Afghani Biryani

Ingredients:
3 cups Basmati rice, rinsed and soaked
3 medium onions, sliced
1/4 cup oil
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
6-7 cloves of garlic, chopped fine
2 green chilli pepper, chopped fine
2 inch piece of ginger, chopped fine
1 packet Shan Bombay Biryani Masala
1 medium chicken,  skinless and cut
1/2 lemon, squeezed
1 can of chickpeas/garbanzo beans
1 cup sour cream
3 green cardamoms
2 black cardamoms
4-5 whole black peppers
4-5 cloves
1/3 cup fresh chopped corriander
5-7 fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup raisins, soaked
1/4 cup almonds, peeled and halved
1 medium carrot, peeled and shredded fine
2 tbsp butter

Method:
1. Fry the onions until golden brown, drain from the oil and set aside.
2. In the same oil, add the garlic, ginger, and green chillies and fry for 2 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes and shan masala, cover and cook on low for 5 minutes.
4. Add the chicken and lemon, mix. Cover and cook until chicken is tender.
5. Add the chickpeas and cook on low for another 10 minutes.
6. Add the sour cream and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
7. In another pot, boil water for rice adding to it, salt to taste, green and black cardamoms, black peppers, and cloves. Add rice and boil until partially cooked. Drain.
8. Make layers in an oven safe pot as follows,half of the rice, chicken masala, fried onions,corriander, mint and remaining rice. Bake in oven for 20 minutes at 350C.
9. Melt butter and fry the almonds for 3 minutes, add the drained raisins and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the carrot and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
10. Take out rice and pour almond, raising and carrot mixture on top. Mix throughly so the rice hardly any white of the rice remains. Serve hot with some chilled yogurt and mint chutney. Enjoy!

Luv, Umm Ibraheem

Firecracker Shrimp Biryani

500g of small shrimps

½ c tamarind water

½ lemon

2tbsp of grated ginger and garlic

½ tsp of garam masala

½ tsp of cumin powder

½ tsp of paprika

½ tsp of crushed chillies

½ cup yogurt

¼ packet of Shan’s Bombay Biryani Masala

2 medium onions, sliced

¼ cup oil

1 medium tomato, chopped

1 cup of coarsely chopped mint and coriander leaves

2 cups of rice

1.     1.  Marinate the shrimp in tamarind water, lemon, ginger, garlic, garam masala, cumin powder, paprika, crushed chillies, yogurt and Biryani Masala. Set aside for atleast 20 minutes.

2.       2. Fry the onions until golden brown, drain from oil and set aside.

3.       3. In the same oil, cook the shrimp marinade. Cook the shrimp on high heat for no more than 7 minutes, until it’s pink. Take out the shrimp from the masala and set aside.

4.       4. Continue to cook the masala on medium heat, add the tomato. Cook until a paste like mixture is formed.

5.       5. Meanwhile, boil the rice until it’s almost cooked. Drain and divide in 2 parts.

6.       6. Layer as follows: rice, Masala mixture, fried onions, mint and coriander, and rice again. You can add orange food colouring on top if you like.

7.       7. Bake in oven or on the stove on low heat for 15 minutes.

8.       8. Uncover, and add the shrimp. Mix thoroughly.

9.       9. Enjoy with plain yogurt and/or salad!

Luv, Umm Ibraheem

Fish Biryani

Getting tired of the classic chicken briyani, I started making this variation during my pregnancy. It was a big hit with my in-laws. It's a great way to enjoy fish and not have to worry about picking bones.

Ingredients:

3-4 fish fillets, fresh or frozen (you can used any firm fish such as tilapia, basa, or the Yanbu specialty, white fish)

1 large lemon

2 tbsp of ginger and garlic paste

1 packet of  Shan's Fish Biryani Masala

1 tsp of crushed red chillies (optional)

1 clove of fresh garlic

2 inch piece of ginger

1-2 green chillies (use more if desired)

3-4 large onions

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup tamarind water (take about a 2 inch piece of tamarind and soak it in 1/4 cup water for 20 minutes)

1 tsp cumin

3 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 cup yogurt

3cups basmati rice (soak in luke warm water)

2 tbsp salt

Sprigs of mint (handful)

Chopped coriander (handful)

1.       Cute the fish in to 2 inch cubes and marinate with half a lemon, 1/3 of the Fish Biryani Masala, ginger and garlic paste and crushed chillies. Marinate for 20-30 minutes, then bake at 350F for 20 minutes.

2.       Slice the onions and fry in the oil until golden brown. Thinly slice the rest of the lemon and mix with frying onions for 2-3 minutes. Drain the onions and lemon from the oil. Set aside.

3.       Chop the ginger, garlic and chillies together in a food processor and add to the oil with cumin. Let brown for 2-3 minutes.

4.       Add the chopped tomatoes and the remaining biryani masala. Allow to cook for five minutes.

5.       Add in the tamrind water. Simmer on slow heat for 10 minutes.

6.       Stir in the yogurt. And cook for another 5 mintues.

7.       Add in the baked fish and any water that's in the dish.

8.       Stir light to mix all the ingredients. Let simmer for 10 minutes on slow heat. Turn off the stove and set aside.

9.       Boil the rice until they're almost cooked. Drain the water.

10.   Make three layers. Pour half of the rice at the bottom, then pour the fish mixture on top and garnish with mint, coriander and fried onions, cover with remaining rice. Bake for about 30 minutes at 350F.

11.   Mix thoroughly and serve with plain yogurt and salad. Enjoy!

Luv, Umm Ibraheem