Peanut Butter

 There are some healthy things which we need to add in our regular diet and peanut butter is one of them . This delicious spread is very rich in protiens and healthy fat . 

Rather than buying it from outside it can be prepared at home very easily and in minutes . I tried making this spread with whatever ingredients I had readily at home and it turned out even better than store bought variety . 

I made some variations like instead of adding sugar or glucose which is usually done in readymade variety I added honey to it . Also while grinding I kept the texture little grainy which actually tasted much better . 

Ingredients - 

1 cup - peanuts 

2 tbsp - groundnut oil 

2/3 tbsp - honey 

salt as per taste 

Method - 

In a kadhai dry roast the peanuts till they give out a nice aroma and become crisp . 

When still warm remove the skin of the peanuts . 

This step is completely optional .

If you want to keep the skil you can do so . 

I have tried both with skin and without skin . 

Now add the skinned peanuts in the mixer and start the mixer . 

Add salt and gradually go on adding oil and honey little at a time while grinding . 

You can keep the texture grainy of can grind till it becomes fine as per your choice . 

Store is a air tight glass jar . 

It stays well for 2 to 3 weeks even if kept outside . 

Just take care not to use water at all . 

Kheema Biryani ( खीमा बिर्याणी )

Ingredients for Keema

1/2 kg - mutton kheema
2 tb sp - green chilly , coriander leaves , mint leaves paste
2 tb sp - tandoori masala
2 onions - finely sliced
1 t sp - cumin seeds
2/ 3 - bay leaves
1 tb sp - red chilly pd
1/2 t sp - turmeric pd
3 /4 tb sp - oil
salt according to taste

Method for Kheema

Heat oil in a pan and add bayleaf .

Add cumin seeds and let them splutter.

Add sliced onions and saute till golden in colour .

Now add the green paste and stir fry till the oil separates .

Now wash the kheema properly , drained all the water and add it along with salt , chilli powder , turmeric and tandoori masala .

Mix everything nicely , add little water and cook for 15/20 minutes covering a lid on the pan .


Ingredients for Biryani Rice

2 and 1/2 cup - basmati rice
2/3 bay leaves
1/2 t sp cumin seeds
2/4 cardamoms
2 tb sp sour curd
2/3 tb sp oil
salt according to taste

Garnish

crispy fried onions
fried cashews
chopped coriander leaves

Method for Biryani

Heat oil in a pan and add bayleaves , cumin seeds and cardamom and let them splutter.

Now add washed and drained rice , salt , curd and mix well .

Add 4 cups water and make slightly uncooked rice .

Once done take out and spread the rice in a big plate .

Now in the same pan put a layer of kheema at the bottom .

On this arrange a layer of rice .

Repeat the layer of kheema and rice once more .

On top spread fried onions , cashews and chopped coriander leaves.

Cover the pan tightly with a lid .

Cook for 15/ 20 minutes preferably with a tawa below the pan .

This prevents the biryani from getting burnt at the bottom .

Serve hot with pickle , papad or raita .

Phodni Rice ( फोडणीचा भात )

Ingredients -  

2 cups....................left over rice
2...........................onion ( chopped)
2..........................green chillies ( slit in two)
1/2 tsp..................mustard seeds
1/2 tsp ..................cumin seeds
3-4 ...................... cloves
5/6 ......................pepper
2........................cardamom
2 .......................cinnamon
1/4 tsp..................hing ( asefoetida )
1/2 tsp................turmeric powder
1/4 tsp ...............chilly powder
1 tsp.................sugar
2 tbsp................oil
salt
1/2 lemon ...............(squeezed to juice ) (optional )
chopped coriander leaves ( for garnish) ( optional )

Method :

Heat oil and add mustard seeds.

After they splutter add hing, cloves , pepper , cardamom , cinnamon , slit chillies and chopped onions and saute till translucent.

Now add separated grains of left over rice.

Add turmeric powder, chilly powder , salt and sugar and mix well.

Cover with lid and cook for 5 minutes.

Add lemon juice and chopped corainader leaves and serve hot.

Balushahi

Ingredients :

2 cups ......................maida
1/2 tsp.......................baking powder
1 pinch......................baking soda
2 tbsp.......................whipped curd
4 tbsp...................... warm ghee
a pinch.....................salt
2 cups ....................sugar
1 cup.....................water
1/2 tsp...................cardamom powder
1 tbsp.....................almond slivers
oil for deep frying

Method :

Mix maida, baking powder, soda, curd and ghee gently with fingers till they resemble bread crumbs.

Now add just enough water and knead a soft but firm dough.

Cover it with wet muslin cloth and keep aside for at least 1 hour.

Make sugar syrup by boiling sugar and water.

When the syrup boils add cardamom powder and boil till it thickens a bit.

Now in a kadhai heat oil .

Make lemon sized balls of the dough and press them to form a pedha shape.

Make a depression in the middle with your thumb.

Deep fry these badushahs in oil on low flame for 10 to 12 minutes.

This will ensure that they become crisp and are cooked properly.

Fry till they are golden brown in colour.

Then drain out the oil with a slotted spoon and drop them in prepared syrup.

Let the badushah absorb syrup for about 5 to 10 minutes.

In the meanwhile fry the next batch of the sweets.

Remove the badushah from syrup and arrange them on the plate for the syrup to dry.

Sprinkle almont slivers on top and when completely cold store them in airtight container.