Microwave Chicken Biryani | Low Calorie Chicken Biryani | Indian Microwave Recipes | Step By Step Recipes

When I sat down to write down this recipe, I was remembering the dishes that I made for my sis during my stay at her place. I made Uggani for breakfast. Then very late into the night, we set out making Gongura Mamsam. Imagine I had made this only couple of times, always with Athamma around. This is typically her signature dish, I was lost wondering if the leaves have to be coarse in texture or can be ground into paste (as by mistake the boiled one became into puree). Nevertheless it was consumed with great passion and adulation. It was paired with my Mutton Roast that I have planned for the cookbook I made it especially for getting another opinion for the recipe that I have created. I was elated that it got raving reviews.

Then of course was this Tamarind Mix that I made for them to last for about 8-9 months. Believe me, it is really hard cooking in a new kitchen, not having all the paraphernalia you are so used to. Still we managed to filter and extract the pulp and finally got the masala mix done. Now I only hope it stays good for 8 months as I predicted. I was so happy hearing her say that her mom makes it the same way, as she learnt my Amma!

I didn't think there will come a day when I will be feeling tired to even look at the monitor. But that is exactly what has happened. Since coming back to normal grind, I have been so tired to even think of doing anything with the system. The fact that even if I don't get to send an entry for any of the many events that are happening, I can't ignore my own event right. It worked out easy as Smitha choose a theme which gives us many options. So I decided I will send her this Chicken Biryani made in Microwave.

About the Title, yes there is no such thing as Low Calorie Chicken Biryani, yet this recipe calls for no butter or Ghee.

But if you feel it is a taboo, pls go ahead add some for taste!

This was a followup after the many recipes that the MW Chef showed us. Since I can't taste, I didn't know until I came back home and made it for the family that it was really good. Only I should have added ghee. What is a Biryani if it is not rich. Well Microwave Cooking is all about Low Calorie cooking using only tad bit of oil, but I was told that Biryani is not acceptable without being rich.

So this recipe goes without Ghee, but you can add it if you so wish.

I warn you ahead, it may appear making this in microwave is more time consuming and tedious than making it on the stove top or dum process. But you get to rest and do lots of other things during the cooking process. And making it in microwave is more for folks who can't make it on stove top!

Microwave Chicken Biryani in Step by Step

Microwave Cooking Mode
Cooking Time : 45 mins


Wash the chicken and keep it aside.

Wash and Soak rice for 1 hour.

 Chop the onions, tomatoes and get all the spices ready on a plate.

In a microwave safe bowl, add the onions, green chilies, ginger garlic paste along with spices with 2 tsp of oil. Micro for 7 mins.
Keep stirring in interval of 3 mins

 Then add tomatoes and micro for 5 mins.

 Remove and mash well using a ladle.

 Then add the red chili powder, Micro for 2 mins

 Then goes the chicken, mix well.

 Add the turmeric and mix well. Micro for 3 mins

 Then add the chicken mix to the rice that you have kept soaking. Add 4 cups of water and micro for 25 mins.

Stir it couple of times in between.

 When you reach the last 5 mins, add the salt.

Mix everything well.

Finally when it is done, remove from oven, keep a plate covered on the bowl for 5 - 7 mins. This ensures that it gets furthered settled well.

Ingredients Needed:

Rice - 2 cups
Chicken - 300 gms
Ginger Garlic paste - 1 & 1/2 tsp
Onions - 3 big ( 1 & 1/2 cups)
Tomatoes - 2 big
Green chilies - 3 long
Red Chili powder - 1 tsp
Cloves - 3-4
Cinnamon - 2"
Cardamon - 2
Bay leaf - 1
Oil - 2 tsp (replace completely with Butter/Ghee or half oil & half ghee)
Salt to taste

Method to prepare:

Wash and soak rice for 1 hour.

Wash Chicken and let it stand on a colander.

Meanwhile in a big microwave bowl, take the onions, green chilies, spices, along with ginger garlic paste. Micro for 7 mins. Stir in intervals.

Once done, remove and add the tomatoes. Micro for 5 mins.

Remove and mash well using a ladle. Then add red chili powder, chicken, turmeric and mix well. Micro for 5 mins.

Add this chicken mix to the rice (I did this as that bowl was bigger)

Add 4 cups of water and micro for 25 mins.

First stirring is done at 10 mins. Continue stirring after next 10 mins. When you reach the final 5 mins, add the salt.

Once done, remove from oven, cover with lid and keep it aside for 5 - 7 mins.

Notes:

• Please make sure the bowl you use is big enough to fit both the rice and chicken mix.
• Always add salt at the end, else proper cooking will not take place.
• With this amount it got perfectly cooked end of 25 mins, but if you increase, make sure you test the timing.

Sending this to Smitha who is guest hosting MEC this month themed on Festival Dishes, calling from all faith and culture!

