[Fillmore]

Originally Posted by rajatsingh78

You from NOIDA...good, please let me know the sector, I was in NOIDA for from 2002 until 2008, and will be putting up in Indirapuram,

But I know what you are talking about, its the grill used by those street side vendors to sell kebabs (sector-29 Bhramaputra market), which would be impossible to bring back via flight

Well I too started off my search for a barbecue and checked out the Webber India showroom in Bangalore. The prices were pretty high. 8-9k starting range. And the accessories were ridiculous.
Rs 1,800/- for a small 1x1 foot skewer holder.

So decided to try my hand at an El Chepo grill . Before investing money on a professional one.

Step1
Get a rectangular cement flower pot Rs 100 - 150 depending on the size.


Step2
Drill some holes in the pot on 3 sides for some air circulation. This will help in keeping the coals glowing. (Do not drill holes on the side where you would be standing)


Step3
Get a grill/mesh.
You can get a metal one and get it steel plated.
In my case I bought a pure steel grill.
It would be better to get a food grade grill.


Step4
Buy the skewers.
The 12 piece packet I picked up from Spar for Rs 185/- . But they are very thin.
The stronger ones which you see here I paid Rs 25/- each.


Step5
You now have a basic no frills BBQ to experiment on.


Step6
Other accessories
This double sided mesh helps clamp together delicate objects , Fish/Veggies etc.. Again from Spar I dont recall the exact cost but it was < Rs 250/-
Get tongs , one for the coals one for the food
A brush to smear oil on the food.


Step7
Here is another such sample, Testing out the heat with some sample veggies.

[huntrz]

Originally Posted by Fraz33r

and secondly, is the marinade spices, herbs sufficient enough to make the bottom chicken tasty, i mean it is not explicitly going into the oil (in separate ways)as such hence the question.

It seems you haven't tasted Hyderabadi Biriyani. Probably you can put this query in eating out in Hyderabad thread and the hyderabadi Biriyani Connoisseurs would go on and on and on about it. The chicken/mutton of the biryani is as tasty and as spicy as any other dish, infact better, without directly going into hot oil. It is the charm of this dish that its dependency on oil is very less and therefore it retains all the flavours of the spices going in it.

[Googleman]

Originally Posted by Fillmore

In my case I bought a pure steel grill.

The stronger ones which you see here I paid Rs 25/- each.

To make it perfectly easy for us, mind mentioning where you got these from?

How is the heat emission? Good enough? The flower pot looks deep enough. How much coal do you need everytime?

[Fillmore]

Originally Posted by Googleman

In my case I bought a pure steel grill.
The stronger ones which you see here I paid Rs 25/- each.

To make it perfectly easy for us, mind mentioning where you got these from?

How is the heat emission? Good enough? The flower pot looks deep enough. How much coal do you need everytime?

Since you are in Blr I'll give the exact locations from where I picked.

The grill you can check any domestic utensil steel shops. I picked this one from Jayanagar 4th block near the Citibank ATM on the road Opp Sony World.
Or
You can buy a standard metal mesh from a hardware shop. And get it plated I think in any shop that does Galvanizing.

The Strong Steel skewers I picked from a shop on the same line as Pizza hut 4th Block jayanagar.
The exact same ones are also available in Spar Banargatta Rd.
go up the Escallator. as soon as it lands on the 1st floor on your left 2nd row there is section where they sell handles, bottle openers, knives etc.. Search there you will find these hanging.

Coal.
You will get good quality coal from Webber Or Spar i.e. coal for barbecue
OR
Any local coal dealer (Check with your local ironing guy from where he is getting it)

Its important that the coal has to be really dry and free of moisture.
The method I used is .

put the coal into the pot, sprinkle a little diesel Or if you have dry coconut shells that too is good.
Once it starts burning let it continue to burn for about 30 min till the fire dies out. Keep blowing it on and off.
Once the fire goes out you will get the glowing coal that you can use.

I am just a novice did all this by trial and error, perhaps some professionals can give more inputs.

[Aroy]

Originally Posted by Fraz33r

Hey Aroy, great recipe and those minor observations. I also look around on the net for some exiting recipes. One thing i had to ask you is, i have seen most of them (on the net ) cook the chicken/mutton like any ordinary sabzi style and then on low heat put up the rice over the top, (i have tried that, it tastes good but not the conventional biryani though).

and secondly, is the marinade spices, herbs sufficient enough to make the bottom chicken tasty, i mean it is not explicitly going into the oil (in separate ways)as such hence the question.

There are various ways to make Biryani. This is one. Another is to cook the rice and mutton partially, mix them in layers and then finish cooking. My method (also called Hyderabad Style) is the least laborious, but requires skill to pull off perfectly.

The technique for chicken is totally different from that for mutton. My recipe is for mutton biryani.

First of all the mutton cooks at low heat with oil from fried onions added, but not as much as in mutton curry. I have made Leg Roast with no oil.

Secondly in Dum cooking, the whole pot is sealed and all the flavours mix together.

The final taste is made up of two parts. One from the rice which was boiled with spices and then mutton with its marinade. It is a good practice to taste the marinade to guage the salt and flavour.

[Fantasy]

after reading about bbq's in the thread i thought i might share a recipe which is related however before doing so wondering if "cream cheese" is available out there? phillidelphia is a popular brand usually.... recipe calls for it.

