While we should all be concerned about our health, festivities like Eid do call for something special. The following are some suggestions for Eid day recipes that you can try out this time around. Relatively easy to make, they are perfect to serve in family dinners or dawats.

PANEER POLAO

Ingredients

2 cups long grain basmati rice
200g paneer (cottage cheese), cut into 1-inch cubes
Oil for frying

4 tbsp PRAN ghee

3 bay leaves

4 green cardamoms

4 cloves

1 black cardamom

10 black peppercorns

1 tsp ginger paste

¾ cup whisked yoghurt

2 tbsp assorted nuts

1 tbsp fried onions

Salt to taste

Method

Soak basmati rice in water for half an hour. Heat sufficient oil in a pan and deep-fry paneer to a golden colour. Drain onto an absorbent kitchen towel. Heat ghee in a thick-bottomed pan. Add bay leaves, green cardamoms, cloves, black cardamoms, and peppercorns. As they begin to crackle, add ginger paste.

Mix well and stir in yoghurt and cook for two minutes.

Add 4 cups of water and bring to a boil. Add salt and rice. Bring to a boil. Add half of the mixed nuts and mix lightly. Cover the pan and cook on low heat for about 10 minutes or until the rice is completely cooked. Mix in fried paneer pieces and serve hot, garnished with the remaining nuts and fried onions.

MUGHLAI BEEF FILLET DUM CURRY

Ingredients

1 kg beef, fillet

20g fresh coriander

2 tsp ground red chilli

1 tbsp hot spices

¼ cup green masala (blend coriander, mint, and green chillies)

¼ cup almonds and sesame paste

2 large onions, chopped

½ cup yoghurt

2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste

4 tbsp PRAN ghee

2 tbsp oil

Salt to taste

Method

In a bowl, put green masala, almonds, sesame, and salt and mix well with a spoon. Then, put the beef fillet in the mixture and marinate it for 2 hours. Heat oil and ghee in a pan, add onions and ground red chillies, and fry for a few minutes. Now add the marinated beef fillet in it, mix well, and cook for 10 minutes with the lid on. Add yoghurt, ginger-garlic paste, hot spices, and salt. Mix well. Cover and cook on low heat until beef is tender. Once done, garnish with the coriander leaves and serve hot with rice, naan, or paratha.

CHICKEN SHAHJAHANI

Ingredients

1 kg chicken

3 tbsp PRAN ghee

2 tbsp vegetable oil

3-4 clove

2 green cardamoms

1 cup chopped onions

2 tsp ginger-garlic paste

2 tsp musk melon seeds

2 tbsp poppy seeds

10-12 cashew nuts

1 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder

½ tsp garam masala powder

4 tbsp yoghurt

Salt to taste

2 tbsp fresh cream

4-5 drops kewra essence

Fresh coriander, for garnish

3-4 boiled eggs, cut into halves

Method

Soak poppy seeds, musk melon seeds, and cashew nuts in warm water for 30 minutes. Grind to make a paste.

Heat oil and ghee in a pan. Add cloves, green cardamoms, and fry for a few seconds. Add onions and fry until translucent. Remove the pan from heat and let the onion mixture cool.

Now, mix in a grinder along with little water to make a smooth paste. Transfer the paste to the pan along with the seeds and the nut paste. Add little water, if required.

Cook for a minute. Add turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chilli powder, garam masala powder, and salt, and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Add the chicken pieces and cook on high heat for 2 minutes. Add yoghurt, and a half cup of water. Cover and cook the chicken for 15 minutes. Keep stirring in between.

Add the cream and cook for another 5 minutes. Add kewra essence and mix well. Garnish with fresh coriander and eggs. Serve hot with rice, naan, or paratha.

MAWA BARFI

Ingredients

1 cup crumbled mawa

½ cup chopped mixed nuts

½ cup chopped dried figs

2 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp PRAN ghee

¼ tsp cardamom powder

Method

Combine the dried figs, sugar, and half cup water in a broad non-stick pan, mix well, and cook on a medium flame for 3-4 minutes or until the water evaporates, while stirring occasionally. Add the mawa, mix well, and cook on a medium flame for 2 minutes. Add the ghee and the cardamom powder, mix well, and cook for 3 minutes or until the mixture turns light golden brown. Add the mixed nuts, mix well, and cook on a medium flame for 2 minutes, while stirring continuously. Transfer the mixture to a greased flat plate and flatten it evenly using the back of a spoon. Keep aside at room temperature for 2 hours or until it sets. Cut into square pieces. Serve immediately or store refrigerated in an airtight container.

Food & Décor: RBR