Tomato Biriyani (Thakkaali Biriyani)

1 cup Basmati Rice

2 cups of water

2 cloves

2 cinnamon sticks

1 bay leaf

2 ripe tomatoes (ground to a paste)

1/2 cup of peas

1/2 big onion sliced

7 pods of garlic sliced

1 green chili (you can add this or just leave it if you can’t handle more spice)

1 tsp of chili powder (or a little more according to your spice level)

2 tbsp. of dhania powder

1/2 tsp Garam masala

1 tsp Turmeric powder

Salt as needed

Take a pressure cooker, add 2 tbsp. of oil (or add a little oil and some Ghee, if you are a lover of Ghee).Add the cloves, cinnamon sticks, bay leaf and then add onions and garlic to it. Sauté it well and then add the tomato paste to it. Immediately at turmeric, chili powder, turmeric powder, dhaniya powder and garam masala. Also add peas to it. Let it cook well until the oil oozes out the sides, then add the washed Basmati Rice to it and mix it thoroughly. After couple of minutes add 2 cups of water for 1 cup of rice in this mixture and bring the water to boil and then close the pressure cooker with weight on it. Keep exactly for 10 mins or wait for 1 whistle. Once the steam is completely gone, open the cooker and finish it by topping it off with chopped coriander.

Paneer/Tofu Butter masal

2 and ½ tomatoes chopped

1 big onion chopped

7 to 10 pods of Garlic, with 2 inch of Ginger grinded to paste together.

20 pcs of whole cashew.

2 pcs of cloves

2 pcs of cinnamon

1 tbsp. kasoori methi leaves

5 tsps. of chili powder (or as needed)

1 tsp of Garam masala

Salt as needed

In a pan add a little bit oil and add the above ingredients one by one and let it cook nicely. Then remove it and cool it down and add it to the mixer and blend it into a smooth paste.

Paneer/tofu – cut into cubes and marinate with 2 tbsp. chili powder, 2 tbsp. coriander powder, 1 tbsp. turmeric, salt as needed, 1 tbsp. curd and little lemon juice with 2 tbsp. corn flour or basen flour.

Fry the marinated paneer/tofu in a little bit of oil in a pan. (Need not be deep fried) and keep it aside.

Now add 1 tbsp of butter in a pan, add the ginger garlic paste to it, until the raw smell goes off. Then add the ground masala to it and simmer the flame and let it cook until the oil oozes out from the gravy. Then add the fried Paneer/Tofu to it. Add milk or cream as needed to get the consistency and let it boil for another 2 mins.

Yummy Paneer/Tofu Butter masal is ready. It can be had with Roti/Rice/Dosa. Kids loved it J

Modification: you can even skip the part of marinating and frying the Paneer/Tofu and just add the Paneer/Tofu as such to the gravy at the end. It will give a slightly different taste.