Channa Pulao with Spinach

This recipe I tried from "Marina Mornings" given by Samina Jalil, turned out to be great. Thanks Samina. This one is a real keeper and a crowd pleaser too. Photos will be updated in near future......until then can't wait to share with you all .......

Channa Pulao with Spinach

Ingredients:

Kabuli Channa/ Dried Chic-pea - 300 g (after boiled, measure)

Spinach - 1 bunch (leaves only, sauteed in 1tbsp ghee until wilted, keep aside, if there is water left then add it to electric cooker dish)

Golden Raisins - 1/4 cup (sauteed in ghee too)

Basmati Rice - 2 and 1/2 cups

Water - 3 + 3/4 cups

Deep fried Shallots - 3 tbsp

Whole Masalas - {Cardamom - 5 no (punch these to open)., Whole Cloves - 10 no., Cinnamon stick - 1 inch, Whole Black Pepper - 10 no.}

Ginger Garlic Paste - 3 tsp

Yoghurt - 1/2 cup

Garam masala powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Oil - 3 tbsp

Water - 1/4 cup

Proceed:

1) Heat oil in a deep nonstick dish. Add whole masala fry until fragrant.

2) Add shallots, immediately add gg paste with 1/4th cup water (preventing from burning), fry until nicely fried. Add salt (2 and 1/2 tsp) and turmeric, stir well.

3) Add drained Chick-pea to it, fry for few sec. Remove from heat and immediately follow point 4.

4) Add yoghurt stir well and return it to heat, add garam masala powder too and keep stirring, keep lid on for few mins, mean while follow point 5.

5) Wash basmati rice 3 times, when water evaporates in point 4 add drained rice to it and stir gently until water evaporates.

6) Transfer this to electric cooker, add measured water, mix gently once and switch on.

7) In the last 5 mins, before it goes to switch off mode, top it up with sauteed spinach and raisins and keep covered.

8) Once it's goes to off mode, do not disturb it until 10 mins, remove the lid and wipe off the lid, do this way for every 10 mins, until you finished off 30 mins stand by.

9) Once finished mix it up with fork and serve.

Serve with Raita and Boiled Egg (sliced round) if you wish, next bet would be Paneer dishes, it tasted great just as it is.

Tips:

Soak Chick-pea over night and boil these in pressure cooker until cooked well, but still retains it's shape.

I bought deep fried shallots 500g pack for 4$ from Toops in NZ well worth it.

Use Kohinoor Basmati.

Rice Bran oil is best for this dish. Can use 1/2 oil + 1/2 ghee for this dish.

Instead of Turmeric try adding yellow color which is mixed in little milk, add this before while adding spinach and sultanas, to give that Biriyani look.

Meanings:

Kabuli Channa = Senagalu (Telugu word)

Channa = Chick-pea or Garbanzo beans (English word)

© 2008 by Rajani Rayudu

Aava pettina Arati Bondh Talimpu/ Banana Blossom Fry

Aava pettina Arati Bondh Talimpu

Set 1

Arati Bondh/ Pickled Banana Blossom - 2 jars (454 g each)

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Salt - little

Set 2

Oil - 3 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Sesame seeds - 1 tsp
Chana dhal - 2 tsp
Urad dhal - 1 tsp
Red chillies - 5 no. (split)
Green chillies - 5 no. (slit)
Ginger - 1 inch (chopped finely)
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Asafoetida (hing) - a pinch

Set 3

Mustard seeds - 1 and 1/2 tsp

Lemon - 1/2 no.

Proceed:

1) Set 1- Remove banana blossom from the jar discarding water, wash them well, chop it finely, keep this in salted warm water, until you finish chopping them. Remove this into pressure cooker bowl, to that add little handful of water, turmeric and salt, pressure cook for 1 whistle. keep this aside until needed.

2) Set 3- Take mustard seeds in pestle and pound it in to powder, to that add lemon juice, cover and keep aside.

3) Heat a deep non-stick kadhai, add oil and heat it up. Add one by one from set 2 in the order given above, do poppu thingi. Add now point 1 (squeeze the water out and add) and fry until water is evaporated, switch off the flame and add salt to taste (remember you already added little salt before). Add point 2 paste and mix well.

Serve with Plain white Rice, Mudda Pappu and Majjiga Charu.

Tips:

After chopping the banana blossom keep them in water mixed with a spoon of curd or butter milk (buttermilk will help the stem to retain its white color)

Where to find? Pickled Banana Blossom

Check these out in Chinese groceries.

