Posted on May 22, 2020 at 11:00 AM by Madhu Gadia
May 22, 2020
Prevention Magazine gives 5 Star Rating 
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Dear Friends,
Hope you're staying safe and healthy as you navigate the ever-changing landscape and rules of this pandemic. Have a relaxing Memorial Day weekend. Typically, on this weekend, you might have planned a picnic, a family get-together, or a vacation. We were supposed to go on a vacation. We'd meticulously planned a 2-week trip to the Seattle area with our friends. Of course, we canceled the trip. Typically, canceling the trip would have made me upset, but not this time. Staying at home feels right. The feeling may be mutual for many of you.
Make the best of this "staycation" by enjoying a backyard picnic, taking an extra nap, and cooking up some delicious recipes. This month, I'm sharing a recipe that was featured in the Prevention Magazine from my first book, the Lite and Luscious Cuisine of India, 1997. The other day, I got a call from a cookbook fan, to thank me personally and to tell me how much her family loves my Chicken Biryani. She made my day, as well as inspired me to share the recipe with you. I hope you will try it.
Prevention Magazine Review 
For a first-time author, it was pretty amazing to get a five-star review in a major magazine. Did I tell you, I self-published the Lite and Luscious Cuisine of India, that was before the e-book and on-demand publishing era. Basically, I had to set up a small business and take out a home equity loan. As a small business, I did everything, including marketing and distribution. I learned a lot, and luckily, two years later, I sold the book to Penguin Random House, and they renamed it New Indian Home Cooking.
The Prevention Magazines' five-star review helped me sell a lot of books - as a sole proprietor, that means a lot. Please see the review on the side - How'd It Rate?
Biryani
Biryani is an elegant rice dish that is unique in flavor and cooking process. The most common biryanis are lamb and chicken. Although not traditional, vegetable biryanis have also become popular. I also make a pretty yummy vegetable biryani; will share the recipe some other time (it's not in my cookbooks). Traditional biryani is constructed in layers and is a lengthy process. The chefs love to flaunt their biryanis on special occasions.
Biryani dishes can vary from region to region. The biryani in Delhi is different than in Hyderabad. When I visited India last year, I had the pleasure of eating biryani at the famous Paradise Biryani, established in 1953, Hyderabad. The biryani was delicious, and the service was excellent.
Easy, Peasy, One-Pot Biriyani
Check out the Chicken Biryani recipe below. Compared to the traditional biryani, it takes a fraction of the time to make and has all the flavor and taste. And it's low in fat and calories to boot. Enjoy, guilt-free.
Happy Healthy Cooking!
Madhu
Chicken Biryani (Chicken Rice Casserole) 
I'm posting the recipe from the Prevention Magazine, see below. If desired, enjoy it with Cucumber Raita and vegetable crudité or make the Stir-Fried Cauliflower Salad, the recipe from the previous blog.
(Recipe from New Indian Home Cooking by Madhu Gadia; previously Lite and Luscious Cuisine of India)
Cucumber Raita (Kheere Ka Raita)
(Yogurt with Cucumber)
This yogurt and cucumber combination is an excellent accompaniment to any Indian meal.
Ingredients:
2 cups plain nonfat yogurt
1 1/2 cups cucumber, peeled and grated
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon roasted cumin seed powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
Method:
Whisk yogurt in a small serving bowl, until smooth.
Gently squeeze grated cucumber by hand to remove the excess liquid. Add to the yogurt. Add salt and stir.
Garnish with roasted cumin seed powder and cayenne pepper (if using). Do not stir. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Makes 6 servings (3 cups)
Serving size: 1/2 cup
Amount per serving: Calories: 50, Carbohydrate: 7g, Fat: 0g, Dietary Fiber: 0.5g, Saturated Fat: 0g, Protein: 5g, Cholesterol: 1 mg, Sodium: 237 mg
(Recipe from New Indian Home Cooking by Madhu Gadia)
Categories: Blog Articles, Recipes