Dappalam/ Mixed Vegetable with a twist

To all my readers Happy New Year!

Dappalam

(a hot liquid tamarind extract with mixed vegetable pieces)

Ingredients:

Grey Pumpkin - 200g (skin removed and diced into cubes)
Drumsticks - handful (I used frozen drumstick pieces)
Chilakada dumpa/ Gold Kumara - 1 no. (use white one only, skin removed and diced into cubes)
Okra - handful (tip and tail removed, chop each okra into 2 inch pieces)

Tamarind - lemon size (keep in microwave safe bowl and add 1/2 cup water to it, and microwave for 2 mins, cool and make into pulp, keep aside)

Jaggery - 1 tsp

Green chillies - 2 no. (slit vertically)

Water - 2 and 1/2 cups

Salt to taste

Turmeric - 1 tsp

Rasam powder - 1/2 tsp

Roast and powder:

Par-boiled rice - 2 tbsp
Toor dal - 2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp
Red chillies - 4 no. (slit them)

Roast each separately and keep aside, once cool enough powder these in coffee grinder. Remove it in bowl and add 1/2 cup water to it.

Twist (Aava pindi):

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp (powder this in pestle)

Seasoning:

Oil + Ghee - 1 tbsp each
Mustrad seeds - 1 tsp
Urad dal - 2 tsp
Red chillies - 4 no.
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Hing - 1/4 tsp

Proceed:

1) Heat a deep flat large pan, add tamarind juice and jaggery, on medium heat, cook until it thickens.

2) Add water, veges, green chillies, turmeric and salt to taste, cover with lid, and cook for 5 mins (you will see boiling).

3) Remove the lid and keep cooking on the same heat for 10 mins.

4) Add roasted powder which is been mixed in 1/2 cup water, coriander leaves and 1/2 tsp rasam powder, cook for 5 more mins and switch off.

5) Now add powdered mustard.

6) Do seasoning and add it to above, cover for 5 mins.

Serve with Rice, Poppadum and Yoghurt on side.

Things to remember:

We are using gold kumara not pinkish ones, these ones are good for curries.

Don't be tempted with pumpkin we get here. Some has thick skin even they look good and few are too mushy to cook, so choose as described.

Note:

For Satyanarayana Vratam, Lunch can be served with this Dappalam (no onion and garlic).

© 2010 by Rajani Rayudu

Ara Chintakayala Kura/ Yard Long Bean Curry

Ara Chintakayala Kura

Ingredients:

Ara Chintakayalu/ Yard long beans - 1/4 kg (ends removed and chop into 1 inch pieces)

Potatoes - 3 no. (small, skin removed and chop into bite size pieces)

Ginger and Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp

Onion - 1 no. (small, chopped)

Mustard oil - 3 tbsp

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Chilli powder - 1 and 1/2 tsp

Home made masala powder - 2 and 1/2 tsp (*please read notes)

Water - until pieces are immersed (I used 3/4 glass)

Salt to taste

Coriander leaves - handful, chopped

Proceed:

1) Heat oil in a small non-stick kadai on medium-low heat, once hot add curry leaves, wait for few secs.

2) Add onion and fry until light golden.

3) Add gg paste and potatoes and fry for 5 mins, keep it covered and stir time to time.

4) Add turmeric, chilli powder, home made masala powder, stir for few secs, then add long beans, mix well and cook for 2 mins.

5) Add water until pieces are just immersed, bring to boil, keep it simmer and cook for 10 mins.

6) Remove the lid and add salt to taste and coriander leaves, mix well and cook away for 5 mins or more, with lid on top.

7) Lastly check whether potatoes are cooked or not and switch off, leave it covered for 5 mins and serve.

Serve with Rice, Mixed Vegetable Pickle and Yoghurt on side.

Translation (Picture, Long Bean):

Ara Chintakayalu (Telugu) = Yard Long Bean

Tip:

I have used chilli powder (AASHIRVAAD, Chilli Powder, Red and Hot) which already got red paprika color and enough hotness for curry.

If your chilli powder doesn't give that nice red color, then by all means use 1 tsp of kashmiri chilli powder + 1/2-3/4 tsp cayenne pepper.

Notes:

Home made masala powder:

3 flat tsp Coriander Seeds, 1 flat tsp White Poppy seeds, 6 Whole Cloves, 5 Cardamom and 1 inch Cinnamon stick - grind all these in coffee grinder.