© 2008 by Rajani Rayudu

Personality Development!

Personality development ! while reading this article in Telugu one sounds promising.......this article might shed light in our day to day life's.  Article is in Telugu language.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

© 2008 by Rajani Rayudu

Chocolate Truffles

Chocolate Truffles

These can be served for Get-together Parties, good for Picnic, can be made on Valentine day too, if nothing suits you then always treat your self...........

Ingredients:

Dark cooking Chocolate - 200 g (broken into bits)

Cream - 1/4 cup

Kahlua - 1/4 cup

Butter (unsalted) - 1/3 cup

Icing Sugar - 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp

Garnishing (keep these in separate bowls):

Pistachios - handful (chopped finely, unsalted)

Cocoa powder - 1/2 cup

Proceed:

1) Heat a medium sauce pan with half filled with water, bring it to boil and simmer.

2) On top of it keep a wide mouthed bowl, to that add Chocolate and Butter, keep stirring until melted.

3) Add icing sugar too, mix well with spatula.

4) Add Cream and Kahlua, mix well, switch off the stove and keep stirring until it is glossy.

5) Keep this covered and chill for 1 hr + 15 mins in the freezer.

6) Remove, see it is firm enough to roll.

7) Now roll it first, into a small Walnut size ball and roll in Cocoa mixture for cocoa truffle and roll other into Pistachios for pistachio truffle.

8) Repeat the above step until you finished with all of them.

9) Keep them in muffin paper cases and keep refrigerate for 24hrs.

Tip:

Ask your husband or kids help for garnishing stuff while you do the walnut size balls.

Next day it tastes great.

Keep refrigerate at all times.

Chocolate Truffles

makes around 25

© 2008 by Rajani Rayudu

Spices

My Pantry (English to Telugu)

Channa dal = Senaga papu

Urad dal = Minna pappu (husk and dehusked ones)

Moong dal = Pesara pappu

Rajma = Rajma

Chick Peas = Senagalu (konni white vuntayi and brown too)

Green Peas = Batani

Red lentils = Yerra pappu

Toor dal = Kandi pappu

Roasted chick peas = Putnalu pappu

Dessicated coconut = Endu kobbari

Red chillies = Endu mirapakayalu

Rice = Ponni rice (I use it for daily cooking)

Basmati = Kohinoor basmati (good for biryani)

Dry Prawns = Endu royyalu

Anchovies = Methadlu

Dry mango pieces = Endu mamidikaya mukkalu (I keep these in pantry for making yummy dal)

Sesame seeds = Tella nuvvulu (indilo black vi koda vuntayi, but for daily cooking use only white ones)

Sago = Saggubiyam (I keep both varieties big and small ones)

Bambino Vermicilli = I stock it up incase, out of tiffins.

Semolina = Upma rawa

Cracked wheat = Godhuma rawa

Spices are given in English Kannada Tamil Telugu, please read in this order.

