Eggless bread pudding

I don't remember telling this before but my maa likes her puddings and cakes with eggs.I somehow don't like the idea of including eggs in my desserts.It kind of creeps me out.Since 2 days she had been eating my head off to make some bread pudding.But with eggs off course!Lately,i  bumped onto this recipe of "eggless bread pudding" made by Niharika who owns a blog named "Truly madly deeply" which has some delicious recipes.By seeing those gorgeous clicks of her eggless bread pudding i had decided then that this is what i am going to be making next.When my maa heard i am going to make an eggless bread pudding she made a face and said "i need eggs in my pudding" just like a cute fussy toddler would say.But i somehow talked her into it and she agreed.To my surprise she loved the texture and taste of this bread pudding and ate almost all of it by her own.She didn't even miss her beloved eggs in the pudding.Mission accomplished!

Ingredients

• 5-6 slices of any type of bread
• 2 cups of milk
• 4 tbsp of granulated sugar for the pudding + 2 tbsp for the caramel
• 1 tsp of vanilla essence or as per your taste
• 2 tsp of cornflour/corn starch
• And a whole lot of patience

Method

1. Cut the bread slices into small cubes including the brown edges.
2. Add the corn starch and sugar into the milk and put it on a low flame.Stir till the sugar dissolves.
   
3. Once that done take it off the heat and add in the bread cubes and vanilla essence.
   
4. Mash the bread cubes with the back of the spoon.There should be no chunky pieces of the bread left into the mixture.Make sure the brown edges of the bread gets mixed well,too.
5. Meanwhile,heat up the pressure cooker with 3 cups of water.I made this in a momo steamer.Hence i set my steamer with water to boil.This is very important step because by the time your caramel is done you would want your water in the cooker or steamer to be boiling.
6. Now for the caramel you can either do it in a separate heavy bottomed pan or in the aluminium container in which you will be setting your pudding.Add the sugar into the container with 1-2 tbsp of water and put it on a low flame.Keep stirring it with a spoon to get an even color.Once the sugar turns amber it has a tendency to burn quickly and turn bitter.Hence keep an eye on it.Once caramelized  spread the caramel sugar into the container evenly.Swirl the liquid inside so that it coats the sides of the pan,too.
   
7. Spoon in the bread mixture inside the tin.I covered the tin with clean film and poked a few holes on top.You can even cover it with aluminium foil.
   
8. Place it inside the cooker or steamer.If you are using a cooker then make sure to remove the whistle and the gasket.In cooker it usually takes 20-25 minutes for the pudding to steam.But in a steamer it takes around 30-35  minutes.Once that done refrigerate the pudding(do not take it out of the tin) for at least 1-2 hours after it reaches the room temperature.Else while you cut into the pudding the pudding might not hold it's shape.
   
9. Once it's chilled your bread pudding is ready to be served.Flip the pudding on to a plate,cut into slices and Eat it up! :)
   
   

mughlai paratha (moglai porota)

Unlike it's name this paratha does not have anything to do with the Mughal Era or it's cuisine.Now why the name Mughlai?Well,there is no sufficient explanation for this.Or maybe there is and i am still not known to it.But what i know is if this paratha time traveled to the mughal era.Then it would be sure to please all the royal taste buds.Mughlai paratha or as known in kolkata as "moglai porota" is a famous street food of Kolkata.Mughlai paratha is nothing but a stuffed and deep fried Indian flatbread.It is usually stuffed with eggs or minced meet(keema).But all the vegetarians reading this-don't be sad.You can always substitute the eggs and the meat with potatoes and cottage cheese(paneer).This paratha is served with a simple and spicy potato curry.The paratha is flaky,crispy and delicious.It is a wholesome meal in itself and can be had any time of the day.

