Andhra royyala(prawn ) pulav

Andhra Royyala Pulav or prawn pulav is a traditional pulav which is very different from Biryani. Pulav usually cooked with rice and spices mixed together. Somehow I didn't know the difference between pulav and Biryani until I started cooking. I Only remember my Mom's famous pulav which is in my blog as Traditional pulav. Coming to non vegetarian dishes, my favorite dish is  anything with prawns. As  a native of coastal region of Andhra Pradesh we always prefer eating either fish or prawns in Childhood. My mom cooks wonderful prawn combination dishes with veggies. will post those recipes in my blog soon. Coming to Today's recipe, prawn pulav is a recipe gathered from my childhood memories.

Ingredients:

• Rice 4 cups( 180 ml cup)
• Prawns or royyalu 1 lb or nearly 1/2 kg
• Ghee 2 tbsps
• Tomato 1( optional)
• curd 2 tbspns
• Oil 3 tbspns
• Onions sliced(1 big onion)
• Green chilli 3
• chilli powder 1 tspn
• Turmeric powder 1/2 tspn
• salt to taste
• Bay leaf 1
• cloves 2
• cardamom 2
• Biryani flower 1
• Few chopped mint and coriander leaves

Marinating prawn and sautéing prawns

Add 1 tsp. of chilli powder and1/2 tspn of turmeric powder ,1 tspn of ginger garlic paste, salt to washed prawns and keep aside. After 30 mins sauté prawns for 10 to 15 mins until water is evaporated from prawns. keep aside.

Masala paste:

• poppy seeds 2 tbspns
• coriander seeds 2 tbps
• jeera 1/2 tspn
• ginger 2 pieces (1 inch)
• garlic 3 to 4 pods
• coconut fresh or frozen 1 tbspn

Method: Blend all above masalas into fine paste and keep aside.

Procedure:

• Soak rice in water for 30 mins.
• Take a pan, heat oil in the pan, once hot add 2 cloves,2 cardamom,1 bayleaf,1biryani flower, after a min add sliced onions and green chillies.
• Add Masala paste mentioned above to the pan and fry few mins 3to 4 mins then add sautéed prawns to the pan. Fry few mins until  prawns well coated with masala.Now add curd and mint and coriander leaves.
• Add soaked rice to the pan and fry few mins the add 8 to 9 cups of water if you are doing in a pan.
• If you are cooking in a pressure cooker just add 8 cups of water for 4 cups of rice.
• I cooked in instantpot added 6 1/2  to 7 cups of water manual for 8 mins on high.
• After done let the pressure release on its own. Then open the lid and serve hot yummy royyala pulav with onion riata.
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Fruit and Nutcake

Christmas is coming up bake bake bake!!! I love to bake for  Christmas,it may be anything which ever cake whole family favorite.Coming to Today's recipe fruit and Nut cake is my favorite and decided to add my choice of nuts to the cake batter.It gives very nice taste to the cake and very healthy option too.I have not tried this cake with wheat flour but next time I bake this, will definitely goin to try with wheat flour.I always have tutti-frutti in my refrigerator so any time when I  wanted to try this cake it is easy to me to bake such a wonderful  simple delicious cake.Definetely I don't have any replacement for tutti-frutti.Here is my recipe and enjoy yummy cake with simple ingredients.

Ingredients:

• All purpose flour or maida  2 cups(200 ml cup)
• sugar 1cup+ 1/4 cup (1 1/4 cup)
• Baking powder 2 tsp
• Baking soda 1/2 tsp
• Eggs  2
• Tutti fruiti  1/2 cup( store bought)
• Dry fruits and nuts  1/2cup( pistachio, almonds,cashewnuts dark raisins chopped)
• Butter 1 stick or 1/2 cup
• Milk 1/2 cup( I used reduced 2%fat milk)
• Vanilla extract 2 tsp

Procedure:

