February 16, 2009

Aloo Biryani with Cucumber Raita, Chole-Dill Chaat, Rice Cake Flower

Siri of "Siri's corner" is guest hosting "Recipes for rest of us-Dinner" event, which is started by Ramki. My Aloo Biryani with Cucumber Raita goes to Siri.

Rachana of "The Gourmet Launchpad"
blog is asking for "A Heathy Bite" for her healthy and tasty party appetizers event. I am sending her my healthy and tangy "Chole-Dill Chaat".

Chitra amma of "Chitra amma's kitchen"
is hosting a cute event to celebrate her first blog birthday called "Kitchen Masterpieces" and asking us to create anything we fancy with food we eat. I took a hint from her own dosa art and made a Plate idli flower for her, hope she likes it!

Thanks to all of you, enjoy hosting! :)

Aloo Biryani with Cucumber Raita:
I made this Aloo Biryani the easy way. Instead of cooking and layering like the usual Biryani is done, I mixed the masala to already cooked rice and sauteed Potatoes like Pulao. Instead of Aloos, you can also add mixed veggies or meat to this Biryani masala too.

Also I am not supposed to use exact measures as per the rules of this event and recipe should be easy enough for a 10yr old to make this dish, so I threw in some "this and that" to make this Biryani. I cooked, peeled and sauteed the Potato cubes with a bit of salt in little oil first to make it easy to cook. Have fun!

Aloo Biryani:

1. Cook rice with pinch of salt, some lemon juice and bit of ghee, spread on a plate to cool. Prepare the Potatoes as above and set aside.
2. Heat oil, add few raisins, few cashews, few cloves, cinnamon pieces, crushed Cardamom pods.
3. Add about 2 handfuls of minced onion, fry until golden. Add ginger and garlic paste, saute for a minute.
4. Sprinkle coriander seeds powder, Cumin seeds powder, pepper powder, chill pd, pinches of turmeric, bit of garam masala, salt stir for a minute. Add some milk mixed with a pinch of saffron and Rose water, simmer until thickish paste. Ground poppy seeds added to Biryani will give a special taste.
5. Add potato cubes and rice and mix everything well. Adjust the spices and salt. You can garnish the Biryani with toasted Almond slivers if you like. Serve with Cucumber raita.

Cucumber Raita:
Mix enough yogurt, few pinches of salt, pepper pd, few cilantro and mint minced and cumin seeds powder and peeled and cubed cucumber pieces. Let it rest for a while before serving.

Serve with Biryani and enjoy! :)

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Chole-Dill Chaat:
This is a simple Chaat you can serve in a small bowl and a spoon in any Indian party. It's fairly dry, flavorful and nutritious too. If you don't like Dill leaves (Suwa bhaji), you could replace it with baby Spinach or Fenugreek leaves or skip the greens all together and use just Chickpeas.

Here is how I made it:
1. Heat 2 tsp oil, saute 1" grated ginger until slightly golden. Add 1/2 a bunch of chopped Dill leaves, pinch of salt and 1 tbsp water, stir fry for 2-3 mins.
2. Now 1 can of drained and rinsed Organic Chickpeas, enough salt and add 1-2 tsp or more chaat masala. Mix well and heat it through. It should wet but without gravy, not very dry either.
Since canned chickpeas are already cooked and soft, you just need to mix with spices and heat it.
3. To serve, squeeze some Lemon juice on top, mix and serve in a small bowl. You can sprinkle red onion chopped and sliced green chillies if you can handle it but not necessary.

Chaat masala:
1 tsp Coriander seeds powder, 1 tsp Cumin seeds powder, 1 tsp Amchoor/dry Mango powder, 1/4 tsp chilli pd, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp black salt (Kala Namak) and 1/4 tsp coarse pepper powder. Mix all these and use as much as you need in the above Chole chaat or Aloo chaat or any Chaat!

