Mullangi Pachadi/ Radish Chutney

I never tried making this chutney, but had it often in my grandmothers house. Last time when my Mom visited me(talking all the mother and daughter talk in the world)we were remembering my Grandma's House, days spent over there and the lunch and dinner time...............later landed on the food we used to relish, especially i used to like the chutney that they make for idli and rice too................really yummy, but not sure, what it is? til the time my Mom made it for me.................."It's made of Radish!!!! Oh my I never knew it".  Yep! my friends if you are bored with your routine chutneys, come on, why are you waiting. Try this and enjoy your breakfast and meal too.......the special flavour of Radish enhances the taste and boost the flavour of the chutney!!!!!  BUT.......Try this only..... if you are the lover of this vegetable.

INGREDIENTS:

1 radish (peeled, cut into circles)                  

1 onion (roughly chopped)

8 dried red chillies (adjust as per spice levels)       

3 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds

1 tbsp tamarind pulp

1 tbsp oil

salt to taste

2tsp.oil

1/4 tsp mustard seeds(for seasoning)

1/2 tsp urad dal (for seasoning)

2 spring of curry leaves (for seasoning)

METHOD:

Heat oil in a pan.

Add red chillies, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, fenugreek , fry them for few minutes, til the aroma occupies your kitchen, remove them form the flame, keep them aside.

Now add peeled and chopped radish pieces and saute for 5-10 mins.

Remove from heat, allow them to cool for sometime.

Add all the fried ingredients except radish  in a mixer jar.

Make a fine powder, then add radish, tamarind pulp, onion and salt.

Once again grind it to a coarse paste or  desired consistency. 

Now heat oil in a pan, add all the seasoning ingredients, fry til they are golden brown in color,      add  the ground chuntney to seasoning and allow to cook on low flame for about 5min. remove it from heat.

Mullangi pachadi is ready to serve.

Serve with plain white rice, dosa, idly, etc...

prep time: 10 mins

Corn flour Halwa

Yummy.............yummy Halwa.................Give it a try, if you are a fan of jelly. It tastes even better than that!!!!!

INGREDIENTS:
  
Corn flour- 1/2cup
Sugar- 1&1/2cup
Water- 2cups
Elachi powder -1/4tsp.
Ghee- 2tsp.
Food color- a pinch


METHOD:

• In a pan add ghee, fry cashews and keep them aside.
• Mix corn flower, sugar, water, elachi powder, food color in a microwave safe bowl.Microwave in high for 5mins. Mix in between for every two mins.
•  Again microwave it for another 6 more minutes. keep stirring in between for every 2mins.
• Remove it from the microwave, stir in the fried cashews.
• Smear ghee to a plate and spread the cornflour mixture on the plate, let it sit for an hour or so...cut into pieces and enjoy this halwa. 

Vermicelli Halwa

INGREDIENTS:

• 1cup vermicelli
• 3 cups water
  
• 1/2cup ghee
  
• 1/2-3/4 cup sugar
  
• 1/2cup coconut (shredded,fresh)
  
• 2tbs.raisins
  
• 10.no cahew nuts
  
• 1/4tsp.elachi powder.

METHOD:

In a pan add 1tsp. of ghee, roast cashews and raisins and keep them aside.
In the same pan add 1tsp of ghee and roast the vermicelli/semiya til light golden brown color and keep them aside.
In the same pan add water, let them come to rolling boiling, then add the roasted vermicelli and cook till the vemicelli is 3/4cooked, immediately remove from the fire and drain the water.
Add this vermicelli, sugar, ghee, shredded coconut, elachi powder to the pan and mix, cook it on low flame till the sugar is melted and all the  remaining liquid is absorbed.
The simple and delicious dessert is ready in minutes .......... relish it hot or cold...

Carrot Ravva Ladoo

I made these yummy ladoos for Raki.  The preparation of theses ladoos is similar to ravva ladoos except with minimal changes and add ons.















INGREDIENTS:

1cup sooji/upma ravva

1/2cup carrot(grated)

1/2cup boiled milk

1/2cup coconut(powdered)

1/2 cup sugar

cashews for garnishing

1/2tsp.elachi(powdered)

2tsp.ghee

METHOD:

In a pan add the ghee, once it is hot fry the cashews and keep them aside.

