How I make "Mutter Paneer"?

Mutter Paneer

1. Take Paneer and cut the block into slabs. Slabs should be as thick as you want your cubes to be.
2. Take a frying pan or Tawa.
3. Grease the pan and place the slabs on it, keeping the stove at medium.
4. Once the slabs start turning a bit brownish, flip the slab and cook the other side.
5. Once done remove the slab and cut into small cubes.
6. Take Onions. The number should be decided as per the rquirement of gravy and amount of mutter and paneer. It should not be the case where gravy is too much and mutter, paneer needs to be searched in it.
7. For a bowl of each Paneer cubes and mutter, I take 3 medium sized onions.
8. Dice the onion length wise.
9. Take a frying pan. Put some drops of oil and roast the onion till light brown.
10. Off the stove and let the onion cool on the pan.
11. Grind the onion into paste, along with a tomato, 4 spoons of curd, 3/4 table spoon Kasuri Methi, half spoon Daniya-Jeera powder, 2 spoon of Kashmiri Red Chilly powder, 1/2 spoon Garam Masala, Salt to taste, 1/4 spoon turmeric powder, 1 spoon ginger garlic paste.
12. Heat 3 table spoon of oil/butter/ghee in a pan.
13. Crackle mustard seeds.
14. Add the grinded paste.
15. Let it heat for 3 minutes.
16. Add Peas(Mutter), mix and let it heat for 3 minutes more.
17. Add one cup water.
18. Stir and keep on the stove till mutter gets properly cooked.
19. Add the paneer cubes, heat for next 3 minutes.
20. Off the stove and add milk cream.
21. Serve after 7 minutes.

How I make "Kaleji Masala"?

"Kaleji" means Liver. Kaleji Masala is a favourite dish ordered along with hard drinks. But it tastes awesome even without them. It is also, one of the famous non-veg dishes in the fast food or street food category of Mumbai. For Kaleji Masala you may opt for either of the Chicken's or Goat's Liver.

Kaleji Masala

1. Wash the Kaleji thoroughly and marinate for 45 minutes.
2. For marination use curd, turmeric, ginger-garlic paste, bit of salt, two spoons of lime juice if at all curd is not sour.
3. After marination, heat a pan.
4. Put some oil and crackle mustard seeds.
5. Add finely chopped onion and cook till light brown.
6. Add chopped tomatoes, tea spoon of garam masala, red chilly powder as per taste, salt to taste and cook till oil starts separating from the mixture. Remember you have added some salt while marination. So this time be causious.
7. Add the liver and left over marination masala.
8. Keep on the stove, stiring regularly till the liver gets cooked.
9. Garnish with coriander leaves and enjoy with chapati, roti or pav(Bread).


 

How I prepare - "Monastic Mix"?

On second day of Ganesh Chaturthy falls "Rishi Panchami". Women observe fast on the day and try to live life of a monk. For breakfast and Prasad they prepare a mix veg. The mix veg is made out of leafy vegetables, corn and no spices, except for some green chillies and salt. The mix veg is just yummy to eat with rotis made out of rice flour. Here is a rendition of same mix veg in my style.

Monastic Mix

1. They take five different types of leafy vegetables. I cooked it only with Palak (Spinach).
2. Take some Spinach. Wash and chop it fine.
3. Take a whole corn. Wash and cut into pieces. You may opt for baby corn as well.
4. Some peanuts.
5. Little tamarind.
6. 2-3 Garlic cloves.
7. Chopped green chilly.
8. Put a spoon of oil in a cooker.
9. Put all the above stuff with salt to taste.
10. Cover the cooker lid and off the stove after 4 whistles.
11. Open the cooker once cooled.
12. Serve with rotis or rice, with some cocunut chutney. Just delicious. Good as a diet food too.

NOTE: Wash all the vegetables thoroughly.

How I make "Curdy Musk" - Curdy Musk - A shake of musk melon & curd?

