Vankaya Tomato Kura/ Chinese Eggplant Tomato Curry

Vankaya Tomato Kura

(simple yet tasty, good for bachelors too)

Ingredients:

Eggplants - 350 g (long thin Indian or Chinese variety, wash, cut into 1 inch round and cut again, to 4 pieces, soak these in salted warm water, until needed)

Oil - 3 tbsp
Curry leaves - sprig
Onion - 1 large (chopped finely)

Garlic - 5 no. (crush it in garlic crusher)
Chopped tomato tin - 3/4 tin

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
MTR Rasam powder - 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp


Salt - to taste
Coriander leaves - handful (chopped)

Proceed:

1) Heat oil in medium kadai (my small red one, this tip for me only :-)), once hot on medium-low add curry leaves, once fried add chopped onions, stir, cover and cook for 5 mins.

2) After 5 mins add crushed garlic, stir and add eggplants with out water (wash again to remove bitter stuff) stir, on top of it put chilli powder, turmeric, cumin powder and rasam powder with out stirring cover and cook for 5 mins,.

3) Stir now and add chopped tomatoes stir gently cover for 5 mins, once tomatoes looks mushy add salt to taste, mix gently and reduce flame to simmer cover and cook 5 mins more.

4) Lastly add chopped coriander leaves, cover and cook away for 5 more mins or until oil floats little. switch off once everything looks cooked, keep the lid on for 15 mins and Serve.

Serve with Rice or Roti and ghee.

(close up)

Twists:

1) For Vankaya Pappu:

If you got left over curry, do Dal with it . Take 1/2 cup toor dal (wash it well) put in cooker bowl add 1 and 1/4 cup water, pressure cook it until soft. once finished add it to curry bowl with little bit of water and bring to boil once and switch off.

2) For Vankaya Egg Kura:

Boil 2 eggs. remove the shells once boiled and put gatlu all around lightly, add it to curry along with little tamarind soaked water bring to boil and simmer for 10 mins.

Eggplant or Vankaya good for this dish is:

Chinese Eggplant

© 2011 by Rajani Rayudu

Peethala Iguru or Crab Curry

Peethala Iguru

(requested recipe)

Ingredients:


Set 1 (marinate all these and keep aside):


Large Crabs - 4 (clean well and do pieces)
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder - to taste 
Kashmiri chilli powder - 1 tsp


Ginger - 2 inch
Garlic - 1
Fresh grated coconut - 3 tbsp


- grind these three into smooth paste.


Set 2 (roast and powder):


Cloves - 6
Cardamom - 3
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Coriander seeds - 3 tsp
Cinnamon - 1 inch


Set 3:


Oil - for shallow frying as needed
Green chillies - 8 (slit vertically)
Onions - 2 (chop finely)

Poppy seeds - 3 tsp (powder it)

Salt to taste

Spring onion  - katta or bunch (keep white and green seperate and chop)

Coriander leaves - 1 small bunch (chopped finely, for garnishing)

Proceed:

Heat oil in a flat deep nonstick pan, add required oil, once hot on medium heat add sompu 1/4 tsp, green chillies, curry leaves, once fried add chopped onion and white part of chopped spring onion (Set 3) fry well.

After golden brown add crab pieces (Set 1) cook until water which comes out of it,evaporates. Then add 1 glass of water and cook.

Once water reduces and becomes like gravy like consistency, add grinded poppy seed, roasted masala powder (Set 2), coriander leaves and salt to taste and simmer for 10 mins. garnish with remaining part of spring onion.

Translation:

Sompu = Ani seed
Peethalu = Crabs
Nalla Peethalu = Black colored Crabs

Tips to buy Crabs in Kakinada:

Chukka Peethalu (these has tiny sugar crystal size spots on crabs) and Nalla Peethalu are good in taste.


Hope these are correct, or else please enlighten me and my readers. Thanks!

Chukka Peethalu?

is also known as Portunos Pelagicus or Blue Swimmer Crab or Blue crab or Flower Crab

Nalla Peethalu?

is also known as Scylla Serrata or Mangrove Crab or Mud Crab or Black Crab

© 2011 by Rajani Rayudu

Get-together menu - 6

 Sambhar, Arachintakaya tomato Curry, Gongura Pachadi, Kobbari Annam

 Aloo Kurma, Roti Maker Roti's, Baingan Burta

 Plain Rice and MTR Masala Papad (highly recommend)

Grouped together!

