BEETROOT BRIYANI

BEETROOT BRIYANI

INGREDIENTS:-

Grated Beetroot - 1/2 cup (approx. 100 gms)
Basmati Rice - 1 cup (approx. 200gms)
Water - 2 cups
Sliced Onion - 1
Fresh Green peas - 1/4 cup (optional)
Mint leaves - 5 to 8 nos.
Coriander leaves roughly chopped - 2  tsps
Finely chopped Tomato - 1/2 no. or Fresh Curd - 3 tbsps

Slit Green Chilly  - 2 nos.
Chopped Ginger - 1/2 tsp
Chopped Garlic - 1 tsp
Garam Masala Powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Red Chilly  Powder - 1 tsp (or as required)

Salt - as required
Methi leaves crushed - 1 and 1/2 tsp
Ghee - 2 tsp

For Seasoning:-
Oil - 3 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Cinnamon stick - 1 inch
Cardamom - 2 pods
Cloves - 3 nos.
Black Stone Flower/Kalpasu - 1 no., crushed

METHOD:-

Wash and soak basmati rice for 20 minutes. Set aside.

Heat a Pressure cooker with oil. Keep it in low flame, add all ingredients given under Seasoning, so that nice aroma arises.

Add green chilly, chopped ginger and garlic. Fry in low flame for 1 minute and add coriander leaves, mint leaves, sliced onion, and grated beetroot. Add required salt, mix well, cover the cooker with lid and cook for few minutes; mix occasionally, to avoid burning.

Once the beetroot is half cooked, add fresh peas, garam masala powder, coriander powder, and red chilly powder. Mix well. Add water to boil. Add basmati rice, tomato ( or curd), methi leaves and ghee.

Check for salt, cover the cooker with lid only (with gasket & without cooker whistle). Cook in Sim flame for  20 minutes. After the stipulated time, uncover the lid, mix gently, check for salt and spice. If it is less spicy, add Black pepper powder to it. Switch off the flame and cover the cooker with lid and cooker whistle, let it sit for 5 minutes. After 10 minutes, transfer the contents to a serving bowl.

Garnish with mint leaves and serve.

CHOCOLATE CAKE

CHOCOLATE CAKE

INGREDIENTS:- (Use same cup for all measurements)

Dry Ingredients.....

Wheat flour = 1 cup

Custard powder = 3 tbsp

Cocoa powder = 3 tbsp

Salt = 1 pinch

Wet ingredients....

Milk  =1/2 cup

Oil / Clarified butter melted = 1/3 cup

Powdered Jagerry/ Naattu Sarkarai = 3/4 cup 

Fruit salt = 1/2 tsp

METHOD:-

For Baking, heat a Kadai/ pressure cooker ( with 1 & 1/2 cups of salt and with a separator), for 15 minutes in medium flame. Cover with lid. It is similar to preheating the oven.

Grease a tray or bowl, for baking with ghee & wheat flour for dusting. Set aside

In a separate bowl, using a siever, sieve wheat flour, custard powder, cocoa powder, salt. It helps in air circulation in the flour.

In another bowl, add milk and oil and mix well. Don't worry, even if it gets curdled. Mix well for a few minutes.  Now add the jaggery powder to it and mix well so that the jaggery is completely dissolved in it.

Now add the dry ingredients to this wet ingredients and continue mixing to avoid lumps in the cake batter. Check the consistency. If it is more watery, add wheat flour to it or if it is thick, add milk to it.

Finally, add fruit salt with two drops of water to the cake mix. Mix gently. Pour this mix to the cake tin/tray/bowl which was greased and dusted. Tap it over the cooktop, to release air from the mix.

Place the tray inside the cooker/Kadai, which was preheated. 

Bake in  Medium Flame for 10 minutes and in Sim flame for 40 minutes. 

After the stipulated time, insert a knife and check if it baked or not. If the batter sticks to the knife, bake it for a few minutes.

The above timings are applicable for the above quantity of ingredients. If you are using half the quantity, adjust the timings, to avoid cake gets burning.

Remove the cake tray and allow it to cool. Cover the cake tray with a plate and tilt it. 

Chocolate cake is ready to serve.....