Curdy Musk - A shake of musk melon & curd

1. Grate pulp of musk melon.
2. Create a shake with curd, pinch of salt, sugar as per taste in Juicer/Mixer.
3. Sugar is optional if your musk melon is sweet and curd is not sour.
4. Add few whole musk melon cubes to the shake and you would enjoy it more.


Chill it and enjoy during summers. A perfect desert after dinner, which leaves you soothed.
Have it in mini sips, will add to your delight.

How I make Shahi Paneer, Paneer Makkhani, Paneer Butter Masala?

What is the difference between Shahi Paneer, Paneer Makkhani and Paneer Butter Masala?

If you check out the recipe for preparing Shahi Paneer, Paneer Makkhani and Paneer Butter Masala, you would find that all of the three are cooked almost in a similar way using similar ingredients. All of three also look same after preparation.

Paneer Makkhani and Paneer Butter Masala are one and the same. Makkhani in Hindu is nothing but Butter in English. We all know.

The major difference between Paneer Makkhani and Shahi Paneer is that we use 'Kasuri Methi' for cooking Paneer Makkhani unlike for Shahi Paneer. Also, use of Cashewnuts is ideally a way to cook Shahi Paneer. But people tend to use it while cooking Paneer Makkhani as well. Dry fruits play important role in royal dishes - Shahi.

Less significance difference between these two is that, due to the use of 'Kasuri Methi' renders, Paneer Makkhani a slightly deep color compared to Shahi Paneer. And of course it adds a slightly bitter flavor.

Shahi Paneer

1. Cut Onion length wise.
2. Fry them along with three four cloves, eight nine cashewnuts, small stick of Dalchini, two Cardamon using little oil.
3. When onion turns light brown and starts spreading a nice aroma full of cashews not spices, turn off the stove and let the mixture cool down.
4. Grind it to paste.
5. On the other side, cut the Paneer loaf into small cubes.
6. Deep fry them till light brown and keep them in hot water for half an hour. This makes them soft.
7. Now take cooking pan, heat butter. Three table spoon.
8. Add the paste we prepared.
9. Add ginger-garlic paste.
10. Add turmeric, Kashmiri Red Chilly powder, salt to taste, tomato puree.
11. Stir and heat till the oil starts separating from the Masala.
12. Add the Paneer cubes. Stir and let it heat for next five minutes.
13. Now add water as per required consistency and cook it till the gravy doesn't start separating oil.
14. This is the time to off the stove. Put some fresh cream and it is ready to serve after five minutes.

Paneer Makkhani

We cook Paneer Makhanni/Paneer Butter Masala, exactly the same way as we did for Shahi Paneer with a slight difference.

For Paneer Makkhani We will add a pinch of Kasuri Methi when we add tomato puree.

NOTE:
In both the recipes use of cummin-Coriander powder, Garam Masala powder, sugar is absolutely as per your taste buds.

How to make Tomato Puree?

Traditionally people opt to prepare Tomato puree by simply grinding it in juicer. A couple of others boil the tomatoes first and then grind them removing their skin.

I prefer doing it by using microwave. I have a microwave safe glass ware. I wash and put the tomatoes in that jar and place the jar in microwave for about 10 minutes. If I am lucky enough, I get my puree ready otherwise I grind them in juicer.

Puree prepared using this technique renders a different taste to your cuisines.

How I make the Kanda Poha tastier?

Kanda Poha (Onion Poha or Rice flakes) is famous, quick and healthier option for Indian breakfast or snax. Kanda Poha is originally a Maharastrian dish and plays important role in fixing marriages. If a girl pleases a boy - who has come to see her - with Kanda poha, chances of them getting tide in a nuptial knot increases.

Khamang Kanda Pohe

1. Heat 50-50 % of both oil and ghee in a pan. Ideally two-two table spoon each. Ghee could dominate over oil. No problem.
2. Crackle mustard seeds.
3. Add finely chopped onion, chopped green chillies and curry leaves.
4. Heat till onion becomes pink and starts spreading a nice mixed aroma of onion, chilly, ghee, curry leaves and mustard seeds.
5. This is the time to add the soaked poha.
6. Add turmeric, salt, sugar.
7. Mix well, till all pohas become yellow.
8. Cover with lid, lower down the stove and let it steam for 10 minutes.
9. Open, garnish with grated coconut, coriander leaves and serve.

