around the country

until the oil separates, then add 300ml hot water. Reduce heat and cook until chicken is tender. Take a deep, thick bottomed dish and arrange a layer of rice at the bottom. Place the chicken gravy over this layer and cover with another layer of rice.

Heat oil in a small pan and fry the thinly sliced onion until brown and crisp. Sprinkle on top of the biryani along with the saffron, rose water, chopped coriander and mint leaves, and cover tightly to seal in the flavour. Place in a hot oven for 10 -15 minutes until the biryani is heated thoroughly. Serve hot with raita or plain yogurt.

Bisibele Bath

A favourite in Karnataka, this hot rice, lentils and vegetable combination dish is delicious and once eaten, could lull you into a contented stupor for a few blissful hours!

25 small onions (shallots)

2 medium potatoes, cut into small cubes

1 carrot, cut into cubes

15 beans, chopped

½ cup corn (optional)

1½ cup rice

1 cup toor dal, cooked and lightly mashed

½ cup fresh grated coconut

4 tbsp ghee

1 tbsp tamarind paste

½ tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp sambar powder

Salt to taste

For the masala

1 tbsp coriander seeds

1 tbsp chana dal

5 dry red chillies

1 tbsp cumin seeds

¾ tsp methi seeds (fenugreek)

1 tsp fennel seeds

3 cloves

1 bay leaf

1 cinnamon stick

½ tsp khuskhus (poppy) seeds

¼ tsp asafoetida (hing)

8 black peppercorns

12 curry leaves

In a deep pan or kadhai, heat 1 tsp of ghee and fry all the whole spices for the masala. Add grated coconut and roast along with the mix until it turns reddish in colour. Take care not to burn any of the spices or the coconut. Transfer to a bowl to cool, then grind into a coarse powder.

In the same kadhai, add another teaspoon of ghee and roast the small onions for a couple of minutes. Add the chopped potatoes, carrots, beans and corn and fry for a couple of minutes. Add salt, turmeric, sambar powder