We had small vegetarian get-together party. Pulkas were done by Swapna who is expert in making Roti's in Roti maker :-) thanks andi. If you are making this type of menu I would recommend Samosa or Vege Spring rolls for starters with some Bendi fry on side and Mango lassi (if it's summer), end with some thing sweet like Chocolate Brownie!!

Translate:

Arachintakaya = Long beans

Baingan = Eggplant = Vankaya

Aloo = Potato

Bendi = Okra = Bendakaya

© 2011 by Rajani Rayudu

Get together Menu - 5

Dal Makhani, Butter Chicken...

Daddojanem, Jeera Rice, Garlic naan (these are smeared just when guests arrive so garlic missing)...

Get-together menu:

Samosa (opt)

Jeera Rice

Daddojanem

Garlic Naan

Butter Chicken

Dal Makhani

Aloo Gobhi (dry version, opt)

Feijoa Smoothie (few feijoas take the inner part, banana or pear if you wish, few scoops of vanilla ice cream and few tbsp of water, run it in mixie and serve)

 (my tea table setting, in the middle, fruit bowl was gifted by Padma Ram)

(elephant was gifted by my akka Nirmala, and stylish glass serve by Swapna, I have filled these with easter eggs)

© 2011 by Rajani Rayudu

Rajani Rayudu's Beetroot Pulav

Rajani Rayudu's Beetroot Pulav

I like to serve this for parties or just as one pot meals with some raita or as a picnic food. Even beetroot haters would love to have this. promise!

Ingredients:

Beetroot - 1 large (skin removed, chopped into cubes)

Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 tsp

Green chillies - 4 no. (slit lengthways)

Mint leaves - handful (or can use dried mint leaves then use 1 tsp)

Onion - 1/2 no. (sliced and cut in middle once)

Whole tomato - 2 small (chopped)

Whole garam masala - {Whole cloves - 8 no., Bay leaves - 5 no., Cinnamon stick - 2 inch}

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Home-made Garam masala powder - 1 and 1/2 tsp (use only my masala, if you are adding yours then try adding half and half)

Yoghurt - 3 gartelu (small kura garte)

Basmati Rice - 4 rice cups 

Water - {6 rice cups + Salt - 2 tsp}

Butter - 30 g + Oil - 1 tbsp

Proceed:

1) Heat a 5 litre pressure cooker pan, with butter + oil, once heated on medium heat, add whole garam masala. Once fried add green chillies fry them. Add mint leaves and onion, fry until light golden color.

2) Reduce heat to low and add gg paste and beetroot pieces and fry for 5 mins along with turmeric, chilli powder and garam masala powder.

3) Add tomato pieces and cook until mushy.

4) Once mushed up keep the dish away from flame and add yoghurt and stir. Keep this on medium flame now and cook until moisture has been evaporated,  keep stirring in between.

(meanwhile measure water and add salt to it, mix well and keep aside)

5) Add washed and drained rice and stir until there is no water left, to that add measured liquid mix well once. close lid and cook for 1 whistle and switch off.

6) Once pressure is down, after 30 mins standby time, stir rice with fork and serve.

 Serve with Cucumber Raita. Equally goes well with mild curries such as Badami Chicken.

Note:

Home-made Garam Masala Powder: (this recipe is from my friend Venkat, and became my family favorite. Thanks!!)

2 and 1/2 tbsp Whole Cloves, 1 and 1/2 tbsp Cardamom, 1 tbsp cinnamon stick - 

Grind everything in coffee grinder without roasting the spices. Keep it in airtight container.

Tip:

For extra, spread some butter on both sides of bread toast this on skillet and cut into bite size pieces add this on top while serving.

Translation:

Kura garte = spatula for serving curries.

© 2011 by Rajani Rayudu

Rajani Rayudu's Dal Paratha

Rajani Rayudu's Dal Paratha

 Yum Yum!! made with left over Tomato dal. Kids will love it or for get-together too. Easy peasy in making.........try it out and let me know. thanks!

Ingredients:

Chapati flour - 3 rice cups
Left over Tomato Dal - 1 and 1/2 rice cups
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Water - to mix the dough (I added almost 1 rice cup, but depends on flour, so use accordingly)

Proceed:

First mix four ingredients in a wide bowl. To this add water bit by bit, just the way as chapati dough consistency. Roll into golf ball size. keep cover and rest in fridge for 15 mins.

Heat tawa, mean while roll each ball in to thin round with the flour, cook on hot tawa on both sides using a little ghee to smear. Wrap it in tea towel put these in celloware tight container or keep in Roti basket and Serve immediately.

Serve with Lime pickle or with Radish Raita or Mutter Paneer or serve just as it is, still tastes good.

