Mastering weekend delight recipes to perfection

Hariyali Kebab and Nababi Biriyani offer a fusion of Punjabi and Mughlai culinary influences. These recipes are not just about cooking; they are about crafting an exceptional weekend dining experience.

HARIYALI CHICKEN KEBAB

Ingredients
400g boneless chicken breast
3 tbsp thick curd
2 tsp lemon juice
1 cup coriander leaves
1 cup mint leaves
½ cup spinach leaves, chopped
1½-inch ginger piece
6-8 cloves garlic
4-5 green chillies, thinly chopped
½ tsp red chilli powder
2 tsp coriander powder
1½ tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp mustard oil
2 tbsp cooking oil
Salt to taste
Bamboo skewer stick/satay sticks to grill

Photo: Courtesy

Method
Wash the chicken breast and cut into medium-size chunks. Apply salt, mustard oil, lemon juice, and red chilli powder on the chicken pieces and keep aside for 10-15 minutes. Combine the coriander leaves, spinach, mint leaves, ginger, garlic, and green chillies. Grind into a smooth paste. Now, add curd and spices. Coat the chicken pieces very well in it. Cover the marinated chicken and keep it aside at least for 20 minutes.
Soak the wooden skewers in normal water for about 4-5 minutes. Apply some oil on the skewers and arrange the pieces of chicken onto the skewers. Spread some more oil on top of the chicken pieces.
Preheat the oven to 350° F for 5 minutes and place the skewers in the oven. Leave to grill for about 15-18 minutes. Keep checking and turn the skewer sticks to cook evenly from all sides. Grill until the kebab is well done.

MUTTON NABABI BIRIYANI

Ingredients
1 kg mutton
1 tsp ginger paste
2 tsp garlic paste
3-4 dry red chillies
2-3 sticks of cinnamon, half-inches each
4-5 green cardamoms
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp clove
½ tsp mace
⅛ tsp nutmeg
6-8 allspice (optional)
½ tsp caraway seed
3 tbsp yoghurt
¾ cup ghee or butter
5 medium potatoes
A pinch of orange food colour (optional)
½ cup onion, thinly sliced
4 cups kalojeera rice
6 cups water
½ cup condensed milk
2 tbsp milk
A pinch of saffron
10-12 alubokhara (pitted prunes)
4 eggs, hardboiled
Salt, according to taste

Photo: Collected

Method
Steps to prepare the meat —
Sprinkle some salt on the meat and let it stand for 15-20 minutes. Wash the meat and drain all the water. Take all the spice, from red chilli to caraway seed, and grind. Take a pot. Add the meat and yoghurt, ground spice mix, garlic-ginger paste, and salt. Marinate for anywhere between 30 minutes to overnight
Steps to prepare the onion —
Add about 3 tablespoons of butter/ghee in a frying pan on medium heat. Add very thinly sliced onion and sauté until fragrant and golden brown.
Steps to prepare the potato —
Wash, peel, and cut the potato in big chinks. Usually into 3 pieces for a large potato. If available, rub some orange food colour to the potato. Sprinkle some salt. Fry the potatoes until slightly golden on the same pan used for the onions.
Steps to prepare the rice —
Wash the rice and drain all the water. Boil 6 cups of water. Add salt and the rice. Turn off the stove at the first sight of water boiling again (bubble forming on the water) after adding the rice. Rice will be uncooked at this point. Drain the rice completely saving the drained hot water in another clean pot.
Steps to assemble the biriyani layers and cook —
Pre-heat oven to 350° F. Soak the saffron in milk. Add butter/ghee to 1 cup of hot water that was set aside in the rice-preparing step. Add the prepared potatoes on top of the marinated meat. Sprinkle some fried onion. Add the alubokhara (prunes), if you are using it. Add half the water-butter mixture. Layer in the prepared rice. Sprinkle the saffron milk. Make 4-5 indentations from the rice layer through the potato till the meat. Add the condensed milk through the indentations. Sprinkle the remaining water-butter mixture. Sprinkle the remaining fried onions. Add the remaining hot water in a way that water does not go above the rice layer. You may not need to use all of the hot water. Cook in the oven for 1.5 hours. Add the hard-boiled eggs. Serve with salad, kabab, and chutney.