Beary Biryani / Mangalore Beary Style Chicken Biryani / Karnataka Beary Biryani ~ My Biryani Trail

So continues my Biryani Trail, as promised, every week, I shall be here with a Biryani, Pulao or Rice Dish which has swept my taste buds off their feet. Here I am today to fulfil that promise to my readers with an unique Biryani Recipe from the South Indian State of Karnataka. Dear readers let me introduce you all to BEARY BIRYANI a speciality of the BEARY Community who inhabit Dakshina Kannada, a coastal district in Karnataka. The word BEARY means trade or business in the native language of this community.

Pickled Onion Chicken With Roasted Peppers Recipe / Sirka Pyaz Murgh Bhuna Hua Hari Mirch Ke Sath

Going to my parents home every single time feels like walking into that attic where all my childhood toys, story books, pictures, that doll from whom I was inseparable through my toddler years have been carefully stashed away. The joy of, (for once) someone looking at me with so much love as I lie enveloped in slumber with a smile caressing my lips, then gently stroking my forehead and tresses, lightly nudging me to wake up, is truly indescribable. Many years have trotted by and changing of roles have taken place as I now habitually look at a fairy face, fast asleep and then run my fingers through her silky mane, gently coaxing her awake. Yet I so look forward to this role reversal every year and totally bask in its warmth and tenderness.

Chicken Xacuti Recipe / Goan Style Chicken Curry With Coconut And Exotic Spices

It was the year 2010, when laden with a couple of suitcases I had taken a very bumpy flight to a really tiny airport in Goa. Mr. S was there for almost a month, living out of hotel food which had got his system a little haywire. So here I was to get his gut back on track with some homemade food. In the week that we were house hunting in Miramar, Panjim I did get a fair chance of treating myself to full fledged Goan fare. Most of the times I would be by myself and undertake small culinary adventures. Be it a visit to the Spice Gardens or a taste escapade at the Saturday Night Market at Arpora, a rendevous with the Poder (the Goan breadmaker, an adaptation from the Protuguese padeiro) or sampling a mouthful of Bebinca topped with Vanilla ice~cream at Infantaria cafe in Calangute or simply perching myself up next to a window seat at the waterfront restaurant in the Goa Marriott Resort, right on the Miramar beach, experiencing Goan cuisine at it's best, I surely did have a true blue Goan Style blast.

Murgh Methi Malai Recipe / Chicken Cooked In Fenugreek Leaves And Fresh Cream

I look at the cardboard boxes sprawled across my once spic and span home, some half full, some taped and closed with marker scribbled words of what it contains inside written on top. The Greek Philosopher Heraclitus's doctrine says "Change is the only constant" and so true it is. Change has remained the only constant factor in my life so far. It all started from the first change of sharing my parents room, to my own room, then sharing my room with my sister, changing out into my Engineering college hostel room, to my first salary rented flat, then to my in-laws home after marriage, many other cities and homes later to this one in Dubai and again I am changing to a new abode which I will turn into a home in time.

Padampuri Murg Recipe / Khoya Chicken Recipe

Padampuri Murg is a Chicken delicacy from Padampur located in the princely state of Rajasthan in India. This is probably one of the creamiest chicken dishes that you might have ever tasted. The Khoya/Khoa or milk solids used to cook this dish is primarily responsible for the rich silky texture of it's gravy. Along with yogurt and pure desi Ghee (clarified butter) added generously, this dish is not at all for the faint hearted . The indigenous spice mix which is added to the curry is resplendent with fiery red chilies, black cumin (kalonji) and other spices that gives the dish a perfect balance of flavours, a unique taste and a light lingering aroma. One spoonful in your mouth and your taste buds will dance to the power house of flavours which makes this dish truly befitting to be served at any Royal fare.

Kolkata Style Chicken Biryani Recipe / Calcutta Chicken Biryani Recipe

Kolkata ~ the city of Joy, for me, apart from being the city where my family and extended family have lived for decades, is the city where food and sports are woven into the very fabric of the life of the people. A city which breathes football and cricket, a city where food is a passion and a way to express the rich cultural heritage of this vibrant city. Today let's take a virtual tour through the essence of the most famous and popular dish from here, Calcutta Biryani or Kolkata Style Chicken Biryani.