Left over Tomato Dal (the way I made it):

In a pressure cooker add 1 steel glass (small cup) washed toor dal, 2 m tomatoes (cut in half), 1 tsp chilli powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric, handful of deep fried onions, 2 slit green chillies and 2 and 1/2 steel glass (small cup) of water, put the lid with weight on top and pressure cook for 5-6 whistles.

Once cooked, remove the lid add salt to taste and blend with stick blender.

Now in a seperate pan for seasoning, add 1 tbsp oil, once heated add 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp urad dal, 4 split red chillies, 1 sprig of curry leaves. do seasoning and add it above dal with 1/2 rice cup water.

Once boiled switch off.

***Serve for dinner immediately and remaining dough, keep in fridge and do Parathas.

yum!!

© 2011 by Rajani Rayudu

Kitchen gadgets!!

Kitchen gadgets

My kitchen gadgets got makeover this weekend with a nice looking shelf that holds 120 kg. After keeping everything in there didn't realized I can open a shop :-). Now I really need to stop buying, got my coffee machine too sitting on the bench which I didn't take photo.

© 2011 by Rajani Rayudu

Tandoori Salmon

Tandoori Salmon

This one is inspired and became favorite of mine, but added a few bits of my own. Enjoy this healthy version of cooking Salmon in an oven. Sea food lovers this one is for you!

Ingredients:

Salmon fillets - 4 (6 oz each and about 1 1/4"thick)

Set 1:

Yoghurt - 1/3 rd cup

Lemon juice - 1 tsp

Olive oil - 1 tbsp

Dried Parsley - 1 tsp

Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tsp

Cayenne Pepper - 1/2 tsp

Salt - 1 tsp

Black pepper powder - 1 tsp (freshly ground)

add this mixture in a glass bowl, mix well and keep aside.

Set 2:

Garam spice powder:

Cumin powder - 2 tsp

Coriander powder - 2 tsp

Turmeric - 1 tsp

Fennel seeds (made into powder) - 1 tsp

Cinnamon powder - 1/4 tsp

Garam masala powder - 1/4 tsp

Clove powder - 1/4 tsp

mix everything well in a bowl, use 1 tsp of this mix and keep the rest in airtight container.

Other things we need:

Aluminum Foil

Proceed:

serves 4

1) Preheat oven to 400 d F.

2) Mix 1 tsp garam spice powder from Set 2 with the Set 1 set aside.

3) Coat Salmon pieces with the above spiced yoghurt mixture well and follow point 4.

4) Take 4 sheets of Aluminum foil, keep the marinated salmon in the middle on each foil, with marination distributed equally on all sheets, wrap and fold the foil like a parcel and keep on  a tray and bake for 15 mins or until the fillet flakes easily.

Serve with Salad and lemon slices.

Tip:

Once cooked gather the juices which came out in small container and serve.

Translation:

Fennel seeds = Sompu (in telugu)
Dried Parsley - you can find these in spice section at super markets.
Salmon (check this to know more about it)

© 2011 by Rajani Rayudu

Cauliflower Manchurian

Cauliflower Manchurian

This dish is a crowd pleaser for get-together or for a party or as a pot luck dish. Serve it as an Appetizer or with Fried rice. or Noodles.

Ingredients and Proceed:

Cauliflower - 1 no. (cut into small florets, microwave for 5 mins)

Oil - for deep frying

For batter:

Plain flour - 1/4 cup

Corn flour - 1/4 cup

Chilli powder - 1 & 1/2 tsp

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste
Red orange food color - a pinch

Water as needed.

Mix these in to runny paste, dip florets into batter and deep fry or add the dry mix to cauliflower, mix well and leave for 10 mins. and deep fry.

Other things we need:

Oil - few tbsps

Ginger - 2 inch (cut lengthways)

Garlic - 5 cloves (cut lengthways)

Green chillies - 5 no.(cut vertically)

Ajinomotto - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves - 3 sprigs

Sweet chillli sauce - 1 tbsp (I use Mae Ploy brand)

Fry these in a deep wok and add fried cauliflower florets, mix well and cook for 2 mins and serve.

Close up shot

For Birthday Party Menu:

Chicken Manchurian

Cauliflower Manchurian

Layered Chicken Biryani

Mixed vegetable Rice

Aloo Kurma

Mutter Paneer

Chicken Badami

Roti
Salad
Raita

Carrot Cake

Lemon Cake

Ice cream

© 2011 by Rajani Rayudu

Pesara Vada/ Moong Dal Fritters

Pesara Vada

Good for unexpected guests or festival days. Serve as snack item or as an entree.

