RCI-Authentic Hyderabadi Cuisine Round-Up

The air again has a crispness to it and cold and the colors vibrant on the leaves of most of the trees. Fall is officially here and I am enjoying every bit of it.

Due to lack of time and hectic schedules, I was unable to present you with the round up of RCI event. I apologize for that. I feel very happy and lucky to have been given the chance by Lakshmi to host the RCI event on Authentic Hyderabadi Cuisine.

If you are ever invited by a traditional Hyderabadi household for a lunch or dinner or breakfast for a change, you should always expect a feast fit for a king awaiting you with a spread both delectable for the eyes and extremely delicious for the taste with such hospitability and love, you will remember for years together.

Dear friends, I am very delighted to present you the round up for RCI:Authentic Hyderabadi Cuisine. Enjoy the feast!

Entrees from Food-Bloggers:

Starters and Chutneys:

• Geeta of ‘Payt Pooja’ sends her Shami Kofta.
• Anjum of ‘Cheers to Easy Cooking’ sends her Haleem.
• Manasi of ‘Kiss the Cook’ sends her Lukhmi.
• PJ of ‘Seduce Your Tastebuds’ send her Kothimira Perugu Pachadi (Cilantro Curd Chutney).
• Manasi of ‘Kiss the Cook’ sends her Sheekh Kabab.
• Uma of ‘Essence of Andhra’ sends her Gongura Pachadi (Red Sorrel Leaves Chutney).
• Maninas of ‘Food Matters’ sends her Mint and Coriander Chutney.
• Manasi of ‘Kiss the Cook’ sends her Shikampuri Kabab

One-Dish Meals:

• Yasmeen of ‘Health Nut’ sends her Hyderabadi Lamb Biryani.
• Anjum of ‘Cheers to Easy Cooking’ sends her Kacche Gosht Ki Biryani.
• Zainab of ‘Arabic Bites’ sends her Chicken Biryani. 
• Usha of ‘My Spicy Kitchen’ sends her Hyderabadi Mutton Biryani. 
• Lubna of ‘A Hyderabadi Foodie’s Cookbook’ send her Kofta Pulao. 
• Maimoona of ‘Mammu’s Kitchen’ send her Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani.
• Ayesha of Ayesha’s Hyderabadi Recipes send her Vegetable Fried Rice.
• Lubna of ‘Yummy Food’ sends her Hyderabadi Haleem.
• Geetha of ‘The Fragrant Kitchen’ sends her Vegetable Dum Biryani.
• Pavani of ‘FoodLovers’ sends her Hyderabadi Dum Biryani.

Curries/Saalan:

• Maryam sends her Murgh/Chicken Korma.
• Mansi Desai of ‘Fun and Food’ sends her Hyderabadi Baghare Baingan.
• Aparna of ‘Sumi’s Weblog’ sends her Mirchi Ka Salan.
• Rashmi of ‘DelhiBelle’ sends her Baghare Baingan and Khatti Arbi.
• Syeda of ‘Indian Spices’ sends her Tamate Ka Masale Ka Salan.
• Sujatha of ‘Spicy Khazana’ sends her Hyderabadi Dalcha.
• Pallavi of ‘All Thingz Yummy’ sends her Hyderabadi Kheema.
• Nags of ‘Edible Garden’ sends her Mirchi Ka Salan.
• Priya Suresh of ‘Easy N Tasty Recipes’ sends her Hyderabadi Chicken 65.
• Maninas of ‘Food Matters’ sends her Murgh/Gosht Tamatar (Lamb/Chicken with tomatoes).
• Hima of ‘SnackORama’ sends her Baghare Baingan.
• Meera of ‘Enjoy Indian Food’ sends her Gongura Dal.
• Jayashree of ‘Experiments in Kailas Kitchen’ sends her Mirchi Ka Salan.

Desserts/Meetha

• Divz of ‘Welcome to the Yum World’ sends her Shahi Tukda. 
• Kate of ‘Applemint’ send her Shahi Tukda. 

Entrees from Non-food Bloggers:

• Sana sends her ‘Hyderabadi Marag’, which is a very important item as a starter in the menu at many modern Hyderabadi weddings.

