Desi delights

Mutton Biryani
Cooking time: 1hr 25 mins
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
For the rice
500gm basmati rice, washed & drained
1 star anise
2 bay leaves
2 black cardamom
2tsp black cumin seeds
6 black peppercorn
6 green cardamom
2 cinnamon sticks
6 cloves
¼ jaiphal
1javitri
3tsp salt
500gm mutton, cut in 2 inches pieces (avoid shoulder cut)
1tbsp garam masala
1tbsp garlic paste
1tbsp ginger paste
4tbsp yoghurt
Juice of 1 lemon
1tsp coriander powder
½tsp cumin powder
1tbsp red chilli powder
1tsp salt
Other ingredients
4 onions
2 tomatoes, chopped
¼cup milk, warm
Ghee as needed.
A few saffron strands
Oil as needed
1tsp rose water
1tsp kewra essence
14 green chillies
Method:
Add the beaten yoghurt, ginger-garlic paste, chilli powder, salt, lemon juice and garam masala to the mutton and marinate for four hours.
Slice 2 onions very thinly and separate them. In a pan, add oil and fry the onion slices until brown. Fry in small batches taking care not to burn them. Spread them on a paper-towel lined plate. (This crispy, brown fried onion is called barista.)
Heat ghee in a thick-bottomed pan. Finely slice the remaining 2 onions and green chillies. Saute until the onions are light brown. Add the ginger-garlic paste and mix well. Add the marinated mutton and cook on high heat for seven to eight minutes.
Boil the rice and strain. In a large vessel, make a dum process by layering the rice and the mutton. Cover with aluminium foil in such a way that the steam does not escape. Keep in dum for 25 minutes and serve with raita.
Murgh Malai Tikka
Cooking time: 30mins
Serves: 3
Ingredients:
2tbsp cheese
500gm boneless chicken thigh
2tbsp cashew nut
100ml fresh cream
30ml refined oil
1tbsp ginger-garlic paste
Salt to taste
5 pinches of green cardamom powder
3 pinches of white pepper powder
1tbsp coriander leaves, chopped
1tsp almond, chopped
1tsp green chilli, chopped
2tsp clarified butter
1 fresh lemon
1tsp garam masala powder
1tsp coriander powder
2tbsp mint chutney
Method:
Wash the chicken and pat the pieces dry. Prepare the marinade with salt, lemon juice, ginger and garlic paste and marinate the chicken for at least three hours in the refrigerator. Squeeze the chicken pieces lightly against the palms and keep aside for a while.
In a bowl, crush the cheese until it becomes a paste-like consistency. Add fresh cream,  and mix well. Grind the cashew and mix. Add the chopped green chilies, coriander powder, cardamom powder, pepper powder and mix well. Dip the chicken pieces in this mix. Refrigerate the chicken pieces again for 2 to 3 hours. Take out the marinated chicken pieces and put them in a skewer. Place the skewer in a tandoor or a griller, and cook for 5 minutes. Take out the chicken pieces carefully when done, and brush them with butter and refined oil. Place the chicken pieces back in the tandoor and cook again until light golden in colour.
Plating: Remove the chicken pieces from the skewer and place on a serving dish. Garnish with lemon juice, butter, garam masala powder and toss the chicken pieces. Serve with mint chutney.
Paneer Khus Rang Tikka
Cooking time: 30mins
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
500gm cottage cheese
120gm hung curd
2tsp ginger-garlic paste
3tsp lemon juice
1tsp coarse salt
1tsp coriander powder
2tsp bhatti masala
1tsp red chilli powder (optional)
For khusrang masala (500gm)
250gm cumin seeds
175gm black peppercorns
50gm mace
12gm cinnamon
12gm peeled cardamom
For onion salad
2 large onions, finely sliced
Juice of 2 lemon
½tbsp chaat masala
Method:
Cut the cottage cheese into rectangular pieces, 1cm thick. Cream the hung curd with a beater for 2 minutes. Add the ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice, salt, coriander powder, 200gm of the khusrang masala,  bhutti masala, chilli powder and blend again for 1 minute. Coat each piece of paneer in this mix and leave to marinate for an hour. Then take out the marinated paneer and put them in a skewer and cook on a tandoor.  Serve with onion salad.
Onion salad: Soak onions in lime juice for 15 minutes, and add chaat masala just before serving.