Measure out equal quantities of cardamom, cinnamon sticks and cloves. Take each serving out just before you’d like to eat it, and warm it either on a low flame or in the microwave. Leave the chicken on dum for a while, until the oil rises to the surface.As it happened, I’d seen a recipe for it in a magazine, but now I’ve forgotten which one it was. Boil milk and cool till it is lukewarm.Store this in the refrigerator or serve at room temperature.How to set yogurtI recommend you purchase an earthenware bowl for this purpose and the yogurt will have an addictive unique flavour. Before our next dinner party, I told Peter not to order dessert. Cover with a tightly-fitting lid.The heirloom recipes in this book are reflective of Hyderabad’s ancient, multi-cultural history and before I give you more practical tips and pieces of advice on the recipes, I thought it might be interesting to delve into some history of Hyderabad.Take the pan off the flame and spoon the phirnee into bowls.— Recipes from the book Saffron and Pearls: A memoir of family, friendship and heirloom Hyderabadi recipes. So, if you have stored the meat in the fridge or freezer, make sure you thaw it well in advance. If you do not have a lagan, you can place the chicken pieces, marinade, milk, lime juice and food colouring in a thick-bottomed pan or vessel.In a large, thick-bottomed pan, put the milk to boil. Grind each one separately into a fine powder. It was delicious, of course, and I would often ask him if it was expensive but he always said no. What makes Hyderabadi food so delicious and unique is the attention paid to every detail and technique, from marinating the meat and grinding masalas to the process of cooking, and then the garnishes, as well as how the dish is served. What we recognise as Hyderabadi food today owes its origin to the Qutub Shahi dynasty which ruled over the erstwhile kingdom of Golconda for 169 years, from 1518 to 1687 before being conquered by the Mughals.

Then grind to a very smooth paste and keep aside. Return the pan to the stove and allow the milk and rice mixture to thicken, stirring continuously to ensure it stays very smooth. Let this paste cool completely in a deep bowl. Strain the oil into a bowl.INGREDIENTS2 litres milk½ kg sugar¼ kg fresh cream¼ kg rice10 tbsp almonds, finely chopped10 tbsp pistachios, finely chopped2 tsp almond essenceVaraq for garnish METHODWash and soak rice for an hour.Mix in sugar and fresh cream as the mixture thickens. To add the tadka, heat the oil in a frying pan and add all the ingredient. Pasinda meat, which is used in many recipes, is a steak cut with marrow bones. Let marinate for an hour. I am told that my father-in-law used to believe that the two people to be carefully watched are the butcher and the goldsmith. Place the chicken in a deep bowl. I decided right then and there to learn how to make phirnee.— Excerpt from the book DUM KA MURGHINGREDIENTS1 chicken, weighing approximately 1 kg¼ kg yogurt2 bunches coriander leaves, finely chopped1 bunch mint leaves, finely sliced4 green chillies, slitJuice of 1 lime½ cup milk1 dessert spoon ginger-garlic paste1 tsp garam masala powder1 tsp saffron strandsA few drops of lemon-yellow food colouringSalt to tasteFlour to sealLighly roast and grind1 dessert spoon poppy seeds1 dessert spoon chironjee seeds1 tsp all-spiceMETHODFry the onion slices to a golden brown. Rub a spoonful of leftover yogurt all over the insides of an earthenware bowl. Other popular breakfast dishes are kheema and parathas, and kaleji gurda. It turned out to be `11 per bowl, which was a lot in those days. Store in the refrigerator. The Qutub Shahi rulers were also great connoisseurs of food and their cuisine married Turkish and Persian influences with local ingredients and culinary traditions. And then one day, the man delivered the phirnee when I was home alone so I asked for the bill. Cover each with a piece of varaq and garnish with almonds and pistachios. Pour the warm milk into the bowl, cover and keep in a warm place to set.When the meat is cool enough to work with — but not cold — start grinding it, a cupful at a time, to a fine paste. Pour this baghar over the ground meat and cover the bowl immediately. Dissolve saffron strands in milk in the meantime. Then, squeeze the juice of a lime and add a few drops of lemon-yellow food colouring. It is also best cooked on a slow flame. Make sure you use it before the fragrance fades. Check the chicken pieces for doneness.Poets, travellers, kings and common men alike sung praises of his new city, which though ruled by devout Shia Muslims, was very secular, multi-cultural and a haven for art and literature. Allow the chillies to fry well, until nearly charred. Mix everything well. Once they are cooked, add chopped coriander and mint leaves and slit green chillies. Place the pan on the stove, and leave the flame on high for 10 minutes.PHIRNEEIn our early years in Delhi, after I’d mastered the biryani and could cook a spread for dinner, we still ordered the dessert. He thought it was even better than what we ordered from the Old City, which boosted my confidence. Serve garnished with coriander and mint leaves and, if you wish, more lime juice. Just a minute before it is done, mix in the almond essence. Heat oil in a deep pan and then lower the flame, and add a pinch of cumin seeds, a few curry leaves and a garlic clove. Before the Qutub Shahi era, the region was ruled by the Kakatiya dynasty of Warangal and had also been a part of the Bahmani kingdom, which was based in Bidar that is now a part of Karnataka. Wash the mortar and pestle, and make sure it’s clean and dry. Set aside for two to three hours to allow the flavours to combine. The Nizams were, also, discerning gourmets and brought in culinary influences from Telengana, Marathwada and Karnataka. Sultan Mohammed Quli, a Qutub Shahi king, built Hyderabad in 1580s, and was inspired by the beautiful, legendary Persian city of Isfahan. Mix in the masala you have roasted and ground; sauté until fragrant. Mash the fried slices into a crumble and keep aside. If you want sour yogurt, use yogurt which is two days old. I have a butcher that I can rely on but still prefer to go buy the mutton myself, choosing the calf of the leg or shin bone (called adla karali or machli ka gosht). Mutton must always be cooked at room temperature. Remove onto a plate lined with absorbent paper, and let cool. Peter liked to serve phirnee, which he would get from the Old City. Eventually, the governor’s title was changed by the Mughals to Asaf Jah, giving birth to the Asaf Jahi dynasty, which ruled over Hyderabad for two centuries, from 1724 to 1948, when the state was annexed by a newly independent India.

