Coconut Burfi

Sweets... I never even get close to making good sweets. I had tried Mysore Pak a couple of times and the results were anything but mysore pak. For a long time, I had wanted to make a sweet that was easy and never messes up. This one proved to be just that. Couldnt resist these burfis once they were made.

You Need :
Coconut Scrapped - 1 Cup
Sugar - 1 Cup
Cardamom Powder - 1/4 tbsp
Ghee - 1tbsp
Milk - 2 tbsp

Method :
->Use a thick bottomed vessel and add the coconut and sugar alternatively
->The sugar starts to ooze water. Cook on medium heat till all the water evaporates
->Add cardamom powder and milk and cook till all the liquid off
-> Fry for a few minutes
->Grease a plate with ghee and pour the mixture onto this. Level with a knife
-> Allow it to cool for 10 min and then cut to desired shape
->Coconut Burfi is ready to serve

Vegetable Kurma/Khurma

What you need
1 Medium sized Onion
1 Tomato
Vegetables - Cauliflower, Potatoes, Peas, Carrots, Beans, Beets (whichever available)
Green Chillies - 5+5
Coconut - 5 tbsp shredded or Coconut Milk
Garlic - 4 flakes
Corriander Powder
Garam Masala - Cloves, Cinnamon Stick

Get it ready
-> Pressure boil the vegetables. Potatoes are a must. Rest are optional
-> If the coconut is frozen, heat with a little water

Method
-> Saute the garlic, 5 green chillies and half the onion.
-> Allow it to cool, add corriander powder and then run it through a blender
-> Saute the cloves, cinnamon sticks, add the remaining green chillies, onion and saute till the onion turns golden brown
-> Add the tomatoes and bend it to a smooth paste
-> Add the grinded paste and fry
-> Add the cooked vegetables and salt.
-> Add water to required amount and allow the veggies to cook for 10 minutes
-> Once the veggies are done, add the coconut milk little by little and bring the khurma to boil

Chicken Briyani

This is from the best cook I know of. Whenever friends get invited to our house for lunch, they can be sure to find this on the menu. And believe me, most of them have asked us to repeat it again, be it the vegetarian, the mutton or the chicken incarnation. This is no fancy recipe and might have the least number of ingredients than any briyani you have seen.
Here goes the unparalleled briyani recipe from the master :)

The pictures here actually don't do justice to the taste at all. Maybe, we should improvise on the visual appeal :)

Ingredients

Onions - 1 BIG
Tomatoes - 2
Green chillies - 10
Basmati Rice - 1 Cup
Masala - cloves, cinnamon sticks, cardamom, briyani leaves
To Grind - ginger, garlic
Corriander leaves -1 bunch
Mint leaves - 1 bunch
Chicken - about 3 breast pieces

Chicken Briyani with egg

Method
1. Cut chicken pieces, wash them with turmeric and soak them in lemon juice for 30 min .. this makes them soft..
2. Chop Onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic , green chillies , corriander and mint leaves
3. Wash rice, drain the water and set aside.
4. Grind ginger,garlic, green chillies to a semi-solid form..
5. Heat oil in a pan .. add the masala items -
6. Add the onions and fry
7. Add tomatoes and fry till they are well mashed..
8. Add ground ginger garlic paste and fry till the aroma rises
9. Add corriander leaves and then the chicken pieces.
10. Add the basmati rice and fry it for a minute.
11.Add water a little less then 2 cups.. Add mint leaves.
12.Allow the cooker to release a good amount of pressure for some time and then put on the whistle, reduce the heat to medium and allow 3 whistles.
13.When the whistle dies down, bring the cooker off the heat. Once the pressure settles down, quickly transfer the rice to another vessel and mix thoroughly.
14.Serve with raitha and egg.