Spicy Tea - Recipe

What do you crave for most in winter? We always yearn for things hot and spicy. And when we talk about tea, spicy tea is what we would like to have in winter when the weather is extremely cold. Keeping this in view, I’m posting the recipe for Spicy Tea which I’m sure that you’d love.

Here are the ingredients for preparing Spicy Tea:

·         3 to 4 teaspoon tea leaves or 4 teabags

·         A small piece of dry ginger. If dry ginger isn’t in handy, you may use fresh ginger.

·         3 to 4 cardamom pods

·         3 cloves

·         A small piece of cinnamon

·         A teaspoon of fennel seeds (saunf)

·         A piece of two of black peppers (this however is an optional ingredient)

·         Sugar

·         Milk

If you’ve got the above ingredients ready, you can start preparing your Spicy Tea and the method of preparation is given below.

To begin, bring two cups of water to boil. Add the ingredients above apart from milk and sugar and boil the mixture for about fifteen seconds. Let the mixture stand for a minute and in the meantime, warm the milk in a pot. Pour tea into cups by filtering it through a sieve. Now, add milk and sugar to your liking. Your Spicy Tea is ready and you can enjoy sipping it.

If you think you are one of the lazy lots and don’t want to spend much time preparing the ingredients, you can take the above ingredients (except for milk and sugar) and grind them coarsely. Then, you just have to boil water add tea and a teaspoon of the ground spices. And the rest is as above.

For easy instructions to how to prepare different Indian dishes, you may download Indian Cuisines application for your iPhone. To download or check out its features click HERE.

Preparing Indian Masala Tea (Chai)

Masala Chai is one popular tea in India. It is preferred by all from all corners of the country. Today, I’ll tell you (those who still don’t know how to prepare the same) how to prepare it. Here it goes.

First you have to prepare the masala (mixture of spices) and here is how you prepare the masala. Take the following things:

1.       A cup of dried ginger

2.       ½ cup of green cardamom (elaichi) pods

3.       A Tablespoon peppercorns

4.       Six or seven 2” cinnamon sticks

Now, grind the spices together and your masala is done.

For the tea, take a cup of water and put to hear. Add one and a half sugar, a quarter teaspoon of the masala you prepared two pinches of cardamom powder and a teaspoon tea leaves. Allow the mixture to simmer till the aroma emanates. Now add a cup of milk and then bring the tea to boil. Now allow it to simmer for another two minutes. Take it off from the flam an cover it. Keep it aside for two minutes. Drain the leaves from the tea and the tea is ready to be served.

Isn’t it easy?

You can prepare other dishes with the help of the easily explained recipes given in the Indian Cuisines application for your iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. Download Indian Cuisines for your iPad, iPod Touch and iPhone today. Same application for Android and Symbian will be coming soon.

Meat Durbari - Recipe

It’s been a long time since I haven’t posted any recipe or updates on Indian Cuisines iPhone application. Today as a continuance to my months old posting, I’ll be posting a recipe on Meat Durbari. First, you need to get the ingredients from the market. The ingredients are given below.

·         1 kg Leg of Lamb

·         2" piece Cinnamon

·         1 tablespoon Mustard Seeds

·         2 tablespoon Poppy seeds

·         1 tablespoon Sesame seeds

·         1 Bay Leaf

·         2 - 4 dried Red

·         4 Cloves

·         2 Brown Cardamoms

·         10 Black Peppers

You will also need to make a paste consisting spices and the ingredients for making the paste is given below.

·         1 big sized Onion

·         1" ginger

·         2 fresh green chilies (split lengthwise into halves)

·         2 tablespoon chopped coriander Leaves

·         3 - 4 Garlic cloves (peeled and coarsely chopped)

·         3 tablespoon Clarified Butter (Ghee)

·         3 tablespoon Wine Vinegar

·         1 tablespoon tomato puree

·         175 ml warm water

The paste is prepared by mixing the above ingredient thoroughly in a bowl.

