• 2 cups basmati or any other long grain rice • 3 1/2 cups water • Masala or spice mix • 2 tbs. oil • 1 tsp. cumin seeds • 2 bay leaves* • 2-3 cloves* • 2 large black cardamoms* • 4-6 small green cardamoms* • 6-7 black peppers* • 1 inch piece of cinnamon* • *If you do not have these whole spices, which make garam masala, you can use 1 tsp. of ground Garam Masala instead • 1/2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated • 2-3 cloves of garlic, peeled and grated or crushed • 2 onions, peeled and sliced • 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder • 1 tsp. coriander powder • 1/2 tsp. chilli powder • Salt to taste • 200 gm tinned tomatoes or 2 large tomatoes peeled and chopped • Vegetables (you can use fewer vegetables): • 1 medium potato, peeled and cubed • A few bite size florets of cauliflower • 2 tbs. frozen or shelled peas • 1 carrot, peeled and thickly sliced • 1 courgette (tori/turai), thickly sliced • 1/2 green pepper, stalk and core removed and chopped into large pieces • 2 green chillies, sliced • 100 gm. Paneer Indian Cheese, cubed. In UK, paneer is available from Indian shops and some supermarkets. • Oil for deep frying. • For garnish: • 10-14 ready salted cashew nuts • 2 onions, sliced and deep fried
Buy ingredients from a recommended supplier, Spices of India. For more information, see here.
Instructions
1. Preparing vegetables: 2. Measure all ingredients and keep aside. 3. Prepare all vegetable. 4. Heat oil and deep fry paneer cubes until lightly brown, keep aside. Keep on absorbent paper to drain oil. 5. Deep fry potatoes, courgettes and cauliflower individually and keep aside (they all take different times to fry). 6. Deep fry the onions for garnish, drain and keep aside on a kitchen towel. Ready fried onions can be used for garnish. 7. Making masala: 8. Heat 2 tbs. oil in a separate pan. 9. Add cumin seeds and whole spices and wait until cumin seeds splutter. 10. Add ginger, garlic and onions and fry until golden brown. 11. Add all ground spices, stir for a few minutes and add tomatoes. Cook until oil separates. 12. Add all vegetables, except onions for garnish. 13. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring from time to time. 14. Cooking Biryani: 15. Add rice to the vegetable mix, stir well to coat the rice with the mix. 16. Add 3 1/2 cup of water #, bring to boil and turn heat to low. Cook covered until all water absorbs. This takes about 10 minutes. Do not keep opening the lid to have a peep! Glass lidded pans are better for this reason. 17. Serve hot, garnished with deep fried onions and cashew nuts. Also serve roasted/grilled papads (popodoms), fresh natural yoghurt and pickles of choice. My favourite with this dish is Sweet Mango Chutney and dry roasted/grilled popodums (papads).
Notes
• # You can add a few strands of saffron at this point. • Vegetables can be varied depending over availability. • You can use the vegetables without frying, I usually do. • Also see: Lamb Biryani, Chicken Biryani, A Quick Biryani, Chicken Fried Rice from Leftovers, Soya Chunk Biryani. • BBQ Biryani: Cook rice as per your recipe. Make small parcels, one parcel per person, wrapped in aluminium foil. Place them on BBQ for a few minutes to heat. Serve straight from the BBQ.
Right - I've sort of made this up, cos I can't find me recipe... this should make enough for 4
Enough Quorn mince or tofu made up to equal about 1.5lb real mince (You'll have to work this one out for yourselves cos it's been years since I made anything with Quorn! Can't even remember if you soak it, or just put it in - might be an idea to cook it before you make the chilli ...)
1 large onion, finely chopped 1-3 cloves garlic, crushed - use as much as you see fit 1 red pepper, seeded and chopped. 1 tin chopped tomatoes, you might need more. Tomato puree Make up some veg stock Tin kidney beans 1/2-1 tsp ground cumin
Now for the chilli - you can use any sort of chilli powder if you like, but I've always found that the chillies that come in jars, or chilli sauce do the honours. I get all me herbs and spices from Foxes who do mail order - my Dad got me a chilli kit for Christmas, and the one that really got me going is called sambal oelek - it's like a relish from Indonesia, and it blows your head off..
The trick is to add just a bit to start with and then if you like it hotter, add a bit more til you get it just the way you wanted.
RIGHT!!!
Do whatever you have to do with the Quorn mince, and leave to one side.
Get a massive pan with a lid, and sweat the onions, red pepper and garlic in some olive oil until they are starting to get soft.
Add whatever chilli you are using, but go easy cos the longer you cook chilli, the more the kick is released, especially if you use one that has the seeds in it. Also add the cumin - it's fantastic in chilli.
