Ultra celebrates this festive season with rich and decadent Diwali dishes

Diwali is always the time to cook that best festival dish; a special dish that is passed down for generations in the family or a great new recipe you are waiting to try. Ultra explores a few legacy recipes from erstwhile royal kitchens. Cook with Ultra this Diwali and turn your kitchen into a royal one and make that dish fit for a king!

Inspired by the royal kitchens of Rajasthan:

Traditional Laal Maans

Or Laal Maas as it is popularly known as today is originally a hunter’s dish. Kid or a young goat, generally caught during hunting expeditions would be marinated overnight in a simple laal mirch or red chilli with a few other spices and slow cooked the next day over a wood fire. The richness of the dish comes from being cooked in ghee.

1 Kg tender mutton (shoulder on the bone, cubed)
1 Cup ghee
800 Gms onions (thinly sliced)
2 ½ Tbsp chilli powder (Mathania or Kashmiri lal)
1 ½ Tbsp coriander powder
2 Tbsp ginger and garlic paste
2 Bay leaves
4 Cloves
3” Cinnamon
4 Cardamom pods
10 Black peppercorns
Salt

METHOD

1. Wash and clean the meat and place in a large bowl.
2. Add the ginger and garlic paste, coriander powder and red chilli powder with a tbsp of ghee and massage into the meat.
3. Cover and set to marinate overnight in the refrigerator.
4. In the Ultra pressure pan, add the rest of the ghee, the bay leaf and whole spices, followed by the onion and sauté for a few minutes.

Inspired by the kitchen of the Karaikudi rajas:

Authentic Chettinad Chicken curry

In the south, they would say, ‘eat like a chettiar’. The traditional Karaikudi recipes are truly special, packed with flavour and guaranteed to leave you, wanting more. The chettinad chicken curry needs no introduction and is truly a celebratory dish that must feature in your Diwali menu.

800gms Chicken (on the bone, cut)

For the marinade:
1 Sprig curry leaves
1 Tsp turmeric powder
1 Tsp ginger garlic powder
½ Lime (juice)
1 Tsp pepper powder

For the spice paste:
1 Cup coconut (grated)
1 Tsp poppy seeds
4-6 Dry red chillies
2 Tbsp corriander seeds
1 ½ Tsp cumin seeds
2” Tamarind
1 Tsp fennel seeds
2” Cinnamon
3-4 Cloves
4 Cardamom pods
1 Star anise
½ Tsp stone flower (optional)
Salt

For the curry:
1 Cup shallots (chopped)
4 Sprigs curry leaves
2 Dry red chillies

METHOD

1. In your Ultra Pressure Cooker, add a teaspoon of oil, add the cinnamon, cloves, star anise, cardamom and red chillies and sauté for 2 minutes. Then add the coriander seeds, stone flower, poppy seeds, fennel and cumin and roast for 5 mins on a low flame. Finally add the grated coconut, tamarind and roast till it is golden brown. Remove from heat, cool and grind in your Ultra Mixer grinder to a fine powder. Add a little water and grind to ensure it is a smooth paste.
2. In the same cooker, add oil, half the curry leaves, shallots and fry till onions are brown. Add the chicken and roast in oil for two minutes before adding the ground spice paste. Add salt and pressure cook with a little water for about 15 mins.
3. Temper with the rest of the curry leaves and dry red chillies before serving.

Inspired by the kitchens of the Nizams of Hyderabad:

Baingan Biryani

When we think of a rich and royal meal, it has to be Mughlai cuisine as we know it today. It probably originated in the royal kitchens of the Nizams. The hyderabadi biryani is a favourite across the country. It is prepared with care, over a long period of marinating and cooking. When it comes together, it is both simple and complex with so much flavour, all at once.

8 Medium-sized brinjals

For the stuffing:
1 Tbsp channa daal
1 Tsp urad daal
4 Dry red chillies
¼ Cup peanuts
¼ Tsp fenugreek seeds
2” piece tamarind
½ tsp poppy seeds
1 tsp white sesame seeds
Salt
4 Tbsp oil

For the Biryani
500 Gms basmati rice
200 Gms ghee
¼ Cup oil
3 Onions (thinly sliced)
2 Green chillies (slit)
2” Cinnamon
4 Cloves
4 Cardamom pods
1 Cup yoghurt
1 Tsp ginger and garlic paste
1 Tsp coriander powder
½ Tsp cumin powder
2 Tsp red chilli powder
1 Tsp garam masala
½ Lime (juice)
¼ Cup chopped mint leaves
¼ Cup chopped coriander leaves
1 Tbsp cashews (whole)
1 Tbsp raisins (whole)
½ Cup milk
½ Tsp saffron
1 Tsp rose water

METHOD

Stuffed brinjal:
1. Slit the brinjal into four quarters, leaving it attached to the stem.
2. Dry fry all the ingredients for the stuffing and powder.
3. Stuff the brinjal
4. Fry in oil and set aside

For the biryani:
1. Wash and soak the rice for 30 mins
2. In your Ultra pressure cooker, add the ghee and oil
3. Fry the cashews and raisins and remove them with a slotted spoon and set aside
4. In the same pan fry the thinly sliced onions to a crisp golden brown. Remove and set aside.
5. In a bowl, mix yoghurt with ginger garlic paste, the spice powders, lime juice and half the fried onions.
6. To the same oil and ghee, add the whole spices, green chillies and sauté for a few mins
7. Add the paste of yoghurt and spices, salt and cook on a slow flame till the spices are well cooked and the oil comes out.
8. While this is cooking, set a pot of water to boil with a few whole spices (cinnamon, cloves and cardamom) and salt. Add the rice and cook till it has a bite or half done.
9. Carefully place the fried baingan on the cooked curry and top with rice. Add the mint and coriander leaves and remaining fried onions, milk with saffron and the fried cashew and raisins, 1 tsp of ghee and rose water.
10. Cook without a whistle for 10-12 mins on a low flame.
11. Set the cooker aside without opening the lid for 30 minutes so the steam fluffs the rice.
12. Serve with raita.

Inspired by the kitchens of Travancore:

Ellu Curry (Sesame Curry)

Ellu curry is a hearty winter dish. The erstwhile royal family of Travancore, predominantly enjoyed a good vegetarian fare and this sesame spiced root vegetable curry is a simple yet delicious dish, for a star vegetarian meal.

For grinding:
2 Tbsp black sesame
2 Tbsp urad daal
4 Red chillies
1 Cup coconut (grated)
2 Cups yam (chopped)
1 Cup brinjal (chopped)
1 Cup sweet potato or potato (chopped)
1 Tsp turmeric
Salt

Tempering:
1 Tsp mustard seeds
½ Tsp sesame seeds
½ Tsp asafoetida
Coconut oil
3 Sprigs curry leaves

METHOD

1. In your Ultra Pressure Cooker, add the vegetables, turmeric, salt, water and cook with the whistle for 8-10 mins.
2. In a small pan, dry roast the sesame and set aside
3. In the same pan, dry roast the urad daal, red chillies and coconut till golden brown.
4. Grind and powder the sesame seeds and transfer to a small bowl.
5. Grind the daal, coconut and chillies to a fine paste with a little water.
6. Add the paste to the cooked vegetable and combine well on a low flame. Add the sesame powder and the tempering.
7. Serve with rice.