Scheherazade Biryani

Traditional Iranian style biryani layered with marinated fish and fried onions. Topped with raisins and cashews. The aroma of rose water is beautiful in this biryani recipe.

Scheherazade Biryani

Chef's Name	:	Team Pakistan
Recipe Servings	:	4
Recipe Cook Time	:	1 Hour
Recipe Rating

Tags: biryani, chaawal, fish, foodistan, rice

 

 

Ingredients

• For Marinade:
  
  Salt to taste
  
  Pepper to taste
  
  1 tsp turmeric powder
  
  1 Tbsp garam masala powder
  
  1 tsp cornflour, dissolved in water
  
  2 eggs
  
  
  For Biryani:
  
  100 gms dalda ghee
  
  40 gms whole garam masala (bread loaf, clove, coriander, fennel, black cardamom, cinnamon, red chilli dry, mace, cumin, caraway)
  
  200 gms onion
  
  2 Tbsp ginger paste
  
  2 Tbsp garlic paste
  
  50 gms tomato
  
  3 Tbsp coriander
  
  1/2 cup yogurt
  
  1 kg basmati rice
  
  400 gms grouper fish fillet (or any white fish), cut in 1x1" cubes
  
  1 ltr oil
  
  2 tsp cumin seeds
  
  1 green capsicum, diced
  
  50 gms green peas
  
  50 gms cashew nuts
  
  50 gms raisins
  
  1 tsp saffron (zaffran)
  
  2 Tbsp kewra water
  
  1/2 cup rose water
  
  1 bunch mint
  
  1 Tbsp red chilli powder
  
  

Method

Take fish cubes and add salt, pepper, turmeric, garam masala, cornflour, egg. Leave to marinate for a while.

Take a pot and melt dalda ghee. Put garam masala, onion, ginger paste and garlic paste in this.

When it starts spitting, add chopped tomato, coriander and yogurt. Add water as required.

On second boil, add rice.

When the rice is nearly done, put a tight lid on and leave on dumpukht for 20 minutes.

Deep fry the marinated fish in hot oil. Keep aside.

In another fry pan, heat some oil and put cumin seeds. Add diced capsicum and onion and sauté on a high flame.

Add some gravy made with tomato puree, ginger, garlic paste and onions, cook till oil separates.

In the end, add the fried fish and fold into gravy.

Remove the lid from rice. Add kewra / rose water for aroma.

Take a serving dish and put one layer of rice and one layer of fish masala.

Garnish with fried onions

Layer again with fish and then rice.

End with a topping of fried onion, cashews and raisins.

 

Baked Herb Crepes

These savory spinach and ricotta cheese crepes are a show stealer at the brunch table. Covered with tomato puree, these crepes are baked and are amazing to eat!

Baked Herb Crepes

Chef's Name	:	Manju Malhi
Recipe Servings	:	4
Recipe Cook Time	:	1 Hour

Ingredients

• 4 Tbsp chopped fresh herbs of your choice
  
  1 Tbsp olive oil, plus extra for frying
  
  75 ml milk
  
  3 eggs
  
  30 gm plain flour
  
  Pinch of salt
  
  Sunflower oil, for greasing
  
  
  For the Sauce:
  
  2 Tbsp olive oil
  
  1 small onion, chopped
  
  2-3 garlic cloves, crushed
  
  400 gm can chopped tomatoes
  
  Pinch of light brown sugar
  
  
  For the Filling:
  
  450 gm fresh spinach, cooked
  
  80 gm ricotta cheese
  
  60 gm pine nuts, toasted
  
  5 sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, drained and chopped
  
  2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
  
  Salt
  
  Nutmeg
  
  Ground pepper
  
  4 egg whites

Methods

To make the crepes, place the herbs and oil in a food processor and blend until smooth.

Add the milk, eggs, flour, and salt and process again. Leave to rest for 30 minutes. Heat a small frying pan and add a little oil.

Add a ladle full of batter. Swirl around to cover the base.

Cook for 2 minutes, turn and cook for 2 minutes.


To Make The Sauce:

Heat the oil in a pan, add the onion and garlic and cook gently for 5 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and sugar and cook for about 10 minutes, or until thickened. Puree in a blender, then sieve and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 375F.


To Make the Filling:

Mix the spinach with the ricotta, pine nuts, tomatoes, and basil.

Season with salt, nutmeg, and pepper. Whisk the egg whites until stiff. Fold one-third into the mixture, and then gently fold in the rest.

Place one crepe at a time on a lightly oiled baking sheet, add a spoonful of filling and fold into quarters.

Bake for 12 minutes until set. Reheat the sauce and serve with the crepes.

Chicken Lasagne

White wine infused chicken dumplings, lasagna roundels and bechamel sauce cooked together and served with poultry.

Chicken Lasagne

Chef's Name	:	Chef Tomasso Maddalena Travertino, The Oberoi
Recipe Servings	:	4
Recipe Cook Time	:	3 Hours

Ingredients

• 250 gm pasta dough
  
  1/2 cup bechamel sauce
  
  2 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese
  
  1/2 cup chicken dumplings
  
  1/2 cup sautéed mushrooms
  
  1 tsp truffle oil
  
  2 tsp poultry jus
  
  
  For the Pasta Dough:
  
  400 gm
  
  4 eggs
  
  1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  
  
  For the Bechamel Sauce:
  
  2 Tbsp butter
  
  1/2 cup flour
  
  1 cup cold milk
  
  1 bay leaf
  
  1 whole onion
  
  2 to 3 Tbsp sauteed mushrooms
  
  2 to 3 Tbsp soaked morels
  
  A pinch of pepper
  
  
  For the chicken dumplings
  
  1/2 cup minced chicken mixed with rosemary and thyme
  
  2 tsp white wine

Methods

For the Pasta Dough:

In a bowl, mix the eggs to the flour, add extra virgin olive oil and knead a dough. Allow it to rest for 2 hrs.