NOTE:
1. You may opt to garnish the poha with nylon sev.
2. You may opt to put in some peanuts as well. For this you need to fry the peanuts for two three minutes when you initially heat the oil. Then proceed with next steps.
3. To soak the poha, put them in a jar, preferable with net at the bottom for draining excess water and pour in water till all the pohas get wet properly. Else you can take any bowl, put in pohas, pour water, let it stand for twenty seconds and drain the water. Do it trice and keep aside.
4. You may opt to add boiled potatoes as well.

How to roast semolina for Upma/Sheera?

Traditional Way

1. Take a thick bottom pan.
2. Heat it.
3. Once hot, bring the flame to medium and add semolina.
4. Keep stiring slowly.
5. Semolina once heated starts burning fast. So be careful.
6. Keep stiring till semolina doesn't spread a nice aroma.
7. This is the right time to turn of the stove.
8. Stir for 2 more minutes and keep the pan aside.
9. After cooling you will notice that the semolina has popped a bit and has turned a bit brownish.
10. If you don't have a thick bottom pan, use pressure cooker vessel.
11. In case you don't have no other choice then to use thin bottom vessel, keep the flame low.

Roast Semolina using Microwave

1. you can also roast the semolina using microwave.
2. Take a microwave safe ware, preferrable glass ware.
3. Add semolina to it and keep for 2 mins.
4. After 2mins, stir through the semolina, upside down.
5. This will ensure that the semolina doesn't burn at any one place.
6. Also, sometimes the semolina starts living moisture in it. in such situations the semolina gets a bit sticky at the base.
7. If this happens, do not worry. Scrap the semolina stuck to the base with the help of a spoon.
8. Then again heat for 2 mins, remove and stir.
9. Continue this till semolina doesnot spread nice aroma.
10. In 4-5 rounds the semolina gets popped. But there may be exceptions.
11. So aroma, popped grain and bit brownish texture are the characterestics of a perfectly roasted semolina.

NOTE: We also get roasted semolina in the market. This is ready to use. But I would still advice that you should heat it atleast for some time. This is because, I have noticed that the already roasted semolina sometimes give a damp smell. In such cases heating it for some time, releases the moisture if any and also reduces this damp smell.

How I make Pineapple, Banana Sheera?

"Sheera" is a typical Marathi word used for a pudding made out of semolina. In Hindi it is called as "Suji Ka Halwa".

1. As it is Pineapple, Banana Sheera you need a cup of poperly ripped and finely chopped Pineapple and Banana.
2. You may increase or decrease the quantity as per your liking and as per the quantity of semolina.
3. For two cups of semolina, I take 1, 1/2 cup of Pineapple and Banana mix.
4. Roast the semolina as we do for making upma. Remember that both for Upma and Sheera the semolina needs to be roasted properly.
How to roast semolina for Upma/Sheera?
5. On other side boil water and milk. You may make a 50-50 mixture of both and boil. But I prefer boiling them separately because the entire quantity may not be used. In this case the milk may go waste.
6. Generally, double the quantity of semolina, the water and milk mix is a standard. But since we may vary on exact measures, I would suggest you be ready with some more quantity.
7. Heat ghee in a pan.
8. Once heated, lower the flame add cashew nuts, raisins, charoli (optional).
9. When they turn little brown, add fruits and semolina.
10. Stir the mixture properly, till all the contents spread a nice mixed aroma.
11. Once you start getting the aroma, this is the time when you have to put in the mixture of boiling water and milk.
12. Add slowly, then stir. Then add some more, then stir.
13. Adding, stiring and waiting will give you an idea whether you need to add more water or not.
14. Ensure that all the semolina grains have obsorbed some water and very little amount is yet to be cook. At this time stop adding any more water/milk.
15. Ensure that the semolina does not become too dilute.
16. Add sugar as per your liking and mix well. Sheera should be sweet enough.
17. Put three pinches of cardamon powder and you may opt to cover the pan.
18. Turn off the stove.
19. Let the Sheera stand for 4-5 minutes.
20. Open it and ensure it is cooked completely.
21. Serve it hot or when at normal temperature. I like it at normal temperature.

