A health cookery competition, a recipe demonstration and a related nutrition talk got me to visit Pune last week.  The participants enthusiastically showed off their culinary skills and were supported by their friends present in full force.  The judging panel comprised of a chef from a star hotel, a food connoisseur from the company and myself.  The unanimous choice for the first prize was “Maharashtrian Tadka Biryani” made by Deepika Hublikar and Arti Deore.  They have shared the recipe with all of you, so thank you, Deepika & Arti.

MAHARASHTRIAN TADKA BIRYANI

Ingredients –

1. 1 cup flattened rice (beaten rice / poha / rice flakes)
2. Himalayan rock salt (Saindhav salt) to taste
3. Masala 1 – 1 star anise , 1 cardamom , 1 cinnamon, 2 cloves,  1 tsp black cumin seeds , 1 bay leaf
4. Masala 2 – 1/2 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp red chili powder, 1 tsp powdered fennel seeds, 1 tsp kasuri methi, 1 tsp turmeric powder
5. 1 tsp ginger and garlic paste
6. 1 tsp chilies finely chopped
7. 1 tbsp curd
8. 1 cup vegetables (chopped & boiled) – carrot, cauliflower, mushroom, french beans
9. 1/3 cup chopped tomato
10. 1/3 cup chopped onion
11. 1/2 cup paneer (grated)
12. 1 tbsp unsalted fresh butter
13. 2 tsp lemon juice
14. Garnish – coriander, mint (pudina)

Method of Preparation –
Rice preparation

• Take the flattened rice and soak it in water for few seconds.
• Heat the pan, melt half the unsalted butter in it, add Masala 1 and sauté for 2-3 mins. Add soaked flattened rice and sauté for 5 mins until the rice gets the flavor of masala. After 5 mins remove the rice from the flame.  Add Masala 2, salt, lemon juice, mix well and keep aside.
• Heat some coal on a flame.  After the coal is heated keep it in a bowl. Add few drops of ghee on the heated coal. Keep the bowl with the flattened rice prepared above the coal and cover it with a tight lid so that the rice gets the flavor of coal smoke.

Veggie Layer

• Heat the remaining unsalted butter in a pan. After the butter melts add 1 tsp cumin seeds and ginger-garlic paste, and after a few seconds add finely chopped onion. Sauté until the onion turns brown.
• Add chopped tomato and sauté it until the mixture thickens. Add curd and mix well.
• Add turmeric powder, fennel seed powder, chili powder, kasuri methi and mix well. After a few seconds add boiled vegetables, salt, garam masala, paneer & sauté for 2-3 mins.

Layers

• Cover 1/3 part of bowl with veggie layer and spread evenly. Add rice layer and garnish it with paneer, coriander and pudina. Prepare 1 more such layer and garnish your dish with coriander, pudina and baked onion rings.
• Cover the bowl with cling film. Make some holes to the film and heat in microwave for 5 mins.
• Serve your dish immediately after heating and enjoy your meal with some raita or curd.

Soon after I requested for healthy recipes, I received one from Chennai.  Don’t throw away the watermelon seeds after you eat the fruit.  Make chutney powder out of it – its nutritious and delicious, I’m sure.

Here’s the recipe contributed by Ms Smitha Suresh, Nutritionist, Chennai, India……

Watermelon Seed Chutney Pudi

Ingredients –
Watermelon seeds – 100 g
Pepper corns – 1 tsp
Jeera (cumin seeds) – 1 tsp
Peanuts – 2 tbsp
Tamarind – 1 inch piece
Red Chillies – 2-3 nos.
Salt – to taste
Garlic – 3 cloves (optional)

Method of preparation –
Toast all the ingredients together for 2- 3 mins, cool for a while and then dry grind roughly.   Sprinkle 1 tbsp  of this powder on steaming red rice, mix and enjoy the warm, earthy flavour!

You can add other ingredients which give their unique flavour like curry leaves, dried basil (tulsi) or neem. Substitute with other nuts and seeds.

Yesterday during a group nutrition session, one of the participants requested me to put up some easy and healthy recipes on my blog.  While I look for such recipes, if any of you have them already, do write to me and I’ll be happy to publish them here with your name.

Thank you!