In the same pan fry ravva, once it starts to spread aroma add the grated carrot, fry till the raw sell is gone(it takes approx. 2mins.).

Add coconut, sugar, elachi powder and fry for about a min. then add the boiled milk and remove from the flame,( the consistency should not be watery, if so, just set it aside for few min. then it will become little hard),geese your Palm with ghee and shape them into round balls and garnish them with cashew pieces.

Varalakshmi Vratham -Kalakandu Pongal

I hope every one celebrated varalakshmi vratham very well, me too BUT this year I  have celebrated Varalakshmi Vratham at Hyderabad only, I have not been to my mom's place for this pooja as I have to travel to my home town next week for my cousins wedding.  I really enjoyed this pooja at hyd. also, as many of my friends and neighbours came to my place to have Pasupu &;Bottu and have seen all of them in the latest collection of Saree's. It was fun and tradition filled evening. These are some of pics taken at my mom's place.............................. 

We make Prasadam on all Fridays of Sravana masam. Last week I have made kalakandu pongal as prasadam.......Here comes the recipe for this tasty pongal.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1cup Rice
• 3cups Milk 
• 2cups Water
• 21/2 cups of Sugar crystals/Kalakandu
• 2tbs. Ghee
• 1/2tsp. Cardamom powder
• A pinch of Edible camphor(optional)
• 10nos.Cashew nuts
• 2tsp.Raisins

Method:
Wash the rice, roast it in a tsp of ghee in a pressure cooker.
 Add milk and water and cook the rice for 4 to 5whistles( if cooking in a thick bottom pan cook till the rice is  very soft).
Once the pressure is released add powdered kalkandu/sugar crystal and cook on a very low flame until it becomes thick.
Add cardamom powder,edible camphor and fried cashew nuts and raisins, mix well.  yummy sweet rice is ready!!!!

Beetroot Sambar !!!

On one fine day My daughter asked me Mommy... can you  make beetroot sambar...........BEETROOT SAMBAR!!!! a big !mark on my face...................she said "yep.....I have tasted it at Aunt S:-) house and it really tasted yummy and the color is so radiant and I really want to have it". I have no other choice except to accept her demand,  so I called up my friend, first blasted her, if did not have any other veggie than beets to prepare sambar,  later after giving her my piece of advice not to experiment with rare combinations when my D:-) is at her place, finally took the recipe and whet to my kitchen........BUT, still I'm in a fix....Beetroot.....that too in a sambar, Oh my why cant my D ask for Beetroot halwa or  stir fry:-(   Finally ended up with Beetroot sambar...................



Look what!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! to my surprise My whole family fell in love with it...................it's just amazing, pls. don't think like me and leave this recipe.....give it a try and I'm sure it will be a frequent visitor in your menu.

Method:

• Take one cup toor dal/kandhi pappu,  add two cups water  and cook in the pressure cooker. Cook the dal til it's very soft. Mash the dal smooth with a ladle or muddhakum/wooden masher.

• Peel, cut the beets to thin and lengthy pieces.  1onion(sliced), 1tomato(diced).

• Soak berry size tamarind in the water and squeeze the extract and keep it aside.

• In a pot add cut beets, onion, tomato, salt, red chilli powder, 1/4tsp.turmeric powder and 1cup of water and cook till the beets are 3/4 done, then add 1tsp. sambapowder and tamarind extract and allow it to boil, reduce the flame to medium and boil it for another 5min., or til the beets are totally cooked.

• Now take a pan, add 2tsp. oil, once its hot add 1/4tsp. fenugreek seeds, 1/2tsp. of cumin and mustard each.  once the seeds start to pop, reduce the flame to medium, add curry leaves toss them and remove them for heat,  add this seasoning to the boiling sambar and boil it for a min., and remove it from flame. 

•  Garnish with few sprigs of finely chopped coriander leaves if you wish and serve with steamed rice. Add ghee while serving, it enhances it's taste. 

