Sorakaya Bajji/Bottle Guard Curry

Soraka Bajji/Bottle Guard Curry, this is one of the regional cuisine of Andhra.............this is simple and comfort food ........enriched with flavours of curry leaves and Seasoning......

Ingredients: 1medium sized bottle gourd (peeled, cut into small pieces), 1tomato(cut into pieces), 3 green chillies(cut length wise), 3tsp.tamarind pulp, 1/4tsp.turmeric, 1onion(roughly chopped ), salt to taste, 2tsp.coriander leaves for garnishing

Seasoning: 3-4tsp.oil, 1/2 tbsp.mustard, 1/2tsp.jeera, 2springs curry leaves, 1tbsp.channa dhal, 1tbsp.urad dhal, a pinch of asafoetida.
Preparation
Cook bottle gourd pieces/soraqkaya mukkalu, tomato, green chillies, turmeric in to 1 cup of water until soft, then add salt, tamarind and again it for 5 min., now remove it from the heat and mash it a little with ladle or serving spoon( it should not be mussy but, semi paste) and keep it aside. In a pan take oil, once it is hot add mustard seeds, jeera, channa dhal, urad dhal, curry leaves, asafoetida, once they start to spread aroma add the onions and cook till they are soft and pink, now add this seasoning to the mashed curry and cook it for 3min. on medium heat, garnish with coriander leaves(optional).........serve it with steamed rice...

Onion Pakoda

Kandi Pachadi/toor Dal Chutney

This is one of the authentic delicacies of Andhra......Mostly famous in the of Coastal regions of Andhra.....This is one of my favorites to have on a rainy day meal......

Ingredients:

1/4cup.kandi pappu/toor dal, 4no.dry red chillies, 1tsp.cumin seeds, tamarind (small berry sized), 1tbsp.oil, 3 garlic cloves, 1/2onion(roughly chopped) salt to taste.

Method :

Heat the oil in a pan and fry the dry chillies for two minutes on low flame, then add cumin seeds, garlic cloves and tamarind and fry for one minute, transfer them into a bowl and fry the toor dal till a nice aroma spreads throughout the kitchen, now turn off heat and allow it to cool. Grind all the ingredients into a fine paste by adding sufficient water and salt, now add the onions and mix well(do not grind).Serve it with steamy rice and ghee.

Dondakaya Sanagapappu Kura/Tindora curry

Vankaya Allam Mirchi Kura/Egg plant with ginger

This is one of the best combinations........the flavor of ginger marry well with brinjal.

Ingredients: 1lb.brinjals/eggplant,(cut into cubes), 3tsp.oil, salt to taste, 1/4tsp.turmeric.

Seasoning: 1/2tsp.mustard, 1/4tsp.jeera, 1/2tsp.chana dal, 1tsp.urad dal, 2springs curry leaves.

Paste: 1''ginger, 5-6no.green chillies(grind them into a coarse paste)

Method: Heat oil in a pan, once it is hot enough, add mustard seeds, jeera, chana dal, urad dal,curry leaves once they are fried, add eggplant pieces,salt,mix well, cover with a lid and cook until half done, now remove the lid, add turmeric and cook until the eggplant are fully cooked. Now add the ground ginger and green chilli paste, mix well cook for a min. and serve.......it go well with steamed rice and roti.

Masala Vada/Dal Vada/Parapu Vada

This is also one of my favorite snack........I think this Vada need no introduction...............

Ingredients:

• 2cups Chana Dal(soak for 1hr.), 1''cinnamon stick, 3cloves, 4green chillies(adjust as per spice levels), 2''ginger root, 2spring curry leaves(roughly chopped), 2cloves garlic(lightly crushed), 1onion(roughly chopped), salt to taste, oil for deep frying.

Method:

• Keep 1/4of the soaked chana dal aside. Grind the rest of the dal, green chillies, Cinnamon, cloves, ginger, salt to a coarse paste. Now add chopped curry leaves, crushed garlic, chopped onion and 1/4cup of separated chana dal, mix well. Heat oil in a pan on medium high heat. Take a lemon sized dal paste, shape it into a ball and press in between the palm lightly to the shape of a Vada and now fry them in the oil on medium heat until they are light golden in color.........For additional crispiness(to get the texture of the restaurant), first fry the vadas until they are very light golden color,once done with all the vadas...re fry them until they get nice golden brown color..........this method really makes much difference in taste and texture.

