Food: Soya chilli is a popular Indo-Chinese dish that combines soft soya chunks with spicy sauces and crunchy vegetables. It is easy to prepare and can be served as a starter or evening snack.

To make the dish, one cup of soya chunks is first boiled in salted water for about five minutes. The chunks are then drained, rinsed with cold water and squeezed well to remove excess water.

For a crispier version, the soya chunks can be coated with corn flour and all-purpose flour. They are then shallow-fried or deep-fried until golden and crisp.

In a pan, oil is heated and chopped garlic, ginger and green chillies are sautéed on high heat. Chopped onion and capsicum are added next and stir-fried for one to two minutes.

Soy sauce, chilli sauce, tomato ketchup and vinegar are then added to the pan. Salt and black pepper are mixed in according to taste.

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The prepared soya chunks are added to the sauce mixture and tossed well on high heat for about two minutes. This allows the sauces to coat the chunks evenly.

The dish can be topped with chopped spring onions and served hot. Soya chilli is a tasty option for those looking for a simple snack with a good amount of plant-based protein.

Mangaluru: Kadle Balyar Sukka is a traditional Mangalorean dish that is especially popular during the monsoon season. The flavorful preparation combines black chickpeas, locally known as kadle, with dried baby shark, or balyar.

The dish is prepared using a spicy coconut-based masala. Dried red chillies, coriander seeds, cumin, fenugreek, black pepper, turmeric, tamarind and garlic give the dish its rich taste and aroma.

To prepare the dish, black chickpeas are soaked overnight and pressure-cooked until soft. The cooking water is kept aside for use while preparing the sukka.

The dried baby shark is soaked in water for about 30 minutes. It is then cleaned and cut into small pieces to reduce excess salt and prepare it for cooking.

The spices are lightly roasted and ground into a fine masala. Fresh coconut is also used, with a portion lightly roasted to add extra flavour to the dish.

Coconut oil is heated in a pan before garlic, curry leaves and chopped onions are added. Once the onions turn translucent, the dried shark pieces are sautéed briefly.

The prepared masala is then added along with some of the reserved chickpea water. The cooked black chickpeas are mixed into the preparation and allowed to simmer on low heat for 10 to 15 minutes.

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Finally, roasted grated coconut is added and cooked until the mixture reaches a semi-dry sukka consistency.

Kadle Balyar Sukka is usually served hot with steamed red rice, neer dosa or chapati. The combination of chickpeas, dried fish, coconut and spices makes it a distinctive dish associated with the traditional food culture of coastal Karnataka.

Food : Chicken biryani is a favourite among food lovers, and the dhaba-style version is known for its rich taste, strong spices and rustic flavours. This recipe combines juicy chicken, aromatic basmati rice, fried onions, fresh herbs and a thick yogurt-based gravy.

The biryani is prepared by cooking the chicken with spices and yogurt before layering it with 70% cooked basmati rice. The final dum cooking allows the flavours to blend well and gives the rice a delicious aroma.

Ingredients

– 1.3 kg bone-in chicken

– 2 cups basmati rice, soaked for 30 minutes

– 1.5 to 2 cups thinly sliced onions

– 1 cup plain yogurt

– 1 tbsp ginger paste

– 1 tbsp garlic paste

– 1 tbsp coriander powder

– 1 tbsp Kashmiri red chilli powder

– ½ tsp turmeric powder

– ½ tsp cumin powder

– 1 tsp garam masala or biryani masala

– 3 bay leaves

– Cinnamon sticks, cloves, black pepper and cardamom

– A small amount of mace

– 2 to 3 slit green chillies

– Fresh coriander leaves

– Fresh mint leaves

– Ghee

– Lemon juice

– Salt

– Cooking oil

– Food colouring, optional

Process of Preparation:

Prepare the Chicken

Heat some oil in a heavy-bottomed pot. Add the bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, black pepper and other whole spices.

Add the sliced onions and fry them until they turn deep golden brown. This gives the biryani its rich colour and flavour.

Add the Chicken and Spices

Lower the heat before adding the chicken. Add ginger-garlic paste, coriander powder, Kashmiri chilli powder, turmeric, cumin powder and garam masala.

Add salt, green chillies, yogurt, chopped coriander and mint leaves. Mix everything well and cook on medium-high heat for about three to four minutes.

Cook the Chicken

Cover the pot and cook the chicken on low heat for around 25 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent the mixture from sticking to the bottom.

Cook until the chicken becomes tender and the oil begins to separate from the gravy. Keep a portion of the thick chicken gravy aside for the final layering.

Parboil the Rice

Take another large pot and bring plenty of water to a boil. Add salt, whole spices, coriander, mint and a little lemon juice.

Add the soaked basmati rice and cook for about six minutes. The rice should be around 70% cooked and still slightly firm. Drain the rice immediately.

 Layer the Biryani

Spread the parboiled rice over the cooked chicken. Pour the reserved chicken gravy over the rice.

Add a little ghee, fried onions, coriander and mint leaves. Food colouring can also be added at this stage if desired.

Cook on Dum

Cover the pot tightly with a lid or aluminium foil. Make sure the steam cannot escape.

Cook the biryani on the lowest heat for about 15 minutes. This slow cooking process allows the chicken, rice and spices to blend together.

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Serve Hot

Turn off the heat and allow the biryani to rest for a few minutes. Gently fluff the rice with a fork without breaking the grains.

Serve the hot dhaba-style chicken biryani with raita, salad or a side dish of your choice.

A Flavourful Finish

The combination of tender chicken, aromatic rice, fried onions, fresh herbs and spicy yogurt gravy gives this biryani its distinctive dhaba-style character. The final dum cooking adds a rich aroma and brings all the flavours together.