How to Prepare Meat Durbari

·         Trim off excess fat from the meat

·         Cut the meat into 2” cubes

·         Rub or smear the paste (previously prepared) on the meat

·         Marinate it for 4-6 hours or leave it for an overnight inside the refrigerator

·         Make a smooth pulp of garlic by crushing the garlic and salt together

·         Melt Ghee or clarified butter over low flame

·         Add onions and ginger

·         Fry the mixture for over medium flame until onions become soft

·         Add garlic paste (prepared above) and fry further for 2- 3 minutes making sure that the mixture is frequently stirred

·         Add meat and cook with the mixture until all sides of the meat are brown in color

·         Add water to the mixture and allow the mixture to boil

·         Cover and let it simmer until meat gets tender

·         Add the puree, green chilies and coriander leaves

·         Turn the flame to medium and cook for 3-4 minutes by stirring it continuously

·         Remove the pan from the flame.

Now your delicious Meat Durbari is done. You can now serve it hot.

Veg Indian Dishes - Vegetable Biryani

Rice is the staple food of India and has occupied a significant space in Indian Cuisines. Like India lot of other countries have rice as their staple food and have been trying various ways t prepare rice and make it tastier and interesting. Today I will be giving you an easily explained recipe to another Indian vegetarian dish, vegetable biryani.

Ingredients

1. Basmati Rice – 2 cups
2. Mixed Vegetables (potato, carrot, French beans, cauliflower/broccoli) – 1 cup
3. Onion (finely sliced) – 3
4. Green Peas – 150 grams
5. Green Chillies – 2
6. Cinnamon – 2 teaspoon
7. Red Chilli Powder – 1 teaspoon
8. Cloves – 4
9. Cumin Seeds – 2 teaspoon
10. Tomatoes – 4
11. Black Pepper Powder – 1/2 teaspoon
12. Vegetable Oil – 4 tablespoon
13. Mustard Seeds – 1/2 teaspoon
14. Dry Fruits (raisin and cashew nuts) – 3 Tablespoon
15. Salt to taste

Methods of Preparation

Begin you veg biryani preparation by washing the basmati rice. Take the rice with a quarter cup less to four cups of water, add a little salt and two tablespoon dry fruits and cook it in a pressure cooker, a pan or in a microwave.

Cut the vegetables into small and thin pieces and have each of them fried separately in oil. Keep the fried vegetables aside.

Now, take a tablespoon full of oil in a pan, put mustard seeds, green chillies, black pepper powder, cloves, cinnamon and cumin powder in it and stir for half a minute. Thereafter, add the onions and saute for a minute until the onion becomes slightly pink in color. Add salt and red chilli powder and continue stirring. Further, add finely chopped tomatoes and fry until it is cooked perfectly.

Take the Yoghurt, put it in a blender for two rotations to make finer. Add the yoghurt into the pan, stir well and heat it for about ten seconds.

Add the fried vegetables, the cooked rice and mix them well ensuring that you take enough care to avoid the breaking of rice grain. Cook the mixture for three more minutes and your vegetable biryani is done. Garnish it with coriander leaves and dry fruits.

Serve your dish with raita and pickle. Now you have learnt another recipe from Indiancuisines iPhone application.

Non-Veg Indian Dish - Fish Korma

One thing good about fish is that they are good for the stomach since they are easy to digest. When this good protein source is blended with Indian Cuisines, the spices and the special Indian way of cooking fish. And here's yet another Indian non-veg dish, Fish Korma. The Ingredients needed and method of preparation follow.

