Jhantikalu / Murukulu

7:38 PM Posted In Edit This 0 Comments »


Ingredients :

Urad dal - 1 cup
Rice Flour - 3 cups
Ajwain - 2 tbsp
Sesame seeds - 2 tbsp
Clarified butter - 2 tbsp
Salt- according to taste
Red chilli powder - according to taste
Oil - for deep frying
Water - little.


Procedure:

1. Dry roast Urad dal and make it into a fine powder. The recipe needs 1 cup of Urad dal powder/flour.
2. Mix 3 cups of rice flour to this in a large bowl.
3. Add Sesame seeds, ajwain , salt and red chilli powder.
4. Now add butter and mix well.
5. Make it into a nice soft dough by adding water (it takes very little water).
6. Heat the oil.
7. Take the dough and put it into the Muruku mold. Squeeze out the Murku out and deep fry after the oil is hot.
6. Fry till it turns into light brown and take it out on a wide plate. Drain out excess oil by putting it on a tissue paper.

Storage : After the Muruku s cool down, you can store them in a air tight bag/ziplock bag to retain freshness.

Pulao made easy

6:54 AM Posted In Edit This 0 Comments »

* If you don't know what to do with left over rice OR want to quickly make a rice item for a party/potluck or a get together, try this one next time.


Ingredients :

Cooked Rice : 2 to 3 cups
Onions : 2 medium
Tomato : 1 medium
Potatos : 1 medium
Carrot and peas : 1 cup
Garlic : 3 cloves
Ginger : 1 tsp
Green Chilli - 1
Coriander - chopped
Masalas : 2 tbsp (I use a combination of Everest-Kitchen king, Shahi Biryani and chole Masala)
Red Chilli Powder : 1 tsp (according to your taste)
Coconut Milk - 2 tbsp
Whole Cashew nuts - 2 tbsp (for garnishing)
Oil - 3 to 4 tbsp
Salt


Procedure :

1. Wash and cut up the vegetables. Slice onions long. Make Potato into medium cubes, chop garlic and ginger. If you have frozen mixed vegetables , you can use that or make small cubes of carrots and get a handful of peas.

2. In a deep bottom sauce pan, heat up some oil. Saute onions, add green sliced chilli, garlic and ginger. Now add potato pieces, carrot , peas, a little chopped coriander. Sprinkle tumeric and salt. Cover with a lid and let them cook on a medium flame for abt 5-8 minutes till they are tender. Mix from time to time.

3. Now add the masalas, red chilli powder and coconut milk. Put the lid back on and let it cook for some more time.

4. It you have leftover rice , heat it up in a microwave for abt 3-4 minutes. When rice is warm, its easy for it to get mixed with the masalas. ( it shouldn't be too hot too, just warm to touch). Mix it well along with 2 tbsp oil. Season it according to taste.

5. Garnish it with rest of the Coriander and cashews.


Serving suggestion : Serve hot with Raita or can be eaten with any other vegetable/egg side dish.

Boondi Laddu

12:43 PM Posted In Edit This 0 Comments »



Ingredients :

Besan - 2 cups
Sugar - 2 cups
Water - 4 cups
Cardamom - 1 tbsp crushed
Cashew nuts - 2 tbsp
Sliced almonds - 1 tbsp
Raisins - 2tbsp
Ghee / Clarified butter - 2 tbsp
Oil for deep frying
Water


Procedure:

1. Take the besan and sift the flour. Add water to it and mix it well till it attains a liquid consistency ( as that of a dosa batter). Mix well without lumps.

2. Heat the clarified butter and roast the cardamom, cashews, sliced almonds and raisins .. on a low flame and keep it aside.

3. Meanwhile prepare Sugar Syrup by mixing equal quantities of water and sugar. Heat this on a Medium flame and let it cook till it attains a thread consistency ( when u mix the syrup with a spoon and lift it , the flow on the syrup from the spoon should form a straight line with the syrup cooking below)

4. While that's getting done, heat the oil for deep frying in a deep bottom sauce pan.


5. With the help of a skimming laddle (as shown),
pour the besan batter over the laddle so that they fall as little drops into the hot oil. They start to bubble up as soon as they sink in the oil and float up. Fry them till they turn light brown. These are called Boondi.
Now drain them off the oil and immediately drop them into the sugar syrup made in step 3.


6. Now mix in the roasted nuts and raisins into the syrup and the boondis. Mix well till the boondis completely take up the syrup.

7. While its still hot, take the quantity into one hand, made a ball / round and place it on a different plate. (This part is a lil difficult, but you will soon get the hang of it by the time you roll a few laddus :-) )

Some people like to add food color (yellow) while doing step 6. But that's optional.


Storage : Store them up in an air tight container at room temperature. They are good for 2 weeks.

Consume quickly. Because they tend to lose freshness soon. Enjoy!


