Ever since I tried the "My Dhaba" (Punjabi style restaurant, Radhakrishnan Salai, Chennai) biryani, my craving started more for Sindhi style foods. Usually their style biryani is kind of strong flavoured, pale greenish.. due to herbs and spices and moreover inclusion of sour yogurt makes them slightly pungent. Here is my attempt in matching one of their mint chicken style biryani.

Biryani / Mint Biryani  Briyani / Pulao / Pulav / Sindhi Biryani / Punjabi recipes / Mint Chicken Biryani / North Indian Biryani

Vote Result

Score: 10.0, Votes: 1

Simple fried rice using spinach and mixed vegetables.

Chinese Fried Rice / Palak Fried rice / Spinach / keerai / Stir-fried rice / Pasalai Keerai

Vote Result

Score: 5.5, Votes: 2

What is Khushka??? This term refers to " Khushk " in Urdu, which means plain or dry. Rice cooked dry or plain boiled is termed as Khushka Rice. This is a staple in most Hyderabad Muslim households and served with an accompaniment of spicy dry or wet curry.  The same rice when cooked with meat stock takes the form of Khushka / kushka / Kuska Biryani. Muslim communities spread over Tamil Nadu also make this type but with slight variations , add immense flavour by cooking the rice in coconut milk. They call it Neyyi Choru or Neyyi Sadam or Ghee Rice

Kuska sold in shops are basically rice cooked with meat and stock but served plain without meat. (Just meat flavoured rice) Khuska Biryani in general is always meat flavoured rice, just to make vegetarians enjoy, the meat stock is substituted with coconut milk.  My recipe here is for vegetarians and my non-veg friends can substitute that with meat stock. Ghee is a must for this dish, cooking with just oil will not taste good.

Kuska  Biryani / Kushka / Saada Chawal / Hyderabad Kusha / Vegetarian Kuska / Vaniyumbadi Kuska Biryani / Briyani / Plain Cooked Rice /  Biryani / Nei Sadam / Neyyi Choru / Ghee Rice

Vote Result

Score: 8.3, Votes: 9

Brinjal rice is a popular rice item in Karnataka  termed " Vanghi Bhath", prepared with brinjals stuffed with special spice blend and cooked along with rice. We at home take this dish to new heights by cooking the whole thing in coconut milk. Here is our family style Kathrikkai (brinjal) Sadam (Rice).

Vangi Bhath / Brinjal Rice / Eggplant Rice / Kathirikkai Sadam / Brinjal Biryani / Eggplant Biryani / Kathrikkai Biryani

We always use fresh blend of spices for our preparation, you can also make the blend ahead and then proceed. I've used whole garam masala and skipped the dry coconut as my recipe includes coconut milk instead. Check here of Vangi Bhath Powder

Vote Result

Score: 10.0, Votes: 2

Fresh asparagus caught my eyes this week at my local farmers market. Seemed like it was this weeks "Queen of vegetables", as many people started grabing those bundles and with too much of sqeaking... a sign of truly fresh asparagus, with no further hesitation quickly bundled mine. With little creativity going in the kitchen, these healthy spears always turn out absolutely delicious, leaving us with endless possibilities. Here's my latest addiction..

Asparagus / Greeen Asparagus / Chinese / Stir-fried rice / Mixed Vegetable Fried Rice

Vote Result

Score: 0.0, Votes: 0

Biryani is one popular desi rice item which takes quite a twist when it comes to method for preparation. Every household has its own techniques and secret ingredients to bring out the best flavour and texture. Traditionally its prepared by following the dum method which ofcourse, is very tricky and test our patience. Well there's also some rescue mission versions like rice cooker.. pressure cooker..which can still taste as good as the dum biryani.  Hyderabad is famous for layer biryani which is known for its rich taste and flavour but texturewise its dry and grainy,  still no doubt... to die for.  But Tamilians mostly prepare their biryani more juicy, the meat gravy blends with the rice making it more palatable every time and makes it a complete meal in itself. Here is an easy step by step guide for pressure cooker version of Mutton Biryani.

Goat meat briyani / Mutton Briyani / Kari Biriyani / Aatu Kari / Briyani / Pressure cooker Briyani / Lamb

Vote Result

Score: 7.8, Votes: 4

Basmati rice cooked with egg on dum to make this scrumptious biryani. The term "Dum" refers to the whole process of steam cooking or baking. Mostly this process is done where rice is cooked in Handi (special vessel) over char-coal heat and steamed for several minutes, which gives that special taste.... infused from char-coal smoke. So anything cooked without following the traditional method will result less tasty no matter how or with what its cooked. 

Biryani made in rice -cooker ---(Less work, minimal time, no wastage, stiff rice, taste ok)

Biryani made in pressure cooker ---(Less work, tension time, hiss counts, flame & time counts, little wastage, fluffy but soft rice, taste good)                                                                                             

Biryani made in regular vessel over stove top, homestyle dum---(More work, time consuming, requires patience, little wastage, fluffy rice, taste great)

Choose one which suits your schedule. With this dish...just adding boiled eggs doesn't make it Egg biryani, spicy soft scrambled egg meat here and there, adds life to this dish and makes it more palette friendly. Here's the stove top version of dum Egg Biryani from my kitchen, try, taste and judge standards.

Egg Briyani / Muttai Biryani / Egg Dum Biryani / Dum / Briyani

Vote Result

Score: 9.7, Votes: 7

Rice and vegetables stir-fried with chicken meat in Thai (Thailand) Style. Primarily this dish is made with special Thai Jasmine Rice stir fried with choice of meat (Chicken / pork / beef / seafood), onions, peppers, eggs, fried garlic and seasoned with spicy condiments.

Khao Pad / Khao Phad / Thai Fried Rice / Thai Stir Fried Rice / Chicken Fried Rice /

Vote Result

Score: 8.3, Votes: 6

Simple yet tasty pulav / pulao made with beetroot. There are numerous ways to make this depending personal palate preferences. Colour and intensity of the flavour depends on which form, this veggie is added. Pulav made with beet juice and grated beets tend to be too strong, adding little mixed vegetables makes it colourful and mild for easy intake.

Beet Pulav / Beetroot Pulav / Beet Pulao / Beetroot brinjee / Beetroot

Vote Result

Score: 5.6, Votes: 5