Ingredients

• Fish – 1 Kg
• Curd – 1/2 Cup
• Ginger Paste – 2 Teaspoon
• Onion Paste – 1/2 Cup
• Garlic Paste – 1 Teaspoon
• Coriander Paste – 1 Tablespoon
• Cardamom – 6 Pieces
• Cinnamon – 1 Inch Stick
• Green Chilli – 6
• Salt – 2 Teaspoon
• Ghee or Oil – 3/4 Cup
• Kewra – 2 Tablespoon
• Lemon Juice – 1 Tablespoon
• Sugar – 1 Tablespoon

Methods of Preparation

First of all, know that for preparing Fish Korma, you may use large fish. Carps are best and ensure that you don't cut the fish into too small pieces. Add all ingredients apart from the green chillies and kewra into the cooking dish, mix them well, cover and heat in low heat.

Turn over the fish carefully when you think the other side is done. Add the kewra and the green chillies when the water in the cooking dish almost dries up and cook for another half an hour in a very low heat. When you see that the oil or ghee is floating up, your Fish Korma is done.

Now, you can serve your Fish Korma with tandoori roti and rice.

This is the easiest way I can depict the way of preparing Fish Korma. You may download Indian Cuisines, the iPad application or iPhone application for even easier way of learning the art of cooking.

Vegtarian Indian Dishes - Dum Aaloo

Dum Aaloo is one of the most common and popular Indian vegetarian dishes. It is well known within the Indian Culinary world. Today I will provide you the simple steps to prepare this dish and who knows you can win the hearts of your loved ones through it.

Indian Cuisines is vast and this dish is one which people would like to learn to prepare. Below are provided the ingredients and methods of preparation.

Ingredients needed

• Aloo/Potatoes – 900 gms
• Ghee or Vegetable oil for deep frying
• Ghee – 1 Cup
• Onion – 1 large (chopped)
• Tomato Puree – 4 Tablespoon
• Hot water – 4 tablespoon
• Curd – 140 ml
• Green Pepper – 1 (sliced with seeds removed)
• Garam Masala powder – 1 teaspoon
• Spices
  • Cloves – 4
  • Bay Leaves – 4
  • Black Peppercorns – 6
  • Green Cardamom – 4
  • Brown Cardamom – 1
  • A piece of Cinnamon Stick
• Ingredients for making paste
  • A large onion finely chopped
  • 12 garlic flakes
  • Ginger – 2 tablespoon
  • Black Peppercorns – 6
  • Poppy Seeds – 1 teaspoon
  • Cumin Seeds – 1 teaspoon
  • Red Chillies (dried) – 2
  • Coriander Seeds – 1 tablespoon
  • Mace (ground) – a pinch
  • Nutmeg (ground) – a pinch
  • Turmeric – 1 teaspoon

Methods of preparation

Start off your dish's preparation by scraping the aaloo (potatoes), prick all over the potatoes and soak them in water with little salt for a couple of hours.

Now, dry the soaked potatoes on a cloth and meanwhile heat the ghee or the vegetable oil. Deep-fry the potatoes until they turn golden brown in color. Drain the oil from fried potatoes and set them aside.

Take a flame-proof pan, heat the measured ghee and fry onions with all the spices until the onions becomes golden brown in color. Now grind the ingredients to make the paste and mix them with the mixture in the pan. Cook for another 10 minutes. Put in the tomato puree, curd and salt and stir.

Now add the aaloo/potatoes, pour the hot water and cook over low heat for five minutes. Sprinkle over the dish with garam masala and pepper and cook for a few minutes. Garnish according to your choice.

Your Dum Aaloo is done and is ready to be served.

Hope this recipe helps you but if you want an even more easy instructions, you can download the Indian Cuisiens iPhone application from iTunes.

Non Veg Indian Dishes – Murgh Musallam

Back from my slumber and this time with the recipe one of the most popular dishes in Indian Cuisines, Murgh Musallam. Below are the ingredients needed and the method of preparing the dish.

