Wednesday, April 24, 2013

1. simple homemade Garam Masala.

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  1.   simple homemade  Garam Masala.
                Garam masala is one of the most commonly used spice mix, and home made is way batter then ready-made store brought .

Ingredients:

1 tsp cumin seeds
3 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp whole black pepper
3 whole black cardamoms
1 tsp cloves
1 stick cinnamon
1 bay leave optional
4 tsp white cumin
1/2 tsp nutmeg and mace crushed
Method:

Put all the spices and an electric grinder and grind them into fine powder.  Store it in airtight container.
Note:
Garam masala can be used in almost all Pakistani savory meals. It has great medicinal properties, great flavor and aroma especially in the rice and meat dishes or any curries.

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

peshaweri channa pulao

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Channa pulao is one of the most common rice served with meat in Peshawar .  my mom and her mom was expert in the kind of rice and the secret ingredient was there sun dried onion .after it dried and then fried it give a very beautiful color and aroma .and off course the gram masala and the beautiful chickpeas and raisins. And the big soft meat which fork tender and melt In your mouth.
But as many years I have been living in America I try it with fresh onion and it is also very  yummy  .
So here a go giving you my family old recipe for chana pulao

Chana  pulao
Ingredients:
2 cups long grain rice [sella rice] or basmati rice
1/2-cup precooked or can chickpeas
½ cup raisins
Salt and pepper according to taste
3 black pepper corns
1 stick cinnamon
1tsp cumin seeds
1tsp garam masala
1 large cardamom
1 large onion thinly sliced
 1 large tomato thinly sliced
4 tbsp canola oil
4 cups water or meat stock
 large meat pieces  to serve with.
Method:
Wash  and soak the rice  in water for 3 hours if  you are not using sella rice soak only for 15 minutes. Don’t soak basmati rice more then 15 minutes .now add 4-cups of water and chickpeas  to a pot and bring to boil low the flame and let it cook for 15 minutes then off the flame and cover.
In a separate pot add oil and fry onion until golden add tomatoes and salt and all and add all the spices except garam masala and mash it with the back of the spoon .
And add the fry mixture and  sprinkle garam masala cover and low the flame and let the rice cook add raisins and let it cook until the water dries and the rice cook completely fluff the rice with fork and serve with meat curry and salad or Rita.