Sambarsadam (Sambar Rice)

12:37 PM Posted In Edit This 0 Comments »

Ingredients :


Toor dal - 1/2 cup
Rice - 1/2 cup
Tomatos - 1 medium
Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup
Tamarind juice - 2 tbsp
Vegetables - Drumstick / Mixed vegetables
Tumeric - 1/2 tsp
Sugar / jaggery - 1 tsp
Salt - According to taste


For the Masala :

Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
Chana dal - 2 tsp
Coriander Seeds - 6 tsp
Red chillis - 3 or 4


For the Tadka / Popu :

Ghee / Butter - 1 tbsp
Urad Dal - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Asafoetida powder - 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves - about 6 to 8


Procedure:

1. Dry Roast Toor Dal and rice together in a pan for about 5 minutes on a Medium-low flame. Later Pressure cook them with some water ( toor dal - 1/2 cup, rice -1/2 cup , water- 2 cups). After 5 Whistles turn off and keep aside.

2. Masala Preperation - Dry Roast Fenugreek seeds alone. After they turn dark brown, take them out and keep them aside. In the same pan dry roast Chana dal, Coriander seeds and Red Chillis. Keep them aside.

3. Grind Grated Cocoonut and tomato together. Add some water if needed. Put this mixture aside.

4. Cook the vegetables till they are soft.

5. In a sauce pan heat some oil. Combine 3 and 4 steps along with Tamarind juice, Tumeric, sugar and salt. Add Step-2 to this mixture. Let them boil for 2 minutes.

6. Now add the toor dal and rice mixture to this and cook till it attains a semi solid consistency. Turn off the stove.

7. In a seperate pan - heat some ghee/butter. Get the tadka/ popu done and add it to Step 6. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serving Suggestion : Serve the Sambar rice hot along with chips or papads.


Avakai

1:28 PM Posted In Edit This 0 Comments »


Ingredients :

Raw Mango pieces- 2 cups
Mustard Powder - 1 cup
Salt - 3/4th cup
Red Chilli Powder - 1 cup
Sesame Oil - 2 cups


Procedure :

*** All the ingredients used in this preperation do not have to be heated / cooked. They are to be used as it is.

1. Cut Mango into medium pieces. Do not remove the skin. We need atleast 2 cups of pieces.
2. If you do not have ready-made Mustard powder, grind Mustard seeds. Do not roast / add oil. Grind the store-bought mustard seeds till they become a fine powder. We need 1 cup for the pickle.
3. Take a big bowl and add the mustard powder, salt and red chilli powder. Mix them well. Add the mango pieces and while adding oil ... mix the pieces with the other ingredients. Take out the pickle in dry air tight container. You can add more oil after you transfer it into the container. The pickle should be fully soaked in oil. For best results, use the store-bought raw sesame oil.
4. Close the lid and store the pickle. Its good to eat after 3 days

Garlic lovers : Add atleast 5-8 Garlic pods. Remove the skin, Mash and directly add to the pickle. Store the pickle in an air tight container.

Pickle stays fresh up to a month.

Chole Masala

12:49 PM Posted In Edit This 0 Comments »

Ingredients :

Garbanzo Beans / Chick Peas 15 oz cans - 2
Onions - 2 big
Tomato - 1 medium
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
Tumeric - 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Amchur powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1/4 tsp
Sugar - 1 tsp ( my secret ingredient )
Water - 1/2 cup
Oil - 4 tbsp
Salt - according to taste



Procedure :

1. Chop onions and tomato into big pieces. Grind them and make a paste. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a sauce pan and add the onion-tomato paste. Also add the Ginger Garlic paste along with tumeric.
3. Put the flame on Low-Medium flame and keep a lid on it. Let that cook for sometime.
4. Since I did not have Chole masala powder , I added a mixture of coriander powder, amchur powder and garam masala powder. Add Sugar and some water and let it cook for atleast 10-15 minutes. Keep stirring time to time.
5. Meanwhile Microwave the Garbanzo beans. I used the Canned ones. Take out all the water out of the can...wash the beans and micro wave them for atleast 10 minutes or till they turn soft. (Its necessary to take out the water from the canned beans ... as it contains salt and other preservatives).
6. Now add the Chick peas to the Gravy and let them cook for another 10 minutes on a low flame. Cover them with a lid.
7. Add salt and chilli powder. Garnish with Cilantro and serve.



Serving Suggestion :

Always serve hot. Chop up a onion into small pieces and serve Chole
along with a slice of Lemon. Can be served along with Poori / Bature / Chapati / Roti. Can also be eaten as it is.