Baby Mangoes in Buttermilk brine

These brined baby mangoes/oora mamidikayalu are always treat to watch and fun to eat. These crunchy, salty sour mangoes served as side with curd rice in hot summer days is really a cool thing to have.  2 simple steps and the mangoes are ready to enjoy.................................

10 raw mangoes(not too baby mangoes, but can be the size of an egg), wash, pat them dry and slit the mango to 4parts and remove the tender seed. 

Take 4cups of sour buttermilk and add  3/4cup of salt in a glass or ceramic bowl, mix well. Once the salt is well mixed drop the cut mangoes and let them sit in the butter milk for a day or two.

Later remove them from the buttermilk and refrigerate them, can be used for a week.

 Instead of pickles serve these as side for curd rice....... kids love  eating these oora magidikayau/majjiga mamidikalyalu.



Sorakaya thokku orugu

Believe me it's worth trying!!!!!!!    

We(most of us) know that we can make chutney/pachadi with the peel of bottle gourd, it really tastes yummy.......for a long time I was trying to use the peel of bottle guard for some different dish instead of regular chunties .....the fallowing recipe is the result of my long search,.........thought it's a deep fried side, once in a while can be excused to our dining space. It tastes little like Gummadikaya Vadiyalu/ Ash gourd fryums.

Recipe Source:Google Method:  1 medium sized Bottle gourd peel, 2no. dried red chillies, salt 1/4tsp. grind all together to a coarse paste(grind without adding any water). Dry them in the sun for a day or two, once they are dried, store them in the airtight container for further use.

 Frying:

Add 1/4cup of oil in a pan, once it's hot enough, reduce the heat to low and fry these crushed and dried peels/orugulu. Drain the excess oil if any and serve them as side with rice, sambar or rasam.These crispy fryums really taste good.....................

Borugula mudda/ Puffed rice ladoo

A sweet treat from my childhood days..................................Usually prepared for Sankranti, I remember the days relishing these scrumptious laddus with my cousins, all those good old days are gone, now we occasionally speak and rarely meet(thanks to hectic schedules), but while writing this recipe I remember all those sweet memories......... I wanted to give my daughter some memories of her own, so I prepared these goodies when her cousins visited us for vacation............... all the kids(even me) enjoyed these crunchy treats.

Ingredients:

4cups Borugulu/puffed rice
1cup Jaggery(powdered)
1cup Water
1/4tsp.Cardamom powder

Method:

• In a thick bottomed pan add water and jaggery. Cook on medium heat for about 10min., jaggery starts to melt and then becomes syrup.
• Take a small plate with cold water and drop few drops of jaggery syrup, the syrup should not melt in the water, should be able to form a ball when rolled, if you did not get the desired consistency, heat the syrup for little more time.
• once you get the desired consistency, add cardamom powder, borugulu/puffed rice and keep stirring constantly. Within a minute or so the puffed rice starts to soak the syrup and forms a whole mass.
• Turn off the heat and allow the puffed rice mixture to cool for about 5min., and then start making laddus.
• Take a ladle full of mixture into hands and press gently into round shape.
• These crispy and yummy laddus can be stored for about a month in an airtight container.

Shrikhand-Beat the heat with this summer dessert

Chill out this summer with this creamy dessert........If you love to have your poori with halwa, they you will absolutely love your pooris with shrikhand too....Why don't you give it a try this summer!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How To Prepare:

• Tie 4cups of thick curd/ yogurt in a clean cheese cloth or muslin cloth, hang it in cool place for 5 to 6 hrs.,til the curd/yogurt will become thick in consistency.
• Dissolve saffron(few strands) in 1 Tbsp.milk and keep aside.
• Transfer yogurt in a bowl, add 2cups sugar(powdered), dissolved kesar, beat well till the sugar has fully dessolved into curd/yogurt and till it gets creamy consistency, then add chopped pista, 1/4tsp.cardamom powder, mix well.
• Garnish with chopped pista and chill it before serving.
• Enjoy shrikhand with poori or as dessert.

Dondakaya Vepudu/Tindora stir fry

Enjoy this simple stir fry of this versatile vegetable......................................

