Gunta Ponganalu

Gunta Ponganalu/pongalalu is an age old yummy evening snack recipe of Andhra, even can be had for breakfast accompanied by Errakaram, this makes ponganalu much more consuming. These ponganalu are mostly done with leftover dosa batter. To prepare these we do need a special cooking pan called "Guntaponganala Pennam". Preparation of this snack varies from region to region.....here's my version. BTW thank you Sissy "J" for gifting me this Pennam.

Batter Recipe:

Use left over dosa batter, if not soak 1/2 cup urad dal and 1 cup raw rice for about 5-6hrs. Then grind it to fine paste adding just enough water and required salt, the consistency of the batter should be like dosa batter. Take the batter into a big vessel, cover and let it sit overnight for fermentation.
Take1 big red onion, finely chopped, 3no.green chillies - finely chopped, 2springs curry leaves - finely chopped, 1 teaspoon of cumin, add all these ingredients to the batter and mix thoroughly.

Recipe:
Place the ponganala skillet on medium heat. Add few drops of oil into each pit with a spoon, rub oil around the pit with a cut onion poked to the fork. When the skillet is hot enough, fill the pits with the batter and cover with a lid and cook in a medium flame for 5 min.Then remove the lid and gently lift the ponganalu with a spoon, turn each to the other side, cook the other side also for 5 min.in medium heat, now remove from the skillet gently and repeat the same process with the remaining batter. Cooking in medium heat is the most important thing in making these things.

Masala idli

The reason for this idli to come up on the table and get a click is...... the scorching sun...me forgot to refrigerate left over idli batter till afternoon, due to hot climate it's more fermented, was too sour to be an idli, i requested MOM to suggest for transformation, she gave me this idea......which was sooo simple yet tasty and different.........if you gals have the same issues....give it a try and you will simply love it..............

METHOD:
For 2cups over fermented idli batter, Take 2tsps.oil, once its hot enough add 1tsp.urad dal, 1/2tsp.mustard seeds, 1/4tsp.jeera, once they start to splutter add curry leaves, 1/4cup shredded carrot, 1/8cup chopped beans(optional), 2green chillies(finely chopped), 1''ginger(finely chopped), few dashes of hing, fry for a min. remove from the flame and add them to fermented batter, adjust the salt if needed, mix well. Add the batter to idli plates, steam them and enjoy
tangy yet tasty masala idlies.

Millet Roti

Millet roti is a totally new to me........I have given it a try after hearing a lot of good and healthy things about Millets......These roties are super soft, tasty and healthy, and totally different from the regular roties........ I'm sharing here the recipe that I got from my friend.......


Ingredients:
1cup Millet Flour, 1/2cup Wheat Flour, 2tsp.oil, 5tbsp.Curd, 11/2tsp.grated jaggery, 3tsp.sesame seeds, 1/2tsp.Ajwain seeds, 2cups Methi Leaves(fresh), salt totaste, hot water(to make the dough).

In a bowl add all the above ingredients and make it into a soft dough by adding little hot water, the consistency of the dough should be little stiff while making(because the methi leaves leave water after making the dough). Immediately after making the dough start rolling the roties the same way that we make wheat roties, but these roties should be little thicker than the wheat roties........Heat the tavva and fry the roties with oil or with out oil......serve them with pickle or any choice of curry......These roties can be refrigerated, they do not loose their softness.

Ada (Dosa made with lentils and rice)

Ada is a healthy and tasty Dosa variety.............

For Batter: 1cup rice, 1/2cup urad dal, 1/2cup toor dal, 1/4cup chana dal, 5-6 whole dry red chillies. Soak the dals, rice and red chillies for overnight(atleat for 4-6hrs.). Coarsely grind them with green chillies, curry leaves and ginger and salt.

In pan heat 1tsp.oil, once it is hot add mustard and hing, once mustard start to splutter add this to the batter and mix well.

Procedure make Ada:

Fill the ladle with Ada batter, gently pour this batter onto the center of the pan, now begin to spread the batter in circular motion to form dosa(batter should be spread little thick compared to dosas), after spreading the batter out on the pan, drizzle the oil all on the surface of dosa and also around its edges. Allow it to cook for 2minutes, then flip it and cook it for a min., take it out from the flame..The Ada is done......serve it with coconut chutney or your choice of pickle.peanut chutney or red chilli chutney.