Potato Kurma

7:31 AM Posted In Edit This 0 Comments »

Ingredients :

Potatos - 2
Onions - 1 large
Cauliflower florets - 1/2 cup
Carrots - 3
Peas - 1/2 cup

Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tbsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Curd / Yogurt - 1 tbsp
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp

Coconut Milk - 3 tbsp
Water - 1 cup
Oil - 3 tbsp
Salt - according to taste

Chopped Cilantro - 1/2 cup


Procedure :

1. Cut Potatos in big cubes and carrots into small pieces. Chop onion into small pieces.
2. Seperate florets from cauli flower. Wash and Microwave them with some water .. till they become soft.
3. Heat 2 tbsp of oil and saute onions, potato pieces. Add ginger garlic paste. Mix them well. Add 1/2 cup water and let them cook for a while, till potatos become soft. Add the cauliflower florets. Add the remaining water and boil them.
4. Now add curd, coriander powder , garam masala and red chilli powder. Cook them all on a Medium-low flame till all the masala and vegetables cook together well.
5. To this add coconut milk and simmer.
6. Garnish with cilantro.



Serving Suggestion : Serve with Chapathi / Roti / Poori.









Home-made Instant Dosa

8:12 AM Posted In Edit This 0 Comments »


Ingredients :

Batter :

Wheat Flour - 1 cup
Rice Flour - 1 Cup
Jeera - 2 tsp
Finely Chopped onions - 1/2 cup
Chopped Green Chillies - 1 or 2
Salt - according to taste
Red Chilli Powder - according to taste


Procedure :

1. Mix all the Batter ingredients together with water into dosa consistency. A little liquidy.
2. Heat the pan .. put some oil, and pur a little batter in the center of the pan and spread the batter by turning the pan, allowing the batter to spread itself.
3. Put some more oil while its getting roasted on a Medium - High flame.
4. Turn it on the other side and let it roast well for some more time till it turns into golden brown. Serve Hot.


Suggested Serving : Serve the Dosa with any store-bought or home-made pickle or coconut chutney.

Tamarind Rice

7:10 AM Posted In Edit This 0 Comments »

Ingredients :

Cooked Rice - 3 cups
Tamrind pulp - 1/2 cup
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Peanuts - 3 tbsp
Tadka / Popu ingredients = 1 tsp mustard seeds + 1 tsp urad dal + 1 tsp chana dal + 2 red chillies
Green Chillies - 2
Curry leaves - 8
Asafoetida powder - 1/2 tsp
Sugar - 1 tsp
Salt - according to taste
Oil - 4 tbsp


Procedure:

1. Cook the rice in a rice cooker or pressure cooker. For 1 cup of rice, use 2 cups of water.
2. In a sauce pan, heat up some oil and get the tadka done. While thats getting done add the Asafoetida powder, curry leaves, green chillies, curry leaves along with the peanuts. Roast them well.
3. Now add the Tamarind pulp. Add Turmeric, Salt and sugar.
4. Let all the ingredients cook well in the tamarind pulp for sometime till the oil seperates and water evapourates.
5. Now add the rice. Mix well on a low flame.



History of Pulihora : Puli means sour taste. Pulihora can also be referred as sour rice. This is a preperation widely cooked during festivals or special occassions, without which an
y festival meal is incomplete in South-India. It is given as prasadam in temples, at temples devotees after darshan of the God Queue to get pulihora. The festival of SeethaRama Kalyanam is one big occasion where the huge packets of pulihora is distributed to the devotees.


Mukkala Pachadi

7:36 AM Posted In Edit This 0 Comments »


Ingredients :

Green Raw Mango - 2 cups ( peel the skin and chop the mango into small pieces. )
Salt - 1 cup
Red Chilli powder - 1 cup
Roasted Fenugreek powder - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 1 and 1/2 cup Canola oil
Mustard seeds - 1 tbsp
Red Chillies - 2
Asafoetida powder - 1/2 tsp


Procedure :

1. For 2 cups of Raw mango pieces, take one cup of salt and red chilli powder. Mix them well in a bowl. Set aside. Use the same measuring cup for all the ingredients to maintain consistency.
2. Dry roast 1/2 tsp of Fenugreek seeds. Always roast them on a Low flame. Grind them into a fine powder.
*** Here is the tricky part - the fenugreek seeds should turn dark brown, not black.. else the pickle will taste bitter. If they under roast too.. the taste will get spoilt. You can also use the store-bought Fenugreek powder. ***

3. Heat the oil and add the mustard seeds. While they crackle, add the red chilli powder and Asafoetida powder to it. Set aside and let it cool.
4. Add the Fenugreek powder to the Mango pieces with salt and red chilli powder. Mix it well.
5. Now add the Step-3 to the Mango mixture.

Storage : Store the pickle in an air-tight container. Always keep it refridgerated and it stays fresh up to a month.

Serving Suggestion : Serve with hot rice. Tastes well with Ravva dosa as well.