She says:

Marag is actually an Arab dish which got assimilated into the Hyderabadi cuisine during the period of Arab rule in India . The Hyderabadis then made a few changes to it according to their own taste and hence came forth the “Hyderabadi Marag”. Its actually a very simple dish and gets prepared very easily. I usually set aside the meat which had bones and marrow attached to it, called ‘Adley ka Gosht’ to prepare this dish cause it really gets a good taste from such a meat.

Here goes her recipe:

Hyderabadi Marag:

Ingredients:

Meat with bones: 1 lb; Onion: 1 large finely chopped; Cashew nut: 2 tbs blanched; Spices: Cardamom, Cinnamon, Bay leaves, Cloves, Whole Black Peppercorns (according to spiciness one prefers; Salt: according to taste; Turmeric: 1/2 tsp; Crushed Small Green chilies: according to taste; Milk/Light cream: 1/2 cup; Oil for cooking; Ginger-Garlic paste: 1tbs; Juice of 1 lime; Cilantro for garnish

Method:

Take a little oil in the cooker add the crushed green chilies and the ginger-garlic paste and sauté’ it for a few seconds then add the spices, turmeric, salt and the meat and sauté it again for a few minutes till the meat is well covered with all the spices and browned on all sides. Add a little water to it and let it pressure cook till the meat is well done. In the mean time take the finely chopped onion in a pan at medium heat and add a little oil to it and let it get a little soft. Turn off the heat and let it cool down for sometime. Then take the blanched cashew nuts and onion in a grinder and grind it to a very fine paste. Take a vessel, pour a little oil in it and warm it, then add the onion-cashew nut paste to it and sauté till the raw smell of the onions is gone. Now add the meat along with its stock and let it cook for sometime till the oil starts coming on top. Now add the milk to it and again let it boil for a few more minutes till it is all well mixed . Take it off the heat add the lime juice and coriander and serve it hot with Naan or home made Parathas.

I hope you all have enjoyed going through all these recipes. If at all I have missed any of the entrees sent by any of you, please let me know about it. Also visit my Recipe Index for a variety of other Hyderabadi dishes from my blog. Cheers and Have a good weekend!

Love,
Mona

Kachchi Aqni ki Dum Murgh Biryani

Note – Read the whole post very carefully, Do not be overwhelmed by the length of the post. I have tried to explain each and every step briefly and as efficient as possible. Do write to me, if you have any queries. I will be glad to help you out.

Biryani is one of the most famous Hyderabadi One dish meals craved and devoured by people from all over the world. It is a one dish meal, where the cooked/raw marinated meat is layered along with half cooked long grained rice and a range of fresh spices and herbs for flavor and aroma.

‘Kachchi Aqni’ means marinated raw Chicken/Murgh. The preparation of ‘Kachchi Aqni ki Biryani’ is rather simple compared to the ‘Pakki Biryani’ of Chicken/Murgh or Red meat/Gosht, where cooked meat is used, mostly because you do not need to stand in front of your stove attending it, as the Chicken/Murgh cooks quite instantly on ‘Dum’ or ‘Slow heat’ and isn’t as complicated to cook as the Red meat in Kacchi Aqni ki Gosht-(Lamb/Beef/Veal) Biryani. However, I shall be posting the recipe of the Kacchi Aqni ki Gosht-(Lamb/Beef/Veal) Biryani sometime in the near future inshallah. Here, on the first day, you simply have to marinate the chicken. The next day, prepare rice, arrange layers and garnish and sit back for it cook on ‘Dum’ or ‘Slow Cook’, saving you ample time.

As you use the raw marinated chicken in this method, while you slow cook it, the flavor of the chicken intensifies and infuses with the rice and other aromatic fresh herbs and spices giving you a heavenly aroma in the end which will fills your kitchen and your entire house.  

