Healthy Chicken Biryani, Paaya Soup And Lauki Raita by Zarnak Sidhwa

Ingredients For Healthy Chicken Biryani:

• Chicken with bones 800 gm
• Brown rice 1 1/2 cup
• Salt to taste
• Cinnamon 2 sticks
• Cloves 5-6
• Green cardamom 3-4
• Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
• Ginger  1 inch piece
• Garlic cloves 5-6
  
• Onion 1 medium
  
• Green chutney 3-4 tbsp
  
• Yogurt 1/2 cup
  
• All spice powder 1/2 tsp
  
• All spice powder to sprinkle
  
• Saffron 5-6 springs
  
• Milk 1/4 cup
• Fried onions 1 cup
  
• Pure ghee 2 tbsp
  
• Rose petals a few drops
  
• Kewra water a few drops
  
• Mint leaves for garnish

Method:

1. Heat sufficient water in a deep non stick pan, add rice, salt, cinnamon, cloves, green cardamoms and cook.
2. Heat 2 tbsp oil in another non stick pan, add chicken, turmeric powder and salt and saute.
3. Grind ginger garlic and onion and add to the chicken and mix.
4. Cover and cook for 3-4 minutes.
5. Add green chutney, adjust salt and mix well.
6. Add yogurt and mix.
7. Add garam masala powder and mix again.
8. Take saffron and milk in a small bowl and heat in a microwave oven for 1/2 minute.
9. Add fried onion to chicken and mix and cook till slightly dry.
10. When the rice is almost done strain it into a bowl.
11. Add desi ghee and mix and spread the rice over the chicken.
12. Sprinkle rose petals, saffron milk,  rose water, pressure cook trotters and split bengal with two cups water till three whistles.
13. Heat oil in a non stick pan, add green cardamom, ginger garlic paste, onion paste, kashmiri chilies, coriander powder, all spice powder and saute for five minutes.
14. Add tomatoes and saute till oil surfaces.
15. Add lentil mixture and salt and cook for five minutes.
16. Serve hot.
    

Ingredients For Paaya Soup:

• Mutton trotters 6
  
• Split bengal gram 1/2 cup
  
• Green cardamom 2
  
• Ginger garlic paste 4 tsp
  
• Onion paste 1 cup
  
• Kashmiri red chilies 6-7
  
• Coriander powder 2 tsp
  
• All spice powder 1 tsp
• Tomato finely chopped 1
  
• Salt  to taste

Method:

1. Pressure cook trotters and split bengal gram with two cups water till three whistles.
2. Heat oil in a non stick pan, add green cardamom, ginger garlic paste, onion paste, kashmiri chilies, coriander powder, all spice powder and saute for five minutes.
3. Add tomatoes and saute till oil surfaces.
4. Add lentil mixture and salt and cook for five minutes.
5. Serve hot.
   

Ingredients For Lauki Raita:

• Bottle gourd grated 250 gm
  
• Yogurt 1 cup
  
• Sugar 1 tsp
  
• Red chili powder 1/2 tsp
  
• Salt to taste
  
• Green coriander 1/4 cup
  
• Cumin seeds  1 tsp

Method:

1. In a deep pan, heat 2 cups of water to boiling.
2. Add the grated bottle gourd to this boiling water and stir.
3. Cook For 1 minute an strain.
4. Allow the bottle gourd to cool.
5. When cool, press down in the colander to squeeze out all excess liquid.
6. Put the yogurt, sugar, red chili powder, salt to taste and chopped coriander in a mixing bowl and blend till smooth.
7. Add the cooled bottle gourd, cumin powder and stir to blend.
8. Chill in the refrigerator and serve.