Egg Curry

6:42 AM Posted In Edit This 0 Comments »

Ingredients :

Boiled eggs - 5
Onions - 2 big
Green Chillis - 1 or 2
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tbsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Sugar - 1 tsp
Thick Tamarind Juice - 3 tbsp
Coconut Milk - 3 tbsp
Oil - 2 tbsp
Salt - according to taste
Water- 2 cups
Cilantro - 1 bunch
Tadka / Popu ( 1 tsp Mustard seeds + 2 Red Chillis + 1 tsp Jeera / Cumin seeds)


Procedure :

1. Boil the eggs. Remove the shell, cut them in half. ( I have removed the yellow part as I dont like it much. But its according to your taste)
2. Make small slits on the boiled eggs with a knife and keep aside.

3. In a sauce pan, take some oil and get the tadka done.
4. Saute onion till it becomes translucent. Add some Green chillies.
5. Add Ginger-Garlic paste and turmeric pwd.
6. Saute them well and now add 1/2 cup of water.
7. Add Coriander powder, Garam masala powder and red chilli powder.
8. After the water evapourates and the masalas cook well, add little tamarind juice and coconut milk. Add some more water (enough water for the eggs to dip in after you add them) and bring it to a boil.
9. Add sugar and salt and simmer it for about 15-20 minutes till the sauce thickens.
10. Put the eggs in the sauce and let them cook for another 5 minutes.
11. Garnish with Cilantro.

Serving Suggestions : Serve with hot rice.

Tomato Pachadi

1:49 PM Posted In Edit This 0 Comments »


Ingredients :

Plum Tomatos - 4
Cilantro - chopped half a cup
Green Chillies - 2
Tamarind - a dime size
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 4 tbsp
Salt- according to taste
Tadka / Popu ( 1 tsp Mustard seeds + 1 tsp Urad dal + 1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds + 2 Red Chillies + Asafoetida powder)


Procedure :

1. Wash and cut the tomatoes into medium pieces. Set aside.
2. In a small sauce pan, take about 2 tbsp oil and get the tadka done. Add Asafoetida powder and green chillies. Saute them for a while and take them out on a plate.
3. Take the remaining oil and heat it up. Add a little more Asafoetida powder and put the cut tomatoes. Now add the tumeric powder. Cook them on a Medium-low flame, till all the water in the tomatos evapourate. Put the tamarind in it and cook till all the pulp comes together.
4. Take the pulp out in a bowl or a plate and put the chopped cilantro on it.
5. Now grind the step 2 till it becomes a powdered consistency. Now add the tomato-tamarind pulp along with the cilantro and grind it.
6. Take them out in a bowl and add salt according to taste.

Serving Suggestion : Serve with hot rice. Can also be used as a dip or a side dish for dosa or uthappam.



Mirchi Bajji

10:23 AM Posted In Edit This 0 Comments »

Ingredients -

Long Mirchi - 6
Sesame seeds - 2 tbsp
Peanuts - 2 tbsp
Tamarind juice - 3 tsp
Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Coconut Powder - 1/2 tsp
Besan flour - 2 cups
Rice flour - 1 cup
Baking soda - 1/4 tsp
Oil - enough for deep frying
Salt - according to taste
Water - enough for preparing bater

For Garnishing :

Onions - 1 medium
Cilantro - finely chopped
lemon - 1
Chat masala

Preperation-

Mirchi :

1. Since the mirchis were long , I cut them in half.
2. Make a slit length wise in the middle with a knife and with the spoon remove seeds.
3. Put the chillies in the salted boiled water for 30 seconds. This will reduce little spiciness of the mirchi.
4. Drain and let them dry on a tissue paper. Set aside

For the Stuffing:

Roast Sesame seeds and Peanuts. After they cool grind them with coriander powder, Cumin powder and tamarind juice. Add salt and grind. The stuffing should be a thick paste.

Batter:

1. Make besan batter by mixing gram flour, rice flour, 1/2 tsp salt and baking soda in a bowl, add water and prepare thick batter. Remove any air bubbles.
2. Batter should be thick enough to stick on to the mirchi when dipped. ( if the batter is too watery .. keep adding both the flours little by little till the desired consistency is achieved )

For Garnishing :

1. Chop onion and cilantro finely. Take them in a bowl and take the juice out of the lemon and soak the onion, cilantro in it. Soak them for atleast half-an-hour.


Procedure -

1. Heat the oil on Medium-high.
2. Stuff the mirchi with the stuffing.
3. Dip the mirchis with the stuffing into the batter. After the oil gets heated up, drop the mirchi and fry till all the sides turn golden brown.
4. Take them out on a tissue paper and let them cool.