Hyderabadi Dum Ka Murgh Recipe / Hyderabad Style Slow Steam Cooked Chicken Curry Recipe

Dear Culinary Enthusiasts and Food Adventurers here I am again, though after a long interval, sharing with you a very dear recipe from my mum-in-law's repertoire, HYDERABADI DUM KA MURGH. As the name suggests this dish originates from the Indian city, known worldwide for its royal past, the magnificent monument Charminar and lipsmacking cuisne, HYDERABAD. This is a chicken dish where the chicken is marinated in distinct but simple spices and aromatics, then cooked on Dum, meaning its own steam, very slowly, resulting in a ridiculously delicious Chicken Curry, which I can bet will have you cooking this dish again and again, on demand, in your kitchen till you loose count of it.

Murshidabad Mutton Tikia Recipe / Mutton Mince Patties Recipe (Murshidabad Style) / Mutton Keema Tikia Recipe ~ Just Recipes

I am quite smitten by the culinary fare of Murshidabad. Mutton Tikia (Murshidabad Style) is the third dish from the region, to be posted on my Blog. Have you checked the other two unique dishes from this region yet ? If you haven't, do most definitely check out CHICKEN KORMA (MURSHIDABAD STYLE) and POPPY SEEDS HALWA (MURSHIDABAD STYLE) . Such culinary treasures are to be savoured and documented for posterity and I am glad that I have had the good fortune of not only savouring these delicacies from Murshidabad but have cooked them many a times in my kitchen and now have them documented forever in my Blog. A hearty thank you to CHEF DEVRAJ HALDER for initiating my foray into this wonderful world of Murshidabad Cuisine.

Hariyali Keema Recipe / Green Chicken Mince Curry Recipe / Keema Hara Masala Recipe ~ Just Recipes

With this post I am starting the Just Recipes series. This series will comprise of the dishes which I cook and post instantly. I have decided to keep the prelude to the recipe as brief as possible. Unlike my other posts, the posts in the Just Recipes series will contain only pertinent trivia about the dish presented to you. My culinary stories and travel stories will continue in my other posts. 

Shorshe Keema Recipe / Mutton ( Goat) Mince In Thick Mustard Sauce Recipe ~ Basking In Festivities

It is Eid here in Dubai today and many parts of the world. In India Eid will be celebrated tomorrow. On this auspicious occasion I would like to wish all my dear friends, readers and everyone celebrating A VERY HAPPY AND BLESSED EID.

Chicken Chettinad Recipe / Chettinad Chicken Curry Recipe ~ Chennai Food Adventure Series / Eat Like A Local Series

As promised, here I am with the recipe of Chicken Chettinad, the first among the 10 dishes which I think is a must eat when you visit Chennai. To get the taste of Chicken Chettinad similar to the one that I had eaten in Chennai, I must have cooked the dish 4 or 5 times, till I was able to nail the exact taste or let me put it, very close to the exact taste of the Chicken Chettinad I had in Chennai. There must be a number of versions that this dish must be cooked. I too had a few recipes with me which I tried and also got my Tamil friends to eat and give their opinion about. The one which was approved by all including my own senses, I am putting down that recipe here, so that no matter in which part of the world you are, you will be easily able to create the dish with a taste very close or maybe almost similar to the one which is cooked in Chennai or Chettinad.

Instant Doughnuts Recipe ~ Celebrating Valentine's Day With A Platter of Edible Love

Whenever someone has asked me, what is love, I have always said the same thing. I have deciphered love as that feeling, which you have for someone, for whom you want the best every single time, worry about their well being, want them to be happy, hale and hearty and in any given situation think about them before you think about yourself. The people who feature in priority in your prayers are the ones you love, is what I believe. 

Masala Prawn Popcorn Recipe

It's the weekend and my time with little D. We do are Mummy daughter things mostly on the weekends. But this weekend my little darling is down with a nasty cold. To make things worse, the anti histamine syrup prescribed by her doctor is making her drowsy and grumpy. My poor darling has lost her priceless smile as she is tucked away under her favourite tinker bell blanket, clinging to her tinker bell doll, as if almost hoping that this fairy doll will sprinkle some magical powder on her which will make her feel better. For a mother nothing can be more heart wrenching than seeing her little one unwell, even if it's just a common cold.

Keema / Qeema, Sabut Malka Masoor, Methi Biryani / Chicken Mince, Whole Red Lentils, Green Fenugreek Biryani ~ My Ode To The Ingenious Chef Sara Riaz

The Biryani love affair is growing stronger and stronger with each passing day in my family. Whether it's that special meal in the weekend, or that one symbolic dish to celebrate a birthday, anniversary or the star dish at any family get together or house parties and even for potlucks, the one dish that is chosen with total majority is Biryani. My eternal gratitude to the queen who first had Biryani cooked for her famished soldiers when she visited their barracks. This one pot dish which houses the flavour of each of the ingredient you would have used, with full vigor to reveal to you a decadent gush of aroma, the moment you remove the lid and allow the fragrant smoke to take over your senses and of those with you at the dinning table.