• Mix all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder ( all dry ingredients)and sieve it keep aside.
• In another bowl add butter and sugar whisk few mins then add eggs whisky 3 to 4 mins until fluffy.Now add vanilla extract give it a stir.
• In a separate bowl mix tutti fruitty with flour  ( 1/4 tsp flour).
• Now slowly add flour ( dry ingredients) to the wet ingredients slowly fold it.Then add chopped nuts and tutti-frutti,gently fold it.
• Preheat oven 375C.Arrange a loaf pan greased with butter or lined with a parchment paper.
• Slowly add the mix to the loaf pan and bake it until tooth pick inserted comes out clean.It takes around40 to 45 or sometimes 50 mins.
• when completely cool down it is ready to cut or else it will break when you try to cut into slices, when the cake is hot.
• Enjoy yummy fruit and nut cake.

Gulabi puvvulu (Rose flower cookies)

Gulabi puvvu or rose flower cookie is a traditional sweet prepared in Andhra Pradesh. It is an old Grandma recipe which is very easy to prepare but a lot more practice for the technique. Gulabi puvvu,  the shape or the design is usually made with gulabi puvu maker. It is a very tasty and very good sweet dish. In my childhood days, we used to have this during the festival season. My grandmother used to prepare this dish in a huge amount. I love to have this recipe during festivals. I bought this gulabi puvvu maker in my hometown. After a year, I dare attempt to prepare this dish. This comes with practice and with little patience. Please read the notes before attempting to cook this recipe. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

• Maida or all-purpose flour 1 cup(250 ml cup)
• Rice flour 1 cup
• sugar 3/4 cup 
• salt a pinch
• water 1 cup
• rosewater 2 tsp( optional)

                                       

Procedure: 

• In a bowl add rice flour, maida sugar salt, and mix well by adding water very slowly.
• Add water slowly so that the consistency should be like a thick dosa batter.
• Cover the bowl and keep aside for 4 hrs. Keep stirring in-between for best results.
• After 4 hrs mix the batter well, now the batter little thin as the sugar dissolves it will be little thin consistency.
• Apply oil to Gulabi puvu maker and keep aside for half an hr.
• Heat oil in a deep Kadai, once hot immerse this maker in the hot oil. Keep the maker for 2 mins until it is very hot.
• Now dip the hot maker in the batter and slowly put it in hot oil.
• In medium heat, fry this until it is little changes in color. The first one usually sticks to the mould. Use a knife or skewer to detach from the maker.
• Fry each one using the above procedure.
• Arrange it a paper towel and then store it in an airtight container for crispiness.
• Enjoy yummy sweet dish for this festival!

NOTE:

Please soak the maker in oil for one day for best results.

Always put the maker in hot oil for 1 min at least before dropping it into the batter.

Strawberry Milkshake

Strawberry Milkshake is one of the delicious milkshakes which  I ever tasted till now. It is rich in vitamins, fiber and high levels of antioxidant. strawberry milkshake is a sweet cold beverage that is usually made with milk, icecream usually vanilla) Here for extra flavor, I added rose syrup which enhances the taste. It is entirely your choice. Sprinkle some nuts of your choice. Here is my way of preparation.

Ingredients:

• Strawberries 1 small pack 16oz( around 20)
• Milk 1 glass ( 250 ML)
• vanilla ice cream 1 scoop( optional)
• sugar 2 tbsp ( optional)
• vanilla essence 1 tsp
• Rose syrup 2 tsp
• ChoppedAlmonds& pistachios 3bspn

Procedure:

• Wash strawberries and pour it in a blender
• Add milk to strawberries followed by vanilla ice cream,1 tsp of rose syrup, sugar and vanilla essence. Add a few ice cubes.
• Blend everything until smooth.
• Enjoy by sprinkling chopped nuts of your choice and a spoon of rose syrup on top.