Soak 1 rice cup pesara pappu in water for 2 hrs. Wash and remove water, put this in food processor (chopping blade big bowl). To that add 1 inch ginger piece, cumin seeds 1 tsp, curry leaves, green chillies 3, put the lid on and pulse it add 1/4 th rice cup water while grinding. lastly add salt to taste and pulse agian to a coarse paste.

Heat oil for deep frying in a kadai on medium heat, once heated dip your fingers in a bowl of water take small amount on your fingers press it with your thumb and drop them in oil, drop 7-8 in them and fry until golden brown on both sides. Place the fried vada onto an absorbent paper towel, and serve.

Serve hot with ketchup.


Translation:


Pesara pappu = Split Moong Dal
Kadai = deep frying pan or Indian Wok

© 2010 by Rajani Rayudu

Plain Biriyani Rice

Plain Biriyani Rice

Good for Vegetarians and Non-Vege people, and no need to add meat also, if you are pressed with time, but still gives flavor with these simple spices and cooking method, you will have tasty yummy and colorful Biriyani Rice. Thanks Samina!! you are the Biriyani Queen :-)

Ingredients:


Basmati Rice - 4 rice cups


Oil - 4 tbsp


Whole Masala - {1 tsp Shahjeera, 8 no. Cardamom, 8 no. Whole Cloves, 10 no. Black Pepper, 5 Bay leaves, 1 inch Cinnamon}


Deep fried Shallots - 2 tbsp (crush these while adding)
Ginger Garlic paste - 2 tbsp (fresh ones)
Water - little (not to burn the dish)


Yoghurt - 1/2 cup


Water - 6 rice cups + 2 tsp Salt + 1/2 tsp Jaiphal Javitri Powder (mix all these together and keep aside)


Colored liquid - 1/4 tsp saffron color + 1 tbsp milk (mix together and keep aside)


Proceed:

1) Heat a deep flat nonstick pan, add oil, once heated on medium-low, add whole masalas, once fried but not burned, proceed point 2.

2) Add roughly hand crushed onion, gg paste and little water around tbsp, mix well, until fried nicely.

3) Once fried, remove the dish from heat, and add yoghurt and mix vigorously, bring back the pan to flame, keep stirring until moisture evaporates and becomes thick.

(while the yoghurt is on last stage of becoming thick, proceed by rinsing rice 3 times, throw the water away, and proceed point 4)

4) Once yoghurt becomes thick, increase the flame to medium, and add drained rice, stir gently to coat with all the masalas, stir for few secs until water evaporates, now transfer to electric cooker, and proceed point 5.

5) Add measured water to the rice cooker, cover with lid and switch on to cook. While reaching to the end of the cooking, drizzle colored liquid on top and cover again. Once it's goes to off position, remove the plug and wait for 30 mins stand by time. (but remember to wipe the top of the lid for every 10 mins, until you finish the standing time)

6) Once finished standing time, remove lid and mix with fork, and serve.

Serve with Palak Chicken, Dal Ghost, Mirchi Ka Salan, Naan or Kulcha and Sheer Khorma.


or choose like me Palak Chicken + Plain Biriyani Rice + Mango Lassi,  for a classy serving.

or Malai Kofta + Plain Biriyani Rice + Chilli Chicken + Naan

Translation:

Jaiphal = Nutmeg (I use readymade powder, I am too lazy :-) to crush or even grating)
Javitri = Mace

Caution: use these powders as said otherwise you will have bitter taste.

Tip:

Use best quality Basmati rice like Kohinoor or Daawat brand.

© 2010 by Rajani Rayudu

Palak Chicken

Palak Chicken

It is quick, no fuss recipe, and for extra special, pair it up with Plain Biryani Rice. Good for unexpected guests or as a potluck dish.

Ingredients:

Step 1:

Fresh Spinach - 1 bunch (remove the leaves, soak in turmeric (1 tsp) + lots of water for 10 mins, and wash well)

Heat a deep nonstick flat pan, add kettle boiled water + 1 cap full white vinegar, and add spinach leaves, cook these until leaves are wilted on medium heat for about 3 mins. Once wilted drain off the water, keep it cooled and grind in mixie into smooth puree with out adding water.