Serving Suggestion -

After the mirchi bajjis are cooled, take each of them and make a slit length-wise and stuff
the raw onion and cilatro mix in it. After all the mirchis are done this way, sprinkle chat masala over the entire bajji

Serve accompanied by Masala / Elachi Chai as a evening snack :-)




Sorakaya Pachadi / Bottle Gourd Chutney

6:44 AM Posted In Edit This 0 Comments »
Ingredients -

Bottle Gourd / Sorakaya / Kadhu - 1 Medium
Garlic pods - 3
Green Chillies - 2
Coriander Powder / Dhania Pwd - 2 tsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp **Optional
Tamarind juice - 3 tbsp
Salt - According to taste
Oil - 3 tbsp
Popu / Tadka ingredients ( 1sp Mustard seeds + 1 sp Urad dal)


Procedure -

1. Peeel Bottle Gourd and cut into cube size pieces
2. Fry them in a 2 tbsp oil with garlic cloves about 3-4 of them with two green chillies. After they become soft, take them out and let it cool.
3. Grind it with tamarind juice, dhania powder, salt and add Red chilli pwd ( if you want it spicey). Mix them well.
4. Roast the Popu / Tadka in 1 tbsp oil. Put it on top of the chutney and mix well.


Serving Suggestion : Serve with hot rice. Tastes good with curd rice.

Tomato Rice

6:53 AM Posted In Edit This 0 Comments »


*** A yummy way of using leftover brown or white rice.


Ingredients -

Cooked Brown / White Rice ( I used white rice )
Onions - 3 Medium
Tomatoes - 2 Medium
Green Chillies - 1 or 2 slit longitudinally
Red Chillies - 1 or 2
Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 2 tsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp (if you want it more spicey)
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Salt - According to Taste
Oil - 3 tbsp
Tadka / Popu ( 1 tsp Mustard seeds + 1 tsp Urad dal) - - Optional
Cilantro


Procedure -

1. Cut Onions , Tomatoes and Green Chillies Longitudinally.
2. In a sauce pan, heat up 2 tbsp oil and get the Tadka / Popu done. After they are roasted, add the red chillies and saute them. This is a optional step.
3. Fry the onions. After they become soft, add the tomatoes and the green chillies.
4. Add the Ginger Garlic paste and some tumeric. Mix them well and put the flame on Medium.
5. After the tomatoes and Onions become soft and cooked, add Salt, Coriander Powder and Garam Masala powder. If you want to spice things up - add red chilli powder.
6. Put the flame on Medium-low and let the masalas and vegetables cook for 5 minutes.
7. Now add the rice. Mix it well with the masala with a tbsp of oil.
8. Mix everything well for 5 minutes.
9. Add chopped Cilantro and serve.

Serving Suggestion - Serve it with Raita. Tastes good even without raita.