For the Bechamel sauce:

Melt butter in a pan and add the flour. Mix in cold milk and stir. Now add the onion, bay leaf, pepper, morels and the mushrooms. Cook for few minutes and let it cool.


For the Chicken Dumpling:

Make small dumplings with the minced chicken. Now sear and cook them in a pan with white wine.

Prepare thin sheets of the dough using the pasta rolling machines.

Cut it into roundels and cook in rapid boiling salt water for 3-5 minutes.

On a plate, spread the bechamel sauce and assemble the lasagna roundels folding in the sauce.

Spread the chicken dumplings and some cheese on top.

Now bake it until you get a light brown color.

Serve the dish with streaks of poultry jus and truffle oil.

Lasagne of Squashes

Layers of delicious lasagne sheets, cheese and freshly made sauce baked golden.

Lasagne of Squashes

Chef's Name	:	Vicky Ratnani
Recipe Cook Time	:	45 Minutes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tsp of olive oil
  
  10 to 12 sheets of lasagne
  
  1 medium zucchini, chopped into bite size pieces
  
  1 medium yellow squash, chopped into bite size pieces
  
  2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme
  
  A few leaves of fresh oregano
  
  1/2 cup grated mozzarella
  
  1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese.
  
  
  For the sauce:
  
  2 Tbsp olive oil
  
  1 medium onion, chopped
  
  2 large cloves of garlic
  
  4 medium sized tomatoes, cut in half
  
  1 red bell pepper, sliced
  
  1/2 a cup of tomato sauce
  
  A few basil leaves
  
  Salt and pepper to taste

Methods

Spread the chopped zucchini on a baking tray and season with salt and cracked black pepper, thyme, oregano and olive oil.

Roast it in an oven for 9 minutes at 250 degrees C.

In a deep vessel, blanch the lasagne sheets in salted boiling water and a dash of oil, till its half cooked.

Then drain and shock the sheets in iced water to avoid overcooking. Keep aside.

In a mixie, blend all the ingredients for the sauce together with 1 tbsp of oil.

Heat another 1 tbsp of olive oil in a pan, add the blended ingredients and let it simmer for 4-5
minutes.

Season the sauce with salt and let it reduce to a thick sauce.

Add this sauce to the roasted zucchini and yellow squash and mix well.

In a baking dish, smear one spoon of the sauce at the bottom and lay the lasagna sheets
side by side to cover the base.

Sprinkle some grated mozzarella and Parmesan cheese and then spoon some of the sauce
with zucchini and yellow squash over it.

Sprinkle some more cheese along with a few basil leaves and then repeat with the lasagna
sheets, cheese and then the sauce.

Repeat the layers till the baking dish is fully covered.

Drizzle with a cap of olive oil and add more basil leaves.

Bake in the oven for 15 minutes at 180 - 190 C and till the crust is golden brown.

Serve hot.

Potato Rosti

Rosti is a Swiss dish made with grated potatoes which was usually consumed as breakfast. Similar to hash browns, it is popularly eaten as a side dish with any continental meal. Topped with Gruyere cheese and mildly seasoned with salt and pepper, potato rosti is a very simple and easy dish to make.

Potato Rosti

Recipe Servings	:	4
Recipe Cook Time	:	20 Minutes

Ingredients

• 2 large potatoes
  
  Salt and pepper
  
  Oil to fry
  
  Sliced Gruyere cheese

Methods

Boil potatoes in salted water until 3/4 done. Cool and peel.

Grate the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper.

In a hot pan, fry until both sides are golden brown and crisp.

Place cheese slices on top and allow it to melt. Serve hot.

Greek Salad

Easy and healthy salad bowl of greens and feta cheese.

Greek Salad

Chef's Name	:	Vicky Ratnani
Recipe Servings	:	4
Recipe Cook Time	:	15 Minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2 bunch romaine lettuce
  
  1 cucumbers (peeled & de-seeded)
  
  1 red onions
  
  1/4 each bell peppers
  
  6 olives
  
  5 cherry tomatoes
  
  30 gm feta cheese
  
  A pinch of oregano
  
  20 ml red wine vinegar
  
  40 ml olive oil
  
  Salt & pepper to taste

Methods

Wash and prep the vegetables into chunks. Whisk together oregano, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper and olive oil.

Pour over the dressing.

Toss and serve the salad chilled.

Chocolate Brownie

The classic brownie recipe with walnuts and chocolate. Serve them warm with a scoop of ice cream and drizzle with some chocolate syrup.

Chocolate Brownie

Chef's Name	:	Niru Gupta
Recipe Servings	:	5
Recipe Cook Time	:	30 minutes

Ingredients

• 100 gm butter
  
  200 gm sugar
  
  6 Tbsp cocoa
  
  100 ml milk
  
  150 gm flour
  
  2 eggs
  
  50 gm chopped walnuts

Methods

Melt the butter, sugar, cocoa and milk together.

Add remaining ingredients. Stir to mix.

Bake in a square baking tin at 180 degree C for 25 minutes.

Cool and cut into squares.