Cheese Flan/Caramel Egg Pudding

Malai Kofta

Kodi guddu Masala Kura/Masala egg curry

Bangala dumpa Vepudu/ Crispy potato stir fry

Mullangi Sambar/Sambar With White Radish

Borugula Upma/Buggani/Puffed Rice Upma

This is the recipe from one of my good friends kitchen..............it's the most quick fix snack/breakfast item .......

Ingredients:
3-4cups.puffed rice,1no.onion (roughly chopped), 4-5no.green chillies, 2tsp.shredded coconut,( grind the green chillies and coconut into coarse paste), 1/4tsp.turmeric powder, salt to taste, 2tsp.lemon juice.

Seasoning:
1tsp.chana dal, 1tsp.urad dal, 1tsp.cumin seeds, 1/2tsp.mustard seeds, 2no.whole red chillies, 2springs curry leaves, 4tsp.peanuts, 2tsp.oil .

Soak puffed rice in water for a minute or two, (do not soak the puffed rice for a long time, because they become soft soon), squeeze the water from soaked puffed rice and keep aside. Heat oil in a pan, once it is hot add all seasoning, once the aroma of seasoning starts to spread, add the chopped onion, and fry until the onions are translucent, then add the ground green chilli and coconut paste and fry it for few sec.,then add puffed rice, turmeric powder and salt, mix well and remove from the heat, squeeze the lemon juice,mix it well and serve it hot with putnalapodi/chana dal powder.

Masala Borugulu/Puffed Rice Snack

Some foods are really bonded with good memories........this simple snack reminds me of the wonderful summer holidays that I have spent in my Pinni's (Mom's younger sissy) house, she used to make big dabba (big snack box) of this Masala Borugulu and we all kids used to complete the whole thing in a wink .........this is a guilt free snack.......

Ingredients:

4 Cups of borugulu(Puffed Rice), 1/4 cup,putnalu (roasted dalia/roasted chana dal), 1/2cup,peanuts, 2tbsp.split urad dal, 6-8 cloves of garlic(lightly crushed), 2no.dry whole red chillies, 1tsp.mustard seeds, 1/2tsp.cumin seeds, 3sprigs of curry leaves, 2tsp.turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp.chilli powder (adjust as per spice level), salt to taste, 2tsp.oil.

Take a Kadai or wide pan, heat oil , once it's hot add urad dal, peanuts, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, curry leaves, when they start to splutter, add the garlic and saute for a few minutes, now add the whole red chilli and fry until the garlic is light brown and little hard, now add the putnalu/dalia, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt , fry for a min, the add the puffed rice, mix well and roast till they are crunchy. Preserve in a air tight container, they lost long fresh for 2weeks.

Pappula Podi/Putnala Podi/Bhuna Channa Podi

Ingredients:

1cup,putnalu/Dalia, 4no. whole red chillies or 2tsp. chilli powder( I used chilli powder), 1/4tsp.jeera, 4cloves garlic, 4tsp.dry coconut powder,1tsp.oil, salt to taste.

Take a pan, heat oil, once it is hot add jeera, whole red chillies and fry until the chillies are light Brown in color(if using chilli powder avoid this step), let it cool, then grind all the ingredients to a fine powder(including roasted red chillies and jeera). Serve this powder with idlli, dosa or with steamed hot rice with little ghee...........it tastes heavenly.

Preserve it in an air tight container......it will stay fresh for a month or so........

Kodi guddu Pulusu/Egg in tamaind sauce

Egg Pulusu is one of my favourite among egg dishes that I know. Since my daughter aslo started having egg regularly, we started buying organic eggs.....which is healthier and even tasted better than the normal eggs(might be a feeling......he....he). This recipe is very simple and tasty....... One can bet on this recipe, because it came form the kitchen of a great cook ( my Mom).....