Yes I am planning to send something more, hopefully so. Hope you have sent in yours!

Enjoy the weekends!

A Trip to San Francisco and BlogHer Food

It's been five days since coming back from the trip, yet it feels like a daze. I have travelled forth and am back to my world. Yet it feels like a dream. I made my first ever trip alone, managed quite well and back in one piece. Despite all the apprehension my family can have on sending me on my own, I had a great adventure, including a missed flight and a great mingling with wonderful folks. I was visiting my cousin sister at SFO, to attend BlogHer Food Conference.

My flight had a plane change over at Brussels, which I wasn't aware of until the last moment. We had a wait of two hours and  I met a sweet lady who was recouping from a personal loss, yet she was kind enough to let me tug along with her.

Way to NY, my neighbour was a German gentleman from Spain. We had such a lively discussion about food and culture. He was most delighted to know that I was a food blogger and confessed his love for Indian Food. The plane offered Indian food for Lunch, which he felt was spicy and to my spiced tongue was barely mild. On the whole it was an enlighten discussion on culture.

When I landed in NY, I had to get my immigration and customs cleared. By then I was happily led into a different terminal. I called up home and confirmed to all that I reached well. Only to realize something was wrong and it struck me that I will most surely miss my plane to SFO. I don't remember ever running so fast, even running period. All the while I was grinning actually knowing it was such a comedy of errors. JFK airport is so huge, one can so easily get lost.

Luckily I was booked on the next available one. My sister was all worried, I assured her I was doing just fine, infact enjoying a large chocolate bar with roasted almonds. That was a moment of self indulgence you agree right!

By the time I settled down at my sister's home, trying to account my adventure to my family it was pretty late. The simple dal with aloo podi was heavenly as it can be!

Next day my bil took us to the shopping mall. If one can actually drop down shopping it could've been us. My sis took me to the Pretzels, which were out of the world! Then to Macy's which had the best of the cookware one can see. I selected couple of muffin trays along with loads of other accessories for baking.

Next day was the BlogHer Conference, where I met many wonderful Food Bloggers.

While I was still trying to collect myself seeing the huge gathering, I was greeted by the talented duo Anuja and Hetal of the ShowMeTheCurry.com. Both of them were so kind and interesting. Imagine doing the entire Video yourself and doing the entire show by themselves. I had so much to learn from them. I have lots to thank them, including the fact that they ensure I got vegetarian food to eat. The buffet was huge but finding something for a vegetarian was tough.

These were what I lived on.

A speech by Lisa Stone & Elisa Camahort Page

 A session by Todd and Diane of the White on rice couple

The day went off quite well, with lots of demo samplings, mingling and carrying back the huge "swag".

My sis and Bil joined us for the party and on the way back home they took me through the beautiful SFO. Couple of days are not just enough to take in everything.

I was really excited for the panel to happen. I finally met Elaine Wu of Virgo Blue and BlogHer.com, who moderated our panel which had Donna Pierce from BlackAmericaCooks.com, Laura Beck from Vegansaurus.com. It was about Food Diplomats and Cuisine Ambassadors that lasted an hour and a quarter. It was a lively discussion and I had so much to share and learn. It was indeed a great experience.

Yes I finally met Jadan, she was as wonderful as she always sounded. 

 The books displayed at the BlogHer, all authored by the bloggers.

 Live Demo by the Chefs

Afternoon was a ride to the Farmer's Market and the Ferry Building. It was a lesson in history with questions on the Ferry building. The day ended with a closing party which was held at the Culinary Institute.

Closing party in the evening.

On the way back, my BIL decided to go for a second show of Enthiran. I have never been to a second show and on top sleeping only for about 4 hrs the past 4 days, I finally conked off right there. I don't remember watching the movie and will not claim having watched it either if anyone asks!

 We went on a ferry tour the next day.

 On the way back after two days, I tried taking pictures from the window.

 

Next 3 days were quick before I actually realized!

I know this post is pretty late but it's better late then never as they say right!

Baked Arbi | Baked Colocasia Fry | Microwave Convection Recipe

I love Arbi fries and finding another way to make this delicious Arbi Fry was just perfect. This has been in drafts for so long that I really wonder why I haven't spoken about it.  Making this in  microwave works out so simple and quick. 

After deciding on 365 days of Microwave cooking, I was thinking I should find as many possible recipes that can fit into this mode. Since I have a Microwave Convection oven, it gives the advantage of baking it both in microwave and convention mode. Micro mode gets this cooked quick, while putting it on the convection mode ensures it stays crisp and not tough or hard.

I came back home after a week's trip to San Fransisco, visited my sister and attended BlogHer's Conference too. It was a fun filled week and five days passed quickly. My sister and BIL ensured I had great time, still I missed home and was only happy getting back fast. I had that feeling the moment the plane was landing on Kathipara Junction and cursed myself for keeping away just that moment. This was my first trip ever on own, so I was excited as a kid. Will write more about the trip in my next post.