Aniseed

Saunf

Sombu

Sopu

Asafoetida

Ingu

Perungayam

Inguva

Almonds

Badami

Badam parappu

Badam pappu

Arrowroot

Arrowroot

Koovak kilangu

Pala gadda

Bay leaf

Masala Elay

Punnai Ilai

Masala aku

Black pepper

Kappu Menasu

Milagu

Miriyalu

Cardamom

Elakkai

Yelakkai

Elakayi

Cinnamon

Lavanga Patta

Pattai

Dalchin Chekka

Cloves

Lavanga

Lavangam

Lavangam

Coriander seeds

Dhaniya

Vara kothamali

Daniyalu

Cumin seeds

Jeerige

Jeeragam

Jilakara

Curry leaves

Kari Beevu

Kariveppilai

Karivepaku

Cashewnuts

Jodambe

Mundhiri

Jeedi pappu

Dry ginger

Vonagidha Shunti

Sukku

Sonti

Femmel

Dhodda Jeerige

Perunjeeragam

Pedha jilakara

Fenugreek

Menthi

Vendhayam

Menthulu

Garlic

Bellule

Vellai poondu

Vellulipayalu

Ginger

Shunti

Ingi

Allam

Groundnut (or) Pea nuts

Kadale Kai Beeja

Kadalaikkai (or) Verkkadalai

Veru senaga pappu

Jaggery

Bhella

Vellam

Bellamu

Lemon rind

Nimbe Hottu

Yelumichai Thol

Nimma Tholu

Mace

Japathri

Jadhipathri

Japathri

Mango powder

Mavinakai Podi

Mangai podi

Mavidi podi

Mustard

Saasuve

Kadugu

Avalu

Nutmeg

Jaagi kai

Jadhikkai

Jaagi kayi

Poppy seeds

Gasgase

Kasa kasa

Gasalu

Roasted gram

Huridha Kadale Bele

Porikadalai (or) Pottu kadalai

Putnala pappu

Red chillies

Kempu Menasina kai

Sigappu milagai

Yendumirapakayalu

Raisins

Vonagidhe Dracshi

Ularndha Dhirakshai

Yendu Dhiraksha (or) Kismiss

Rice flakes

Avalakki

Arisi Aval

Atukulu

Sesame seeds

Ellu

Ellu

Nuvvulu

Saffron

Kumkumadha Hoova

Kungumappoo

Kumkuma poovu

Sugar candy

Sakkare Acchu

Kalkandu

Kala kanda (or)Patika bellam

Tamarind

Hanuse Hannu

Puli

Chinta pandu

Turmeric powder

Harshanandha Podi

Manjal podi

Pasupu

Tymol Seeds

Omam

Omam

Vamu

Spice Racks

Frequently asked question, which coffee grinder I use for spice grinding?

I absolutely love this Ken wood coffee grinder, why? I get fine powder out of poppy seeds, what more can you say.

My Pantry

My Kitchen

© 20015 by Rajani Rayudu

Cabbage Pappu/ Dal

Cabbage Pappu

Ingredients:

Toor Dal/ Kandi pappu - 1 rice cup

Cabbage - 1/4 size (chopped finely)

Green chillies - 6 no. (sliced round)

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Water - 2 and 1/2 rice cups

Cook these in pressure cooker with weight on, until smooth. Remove, add salt to taste and mash well.

Seasoning:

Oil + Ghee - 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 3/4 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Red chillies - 4 no. (split in half)

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Garlic pods - 4no. (smashed lightly)

Tamarind paste - 1 flat tsp

Proceed:

Do seasoning in the order given above, add tamarind paste cook for a min. To that add cooked dal mixture, add 1/2 rice cup water and bring to boil once and switch off. Serve.

Serve with Rice, SaggubiyyamVadiyalu or Poppadums, Ghee and Yoghurt on side.

© 2008 by Rajani Rayudu

Keema Vepudu/ Fry and Keema Naan

***Keema Vepudu/ Fry:

Keema Vepudu

Ingredients:

Lamb mince - 500 g

Ginger and Garlic paste - 1 tsp each

Salt to taste

Chilli powder - 3 tsp

Turmeric - 1 tsp

Red color - 1/4 tsp

Water - 1 cup

Pressure cook these for 8-10 whistles.

Oil - 4 - 5 tbsp

Green chillies - 5 no. (sliced round)

Onion - 2 m (finely chopped)

Masala powder - {Cardamom - 5, Whole cloves - 5, Cinnamon stick - 5 and Coriander seeds - 2 tsp - roast these with out oil and powder}

Mint - 2 handful

Coriander leaves - handful

Proceed:

Heat oil in a deep flat non-stick pan, add chillies fry for few secs.

Add onion and fry until golden brown.

Add cooked keema (with out water) and fry for 1 min.

Add masala powder, mint and coriander leaves and fry until all water is evaporated and serve.

Serve with Rice, Ghee, Rasam and Yoghurt on side.

***Naan dough (egg less):

Naan Dough

Ingredients:

Milk - 2/3 cup (luke warm)

Sugar - 1 tsp

Yeast - 1 tsp

Mix these and keep aside until needed.

Butter - 2 tbsp + 2 tbsp (for smearing)

Melt this in a microwave safe bowl.

Yoghurt - 3 tbsp

Plain flour - 2 cups

Salt - 1 tsp

Mix these together. Add 2 tbsp melted butter to it, mix it well, it looks crumbly. Add yogurt and mix well with your fingers. Add yeast milk and mix well, if it is wet add little flour and knead for 5 mins until soft dough consistency, cover it and leave this on top of the water heater or near a warm place for 3 hrs.

If you want plain naan just dip the rolls in flour, flattened a bit and roll them in to round shape. Please read the cooking procedure for Plain Naan. For garlic naan just add 1 clove of mashed garlic to the butter mixture.

