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  • Originally posted by kato View Post
    Which may be a bit of a problem at the moment.

    I'd have to scavenge through at least three supermarkets just to get some rice at the moment...

    (well, at least if i didn't have enough for at least a week worth in meals at home)
    If you are worried about getting rice avoid supermarkets and head to a Chinese/Indian or comparable food store. My local supermarket is out of rice, the chinese supermarket across the road has bags full, and the Indian food store 10 minutes walk away (at the end of my street) has it piled floor to ceiling. The only issue is that you'll have to buy 5kg or more. ;-)
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    • Originally posted by Bigfella View Post
      The only issue is that you'll have to buy 5kg or more. ;-)
      So a weeks worth :)

      That trick doesn't work here. All the local asian food markets are out.

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      • My local supermarket put a pallet of canned red beans near the front today. By the time i got there it was halfway gone, and normally about no one buys that stuff here.

        I kinda cheated on the empty rice shelf and grabbed the couscous next to it. Half the stock that they still had, enough for daily meals for two weeks.

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        • Originally posted by kato View Post
          Which may be a bit of a problem at the moment.

          I'd have to scavenge through at least three supermarkets just to get some rice at the moment...

          (well, at least if i didn't have enough for at least a week worth in meals at home)
          Check out Asian stores, Indians/Paks/Bangladeshis. No problem here till now. My parents haven't witnessed food crisis or food crisis generated from another crisis. If situation goes south, I'll start stockpiling rice, pulses, salt, oils, soybeans and whatever else is needed.
          Politicians are elected to serve...far too many don't see it that way - Albany Rifles! || Loyalty to country always. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it - Mark Twain! || I am a far left millennial!

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          • Onion pakora recipe:

            Onion - 2 medium sized (sliced finely)
            Green chillies - 4 medium length (slit vertically, then cut into small pieces)
            Cilantro - a handful (sliced finely)
            Black salt - to taste (helps in digestion), can use ordinary white salt too
            Black pepper - 1 tea spoon
            Corn flour - 4 table spoon
            Wheat flour - 1 table spoon

            Mix everything in a bowl with a little water first. Add more water, if needed. Should be a thick batter.

            Heat any neutral oil.

            Make small portions with hand & deep fry until golden brown. Enjoy the lockdown!!!

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            Last edited by Oracle; 27 Mar 20,, 15:10.
            Politicians are elected to serve...far too many don't see it that way - Albany Rifles! || Loyalty to country always. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it - Mark Twain! || I am a far left millennial!

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            • Okay, everything is related. Pregnant ladies are advised not to eat pineapple or raw papaya, as there are chances they might trigger miscarriage. In small quantities, those might be okay, but here in the sub-continent, pregnant ladies do not eat them at all.
              Politicians are elected to serve...far too many don't see it that way - Albany Rifles! || Loyalty to country always. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it - Mark Twain! || I am a far left millennial!

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              • Okay, got some pork in this lockdown.

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                It's very warm now. Days pass eating these to cool off.

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                ^ These came all the way from Karnataka.
                Politicians are elected to serve...far too many don't see it that way - Albany Rifles! || Loyalty to country always. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it - Mark Twain! || I am a far left millennial!

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                • Bought rose water and kewda water from Amazon. Surprisingly quick delivery this time. Will make biryani next week.
                  Politicians are elected to serve...far too many don't see it that way - Albany Rifles! || Loyalty to country always. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it - Mark Twain! || I am a far left millennial!

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                  • Friends caught a tortoise last week from the jungle. Got a kilogram of meat.

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                    Below is fat.

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                    Politicians are elected to serve...far too many don't see it that way - Albany Rifles! || Loyalty to country always. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it - Mark Twain! || I am a far left millennial!

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                    • Also, ghost chillies are coming up nicely in my terrace. I tasted one. Hot, very hot.

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                      Politicians are elected to serve...far too many don't see it that way - Albany Rifles! || Loyalty to country always. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it - Mark Twain! || I am a far left millennial!

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                      • It took me almost 1 year, from getting authentic recipes (yep), to doing some basic research about the food that is ordered (online) the most in India - Biryani!

                        Biryani comes from the Persian word 'Birian', which means 'fried before cooking', and 'Birinj' which is the Persian word for rice. Many theories out there, but the most accepted theory is that the Biryani originated in Persia, and Mughals brought it to India, which then underwent tailoring inside Mughal kitchen (dastarkhwan) to suit taste and style. Another famous theory is Turk-Mongol Conqueror Taimur brining Biryani to India in the 14th century. Even the Nizams of Lucknow and Hyderabad appreciated this dish.

                        Dastarkhwan = Kitchen. There were 2 types of dastarkhwan during the Mughal rule.
                        #1. Dastarkhwan-e-Khas -> Kitchen exclusively for Emperors and Noblemen. This is where Biryani was prepared & tailored.
                        #2. Dastarkhwan-e-Aam -> Kitchen that catered to the labour class or the poor during those times. This is where Nihari was invented.

                        Food unites people across geographies, and so did the love for Biryani and Nihari. Biryani flowed from dastarkhwan-e-khas to dastarkhwan-e-aam, and the same for Nihari which flowed from dastarkhwan-e-aam to dastarkhwan-e-khas.

                        Nihari is prepared from the tough and unwanted cuts of goat/lamb which sells cheap. Cooked slowly in copper vessels for a grinding 10-12 hours on a slow flame with aromatics and spices, until the meat is tender. Nihari is another story, for another day.

