MIDDLE EASTERN DAJAJ HAREES / HALEEM (CHICKEN PORRIDGE)

MIDDLE EASTERN DAJAJ HAREES / HALEEM (CHICKEN PORRIDGE)

I think the title says it all,enough to make everybody’s mouth water.

I have been in love with Haleem for 10 years now,yes,it was love at first sight!!

Call it Haleem,harees,porridge or khichda for me it’s the ultimate comfort food.

Haleem is especially made in the holy month of Ramadan as it’s a complete meal in one.

Traditionally it is slow cooked on firewood for 12 hours but since that’s not possible at home,here is an easy recipe of Haleem which can be made in 2 hours.

INGREDIENTS: (MAKES 8 BOWLS)

1 cup bulgur wheat / broken wheat / daliya

700 grams chicken pieces with bone

1 ½ cup fried onions

6 big tomatoes chopped

4 tbsp green chilly and coriander blend

2 tbsp fresh ginger garlic paste

1 cup beaten curd

1 tsp garam masala powder

2 tsp coriander powder

Ghee 

FOR GARNISH:

Red chilli oil

Fresh Mint and coriander chopped

Fried onions

Roasted almonds

Sliced onions

Lemon juice

METHOD:

Soak the bulgur wheat overnight.

Remove in a Pressure cooker,add water as required and cook till 4 whistles.

Meanwhile,heat ghee in a vessel and add a cup of fried onions,tomatoes,green chilly and coriander blend and ginger garlic paste.

Sauté till masala starts secreating oil.

 

Add the chicken pieces and roast the pieces in the spices.

Then add beaten curd,salt,garam masala and coriander powder.

Cover and cook for 15 mins till the chicken pieces are cooked thoroughly.

Let the chicken gravy cool.

Then remove the chicken pieces on a chopping board and shred the meat with help of a fork.

Then add the shredded chicken meat back to the gravy.

 Add the cooked bulgur wheat to the gravy and churn with the help of a wooden churner till the wheat and meat merge with each other to form a thick,sticky Haleem.

 Reheat the Haleem and remove in bowls to serve.

Garnish with red chilli oil,roasted almonds,mint leaves,onion rings,fried onion and lemon juice.

YUM!!!

VEGETABLE BIRYANI

VEGETABLE BIRYANI

My chicken biryani is always a big hit with my friends and family but I always got requests for vegetarian biryani as well.Since I had never really made a vegetarian version,I kept delaying it and then one day I finally tried it and it came out so well.Infact,even hardcore non vegetarians liked it.

INGREDIENTS:-

for marination-

2 carrots

10-12 cauliflower florets

10-15 chopped French beans

1 cup green peas

250 grms cottage cheese(paneer)

1 ½ cup curd

1 ½ tbsp fresh ginger garlic paste

2 green chillies slit

1 tbsp coriander powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tbsp red chilli powder

½ tsp garam masala powder

½ tsp shahi zeera

A handful of fried onions

Freshly chopped coriander leaves

Freshly chopped mint leaves

½ tsp sugar

Salt

For rice-

2 green cardamom pods

1 black cardamom

4 cloves

1 inch cinnamom stick

2 bayleafs

3 blackpepper

1 ½ cup basmati rice

4 cups water

Salt

For Assembling-

1 cup brown onions

½ cup coriander

½ cup mint

4 green chillies

½ tsp cardamom powder

½ tsp cinnamom powder

Food colouring mixed in lemon juice

Saffron soaked in ¼ cup milk

Few drops of kewra

METHOD-

In the cooking vessel,add 2tbsp oil and then the marinated veggies(marinated for atleast an hour).

Sprinkle some fried brown onions,chopped coriander and mint.

Meanwhile,soak basmati rice for atleast 30 mins  and add it to salted boiling water to which the mentioned spices are added.

Drain when the rice is 3/4^th done.

Now to make the layers,

 add half of the rice to the veggies and sprinkle more brown onions,chopped coriander and mint.

Poke 2 slit green chillies in the rice.

Sprinkle a pinch of both cardamom and cinnamom powder.

Now add the rest of the rice,and again sprinkle more brown onions,chopped coriander and mint along with a pinch of cardamom and cinamom powder.

Add food colouring mixed in lemon juice along with the saffron infused milk.

And finally,add a few drops of kewra.

Cover the vessel with aluminium foil and tightly close with the lid.

Cook for 10 mins on medium flame and then lower the flame to the lowest possible(keep it on dum) and cook for more 10 mins.

Check if the rice is done,and keep off the flame.

Let the biryani rest for a while and serve with raita.