Doodh Puli Pithe - A Bengali delicacy

Doodh Puli Pithe

Ingredients:

• Rice powder               – 1 cup
• Maida                            – 2 tbl spoon
• Milkmaid                     – ½ can 
• Grated Coconut        – 1 cup
• Milk                               – 1 ½ litres
• Cardamom powder – 1 tea spoon
• Raisins                          – 20
• Cashew Nuts              – 15
• Sugar                             – ½ cup

Preparation:

Filling:

• Mix the grated coconut and milkmaid condensed milk. Heat the mixture till it thickens to a nice consistency to act as a filling. Add half tblspoon of cardamom powder and remove from heat.

Dough:

• Dry roast the rice powder for around 5 minutes in a pan.
• Heat water. Add the rice powder and maida in it and knead well to make a nice dough.

      

     Puli:

• Make small balls from the dough. Spread the balls by using hand and stuff the coconut filling into it. Fold it and seal the edges by pressing hard. You can give a design of your choice to the edges.

• Heat milk in a heavy bottomed pan till it reduces to half.
• Add raisins, cashew nuts and sugar in it. Add the remaining cardamom powder.
• Add the pulis to the milk and cover it with a lid and cook for around 15 minutes.
• Take it out in a bowl and serve cold.  

Chicken Biriyani - The irresistible main course

Chicken Biriyani

Ingredients:

• Chicken - 3/4 Kgs
•  Basmati rice – ½ kg
• Ginger Garlic paste – 2 tea spoons
• Chili Powder – 1 tea spoon
• Turmeric Powder – 1/3 tea spoon 
• Cumin powder – 1 tea spoon
• Onions – medium sized, 3 for paste, 3 sliced lengthwise
• Mint leaves – a small bunch
• Coriander leaves – a small bunch
• Green Cardamom – 7-8
• Black Cardamoms – 2
• Cloves – 12
• Cinnamon stick – 3-4 pieces of ½ inch size
• Black Peppercorns – 15-20
• Bay leaves – 3-4
• Kesar(Saffron) – a pinch
• Milk – ½ cup
• Boiled eggs – 2
• Yogurt – 1 Tbl spoon
• Salt – as per taste
• Oil - 2 Tbl spoon
• Butter – 3 tea spoons

      Preparation:

      Rice:

- Heat thrice the amount of water in a big vessel. 

- Add rice, 3-4 green cardamoms, 4-5 cloves, 1 cinnamon  stick, bay leaves, 7-8 black peppercorns in it.  

- Cook the rice till almost done(like 80% cooked). Drain water and keep the rice  aside. 

      Chicken:

      - Marinate the chicken by mixing it with yogurt, salt, chili powder, turmeric powder and keep aside for an hour.
- Heat oil in a vessel. Add the remaining spices (cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon, peppercorns, bay leaves).
- When fragrant add ginger garlic paste, onion paste, chili powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder and       sauté until brown and oil separates from the spices.
- Add the marinated chicken and cook for 20 minutes till chicken is cooked.

      Biriyani: 

      - Deep fry the sliced onions until brown and keep aside.

      - Mix saffron in warm milk and keep aside for 15 minutes.

-     - In a thick bottomed vessel, add butter. Put a layer of rice. On top of that layer put a layer of chicken. Put coriander and mint leaves on it. Put fried onions. Sprinkle saffron milk and butter. Add another rice layer and again the same layer. And finally on top put the last layer of rice.

      - Cover the vessel and cook in low flame for 25-30 mins. 
         (Alternatively: Preheat oven at 350 degree C. Put the vessel in the oven and cook for 40-45 minutes.)
-     - Remove from stove(or oven) and let it cool.

      - Once cooked, put the remaining deep fried onions and sliced boiled eggs on top.

     The irresistible chicken biriyani is ready to serve. Serve with raita.