Butternut Biryani With Cucumber Raita Food

CUCUMBER RAITA RECIPE

Steps:

• Rinse cucumber and peel it. Chop to tiny bite size pieces (about ¼ to ½ inch). If you prefer you may even grate it. Grated cucumbers let out moisture so make sure you use only greek yogurt if you want to grate them. Otherwise cucumber raita becomes runny.
• Also fine chop coriander and mint leaves (optional).
• Deseed the green chilli and chop. (optional)
• Whisk chilled yogurt in a large mixing bowl.
• Add chopped cucumber, green chilies, coriander leaves, mint leaves and salt. Mix all of them.
• Taste test and add more salt if needed. Drizzle cumin powder, ground black pepper & chaat masala (optional).
• Serve cucumber raita as a side in an Indian meal. It is usually eaten with Vegetable biryani or chicken biryani.
• Cucumber raita is best served fresh but can be chilled for a few hours.

LAMB & SQUASH BIRYANI WITH CUCUMBER RAITA

Steps:

• Mix the lamb with the garlic, 2 tsp chopped ginger and 1 tsp ground coriander and set aside.
• Heat 2 tsp oil in a non-stick pan. Add the onions, the remaining ginger and chilli and stir-fry briefly over a high heat so they start to soften. Add the rice and squash and stir over the heat for a few mins. Tip in all the remaining spices, then stir in 500ml boiling water and the bouillon. Cover the pan and simmer for 20 mins.
• Meanwhile, mix the cucumber, yogurt and mint together in a bowl to make a raita. Chill half for later.
• About 5 mins before the rice is ready, heat the remaining oil in a non-stick frying pan, add the lamb and stir for a few mins until browned but still nice tender. Toss into the spiced rice with the coriander and serve with the raita and a few mint or coriander leaves on top.

MRS. AYYER'S VEGETABLE BIRYANI WITH TEMPERED ONION-CUCUMBER RAITA

Steps:

• Peel seed, and cut the cucumber into 1/2-inch dice. Set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon of the ghee in a small saute pan over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and saute for about 3 minutes, or until the seeds begin to pop. Remove immediately from the heat. Combine yogurt and buttermilk in a mixing bowl. Whisk in the mustard seeds and ghee. Fold in 1/2 cup of the onion and the reserved cucumber. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt. Cover and refrigerate the raita until ready to use. Put the carrots and beans in a medium saucepan filled with rapidly boiling water and blanch for 30 seconds. Drain well and refresh under cold running water. Pat dry and set aside. Put the remaining 1/4 cup of ghee in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the cayenne chile, garlic, ginger, and the remaining onion and saute for about 4 minutes, or until golden brown. Add the lime juice. Stir in the peas and the reserved carrots and beans and saute for 5 minutes. Stir in the saffron, cumin, garam masala, and turmeric and saute for 1 minute. Add the rice and continue to saute for an 5 additional minutes. Stir in the cashews and serve with a bowl of tempered onion-cucumber raita on the side.

CHICKEN BIRYANI WITH CUCUMBER RAITA

Steps:

• To make the Raita, blend together the cucumber, onion, garlic, ginger, mint, and lemon juice. Pour the mixture into a bowl, and add yogurt. Stir together until smooth, and then refrigerate.
• We want to create brown butter. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat for ~15 minutes, stirring constantly, until the butter turns a light brown colour. Set aside.
• In a large non-stick skilled, add 2/3 of the brown butter over medium heat. Add the potatoes and cook until browned, then remove and set aside.
• Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until onion is very soft, stirring occasionally.
• Add your ground chili, chili flakes, ground black pepper, ground turmeric, ground cumin, ground cardamom, salt, and tomatoes. Cook for 5-10 minutes stirring frequently.
• Reduce heat to a low setting, and add yogurt, mint, and the cinnamon stick. Cook covered until ingredients are very soft and tomatoes mixed inches Stir occasionally, allow 30-45 minutes for this step. Add a small amount of water if the mixture is sticking to your skillet.
• Wash rice and set aside to drain in a colander until needed.
• Add the chicken breast cubes and mix in the sauce to coat it, then cover and cook for another 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• In a large skillet or pot, heat the remaining browned butter, then add onion and cook until golden. Add ground cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick, ground ginger, and rice (drained earlier) Mix until the rice is well coated.
• Heat chicken bouillon and salt in a pot to boiling, then pour into the rice mixture, stirring well.
• Add the chicken mixture and potatoes to the rice, and carefully mix together.
• Heat to a boil, and then cover, turning heat to very low. Allow 20 minutes to cook rice.Serve immediately with Raita (Naan is also a good addition to the meal).

CARROT BIRYANI

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large frying pan, tip in the onion with a big pinch of salt and fry until softened, around 5 mins, then add the chilli and crush in the garlic and cook for 1 min more. Stir in the spices with a splash of water and cook for a couple of mins before adding the carrots and stirring well to coat in all of the spices and flavours.
• Tip in the rice, peas and cashews, then use the back of your spoon to break up any clumps of rice and combine with the rest of the ingredients, cover and cook over a high heat for 5 mins (it's nice if a bit of rice catches on the base to give a bit of texture to the dish). Scatter over the coriander with spoonfuls of yogurt, then serve straight from the pan.