This super simple mint chutney is great with a Vegetable Biryani or other Indian dishes. This yields about 1 cup of chutney which should be plenty for a family of 4. It only takes about 10 minutes to make and it is well worth it. A few variations at the end as not everyone enjoys the taste of tamarind or lots of lemon juice.

 

Ingredients

• 1 bunch fresh cilantro
• 1 1/2 cups fresh mint leaves
• 1 green chile pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 medium yellow onion, cut into chunks
• 1 tablespoon tamarind juice or lemon or kaffir lime juice
• 1/4 cup water, or as needed

Directions

In a food processor, combine the cilantro, mint leaves, chile pepper, salt, onion and tamarind juice. Process to a fine paste, adding enough water to achieve a thick sauce.

Pro Tips and Variations

• This really is a lot better with tamarind juice rather than lemon juice. The tamarind is a bit sweet as well as sour, which gives it the proper balance. If you are using lemon juice or kaffir lime juice, you may want to add a bit of honey or sugar (about 1 teaspoon is usually plenty), just to cut the sourness a bit. 
• The onion can be a bit overwhelming for some people (although I’m personally a huge fan of onion). So you can use a small yellow onion or less if you would like to cut down on the onion taste.
• To add another note of flavor to the chutney, you can substitute vinegar for the water added at the end.

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One of my absolute favorite Indian dishes, this Vegetable Biryani is a great way to spice things up at home. The name Biryani comes from the Persian word Berya(n) which means “roasted” or “fried” and this Biryani is essentially roasted in a large Dutch oven.  For a deliciously indulgent dish, check out the saffron addition in the “Pro Tips and Variations” section at the end.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter), or olive oil
• 1 red onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seed
• 1 (1 inch) piece cinnamon stick
• 7 peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup peas
• 1/2 cup diced carrot
• 1/2 cup diced potato
• 1 cube chicken bouillon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red chile pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 4 cups water
• 2 cups basmati rice, rinsed and drained

Directions

1. Melt the ghee in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in cumin seed, cinnamon stick, and peppercorns; cook until the spices are fragrant, and the cumin seeds begin to pop, about 3 minutes.
2. Stir in ginger garlic paste, tomatoes, and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a simmer, and cook until the water has evaporated, (about 5 minutes). Stir in peas, carrot, and potato. Season with chicken bouillon, salt, red chile, black pepper, garam masala, and turmeric. Stir well, then cover, and cook for 3 minutes.
3. Pour in 4 cups water and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, stir in basmati rice, reduce heat to medium, recover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook until the rice has softened, 10 to 15 minutes more.

Pro Tips and Variations

• For an indulgent treat, add 1 pinch saffron to the cumin, cinnamon and peppercorn mixture in step one. Saffron is the most expensive spice, per weight, in the world and it just takes a pinch to make this Biryani very special.
• Meat may be added to this Biryani as well. Cut about 1-2 pounds of chicken, pork, or beef into cubes and add during step two.
• You can also substitute meat for some or all of the vegetables, although a mix of both vegetables and meat can be great as well.
• If you do not have a Dutch oven, you can try this in a large cooking pot or very large skillet.
• You can substitute brown basmati rice if you so wish, although it can be difficult to find.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve this Biryani with a mint chutney or plain yogurt and some fresh roti or naan bread.
• If do cannot find (or do not want to make) roti or naan, you can also use pita bread or tortillas, however roti and naan really add a great, authentic feel to this dish.

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Burfi is a sweet from India. The name is derived from the Hindi word baraf which means snow  since this sweet is similar to snow appearance. Delicious!

 

 

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Kedgeree originated from the Indian dish known as Kicheri, which is a mixture of rice and dhal. This classic dish is common in England either served for breakfast or a light supper.

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