VEGAN BABY POTATOES AND BABY SPINACH CURRY ~ GO GREEN

The day after a feast or celebrating a festival, it becomes a real challenge for me to decide what the menu would be for the day. My family members in unison demand for light dishes, something which will satiate the hunger, yet not be heavy on the tummy. Faced with the same dilemma this morning, I sat on the dinning table gazing out into the vast wide expanse outside through the window, while my mind worked on what to cook. After the dozens of sweets and savory munchies everyone have been consuming since the Diwali festivities have commenced, I knew that no one would be in a mood for anything heavy today. Breakfast was more or less sorted, green smoothies for the rest of the family and a green smoothie pancakes for little D. But what about lunch? Suddenly I remembered the huge bag of baby potatoes lying in my kitchen pantry. Okay should I go for a Dum Aloo I thought with chapatis, well no, I thought remembering what the expressions across the dinning table could be at this dish. Not that Dum Aloo was not loved , but with chapatis no, it was always savoured with luchi or kochuri. So that was scratched off my mental menu for today at least. Still undecided I walked to check the refrigeration in my quest for new ideas for the menu.I opened the refrigerator to be greeted by again boxes of sweets, fruits and more sweets. Diwali always leaves my refrigerator screaming for space, jam packed mostly with sweets. No idea from here too I thought to myself. 

CHICKEN CHAAP PULAO/PILAF ~ DURGA PUJO SPECIAL

The celebratory mode continues in my home. Though we do not wake up to the beat of the Dhak/Drum or the sound of the conch shell/Shankh or the chanting of mantras, but I guess the fervour of DURGA Puja has our hearts filled and therefore every member of my family wakes up with a smile on their faces. Then, amidst the enthusiastic discussion of which new attire we will clad today and what all will accessorize it, the coffee mugs and morning cookies get forgotten. The brisk activity continues till we all decked in our finenary head out to the Puja Mandap. No matter how far one is from India and West Bengal, no matter if one is surrounded by a carnival atmosphere or not, the DURGA Puja days do bring in a whole lot of excitement.

CHICKEN KOBIRAJI CUTLETS ~ DURGA PUJO SPECIAL

A very HAPPY DURGA PUJA to all my readers, family and friends celebrating this festival. Durga Puja is a very significant festival and heralds a whole lot of festivities for Bengalis all over the world. We have grown up amidst the rituals , traditions and festivities surrounding DURGA Puja. But this is not the case with little D who was born far away from India and who though loves any kind of rituals and celebrations surrounding these festivals is not at all familiar with any of them. Every year I try in my own little way to bring to her a minuscule part of the pomp and fervour that is such an integral part of Durga Puja.

STEAMED FISH IN ARGENTINE CHIMICHURRI SAUCE - HAPPY BEAT SERIES

Yum

Today in the HAPPY BEATS series I talk about the importance of physical activity and its benefits to heart health. We all are very much aware of the rewards of physical activity to our body and whatever I am about to write here you all are very familiar with. I will still put them down because although we know it, most of us do not implement it in our day to day life, hiding behind the excuse of having no time.

9 WHOLE LENTILS MIX WITH CHICKEN MINCE CURRY - HAPPY BEATS SERIES

Sitting in the warmth of my home, seeing my family all together, smiling happily, talking away endlessly is my biggest treasure, my hugest wealth and the greatest earning of my entire life. I know almost all of you will echo this feeling of mine. I thank Almighty and pray for this one thing every single day. I have however learnt that I as a family member have to contribute much more to keep my family happy both in body and mind. The incident of summer 2014 where I almost lost a family member to a massive heart attack has taught me that I have to ensure my family's GOOD HEALTH  foremost along with all the other responsibilities that I am entrusted with. 

MA'S CHICKEN PILAF/MAYER MURGIR POLAO - RECIPE OF LOVE

Looking at me with her large doe eyes, Ma put her hand on mine and in the most reassuring tone said, " Trust me, everything will be fine". No sooner were these words uttered, would I be engulfed in her love and see magic happen. The situation would turn around in my favour, not because the things happening would change, but I would draw immense strength from her words and gain so much confidence, that the same me would see the situation in a different perspective and win over. Yes, every single time I was not sure of a life situation, this was what Ma did and continues to do. 

I think all of you will agree with me and must have experienced and are still experiencing this, in your lives. Mothers make our lives so much easier, don't they? I am sharing with you today MURGIR POLAO or CHICKEN PILAF which is again a recipe from my mother's repertoire.