For the potato curry

Ingredients serves-for 2-3 paratha's

• 1 medium large and 2 medium sized potato (with skin on) cut into cubes 
• 1/2 of 1 large onion chopped
• 4 cloves
• 3 cardamom pods
• 1 cinnamon bark
• 1/2 tsp of cumin seeds
• 1 tsp of coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp of cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp of red chilly powder
• 1/4th-1/2 tsp of turmeric powder
• few grains of sugar
• salt to taste
• 3-4 tbsp of oil

Method

1. Heat oil in a kadhai.Once hot add in the cloves,cardamom,cinnamon bark and cumin seeds.
   
2. Once they release it's aroma add in the chopped onions.
   
3. Once the onion starts sweating add in all the spices (red chilly powder,cumin powder,coriander powder,turmeric powder).Cook till oil separates.
   
4. Toss in the potatoes.When eating any potato curry outside i have noticed that the potatoes are cooked with their skin on.I had always thought that it was shear laziness.Hence today even i thought of keeping the skin on.And as a result the curry was even more flavorsome.Thus,i would suggest to keep the skin of the potatoes intact.Don't forget to was it thoroughly.Cook for a minute.
   
5. Add in the sugar.It is not compulsory but few grains of sugar enhances the taste.Add sufficient water to cook the potatoes and salt to taste.Cook till the potato gets cooked and the liquid dries out.The curry should be dry.Your finger licking potato curry is ready to compliment the Mughlai Paratha.
   

For making the Paratha
Ingredients serves-2 paratha's

• 2 cups all purpose flour/maida
• 2 tbsp of oil
• salt to taste
• water to knead the dough
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup of finely chopped onion,tomato,green chilly,coriander
• Oil for frying

Method

1. Take a large bowl.Add in the all purpose flour,salt and oil.Mix well.
   
2. Add in water little at a time to knead it into a soft dough.Rest it for atleast 20-30 minutes.
   
3. After the resting period take a generous portion of the dough and roll it into a ball keeping it between you palms.Grease the countertop and the rolling pin  with a bit of oil.Roll the dough into a form of rectangle.Once you have rolled the dough half way start stretching the dough with your hands.It should be thin so that once the paratha is fried it comes out super crispy.And remember one thing that the paratha swells up when fried in hot oil.Hence rolling it thin is important.And moreover if it's not thin enough the dough might remain raw from inside.
   
4. Crack a egg into a bowl.Add in handful of the chopped onions,chilies,coriander and tomato.Add salt to taste.whisk it properly.
   
5. Meanwhile,heat sufficient oil in a pan.
6. Spread the egg mixture In the center of the rolled dough.Fold the rolled dough into a form of an envelope covering the egg mixture.Make sure the mixture does not overflow out of the envelope.
   
   
7. Once the oil is hot drop the paratha carefully.Cook till golden brown.
   
8. Your mughlai paratha is ready.Serve it with the potato curry and pickled salad.Pluck a portion of the hot paratha,mix it with some  curry and Eat it up! :)
   

Egg Dum Biriyani

What is that one pot dish that pops into your mind when i say these three words-rice,spices and chicken?Is it Biriyani?okay,so what comes now when i say-rice,spices and eggs?not a Biriyani?well,why not?As a matter of fact egg biriyani can be equally delicious and flavorsome like that of a chicken biriyani. Those who avoid chicken or any kind of meat this recipe can be a great substitute.This is not any kind of biriyani it's actually a dum biriyani.Now i can see a wrinkle forming on your forehead with the word "dum".Don't you worry it's not that complicated as it sounds.But one thing that you should note down is that while making this recipe you need to treat it like our own child by that i mean pour all your love and effort into this dish and you'll emerge as a winner.Let's go through the ingredients first.To make things simple i have divided the whole recipe into three parts-cooking the rice,cooking the egg curry and assembling the biriyani.

First part-cooking the rice
Ingredients Serves-2 people

• 1 and 1/2 cups of raw basmati rice(long grain rice)
• 3 pods of green cardamom
• 1 cinamon stick
• 2 cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• At least 6 cups of water

Method

1. Take the rice wash it off properly.Boil it in a deep utensil with water,cardamom pods,bay leaf and cinnamon stick.I have mentioned the word "at-least" while mentioning the quantity of water because you can even add more but not less.As here the main agenda is to partially cook the rice you don't want the rice to soak up all the water and fluff up like it happens while making pulaos.Thus once you see your rice is 80-85% cooked i,e it's still a bit raw switch off the gas and drain the excess water from the rice and keep aside.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Second part-preparing the egg curry
For making the egg curry first the eggs are to be fried in spices.