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Rice cake/Thatte Idli Flower:
I used one Rice Pancake aka Thatte Idli or Idli steamed in Dhokla stand plates, cut a flower with a pancake flower mould, filled the middle with Zucchini chutney and stuck a carrot pickle there. Sprinkled some coarsely ground pepper powder around the idli and garnished the corners with some chutney powder! I know! It's a very juvenile art from me but then I am not artistic enough to make anything else! Hahaha!!
Thanks to Chitra amma, I enjoyed being a kid again for few minutes! :))

Enjoy the rest of the week, see you all later! :)

64 comments:

lubnakarim06 said...

Wow Wow Wow ........Superb!

Purnima said...

WOW..glorious dishes! Lovely entries! The biryaani looks yum! I loved ur chole dill n just splendid that flower wt chutney in center n podi on the petals! Justtttt awesome!! :D

Sunshinemom said...

Magnificent feast! The idli looks great - I am stuck because I just do not know what to do about food art:(

FH said...

Thanks KF, Biryani and chaat are really tasty! :)

HeHe! That flower was lovely to eat too Purni! ;D
Chole is yummy with parathas as well.

sra said...

Getting arty with the idli flower, eh! Cute. Am off for a few days, see you next week, esp. if my computer is up and about!

FH said...

H, that was my dilemma too. I just came to know about this event last week and time was running out! Saw the idli and thought "Hey, wait a minute!" ;D

HeHe! sra, thank you!
Have a wonderful time on your break. Come and say hello to my RCI Haryanvi cuisine at FH when you come back. Happy Shivaratri too.Hugs! :))

Siri said...

Thanks Ashaji for such a easy, simple entry. Adding masalas to cooked rice is a neat idea and I am gonna try this for sure. Idli flower is soooo cute..:)

Are you hosting the next RCI? I just saw your comment reply for Sra. That would be so much fun and guess what, I was just thinking of your last year's RCI: Karnataka today morning. :))

Hugs,
Siri

indosungod said...

Aloo Biryani I have got to try. The flower idli is a chil's delight.

notyet100 said...

allo biryani looks delish...;-)and flower looks so cute,..chickpea salad looks yum too,..:-)will wait for ur haryanvui thali../

Finla said...

I have never had potato biriyani, looks yumm, but i love the channa with dill.
Wrer you in a flower power mood when you made the rice cake.

UjjU said...

loved the thatte idli! Chole dill looks so tempting. :)

Ashwini said...

Wow very creative..flower idli..Love the Biryani and dill channa chat..tasty tasty..

Divya Kudua said...

Aloo biryani looks delicious and cucumber raita is my standard biryani-companion.I am so making the biryani soon,if a ten year old can make it,so can I;-).Love the flower thatte idli too..you actually gave me an idea..I sometimes make flower appam(Kerala Vellayappam/Paalappam)should try making it for the event!!

Pavithra Kodical said...

Hola!!!Everything is yummy and delicious..Floral design with idly is looking good..And combination of chole and dill is mouthwatering..Great post:)

Anonymous said...

Hi Asha,
aloo biryani and the dill chole chat looks delicious.as for the idlis,they are my favourite and the floral shape looks cool.

shalini

FH said...

Siri, Biryani was good, I just mixed the masala with rice to make it easy, it worked! :)
No, I am not hosting any RCI but was cooking for Haryana RCI last weekend. Although, wish somebody would take up Delhi cuisine someday!

Hurray for Idli flower! Thanks Indo. Alu Biryani is yummy and simple too, try! :)

N, I just was typing for RCI, I am exhausted now but happy! :D

FH said...

LOL! F, I had no idea what to make but the minute I saw the idli lying there, I did this to it! Poor thing!

Thanks Ujju, had some Zucchini chutney at hand, so made that! :D

Chole chaat goes well with Parathas too, Ash! :)

FH said...

D, Biryani and raita go together, enjoy. Yes, appam is a good one to decorate too, can't wait to see what you come out with it! :)


Thanks P, I ate the idli flower with all those decoration right after I took the photo! :D

Thanks Shalini. Next post, I will put up some wet grinder photos. I made those idlis with that, came out so soft! :))

AnuSriram said...