© 2009 by Rajani Rayudu

Vinayaka Chavithi Subhakankshalu!!

To all my family, friends and dear readers Vinayaka Chavithi Subhakankshalu.

Hope you all like my pooja decorations :-) any comments are welcome. Today I got up at 2:30 a.m, may be first time getting up so early and want to prepare the dishes. This year I served bujji vinayakudu Pulihora, Prasadam Burelu, Senagalu Talimpu, Semiya Payasam, Undrallu, Kozhukattai with Sesame filling and Panchamruthem.

Offerings to lord Ganesha.........

Semiya paysam, Undrallu and Pulihora (picture)

Prasadam Burelu, Senagalu Talimpu, Kozhukattai with Sesame Filling..........

© 2009 by Rajani Rayudu

Kakinada Peethala Iguru/ Crab Curry

"I wish I have posted the picture, well will definitely do when I visit Kakinada, until then enjoy this delicacy"

Kakinada Peethala Iguru

Ingredients:

Rice-bran Oil, Curry leaves, Shallots, Home-made masala Powder, Ginger and garlic paste, Turmeric, Chilli powder + Kashmiri Chilli powder, Crab Pieces, Water, Salt to taste and Coriander leaves.

Method:

Heat oil in a daaka/ Nonstick pan on medium heat, add curry leaves, fry.

Add shallots fry until golden color.

Once fried reduce to medium- low and add masala powder (required amount) , gg paste, fry.

Add crab pieces (which are mixed in turmeric and chilli powder) fry and add water, bring it to boil and simmer.

Add salt to taste and coriander leaves just 5 mins before you are switching off.

Home made masala :-

6 tsp Coriander seeds, 2 tsp Poppyseeds, 10 Cloves, 8 Cardamom and Cinnamon stick 2 inch- grind these in to powder using coffee grinder. Remaining powder keep it closed in airtight container or use for other recipes which I have used in earlier posts.

Translation:

Peethalu = Crabs

Kakinada? my home town :-)

Referring (cook just the way as my chicken curry):

Kodi Kura

© 2009 by Rajani Rayudu

Mullangi Sambhar/ Daikon Sambhar

Mullangi Sambhar

Ingredients:

Toor Dal/ Kandi Pappu - 1/2 cup (small toor dal) + 1/2 cup (large toor dal)

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Salt - a pinch

Water - 2 and 1/2 cups

Cook these everything in pressure cooker until mushy.

Tamarind - 1 lemon size

Add enough water to the tamarind, microwave for 1 min , cool a bit and squeeze the juice.

Jaggery - small bit (around 1 tsp)

Onion - 1 no. (chopped in to chunks or u can use small onions, use as a whole)

Green chillies - 4 no. (slit Lengthwise)
Mullangi/ Daikon Radish/ White Radish - 2 medium (peeled and sliced and cut into half moon shape)

Whole Tomato Tin - 3 no. + juice little bit (to give that nice red tint)

Sambhar Powder - Home made (scroll down to see recipe)

Seasoning:

Oil + Ghee - 1 tbsp each

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Fenugreek seeds - 1/4th tsp

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Dry Red chillies - 2 no. (split in half)

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Hing/ Asafoetida - a pinch

Mullangi/ Daikon/ White Radish

Proceed:

1) Heat a large flat deep pan, add tamarind juice to it along with jaggery and cook for few mins until slightly thicken.

2) To that add now all the veges, 5 cups of water and salt to taste. Mix well cover and cook it on medium heat for 10 mins.

3) Add cooked toor dal, mix well uncover and cook for 10 mins.

4) Add squashed tomato and sambhar powder, mix well and cook further 10 mins.

5) Do seasoning:

Heat oil + ghee in a small skillet, do seasoning in the order given above. Once finished add it to above (point 4), cover for 1 min and switch off. Keep the lid a jar and serve.

Serve it with Rice, Aloo Fry, Yoghurt and Poppadums on side.

Note:

Home made Sambhar Powder:

Oil - 1 tbsp, Coriander seeds - 2 tbsp, Chana Dal - 1 tbsp, Fenugreek Seeds - 1/2 tsp, Black Pepper - 1 tsp, Red Chillies - 7 no. and Desiccated Coconut - 2 tbsp

Roast all these in a skillet, except coconut, once nice aroma comes, switch off, add coconut immediately, mix well, once cooled, powder smoothly in coffee grinder. Add entire powder for making Sambhar.