Ingredients

• 4 hard boiled eggs cut into 2 pieces
• 1/2 tsp of turmeric
• 1/2 tsp of red chilly powder
• 1/4th tsp of salt
• 1 -2 tbsp of oil

Method

1. Heat oil in a pan.Add in the spices and salt.Mix well.
2. Add in the eggs with the yolk side down in the pan.Cook till it gets light golden and flip over.Cook the other side same way.(The eggs splutter in hot oil.Be careful)(i have kept 2 pieces of eggs for garnishing)
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Now it's time to prepare the curry.
Ingredients

• Fried egg pieces
• 1 1/2 medium sized onion sliced
• 1 tbsp of chopped garlic
• 1 tbsp of grated garlic
• 1/4th cup of yogurt
• 1 tbsp of red chilly powder
• 1/2 tsp of turmeric
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp of cumin seeds
• 3 green chilies chopped into big pieces
• Pinch of garam masala
• 2 tbsp of ghee or clarified butter
• salt to taste

Method

1. Place ghee in a kadhai.Once hot add in the jeera(cumin seeds).
   
2. Once it releases it's aroma add in the grated ginger and chopped garlic.Cook till the rawness of the garlic and ginger disappears.
   
3. Add in the sliced onions.Cook till it becomes translucent.
   
4. Add in the green chilies and spices.Mix very well.Cook for a while till the spices releases oil.
   
   
   
   
5. Pour in the yogurt.Keep the flame low or take it off the heat while you mix the yogurt.Else there remains a tendency that the yogurt might split.
   
6. Add in the salt and cook till everything gets combined and it forms a rich thick gravy.If you think the gravy is too dry you can add a little bit of water to dilute it.Ones the gravy starts to thicken add in the fried eggs.And stir gently without disturbing the shape of the eggs.At the end add in the garam masala and mix everything together.(i like my gravy a bit dry)
   

It's time to assemble the Biriyani now.

Ingredients

• Cooked rice
• 1 1/2 fried onions(take 1 and 1/2 large onions.Slice thinly and fry till golden brown)
• Egg curry
• Chopped mint and coriander leaves as needed
• Few saffron threads soaked in milk or yellow food color diluted in water
• Ghee or clarified butter as needed
• Salt to taste
• all purpouse flour dough to stick it around the rim of the kadhai.

Method

1.Take a deep kadhai.Add in half of the egg curry(this looks  less but it's enough)

2.On top of that add in half of the rice.Sprinkle chopped mint and coriander leaves.Spread a little salt(taste the curry first.Add in the salt accordingly.)Pour little ghee and sprinkle the saffron milk or diluted food color haphazardly so that half of the rice remains white and half of the rice gets stained with the yellow color.Repeat the process once again.

3.Throw in few drops of water on top for a bit of moisture.

4.Stick in the dough allover the rim of the kadhai.And press the lid on top so that  the steam does not escape.If there is any vent on the lid of the kadhai then place a bit of dough over the vent as well.

5.Place a heavy bottomed pan or tava on low flame.Add in some water.Once little ripples form in the water and it leaves steam add in the kadhai.What we are basically trying to do is create a double boiler so that the kadhai does not come in direct contact with the heat,Usually with dum biriyani people face a common problem is that the rice gets burned quickly.But here there are very less chances of the rice to burn.Make sure that the water on the tava does not dry out.

6.Keep it on dum for 20-25 minutes.(the time varies on certain elements like the intensity of the flame.So at times it might take a bit longer.Trial and errors will make you perfect eventually.)

7.Take it out of the heat.Your egg dum biriyani is ready.Serve it with your favourite raita and Eat it up!:)