Idli

This is the breakfast dish that doesn't need any introduction............this is the healthy and light breakfast...........it's an purely southern delight, there are many variations to make them, but this is one of the old and standard variety..........................

Ingredients: 1cup urad dal, 3cups idli ravva, salt taste.
Batter:

Soak urad dal and idli ravva for about 4 hrs. in separate bowls. wash the urad dal and grind into fine paste by adding water and keep it aside.

Wash the ravva and squeeze out all the water from the ravva and add it to the ground urad batter and add salt and mix well and allow them for ferment for over night or 8hrs.

Making Idlies:

Add 1cup of water ot the pressure cooker or any wide pan and keep it on medium high heat, now grease the idli trays with little oil or spray any nonstick spray and add the batter to the idli moulds and place them in the pressure cooker or pan (if using pressure cooker do not use the whistle) and steam them on medium heat for first 5 min. and later reduce the heat to medium and steam them for another 10 min... now remove them from the flame and allow them to cool a bit and by using a spoon scoop out idlies and serve them hot with peanut chutey.......

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.

Pesarattu,Upma with Ginger Chutney(Green gram Dosa)

I'm delighted to write about Pesarattu( which is one of the dosa varieties), this is the most popular breakfast item in Andhra, it's typically served with upma accompanied by allam chutney(ginger chutney)..............It's mostly popular with the name MLA Pesarattu.........

Ingredients for Pesarattu:

2cups. whole moong dal(green gram), 1/2cup.rice, 1.2 onion(cut into pieces)1''ginger piece, 8no.green chillies(adjust as per spice levels), salt to taste, 2tsp.cumin seeds, 4tbsp.oil ( for frying).

Soak moong dal and rice over night or for about 4 hrs., drain the water, add green chillies, ginger piece, onion, salt and grind into smooth paste adding little water, then remove the batter into a bowl and add jeera and mix it well and keep it aside.

Toppings for pesarattu: 2no.(finely chopped), 4no.green chillies(finely chopped), 4tsp. ginger(finely chopped).

Preparation of Pesarattu:
Heat the dosa tavva(pan), once it is hot enough, fill the ladle with batter,gently pour this batter onto the center of the pan, now begin to spread the batter in circular motion to form dosa. after spreading the batter out on the pan, drizzle the oil all on the surface of dosa and also around its edges and now add the finely chopped onion, ginger and green chillies as toppings. Allow it to cook for 2minutes, then flip it and take it out from the flame........The Pesarattu/Dosa is done......serve it with upma and allam/ginger chutney.

Ingredients for Allam/ginger chutney:

3tsp.chana dal, 3tsps.urad dal, 1tsp.coriander seeds,1tsp.jeera, 1/2tsp.mustard seeds, 1/4tsp. methi seeds,10no. whole dry red chillies(adjust as per spice levels), a pinch of asafoetida, lemon sized tamarind(soaked in water for 5min.), 2''ginger piece,(cut into small pieces), 1/2cup.fresh mint leaves or curry leaves, 3tsp.oil, salt to taste.

Preparation of Allam/Ginger Chutney:

Heat oil in a , once it's hot add chana dal, urad dal, coriander seeds, jeera, whole red chillies, asafoetida and fry for 3 min. on medium high flame. or until the aroma spreads, then add ginger pieces to it and fry for another 2 min. on low flame and allow this mixture to cool, add tamarind, mint leaves/curry leaves, salt and grind to smooth paste by adding little water......this is good to have with Pesarattu, idli,pongal and even with rice.

Ingredients for Upma:

1cup.sooji (upma ravva), 1/2 onion(cut lengthwise), 4-5 no.green chillies(adjust as per spice level),2tsp.chana dal, 2tsp.urad dal, 1tsp. mustard and jeera seeds each, 2 whole dry red chillies,10no.cashews, 1/2''ginger piece(chopped), 2 tbsp.oil, 1tbsp.ghee(optional), 2 spring of curry leaves, 2cups,water(boiled,hot), salt to taste.

Preparation of Upma:

In a pan heat oil, once it's hot add chana dal, urad dal, mustard seeds, curry leaves,whole dry red chillies, cashews and fry for 3 min., then add onions, chopped ginger, curry leaves and green chillies, fry them until the onions are soft and tender, then add the sooji/ravva,salt and fry for 5min.on medium high flame, then add the pre boiled hot water to sooji and mix will(there should not be any lumps)then reduce the flame to medium and leave for 2min. then mix well and remove it from the flame and enjoy it........Here in this post I have assembled Pesarattu, upma and ginger chutney........which is an wonderful combination....