Ugaadi Pachadi : My Recipe

10:39 AM Posted In Edit This 0 Comments »
~~~~~Happy Ugadi ~~~~~

Ugadi is called the New year's day for the people of South India. People from this region celebrate the festival with great fanfare and have gatherings of the extended family with a sumptuous feast . The day, however, begins with bath followed by prayers, and then the eating of a specific mixture of -

This mixture with all six tastes (షడ్రుచులు), called "Ugadi Pachhadi" (ఉగాది పచ్చడి) : Symbolizes the fact that life is a mixture of different experiences (sadness, happiness, anger, fear, disgust, surprise) , which should be accepted together and with equanimity.


Ingredients:

Raw Green Mango - 1 (small)

Tamarind Pulp

Grated Jaggery ( found in Indian stores. Also called as sugarcane sugar)

Salt

Red Chilli Powder

Fenugreek seed powder ( Great Substitute for Neem leaves)


Procedure :

1. Peel and chop raw mango into small pieces. Take it in a medium mixing bowl.

2. Combine small amounts of Tamarind pulp, grated jaggery, Salt and Red chilli powder. Add it to the mango pieces.

3. Just add a pinch of Fenugreed seed powder ( too much of it makes it bitter). Mix everything together and serve. If you desire you can add 1-2 tsp of water.



Tomato Pulihora

11:16 AM Posted In Edit This 0 Comments »
Ingredients :

Rice - 1 cup
Water - 2 cups
Tomato Pulp - 1/2 cup
Tamarind - 3 tbsp
Oil - 3 tbsp
Green Chillis - 2
Red Chilli Powder / Paprika - 1 tsp
Red Chillis - 3
Dhaniya seeds / Coriander seeds - 1 tsp
Garlic pods - 3
Curry leaves - 10
Chana Dal - 2 tsp
Urad Dal - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Jeera - 1 tsp
Cashew nuts - 8
Cilantro - 1 bunch
Salt - according to taste


Procedure :

1. Cook 1 cup of rice with 2 cups water.

2. Heat1 tbsp oil and add tomato pulp , 2 tbsp tamarind pulp. Mix it well and let it cook for about 10 minutes on a medium-low flame. Add salt, green chillis and red chilli powder. After they cook, take them out in a plate and let it cool down. Set it aside.
3. In a different pan, heat a tbsp oil fry some red chillis. Remove and set aside in a plate. Grind and set aside.
4. In the same pan, heat up another tbsp of oil and roast 1 tsp of Urad dal + 1 tsp of coriander seeds + curry leaves + garlic pods + salt. After it cools down grind it and set aside.

5. Mix step - 3 and 4. Now mix this powder with the cooked rice from step-1
6. Now combine it with step - 2 , the tomato pulp paste
7. In another pan, heat up a tbsp of oil and add 1 tsp of chana dal + 1 tsp Jeera + 1 tsp Mustard seeds + 1 Red chilli + Curry leaves. After they roast well add it to the rice.

8. Fry some cashew nuts in oil and add it on top.
9. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Suggested Serving : Serve it with raita.


Making Pasta in Indian way

6:50 AM Posted In Edit This 0 Comments »
Ingredients :

Penne Pasta - 1/2 pack of any 14 oz pack. I used Barilla Pasta.
Bell Pepper - 1
Onions - 1 medium
Spring onions - 1 bunch
Carrots - 4
Garlic - 2 or 3 pods, chopped.
Can also use Mushrooms and Brocollli.
Oil - 2 tsp
Tomato & Basil pasta sauce - 5 tbsp
Alfredo pasta sauce - 5 tbsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Salt - according to taste
Red chilli powder - 1/4 tsp


Procedure :

Pasta:

1. Take a big bowl/ pan with water and bring it to a boil . While boiling add 1/2 tspn salt and 1 tspn oil. Now add pasta and boil for 20-30 mins . Pasta should cook till its soft and can be broken easily with a spoon.
2. Keep boiling. Pasta should be always strained just before adding to the gravy, or else it gets dried fast if exposed to air for longer time that ruins the taste.

Gravy:

1. Chop all the veggies along with the Garlic.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add all chopped vegetables and garlic . Saute them till they are soft.
3. Keep the flame on Medium-low and pour the Tomato and Basil Pasta sauce in the pan. Stir. Now add the Alfredo sauce and keep stirring till all the vegetables are soaked in the sauces.
4. Add Garam Masala. Keep stirring.
5. Add salt and red chilli powder.
6. Put a lid on the pan and let the gravy cook.
7. Now strain the pasta and add it immediately to the gravy. Keep stiring so that all the gravy and the pasta are mixed well. Cook on a low flame for about 5 minutes.
6. Turn off the heat and put a lid on to prevent the pasta from drying up.

Suggested Serving : Serve hot with Garlic bread or french fries.

Beerakaya (Ridege Gourd) Tomato Chutney

10:31 AM Posted In Edit This 0 Comments »
Ingredients :

Ridge Gourd / Beerakaya - 2
Tomatoes - 4
Green Chillies - 3
Red Chillies - 2
Tadka / Popu ( 1 and 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds + 1 and 1/2 tsp Urad dal + 1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds + inguva / Asafoetida )
Oil-3 tsp
Salt- According to taste
Turmeric - a pinch

Procedure :

1. Heat up a tsp of oil and get the tadka/popu done in a pan. While that's getting done, add green chillis, red chillis and set aside.