Ingredients:

• Garlic – 10 flakes (crushed)
• Ginger – 2 tablespoon (grated)
• Curd – 1 cup (plain yoghurt would work)
• Lemon Juice – 1 tablespoon
• Chicken – 1
• Rice – 1 cup (long grain)
• Shelled Peas – 3/4 cup
• Bay Leaves – 6 leaves
• Ghee – 1 cup
• Onion (large) – 2 (chopped)
• Tomatoes – 225 gms (Peeled and sliced)
• Hot water – 2 cups
• Coriander – 3 tablespoon (chopped)
• Spices
  • Garam Masala Powder – 2 teaspoon
  • Turmeric Powder – 1 tablespoon
  • Cloves – 8 piece
  • Black Peppercorns – 6
  • Brown Cardamom – 1
  • Red Chilli Powder – 1 teaspoon
  • Coriander Powder (roasted) – 1 Tablespoon
  • Cumin (seeds) – 1 teaspoon
  • Saffron strands – 1/2 teaspoon
• Salt to taste

Methods to prepare Murgh Musallam

To begin, take 3/4 of garlic, 1/2 of the ginger, 1/2 the garam masala, 1/3 turmeric, half of the curd, lemon juice and one tablespoon salt and mix them thoroughly forming a paste.

Take the chicken, make small long cuts on it and smear the paste all over making sure that the paste seeps inside the cavity made by the cut. Keep the chicken aside for a couple of hours.

Half cook the rice with peas, 4 cloves, 1/2 teaspoon salt, garlic (remaining) 4 bay leaves and brown cardamom. This is to be stuffed in the chicken.

Take a saucepan, heat the ghee and fry the chicken until it becomes brown. Take care of the stuffing that it doesn't fall or come out. Drain the chicken.

Now, take another pan, fry half the onions in ghee with remaining cloves, 2 bay leaves and green cardamoms. Fry until golden in color. Now add the remaining turmeric and chilli powder.

Take the coriander, cumin seeds, remaining onion and grated ginger then grind them to make a paste.

Continue you frying the mixture stirring it for five to ten minutes until the ghee separates. Now, add the tomato and half teaspoon salt.

Add the chicken to the pan and baste with the mixture you just prepared. Add 300ml cups of water, cover it and cook under moderately heated (200°C, 400°F and gas mark 6) oven for an hour.

Before serving the Murgh Musallam, immerse the saffron in the remaining coriander leaves and garam masala powder.

And your Murgh Musallam is ready to be served.

For an even more easily explained recipe, you can download the iPad, iPod and iPhone application Indian Cuisines.

Apple Salad – Easy Breakfast

Most of us would have heard about apple salad. It is one sweet and refreshing breakfast. But do anyone of us knows how to prepare apple salad? I doubt it. It is one of the simplest recipes and today I am going to post on that. And as I said in the previous post this time it is a Indian vegetarian dish.

The ingredients needed are:

• 1/2 cup raisin
• 3/4 cup of mayonnaise
• A cup sugar
• 3 bananas
• 1 cup pecan
• 1 cup sour cream
• 5 red apples
• 2 cups of mini marshmallows
• A cup of sweet pineapple (chunks)

The method to prepare it is also one of the easiest and I don't have any idea is this a conventional dish or is it included in the Indian Cuisines. But why should we care? I'm helping you not to starve when mommy's not around. Here is the method.

Put whatever the ingredients mentioned above in a bowl and mix them well to blend. What's next is much more easy, put the salad in the refrigerator and refrigerate (what do we use a refrigerator for, silly statement by me). Voila! Your salad is done and ready to serve.

If you think my blog is helping you, the Indian Cuisines iPod, iPad and iPhone application will help you better. You can download it from iTunes or the Apps Store.

Mutton Biryani – Easy Recipe

Mutton Biryani

You know what I've got today? I've got Mutton Biryani recipe. This is for the meat lovers. Vegetarians have to wait for the next post again. By the way this is not according to the recipe given on Indian Cuisines iPad and iPhone application but is written according to how one would prepare without the help of the application. Here it goes.