Idli Upma, Crumbled Idli, Fried Idli

No.....no..no not again idli Mommy...this is the dialogue of my 7yr. old, what to do.....I remember the day of me telling the same to my mom......my Amma used to transform idli into very tasty breakfast/evening snack.......that's what I did yesterday........my daughter also enjoyed it.......she called it yellow upma....I told her no matter what u call, this is also idli.....then she told me, "Even idli tastes better" mommy.....so friends try your luck with this recipe to your idli hating lil' one's.

Ingredients:

4 idlies(even the left overs can be used), 3green chillies, cut lengthwise(adjust as per the spice level),1/4 onion (cut lengthwise), 1tsp. lemon juice. salt to taste.

Seasoning:

1tbsp. oil, 1tsp. chana dal, 1tsp. urad dal,1/4 tsp. turmeric powder, 1tsp. mustard and jeera seeds each, 2 spring curry leaves.

First crumble the idlies and keep them aside. In a pan heat oil and add all the seasoning ingredients and fry until they fragrant, then add turmeric powder, onion, green chillies and salt and fry until the onion are translucent and then add the idli crumble and toss it well until it is coated with all the seasonings, now add the lemon juice, mix well and remove from the flame and serve it hot........

Triple Veggie Omelet

This is a special break fast on a Sunday morning............why do you think so????so surprising to me.......this mouth watering omelet is made by my hubby...........I was soooo happy to see breakfast to be on my plate by the time I got up...........what else a women want on a women's day other than this perfect gift form her hubby............

It was so yummy...yummy ................so I'm sharing this recipe with you all....................

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
4 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4tsp.shredded Swiss cheese

Melt one tablespoon butter in a medium pan over medium heat, add onion, bell pepper and little salt, cook for 4 to 5 minutes stirring occasionally until vegetables are tender, transfer them to another bowl. Beat the eggs with the milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Melt the remaining 1tbs. butter over medium heat. When the butter is hot add the egg mixture and cook the egg for 4 min. or the center of the omelet starts to look dry. Sprinkle the cheese over the omelet and spread the vegetable mixture on the center of the omelet. Using a spatula gently fold the omelet over the vegetables. Let the omelet cook for another two minutes or until the cheese melts. Slide the omelet out of the pan and onto a plate. Cut in half and serve.

Dosa

Ingredients:

3 cups rice, 1 cup skinless split urad dal, 3/4 tsp fenugreek seeds, Salt to taste

Wash the rice and urad dal well. Add the fenugreek seeds and soak for overnight.
The next morning, drain all the water from the rice and urad daal and grind by adding water to a smooth paste,add salt to taste and keep the Dosa batter aside in a warm place for 6-8 hours. After fermentation, stir the batter well. It is now ready to make Dosas.

Fill the ladle with Dosa batter,gently pour this batter onto the center of the pan, now begin to spread the batter in circular motion to form dosa. after spreading the batter out on the pan, drizzle the oil all on the surface of dosa and also around its edges. Allow it to cook for 2minutes, then flip it and take it out from the flame........The Dosa is done......serve it with peanut chutney or red chilli chutney.

Tomato Bath

Ingredients

2 cups Suji (Bombay Ravva),Hot water 5cups
3 ripe tomatoes
1/2 big onion
Few green chillies
Few curry leaves
Coriander (Cilantro),Mint leaves

Seasoning ingredients

2tsps. Cashew nuts,1/2tsp. mustard seeds,1/2tsp. cumin seeds,3cloves,1''cinnamon stick crushed, curry leaves, 3-tbs.oil, Salt as required,1/2 Chopped onion, 3green chillies and tomatoes.

Keep a deep non stick vessel on flame and add 3 tblsp oil to it. When the oil is hot, add all the seasoning ingredients to it. Once the mustard seeds start spluttering, add chopped onions, tomatoes and green chillies and fry till the tomatoes are well done. Add chopped coriander and mint leaves to the mixture and fry it till the coriander loses it color, then add ravva to it and fry for 5-7 min. then add hot water and salt to ravva, the mixture begins to boil, then reduce the flame to medium and cover it with lid for 3 min.or until the bath is thick, then just before turning the flame off, add one tbsp.Ghee to the dish and stir it well. .................................................it will go good with peanut chutney.