Ingredients:

6 eggs, tamarind/Chinthapandu equal to 2 lemons ( For more gravy..you need to soak more tamarind), 2no.medium sized tomatoes(diced), 1no.big onion(chopped finely), 3no.green chillies(slitted length wide), 1tsp. cumin seeds, 1/2tsp.mustard seeds, 2springs curry leaves, 1tsp. turmeric powder, 2tsp.red chilli powder, 3tsp.oil, 3tsp. coriander leaves for garnishing, salt to taste.

Boil eggs,remove shell, make cuts in between the eggs with knife (as you can see in the picture above) and keep aside.Wash, soak/chinthapandu in 1cup of warm water. In a deep pan heat oil, once it is hot, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, green chillies, curry leaves and fry for 1 min. Now add onions and fry on medium heat till they are pink and translucent. For this curry it is necessary that onions should be fried well i.e.,soft and tender(because it makes the gravy) now, add salt, turmeric powder, tomatoes(diced) and cover the sauce pan until the tomatoes are soft, Meanwhile, squeeze juice out of tamarind in the same container, that is soaked. Remove tamarind pulp and keep the juice aside. now add the juice, 1/2 cup of water and eggs to the tomato curry, and allow it to boil for about 10min. or until the curry is thick enough, now we can the color of the eggs change form white to light brown, as the tamarind juice gets into the egg trough the slits and make the egg taste yummy... adjust the spices at this point because the curry is reduced in the quantity...........now garnish it with coriander leaves......serve it with hot steamed rice....

Borugulu or maramaralu mixture/puffed rice mixture

This is the snack that need no introduction to any andhra people...........it's mostly famous with the name Borugula Mixture.........It is seen in ,every street corner of andhra....It tastes heavenly when made by a bandi wala(Street seller)..........missing it toooooooo much, me and my sissy used to buy it atleast twice a week, while enjoying this snack, we used to share little.......girly and sissy gossips to each other..........(such a precious time)....this is the most favorite snack of my sister.................she even craves for it today......

Ingredients:

2cups, borugulu(puffed rice), 1/4cup,red onion(chopped finely), 4tsp.coriander leaves(chopped),
11/2tsp.lemon juice, 1/4tsp.red chilli powder(adjust as per spice level), 1/4tsp.coriander powder, 1/4cup,roasted peanuts, 1/4cup, putnalu/roasted gram dal, 2tsp.oil, salt to taste

Take a pan, once it is hot add the puffed rice/borugulu in the pan and toast them for a min. or so to make the puffed rice crisp.Then take a big bowl, add the puffed rice, oil, salt, chilli powder, coriander powder, the oil makes the salt, chilli powder and coriander powder to coat the puffed rice, now add onions,coriander leaves,and freshly squeezed lemon juice and toss them well, adjust the seasoning and serve it, with roasted peanuts and putnalu/fried chana dal/dalia.

Nellore Chicken Curry

There are some dishes which we never feel tired of cooking and enjoying......one such dish is Nellore Chicken Curry......this got it's name because......it's typically cooked in the kitchens of nellore............Me myself cook different varieties of chicken........but, my ever favorite is this curry.......

Ingredients:

2lbs.chicken (cut into medium sized pieces), 1/2cup onions (cut lengthwise), 1tomato (diced), 2spring curry leaves, 4tsp.oil(can be more generous), 1/4tsp.jeera, 2tsp.red chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt to taste, coriander leaves for garnishing.

Ingredients for Masala Paste:
5tbsp. fresh shredded coconut, 11/2tsp.coriander powder, 5cloves garlic, 2''pice ginger, 2''piece Cinnamon stick, 4cloves, 5cardamom/elachi, 1/4onion(roughly cut), 1/2cup, coriander leaves(chopped)........grind all the above ingredients to fine paste using water(add little water at a time), and keep it aside.

In a pan heat the oil, once it is hot, add jeera and curry leaves and fry until the curry leaves change to dark green color, then add onions and fry until the onions are translucent, then add tomato pieces and fry until they are soft, now add the masala paste and fry for about 15min. on medium flame or until the masala leaves the oil from sides, then add the chicken pieces, salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, mix it well, cover and cook until the chicken is 3/4 done, now remove the lid and allow the chicken to cook totally(if needed add little water at this stage) and remove from the flame, once the curry reaches the semi thick consistency, now garnish with coriander leaves and serve it hot with roti or steamed rice.....I enjoy having it with rice and rasam.....