[wheretonext]

Originally Posted by Aroy

There are various ways to make Biryani. This is one. Another is to cook the rice and mutton partially, mix them in layers and then finish cooking. My method (also called Hyderabad Style) is the least laborious, but requires skill to pull off perfectly.

The technique for chicken is totally different from that for mutton. My recipe is for mutton biryani.

First of all the mutton cooks at low heat with oil from fried onions added, but not as much as in mutton curry. I have made Leg Roast with no oil.

Secondly in Dum cooking, the whole pot is sealed and all the flavours mix together.

The final taste is made up of two parts. One from the rice which was boiled with spices and then mutton with its marinade. It is a good practice to taste the marinade to guage the salt and flavour.

My favourite chicken biryani recipe is a kaccha biryani.

Marinate chicken (preferably overnight, if not, for at least 2-3 hrs) in the following mix:

- yoghurt
- turmeric powder
- chilli powder
- bay leaf
- cinnamon
- cloves
- cardomam
- green chillies
- coriander (dhania) powder
- ginger/garlic paste


Half cook Basmati rice (2 cups water/cup of rice) - the rice grains should be semi-translucent - test whether the grains are still crunchy.

Place the pot that you're going to be cooking on a heated tawa (rather than over the direct flame, to prevent the bottom of your biryani getting burnt), and thinly layer the chicken and the rice - ie: chicken, rice, chicken, rice etc. with the final layer being a layer of rice.

Seal the pot with a lid - if you don't have a tight fitting lid, wrap the lid you do have in a tea towel and cover - this seals the steam within the pot, to allow for more even cooking. (Alternatively, seal it with a layer of puff pastry - I've heard this makes for an amazing tasting biryani).

In the meantime, soak a couple of threads of saffron in a small amount of milk (maybe a quarter cup). Once the rice is nearly done, pour the milk and saffron threads over the top for the colour factor.

Enjoy!

[Aroy]

Originally Posted by wheretonext

Seal the pot with a lid - if you don't have a tight fitting lid, wrap the lid you do have in a tea towel and cover - this seals the steam within the pot, to allow for more even cooking. (Alternatively, seal it with a layer of puff pastry - I've heard this makes for an amazing tasting biryani).

For DUM cooking you have to seal the pot and at the same time apply just sufficient heat to fill the pot with steam, but not enough to create high pressure as in a pressure cooker.

What I do is to cover the pot with a lid and seal it with kneaded flower (atta). In case the pressure is too high some part of the seal will fail and steam escape. So I have high heat on till a spot leaks and then reduce the heat till steam stops. Then punch the hole close with fingers.

From experience the cooking time required for various meats in DUM is

1. Mutton : 2.5 to 3 hours
2. Free range chicken (Desi chicken) : 1 to 1.5 hours
3. Broiler chicken : < 1 hour

NOTE of CAUTION. If too much steam leaks out it may spoil the water balance and the Biryani may not only dry out but will get burned.

[wheretonext]

I've read that sealing it with atta is the traditional way to do it, but I've found a lid with a towel wrapped around does a pretty good job. When I make a chicken biryani, about 45 minutes is about right in terms of cooking time.

[mobike008]

Fellow Foodies, Need a quick tip

My wifey entered kitchen after ages ( our cook is on holiday today) to prepare my favorite paneer dish. She was googling the fastest way to soften a paneer block.

Any tips how to do this in quickest possible manner? Thanks !

[bblost]

Microwave it after slicing it.
For no more than a minute.

I would suggest you first try with a small quantity.

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by bblost

Microwave it after slicing it.
For no more than a minute.

I would suggest you first try with a small quantity.

Thanks Imran. She dipped the entire small cubes lot into hot water and wants to keep it for 30 minutes.

Will let her know if Microwaving which she can try next time.

[DerAlte]

That IS the way to do it. If one wants to use the cubes in a curry dish, one should lightly fry the cubes and then put the cubes in a bowl of warm salt water for 1/2 an hour or so. Microwaving it will do exactly the opposite - drive out the moisture and leave it leathery.

Of course, quality of the paneer matters. In Bangalore 9 out of 10 brands are either hopeless or terribly inconsistent. Nandini is good. Vijaya is patchy but sometimes quite tender. The trick is to feel the packet of paneer before buying - should be the tender and springy, not overly firm.

[Aroy]

Originally Posted by mobike008

Fellow Foodies, Need a quick tip

My wifey entered kitchen after ages ( our cook is on holiday today) to prepare my favorite paneer dish. She was googling the fastest way to soften a paneer block.

Any tips how to do this in quickest possible manner? Thanks !

Soak it in warm water. It may not be fast, but it is the only method which will not dry it out and make it leathery.

In Delhi we get two types of paneer. The normal one which is made from skimmed milk (which hardens during cooking), and the shahee paneer which is made from milk with fat (remains soft). The test for the one with fat is to hold it in hand and if your fingers become slightly oily it is the right thing.

My wife always stores the paneer in the fridge immersed fully in a bowl of water. That way it remains moist and does not require to be thawed.

As paneer soaks in a lot of oil, it is best to fry it in as hot oil as possible. That would seal the surface instantly keeping the piece moist and soft.

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by Aroy

Soak it in warm water. It may not be fast, but it is the only method which will not dry it out and make it leathery.

Thanks. That's something i didn't know and probably my wife also may not know. We'll try doing this next weekend