Here is the Outline of the steps involved in the preparation, so that it is simpler for you all to understand the method, follow these steps while you prepare the Biryani:

Day 1

Marinate Chicken

Day 2

1) Add Fried onions to the Marinated Chicken
2) Give a smoked flavor to the Marinating Chicken with Fried Onions (optional, but gives a very good flavor to the Biryani)
3) Prepare rice
4) Arrange layers and Garnish

The Detailed method:

Kachche Aqni ki Dum Murgh Biryani

Serves – 8-10

Day 1-Marinate Chicken

Ingredients:

Chicken - 1.4 kg, with bone, cut into medium size pieces
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Green chilli paste – 1 1/2 tsp
Salt – 2 tsp
Turmeric/Haldi – 1/2 tsp
Tomato – 2, medium sized, pureed
Ginger-Garlic/Adrak-Lahsun paste – 2 tbsp
Yogurt – 1 cup, lightly whipped
Freshly squeezed Lemon Juice – 1/2 cup
Garam masala – 2 tbsp
Green Cardamom powder – 1 tsp
Dry roasted Cumin seed powder – 1 tsp
Dry roasted Coriander seed powder – 1 tsp

Method:

In a large bowl marinate the chicken with all the ingredients. Make sure all the pieces of chicken are coated in the marinade. Cover and leave in the fridge overnight.

Day 2-Adding Fried onions to the marinated chicken; Preparing rice; Arranging layers and Garnish.

1) Adding Fried onions to the marinated chicken:

Ingredients:

Canola Oil – 1/2 cup
Finely sliced Yellow Onions – 800 gms

Method:

-Remove the marinating chicken from the fridge and let it come to room temperature.
-Meanwhile, pour oil into a large frying pan at medium high heat. As soon as it gets warm, throw in the sliced onions and stir fry them in the oil until they are dark brown in colour. Make sure they do not burn them. Remove the pan from heat and let cool.
-With the help of tongs, remove the chicken pieces one by one from the marinating mixture and put them into large mixing bowl. Discard the leftover marinade.
-Once the fried onions are cool, divide them into two and add one half of the onions, with their cooking oil, to the chicken and mix well. Reserve the other half for garnish.

2) Give a smoked Flavor to the Marinating Chicken

Ingredients:

3 or 4 Burning Charcoal briquettes
Canola oil – 1 tsp
Disposable aluminium foil tray/loaf pan

Method:

-Make a well in the center of the marinating chicken in the bowl so that the loaf pans fits into it perfectly.
With the help of tongs, carefully put the burning charcoal briquettes into the aluminium loaf pan.
-Pour about a teaspoon of oil onto the charcoal. You will see that dense fumes start forming.
-Immediately cover the bowl with a lid, so that the fumes do not escape. Keep it aside until you prepare the rice. 

3) Preparing rice/Adhaan:

Ingredients:

Basmati/Long grained Rice - 4 cups, presoaked in water for 30 minutes
Salt - 3 tsp
Bay leaf/Tej Patta – 1
Cloves - 3
Green cardamom – 4
Cinnamon stick – 3/4 inch
Caraway seeds/Shah Zeera – 1 1/2 tsp
Water – 9 cups

Method:

-Wash the rice and soak it in surplus water for about 30 minutes.
-Later drain the rice and put into a cooking pot along with cloves, bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon, caraway seeds and salt. Pour water into it and give it a stir.
-Let it boil on high until the rice if half done. Drain the rice and keep aside.

4) Arranging layers and Garnish:

Ingredients:

Marinating Chicken
Boiled, Quartered and shallow fried Potatoes – 2 cups (optional)
Chopped Mint leaves/Pudina – 1/2 cup, loosely packed
Half cooked rice prepared earlier
Chopped Cilantro/Kothmir – 1 cup, loosely packed 
Ghee - 2 tsp (optional)
Reserved Fried Onions for garnish
1/4 Saffron strands, crushed and steeped in 1/4 cup warm milk
Rose water/Gulab Jal – 1 tsp
Green Cardamom seed powder – 1/2 tsp
Toasted Almonds and Cashewnuts – 1/2 cup total
Shelled Hard Boiled Eggs – 6-8 (optional)
Dough to seal the edges of the Casserole dish (optional)

Method:

Preheat the oven to 550°F (if using an Oven to prepare it on Dum-read below)
Carefully lift the loaf pan containing the charcoal briquettes from the marinating chicken, and discard it.
In a heavy bottomed casserole dish (which can be used in Oven-if using the Oven method (or) which can be used on stove-top-if using the Stovetop method – read below), arrange the marinating chicken in a single layer. Do not crowd it. (Use two casserole dishes if needed)
Spread the chopped mint leaves  and the shallow fried potatoes (if using) over it.
Now add the drained half cooked rice prepared earlier and spread it nicely to cover the chicken all over.
Next, spread the chopped cilantro, toasted almonds and cashewnuts, hard boiled eggs (if using), fried onions, cardamom seed powder and pour ghee (if using) and the saffron soaked in milk and rose water all over the rice. 
Cover the dish with an aluminium foil and then with the lid (or) seal the edges with a dough and cover with the lid tightly, so that no steam escapes.