Step 2:

Rice Bran Oil - 4 tbsp

Boneless chicken - 588 g or use 600 g (wash, and cut into bite size cubes)

Red onion - 1 no. large (chop these into medium thick ness, not too fine)

Ginger garlic paste - 1 and 1/2 flat tsp (use freshly ground)

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Chilli powder - 2 tsp

Kashmiri Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Punjabi garam masala powder - 1 tsp (everest brand)

Home made masala powder - 1 tsp

Kasoori Methi - 3 tsp (these are sold in Indian groceries as dry version)

Salt to taste

Green chillies - 4 no. (keep them whole)

Butter - 1 tbsp

Coriander leaves - Handful or more (chopped finely)

Lemon juice - 1/2 no. (take the juice)

Proceed:

1) Heat the same nonstick pan (which you have wilted spinach init) on medium -low, add oil, once heated, add the ingredients, chicken, onion, gg paste, chilli powders, garam masala, home made masala, turmeric, kasoori methi and salt to taste, mix well, keep it covered and cook these until oil separates from it, say about 10 mins or so by mixing now and then(where chicken will also releases water and oil will be floating).

2) Now add spinach puree, whole green chillies, and 1 tbsp butter, mix well keep it in sim, covered, lastly cook away for 5 mins. Switch off (check whether chicken is cooked fully or not, if not, cook few more mins). Remove the lid and garnish with fresh coriander and lemon juice, mix well, cover for 5 mins and Serve. *Rest for 1 hr before serving.

I served up with Plain Biryani Rice and Mango Lassi.

Plain Biryani Rice

Translation:

Murg = Chicken

Saag = Greens

Palak = Spinach

Can be heard as Saag Murg/ Palak Chicken/ Palak Murg.

Tip:

No need, to panic by not frying onion and gg paste, these will be fried nicely. 

Note:

Home Made Masala Powder: (same as kodi masala)

Coriander seeds - 3 flat tsp, White poppy seeds - 1 flat tsp, Whole Cloves - 6 no., Cardamom - 6 no, Cinnamon stick - 1 inch - grind these into fine powder in coffee grinder.

Please refer to my spice page for translation.

Get to-gether Menu:

Palak Chicken

Dal Gosht

Mirchi Ka Salan

Naan

Biryani Rice

Mango Lassi

Sheer Khorma

How did you like this dish? feed back is always welcome............

© 2010 by Rajani Rayudu

Beetroot Halwa

Beetroot Halwa

Easy peasy beetroot halwa if you have food processor and gulab jamun syrup in hand :-)

Ingredients:

Beetroot - 3 m (skin removed, top and tail off and cut them into wedges and grate in food proceesor)

Cardamom - 6 no. (powder)

Gulab jamun syrup - 8 gartelu (gunta garte)

Ghee - 50 g + 50 g

Proceed:

Heat a deep nonstick kadai, add ghee 50 g once started to melt add grated beet-root and fry for 10 mins.

Add cardamom powder, mix and add gulab jamun syrup, mix well, keep it covered and cook these until all the syrup is absorbed by beet-root and is cooked, it will take 30 mins, make sure you keep stirring in between.

Once syrup is absorbed add remaining ghee and fry for 2 mins and switch off.

Meanings:

Gunta gartelu = spatula used for rasam or sambhar.

Serve with vanilla ice cream or serve in small steel bowls as a party dish.

Tip:

Use gulab jamun syrup only, to give glossy finish for beetroot halwa. You will be surprised to the taste. and please don't for get to leave your feed back :-), much appreciated.

© 2010 by Rajani Rayudu

Bagara Annam/ Bagara Rice

Bagara Annam

Ingredients:

Basmati rice - 4 rice cups
Oil - 2 tbsp + Ghee - 1 tbsp

Whole garam masala - {4 cloves, 4 cardamom (opt, always smash lightly to open), 1 inch cinnamon stick, 1 tsp shah jeera, 1 tbsp bujju puvvu, 4 bay leaves, 1 marati mogga (opt), 1 star anise (opt) and 1 mace (opt)}

Green chillies - 5no. (slit length wise)

Onion - 1 m. (sliced thinly)

Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp

Mint leaves - 2 handful

Salt - 2 tsp
Water - 6 rice cups

Proceed:

1) Heat a pressure cooker on low heat, add ghee + oil, once hot add whole spices, fry for few secs.

2) Add sliced green chilli, fry.

3) Add onion and fry until light brown, then add gg paste and mint leaves fry for 5 mins.

4) Add washed drained rice to it, mix gently to coat with spices, once water dries up.

5) Add measured water + salt to it and mix gently.

6) Cover with lid, increase the heat to medium-low and keep the weight on and pressure cook for 1 whistle. and switch off.

7) Once pressure is down, remove the lid, and mix it with fork. Serve.

