Go for the healthy options
Go for the healthy options
During the festive season, it's very important to eat right. It's important that we ditch the fried stuff altogether. It's also important to stay clear of sweets since most traditional sweets are deep fried. Save your calories for the more interesting savoury items. If you are going visiting then make sure you only taste a little bit at every house.
Stick to water — whenever offered tea or coffee or cordial make sure you opt for the water or the freshly squeezed fruit juices (not the ones in the carton).
Avoid the buffet — and if you really can't, then remember the above rules and you will be fine. Opt for a la carte. Also, if you have recently given up smoking, drinking coffee, tea and cola, then why change that? Keep your good habits and see your body perform like a well-oiled machine. Above all understand that you do not need to eat the wrong things to enjoy Eid.
Low-calorie chicken biryani recipe:
Ingredients
- 10 cardamom pods, crushed open
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 inches of fresh ginger, cut into pieces
- 1/2 tsp cumin seed
- 1 tsp fennel seed
- 3 quarts water
- Salt to taste
- 1 (1.5kg) roasting chicken (bone-in, skinless cut into pieces)
- Ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp extra virgin oil
- 4 cups onions (thinly sliced)
- 2 green chilies (medium sized – one seeded and chopped fine, the other chopped fine with seeds)
- 4 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 1/4 cups basmati rice
- 1/2 tsp saffron thread, lightly crumbled
- 1/4 cup cashew nuts
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves (minced)
- 2 tbsp fresh mint leaves (minced)
Method
Wrap cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, ginger, and cumin and fennel seed in a small piece of cheesecloth and secure with kitchen twine. In a three-and-a-half to four-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan about eight inches in diameter, bring water, spice bundle, and one-and-half teaspoons salt to boil over medium-high heat; reduce to medium and simmer, partially covered, until spices have infused water, at least 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, season both sides of chicken thighs with salt and pepper and set aside. Heat olive oil in 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat; add onions and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and dark brown at the edges, 10-12 minutes. Add green chilies and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant. Transfer onion mixture to bowl, season lightly with salt, and set aside.
Wipe out skillet with paper towels, return heat to medium-high, and place chicken pieces skin-side down in skillet; cook, without moving chicken, until well browned. Flip chicken and brown second side, 4-5 minutes longer; cover with foil to keep warm.
If necessary, return spice-infused water to boil over high heat; stir in rice and cook five minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain rice through fine-mesh strainer, reserving three-fourths cup cooking liquid; discard spice bundle. Transfer rice to medium bowl; stir in saffron and cashews (rice will turn splotchy yellow). Spread half of rice evenly in bottom of now-empty saucepan using rubber spatula. Scatter half of onion mixture over rice, then place chicken, skinned-side up, on top of onions; add any accumulated chicken juices. Evenly sprinkle with coriander and mint, scatter remaining onions over herbs, then cover with remaining rice; pour reserved cooking liquid evenly over rice.
Cover saucepan and cook over medium-low heat until rice is tender and chicken is cooked through, for about 30 minutes. Spoon biryani into individual bowls, scooping from bottom of pot and serving one chicken piece per person.
— Ahlaam Ali is a Lifestyle and Nutrition Consultant and founder of Powwer Bhangra and Powwer Eat Programmes
