Ramzan delights

Celebrate Ramzan with some delectable delights...

Ramzan is synonymous with delicious delights. Be it biryani, sheer kurma, kebabs, sherbet or paya curry, Ramzan is a festival of lip-smacking flavours, too. The iftar feast is a celebration of mouthwatering delicacies. This Ramzan, Vijayalakshmi Reddy offers a few recipes for you to try:

SHEER KHURMA

INGREDIENTS: Milk 1 lt, semiya 1 cup crushed, ghee 2 tbsp, assorted nuts chopped 100 gm (cashew, almonds, raisins, pista & dates), a pinch of cardamom powder, sugar ½ cup, rose water 1 tsp & saffron ½ tsp soaked in ¼ cup hot milk.

METHOD: Heat ghee in a pan. Add all nuts. Fry lightly and keep aside. Do the same for semiya. Boil milk for 5 minutes. Then add semiya and cook well. Switch off. Add the nuts, rose water, cardamom powder and saffron. Serve hot or cold. Garnish with silver/gold foil.

CHICKEN KABAB

INGREDIENTS: Chicken 1 kg medium pieces, egg 1, coriander powder 2 tbsp, chilli powder 2 tbsp, tandoori colour ½ tsp, fresh coriander chopped 1 /4 cup, corn flour 3 tbsp, salt to taste, oil for deep frying.

METHOD: In a bowl, take all the ingredients and mix well. If it’s too thick, sprinkle water. Rest for at least an hour. Keep the marinated chicken in the fridge for four hours. In a pan, heat oil. Fry the chicken till well done.

Sheer Khurma

SHAHI CHICKEN KORMA

INGREDIENTS: Chicken ½ kg medium pieces (without skin), black pepper ¼ tsp, salt a pinch, oil 1 tbsp. Mix well and keep aside for 1 hour. Oil 2 tbsp, jeera seeds ½ tsp, onions 2 chopped, ginger garlic paste 1 tbsp, cloves 4, curry powder ¾ tsp, garam masala powder ½ tsp, cinnamon 1 piece, pepper ¼ tsp, chilli powder ¼ tsp, cardamom 1, nutmeg 1-inch piece, sugar 1 tsp optional, almonds 10, thick coconut milk 1 cup, curds ½ cup & salt.

METHOD: Heat 2 tbsp oil. Add the above ingredients and fry well. Cool it down and then make a fine paste. In a cooker, heat 2 tbsp oil. Add the chicken paste and fry well. Add chicken, 1 cup water, salt and cook well. Add the curd and cook. Lastly, add coconut milk, sugar and boil. Now add sliced almonds. Garnish with chopped fresh coriander.

KACCHI DUM MUTTON BIRIYANI

INGREDIENTS: Mutton ½ kg, basmati rice ½ kg soaked for 10 minutes, cinnamon 4, cloves 8, cardamom 4, bay leaves 2, salt 3 tsp, coriander powder 2 tbsp, tomatoes 2 chopped, ghee ½ cup, lemon juice 1 tbsp, milk ½ cup, oil 150 ml.

For the paste: Mint leaves 1 cup chopped, coriander chopped 1 cup, onions 3 shredded, ginger garlic paste 4 tbsp, big chillies 6 slit, curds ¾ cup, coconut ½ cup, khus-khus 2 tbsp.

METHOD: Heat oil in a cooker. Add bay leaves, whole masalas, onions. Fry till golden in colour. Add ginger-garlic paste, green chillies paste and fry. Add tomatoes, dry powders, salt, mint, coriander paste and mutton. Fry well. Add coconut paste and 1 cup water. After one whistle, simmer for 10 minutes, and thengive one more whistle. Cool down. In a big vessel, pour lots of water. When it comes to a boil, add the soaked rice and cook for four minutes. It should be parboiled. Drain, add 1½ tsp salt and mix well. Cook the biryani dum style and serve hot.