Necessary Ingredients

• 2 cups Basmati Rice
• 1/2 kg mutton
• 2 medium red onion (sliced)
• 2 teaspoon Ginger-Garlic-green chilli paste
• 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 4 teaspoon ghee (as is traditionally) otherwise vegetable oil can also be used
• 1/2 teaspoon kewra or mitha antar
• 1 teaspoon black pepper (whole)
• 5 green cardamom
• 2 black cardamom
• 1 inch cinnamon
• 1 star anise
• 2 mace
• 1 nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon sahi jeera
• 1/2 teaspoon Whole White pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon clove
• 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric
• Salt to taste

Method of Preparation

Even though this method differs from what is given in the iPhone application but it will be of great help for those who don't have an iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad.

To begin with, wash the rice, drain it and marinate it with green cardamom, black cardamom, cinnamon, anise, mace, nutmeg, sahi jeera, white pepper, clove, turmeric and a teaspoon of ghee. Mix them well and keep marinate it for one to two hours.

Cook the mutton in a pressure cooker with with water, preferred amount of salt and whole black pepper and make the cooker whistle once.

Take a thick bottomed pan, put a teaspoon of ghee and fry the sliced onion until the color changes to golden brown. Then, take half of the fried onions and keep it aside.

Add a teaspoon of ghee, ginger-garlic-green chilli paste and red chilli powder fry the mixture and add the cooked mutton which is already strained in the mixture. Fry it until ghee separates. The stock is also kept aside.

Now remove the mutton from the pan then add the marinated rice and mutton stock. In case the mutton stock is less for the rice to be properly cooked, add water. Cook the rice until it is perfectly cooked.

When the rice is cooked, mixed it with the cooked mutton, a teaspoon of ghee and kewra, mix well, garnish with the fried onions.

Mutton Biryani

Now, your Mutton Biryani is ready to be served. For more easy and visual aid to the recipe, download Indian Cuisines from iTunes.

*Image herein depicted may differ from the original dish.

Indian Cuisines Popular Amongst College Goers

Indian Cuisines, the iPad, iPod Touch and iPhone application developed by Oglacs is gaining popularity amongst college goers and accordingly rate of weekly downloads rises.

The reason behind its gaining popularity among college goers is believed to be because of the rise in interest of today's youth in culinary. Most of the college goers nowadays stays alone being far from home. They either stay with friends in a hostel or in rented rooms. Due to that they need to prepare food for themselves or they should have to settle with the not so hygienic and not so tasty restaurant food. This thereby triggers them to prepare food for themselves. They look for the easiest assistance and they are thankful that they have IndianCuisines an outstanding Indian culinary iPhone or iPad application. This application helps them to learn cooking Indian dishes both veg and non-veg.

Other features that drive them wild is the “Facebook share” and the “Get Famous” features. Through the former feature they can flaunt to their friends that they are using this iPhone application and they are putting it to good use and the later excites them since they are expecting to be featured in this application if in case the recipe they have shared with the developers is selected.

If you are one college goer and if you are staying away from home, away from mom's dishes, this is the application that will come to your rescue. Download IC from iTunes today.

Paneer Lababdar

Paneer Lababdar

Paneer Lababdar is one recipe directly out from the list of Indian Cuisines recipes. This is a vegetarian dish which takes only thirty minutes to cook. Here is the recipe on how you can prepare Paneer Lababdar by yourself.

Ingredients :

Paneer – 250 grams

Oil (vegetable) – 3 Tbsp

Cumin Seeds – 1 Teaspoon

Onions (chopped) – 2

Tomatoes – 4

Red Chilli Powder – 1/2 Tablespoon

Cumin Powder – 12 Teaspoon

Garam Masala – 1/2 Teaspoon

White Butter – 2 Tablespoon

Kasoori Methi – 1 Tablespoon

Fresh Cream – 4 Tablespoon

Ginger (shredded) – 1&1/2 Teaspoon

Tomato (garnishing) – 1

Fresh Coriander for garnishing

Salt to taste

And here is the method on how to prepare this dish.

