Windows of the Soul

BIRIANI KWA KACHUMBARI
VIFAA:
-Biriani -Mchele kg 1 -kuku 1/nyama -Viazi kg 1 -maziwa mgando vikombe 2 -nyanya 4 -vtunguu maji 5 -vitunguu swaum 2 -viungu vya pilau -rangi za chakula Kachumbari -vitunguu 2 -nyanya 3 -tango 1 -karoti , hoho 1 -ndimu 1 -chumvi kiasi

JINSI YA KUPIKA Biriani -Safisha mchele halafu upike kama upikavyo wali. -weka rangi tofauti za chakula ,kisha pindua zichanganyike -injika mafuta weka kuku/nyama changanya mtindi na viungo vyote bandika jikoni viive - kaanga viazi na vitunguu kisha weka mchanganyiko wa nyama na viungo weka chumvi kupata ladha -pakua kwa kula Kachumbari -katakata vitunguu vioshe changanya na nyanya karoti na hoho, tango na ndimu na pilipili na chumvi kupata ladha.

WAZO/ USHAURI Unaweza ukashushia na juice ya tunda lolote upendalo

VIFAA:
-Mchele -viungo vya pilau vikiwa vizima ni Vizuri zaidi -nyama -vitunguu -viazi ulaya -mafuta ya kupikia -chumvi

JINSI YA KUPIKA: -chemsha nyama uhakikishe imeiva -osha mchele - kata v2guu -menya viazi _weka mafuta jikoni yakishachemka weka vituguu -vikiwa vya udhurungi weka vitunguu swaumu -weka nyama ili ziive sambamba na vitunguu swaumu -weka viazi - weka viungo acha vichanganyike -weka mchele endelea kuukaanda uhakikishe umechanganyika na viungo -weka chumvi kupata ladha -Weka maji yaliyochemka kwenye mchanganyiko huo -acha ichemke hadi kiini kiishe -banika/palia pilau lako

KACHUMBARI
Katakata kitunguu kisugue kwa chumvi na ukioshe kwa maji safi kisha weka kwenye sahani safi, osha nyanya na katakata kisha changanya kwenye vitungu weka chumvi kiasi kisha kamulia ndimu moja na uchukue uma au kijiko ili kuchanganya vizuri vifaa vyote ili kukupa ladha ya kachumbari. -unaweza ukalumangia kwa ndizi ukipenda!!


MACARONI YA NJEGERE NA MAYAI
VIFAA: -macaroni-paketi moja -nyanya -5 -vitunguu-3 -mayai-4 -mchuzi mix/rojo-vijiko viwili -pilipili hoho-2 -karoti-2 -njegere kiasi -chumvi

JINSI YA KUPIKA: - Katakata nyanya vitunguu karoti na pilipili hoho. -Chemsha njegere hadi ziive. -Chemsha macaroni kwa kutumia maji kiasi hadi yachemke.Angalia usiweke maji mengi,tia maji kiasi. -Kaanga vitunguu, nyanya kisha weka mayai yaliyokorogwa katika huo mchanganyiko kisha endelea kukaanga, wakati huohuo Kaanga vitunguu karoti na pilipili hoho katika chombo(sufuria)tofauti, kisha weka nyanya endelea kukaanga mchanganyiko huo.Baada ya hapo weka mchanganyiko wa mayai katika sufuria ya pili na endelea kukaanga. -Weka mchuzi rojo/mix kiasi katika mchanganyiko huo ili kuongeza ladha. -Ongezea njegere katika mchanganyiko huo na endelea kukaanga -Weka chumvi kwa kiasi unachotaka -Weka macaroni uliyochemsha mwanzoni endelea kukoroga huku ukiongeza maji kidogo sana kusaidia mchanganyiko huo ulainike. -Funukia na uache mchanganyiko huo uchemke kwa muda,kisha ipua.


BIRYANI
Ingredients:
1 kg Mutton/chicken1 kg Basmati rice
100 grm Yogurt Salt to taste 1 medium onion 6 Garlic clove
1 tbs ginger paste 8 small illaichi (Green Cardamom)1 tbs garlic paste 10 cloves Oil or ghee Kewra few drops Yellow food color two pinch Sugar a pinch

Instructions:

Add mutton, salt and garlic cloves in a pot with two glasses of water. If you're using chicken, you can do with only one glass of water. Cook on a low flame till the meat is tender and the water dries. Take one medium onion. Slice it and fry it in about 4-5 tablespoons of oil till its light brown. Add the rest of the spices, yogurt and fry it a little.Simultaneously soak the rice in water for half an hour. Boil the rice till they're half cooked, drain the water and keep them aside. Add the cooked meat to the sautéed onions to make the masala and cook uncovered for a few minutes to evaporate excess water.When most of the water has evaporated, transfer a little rice to a pot, and on top of that add some of the meat/masala combo. Make layers of this. The way I usually do it is put half the rice in, add all the meat/masala then top that off with the rest of the rice.Sprinkle on it a solution of kewra, yellow food color and pinch of sugar.Keep it covered and on a low flame.Keep the pot tightly closed - you're trying to steam cook the rice. When the rice is done, the biryani is ready.Serve with salad or garlic chutney.