Thats a lovely biriyani.. Looks spicy! chole with dill looks awesome... and thats a very creative idea of making an edible flower..

Meera said...

Awesome! when I come here to visit (or ogle at all these yummy recipes/dishes!), my superlative adjectives fall short. I must have visited your idli platter from last week way too many times!!:-D
Now really looking forward to your Haryanvi feast.

FH said...

Thanks Anu, can't add too much spice like chilli pd in the Biryani, kids won't like it but I would love a bit more spicier Biryani! :)

Meera, that's what I did (Haryanvi ie) whole last weekend, it was exhausting but came out very well. Today, I spent half a day typing it all in at FH! PHEW! My fingers are hurting now! :D

Anonymous said...

U made the biryani just the way my hubby likes it... with aloo ( as the main thing in it) & without layering.

That chaat is something which i am craving now... i was looking around the house to snack on something & I saw this.. darn!

that flower is PRETTY!

Cham said...

Oh I love the flower idli is very cute Asha, how could you say u re not artistic? The potato biryani and raita is just a feast at anytime.

FH said...

Soma, I make Biryani this way most of the time,layering etc is so time consuming! Make chaat, if you have canned chole and ready made chaat masala, you will have it within 15mins!:)

Haha! Cham, I had flower cookie cutter, so I just cut the idli and made something! Looks like KG kid's art project! :D

Lakshmi said...

That thatte idli flower looks awesome Ashakka....I love one pot dishes and that biriyani looks yummy too. Dill and chole combination is new to me will give it a try soon :)

amna said...

aloo biryani is such a superb idea, TH would love it :)

Varsha Vipins said...

Never noticed Aroma before Asha..n am sorry I didn't..The dishes are yum..The ones in this post r awesome..I loved the Biriyani..:)
You got a mail..:)

Raaga said...

everything looks great. I have got to try the biryani... good for a lunchbox or a weeknight dinner

Raks said...

I too have aloo biryani in my archive,very tedious process,but this one sounds cool,I can try it out for my son!
Cool entry for the events:)

EC said...

Tempting dishes..being a potato freak, the biriyani idea sounds very appealing..

Anonymous said...

Wow...i am so happy to see aloo biryani.I love biryanis of any sort and of course this couldn't be an exception since i adore tuber too.Deadly combo i must say.....
Dill leaves are used by me only in Saibhaji,a typical sindhi style spinach curry.i never knew it could go so well with chickpeas too and ofcourse the cute flower is surely a master piece in its own sense....who won't love to bite an edible flower huh?

FH said...

LG, thanks. Dill and Chole os great for Chapatis too, try! :)

Make it for him, Nags. It's very easy! :)

Hi Varsha, glad you found Aroma too. I will check the mail. Usually I check them once a week or so!:))

Great for Lunch box Raaga. Can you imagine the aroma when you open the box of Biryani? :))

FH said...

Raks, this s almost like Pulao with Biryani masala, very easy. Do try! :)

Haha!! Potato freaks will be very happy with this one, enjoy EC! :)

Alka, thanks. I love Dill and people make fun of me because I use it so often in almost everything! :D

Yasmeen said...

Chole-Dill chaat is my favorite pick of this lip-smacking spread of food:)

Laavanya said...

I used to make a mild potato rice quite often earlier but has been a while.. your aloo biryani reminds me to try that again. That flower idli is so pretty & cute :) Nice idea Asha.
Chole dill chaat sounds new and interesting.

FH said...

Yasmeen, Chaat masala is really helpful in this chole, makes a nice light lunch too! :))

Laavanya, Biryani making is such a long process even though I love it. This way you get to eat Biryani and makes a easy and quick rice to have! :)

VIDYA VENKY said...

hi asha,
i love ur blog...i saw ur other blog tooo..amazing....iam new to blogging visit my blog whenever u can

FH said...