How I Roast the Peanuts using Microwave?

The procedure is applicable only for the peanuts without the Shell.

1. For roasting the peanuts using Microwave, take a Microwave Safe Glass ware.
2. Put peanuts into in.
3. Place the ware into Microwave for 2 mins.
4. Open and Stir.
5. Place again and heat for more 2 mins.
6. Open and Stir.
7. After doing this for 4-5 times you would realise that the peanuts have started leaving Oil.
8. After this do only once and let the peanuts cool in Microwave.

NOTE: At some times the peanuts may start leaving Oil early. Not necessarily after 4-5 times. Also note that after it has started leaving Oil, be careful while heating after. Sometimes too much heating may burn them black.

How I make Baingan (Brinjal) Curry & Bharva Baingan?

For making Baingan Bharva/Curry you should choose the Brinjal which are small and circular in shape. They may be green, white or dark crimson in color. Don't go for elongated or huge ones. They are fleshy and turn into mash when cooked.

Baingan Curry

1. Cut Onion length wise. The quantity of Onion will vary as per your choice. If you are making a curry and require rich gravy, you can take them in 2:8 ratio i.e. 2 big Onions for 8-10 Brinjals. For thin gravy you may take 1 or 1/2 as you like it.
2. Heat a pan. Roast dried cocunut. Keep it aside.
3. Roast peanuts. Keep them aside. You can also roast the Peanuts using Microwave.
How I Roast Peanuts using Microwave?
4. Put little oil so as to grease all the Onion. Roast the Onion till brown and turn off the stove.
5. After all the three have cooled down. Grind them with sufficient quantity of water to make a thick consitent gravy along with a green chilly, half spoon of Tamrind, red Chilly powder, Garam Masala powder, Salt, Tumeric, Cumin seeds, Cumin-Corriander powder, 2 table spoon of Ginger-Garlic paste, 2 cloves of Garlic, 2 Curry Leaves, pinch of Asafoetida.
6. On the other side wash the Brinjal thoroughly and we have to cut them. While cutting be careful. For Curry we don't cut them into pieces. We need to keep it whole along with its stem. Just make plus sign deep slit at the bottom. The depth of the slit should be till just before the stem.
7. Now heat a pan for cooking the curry.
8. Add 4 table spoon of Oil and Crackle the Mustard seeds.
9. Add a "Old Spice" leaf.
10. Add the grinded masala we prepared earlier and let it heat for 2 mins on a medium stove.
11. Add the Brinjals and let them cook for another 5 mins.
12. Stir and add water to required consistency.
13. If you wish you can add popato as well.
14. Let the curry cook till the Brinjal, Potato are cooked well and till a nice red oily layer starts forming from at the top.
15. Turn off the Stove and serve after 3 minutes.

Bharva Baingan

1. For making the Bharva, I create the stuffing(masala) exactly in the same way as for making the curry. The only difference is that it should be grinded in very less water.
2. Sometimes if the stuffing becomes dilute make it thick with Corn Flour.
3. In either of the case you have to add Corn Flour because it adds a nice Corn flavor to our recipe.
4. Unlike Curry, we have to first Stuff the Splits of Brinjal with the masala a bit tightly. Don't force too much otherwise chances are there that the Brinjal breaks into pieces.
5. Procedure of cooking the Bharva is also different.
6. First heat a pan. Pan should be shallow enough so that it could be covered.
7. Put Oil and Crackle Cumin seeds & Asafoetida.
8. Add the stuffed Brinjals and left over stuffing.
9. Stir once, so that the all the Brinjals get covered with Oil.
10. Cover the pan and let the Brinjal cook on low stove.
11. Turn off when all the Brinjals are cooked well. Cooked once will turn sheeny dark.
12. Ensure that after every 3 mins you stir the Brinjal slowly as to the uncooked part turns down and cooked one up.
13. Garnish with Coriander leaves and serve.