Then, reduce it to a low flame and let cook for 15-20 minutes. Add in the meat, cover immediately and let cook in its own juices, When it softens, uncover the pan and allow the liquid to form a thick gravy. Add the marinade and sprinkle with the saffron-infused milk.INGREDIENTS½ kg boneless mutton, with no fat1 tbsp unroasted coriander powder2 tsp chilli powder½ tsp turmeric powderSalt to tasteLighly roast and grind2½ tbsp patthar ka phool2½ tbsp ginger-garlic paste1½ tbsp peanuts1½ tbsp sesame seeds1 tbsp cumin seeds1 tbsp mustard seeds¼ tsp fenugreek seedsFor the tadka6 dried red chillies3 garlic cloves2 sprigs curry leaves2 tsp cumin seeds1 tsp mustard seedsA pinch of asafoetida METHODClean the meat and cut into small cubes. I made the phirnee and served it in earthen bowls, arranged very prettily on a big platter decorated with rose petals. Mix all three together and store in an airtight FKM O ring for sale jar. When the Mughals defeated the Qutub Shahi rulers and staked their claim over the kingdom, they chose to move the centre of power from Golconda to Hyderabad and appointed a governor for South India, with the title of Nizam-ul-Mulk. GOSHT KI CHUTNEY You will need a good-quality mortar and pestle to get the desired consistency — it is impossible to achieve it using a blender. After an hour, place the chicken pieces on a flat pan or lagan. Cook on a slow and low flame. To this bowl, add ginger-garlic paste, garam masala, roasted and ground spices, fried onion and the oil.Seal the lagan with flour and place coals above and below.

It makes enough for 15 servings.Notes on buying and cooking muttonMutton is every Hyderabadi’s favourite meat. Wash with salt and set aside in a plastic container. The next time Peter was out of town, I tried my hand at making phirnee and my father, who was visiting us at the time, said it was very good. It won me many compliments and the recipe I found by chance in a magazine is now one of my favourites.Garam Masala powderEvery Indian household has their own recipe for garam masala and this is mine. The day would traditionally begin with nehari, which is a soup cooked overnight with lamb trotters and tongue, eaten with kulchas. When you are cooking with mutton the quality of the meat is very important. once it comes to a boil, take the pan off the flame and mix in the ground rice. If you cannot go buy the meat yourself, please make sure that you send out for or order in from a reliable source. Continue stirring and cooking for 10 more minutes.

Megosztás a facebookon