***Stuffing and rolling Keema Naan:

After 3 hrs knead the dough again and make lemon sized balls.

Take one dough and keep it on bench top, hold the rolling pin, press 4 corners, not the middle. Repeat this for all the dough rolls.

Now take few tspns of cooled keema mixture and keep it in the middle of the dough

Now carefully wrap them by lifting one corner of dough by placing on the mixture. Keep wrapping until you finished it off with it. Press gently and hold in your palms and carefully make a dough patty. Keep this in the bowl lightly dusted with flour.

Repeat this to all the dough rolls.

Hold one stuffed dough, roll in the flour, keep the thicker side of the dough facing towards you and wrapping side faces towards the bench.

Gently roll it into round shape, repeat for all the stuffed dough balls and keep aside.

***Cooking Keema Naan:

Keema Naan

Heat a iron skillet on medium-low heat, when it is hot keep stuffed naan on it. Cook until small bubbles appear on top, turn it over and smear melted ghee on top. Turn again and smear melted ghee, when golden spots appear under neath, turn again and do the same. Keep this in a kitchen towel or Roti basket.

Repeat this process until you finished all of them.

Serve it with Butter chicken or Paneer gravy.

© 2008 by Rajani Rayudu

Get together Menu

I am really sorry for not taking any photos, actually too lazy or too tired by the time everything is ready. Ok just imagine how it will be.....:-)

These are the things I cooked yesterday for a small group of friends. Deciding what to cook my head just spins, thats the most difficult part. Once decided I make sure everything ready before cooking.

For appetizers:

Chicken Leg Fry (end twisted with foil for presentation, this time I cooked in an oven.)

Chicken Lollipops 

For Mains:

Kobbari Annam

Plain Rice

Aloo Kurma

Pepper Lamb (cook the same way as Pepper Chicken, will post some time separetly)

Sambhar

Yoghurt (this one is compulsory for Indian dinner, it cools you down after eating lots of spicy food)

For Drinks:

Mango Lassi (would be good option, I didn't made, some times it doesn't strike me, any how here it is winter, so for summer people you can always opt for this)

For Chutney:

Gongura Pachadi 

For Dessert:

Pulla Ice cream (hihi....... it's Magnum Chocalate)

© 2008 by Rajani Rayudu

Experiment Food

Have you noticed I have added few links to side bar, which are excellent. Well adding just other url's are not for looking, trying is an art. So coming to this web-site by Sanjay Thumma, what an excellent chef! I would say a Guru which puts him into even Higher Grade. His enthusiasm in cooking, just loved it. Well one day decided to give it a shot, whether what he says really works or not. The first thing I tried was Rava Dosa (quick version), by tweaking a little bit by adding yoghurt as I always do. I would say Wow Wow..........He is genius :-) Sanjay If you ever read this Thanks dude, you rock and I wish you well.

                                      Well eating Rava Dosa is just like that is not what we Indians do, we add bit of pickle or chutney to go with. This time in my kitchen Shyamala comes to my kitchen thrice. Have you remembered I made Egg Puff and Adai, got it, she is the one. This time to pair it up I made Cabbage thogayal (chutney) from her blog. Well, this is the best combination to go with Rava Dosa. I really loved it.  Thanks Shyamala..........

© 2008 by Rajani Rayudu

Experiment Food

Aratikaya Tokkala Pacchadi

Have you ever tasted or tried Aratikaaya Tokkala Pacchadi/ Raw Plaintain Skin Chutney, I never did but heard though. While searching, I came across a very nice blog with lots of Mom's cooking. That is what I love about cooking - what ever your mom serves that's the best!

Today for dinner I made, Rice with Dried Mango Gongura Dal, Aratikaya Vepudu, Aratikaaya Tokkala Pacchadi and Yoghurt. First bite of this pachadi I fell in love with it.

So no waste in Raw Plaintain, you can make curry with the inside part and flesh can be made into chutney. So why wait, next time when you buy Raw Plaintain try this chutney.

This recipe is blogged by Aruna Chalasani from " ammachethivantalu " blog. Thanks Aruna, it was yum yum...........a big thumbs up and a happy face.

© 2008 by Rajani Rayudu

Chinese aaku Pachadi/ Chinese Box-thorn Chutney

Chinese aaku Pachadi

Set 1:

Red chillies - 25 no.

Coriander seeds - 2 tbsp

Urad dhal - 1 tbsp

Sesame seeds - 1 and 1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp

*Fry these in little oil and powder in mixie.