Ingredients:

1lb/500grms. Dondakaya/tindora(cut into medium size discs)

1/4tsp.turmeric powder

1&1/2tsp.red chilli powder(adjust as per spice levels)

Salt to taste

2tbsp.oil

1/2tsp.mustard seeds

1/2tsp.jeera

2springs curry leaves

Preparation:

• Wash dondakaya/tindora and cut the tip and tail ends. Cut them into rounds and keep aside.
• Heat 2tbsp. of oil in a cooking vessel, once the oil is hot enough add mustard, once it starts to crackle add jeera and curry leaves and fry for few seconds till the aroma emanates the kitchen.
• Then add dondakaya pieces, salt and turmeric powder, mix well and saute on medium high heat for 3 mts., then reduce the heat to medium, place lid, let it cook, approx 15 minutes.
• Keep mixing in between to avoid burning. The sauteed tindora will begin to have a wrinkled look. Remove lid at this stage and add red chilli pwder, adjust the salt if needed mix well and cook on low-medium heat for another 15min., without lid. Turn the heat off and serve with steam rice.

Kajjikayalu - A Traditional Andhra Sweet

This particular sweet has a special place in the traditional sweets menu of Andhra.........


For making 25 Kajjikayalu:

• 250 gms maida/all purpose flour+5tbsp. for dusting
• 4-5 tbsp oil
• water to knead the maida/flour
• salt to taste(2-3pinches)
• oil for deep frying

For the filling:

• 1/4 cup putnala pappu/roasted chick peas
• 1/4 cup Pallilu/Peanuts
• 1/4 cup copra(dry coconut powder)
• 1/4 cup nuvvulu(white)/white sesame seed
• 1/8 cup khus-khus/poppy seeds
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup jaggery(powdered)
• 1 tsp. cardamom powder
• Dry roast pallilu/peanuts keep them aside and fry the nuvvulu/sesame seed on low flame till they turn light brown in color allow them to cool and grind them to coarse powder and keep them aside.
• Then grind coconut, putnalu/fried chick peas, kus kus, sugar and jaggery to a coarse powder, now add the peanut and til powder, cardamom powder and mix well, if needed add little more sugar.

Method to make Kajjikayalu:

• Mix the maida with salt, oil and enough water to make a pliable dough, not too soft. Divide the dough and shape into small balls. Keep them aside covered for half an hour.

• Then roll each ball with the rolling pin into a thin puri, Spread this puri on the kajjikayala mould, fill it with 2tsp. of filling, wet your finger and run it along the edges of the puri on the mould, close the mould to the opposite end, press it firmly so that the filling does not come out during frying, remove the extra puri that's left outside the mould.

• Heat oil in a kadai, once the oil is hot enough drop 3-4 kajjikayalu and fry them on medium heat till golden brown, turn them carefully to the other side so that it cooks on all sides. Let them cool and store in air tight containers. Kajjikayalu can be stored for 3-4 weeks.

Alasandhalu Rasam/Lobia-Cowpeas Rasam

I bet YOU all love it..................There are many varieties of rasam, this is one among any varieties. This is such a yummy yumm recipe of traditional and rare variety of rasam. This aromatic and unique tasting rasam has it's place in the households of rural coastal belt of Andhra, it's earthy smell makes it so unique and special............

How it's made:

Soak alasandhal/lobia/cowpeas over night or for about 6-8hrs.

Pressure cook them with 2cups of water and 2tomatoes.

Drain theses peas, save the excess water.

Grind the peas and tomatoes to fine paste.

In a bowl add drained water, ground paste, salt, 2tsp. tamarind pulp, 2tbsp. home made rasam powder or any brand of your choice(I prefer MTR) and water(required to get the desired consistency, it should be little water, so once it's boiled it gets little ticker).

In a kadai add 1tsp. oil, once it hot enough add 2.no pods of garlic(crushed), 2no.dry red chillies, 1/2tsp.mustard and jeera each, once they start to splutter add 2springs of curry leaves and add the raw rasam to it and allow them to boil, remove from the heat as soon as it comes to rolling boiling(this variety of rasam should not be boiled much, over boiling reduces it's taste and aroma). Garnish with coriander leaves and relish this yummy yumm Rasam with steamed rice or even with idli.