Kauni arusi

Its a chettinad delicacy, generally served during auspicious occasions such as weddings. Its a must try dish if you can get some rice. These are dark blackish rice which is more of a deep purple color when cooked. I love the texture of this rice, its chewy and sticky when cooked and its really yummy and i could eat tons of them as i just love biting on them :)

Ingredients:

Kauni Arusi - 2 cups
Water to cook rice
Ghee
Grated coconut - 1 cup
salt - 1 pinch
sugar - 1 cup or as required.
Cardamom - optional


Method:

Add the rice to cooker and add 2 cups of water for each cup of rice. Cook for about 5 whistles as it takes a bit longer to get cooked.

Kauni Arusi for those who are not familiar with it.

When the pressure cooker is cooled check if the rice is cooked, sometime the water is not completely used up, in that case, keep the cooker on medium heat and cook for a few minutes. Keep stirring so that the bottom doesn't get burnt. Unfortunately i forgot to click picture during every step (will update the next time i cook this).

Once the rice reaches a thick sticky consistency add a pinch of salt, ghee, grated coconut and sugar. You can add cardamom if you like the flavor, but i just like it without it. You could adjust these ingredients to your taste. 

Chicken Briyani

Making briyani for a sunday lunch had been a tradition in our home for quite a long time, so that i could achieve perfection. Here is one simple recipe to make an awesome briyani. There are several methods to make briyani, this method is know as kachi briyani. Its quite simple to make and you cant really go wrong with this recipe.

Ingredients:

Chicken - 1 kg with bone
Basmati rice- 4-5 cups
oil - 6 tbsp
ghee -2 tbsp
spice - bay leaves, star anise, cardamom, cinnamon, other spices. Garam masala powder is optional.
ginger garlic paste - 3 tbsp
curd - 1 cup
coriander leaves- 1 bunch
mint leaves - bunch
Fried onions - 250 g
kala jeera - 1tbsp
black whole pepper - 1tbsp
green chilies - 4 numbers
red chili powder - 2 tbsp (if you like it spicy you could add more)
Coriander powder - 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Lemon juice - 4-5 tbsp
Salt - as required


Methods:

Marinate cleaned chicken with ginger garlic paste, chopped coriander leaves, chopped mint leaves, black pepper, chopped green chilies, chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, curd, oil, ghee, fried onions, salt, whole spices, salt. Mix well and if possible marinate it over night in the refrigerator.

Soak the washed basmati rice for 30 mins. In a large vessel add salt, lemon juice, jeera, oil and enough water to cook the rice. The water should taste salty in order to half enough salt for the rice. Add the rice and cook let it get cooked. Take half of the rice when its 60% done and drain it. The other half of the rice should be drained when it is 75% done.

to cook the basmati rice

In a heavy bottom vessel, i use a pan shaped pressure cooker and it works perfectly well. Grease the pan and add the marinated chicken to the bottom of the vessel. Now make a layer with the 60% cooked rice. Top it with some chopped mint, coriander leaves, fried onions. Now add a layer of 75% done rice and top it with chopped mint, coriander, and fried onions. 

Add set to cook, bottom layer is chicken and topped with two layers of rice.

Cover the cooker but with out the weight valve. Cook in high flame for 10 mins and followed by medium heat for 15 mins. Now your house must be filled with the yummy smell of this awesome briyani.

You need to mix the briyani with the chicken at the bottom layer when you serve.

Coriander chutney

Chutney are something that makes the breakfast more yummier. Especially when its idly i need some really yummy chutney. One of my to go chutney is this, which is one of the easiest.

Ingredients:

Grated coconut - 4-5 tsp
Pottukadalai - 2 tsp
Coriander leaves- 1 bunch
Tamarind- 1 small piece
Green chilies - 2-3 numbers
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Salt - as required


Method:

Put all the ingredients in a blender and grind it into  a fine paste. Add water if required ....Ta da....your yummy accompaniment for idly or dosa is ready.