Serve with any Spicy Curry, like Gongura Mamsam or Bagara Baingan and Raita.

Equally goes well with Aloo Kurma or Tomao Egg Curry

For my style:

Opt the ingredients too.

Pressure Cooker:

5 litre one would be good

Translation:

Bujju Puvvu = Black Stone flower (please google)

Gongura Mamsam = Mutton with Sorrel Leaves

© 2010 by Rajani Rayudu

Ulli Kodlu Kodi Guddu Vepudu/ Spring Onion Egg Fry

Ulli Kodlu Kodi Guddu Vepudu

This is the most simplest curry, one can make on lazy days or perfect for those first time cookers or even for those who thinks they are genius, will post nice picture until then enjoy my lazy curry + lazy photo shoot...............

Ingredients and Proceed:

Spring onion - 6 (wash well and chop finely)

Green chillies - 3 (chopped)

Heat 3 tbsp oil in a flat deep nonstick pan on low heat, once heated add poppula spoon mustard, once stop spluttering add cumin the same amount, once brown add 1 tsp gg paste, stir and immediately add green chillies, fry for few secs and 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp chilli powder once fried add spring onion and fry until it becomes limp. Then add 2 large beaten eggs, spread around, cover for little while until you see white part is forming, cut them into big pieces with spatula and turn, and cook for 2 mins more. Switch off when there is no raw egg, now add salt to taste and mix well and serve.

Serve with Plain Rice, Pickle and Yoghurt.

Translation:

Poppula spoon = The spoon which we get in spice box or use 1/4 tsp.

Ulli Kodlu = Spring Onion

Kodi Guddu = Chicken Egg

Vepudu = Fry or a dry dish

© 2010 by Rajani Rayudu

Paneer Kulcha

Paneer Kulcha

This is easy peasy when you got expiry date milk or do fresh ones if you are in a hurry for get-together or pot luck. Every one will just fall in love with it. Here, I have used 2 litre milk which was expired, can do with only 1 litre milk too. You can half cook these kulchas and wrap in foil and keep refrigerate will be good for 1 week. But, if you are thinking to keep the paneer and whey in fridge, you have to do with in 2 days other wise it just smells like beer. So entire taste will be spoiled with that smell. Better use 1 litre and proceed............

Ingredients and Proceed:

2 litres milk, boiled first in microwave container, add yoghurt few tbsp and microwave again to separate. Keep aside. When warm enough measure the whey and proceed.

Whey - 2/3 rd cup (luke warm)

Sugar - 1 tsp

Yeast - 1 tsp

Mix well and keep aside for 10 mins.

In a bowl add 2 cups of Plain flour, 1 tsp salt, mix well and add 2 tbsp melted butter, mix well until crumbly.

Add 3 tbsp Soft Paneer (fresh ones) mix well all of these and add yeast mixture, mix and knead for 5 mins until soft dough formed. Keep this in the same bowl and cover with plate, keep this on top of water heater or near warm place for 3 hours.

Pinch off big balls out of it, roll and flatten slightly, dip in plain flour and roll, and dip again and roll like round circle. Do this to all.

Heat a tawa (iron skillet) on medium heat.

Mean while, slice off Butter (1-2 tbsp) in a glass bowl, add 1-2 cloves mashed Garlic, handful of chopped Coriander, mix well, keep this in microwave and melt until butter is melted.

First cook each kulcha on both sides and keep aside. Do this to all of them (stop here if you are refrigerating, cool, wrap in foil and keep in fridge)

Final part smear butter all over on one side, keep the smeared part on tawa press it lightly first, and smear again butter on top, turn quickly and cook for few secs only.

Serve with Makhani dishes like butter chicken or Shahi Paneer dishes.

Tip:

Just buy ready made Paneer Makhani Packets, heat as per instructions and add tad bit of Maple Syrup to it, mix and serve. It tastes just like restaurant dish.

© 2010 by Rajani Rayudu

Bangaladumpa Kodiguddu Vepudu/ Potato Egg Fry

Bangaladumpa Kodiguddu Vepudu/ Potato Egg Fry

Ingredients:

Eggs - 2 no.

Oil - 5 tbsp

Red Onion - 1 no. (chopped finely)

Ginger Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp

Potato - 2 large (skin removed, chopped into fine pieces)

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 and 1/2 tsp
Home-made Masala powder - 1 tsp (check my masala powder here, same as chicken masala)

Salt to taste

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Garlic - 3 flakes

Proceed:

First powder cumin in a pestle and lastly add garlic and pound again.