Hi Vidya, glad you found my blogs. I will check your's. Have fun blogging! :)

Preety said...

wow i love all of them..star shaped rice cake this does looks like an masterpiece..biryani and raita is my all time fav combo to make a delicious lunch/dinner which keeps it simple too..Chole- dill chaat is something new comination but gr8 too

FH said...

Preety, thanks. Try chole and dill if you like dill leaves, really good with parathas! :)

Priya Suresh said...

Wowowowwwwwwwwwww wat a awesome dishes, lovely flower with gorgeous chutney:d

Uma said...

You always come up with such mouth-watering creations! The idli flower looks so pretty. Amazing! :D

Uj said...

Love enthusiasm with which you participate in most of the events :) Loved aloo biryani... Simple to make too..Rice cake flower looks very *cute*. Art does not come easily to me..

Vibaas said...

your thatte idli flower looks beautiful. i love chole chaat and aloo biryani looks yum too :)

Daily Meals said...

Beautiful flower...like the chat and biryani...

Namratha said...

Thatte idli, looks cool! Everything looks awesome Asha.

Mahimaa's kitchen said...

awesome.. the flower shape is cute.
i can smell the aloo biriyani from here.... yummmmmm

Red Chillies said...

Dear Asha, visiting your blog after a long time and a good vacation. Loved the Chole Dill Chaat, both nutritious as well as tasty and loved the way you made a flower of the Tatte Idli :-))

FH said...

HeHe! Thanks Priya! :)

Try my best Uma! :D

UJ, if I have something easy, I will post for events. I have to take a break soon, it's getting to me now! Hahaha!!

FH said...

Thanks Nams. Check out Haryanvi thali at FH too! :))

Mahimaa, I love the Biryani aroma too, so yummy with all the whole garam masala hitting the ghee! Slurp!:)

Hi RC, great to see you back blogging. Glad you enjoyed your trip home and back home here safely too. Chole dill Chaat is easy and yummy with parathas too, try it! :)

Deepthi Shankar said...

thatz sooo yumm .. Iam already drooling over aloo biryani .. & ofcourse I would love to mix chickpeas with dill .. yumm yummm

Usha said...

Wow, I loved your simpler version of biryani, this is a must try recipe for me...and the rice cake flower looks so cute and pretty :-)

FH said...

Thanks Deesha and Usha.
Enjoy the easy Biryani.
Dill and Chole is a great combo, some don't like Dill.You can replace it with Spinach or Methi! :)

krystyna said...

I'll be try to be a kid again too. It is a good idea and yummy.

hugs to you

Adlak's tiny world said...

wow i heard aloo paratha but biriy;ani with aloo hm nice one.. hey that idli looks great in shape and deco dear.. wonderful dishes.

FH said...

Thank you Krystyna and Adlak, hope you try! :))

PG said...

well, I like the decoration of the idli a lot, it's making my mouth water. yum yum! :)

Lovely recipes.
That is also how I also make my own chaat masala. I and my family like it much more than the ones from the market.
Your chole-dill chaat is tempting me to make them too, but without dill. :)

FH said...

Haha! It's fun to think like a kid sometimes, right? Thanks PG, try chole without Dill, I know some don't like the smell of dill leaves! :))

Unknown said...

Potato biriyani is an awesome idea. I would definitely give it a try as my husband is a huge fan of potato. Chole-Dill salad looks equally good. Love to have it with a cup of hot tea. Rice flower is come out perfect Asha:) Very innovative. Good going.

FH said...

Thanks Roopa, do try and enjoy. Biryani is easy! :)

Archy said...

Wow, briyani, chaat and nice flower idli !! Wonderful !! Need to try chaat :)!!

FH said...

Chaat is good and good for you too Archy, give it a try! :)

Pravs said...

very interesting dishes ! chole dill chaat .. thats something to try.

FH said...

Hi Pravs, do try. Dill Chole Chaat is easy and nutritious, great for kids too! :)