Straight from the hearth

Serve your guests appetising dishes such as Shah Jahani pulao when they come visiting

Shah Jahani pulao

800g chicken
1/4kg onion
2 tbs finely shredded ginger
6-8 cloves garlic, chopped
Mixed ground spices consisting of 2 green cardamoms, 1/4 tsp roasted ground coriander and 2 cloves
1 tsp salt
A pinch of saffron soaked in a tablespoon of hot milk
4 tbs ghee or oil

For rice:

2 cups of basmati rice
630ml meat stock
250g sliced onions
7 green cardamoms
2 big brown cardamoms
1 small piece cinnamon
4 cloves
3 tbs ghee or oil
2 tsp salt

Method

Skin the chicken and cut into pieces. Heat the ghee and sauté onions. Add ginger, garlic, chicken, salt and ground ingredients.

Cook covered, sprinkle water to get the pieces uniformly golden brown and tender. Sprinkle with saffron milk.
Soak the rice for 15 minutes, drain well.

Heat the ghee and sauté onions. Add rice, spices, salt and stock. Cook till three fourths done. Remove from heat and spread on a platter to cool.

To layer the pulao

150ml cream
150ml yoghurt well mixed
4 edible silver leaves (wark)
15 blanched almonds

Grease the pan and arrange the filling in layers.

First put in a little yoghurt, then rice, chicken, topped with cream and finish with rice. Place on low heat for 30 minutes.

Run a knife around the edge of the rice, turn out onto dish, garnish with blanched almonds and silver leaves and serve.

Note: You can substitute meat for chicken.

Whole tandoori fish

1-1/2kg pomfret (or any other firm fish)
1 tbs lemon juice
1 tsp salt

Clean the fish; leave the head and tail intact. Wash and dry. Make a few gashes on either side and brush with lemon juice and salt. Leave aside for 30 minutes

Masala:

1/2 tsp black salt
Grind together 1 tsp cumin seeds, 4 cloves garlic and 1 small piece ginger to form a paste
1 tsp ajwain (carom seeds)
A few drops of edible red colour
1 tsp amchoor (raw-mango powder)
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
3 tbs yoghurt

Basting sauce

1 tbs oil
1/4 tsp chilli powder
3 green crushed cardamoms
1 tsp dry mint leaves
1/4 tsp black pepper powder

Marinate the fish in the masala and leave for four hours in the fridge. Place under a grill or skewer and place on barbecue, brushing occasionally with the basting sauce till crisp and done. Serve with sliced onions, green chillies and lemon.

Awadhi shami kebabs

800g mince meat
3 tbs channa dal (gram)
2 tsp cumin seeds
4 green cardamoms
2 onions, chopped
6 cloves garlic
1 small piece ginger
1 small stick cinnamon
5 red chillies, seeded
6 peppercorns
2 tsp salt (or to taste)
8 cloves kababchini (optional; it can be found at Indian specialty groceries)

Soak the dal for a few hours and then combine with the remaining ingredients. Add 2 cups water and cook till done and the mixture is dry.

Place the cooked meat mixture in a blender, add two eggs and blend till smooth.

Add to the meat: 1 onion, finely chopped; 1 tbs chopped coriander leaves; 3 green chillies, seeded and chopped; 1/2 tsp dried mint leaves, powdered; 1 tbs cream or yoghurt.
Form small patties and fry in hot oil (use a griddle or tawa). Serve hot with lemon slices.

Nirmal Khanna is a UAE-based freelance writer