Pachi Tomato Pachadi/Raw Tomato Chutney

Last week I have been to farmers market, there I have seen fresh green tomatoes........I bought some to make chutney........

Ingredients:
4medium sized raw tomatoes (green), 6-8green chillies, 1/4tsp.urad dal, 3tsp.sesame seeds ( lightly roasted and powdered), 1tsp.tamarind pulp, salt to taste, a pinch of asafoetida, 1tsp. mustard seeds, 1/4tsp.jeera, 2 cloves garlic, 2whole dry red chillies, 1spring curry leaves, 3tbsp.oil +1/2tsp.oil.
Procedure:

Cut the raw tomatoes to quarters, In a pan heat oil, once it is hot add the cut tomatoes along with chillies, fry for 10mim.(until the tomatoes are soft) and keep it aside. In a pan dry roast the sesame seeds and powder them, then add salt, tamarind pulp and sesame seed powder to the fried tomatoes and gind the mixture to a fine paste. In a pan take 1/2tsp.oil, once it is hot add whole red chillies, urad dal, mustard, curry leaves, hing and crushed garlic, once they start to splutter add this seasoning to the ground paste and mix well......serve it with rice, it will even go good with idlies.

Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Pasta

The first time I had this Aromatic Dish was in an Italian Restaurant; the first restaurant that I have been in US. At times, I am not a big fan of Italian food, but this one made me crazy from the very first bite....................recently the idea of experimenting this dish flashed in my mind, I searched the net and got the recipe from All Recipes, which I have cut and paste below.............It turned out really delicious......

Ingredients:

32 jumbo pasta shells, 2 cups ricotta cheese, 2 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained, 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 2tablespoons fennel seeds, 2 teaspoons dried basil, 4 cloves garlic, minced, salt and pepper to taste, 3 1/2 cups spaghetti sauce.

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, gently place pasta shells in boiling water; bring water back to boil. Cook until noodles are just tender; drain well.
Squeeze spinach dry. Combine spinach, ricotta, 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, fennel, basil and garlic in a large mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper; mix well.
Spread 1/2 cup marinara sauce evenly over the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Fill each pasta shell with the spinach cheese mixture. Arrange the shells, filling side up in the baking dish. Spoon remaining marinara sauce over the shells. Sprinkle remaining Parmesan cheese on top of the shells.
Cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil and bake in preheated oven until heated through; about 30 minutes.

Goruchikkudukaya(Mattikaya)Vepudu/ClusterBean Fry

Munakkaya Jeedipappu Kura/Drumsticks with Cashews

This is purely an Andhra Delicacy........I myself not aware of this curry until my marriage....I first tasted this curry in My Mom-In-Law's House....later, it became my favorite. This is the recipe from my mother-in-laws kitchen......

Ingredients:

12no. Drumsticks/munakkayalu(I used frozen variety), 1cup,cashew nuts(soaked for about half an hour), 1tomato(diced), 1/2onion(roughly chopped), 2cups.milk, 1/4tsp.turmeric powder, 1/2tsp.red chilli powder(adjust as per spice levels), 1/4tsp.coriander powder,salt to taste, 1/4tsp.mustard&jeera each, 2springs curry leaves, 2tsp.oil.

In a pan heat the oil, once it is hot add mustard, jeera and curry leaves, once they start to splutter add onion and fry until they are soft and pink, then add the tomato and fry for a while, then add drumsticks, cashews, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, salt and milk and cover with lid and cook on medium heat until drumsticks and cashews are soft.......then adjust the seasoning and turn off the heat once you reach the above shown consistency(it takes appx. 20-25min)........serve it hot with steamed rice.

Dosakaya Pappu/Yellow Cucumber in Toor Dal

This is also one of the most popular dal variety of Andhra..................

Ingredients
1cup,toor dal/kandi pappu, 1lb.cucumber(peeled,cut into cubes), 1/2onion(roughly chopped), 2 green chillies(chopped), 2tbsp.tamarind paste, 2sprigs curry leaves, 2tsp.oil, 2whole red chillies, a pinch of asafoetida, 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds,1/2tsp. jeera, 1/2 tsp urad dal, 1/4tsp.turmeric powder, 1/2tsp.red chilli powder, salt to taste, Coriander leaves for garnishing.

