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A banquet for Eid

1/ 1/2002

Hydrabadi Biryani (serves 6)

A classic rice dish unique to the Muslim state of Hyderabad. Biryani was a particular favourite of the former wealthy ruler Nizam. It was frequently served at court banquents as a centre-piece heavily garnished with silver leafed almonds and dried fruit, cooked with large amounts of meat

Ingredients
900 g lamb, diced (on or off bone)
4 onions, finely sliced
450 g plain yoghurt, beaten1 tbsp red chilli powder
2 tbsp salt
1 tin tomatoes, puréed
¼ tsp turmeric
1 level tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground garam masala
4 cloves
6 black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
2 black cardamom
5 cm cinnamon stick
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 cm ginger, crushed
225 g potatoes, peeled and cut into 3-4 cm chunks
600 g basmati rice
large pinch of saffron soaked in 100 ml water
Garnish
3 boiled eggs
30 g cashew nuts and blanched almonds
20 g sultanas
1 tbsp oil

Method
1. Wash the rice and leave to soak for 30 minutes.
2. In a heavy based saucepan heat the oil and add onions, sauté until a dark golden brown. Take out 2 tbsp onions to use later as garnish.
3. Add meat to remainder of the onions and heat until sealed (i.e. browned).
4. Add the peppercorns, cloves, bayleaves, 1 tbsp salt, chillies, turmeric, coriander and tomatoes, as well as the ginger, garlic and yoghurt. Plus 200 ml water.
5. Leave to cook for 45 minutes until meat is tender. Stir frequently to stop meat from sticking to bottom of the pan and add water if necessary.
6. Once meat is ready add potatoes, garam masala and cover. Cook until potatoes are ready for 10-15 minutes. Take off heat and place to one side.
7. Next fill large pan with water, add 1 tbsp of salt, cinnamon and cardamoms. Bring to boil, add rice to water, and cook until rice is just cooked 'al dente' (firm).
8. Once cooked, drain rice and place to one side.
9. In the pan used for cooking the rice first place a layer of rice (2.5-3.5 cm deep) then layer the meat. Keep on layering until both rice and meat are used up finishing with a layer of rice at top.
10. Drizzle saffron on top layer of rice and garnish with fried onions.
11. Cover with a tight lid and place on stove for 10-15 minutes to steam (dhum).
12. Meanwhile heat oil in frying pan and roast the almond, cashew nuts and sultanas until golden brown.
13. Transfer rice and meat to a hot serving dish, fork and fluff rice then garnish with sliced boiled eggs and the fried nuts (for an more impressive touch garnish with quail eggs, silver leafed almonds and colourful tomato wedges).

Nutty Chocolate Chip Kulfi (serves 6)

This recipe has been adapted to add chocolate for the chocolate addicts. Traditionally chocolate is rarely used in Indian cooking. Chocolate is very much a western influence. In this recipe the cocoa powder and chocolate chips provide a distinctive flavour and texture to the kulfi. Instead of chocolate chips, the chocolate could be added melted and folded in with the whipped cream to create a marble effect.

Preparation time: 10 mins, plus 6 hrs freezing

Ingredients
1.4 litres full cream milk
15 g rice flour
225 g sugar
100g cocoa powder
25 g unsalted pistachios, chopped
50 g almonds, chopped
A few drops of rose water (or vanilla/almond essence)
150 ml double cream, whipped
50 g chocolate chips
Decoration
2-3 silver leaves
1 tbsp flaked almonds and pistachios

Method
1. Pour the milk into a large saucepan and bring to the boil, then leave to simmer on a moderate heat for at least one hour until the milk has thickened and is reduced by half.
2. Take half a cup of this thickened milk and cool. Add the rice flour to this milk and mix until smooth.
3. Pour this mixture back into milk pan and continue to cook on a moderate heat for a further 20 minutes until it thickens to a batter-like consistency, stirring continuously so no lumps form.
4. Add the sugar and cocoa powder and continue stirring until both dissolve (10 minutes).
5. Remove the milk from the heat and cool down completely. Gently fold in the whipped cream, followed by the chopped almonds, chopped pistachios, rose water and chocolate chips.
6. Pour the mixture into a suitable container and freeze for 5-6 hours. Note that during freezing it is important to whisk the mixture 3 or 4 times so that no ice crystals form, and you have a smooth creamy kulfi.
7. Before serving allow to soften for 20 minutes. Then serve decorated with flaked pistachios and almonds, chocolate curls and silver leaf.