Dondakaya Kobbari Karam koora/Tindora with coconut

This is the recipe that I have learnt recently form one of my good friend......I'm glad to tell you all that, this is the most tasty tindora/dondakaya curry that I have tasted...........not only me, even my whole family likes this curry.....

Ingredients:

1lb.tindora/dondakaylu(cut in lengthwise,into 6pieces), 1/4tsp.turmeric powder, 3tsp.oil, 2springs curry leaves, 1/2tsp.jeera,1/4tsp.mustard seeds, 1/4tsp.urad dal/black gram, salt to taste.

Ingredients for Kobbari Karam:

5tbsp.fresh shredded coconut, 1/2tsp.red chilli powder, 1clove garlic, 1/4tsp.jeera and 1/4onion(chopped roughly)........grind all the ingredients to coarse paste(do not add water, once the onions are crushed, we get enough water to grind)and keep the paste aside.

First wash and cut the tindora into pieces. Take the chopped tindora/dondakaya pieces in a vessel(that fits in the pressure cooker), sprinkle Little water, salt and pressure cook for about 2 whistles, once it is cooled, squeeze the excess water from the tindora/dondakaya pieces and keep it aside.....In a pan heat the oil, once it is hot, add urad dal/black gram, mustard, jeera, curry leaves, once they start to splutter, add the squeezed tindora/dondaka pieces, turmeric powder and let it be on medium flame for 15min.(mix in between to avoid burning), now add the ground kobbari karam, mix well and cook it on medium flame until the raw flavor of the onion is gone(for about 5min.)...Serve it with rice or roti.

Bendakaya Vepudu( Okra stir fry)

Maggiga Pulusu/ Maggiga Charu(Buttermilk Rasam)

This is also one of the most popular and comfort dish of Andhra..........

Ingredients: 3cup,butter milk, 1/4cup onion(chopped roughly length wise), 3no.green chillies(slit length wise), 1/4tsp.turmeric powder, 1''ginger piece(chopped finely), salt to taste.

Seasoning: 1tsp.oil, 2no.whole red chillies, 1/4tsp. split urad dal, 1/2tsp.zeera, 1/4tsp.mustard, a pinch of asafoetida, 2springs curry leaves.

Take butter milk in bowl, add onions, green chillies, ginger pieces, turmeric powder, salt and mix them well and keep it aside.In a pan heat the oil, once it's hot add red chillies,split urad dal, mustard and zeera and allow them to splutter, then add asafoetida and curry leaves and turn off the heat, and allow it to cool, then add it to the buttermilk and serve it with rice......

Broccoli Vepudu( Broccoli Stir Fry....Indian style)

Pesara Pappu Pulusu/Pappu Charu(Moong Dal Rasam)

Pappu pulusu aka pappu charu (split moong dal rasam) is the all time favorite of Andhra people, it's considered as comfort food ....it's simply delicious, flavored with seasoning of jeera and curry leaves....

Ingredients: 1cup,split moong dal, 2cups water, 5-7no.green chillies(split lengthwise), 1/4tsp.turmeric powder, 1tomato(cut in big pieces). 1no.onion(cut length wise), 3tsp.lemon juice, salt to taste.

Seasoning: 2tsp.oil, 1/2tsp.mustard, 1/2tsp.jeera, 3springs curry leaves.

In a pan dry roast the moong dal(until the aroma spreads), wash it, add 2cups of water and keep it on the stove top on medium heat, once it starts boiling, add split green chillies,turmeric and slightly cover it with the lid and cook until the dal is very soft, then mash it into a paste and add 4cups of water, salt to taste and allow to boil for 10min. on medium heat. In a pan heat oil, once it is hot add mustard,jeera and curry leaves, once the mustard starts to crackle add onions and fry for a min., then add the tomato pieces and fry until they soft, now add this seasoning to the boiling moong dal and continue to boil for another 5min. now turn off the heat and add the lemon juice and adjust the seasoning( the consistency should be thin but not thick)........serve it hot with steamed rice........it absolutely tastes heavenly.