or the frozen ones that are available in small sizes. I am yet to find small fresh ones – probably I need to check out Asian markets sometime. So this recipe stayed in my inbox for a long time. Finally last week, I prepared this. I wasn’t sure how Ishaan – who had never tasted shrimp before or V – who is not fan of any seafood biryanis, would take it. But both of them loved it. So I am going to make this again soon. The potato slices at the bottom give a great taste to it.
I loved the biryani masala used in this. So I made a big batch and refrigerated it. I have used this masala for other biryanis also, it turns out great.
For rice: 10-15 medium size shrimp 2 sliced potatoes 2 cups basmati rice 4cups water 4 cloves 2 cardamoms 3-4 Pepper 1 bay leaf 1" cinnamon 2-3 tbl spn chopped coriander leaves 1 tbl spn fried cashews (optional) Salt
For gravy: 1 and half cup chopped onion 1 tea spn ginger garlic paste 1 cup tomato 1 tea spn chilli powder A pinch turmeric
Biryani masala: 1 tea spn Cumin 1" cinnamon 4 Pepper 2 cardamom A small piece nutmeg 2 mace (japatri) 3 cloves 2-3 red chillies 1 bay leaf 1 tea spn coriander 1/2 tea spn fenugreek(methi) seeds 1 black cardamom (I did not use this)
Method: Roast the biryani masala ingredients and powder it. Heat oil, add cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, pepper, bay leaf, rice and fry. Add 4 cups hot water and prepare rice. To sliced potato add turmeric, red chilly powder. Heat oil add ginger garlic paste and cut onions and tomatoes, red chilli powder, turmeric, biryani powder and fry. Add prawns and one cup water and cook till done. Now gravy is ready. Add oil in thick bottomed pan. Arrange the potato slices in the pan. Add one layer of rice. Add gravy, add fried onions. Again add rice, gravy, and fried onions in layers. For garnishing add fried onions, fried cashew nuts and cut coriander leaves. Cook for 15mins.
Serve hot.
Serves : 4 Preparation time : 45mins
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