Heat oil in a deep flat nonstick pan. once heated add onions, fry these until light brown.

Add gg paste and potato pieces, mix well, cover and fry for 5 mins or until onions are fried.

On top of it put chilli powder, turmeric, masala powder and salt to taste, and cover for few more mins.

Mix well and fry until all potato pieces are cooked and no moisture left in the dish, add cumin-garlic mixture and fry for few mins.

Make a well in the centre and break the eggs side by side and cover and cook until eggs are cooked, break the egg in the middle to see any yolk is not cooked. Once fully cooked mix entirely and cook for 1 min.

Serve with Rice, Pappu Charu or Sambhar (or Mullangi Sambhar)

Tip:



If you have Garlic chilli powder, then no need to add this extra step.

Why are we not mixing egg entirely to curry? because you will get eggy smell while eating onion, that's why you have to cook the above mentioned method.

Translation:

Potato = Bangaladumpa
Chicken Egg = Kodiguddu

© 2010 by Rajani Rayudu

Andhra Gongura Mamsam/ Mutton with Sorrel Leaves

Andhra Gongura Mamsam

Ingredients and Proceed:



For fried onion paste:

Onion - 1 & 1/2 no.large. (sliced thinly)
Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Oil - 2 tbsp

Heat a deep flat nonstick pan on med-low, add oil once heated, fry onion until light golden color. Now add gg paste, reduce heat to low and fry for 5 mins, remove to mixie jar and grind into paste once cooled. Keep aside.

For pre-cooking:

Ingredients:

Diced Mutton or Lamb pieces - 1/2 kg (wash it well and keep it aside, these are boneless)

Oil - 2 tbsp + Ghee - 1 tbsp

Whole Garam Masala - {1/4 tsp Shahjeera, Cardamom - 8 no., Whole Cloves - 6 no., Cinnamon Stick - 1 inch}

Green chillies - 8 no. (slit lengthways and sliced)

Onion - 1/2 no. large (slice thinly)

Kasoori Methi - 1 tbsp (soak these for 10 mins in kettle boiled water)
Mint leaves - handful

Chilli powder - 3 tsp

Red chilli powder - 2 tsp

Turmeric - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Home made masala powder - 3 tsp

Yoghurt - 3/4 th cup


Proceed:



Heat the same pan on med-low, add ghee + oil, once heated add whole garam masala, wait for few secs to give flavor to develop. Add green chillies and fry, once fried add onion and fry until golden color.

Add drained Fenugreek leaves + mint leaves, both chilli powders, turmeric and salt to taste, fry for few secs.

Add drained out mutton pieces, mix well and cook for 10 mins until water which comes, dries up. Add grinded onion paste and home made masala powder and fry for few mins.

Remove from heat and add yoghurt mix well return this to heat and cook for few mins until oil oozes out slightly, remove this entire thing into cooker bowl, and pressure cook for 20 mins with weight on top.

Simultaneously:

Oil - 1 tsp
Gongura/ Sorrel Leaves - 250 g (wash properly, use red variety)
Water - 1/2 cup

Heat the same nonstick pan, add oil, once heated add gongura and 1/2 cup water, mix well and simmer until you switch off the cooker or until leaves are wilted, once cooled grind into paste along with water which may have.

Additinal masala and Garnish:

2 cloves, 2 cardamom, 1 inch cinnamon stick - powder these in pestle.
Coriander leaves - handful (washed and chopped)

Final stage:

Once cooled off remove the lid from the pressure cooker, add the curry to the nonstick pan, along with
gongura paste, coriander leaves and additinal masala powder - mix well and cook on low heat for 5 mins, by covering. Switch off and keep the lid on top for 5 mins and serve.

Serve with Bagara Annam and Raita on side.

Notes:

Home made masala powder: (remember this is the same masala powder which we used in kodi kura)

Coriander seeds - 3 flat tsp, White Poppy seeds - 1 flat tsp, Cloves - 6 no., Cardamom - 6 no., Cinnamon stick - 1 inch - powder these in coffee grinder.

Translation:

Gongura = Red sorrel leaves

Tip:

This tastes good even the next day, you can make a day ahead to release all the flavors or simply place the curry in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 5 mins.

© 2010 by Rajani Rayudu

Sarva Pindi or Ginne Appa

Having friends from different regions is you can be blessed with their tradition way of cooking too . In such, this recipe was given from my friend Swapna who hails from Telangana region.  Weekend when we visited their place she said "I will show you how to make Sarva pindi Rajani, behind her husband is saying we call them Ginne appa,  Oh I said ginnelo chesidi kabatti ginne appa na"- learning new things. Instantly fallen in love with it. Thanks!! Swapna garu and Venkat Garu.