BIRYANI
· 3 ½ lbs. meat
· 3 ½ lb rice (soaked)
· 4 onions, chopped
· 4 tomatoes, chopped
· 4 potatoes, peeled & halved
· 2" piece Ginger, finely chopped
· 1 pod garlic, crushed/ground
· 2 cups yogurt, whipped
· 1 cup Ghee /oil
· 1 packet Indian spice mix

· In hot oil, fry onion till golden brown.
· Add tomatoes and fry till the tomato juice nearly dries up.
· Add meat, yogurt, ginger, garlic, potatoes, and spice mix packet. Fry for 15 minutes.
· Add ½ cup water and cook on low heat till the meat is tender. Increase heat to dry excessive water, if necessary.
· In 8 glasses of boiling water, add 2 tablespoons salt and the soaked rice.
· Boil till rice is nearly done and almost tender.
· Remove from heat and drain the water.
· Spread the cooked Meat Curry over the rice in layers.
· Cover the pot and cook on low till the rice is completely done.
· Mix the Biryani and serve.

500 Grams of Basmati Rice (pre-soaked for atleast 1/2 hour)
6 Eggs (hard-boiled)
4 large Onions (finely chopped)
1 medium Onion (chopped)
1 (2-inch) piece of Ginger (Adrak) (peeled and chopped)
4 cloves of Garlic (Lasan) (chopped)
8 Green Chillies
1 tsp. of Red Chilli Powder (or to taste)
1 tsp. of Garam Masala
1 tsp. of Fresh Coriander/Cilantro Leaves (Hara Dhania) (chopped)
2 Bay Leaves
10 Cardamoms (Ilaichi)
1/2 tsp. of Yogurt
1/2 cup of Coconut (Khopra) (grated)
Salt (to taste)
6 tsp. of Ghee or Oil

1) Wash and soak rice for atleast 1/2 hour. Blend the following ingredients in a blender into a smooth paste: garlic, ginger, green chillies, onions and coriander/cilantro leaves. (Add a bit of water if necessary.)
2) Shell the boiled eggs and give four long cuts on the white portion of each egg without separating it.
3) In a kadai or pot, heat the ghee or oil. And fry the onions until they become golden brown and set aside. In the same ghee or oil, add the blended paste and fry for a minute or so. Then add red chilli powder, salt and eggs and fry until the eggs get coated with the spices. Remove the eggs and set aside.
4) To the same spice paste, add the drained rice, garam masala , cardamoms, bay leaves and fry until the rice starts to change color. Add sufficient water and bring to a boil.
5) When the air holes appear on the rice surface, reduce the stove heat to low and then add the yogurt, coconut and mix well with the rice. Cook until all of the water has absorbed and the rice is tender.
6) Cut the eggs into halves and garnish with the fried onions. Cover the biryani with a heavy lid, reduce heat and allow to cook for 30 to 45 more minutes.

Chicken Biryani
Submitted by: Nazia
This is a delicious Pakistani/Indian rice dish which is often reserved for very special occasions such as weddings, parties, or holidays such as Ramadan. It has a lengthy preparation, but the work is definitely worth it. For biryani, always use long grain rice. Basmati rice with its thin, fine grains is the ideal variety to use. Ghee is butter that has been slowly melted so that the milk solids and golden liquid have been separated and can be used in place of vegetable oil to yeild a more authentic taste."

4 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 small potatoes, peeled and halved
2 large onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
2 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons ground cardamom
1 (2 inch) piece cinnamon stick
3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken pieces cut into chunks

2 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, diced
1 pinch powdered saffron
5 pods cardamom
3 whole cloves
1 (1 inch) piece cinnamon stick
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 pound basmati rice
4 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
In a large skillet, in 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (or ghee) fry potatoes until brown, drain and reserve the potatoes. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet and fry onion, garlic and ginger until onion is soft and golden. Add chili, pepper, turmeric, cumin, salt and the tomatoes. Fry, stirring constantly for 5 minutes. Add yogurt, mint, cardamom and cinnamon stick. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally until the tomatoes are cooked to a pulp. It may be necessary to add a little hot water if the mixture becomes too dry and starts to stick to the pan.

When the mixture is thick and smooth, add the chicken pieces and stir well to coat them with the spice mixture. Cover and cook over very low heat until the chicken is tender, approximately 35 to 45 minutes. There should only be a little very thick gravy left when chicken is finished cooking. If necessary cook uncovered for a few minutes to reduce the gravy.

Wash rice well and drain in colander for at least 30 minutes.

In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil (or ghee) and fry the onions until they are golden. Add saffron, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick, ginger and rice. Stir continuously until the rice is coated with the spices.

In a medium-size pot, heat the chicken stock and salt. When the mixture is hot pour it over the rice and stir well. Add the chicken mixture and the potatoes; gently mix them into the rice. Bring to boil. Cover the saucepan tightly, turn heat to very low and steam for 20 minutes. Do not lift lid or stir while cooking. Spoon biryani onto a warm serving dish.

Makes 7 servings