To begin, heat oil in a pan thereafter add cumin seeds and cook it until it produces cracking sound. Now, add the onions and heat them until the color turns golden brown.

Take a mixer or a liquidizer and mash the tomatoes into a puree and add it to the pan when the onions are done. Now Cover the pan and cook over low flame for five minutes.

After five minutes, add garam masala, cumin powder, kasoori meth and red chilli powder to the pan and cook for another two minutes and thereafter add the white butter.

Cook for one minute and add your preferable amount of salt to taste. Then, add paneer (Indian Cheese), cook for six to seven minutes and then take it down from flame. Now, to complete your Paneer Lababdar dish, pour the fresh cream over it, garnish with sliced tomatoes, shredded ginger and fresh coriander leaves.

Now, your Paneer Lababdar dish is done and you can serve the dish with Indian breads.

This recipe is also perfectly described and how the dish would look like after when it is done is given in the iPhone and iPad application Indian Cuisines which is now available for download in iTunes.

Butter Chicken – Made Easy

One of the best known Indian dishes is Butter Chicken otherwise known as Murg Makhani. This is one of the many Indian dishes which we were eager to put it in the iPad and iPhone application, Indian Cuisines and we did. Here is an easy way to help you learn preparing this dish (but mind you, the application explains better than this).

Ingredients

• Chicken (boneless and skinless) - 1 Kg
• Lime juice - 1 lime
• Red chilli powder - 1 teaspoon
• Cloves – 6 pieces
• Cinnamon - 1” stick
• Peppercorns – 8 -10
• Bay leaves – 2 leaves
• Almonds – 8-10 pieces
• Cardamom – seeds from 3-4 pods
• Fresh Yoghurt – 1 Cup
• Cooking oil (Vegetable/sunflower/canola) – 3 tablespoons
• Onions – 2 (chopped)
• Garlic (paste) – 2 teaspoons
• Ginger (paste) – 1 teaspoon
• Coriander Powder – 2 teaspoons
• Cumin Powder – 1 teaspoon
• Turmeric Powder – 1/4 teaspoon
• Tomato Paste – 200g to 400gm (according to preference)
• Chicken Stock – 1/2 Litre
• Dried Fenugreek Leaves (Kasuri Methi) – 2 Tablespoons
• Soft butter (solid) – 3 tablespoons
• Coriander Leaves (to Garnish) and
• Salt to Taste

Method of Preparation

To start with, mix the chicken, lime juice, red chilli powder and salt in a non-metallic bowl. Cover the mixture and allow to marinate for an hour.

Now, heat a pan and gently roast the cloves, peppercorns, bay leaves, almonds and cinnamon on medium heat stirring it often till there is slight darkening in color. Let it (mixture of spices) cool down and add the cardamom seeds then coarsely grind the spices.

Proceeding, mix the fresh yoghurt with the ground spices and add the mixture with the chicken which was left to marinate. Leave the compound mixture to marinate for another hour.

Heat the cooking oil in a deep pan over a medium heat. When the oil is ready, add the chopped onions and fry it until the color of the onion changes to golden brown. Add ginger and garlic pastes and fry for another minute.

Add the chicken (only the chicken) from the mixture and fry it until the pinkish flesh turns whitish. Then add the tomato (as per your preference), kasuri methi, chicken stock and the remaining part of the chicken-yoghurt-spice mixture to the pan. Cook the chicken is perfectly cooked and the gravy is reduced to half of its initial quantity. Then, melt the soft butter and pour it over the chicken.

Garnish the chicken with coriander leaves and serve it hot with Naan and kaali dal.

This recipe as always, may differ from how it is described in the iPhone application. And if you want to know more about the application, you can visit iTunes or Oglacs' Products Page.