2. Finely chop the Beerakaya / Ridge gourd (along with the skin) and cook them in a tsp of oil in a seperate pan. Put the flame on medium low and keep a lid on the pan.. till the whole thing cooks. Occassionally mix with a spoon so that all the pieces cook evenly.
3. Meanwhile in another pan heat a tsp of oil and gently saute cut tomatos. Add turmeric too.
4. After 2. and 3. are soft and cooked..turn off the heat and let them cool.
5. Grind Step 1 , 2 and 3 seperately.
6. Take a big bowl and mix everything together. Add salt to taste. Garnish and serve.

Suggested Serving : Serve with hot rice. Can also be used as a dip. Goes well with Dosas.



Palak Pulav

10:54 AM Posted In Edit This 0 Comments »
Ingredients -

Ghee /Butter/oil - 2 tsp
Cashew nuts - 2 tsp
Green Cardamons - 3
Cloves - 4
Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Palak / Spinach - about 1 cup
Green Chillis - 3
Medium Onion - 1
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Jeera Powder - 1 tsp
Black Pepper - 1/4 tsp
Rice - 1 cup
Water - 2 cups
Lemon juice - 2 drops
Salt - According to taste
Ajinomoto - 1/4 tsp

Pre requisite -
Wash and Soak Basmati rice in water for 1 hour.

Procedure -
1. In a Pressure pan add 1/2 tsp ghee/butter/oil... fry 1 tsp cashew. Keep aside.
2. Grind Palak/spinach, green chillis, onion pieces, 1 tsp cashew nuts into a paste
3. In the same pan, heat up the remaining butter / oil and add Green cardamons, Cloves, Ginger Garlic Paste, and spinach paste from Step 2.
4. While stirring on a low flame, add Coriander powder, Gram masala, Jeera powder and black pepper. Cook till Spinach cooks .
5. Now add the soaked basmati rice and water (1:2 ratio). Mix well all the contents in the pressure pan. Add salt and ajinomoto.
6. Pressure cook it. (Instead of a pressure pan, you can follow all the above steps in a regular pan and later transfer them into a electric rice cooker)
7. Garnish with fried cashew nuts (from step 1) and serve.

Serving Suggestion : Serve hot with Raita.


Aviyal

1:15 PM Posted In Edit This 0 Comments »

Ingredients -

Veggies - Potato OR Green raw banana (aratikaya) OR Drumstick OR Frozen Mixed Vegetables
Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup
Jeera - 1 tsp
Green Chilli - 1 or 2 (according to taste)
Water- 1/4 cup
Curd /Yougurt - 1 cup
Coconut / Cooking oil - 2 tsp ( Coconut oil would give it more taste)
Tadka / Popu Ingredients ( Mustard seeds + Jeera + Inguva/asafoetida powder / hing)
Salt - According to taste

Procedure -

1. Boil the veggies and keep aside.
2. Grind into paste - Grated coconut , Jeera, Green chillis with a little water .
3. Take a pan , get the tadka done and add step 1 and 2. Bring it to a boil
4. Turn off the stove and let it cool down to room temperature.
5. Add some curd / Yogurt to it. Add salt and mix well.

Serving Suggestion : Serve with Hot rice.


Daddojanam / Curd Rice

7:22 AM Posted In Edit This 0 Comments »

Ingredients :

Cooked rice - 1 cup
Plain Curd / store bought yogurt - 1 cup
Milk - 1 cup
Salt - according to taste
Ginger - a small piece
Green Chilli - 1
Curry leaves - 5
Tadka / Popu ( Oil + Mustard seeds + Urad dal + Cashew)
Cilantro


Procedure :

1. Cook rice and let it cool. In that add curd / yogurt, milk and salt. Keep it aside.
2. Finely chop ginger, green chillis and curry leaves. Add it to Step 1.
3. Add the Tadka / popu , after it cools add it to the rice.
4. Garnish with Cilantro

Suggested Serving : Can be eaten as it is or even chilled.


Dondakaya Guthulu / Stuffed Tindoora

8:32 AM Posted In Edit This 0 Comments »
Ingredients -

Dondakayalu / Tindoora
Onions - 1 medium
Jeera - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Salt - according to taste
Inguva / Asafoetida powder - 1/4th tsp
Oil

Procedure -

1. Slit washed Dondakayalu / Tindoora longitudnally .
2. Microwave with a little water until they are a little soft ( Do not Pressue cook them as they might become too soft and can break easily while stuffing) and let them cool.
3. Grind chopped onions , Jeera , inguva / Asafoetida powder and red chilli powder into a paste.
4. Stuff this paste into slit and cooked Dondakaya / tindoora.
5. Take a little wider pan and heat about 4 tsp oil . Add the tindoora and cook them on a low medium flame.
6. Add some turmeric and salt. Keept turning , without breaking them. Cook them till the onion in the suffing is fully cooked and looks brown in color.
7. Put a lid and let them sit on a low flame for 5 minz. Turn off the heat.

Serving Suggestion : Serve with hot rice.


Buttermilk Stew / Majjiga Pulusu

4:08 PM Posted In Edit This 0 Comments »


Ingredients -

Chana dal - 1 tsp
Coriander seeds - 2 tsp
Green chilli - 1 or 2
Ginger - 1 small piece
Grated Coconut - 1/4th cup / coconut milk - 2 tbsp
Curd - 2 cups
Water - 2 cups
Veggies - Boiled Sorakaya / White pumpkin /Mixed vegetables ( can also combine sorakaya with carrot)
Cilantro - finely chopped
Turmeric - a pinch
Salt - according to taste
Tadka / Popu ( oil + Mustard seeds + Urad dal + 1 red chilli + inguva / Asafoetida powder +Curry leaves)

Procedure -
1. Soak chana dal , coriander seeds , green chilli, chopped ginger in some water for atleast an hour. Later grind them into a paste along with grated coconut.
