Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large pot over high heat. Add half the mushrooms, and cook for 5 minutes until golden. Season with salt and pepper then remove and set aside (we put these in at the end, mushrooms cooked in rice don’t stay as golden).
If the pot is dry, another 1/2 – 1 tbsp oil, and add butter. When melted, add onions and garlic.
Cook for 30 seconds, then add remaining mushrooms. Cook for 5 minutes or until mushrooms are lightly browned (they won’t caramelise as well as the first batch) and the base of the pot is brown.
Add rice and a splash of broth. Mix so the brown stuff on the bottom of the pot mixes into the liquid. (Video below helpful here)
Once the base of the pot is clean, add remaining liquid. Place lid on, bring to a simmer then turn down to medium low.
Cook for 15 minutes or until there is no residual liquid (tilt pot to check).
Remove from stove, remove lid, QUICKLY toss in reserved mushrooms and scallions, put lid back on. Leave for 10 minutes (do not skip this step!).
Fluff rice using a fork or wooden spoon. OPTIONAL: Stir through more butter. Serve!
1/2 red bell pepper / capsicum , diced (about 1 cup)
1 cup tinned black beans (drained)
1 cup tinned corn kernels (drained) (or frozen corn)
4 cups cooked rice (see notes)
Optional: 1 1/2 cups protein (chicken, pork, beef), shredded or diced
Sauce
6 tbsp enchilada sauce (see notes)
2 tbsp water
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp chilli powder (or to taste)
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
Black pepper
Instructions
Combine the Sauce ingredients in a small bowl and mix.
Heat the oil in a pan over high heat. Add garlic and cook for 10 seconds until fragrant.
Add the onion and bell pepper and cook until the onion becomes translucent – about 2 minutes.
If you are using uncooked protein, add it and sauté until just cooked through.
Add the black beans and corn. If you are using cooked proteins (like shredded cooked chicken) add it at the same time. Cook for 1 minute just to heat through.
Add the rice and Sauce and stir quickly to coat the rice evenly.
Check seasoning and add more salt if you require it. Amount of salt required depends on the saltiness of the enchilada sauce you are using.
2.5 cups basmati rice soaked in water for 30 minutes
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
Few slices of lemon
2 to 3 leaves of fresh mint
Salt
2 tablespoons oil
6-8 cups of water
For the topping / dum
1/4 cup milk
Few drops yellow food color dissolved in a little bit of water
Handful of chopped coriander
1-2 tablespoons of ghee butter or oil
Instructions
For the Beef Curry / Masala
In a pressure cooker pot, heat oil and add the thinly sliced onion. Saute until the onion is golden brown.
Once the onion is golden, add the beef cubes along with the ginger garlic paste. Saute on high heat until the beef changes color.
Now add the tomatoes, yogurt and the whole spices (cardamom, peppercorn, cloves, and salt).
Also add the Shan Biryani Masala.
Cook on high heat, while constantly stirring for about 5-7 minutes. Add 2 cups of water, the beef should be submerged in liquid.
Now cover the pressure cooker pot with its lid and bring to pressure. The cooking time will vary from 5-10 minutes depending on the cut of the beef and also the size of the beef pieces. The beef I used took about 10 minutes to cook through.
Now add the cubed potato.
Cook the beef on high heat, stirring frequently until excess liquid has evaporated and the oil has separated from the curry. Also the cubed potato should be almost cooked through too.
For the Rice
Now in another large pot, bring water to a boil and add the rice, cumin seeds, lemon, chopped mint, oil and salt. Cook the rice until it is parboiled (3/4 cooked). Drain the rice in a colander.
For Assembling:
In a separate large pot, layer half of the rice. Then add the beef curry, and top with sliced lemon and chopped coriander.
Cover with the remaining rice.
Drizzle over the milk, and some yellow food colouring mixed with water.
Drizzle with melted ghee or butter.
Sprinkle more chopped coriander and lemon slices if desired.
Cover and steam cook on low flame for 8-10 minutes until the rice is fully cooked.
750g (1.5 lb) chicken thighs , skin on, bone in, halved along bone (Note 1)
Marinade:
2/3 cup (150 ml) yoghurt , plain
1/2 cup (125 ml) water
2 tbsp vegetable oil (or other plain oil)
6 garlic cloves , minced
2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
1/8 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cayenne (adjust spiciness to taste)
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
2 tsp garam marsala (Note 2)
2 tsp coriander
1 tbsp cumin
2 tbsp paprika , sweet / ordinary (not smoked)
1 3/4 tsp salt
Par Boiled Rice:
2 tbsp salt
10 cloves
5 dried bay leaves
1 star anise
6 green cardamon pods
2 1/4 cups (450g) uncooked basmati rice (Note 3)
Crispy Onions (Note 4):
2 medium onions (yellow, brown) , halved and finely sliced
1 cup (250 ml) oil , for frying
Saffron:
1 tsp saffron threads (loosely packed) (Note 5)
2 tbsp warm water
Biryani:
1 cup coriander / cilantro , chopped
1/4 cup (60g) ghee or unsalted butter , melted (Note 6)
Garnish:
Crispy onions (above)
Chopped coriander / cilantro
Yoghurt (Note 7)
Instructions
Mix Marinade in a large pot (about 26cm / 11″ diameter). Add chicken and coat well. Marinade 20 minutes to overnight.
Par Boiled Rice:
Bring 3 litres / 3 quarts water to the boil, add salt and spices.
Add rice, bring back up to the boil then cook for 4 minutes, or until rice is just cooked still a bit firm in the middle. Rice will taste salty at this stage, disappears in next stage of cooking.
