A Special Menu for Raya

I know I have not been as active in blogging lately as I was before.Now I am hectic with full time work, studying as well and busy with family obligations.But I do not want to miss out this week with such an important festival around the corner.
The time of festivity has finally arrived.This morning I went to a nearby supermarket only to get stuck on the road as all people are rushing to go to the market. School is closed , working people are already on leave ...so what can one expect !  All malaysians who are celebrating raya , are rushing to do last minute shopping,and preparing special dishes for their children and relatives who are going  to arrive by tonight. 
Malaysian Delicacies would like to take this opportunity to wish all muslim bloggers and friends a very happy ***Hari Raya Aidil Fitri, Maaf Zahir Batin****
For this special occasion, MD would like to share two special delicacies with all of you.
The first one being Vegetable Pulao ,followed by Chef Wan's Minangkabau Chicken Rendang.

For the rice

1 tbsp ghee

2tbsp oil

2 cardamon

2cm cinnamon stick

2 cloves

2 cups basmati rice(soak for 20mins and drained)

1 chicken stock cube

1 tbsp ground almonds

½ tsp yellow colouring

½ tsp green colouring

½ onion (sliced thinly)

2 cloves-garlic

1 tsp chopped ginger

1 tsp garam masala(optional)

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp cumin powder

¼ tsp chilli powder

1 tsp salt

3 tsp rose petal water mix with ½ tsp rose essence

Garnishing: shallot crisps

                      Roasted almond flakes

For the vegetables

1tbsp ghee

1 tbsp oil

2cm cinnamon stick

1 cardamom-podded

1 clove

1 tsp cumin seeds

3 cloves garlic (pounded)

1 tsp ginger(pounded)

150gm potatoes

100gm carrots-diced

120gm French beans

2 medium tomatoes(chopped)

2 red chillies (sliced thinly)deseed

1 green chilli (sliced thinly)deseed

1 red/green pepper/capsicum

2 tbsp yogurt

1 tbsp tomato sauce

Salt to taste

For the rice

Heat the pan and add ghee and oil, fry cardamom,cinnamon,cloves ,and add in chopped ginger-garlic.Once aromatic, add in basmati rice and combine it with the spices. Add in all the dried powders and garam masala.Coat it well with the rice.Place the rice into a rice cooker adding 3 to 4 cups of water.Crumble in the chicken cube, ground almonds and salt.Give a stir and cook it until done.

For the vegetables

Heat the pan and add in ghee and oil,fry the spices, then ginger garlic paste  until aromatic.Cut all the vegetables in small cubes in the same size.Add in potatoes, carrots ,French beans  and tomatoes. Stir fry until the vegetables cook.Add a bit of water if the dish is too dry. After about a min, add in the cut peppers, chillies, yogurt and tomato sauce.Add in salt as well.Stir well so that all the vegetables are well coated with the spices,yogurt and tomato sauce.Close fire.

For the Pulao

Add rose water to the cooked rice and give a stir. Separate the rice into 3 portions.colour one part with green , another with yellow and leave the last portion plain.Take a bowl, place the green colour rice into the bowl.Flatten it smoothly in the bowl.Spread 1 portion of vegetables mixture on the rice,cover with shallot crisps and almond flakes.Then spread the plain rice on top of the almond flakes and flatten the rice nicely.Make sure the rice is well spread at all sides.Again spread another portion of vegetables onto the rice.Sprinkle with shallot crisps and almond flakes.Finally spread the yellow coloured rice.Spread anf flatten nicely.Finish off the vegetables by spreading it on the rice.Sprinkle with shallot crisps and almond flakes.You can sprinkle some chopped coriander leaves if you like.Cover the bowl with an aluminium foil.Bake at 50C the dish in the oven for 30mins .

Minangkabau Chicken Rendang

Ingredients:

1½ kg / 3 Pounds 4 ½ oz Chicken, cut into 12 pieces
50 ml / 1 ½ fl oz Coconut Milk (Santan Cair)
250 g / 9 oz roasted, pounded desiccated Coconut (Kerisik)
3 Kaffir Lime Leaves (Makrut, Daun Limau Purut)
2 Turmeric Leaves (Daun Kunyit), sliced into thin narrow strips
Salt and sugar to taste

Paste Ingredients: - to be finely grounded

10 Red Chilies, remove seeds
15 dried Chilies(Cili Kering) - softened in hot water, drain
15 Shallots (Red Onion), peeled
3 Garlic cloves peeled
8 Candlenuts (Buah Keras, Kemiri)
8 Lemongrass (Serai), sliced
2 cm / 1 inch Ginger, peeled
3 cm / 1 ½ inch fresh Turmeric (Kunyit), peeled
3 Kaffir Lime Leaves (Makrut, Daun Limau Purut)
10 Bird's Eye Chilies (Cili Padi) – optional

Method:

In a wok, add in Oil and stir-fry Paste. Simmer for 2-3 minutes. Cover wok to avoid splatters.Add in Chicken, Coconut Milk, and Tumeric Leaves, mix well with Gravy.
 Boil for 45 minutes, or till Chicken becomes tender and the Gravy thickens. Wait till Oil surfaces.Add in the roasted, pounded desiccated Coconut (Kerisik) and Kaffir Lime Leaves. Add salt and sugar to taste. Simmer till gravy thickens. Dish and garnish with finely sliced Turmeric Leaves.

 Would like to thank Punitha of South India Food Recipes for her Sunshine Blog Award.

Vegetable Pulao is being submitted for the SHow me your Hits-Rice hosted by Cooks Joy started by Spicy Treats