Translation:

Mullangi = Mooli (in Hindi)

Mullangi = Daikon

Chit-chat:

I bought Daikon for $2:50 at saturday market in Wellington. This is huge so made different dishes out of it.

© 2009 by Rajani Rayudu

Athidhi Devo Bava

Athidhi Devo Bava means guest is equivalent to god.

Today in Athidhi post, I am welcoming Vijaya Vanapalli. She has cute daughter Geethika. One day I am checking my mails and there she was posting few recipes for me and you to try it out. It felt so good that with out asking she is passing on to me. Thanks Vijju.......

In her own words: "my name is vijaya vanapalli . Actually I am from visakhapatnam but presently living in U.K

Before I used to work, so I had no time to cook it regular. Now I am on maternity leave from last 6 months. My parents came for delivery and stayed for 6 mon and went back now I am alone looking my child so I have more time, getting bore - normally from my childhood I am interested in
cooking, painting, interior decoration and traveling............

About my amma she is very good cook . she is very good at making pickles, chutneys and non-veg"

EGG DUM BIRIYANI

Preparation:

1 st Stage:

10 Eggs

Boil all eggs and cut the eggs into half with the help of thread

2nd stage:

3 cups basmati rice

Whole garam Masala : {5 Cloves, 2 Cardamom, 1 inch Cinnamon stick, 1 Star anise}

Now cook the rice by adding above whole masala, salt to taste and cook until rice is cooked 3/4, and drain the water out in a strainer, and spread it on plate or pallem.

3 rd stage:

Onions - 3 no.
Oil - as required

Now in a pan fry onions until brown colour and keep it aside

4 th stage:

2 bunch mint leaves, 2 lemons, garam masala1 spoon, ginger - garlic paste 2 spoons, oil, red chilli powder, salt, turmeric

Then in the same above pan, add oil and fry mint leaves in that add ginger garlic paste, red chilli powder 1/2 spoon, turmeric, salt and 1/2 spoon masala powder and fry. Add eggs and fry and keep aside.

Final stage:

Now take Deep flat non stick pan or a pressure cooker, in that add ghee, smear it all around and bottom of the dish,

1) then put 1 layer rice,

2) layer egg+mint leaves fry

3) add a layer of fried onions

4) repeat the layers until you finish it off,

5) lastly add lemon juice on top, ghee 2 spoons, orange food color mixed in little milk, Keep it covered tightly with lid and wrap it with squeezed hot towel, keep it on tawa and cook until remaining 1/4 th rice is done.

Note:

Please leave comments if you tried her dish or for any doubts. I haven't tried it yet, but will sure make it. Thanks...............

© 2009 by Rajani Rayudu

Kaarjam Vepudu/ Liver Fry

Kaarjam Vepudu/ Liver Fry

Ingredients:

Chicken Liver - 350 g (wash it well, remove any odd bits, sliced thinly)

Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 tsp

Chilli Powder - 2 tsp

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Water - 1/4 cup

Cook these in daaka/ utensil on medium-low heat for 15 mins, keep it covered.

Rice-bran Oil - 6 tbsp

Curry leaves - 2 sprigs (preferably nice fresh ones)

Bay leaves - 2 no.

Green chillies - 4 (sliced lengthways)

Shallots - 2 large (sliced thinly)

Salt - to taste

Home-made Masala Powder - (scroll down to see)

Coriander leaves - handful (chopped finely)

Proceed:

1) Heat oil in a medium deep flat nonstick pan on medium heat, once heated add bay leaves, green chillies and curry leaves fry for few mins or until green chillies are nicely fried.

2) Add shallots and fry until golden brown.

3) Add cooked liver pieces along with the liquid and salt to taste, fry until all liquid gets evaporated.

4) Add masala powder and coriander leaves and fry for 5 mins and switch off.

Serve with Sambhar or Bellam Charu and Plain white Rice.

Home-made Masala powder:

Coriander seeds - 2 tsp, Poppy seeds - 1 tsp, Whole cloves - 3, Cardamom - 3, Cinnamon - 3 small pieces, Black Pepper Corns - 1 tsp - Grind these in coffee grinder and use all the masala powder for above dish.

© 2009 by Rajani Rayudu