2 – 3 tsp coarsely crushed whole black peppercorns (or canned green peppercorns, drained) (Note 4)
Instructions
Take the steaks out of the fridge 20 minutes before planning to cook.
Crush the pepper using a rolling pin, mortar and pestle or the side of a hardy knife.
Steaks:
Just before cooking, sprinkle both sides of steak generously with salt and black pepper.
Heat oil in a skillet over high heat until smoking.
Add steaks and cook the first side for 2 minutes until it has a great crust, then flip and cook the other side for 2 minutes (for medium rare).
Stack the steaks on top of each other, then use tongs to sear the fat strip.
Transfer to plate, cover loosely with foil to rest while you make the sauce.
Sauce:
Add brandy or cognac into the same skillet and let it simmer rapidly, scraping the bottom of the pan, until it has mostly reduced and you can no longer smell the harsh alcohol smell (~1 min).
Add broth, bring to simmer and let it simmer rapidly for 2 to 3 minutes or until it reduces by half.
Turn heat down to medium. Add cream and pepper, stir, then simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes until it thickens (do not let it boil rapidly).
Taste sauce, adjust salt (and pepper!) to taste.
Transfer steaks to warmed serving plates. Spoon over sauce. Serve immediately! Pictured with Crispy Smashed Potatoes and Garlic Spinach. (Note 6)
Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F (180°C fan-forced). Line a tray with parchment/baking paper.
Bake sweet potato – Rub sweet potato steaks with oil, then sprinkle each side evenly with spice mix (don’t rub, it smears). Bake 45 – 50 minutes until potato is soft. Don’t flip.
Tahini yogurt sauce – Whisk ingredients in a medium heat-proof bowl until mostly combined. Microwave for 20 seconds on high. Whisk again – it will be like softly whipped cream! Use warm or at room temp.
Toast pine nuts in a small pan (no oil) preheated over medium heat. Once lightly golden, remove into a bowl.
Topping – In the same pan, heat oil (still on medium). Add all Topping ingredients and cook, stirring, until the garlic is golden. Transfer into a bowl immediately.
Assemble – Smear most of the yogurt sauce on plate (save some for drizzling). Put sweet potato on top. Sprinkle with Topping, drizzle with yogurt sauce, then sprinkle with pine nuts, coriander and sumac. EAT with crunchy toasted flatbread!
Prepare resting tray: Place a rack on a tray. (Note 3)
Oil and season tuna: Drizzle half the oil over the tuna. Smear over one side, then sprinkle with half the salt and pepper. Flip and repeat.
Heat skillet: Heat skillet (preferably a skillet with grille lines) over high heat until smoking hot. The hotter, the better!
Oil skillet (if required): If your skillet is not well-seasoned, brush skillet with olive oil or take pan off stove and spray with any oil (SAFETY WARNING! Note 4)
Cook first side: Place tuna steak in the skillet (I do one at a time for best results, Note 5) and cook for 45 seconds.
Rotate for grill lines: Turn steak 45 degree. Continue cooking another 45 seconds.
Cook other side: Flip tuna carefully, then leave for 1 minute or until the internal temperature in the middle reads 48°C / 118°F (Note 6).
Rest: Remove tuna from skillet and place on rack. Rest for 5 minutes – it will cool down almost to room temperature. This is desirable for easier slicing and better eating (Note 7) Serve! See Note 2 for sauce options.
Mix together mustard, garlic and onion powder. Then mix in remaining ingredients.
Place beef in a ziplock bag with Marinade and marinade overnight (12 – 24 hours).
Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking to bring to room temperature – key for even cooking of steaks. Shake off excess marinade.
Brush BBQ Grills with oil, then heat on high heat until is really hot – you should see wisps of smoke. Or heat a heavy based skillet on high until very hot, then add oil – it will heat almost instantly.
Add steaks. For 2cm / 3/4″ thick steaks, cook the first side for 2 minutes, then turn and cook the other side for 2 minutes (medium rare 52°C/125°F, chart below for other doneness temps). (Note 3)
Remove from skillet onto a WARM plate, cover loosely with foil and set aside for 5 minutes.
Serve! I couldn’t resist garlic butter – see recipe in notes.
2 beef tenderloin steaks, around 150g/5oz each (Note 1)
1 tbsp vegetable oil (or other neutral cooking oil)
Sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce, all purpose (Note 2)
2 tbsp Mirin (Note 3)
3 tbsp cooking sake (Note 3)
45g/3tbsp unsalted butter
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp ginger, minced (can exclude)
3 tsp shallots/scallions (green part) or chives, finely chopped
Instructions
Take the steak out of the fridge 20 minutes prior to cooking (or 10 minutes if it’s a stinking hot summer day).
Combine soy sauce, Mirin and sake in a small bowl.
Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat until smoking. Add steak and cook to your liking. Mine were 150g/5oz each and 3cm/1.25″ thick and I cooked it 3 minutes on the 1st side and 2 minutes on the second side for medium rare.
Transfer steak onto a plate and cover loosely with foil. Rest for 5 minutes.
Let the skillet cool down a bit then return to the stove over medium high heat. Add Sauce and bring to simmer, then add butter. When the butter melts and is incorporated into the sauce, immediately remove it from the stove.
Stir through garlic, ginger and 2 tsp of shallots (reserve rest for garnish), the sauce should be slightly thickened (if not, keep stirring, thickens more as it cools).
Place steak on plates and spoon over sauce. I served the steaks with finely shredded cabbage without dressing (very typical Japanese side) and white rice, plus some edamame on the side.