How I make Upma & its renditions?

Simple Upma

1. Roast one small bowl of semolina (Rava/Suji) without oil/ghee till it spreads nice aroma. Semolina burns faster once it gets heated. So need to be more careful. Better keep the pan on medium flame and stir continuosly. Best way is to roast it in a pressure cooker, since the vessel of pressure cooker is very thick. This avoids the suji to get burnt faster, though left unattended for few seconds.
How to roast semolina for Upma/Sheera?
2. Keep water to boil on other stove.
3. Put 2, 1/2 spoons of desi ghee in a Kadhai.
4. Once the ghee gets heated, sprinkle in 2-2 pinches of cumin seeds and mustard seeds.
5. Now put in finely chopped onion & green chillies.
6. Saute till onion gets pinkish & nice aroma of onion-chilly starts spreading.
7. This is the right time to put in roasted semolina.
8. Keep stirring till the mixture spread nice aroma.
9. Then start pouring the boiling water slowly with continuous stirring.
10. Doing both the things Simultaneously at times seem difficult. In this case put in small amount of water, stir, then put more.
11. Ensure that all of your semolina gets cooked properly. Pour only that much water. Otherwise chances are that your upma turns into a paste.
12. Once done put in salt & sugar as per taste. Remember this is not a sweet dish. So sprinkle salt just to get light sweetness.
13. Now cover the pan with lid and let the upma steam for few minutes on low flame.

Doi Upma

'Doi' is curd in Bengoli, but upma is originally a South Indian dish.

1. Roast one small bowl of semolina (Rava/Suji) without oil/ghee till it spreads nice aroma. Semolina burns faster once it gets heated. So need to be more careful. Better keep the pan on medium flame and stir continuosly. Best way is to roast it in a pressure cooker, since the vessel of pressure cooker is very thick. This avoids the suji to get burnt faster, though left unattended for few seconds.
2. Put 2, 1/2 spoons of desi ghee in a Kadhai.
3. Once the ghee gets heated, sprinkle in 2-2 pinches of cumin seeds and mustard seeds.
4. Grated ginger strands, finely chopped green chillies, 2-2 pinches of chana dal, urad dal, 2 table spoons of peanuts. Stix it till 2 minutes. Let the peanuts and dals get roasted.
5. Put in finely chopped 1,1/2 medium sized onion and stir till the get pink.
6. Sprinkle on it few drops of water. This will ensure that the onion doesnot get brown.
7. Put finely chopped 1 medium sized tomato and stir till 2 minutes.
8. On the other side wash the frozen green peas, carrots, sprouted moong and cook it in microwave for 4 minutes by putting them in a microwave safe box with water.
9. Now put 1/2 table spoon of turmeric powder, 1,1/2 table spoon of salt, 1,1/2 table spoon of sugar on the tomato-onion mix and stir for 1 minute.
10. Put the peas, carrots and sprouts and cook for 2-3 minutes.
11. Till that time boil 2 small bowls of water on other stove.
12. Put 2 table spoons of curd in the boiling water and mix well.
13. Put the boiled water in the pan with peas, carrots, sprouts pan.
14. Allow the mixture to boil.
15. Now put the semolina slowly into the pan, stiring the mixture continuosly.
16. Once done, cover the pan and keep for 5 minutes till the semolina gets cooked properly.
17. Off the stove and keep for 2 minutes.
18. I like to serve the upma using moulds and garnishing it with nylon sev, finely chopped coriander, grated cocunut. Serving with coconut cutney and lime enhances the taste.

Vegetable Upma

Skip the curd from "Doi Upma" and you can make vegetable upma.

Masala Upma

1. At times I didn't had green chillies at home. Then I tried the upma using red chilly powder. It too tastes good.

Vermicelli Upma

1. Replace the semolina with vermicelli and make the upma.
2. Remember that roast vermicelli in ghee unlike semolina.
3. Nowadays you get already roasted semolina & vermicelli. But I would advice you to roast it again atleast for some time. This will free the odour which is generally observed with stored semolina/vermicelli.