2. Add the paste ( from step 1.) to 2 cups curd and 2 cups water. Blend them altogether for some more time.
3. Add tadka / popu and add boiled veggies + Step2.
4. Add salt and Turmeric. Bring them to a boil.
5. Garnish with Cilantro.

Serving Suggestion : Serve with Hot rice.

Sambar

3:55 PM Posted In Edit This 1 Comment »
Ingredients -

Oil - 2 tsp
Menthulu / Fenugreek seeds - 4 or 5
Chana dal - 1 tsp
Coriander seeds - 4 tsp
inguva / asafoetida pwd - little
Grated coconut- 1/4th cup
Veggies - Sorakaya / anything u like (boiled)
Boiled toor dal / kandipappu - 1 cup
Tamarind juice - 3 tsp
Turmeric - a pinch
Jaggery / Sugar - according to taste
Salt - according to taste
Tadka / Popu (oil + Mustard seeds + Urad dal + Jeera + 1 red chilli + curry leaves)

Procedure -
1. Roast in a little oil - Fenugreek seeds, chana dal, coriander seeds, asafoetida pwd and grated coconut. Grind them and add some water to make it a paste.
2. In a another pan, add some oil and put the veggies, the paste (from step 1) , boiled dal, tamarind juice, jaggery/sugar, salt and turmeric. Bring it to a boil
3. Add thadka / popu. Garnish with cilantro

Suggested Serving : Serve with hot rice and papad. Can also be eaten as a side dish with idlli , dosa or vada.

Shanthi's Rasam

9:21 AM Posted In Edit This 0 Comments »


Ingredients -
Ghee / oil - 1 tsp
Tomatos - 1
Coriander leaves
Curry leaves
Tamarind juice - 2 tsp
Jaggerry / sugar - 1 tsp
Salt - according to taste
Rasam powder
Boiled toor dal - 1/2 cup
Veggies - Drumstick (boiled till its soft ) - this is optional
Inguva / asafoetida powder - little
Tadka / Popu
Menthulu / Fenugreek seeds - 3

Goddu Charu Procedure -
1. Take a pan and add little oil fry tomatos until soft. Add some water.
2. Now add tamarind juice , jaggery / sugar and rasam powder
3. Add turmeric , salt and bring to boil
4. Lastly add Tadka in a seperate pan (oil + Mustard seeds + Urad dal + Jeera + 1 Red chilli + Curry leaves + asafoetida pwd ) after they turn brown add to Step 4.
5. Garnish with lots of Cilantro while its still hot. Stir and serve.

Pappu Charu -
1. Take a pan and add little oil fry tomatos until soft. Add some water.
2. Now add tamarind juice , jaggery / sugar and rasam powder
3. Add turmeric , salt and boiled toor dal / kandipappu. Bring to boil
4. Lastly add Tadka in a seperate pan (oil + Mustard seeds + Urad dal + Jeera + 1 Red chilli + 3 menthulu or methi seeds + Curry leaves + asafoetida pwd ) after they turn brown add to Step 4.
5. Garnish with lots of Cilantro while its still hot. Stir and serve.


Suggested Serving : Serve with hot rice or as an appetizer. You can also add some pepper powder to spice it a bit. Works really well when you have cold :-)

Koot / Pindi Miriyam

8:43 AM Posted In Edit This 1 Comment »

Ingredients-

Oil - 2 tsp
Red Chillis- 2
Chana dal- 2 tsp
Peppercorns - 1/2 tsp
Rice - 1 tsp
Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup
Turmeric - a pinch
Veggies ..Cooked - Drumstick/ Snakegourd (potlakaya)/Potato
Cooked toor dal - 1/2 cup
Tadka/Popu ingredients - mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves and inguva/asafoetida powder.
Salt - according to taste

Procedure -

1. In 2 tsp oil roast redchillis, chana dal, peppercorns , rice grated coconut untill they are nice and brown. Keep aside and let it cool.
2. Grind them and make it a nice paste by adding little water
3. Meanwhile boil toor dal and the veggies either together or seperately.
4. Take a pan, put some oil and add boiled toor dal , boiled veggies and paste. Also add some Turmeric . Bring them to a boil.
5. Add salt according to taste.
6. Now add the Tadka / popu in a seperate pan and add them to step 4.
7. Garnish with Cilantro

Suggested Serving : Serve with hot rice.





Sambar - Indian Soup

6:15 AM Posted In Edit This 0 Comments »
** This recipe is from my best friend, Avanti**

Ingredients -

Boiled Toor daal
Oil
Tomatos
Onions
Currry leaves
Veggies - Pumpkin with skin, Drum sticks, radish, carrot are the typical kinds. You can also use Celery, kaddhu / Sorakaya, brinjal, small pearl onions, zuchinni.
Salt - according to taste

Dry Masala -
Dhania - 2tbsp
Red Chillis - 10
Peppercorn - 2 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 2 tbsp
Raw Rice - 1tbsp
Fenugreek Seeds -1 tsp
Channa Dal - 2tbsp
Mustard -1tbsp
Garam masala - Lavang2,Dalchini 2,Elaichi 2

Wet masala -
Ginger - 30gms
Garlic - 30 gms
Coconut powder - 1 cup
Tomato - Half TOMATO
Curry leaves - 5-6 pcs


Procedure -

1. Grind all the wet masala stuff and put oil in pan and cook for 3 mins
2. Take a big pan and add tadka / popu (heat oil and add small quantities - mustard seeds, urad ral, Jeera , Red Chillis and Curry Leaves , Hing .. till they turn brown)
3. Add all the Vegs.
4. Add a btomato to the vegs, fry them till they are soft a bit.
5. Now add wet masala and then dry one. Cook for about 4 mins.
6. Add cooked Toor dal. Cook for another 4 mins
7. Finally tamarind juice ,salt, and chilli powder( if u want it to be more spicey)
8. Garnish with lots of Cilantro.

Serving Suggestion : Serve hot with Rice. Can also be served as a side dish for Idlli and Dosa too.


Newer Posts