Kolkota style Egg Dum Biryani

Calcutta or Kolkata Biryani is very different from regular Biryani's.Biryani is a classic dish which needs no introduction.There are many different types of Biryani's which we can cook with vegetables and meats.Personally My choice of Biryani is Hyderabad dum biryani.Coming to today's dish Kolkata Biryani is unique compared with all Biryani's.In kolkata Biryani we add potato which is very common in all their Biryani's which includes meats veggies.We always love to cook Mutton with potatoes which enhances taste to the curry.Similarly we add potatoes in kolkata Biryani when cooked with any meats or eggs.Somehow I liked the taste of potatoes in the biryani more than meat or egg in that Biryani.Kolkata Biryani is not very spicy like all Biryani's in southern side.This Biryani entirely cooked in my way.You can see my chicken Biryani to get more info about Dum style Biryani.

Ingredients:

• Basmati rice 5 cups( mine is 180 ml cup)
• Eggs 6
• potatoes 2 big size
• Ghee 3to 4 tbspns( home made ghee for best results)
• onion 1 small sliced vertically
• green chili 3
• Ginger garlic paste 2 tbsps
• Curd or yogurt 2 tbspns
• Redchilli powder 2 tsps
• Turmeric powder 1/4tspn
• chopped mint leaves few 10 to 20
• chopped coriander leaves fistful
• Fried onions 100gms or 1/4 cup
• saffron strands soaked in hot milk ( 3 tbsp of milk)
  

MASALA OR SPICES TO GRIND:

• Bay leaves1
• cinnamon sticks 2
• cardamom 2
• cloves 3
• peppercorns 5 to 6
• Mace 1
• Biryani flower one

Grind above spices and make fine powder.
Procedure:

• Cook eggs and potatoes in pressure cooker until 2 whistles or until done.Peel the skin of potatoes and remove egg shells keep aside.Soak Basmati rice in water for at least 30 mins.
• In a bowl add turmeric powder, chilli powder, ginger garlic paste, salt ,spice powder( above grinder powder)fried onions, few mint and coriander leaves ,ghee ,curd, mix well.
• Marinate boiled eggs and  chopped potatoes in the above bowl for 15 to 30 mins.Make some slight marks in eggs so that masala goes well inside egg.
• Heat a  deep pan with 2 tbsp of ghee, once heated add marinated potatoes and eggs to the pan.Let is fry 10 to 15 mins in medium frame.Before arranging dum in the this deep pan,Keep some amount egg potato mix aside  to arrange dum in layers.
• During this process simultaneously boil 10 cups of water in another deep pan,add 1 tbsp oil, shah jeera,Biryani flower,Cinnamon,Bayleaves enough salt needed  for the entire Biryani.once water starts boiling add soaked Basmati rice in the boiling water.This process is to keep rice in dum Biryani style.
• Cook rice almost 90% done.
• Now to arrange Biryani in Dum style I prefer Oven is the safest method.But,normally we keep in stove stop in this way.
• Add layer of rice on top of marinated egg potato mixture.Sprinkle fried onions,mint leaves, coriander leaves, saffron strands soaked in milk.( add milk too)
• Next layer add remaining part egg potato mixture and and on top entire rice.Sprinkle few mint leaves ,fried onions.Any store bought Biryani masalas( I use shan Biryani masala for very nice smell, this is entirely optional)
• Close the lid of the pan and cook medium to high flame for 5 mins ,then reduce flame to low flame, cook for 20 to 30 mins.
• After it is done, cool down few mins and then enjoy with raita of your choice.

OVEN METHOD:

• Preheat oven 400f
• cook Biryani for 10 to 15 mins in oven safe tray in 400f.
• Then reduce to 375 after 15 mins and cook for 20 mins.

Raju gari kodi pulav in Instantpot

Pulav or Biryani is a very famous dish not only in India but also in other parts of the world. Pulav is quite different from Biryani. Pulav is cooked mixing rice, meat or veggies and whole spices together. But, coming to Biryani it is little complicated but awesome in taste and in this, first meat or veggies cooked with spices later rice layered on top.

There is definitely a lot of taste difference between these two. Some people like Biryani and some others pulavs. Definitely, Biryani is little long procedure compared to pulav. Pulav is very easy to prepare and a quick dish whenever we have less time. Coming to Today's recipe Raju gari kodi pulav is quite famous in Telugu states. I actually tasted the first time in one restaurant in California where you get to taste a lot of yummy dishes. Once I tasted, I decided to cook in our home. It is very different from regular pulav as it has a unique taste with added special ingredients.H ere goes my recipe as follows.