Sarva Pindi

No fermenting, easy peasy and healthy snack served at evening tea or eat it like us for breakfast. 


Serves:


2 large ginne appa + 1 small ginne appa (Increase qty if you have more people to serve)


Ingredients:

Rice Flour - 2 cups

Channa dal - handful (soak for 2 hours in water) or Putnalu pappu - handful (no need for soaking)

Peanuts - handful (roast these in microwave plate for 2 min and remove skin and separate in half (this is how I did) or coarsely grind them with few bits and pieces)

White Sesame seeds - 2 tsp (no need for roasting)

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp (no roasting needed)

Spring onion - 2 no. (washed, chopped) or Incase you don't have one use yellow onion - 1/2 large no. (chopped finely)
Green chillies - 3 no. (finely chop with kitchen scissors)
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs (chopped fine)
Garlic - 6 pods (sliced and chop length wise)

Coriander leaves - handful (chopped finely)

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp or a pinch
Cayenne pepper - 1 tsp (goddu karam na bashalo :-) )
Salt - 1 tsp

Water - as needed

Proceed:

1) In a glass bowl add all dry ingredients first, mix well, and then add remaining ingredients except water, mix well and then add water little at a time, until form a chapati dough consistency.

2) Take a flat deep non-stick pan, add 1 tbsp oil, spread all over the pan with your fingers. Smear some oil too on both of your hands.

3) Take a cricket ball size dough, put it in the middle and keep pressing flat thin like pan cake with your fingers, dipping your fingers in oil if needed. Once finished put hole in the middle with your index finger.

4) Take this pan on stove top. Cook on med-low for 15 mins or until lightly brown underneath. Turn over carefully with spatula and cook away for 10 mins more. Switch off  leave it on for 5 more mins on stove top to get crisp.

Ginne Appa

Serve immediately as it is on a plate.

Look how thin it is

Note:

I cooked on electrical stove top.

Do not put lid on top while cooking, it will get soggy. If you want to put then, the water which sits on top of the lid wipe it off with cloth and cover again. If you want to do this way then check and adjust your cooking timings.

Here I don't have spring onion, so I used yellow onion.

I want to cook urgently so opted for Putnalu pappu, which doesn't make any difference, actually it is better than channa dal.

Peanuts, should be ground coarsely, I haven't I just separated in half, so no difference either.

Venkat garu's Tip:

If you got left over, cut them in to rectangle shape or like bruschetta size, on top of it put just salad mix and serve it on a plate

Salad mix: chopped Red Onion, chopped Tomato, Green chilli, Chopped coriander, Salt to taste, lemon juice and lightly give a touch up with tobasco sauce for zing.

Verdict:

Mind blowing. Yum!!!!!

Translation:

Putnalu Pappu = Roasted Chickpeas = Dalia = Bhuna Chana
Ginne = Utensil
Sarva Pindi = Spicy Indian rice flour pancake sort of.

© 2010 by Rajani Rayudu

Chandrakala Uthappam/ Uthappam with a twist

Chandrakala Uthappam

I don't think any one discovered this uthappam, doing my twist to it. Hence the name Chandrakala Uthappam. It has got secret ingredient that is my amma's special curry. 

We need:

Mix Idli batter in a bowl (Just take how much your family needs for doing Uthappam.), to that add 1/2 the amount of Cabbage Bangaladumpa Kura, for extra hot cut finely chopped green chillies few of them - mix well and do Uthappam. (remember no need to add extra salt as curry already has salt in it)

Heating a small nonstick deep flat pan as shown in the picture, on low heat, add 1 tbsp oil, once heated add 2-3 ladle ful of batter and do flat round shape, cover, cook for few mins, or until light brown underneath and turn again, cover and cook for few mins, remove lid cook for 1 min and serve.

Goes well with Ginger pickle or elseTomato Pickle.

Tip:

When ever you do Idli batter, cook this curry too, and keep in fridge. You will have the next day yummy Uthappam out of it. Serve as a Breakfast, Brunch or for people who eat tiffin in the evening.

The smell and tastes of this Uthappam takes you to Indian Tiffin Centres in India, I promise!!! eagerly waiting for your feed back :-)

Meaning:

Cabbage Bangaladumpa Kura = Cabbage Potato Curry
Uthappam = Indian Pan cake sort of :-)
Chandrakala? my mom's name

© 2010 by Rajani Rayudu