Mrs Ayyers Vegetable Biryani With Tempered Onion Cucumber Raita Recipes

BUTTERNUT BIRYANI WITH CUCUMBER RAITA

Steps:

• Pour 425ml boiling water over the dried mushrooms and set aside.
• Heat the oil in a non-stick pan. Add the onions, garlic, ginger and chilli and stir-fry briefly over a high heat so they start to soften. Add the rice and squash and stir for a few mins. Tip in the cumin and coriander then stir in the mushrooms and their water with the bouillon.
• Cover the pan and simmer for 20 mins until the rice is tender. Meanwhile mix the cucumber and yogurt with the mint to make a raita. Stir the coriander and almonds into the rice when it is ready and serve with the raita and a few extra leaves of mint or coriander.

VEGETABLE BIRYANI WITH GREEN RAITA

Steps:

• Tip the rice into a pan of boiling water and cook for 12 mins until only half cooked. Drain, but reserve the water. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large non-stick pan that has a lid, and fry the onion over a medium heat until golden. If it starts to catch, cover with the lid.
• Tip in the carrots and cauliflower, and continue cooking, covered, for 5 mins. Stir in the curry powder, cinnamon and cumin seeds, the ginger and garlic. Stir well. Tip in the rice, add 2 tbsp of the yogurt and pour in 300ml of the reserved rice water mixed with the bouillon powder. Stir in the cashews and peas. Cover and cook for 10 mins over a gentle heat until the rice is tender and all the liquid has been absorbed. Add half the mint and half the coriander, then leave to rest for 5 mins.
• Meanwhile, make a raita by stirring the remaining mint and coriander into the remaining yogurt, then add 1 tbsp cold water to loosen - you can whizz together with a hand blender if you want a green raita. Spoon into small bowls to serve alongside the biryani.

ONE-POT VEGETABLE BIRYANI

Steps:

• Rinse the rice, cover with cold water in a bowl and soak for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, heat ghee in a large pot over medium until it melts, 30 to 45 seconds. Add bay leaf, star anise, cloves, cardamom and green chiles and fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add onion and fry, stirring often, until they start turning golden brown, about 5 minutes.
• Add ginger and garlic and continue frying and stirring until the raw smell dissipates, about 1 minute. Add turmeric and red chile powder and stir for 30 seconds to toast (don't let them burn). Add tomato and 2 tablespoons water. Add half of cilantro and mint. Continue stirring until the tomato starts to break down, about 5 minutes.
• Add the carrot, potato, cauliflower, green peas, green beans, yogurt and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until the ingredients are incorporated.
• Drain the rice and add to the pot, along with the lemon juice and garam masala. Stir until everything is evenly mixed. Add the vegetable stock and stir. Cover and cook on medium for 5 minutes.
• Uncover and stir. Add the rest of the cilantro and mint and the lemon slices. Cover and cook on low for 20 minutes. Turn off the stove and let the pot stand for 15 minutes. Fluff the rice and garnish with fresh pomegranate seeds and cashews if you like.

BAKED VIDALIA ONIONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• With a sharp knife, cut out a 1 inch in diameter by ¾ inch deep cavity in top of onions, reserving scraps.
• Season each onion.
• Combine butter, Worcestershire Sauce, cumin and sugar.
• Fill cavities of onion with the butter mixture.
• Arrange onions in baking dish, add broth, wine and scraps to dish and bake, basting occasionally, for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until very tender.
• Serve as a first course.