                        For both Biryani & Nihari, the preferred meat used for ages is goat/lamb according to geographical location. Nowadays chicken, beef are also used. Some sell fish, prawn and vegetable biryanis too.

                        Biryani actually is aged aromatic Basmati rice with a lot of spices (don't think chilli, think saffron and another 8-10 different spices) and meat, meat that is either raw and cooked with the rice in final dum, or meat cooked earlier then mixed with rice for the final dum. Dum, I'll explain later for our western audience.

                        Biryani evolved in India into 3 major types - Hyderabadi, Lucknowi, and Kolkata Biryani. Rest, whatever one gets in the internet is troll story. If I make Biryani in my house, that won't be called House Biryani, it would be either one among the three mentioned.

                        Hyderabadi Biryani is further categorised into 2 types.
                        #1. Kacche Gosht ki Biryani - Kacche means raw. In this Biryani the meat used is raw. Tough to prepare, expertise needed, and is the best Biryani in the world.
                        #2. Pakke Gosht ki Biryani - Pakke means cooked, hence the meat used for final dum is cooked first. Moderately difficult, tastes good.

                        Hyderabadi Biryani is a little on the spicer side. When I say spice for Biryani, it doesn't mean hot. It means the masalas used are a bit more. Mint leaves & Coriander/Cilantro are a must.

                        *No Biryani uses tomato, even though some people use it nowadays for the slight tang. Originally curd and lemon was used for the slight tangy taste.*

                        Next is Kolkata Biryani, which is Pakke Gosht ki Biryani. Cooked with boiled full potatoes & boiled eggs along with meat. It has its history associated with it, which it uses potato or eggs, but that's another topic. Kolkata Biryani is the most lighter version of Biryani, one finds in India.

                        Lucknowi Biryani, just meat and rice, is also pakke gosht ki biryani, and falls in between Hyderabadi and Kolkata versions for its spicyness content. Again, spice not equal to chilli.

                        *One doesn't get original dum Biryani in western countries, it is mostly made from packed masala powder and looks terrible.*
                        *Check to authentic iranian restaurants to get Biryani*

                        I tried making Lucknowi Biryani. Used long grain rice instead of aged Basmati rice. Used chicken inplace of goat. First time, so was careful not to use Basmati rice or Goat. The Biryani was good, food colour was excess (never used before and even 0.25 teaspoon was too much). Rice was fluffy. Meat was tender, meat should be so tender so as to fall off from the bones. Some pics below.

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                        Politicians are elected to serve...far too many don't see it that way - Albany Rifles! || Loyalty to country always. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it - Mark Twain! || I am a far left millennial!

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                        • Chicken cooked (80%) separately with whole spices. This is not the usual chicken gravy. The gravy is then sifted through a cloth (muslin cloth is used in shops, I used ordinary cloth), and the whole spices used are discarded.
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                          Politicians are elected to serve...far too many don't see it that way - Albany Rifles! || Loyalty to country always. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it - Mark Twain! || I am a far left millennial!

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                          • Rice is boiled (70% boiled) separately and kept aside. Then chicken and its gravy is moved to a vessel as shown in the pics below. Spices, whole milk cream etc go in here.

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                            Politicians are elected to serve...far too many don't see it that way - Albany Rifles! || Loyalty to country always. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it - Mark Twain! || I am a far left millennial!

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                            • For the final dum, adding meat and chicken, more spices, clarified butter, aromatics, little food colour, saffron mixed with little cream (I didn't use saffron, as cornershops don't sell it), and sealing the cover of the vessel with whole wheat dough. This sealing of the vessel to preserve the fragrant aromatics and the water vapour (cooks the remaining 30% rice and 20% meat), is called dum.

                              In high heat for 5 minutes, then on a low flame for 15 more minutes. Then let it rest for 30 mins, then break the dough seal and enjoy. Traditionally, it's cooked on charcoal, not gas.

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                              ^ All stuff mixed in the vessel.

                              Below, whole wheat dough is fixed/attached on the edge of the round vessel, and the cover of the vessel is hard pressed with hand to seal it. As I said, it's the water(chicken gravy, also called rogan) inside the vessel that will cook the remaining of the rice and meat, so if there is any leakage and steam escapes, meat at the bottom will be burnt. Also, how much liquid should be there in the vessel for the final dum for 1 kilo of rice and 1 kilo of chicken is also very important. Else rice will be soggy.

                              The below pic is when I opened the cover of the vessel after cooking was done, and the rest period of 30 mins. Misplaced the picture of the vessel along with the cover with whole wheat dough in the gas. If anybody wants the entire cooking recipe, I will be glad to share it through PM step-wise.

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                              Politicians are elected to serve...far too many don't see it that way - Albany Rifles! || Loyalty to country always. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it - Mark Twain! || I am a far left millennial!

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                              • Also cooked vegetable biryani along with vegetable korma, some weeks later, and it came out very good. Pics are not that clear, but my leaning from previous episodes of cooking chicken biryani came in handy. Food colour should have been much less again, can't see white rice again, damn. It's tough cooking Biryani for 1 person, and estimating everything for 1 person. It's not every week that I cook Biryani, it's once a month or so. So I need a couple of more months to be chef-level expert in this particular Lucknowi Biryani. Then I'll move to Kacche gosht ki biryani, Hyderabadi style with aged basmati rice and goat meat.

                                Taste: Biryani taste like umami, with succulent pieces of meat that falls off the bone.

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                                Last edited by Oracle; 26 Nov 20,, 03:32.
                                Politicians are elected to serve...far too many don't see it that way - Albany Rifles! || Loyalty to country always. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it - Mark Twain! || I am a far left millennial!

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