Handi Biryani Recipe

As requested by many of our (Oglacs') regular visitors, starting today, I will be posting recipes of Indian dishes so that people who don't have an iPhone can visit our blogging site and also learn to prepare tasty and spicy Indian dishes. Today I will post about preparing Handi Biryani. It is a vegetable biryani prepared in Handi (a narrow-mouthed cooking vessel used in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan)

Handi Biryani Recipe

Servings – 4

Preparation Time – 40-45 minutes

Cooking Time – 30-35 minutes

Here are the necessary ingredients for preparing Handi Biryani. It may differ from the recipe provided in the iPad and iPhone application developed by Oglacs, the Indian Cuisines.

Rice – 1and 1/2 Cups

Onions – 4 (medium)

Ginger – A small piece

Garlic – 7-8 Cloves

Green Chillies – 4-5 pieces

Tomatoes – 2 (medium)

Carrot – 1 (medium)

Cauliflower – 1/4

French Beans – 10-15

Green Peas – 1/2 cup

Fresh Coriander Leaves – Few Sprigs

Fresh Mint Leaves – Few Sprigs

Saffron – Few strands

Kewra Water – Few drops

Green Cardamom – 2-3

Black Cardamom – 1

Cloves – 2-3

Cinnamon – 1 inch

Bay leaf – 1

Oil – 2 tablespoon and for frying

Caraway Seed – 1/2 teaspoon

Cumin Seeds – 1/2 teaspoon

Coriander Powder – 1 tablespoon

Turmeric Powder – 1 teaspoon

Red Chilli Powder – 1 teaspoon

Yoghurt – Half Cup

Salt – to taste

Garam Masala Powder – 1/2 teaspoon

Butter – 3 tablespoon

And here is the method on how to prepare Handi Biryani. The method may however be different from that which is given in the iPhone application.

First of all wash the rice and soak it in water for about twenty minutes and then drain the water. Finely chop one onion and slice the remaining. Peel garlic and ginger then wash them. Now you take the stems of the green chillies, wash them and grind them with ginger and garlic to create a fine paste. Take the tomatoes and chop them finely. The carrot, peel it, clean it and slice it into half inch pieces and do the same with the French beans apart from peeling, for the beans you will have to simply wash it. Separate cauliflower into smaller florets. Wash the green peas. Chop the already washed coriander leaves and mint leaves (separately). Take the saffron and soak them in kewra water.

Now, boil the drained rice in four cups salted boiling water with black cardamom, green cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaf. Boil the mixture until 3/4 is done. If there is any excess water drain it. Keep the 3/4 done rice aside meanwhile you mix all the vegetables and boil them in the similar way. Thereafter, take the frying pan (kadai) and heat sufficient oil and deep-fry the sliced onions till the onion turns golden brown.

Now take a thick-bottomed pan and heat two tablespoon of oil. Add caraway and cumin seeds. Add the chopped onions and saute the mixture until the color turns golden brown. Add the paste which you made earlier coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, yoghurt and mix well. Now add the chopped tomatoes and cook the preparation over a medium heat or till the fat leaves the masala.

Add the previously boiled vegetables and mix well by adding salt. Meanwhile you preheat the oven to 275°C. Now take a handi, arrange the preparation keeping the cooked vegetables and rice in alternate layers. Sprinkle the soaked saffron in kewra water, garam masala powder, mint leaves, coriander leaves, deep-fried sliced onions and butter in between the layers and also on top. Ensure that you finish by topping the rice layer with saffron and spices.

Now, cover and seal it with aluminum foil or dough. Put it in the preheated oven for ten minutes 275°C and then reduce the temperature to 225°C for another ten minutes. Or otherwise, you can keep the handi on a tawa and cook for fifteen minutes on low heat.

Now the Handi Biryani is ready to serve. Serve it hot with your favorite raita. 

Whew!! It's a real long process. But you know, there's no gains without pains. Indian Cuisines (not the application) are known for complexities and also for its taste. So, why don't you try making Handi Biryani right away?