Meanwhile enjoy this recipe which was shared my the MW Chef I was talking about. I adapted her recipe to suit our palate.

Baked Arbi in Microwave

Boil Arbi in water for 8 minutes

Peel the arbi and chop into 1 inch pieces. Mix the arbi in the masala and keep aside for 5 mins. Then spread on the tray and bake 10 minutes.

Toss it around in between and continue baking in micro mode.

Serve it with Rice and Sambar.

Baked Arbi in Microwave |
In both Micro and Convectional cooking mode
Total cooking Time : 20 mins

Ingredients Needed:

Arbi / Colocasia / Seppankizhangu- 250 gms
Red Chili powder - 1 & 1/2 tsp
Ginger Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Cornflour - 1/2 - 1 tsp
Oil - 1 tsp

Method to prepare:

Wash and boil Arbi in water for 8 minutes in micro mode.

Peel the skin and cut into 1" pieces

Then take the Arbi in a bowl along with the other ingredients and mix well. Keep it aside for 5 mins.

Spread the arbi on a microwave safe tray and micro for 10 minutes. Keep tossing around in interval.

If you want a crispier arbi, pre-heat your convectional oven for 15 mins at 50 degree C.

Then spread the baked arbi again for 5 minutes in Convectional mode.

Notes: Baking this in both Micro and Convectional mode ensures the arbi comes out crisper.
Only about 1 - 2 tsp of oil is required for baking this, so it makes it so healthy.

This goes for my 365 Days of Microwave Cooking. I wanted to include even dishes done in combo mode as we get such Microwave Convectional Ovens in India.

Navratri Greetings to all!

I wish all my readers a very happy Navratri.

Last year I had a wonderful experience cooking Navaratri special dishes on every single day of the 9 long festival days. I was planning to observe this year too, but being away from home ensures you don't get to do it. Though I said I will schedule posts, the last moment things made sure I didn't have time.

So I thought I will quickly log in to wish my readers and friends on the festival seasons and leave you a note on how it was last year...

Navratri Special Day 1 ~ Brown Karamani Sundal, Ven Pongal
Navratri Special Day 2 ~ Konda Kadalai Sundal, Puliyodarai
Navratri Special Day 3 ~ Mochai Sundal, Sakkari Pongal
Navratri Special Day 4 ~ Pattani Sundal, Kadambam Rice
Navratri Special Day 5 ~ Kadambam Sundal, Thayir Sadam!
Navratri Special Day 6 ~ Verkadalai Sundal, Elumichai Sadam!
Navratri Special Day 7 ~ Sunnundalu, Thengai Sadam!
Navratri Special Day 8 ~ Channa Dal Sundal, Pal Sadam (Kheer)!
Navratri Special Day 9 ~ Moong Dal Sundal, Kalkandu Sadam!



I once again wish you all a great week ahead!

Kobbari Kudumulu | Kudumulu Recipe | Vinayaka Chavathi Recipes | Step By Step Recipes

Kobbari Kudumulu are one of the most delicious festival dishes that can taste. Konda once had a chapter that talked about melting Kolukattai and was ever curious to know how and what this dish was. Every time she asks me, I used to tell her that she ought to wait for the Ganesh Chavathi for tasting this dish. She was also eager to try her hand at making these.

For this year's Vinayaka Chavathi, along with me, it was Konda who did the major work of making these pretty Modek in the shape of garlic bulbs. The recipe is pretty much the same as I had already posted. But I wanted to make sure I had the step by step pictorials as many of you had asked for them.

Kobbari Kudumulu recipe that is already posted is the way I did this time too.

We normally use home made Rice made Flour for making these Kudumulu. Heat water and slowly add the rice flour to make the dough.

Immediately transfer to a bowl and cover with a wet muslin cloth until you use it. This is very important for getting the soft modek layer.

Meanwhile get the stuffing ready by making a syrup with Jaggary and grated coconut. Keep it aside once ready.

When you are ready to make the modek, knead the dough well. Divide into small balls.

 Grease the Kudumulu press or shapes with oil.

It looks like a garlic bulb.

 Close like this

Insert the dough into the press, dip your finger into oil and press your finger inside to form a hollow shape

 Like this..

Scoop out a teaspoon of stuffing into the hollow

 Press well. Then take a small piece of dough and cover the top.

 Gently remove from the opening

 Once done place them on the plate for steaming.
 

 Two done!

 Steam the kudumulu for 15 minutes.

We had fun time making this together. Towards the end I was impatient and made with hand too. While Konda continued doing it.

Have a great week ahead. I will be traveling and will try to schedule some posts if possible else catch you once I am back.

Update: Sending this to Only "Festive Event