Ingredients:

• onion shallots 5 to 6
• Green chillis 3
• Green chilli paste 1 tspn(4 to 5)
• Fried onion paste( fry one medium onion) 
•  curd 2tspns
• whole garam maslas( cinnamon1,cardamom2, 2 cloves, Biryani flower,mace one ,bay leaf,)
• curry leaves 2 springs
• chopped mint leaves 1 cup
• chopped coriander leaves 1 cup
• Milk 1 cup or 1/4 cup coconut milk.
• rice 3 cups( 160 ml cup)
• Garam masala 1tspn
• chicken 1 1/2 lb
• Fried cashews 10
• Fried eggs3 to 4

Preparation: Saute marinated chicken with 1 tbsp of ghee in a pan so that raw smell of the chicken goes off( This step is optional, you can directly add chicken to the masala paste following the procedure)
Procedure:

• Soak Basmati rice for 30 mins and keep aside.
• In another bowl mix chicken, salt, chilli powder, ghee one tspn, turmeric keep aside.
• switch on the instant pot, keep in saute mode add 3 tbspn oil and 1 tbspn ghee once hot add whole spices, followed by onion shallots and curry leaves. Fry few mins then add ginger garlic paste and green chilli paste and little garam masala.
• Saute well until the raw smell goes off. Now add Caramelized onion paste( fry 1 onion until little brown then add 2 tbsp curd and blend it into a fine paste)Then add chicken pieces and fry few mins.
• Now add chopped mint and coriander leaves, saute well then add 1 cup of milk or 1/4cup coconut milk.
• Add soaked rice to the pot, add water 6 cups and mix it well and switch into Manual mode and set into 11 mins.
• After 11 mins done, wait until the pressure releases on its own.
• Yummy pulao is ready. Decorate with fried eggs and fried cashew nuts on top.
• The optional method using a pressure cooker.
• same procedure follows as above and wait for 4 whistles until it is done.

NOTES: In pulao rice is cooked completely so it comes little soft don't worry because that's the way pulav tastes.

Key taste green chilli paste and coconut milk or milk and ghee. Don't skip these ingredients.

After pulav is done you may add fried eggs, cashews on top. It is entirely our own choice.

carrot beet wheat honeycake(Eggless butter less,sugarless)

Eggless butter less,sugar free carrot beetroot cake is a excellent healthy cake for everyone.When I  first decided to bake the cake immediately thought to bake an egg less version.So,for a change first time tried honey instead of sugar. Truly I haven't expected a tasty cake.To my surprise to was yummy even my kids loved it.First Aarini( daughter) said mummy I don't want to taste it.Then I said first taste it and then come to the conclusion.She tasted soon after baking and said mummy it was good. Aaryan(son) too loved it.Sharing this recipe in my blog as follows...

Ingredients:

• wheat flour 1cup(250 ml)
• carrot and beetroot grated(1 cup)
• Honey 1 cup
• Oil 1/4 cup( vegetable or olive oil)
• curd 1/2 cup( home made yogurt)
• cinnamon powder 1 1/2 tspn
• salt a pinch 
• Baking soda 1 tspn
• Baking powder 1/4 tspn
• Vanilla extract 1 tspn
• Almonds chopped 2 to 3 tbspn

Procedure:

• Sieve dry ingredients,baking powder,baking soda,salt,cinnamon powder( flour in a bowl and mix it well.
• In another bowl mix wet ingredients oil,honey,curd,vannila essence.whisk it nicely until honey mixes well.
• Add grated carrot beet mix to the dry ingredients  i.e flour mix.
• Slowly mix wet ingredients in the flour and fold it nicely until everything mixes well.
• Arrange a baking tray,greased with oil.Pour entire mixture in the baking tray and sprinkle some chopped almonds on top of it.
• Preheat oven to 350F and bake around 40 to 45 mins or until a tooth pick inserted comes out clean.