Upma of Rice Noddles

1. Rice noodles are unlike vermicelli. These require boiling before putting to use.
2. The process for boiling these should be followed as directed on the packet.
3. But generally, it is like we have to pour boiling water on them and keep aside for some time.
4. Then drain the water and use them.
5. Now since they are already boiled the process of making upma differs.
6. Heat oil.
7. Put mustard seeds, green chillies & curry leaves.
8. Once the mustard seeds start crackling, put the noodles, tumeric powder & salt to taste.
9. Mix well, cover and keep for few minutes on low flame, so that the noodles steam properly.

How I make Korma and Vegetable Biryani?

Korma

"Korma" is a famous gravy dish in Mumbai and adjoining places of Maharastra during functions with more than 100 guests. It serves as a delicious, colorful cuisine to fill up the plates.

1. Cut each a bowl of potatoes, carrots and cauliflower in cubes.
2. Cook them in My Microwave for 12 minutes along with 4-5 cubes of ginger. Cook them partially and left over will be cooked later with masala in steam. If you opt to use soaked peas cook them along with other vegetables else if you are using the fresh ones you can directly use them when we cook these vegetables with masala. Since the tender peas cook in very less time.
3. In a pan, heat 3 table spoon of oil.
4. Put in mustard and cumin seeds two pinches each and half table spoon of dalcini powder.
5. Fry a finely chopped onion till golden brown in it.
6. Put in cubes of a tomato.
7. Cover the pan with lid and let it cook for a minute.
8. Put in half table spoon haldi, dhania-jeera powder, garam masala, 1 table spoon red chilli powder, salt to taste, 1/2 table spoon lime juice/amchur powder.
9. Mix it, cover the pan with lid and let it cook for a minute. Rather cook it till the masala separates from oil.
10. Remove the excess water from the vegetables and put them in the pan. Put in some entire green chillies without split. Just trim their heads.
11. Mix well, till the vegetables get covered with it.
12. Put the lid back and let it cook for 12-15 minutes.
13. Check it an interval of 5 minutes and stir upside-down, so that all the vegetables get cooked properly.
14. After 12-15 minutes put in coconut milk, cover again and let it cook for more 3 minutes.
15. The delicious, colorful korma is ready for the serving of 4 people.

The vegetables used can vary. You may opt for Capsicum, beans, mushrooms, parwal, Lady finger, tinda. I use to cook korma whenever I have to do a stock clearance for vegetables which were not much in their individual quantity.
To make the gravy more rich you can opt to fry the onion separately with very little oil till light brown. Let it cool and then grind it to paste and use.
The ginger cubes add an elegant taste to your preparation.

Vegetable Biryani

1. I cook the vegetables in same way as I do for Korma. Except for the coconut milk step.
2. Then follow the steps for Chicken Biryani.
3. The rice would be cooked in exactly the same way.
4. The layers would be put in exactly same way. The exception would be to use the Korma without coconut milk instead of Chicken masala.

How I Make Kaju Rice, Khichadi, Jira Rice and Chicken Biryani using Microwave?

How I make "Kaju Rice" using Microwave?

1. I take rice as much as my friends can stuff in to their bellys. Then wash it twice-trice till I am not satisfied.
2. I have a microwave safe glass jar, which I generally use for cooking rice.
3. I put the rice into the jar, put handful of cashew nuts cracked into 4 pieces.
4. Put 3-4 cloves, 2 sweet elaichis, 2 table spoon of Desi Ghee.
5. A half pinch of salt and mix it.
6. Add sufficient water. Safest measure is 1:2 i.e. 2 cups water for 1 cup rice. But you can vary depending upon your choice. Some like soft grain, some like hard. I prefer soft. For biryanis I prefer hard. For khichdi very soft.
7. Put it in a microwave for 30 mins. My microwave is pretty slow - 799W. My friend's one is really fast, just 12 mins.

You should read this, how I arrived at 30 mins?