Pressure cook toor dal, cucumber pieces, onions and green chillies, for 3 whistles and let it cool. Now in a pan add oil, once it is hot add urad dal, whole red chillies, mustard, jeera, asafoetida and curry leaves,once they start to splutter, remove from the heat and add it to the cooked dal and mix well, then add salt, red chilli powder, tamarind pulp and cook it on the medium heat for about 8min. Garnish it with chopped coriander leaves and serve it hot with streamed rice.

Pachi Dosakaya Pachadi/Yellow Cucumber Chutney

Ingredients: 1lb.dosakaya/yellow cucumber(peeled and cut into 1/2''chunks), 3green chillies, 1/4tsp.turmeric powder, 1tsp.urad dal, 1tsp.chana dal, 1tsp.mustard, 1/2tsp.jeera, 1tbsp.tamarind pulp, 1tsp. oil, a pinch of asafoetida, salt to taste.

Seasoning: 1tsp.oil, 1/4tsp.chana dal, 2whole red chillies, 1/4tsp.jeera, 1/4tsp.mustard, a pinch of asafoetida, 1spring curry leaves.

In a pan heat 1tsp.oil, once it is hot, add chana dal, urad dal, green chillies, mustard, jeera, now grind all these ingredients with salt, tamarind pulp, turmeric and few pieces of cucumber and grind them in to fine paste, now add this ground pate to the remaining cucumber pieces, mix well and keep it aside. for seasoning add 1tsp.oil in a pan, once it is hot add chana dal, whole red c hillies, jeera, mustard, asafoetida and curry leaves, once they start spreading aroma, remove from the flame and add it to the cucumber pieces, mix it well and serve it with steamed rice........

Pesarapappu Payasam/Moong Dal Payasam

This is one of the Payasams that can be done in jiffy............try it out...it tastes very delicious.....

Ingredients:
1cup,moong dal, 11/4cup, jaggery, 3cup,milk, 1/4tp.cardamom powder, 2tbsp.ghee, 2tsp. cashews, 2tsp.raisins.
Paste:
1/4cup,poppy seeds/gasa gasaalu(toasted), 5tsp.grated fresh coconut, fistfull of cashews, grind all these ingredients with half cup of milk into a smooth paste and keep it aside.
Procedure:
Pressure cook moong dal with two cups of water for 3whistles and keep it aside. Now in a different vessel add a cup of water and jaggery, cook it till the jaggery is completely melted, then add the ground mixture, 3 cups of milk, melted jaggery to the cooked moong dal, mix well and keep it on medium heat for 10min., stir in between to avoid sticking, now simmer the flame and cook for another 10min., now turn off the heat and add cardamon powder, roasted cashews and raisins to the payasam.....mix well. Can be served hot or cold..........I enjoy having it cold.......

Vankaya Perugu Pachadi/Eggplant in Yogurt

Eggplant/Brinjal/Vankayalu is one vegetable that can be cooked in various types........here is one simple and delicious recipe.............

Ingredients: 1lb.eggplan/vankayalu (cut length wise), 1cup,yogurt/curd/perugu, 3 green chilies(cut into small pieces), 1''ginger root(cut into tiny pieces), 1tomato,( cut into small pieces), 3tbsp.Coriander leaves, 1/4tsp.turmeric powder, salt to taste.

Seasoning: ½tsp.mustard, ¼tsp.cumin seeds, 2whole dry red chilies, 2springs curry leaves, 1/2tsp.chana dal, 1/2tsp.urad dal, a pinch of asafoetida, 1tsp.oil.

In a pan heat oil, once it is hot add all the seasoning ingredients, once they start to splutter add the eggplant pieces, green chillies, tomato, ginger, salt and turmeric and cover it with lid and cook on medium heat for 5min., now remove the lid and cook till the eggplant is soft. Now remove it from the flame and allow it to cool( should not add curd in hot curry because it cuddles the curd). Once it is at room temperature add yogurt/curd and mix well............garnish it with coriander leaves. Serve it with rice......