If using an Oven to cook:
1) Put the Casserole in the preheated oven at 550°F for 20 minutes. Later, lower the heat to 300°F and leave the Casserole dish in the oven for a about 30 minutes.
2) Close the heat, but the let the casserole dish be in the heated oven so that it stays warm, until you need to serve it in a few hours.

If you are cooking on stove top:
1) Take a flat Dosa Tawa and put it on the stove at high heat (on either ceramic stove tops and gas burner stove tops). As it gets warm, put the casserole dish on the tawa and let it cook for about 10 minutes.
2) Later, lower the heat to medium low and let it cook for about 40 minutes.

Before serving, open the lid and remove the aluminium and a heavenly aroma fills your house inviting all your house members. Carefully dig your spoon deep into the casserole dish until it touches the bottom, and mix the rice with the chicken until it is all completely mixed. Serve warm.

Suggested accompaniments: I enjoy my Biryani with Mirchi Ka Salan or Baghare baingan as a side dish, and glass of chilled coke alongside. Yumm-O!

I shared this recipe as part of the RCI:Authentic Cuisine of Hyderabad Event that I am hosting this month on my blog.

Be sure to read all the rules for the event and drop me your entries. The last date to send me your entries is September 15th.

Luv,
Mona

Announcing RCI:Authentic Hyderabadi Cuisine

RCI or Regional Indian Cuisine is an event started by Lakshmi of Veggie Cuisine. This month its my turn to host the RCI event for Authentic Hyderabadi Cuisine.

I am proud to be a Hyderabadi, to have spent a significant part of my life in ‘Hyderabad‘, to come to know and learn about its exquisite cuisine by my elders. Hyderabad, a princely state, the capital of Andhra Pradesh, once ruled by the descendents of Mughal generals called Nawabs, who were awfully wealthy and lived a life in utmost leisure. Hyderabadi cuisine has the influnce of the Mughalai hauté cuisine. The once Muslim ruler of Hyderabad, the last Nizam, was a direct descendant of a Moghul governer, and was known for the sumptous feasts and his love for fine dining. Hyderabadi Cuisine is an amalgamation of the Moghul Muslim cooking methods, India’s predominant Hindu culture and the Persian Cuisine as well.

Charminar (Image Source:Wikipedia)

Hyderabadi cuisine is age-old, known for its rich and aromatic flavors, with a liberal use of exotic herbs and spices, yoghurt and ghee in their food preperations. If you are ever invited by a Hyderabadi, you will definitely witness an inexhaustible and staunch sense of courtesy, ‘adab’ and graciousness which flows in every Hyderabadi’s blood and is taught to every child born in their house to treat their visitors with. Many people think Hyderabadi cuisine consists of only Non-Vegetarian food, but in fact it also consists of a range of vegetarian dishes, containing a range of spiced vegetables, lentils, peas and beans.

Hussain Sagar (Image Source:Wikipedia)

The glory of Hyderabad, known for its minarets, pearl bazaars, the cuisine, its culture and their ‘ehtemam‘, has always been admired and respected by everyone. The ‘mehmaaan nawaazi‘ of Hyderabadis will definitely make you feel like a noble aristocrat. Food is had on a ‘Dastarkhaan’ which is the dining place where all family memebers sit together and have their food. Normally, on everday basis, a Hyderabadi has a Roti or Khushka and curry, which can be lentils or vegetarian or non vegetarian side-dishes, but on a particular occasion, when there are guests, the ‘mehmaan’ are treated royaly with supreme gentility providing with the best of the food they can provide them with with. Nihari, a slow simmered, thick, soup like dish with Lamb shanks in a spicy gravy which is had with a tandoor baked bread called Kulcha or Naan is a famous Hyderabadi breakfast. The other most traditional Hyderabadi breakfast is Khichdi with Qaeema or Qageena and Khatta and a pickle, usually the Mango pickle, or the Kothmir-Pudina wali Chutney to tease the tongue and not to forget the Papads. The special lunches for occasions usually consist of Qorma and Kheema with Tandoori Roti.

