Podi Pachi Pulusu

Ingredients:

Tamarind – Big lemon sized or 3 Tablespoons tamarind taste
Tomatoes – 2 medium sized (finely chopped)
Onions – 1 Large sized (finely chopped)
Green chillis – 4 (adjust to your taste) (sliced lengthwise)
Ground nuts – 2 Tbsps
Sesame – 1 Tbsp
Chilli powder – ½ tsp
Coriander powder – ½ tsp
Cumin powder – ½ tsp
Fenugreek seeds powder – ¼ tsp (menthi podi)

For Tempering/seasoning

Oil
Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
Cumin seeds – ½ tsp
Pinch of Asafetida (Inguva/Hing)
Few curry leaves
Salt to taste

Chopped coriander leaves for garnishing
Method:

1) Extract paste from tamarind and keep aside (you can keep tamarind with little water in Microwave for 1 minute to extract the paste immediately)

2) Dry roast groundnuts and sesame seeds and make a podi (powder) by adding chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, fenugreek seeds powder and salt.

3) Mix the podi and tamarind paste with 3 to 4 cups of water and keep aside.

4) Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and once they crack, add cumin seeds and let them crack. Add curry leaves, asafetida, chopped onions, sliced green chillies and fry until onions turn transparent. Add chopped tomatoes and mix.

5) Add the podi/tamarind mix and let it cook for 5 mins. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve Hot with steamed rice, vadiyalu/appalam and Any vegetable fry/vepudu.

This can be a replacement for Rasam. We usually eat this with Rice and Chikkudukaya Curry. Sending this to WYF: Side dish event hosted by easycrafts

Kajjikayalu (Karanji)

This is one of the sweet/snack my mother use to make in huge quantity and store for us upto 3 weeks when we were kids. We can use various stuffing of your interest. Usual stuffing would be Roasted chick peas powder mixed with sugar, dry grated coconut and cardamom powder.
I used crushed dry fruits and nuts as a filling.

Ingredients

1 Cup maida/all purpose flour
2 Tbsps Ghee
salt to taste
Oil for deep fry

For Filling

1/2 cup Roasted chick peas coarsly powdered (you can use Sooji/poppy seeds also)
1/2 cup sugar (adjust)
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
3 to 4 Tbsps Dry grated coconut
2 Tbsps crushed cashews/walnuts
Method
1) Mix the flour, 1 Tbsp ghee, salt with enough water to make a dough. It should not be too soft. Make a small balls, cover and keep aside.

2) In a pan, heat another Tbsp ghee and fry the grated coconut for 2 to 3 mins and keep aside. If using soori/Rava roast that also in ghee until it turns golden color. Mix the coconut, roasted chickpea powder/sooji, sugar, cardamom powder, crushed cashews/walnuts and keep this filling aside.

3) Roll each ball of the dough into a thin circle of around 6 inches, put 1 Tbsp filling on one half and cover with the other half. Fold the edges and press nicely so that filling will not come out during deep frying. you can wet the edges if required and press.

4) Heat oil in a pan and deep fry 3 to 4 at a time based on the size of the pan. Fry both sides untill they turn brown. You can fry more than what is shown in the picture above.

Cool and store in air tight container. They will stay fresh for 3 to 4 weeks.

Cabbage fry

Ingredients

4 cups chopped cabbage
3 dried red chillies
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon urud dal
1 tea spoon oil
pinch of asafoetida (optional)
pinch of turmeric powder (optional)
curry leaves (optional)
2 Tablespoons fresh grated coconut
salt to taste
Method

1) Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds, add asafoetida, Urud dal, red chillies, curry leaves, turmeric powder and fry for 30 secs

2) Add Chopped cabbage and cook covered until cabbage is cooked. Keep stirring every 2 to 3 minutes so that it will not get burnt. Add salt and garnish with grated coconut.

Chikkudu Kaaya Curry

Ingredients

1 lb Chikkudu Kaaya (Avarakka/Indian Broadbeans) remove head and tail and cut into half
2 green chillies sliced lengthwise
1 - 2 dried red chillies de-seeded
few curry leaves
1 Big onion chopped finely
1 Big tomato chopped finely
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/3 tsp cumin powder
1/3 tsp Methi powder (fenugreek seeds powder)
pinch of asafoetida and pinch of turmeric powder
1/2 Tbsp oil
salt to taste

Method

1) Heat oil in a pan add green chillies, red chillies and curry leaves and fry for few seconds

2) Add onions, asafoetida and turmeric powder and fry until Onions turn light brown.

3) Add chilli, coriander, cumin, methi pooders and mix, add chopped tomatoes and salt and cook until oil seperates.

4) Add chopped broad beans and little water, cover and cook on medium-low heat until the beans are cooked.