First time I used a microwave. Tourchered my friend with silly questions. Twice happened to burn a tiffin box. Once tried heating a jalebi by keeping it in a plastic box which was suppose to be microwave safe. The next time heated a bread slice and happened to burn the box in a greed of making toast out of it.
So when I bought a new microwave, I kept the rice for 12 mins. My friends microwave cooks rice for him in 12 mins. After 12 mins I found that the rice was cooked partially. I went on gradually increasing the timer and finally found that on 30th min my rice was completely cooked.
So my micorwave cooks rice in 30mins.

"Smart Khichadi - using Microwave"

1. Take rice and daal(Tuwar/Moong) wash it.
2. Fine cut onion.
3. Fine cut tomoto if you like.
4. Small cut potatoes.
5. One table spoon of peanuts (peanuts can be fried, non-fried, roasted, non-roated..any).
5. Half table spoon haldi.
6. Half table spoon red chilli powder or fine cut green chillies (as much spicier delights you).
7. Salt to taste.
8. Ghee 2 table spoon.
9. Jira 1/4 table spoon.
10. I table spoon of mango pickle.
11. Mix it well, add sufficient water and I cook it in microwave (my microwave) for 30 mins.
12. People love soft grain for khichdi, so pour more water.
13. More water may dilute the taste, so take care of the salt and other spices.
14. After removing mix it well, since there are chances of onion and jira, to float above. But, don't worry about the taste, they leave their taste in water while boiling.

"Jira Rice - using Microwave"

1. Heat ghee in a saute pan.
2. Put 1 table spoon of jira.
3. When Jira spreads nice aroma, put the mixture on to washed rice.
4. Mix and let it stand for 2 minutes.
5. Put it in microwave (my microwave) for 30 mins.
6. If you like colors in it, sprinkle half table spoon mix of finely chopped spring onion, coriondar, curry leaves and green chillies.

"Layered Chicken Biryani - using Microwave"

For Rice: (4-5 people serving)

1. Put cashews nuts, 7 cloves, 7 black pepper,
    2 sweet elaichi, 2 badi elaichi, 2 bay leaves,
    2 dalchini sticks, pinch of salt, 1/4 table spoon sugar,
    2 table spoon of ghee in washed rice.
2. Mix it well. You may opt to put in haldi for color.
3. Cook for 20 mins (my microwave). Biryani looks and tastes good with stiff rice.
4. Keep aside.

For Chicken

1. 4 Onion cut in lengths.
2. 3 tomotoes cut in length.
3. Heat oil/ghee, put ginger-garlic paste or shreded.
4. Put on it onions.
5. Stir till onion gets rich brown and spreads nice aroma.
6. Put in tomotoes and stir till tomatoes get a bit mashed up.
7. Put haldi, red chilli powder, garam masala, dhania jeera powder, salt to taste and stir for 2 minutes.
8. Add chicken preferably marinated in curd, haldi, green chilli paste for atleast 1/2 hr. While cooking add the red chilli powder depending upon your delight for spicy food.
9. Mix well, cover the pan and let it cook on medium stove till chiken cooks well. Note that we are not using water at all.

Arrange Layers

1. Grease a pan.
2. Arrange a layer of rice.
3. Put a layer of chiken.
4. Arrange a layer of rice.
5. Put a layer of chiken.
6. Arrange a layer of rice.
7. Mix cup of milk with curd and kesar strands (optional to haldi).
8. Put the mix on the rice.
9. In a saute pan take 2 table spoon of ghee.
10. Once heated, put in 4 cashew nuts and onion cut in rings.
11. Stir the onion and cashew till crispy-dark-red.
12. Put the mix on the rice.
13. Put a lid and keep it on a very very low flame for 20 mins. Off the stove and keep it as it is.
14. Open the lid when ready to serve. I bet you will fall in love of the rich aroma.

The same stuff you can do it using microwave. Arrange the layers in a microwave safe jar and put it for 5-10 minutes. You can opt to cover the jar with plastic cling. But remember to pierce it with fork at random points.