An Edible Mosaic™

Everyday Fare With Extraordinary Flair

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Home » My Meatless Mondays

Ramadan, Recipe for Pilaf-Style Biryani, & Giveaway Winner!

August 15, 2010 by Faith 33 Comments

The Islamic fasting month of Ramadan is upon us again!  This is a time for prayer, reflection, giving charity, and fasting.  During Ramadan, fasting includes not only abstaining from food and water, but it also includes abstaining from swearing, gossiping, arguing, etc.  During Ramadan fasting is done from sunrise to sunset to teach you patience, discipline, and empathy for others who aren’t as fortunate.

Each day at sunset the fast ends with prayer and then the fast is broken with dates and water.  This is followed by a meal called iftar, which usually starts with a first course of soup (traditionally Red Lentil Soup) and then a main course.  During Ramadan Mike likes to have substantial meals, usually involving rice.  You might remember last year when I made Beef Biryani Stuffed Inside Basmati Rice…this year I’m sharing a different (but equally delicious) form of biryani.

Ramadan Kareem (Generous Ramadan)!

I’m sending this recipe off to Chaya of Sweet and Savory for My Meatless Mondays!

Pilaf-Style Biryani

(Yield:  About 10 servings)

4 1/2 TB canola oil, divided

3 c basmati rice

1 bay leaf

2 cloves

1 pod cardamom, crushed

2 medium onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

2 medium carrots, peeled and diced

4 cloves garlic, grated

1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated

1/4 c biryani paste (or more to taste)

2 c frozen peas, thawed

1/2 c fresh minced parsley or 1/3 c fresh minced cilantro

1/2 c unsalted almonds or peanuts

Salt and pepper

Optional Things to Serve With This:

Roasted Spiced Chicken

Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce (Raita)

Salad Shirazi

Soak the rice in cold water for about 10 minutes, then drain (alternatively, you can rinse the rice in a colander with cold water until the water runs clear).  In a medium pot with a lid, heat 2 TB of oil over medium heat; add the bay leaf, cloves, and cardamom pod and toast until fragrant (about 1-2 minutes).  Add the rice and toast until fragrant (about 2 minutes), then add 1/2 tsp of salt and the amount of water specified on the rice’s package, and cook the rice according to the package directions.  When the rice is finished cooking, let it sit with the lid on for about 10 minutes before fluffing.

In a large skillet with a lid, heat 2 TB of oil over medium to medium-high heat.  Add the onion, red and green pepper, carrot, and a dash of salt and pepper, and sauté with the lid on (stirring occasionally) for about 12 to 14 minutes, or until the veggies are tender but not browned.  (You might need to add a splash of water to the veggies while cooking if the pan gets too dry.)  Turn down the heat to medium-low and add the garlic, ginger, biryani paste, and a splash of water; sauté about 2 minutes (stirring constantly) until everything is fragrant.  Add the frozen peas and heat another minute or so, just to warm the peas.

In a small skillet, heat the remaining 1/2 TB oil over medium to medium-high heat; add the nuts and sauté until golden (about 3-4 minutes), stirring frequently.

To serve, combine the fluffed rice, cooked veggies, and parsley (or cilantro if using), and top with the toasted nuts.  If desired, serve with roasted spiced chicken, cucumber-yogurt sauce (raita), and/or Salad Shirazi.

I want to thank everyone who participated in my recent Walmart giftcard giveaway!  It looks like tomatoes, corn, and berries are a few favorites this time of year!  I used a random number generator to determine the winner…

A huge congrats to Nicole of Geek Turned Athlete!  Please email me your address and I’ll have your giftcard mailed out.

Sundried Tomato & Roasted Garlic Galette

June 6, 2010 by Faith 42 Comments

A galette is a rustic, free-form French pastry with a flaky crust.  It’s similar to a tart in that there is no top crust; however, unlike a tart, the bottom crust of a galette is partly folded over onto the top.  Galettes can be filled with sweet or savory ingredients, or left unfilled.  In this dish the classic combination of the sweet, nutty roasted garlic pairs nicely with the intense flavor of the sundried tomatoes.  I topped my galette with salad greens for some bright color and fresh flavor, but you can omit the greens if you prefer. I’m sending this recipe off to Chaya of Sweet […]...

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Greek-Inspired Omelet

May 23, 2010 by Faith 37 Comments

A couple weeks ago I bought a brick of Kefalotiri cheese to make Saganaki (recipe coming soon!) and I had some leftover cheese.  Kefalotiri is a hard, dry Greek cheese made of sheep or goat’s milk.  Inside it’s dappled with small, irregular holes, and it has a sharp aroma and a tangy, salty taste.  To me, the texture and flavor of Kefalotiri is very similar to Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano, so either of those might work well as a substitute.  Chives grow wild in Greece, so when one of Mike’s colleagues was sweet enough to give me a large bag of chives (thank you, Thom!) […]...

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Hello and welcome to An Edible Mosaic! This is my recipe collection of international favorites and updated American classics with an emphasis on seasonal dishes. Here you’ll find a focus on real foods that sustain body and mind, bring people together, and make a house a home.

 

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meet faith

I’m Faith Gorsky, the writer, cook, and photographer behind An Edible Mosaic. My goal is to inspire you to get in the kitchen and try something new! Feel free to email me with questions or comments.

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affiliate disclosure

An Edible Mosaic is monetized in part though affiliate links, and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This means that if you click on an affiliate link and/or purchase an item after clicking on an affiliate link, I may receive a percentage of the sales price. I only recommend products that I love and use. To learn more, please read my Privacy Policy.

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