Butter Murukku

My entries for Santhi’s JFI-Flour andRevathi’s FMR-Comfort Foods

Ingredients:
Plain rice flour-3cups
Roasted gram flour-1/2cup
(pottu kadalae/Puttanalu pappu grinded into fine powder)
Fresh white butter-11/2tbsp
Salt-11/2tsp
Oil for deep-frying
Method: 1) Mix rice flour, roasted gram flour together & sieve.
2) Mix salt butter to the flour & mix well.
3) Divide the flour into 2or 3 parts equally.
4) Sprinkle water to one part & prepare thick dough.
5) Using a single star disc in a greased murukku maker squeeze murukkus directly in hot oil.
6) Fry till golden in color & crisp. Remove from oil, drain excess oil.
Store in air-tight container.



Note: Murukkus retain its color only when it is mixed with water just before frying. If all the dough is mixed at a time, Murukkus of later portions of dough will become red when it is fried.

Gobi fry (cauliflower fry)

This is my mother in laws recipe. Just substituted corn flour for Bengal gram flour.
Ingredients:
Cauliflour-1medium size
Onion paste-1/2cup
Tomato paste-1/2cup
Ginger garlic paste-1/2tsp
Salt to taste
Chilli powder-2tbsp
Turmeric powder-pinch
Corn flour-3tsp
Rice flour-2tsp
Oil for deep-frying
Cut cauliflower into medium size florets. Add salt, ginger garlic paste, chilli powder, turmeric powder, onion paste & tomato paste to the florets & let it sit for about 30mts.

Just before frying add corn flour & rice flour mix well.

Deep fry in oil on medium flame till golden brown.

Chicken Dum Biryani

Ingredients:
Chicken-1lb clean & wash
Basmati rice –1lb washed & soaked in water
Green cardamoms-3nos
Ground mace –1/2tsp
Freshly grated nutmeg-1/4tsp
Cloves-3
Cinnamon stick-1
Whole star anise-2
Garam masala powder-2tsp
Thick curd-2cups
Tomato past-4tbsp
Onions-1big sliced
Ginger garlic paste 2tsp
Chilli powder-2tbsp
Saffron-pinch dissolved in 2tbsp warm milk
Salt to taste
Oil-8tbsp
Ghee-2tbsp
Method: 1) In a bowl add curd, ginger garlic paste, garam masala, powder, tomato paste, chilli powder, nutmeg, ground mace salt mix well .Add the chicken & &rub the mixture into the meat. Let the chicken marinate for 3-4hrs.
2)Drain the rice & keep aside. Boil 6cups of water in a pan. Meanwhile, heat ghee/oil in a skillet. Add staranise, cardamoms, cloves & cinnamon & let it splutter, then add rice fry for 4-5mts.transfer the rice to the boiling water, add salt & cook uncovered till the rice is3/4th cooked. Drain the rice in a colander & set aside.
3) Heat oil in a pan; add onions & fry till golden brown. Transfer to a plate.
4) Now heat oil in a pan & add the marinated chicken fry it for about 5mts or until the oil separates.
5) Add the rice over the chicken mixture sprinkle ghee & saffron dissolved in milk cover tightly with aluminum foil & place the pan over a pan & cook on high heat for 5mts then cook for about 20mts on medium heat.
6) Remove & let stand covered for 5mts before serving.

Tomato Rice

Ingredients:
Tomato paste-1cup
Basmati rice-2cups (washed & soaked in water) Water-3cups
Onions-1small
Ginger garlic paste-1tbsp
Mint leaves-1/4th bunch
Garam masala powder-1tsp
Green chillies-2-3nos
Turmeric powder-1/4tsp
Chilli powder-1tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil/ghee
Method:
1) Blend coarsely onions, green chilies mint & ginger garlic paste.
2) Heat oil in a rice cooker or a pan & add the onion mixture fry well then add chilli powder, turmeric powder, & garam masala powder. Fry for 2mts.
3) Add the tomato paste for 5mts.Then add the drained rice, salt & water mix well & allow it to cook till the rice is fully cooked.
4) Serve with raita.

Mutton Biryani

Ingredients:
Mutton/lamb-medium size pieces1lb
Basmati rice-1lb wash & soak in water
Onions-2nos sliced
Tomato paste –2tbsp
Red chilli –10nos
Green chilli –3nos
Mint leaves-1small bunch finely chopped
Ginger-garlic paste
Garam masala powder-2tsp
Cardamom-2nos
Cinnamon-1
Clove-4nos
Shajeera-1tsp
Bay leaf-2-3
Saffron-pinch
Milk-2tbsp
Curd-1cup
Ghee/oil-1/2cup
Salt to taste
Method: Fry sliced onions in ghee/oil till light brown remove half the onions & keep aside & fry the remaining onions till crisp. Dry roast the red chilies for 2mts & grind it to a fine paste with fried onions and green chilies Now marinate mutton with curd chilli onion mixture, tomato paste, salt, garam masala mint leaves and ginger garlic paste .let it marinate for about 1hour. Heat oil in a pan& add mutton and pressure-cook till done. Drain the rice & keep the drained water aside. Heat ghee/oil in a pan add whole spices, when splutter add drained rice & fry for 2minutes. Now boil drained water (add more water if necessary) pour over rice. Water level should be little above the rice. Let it cook till the rice is 3/4cooked.remove the whole spices. Now in a heavy bottomed dish put ghee then add cooked mutton then layer it with rice put little ghee, saffron dissolved in milk, & the crispy onions. Cover it with aluminum foil & put it on a pan & cook on high flame for 5mts then reduce the flame to medium & cook for about 20-25mts. Serve with raita.

Bread Murukku

I got this quick and easy murukku recipe from a book, don’t remember the name. I make this murukku when I just have to finish the bread before it gets spoilt.
Ingredients: Bengal gram flour-1cup
Rice flour-1/2cup
Bread-10 slices
Chili powder-3/4tsp
Salt to taste
Asafoetida powder-1/4tsp
Hot oil for dough-11/2tbsp
Oil-for deep frying
Method: Remove brown crust from bread slices. Dip one slice at a time in water, remove immediately and squeeze out water. Add rice flour, gram flour, salt, and chili powder to the squeezed bread and mix well.

Pour hot oil, asafoetida powder and then sprinkle water to prepare thick dough.

Use star or ribbon disk, (I prefer ribbon disk) fill the dough in murruku maker and squeeze directly in hot oil.

Fry till crisp in medium flame. Put it in a colander to drain excess oil.Crumble & then store in an airtight container.

Paneer Butter Masala

Ingredients: Paneer -200gms
Tomatoes Ripe-2 medium size
Onions-1 medium size
Ginger paste-1tsp
Garlic paste-1tsp
Kasuri methi-1tsp
Turmeric-1/4tsp
Chilli powder-2tbsp (adjust to taste)
Garam Masala powder-1tsp
Salt to taste Butter-2tbsp
Heavy cream-2tbsp
Cashew nut paste-2tbsp
Orange food color (optional)
Chopped cilantro
Method: Boil the onions & tomatoes separately & de-skin the tomatoes & grind them to a fine paste separately. Cut the paneer into cubes & fry them in 1tbsp butter till light brown, remove & keep aside. Now add the remaining butter to the pan & add onion paste & sauté till brown. Then add ginger garlic paste. Sauté for a minute. Add cashew paste, turmeric powder, and chilli powder & stir well. Add tomato puree, crushed kasuri methi & salt. Stir & let it cook for about 3minutes. Now add paneer & simmer for 2mts.Add garam masala powder & heavy cream Stir in for about 2minutes & remove from flame . Garnish with chopped cilantro.