Bell Pepper Pachadi

I had some red and yellow baby bell peppers since many days and also some big red peppers and i made this pachadi with all of them. I also made Chikkudu kaya curry along with this and we kept eating more and more food saying Hmmm this is good.

This tasted good with curd rice or any kind of rice as a substitute for pickle and we can store this for a week in Refrigerator

Ingredients

Around 4 cups of chopped bell peppers/capcicum ( i used red and yello colors)
4 to 5 green chillies (adjust to your spice level)
1 BIG onion sliced
2 Tbsps tamarind paste (adjust to your taste)

For seasoning

1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp Urad Dal (black gram Dal)
pinch of asafoetida & pinch of turmeric powder
2 dry red chillies de-seeded
few curry leaves
1 Tbsp oil
Method

1) Heat 1 tsp oil in a Pan fry green chillies for 2 mins and then add chopped capcicum and fry for 2 to 3 mins. Remove from pan and cool.

2) Grind the fried green chillies, capcicum and tamarind paste to a smooth paste and keep aside.

3) Heat 1 Tbsp oil in the same pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add cumins seeds and urad Dal and once they turn golden color add red chillies, curry leaves, asafoetida and turmeric powder and fry for few seconds.

4) Add sliced onions and fry until they turn light brown and add the ground paste and salt and stir-fry for 15 to 20 mins on low heat until the paste is completely fried in oil.

Serve with hot rice with ghee

Spinach Stir fry

I usually make spinach with Toor Dal. I tried this fry and liked it a lot and i am going to make spinach only this way from now onwards :-) It tastes great with either Roti or Rice. Easy to make and Healthy.

Ingredients

6 to 7 cups of fresh chopped spinach
1 big finely chopped onion
1 Tbsp minced garlic (5 to 6 crushed garlic flakes)
1 Tbsp roasted chickpea/dalia/putnala pappu powder
salt to taste

For seasoning

1 Tbsp Oil ( I use Olive oil)
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
pinch of asafoetida
pinch of turmeric powder
1 tsp black gram dal (Urad Dal)
2 dry-red chillies de-seeded
2 green chillies cut lengthwise
few curry leaves
Method

1) Heat Oil in a Pan, splutter mustard seeds, add cumin seeds and Urad dal and once Dal turns light brown add turmeric powder and asafoetida, minced garlic, red chillies, green chillis, curry leaves and fry for few seconds. Do not burn

2) Now add the Onions and salt and fry until onions turn light brown. Add the chopped spinach and stir fry in medium heat until spinach is cooked which will take around 10 mins.

3) Turn off the heat and spread roasted chickpea powder and mix.

Serve Hot with Roti/ steamed Rice

Bhatura

Ingredients:

2 cups maida/all-purpose flour
2 tbsps plain Yogurt (curd)
1 tbsp semolina/sooji
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking pwd

Oil to deep fry and water to make the dough

1) make a soft dough of all the ingredients and keep covered for 3 to 4 hours.

2) Make lemon sized balls and roll out into think oval shape.

3) Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan and once it is hot, deep fry the rolled bhatura until it turns light brown both the side.

4) Serve hot with Chole, sliced onions, lemon piece or any salad.

Notes:
Make sure the oil is hot enough before deep frying so that it will not onsorb too much oil.

Idly Manchurian

Ingredients

8 Idlis (each idli cut into 4 pieces)

1 medium size onoin chopped
Ginger-Garlic paste
1 tablespoon Chilli sauce (or adjust to taste)
1 tablespoon soysauce
2 Tablespoons tomatosauce
2 Tablespoons Oil
1 teaspoon Paprika(mild chilli powder)
small bunch of spring onions chopped (white and green parts seperated)
salt to taste


Method

1) Spray 1 Tablespoon oil and paprika on idly pieces and bake in oven at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 mins

2) Heat remaining oil in a pan, add ginger-garlic paste and fry for couple of mins and then add chopped onions and fry until they turn transparent

3) Add chilli-soy-tomato sauce and salt. make sure not to add much salt since Idly itself will have salt already. Fry for 3 to 4 mins and then add baked Idlies and fry for another 2 to 3 mins

4) Garnish with spring onions and serve hot.

I am sure kids will love this and also people who feel bored to eat Idly always. It is not very tough to make if you have all the sauces ready.

Lemon Sevai

This can be eaten as a break fast, very easy to make. I usually like to make this during travel and it will stay atleast 2 days

Ingredients

Instant rice Sevai 1 packet
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tsp Urad dal(black gram)
1 tsp Channa dal(Bengal gram)
1 or 2 Green chillies sliced(adjust to taste)
2 Tbsps Roasted Cashew nuts
2 Tbsps Lemon juice
Pinch of asafoetida
Pinch of Turmeric powder
few curry leaves (optional)
Salt to taste
1 tsp Oil

Chopped cilantro or coriander leaves for garnish

Method

1) In a Big vessel bring water to boil and add instant rice sevai. Stir for 3 to 4 mins, drain and keep aside.

2) Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds. Add Urad Dal, chana Dal and once they turn light brown add green chillies, curry leaves, turmeric powder, asafoetida, salt and cashews and mix.

3) Switch off the stove and add lemon juice and mix the drained Sevai and combine well.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and Serve hot with Sambar/Khurma

Notes:

1) If you don't have roasted cashews roast raw cashews along with the Dals.
2) we can replace lemon juice with 1/2 cup grated coconut and Coconut Sevai tastes great too

Macaroni with white Sauce

I made this and my daughter liked it and had without rejecting. I am sure any kid will love this and it is easy to make too.

Ingredients

2 cups boiled macaroni
1 large onion (finely chopped)
1 bell pepper (finely sliced)
1 large tomato (finely chopped)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp crushed garlic
salt to taste

For white sauce

1 tbsp all purpose flour/maida
1 tbsp butter
1 cup milk
1 tbsp grated cheese
salt and pepper to taste


1) Cook macaroni in boiling water, drain and keep aside.
2) Heat oil in a pan, crushed garlic, onion and peppers and stir-fry until onions turn transparant and then add chopped tomatoes, salt. While the tomatoes gets cooked, make the white sauce
3) Heat butter in a pan and once it melts, add all purpose and fry for few seconds in low heat. Now add milk and grated cheese by stirring continuously until you achieve a sauce like consistency. add salt and pepper and keep aside.
4) Add cooked macaroni to the onion-tomato mix and stir-fry for couple of minutes.

5) Take the macaroni into a baking vessel and spread the white sauce and bake at 375 degrees F for 10 mins.

Gutti Vankaya Kura (Stuffed Eggplant Curry)

Stuffed Eggplant curry is famous Andhra dish. It is usually made with the small brinjals which are tender and fresh. If the seeds are black then they are not good for any brinjal curry.

Ingredients

10 to 15 small & fresh brinjals (Egg plant)
2 Tbsps cup peanuts (dry roast and remove the skin)
2 Tbsps cup sesame seeds (dry roast)
1 medium sized onion chopped
5 to 6 cloves of garlic
2 Tbsps Tamarind paste
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/3 tsp of turmeric powder
1/3 tsp of methi powder (fenugreek seeds powder)
Oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
few curry leaves
salt to taste
Method

1) Heat 1 tsp of oil and fry garlic and onions until onions turn light brown and cool. Blend them into paste along with peanuts, sesame seeds, chilli, coriander, cumin, turmeric, methi powder and salt by adding little water.

2) Cut each Brinjal into 4 sections lengthwise without cutting the stems. Stuff the brinjals with the above paste without breaking them and keep the remaining paste aside.

3) Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a pan, add cumin seeds. Once they crack add curry leaves and stuffed brinjals, remaining paste and add little water. Cover and cook on low heat until brinjals are almost cooked by stirring in between. Add the tamarind paste, some water and adjust the salt and cook again until brinjals are completely cooked.

I did the 3rd step in microwave so that we don't have to worry about burning the curry and also easy.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with Steamed rice or Roti

Bhature

Ingredients

1 cup maida/all purpose flour
1 Tbsp yogurt/curd
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
water to make dough
Method

1) Mix all the above ingredients into a soft dough, cover and keep aside for 3 to 4 hours

2) Make 8 equal balls of the dough and roll into thick oval shape and deep fry in hot oil both the sides until they turn light brown


Serve hot with your favourite curry. This is usually served with Chole/chana masala.

Cabbage Kootu

This is very easy to cook and tasty and can be served as a side or main dish either with rice or roti.

Ingredients

3 cups chopped cabbage
1/4 cup split moong Dal (pesarapappu)
pinch of turmeric powder

For Paste

3 Tbsp grated coconut
2 to 3 green chillies
1/2 tsp cumin seeds

For tempering

1 tsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp split black gram (urad dal)
2 dry red chillies
few curry leaves
pinch of asafoetida
Method
1) Make a paste of coconut, greenchillit and cumin seeds by adding little water and keep aside

2) Pressure cook cabbage and moong Dal in 2 cups of water so that they are just cooked and not over cooked.

3) add the coconut paste and salt to the cooked cabbage and cook on low medium heat for about 10 mins until it becomes thick gravy and not too watery.

4) In a pan heat 1 tsp oil, splutter mustard seeds, add asafoetida, curry leaves, dry red chillies and fry for few seconds and add this tempering to the mixture and mix well.


Server hot with steamed rice or Roti

This can be made with various vegetables like Bottle gourd (Sorakaya), Squash and Ridge gourd