Stir in the mince, add the tomatoes with their juice, and about 1/4 pint of veg stock. Bung in a huge dollop of tomato puree, black pepper and salt to taste, and a pinch of dried mixed herbs.
Make sure there's enough liquid in the pan, give it a huge stir, bring to the boil, then lower the temperature as low as you can, cover and just leave it. After a bit, give it a stir and then taste it. Up the chilli factor if you like, then leave it again - the longer you cook it, the better the Quorn takes on the flavours - I'd give it at least an hour, longer if you can, but bung a little more stock in if it starts looking a bit dry. Stir it often.
Check yer chilli factor about 10 minutes before it's done, and if you want to blow your head off, add some more. (I love it when it sends steam out of me ears...) At this point, drain, rinse and add the kidney beans, and season again if not salt and peppery enough.
Serve hot with rice, salad and garlic bread - and a huge box of tissues.
Oh - and don't do what me husband did, the one time he tried to make a chilli - eff off out for 2 hours and leave it on high heat with the lid off. It looked like a blimmin frizbee, was burnt solid and I could have wanged it across the garden. It was hilarious. Took me 4 days to get the smell out of the house..
Another one for you, Sloppy! Made this tonight and it was really nice!
Just don't have a massive row with Mr Sloppy and let the flippin thing burn, like I did...
Veg bake a la Mrs O.
Get hold of any left over veg you have in the fridge - I mullered a couple of leeks, half a savoy cabbage that was on it's last legs, and yesterdays leftover peas. Slice it all up and wash it a bit (leeks are gross when not washed)
Cook til tender - about 5 minutes, and drain - leave to dry for a bit.
Make up half a pint of white sauce, add some salt and pepper and some grated nutmeg, and a load of grated cheese, and mix it all together.
Chuck the veg in, mix it all about, and sprinkle a bit more cheese on top, and bung it in the oven (quite hot - about 180) til it's brown on top, and really hot.
Brilliant with roasts!
(Christ - I'm starting to sound like Jamie Oliver... *starts to get worried*)
Originally posted by mrs_o: Another one for you, Sloppy! Made this tonight and it was really nice!
Just don't have a massive row with Mr Sloppy and let the flippin thing burn, like I did...
Veg bake a la Mrs O.
Get hold of any left over veg you have in the fridge - I mullered a couple of leeks, half a savoy cabbage that was on it's last legs, and yesterdays leftover peas. Slice it all up and wash it a bit (leeks are gross when not washed)
Cook til tender - about 5 minutes, and drain - leave to dry for a bit.
Make up half a pint of white sauce, add some salt and pepper and some grated nutmeg, and a load of grated cheese, and mix it all together.
Chuck the veg in, mix it all about, and sprinkle a bit more cheese on top, and bung it in the oven (quite hot - about 180) til it's brown on top, and really hot.
Brilliant with roasts!
(Christ - I'm starting to sound like Jamie Oliver... *starts to get worried*)
Thanks mrs_o. It looks great and I'll try not to burn it!
mrs_o's Dads Famous Vegetarian Moussaka - for 4 but you need a massive dish for this, it's very filling!
Have a stiff drink or 6 before you start, cos this is a tricky devil.
RIGHT - for the sauce you will need:
2 aubergines 300ml veg stock 4oz brown or green lentils, or a mixture LOTS of olive oil 2 onions, chopped 1 red pepper, seeded and chopped 2 cloves garlic, crushed Tin chopped tomatoes 200ml red wine Tomato puree 1 tsp Ground cinnamon Salt and black pepper
For the topping you will need:
About 750ml plain or Greek yogurt 250g ricotta, grated I think... 2 eggs, beaten S & P Lots of grated parmesan
OK - here we go...
Slice the aubergines, and sprinkle with salt. Leave them for a while in a colander, and then rinse and dry.
Put the lentils in with the stock and simmer until tender - about half an hour. You need to watch them to make sure they don't dry out and burn, so have some extra stock handy.
Fry the aubergines in LOTS of olive oil (they soak it up like you wouldn't believe) , drain on kitchen roll, then layer half over the base of the dish you are cooking it in.
Fry the onions and pepper until soft, then add the garlic.
Mix the wine, a big dollop of tomato puree and the cinnamon into a sort of paste.
Put the lentils, remaining stock and everything else except the aubergine into a pan and simmer for a few minutes. Literally chuck everything in. But not the aubergine.
Pour half of this over the aubergine in the dish.
Top with remaining aubergine, and the rest of the lentil sauce.
Dad didn't say how to make the topping, but I would imagine that you just bind it all together and pour over the top of the mixture.
Top with loads of grated Parmesan, and bake for about an hour - Dad said 180, but I'd whack it up to 200 for the last 10 minutes or so to get it really hot, and brown the topping.
All you need with this is LOADS of crusty bread and lots of wine - it's GORGEOUS.
) 
...)
Men, eh!