Food being cooing by Bawarchi’s in huge ‘deg’/aluminium pots
at a Hyderabadi wedding in Hyderabad

Some of the famous Hyderabadi dishes that I can remember now which I love and miss and crave for always  are, Pathar Ka Gosht, Kacchi imli ka Dalcha, Till Ki Chutney, Qubuli, Kacchi Biryani, Double Ka meetha, Baghare baingan, Nihari, Pakki Biryani-Gosht ki-Murgh ki, Mirchi Ka Salan, Khichdi, Qageena, Kulfe ki katli, Ambaday aur chanay ki Dal, Til wali Gavar ki phalli, Maat ki bhaji, Chukke ki bhaji, Muqtalif Kofte, Chugar Gosht, Shikampur, Shaami, Do Pyaza, Luqmi, Shirmal, Kheer, Gaajar ka Halwa, Pasinde ka Salan, Bhendi Ka Khatta, Karele ka khatta, Arvi-Gosht ka Khatta, Aloo-Gosht ka Khatta, Boti ka Salan, Marag, Aloo-Methi Gosht, Besan Ka Salan, Sojini ki Phalli wali Dal, Dil Khush, Kulcha, Khatti Dal, Qubani Ka Meetha, Rowghani Roti, Mithi Dal, Mash Ki dal, Sheer Qurma, Tamate Ka Kut, Haleem, Qaeema ... the list is long.

Hyderabad is known for ‘Biryani’. I have had the best tasting Biryanis when I was in Hyderabad. I do not usually get to have those kinds in restaurants here. I try to prepare the Biryani as best as I can with the knowledge and the recipes I have. I miss my place, where I spent my childhood, and had some of the most excellent food in my life. I enjoy other cuisines as well, but Hyderabadi Cuisine is what I will always love and crave for.

I announce RCI:Authentic Hyderabadi Cuisine for the month of August ’08. Through this event I intend to provide a collection of various Authentic Hyderabadi recipes which one can refer to whenever they want. I have seen that there are very few cookbooks and resources which write about Hyderabadi cuisine and showcase the recipes. The rare and outstanding Hyderabadi cuisine seems to be fading away. I invite all Hyderabadis and my readers and friends to come with their versions of Authentic Hyderabadi Cuisine, that they have learnt and are familiar of.

The logo that I have created for the event is, feel free to use it:

(Image Source:Wikipedia)

The rules of the event are:

• Prepare and write about an Authentic Hyderabadi dish that you are familiar of starting today till September 15th ’08. Make sure to click a picture of it. It can be Vegetarian, Non-Vegetarian, One-Dish meal or a side dish, a Curry, Sweets and Desserts or Meetha.. whatever you wish, but Hyderabadi in origin.
• Those of you, who are bloggers, shall use the logo, link back to this post (and then update later with a link to the round-up), and send me the entry in the following format:

1. Your name:
2. Your blog title:
3. Name of the dish:
4. Url of the entry:
5. Picture of the dish:

• Even those of you who are not bloggers, can send me their entries in the following format:

1. Your name:
2. Name of the dish:
3. Picture of the dish:

• Send your entries to me with the picture of the recipe. All entries should have a picture of the prepared dish along. If you can, do write a little explaning about the dish.
• The size of the picture should strictly be 300 pixels wide jpg and jpeg filetypes, height does not matter. Bloggers please upload to your own server/image repository
• The last date to submit the recipe is September 15th 2008.

I will post a round-up of all dishes within a few days after the deadline.

So, lets celebrate Hyderarabad this month! Takecare everyone and have an enjoyable long weekend.

Update: September 25th ’08-Here’s a link to the round-up of RCI:Authentic Hyderabadi Cuisine event.

Luv,
Mona