Set 2:

Chinese aaku - 1 bunch (Pluck the leaves alone, wash well. Keep it on towel to dry out little)

Tamarind - lemon size (add enough water, until immersed. Microwave for 2 mins, cool, squeeze the pulp)

Salt as required

Oil - 2 tbsp

*Heat Oil in a deep pan and fry the leaves till it shrinks. Add tamarind juice and cook it until it becomes thick. Keep aside until cools down.

*Transfer this to the above mixie jar and add salt to taste, grind this into paste. Check for tartness and salt. Remove the grinded paste into a tiffin box.

Set 3 (seasoning):

Oil - 2 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Red chillies - 4 no. (split them)

Asafoetida - little

*Fry these in heated oil and add it to the above chutney, mix well and serve.

Serve with Chow Chow Dal, Rice and Yoghurt on side.

Tip:

Tastes good the next day. If you need more chillies for hotness, don't hesitate to add. Personally it needs more.

It got very subtle taste, so need tamarind juice bit more. Do try! some times I just eat it with ghee. Keep refrigerate........

Meaning:

Chow chow = Ban-galore vankaya

Box-thorn:

is a plant native to China and Japan, but it also grows in parts of tropical Asia where it is particularly appreciated by the Chinese. The stiff stems are known in Chinese as the "walking stick of immortals", no doubt a reference to the plant's medicinal properties. Both the fresh leaves and ripe berries (often known as wolf-berries) are eaten, the dried berries being one of the most popular items in the Chinese pharmacopeia and in use for at least 2,000 years. Chinese box-thorn should not be confused with the noxious weed, African box-thorn, a native of South Africa which has been grown as a decorative plant in Europe, Australia and America.

Appearance & Flavor The plant has somewhat oval, dark green leaves growing closely together from a very stiff, almost woody stem which has sharp spines well hidden where the leaf stems join the central stem. The stems are usually 10 - 12 in (25 - 30 cm) in length when sold in markets. Choosing & Storing Box-thorn is sold with the leaves still on the hard stems. Look for leaves which have not wilted. Do not remove the leaves from the stem until just before cooking. To store, wrap in kitchen towels and refrigerate for 4 - 5 days. Preparing When removing the leaves from the stems, be careful to avoid the short, sharp spikes hiding on the stem - remember the word "thorn" in the name of this plant. Rinse the leaves and drain. Nutritional & Medicinal Properties Both the green leaves and the ripe red berries (sold dried in Chinese medicine shops and in herbal mixtures in Asian stores) are said to be good for the liver. The leaves are rich in calcium and iron, while the berries contain carotene and vitamin C, and are regarded as a general tonic, as well as being good for eyesight. Culinary Uses Box-thorn is generally cooked in soups by the Chinese, often with pork or pork liver. As the leaves are slightly bitter, dishes with box-thorn often need a touch of sugar to counteract the bitterness, as well as a dash of white pepper for fragrance. The dried berries have a pleasant sweet-sour flavor and are often added to soups such as clear chicken stock. Wolf-berries can also be added to stir-fried vegetables for color and texture ( by Wendy Hutton - A Cook's Guide to Asian Vegetables).

In other languages...........

© 2008 by Rajani Rayudu

Get together Menus

Deciding what to cook for get together! these are the menus I cooked for small group of friends. Hope it might help you in planning. Please do share it with me your menus for a party. I will include it here.......

Get together Menus

1)  Menu:

Prawn Biriyani

Andhra Chepala Vepudu

Andhra Chepala Pulusu

Perugu Chutney

2) Menu:

White Rice

Kodi Vepudu

Kodi Kura

Sambhar

Poppadums

Yoghurt

3) Menu:

Layered Lamb Biriyani

Yoghurt chutney

4) For Chaat Party:

Vada Pau

Pani-puri

Mirchi Bajji

5) All time snacks:

Chuduva

Nuvvulu undalu

6) Pickle to go with:

Chinese aaku Pachadi 

© 2008 by Rajani Rayudu

Kodi Vepudu/ Andhra Chicken Fry

Kodi Vepudu

Ingredients:

Chicken - 750 g (use chicken thigh pieces with bones, cut into bite size pieces)
Red onion - 1 no. (grind into paste)
Ginger and Garlic paste - 1 tsp each
Chilli powder - 2 - 3 tsp
Kashmiri chilli powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Mix these together, cook in a daaka/ utensil with 1/4 th cup water, until pieces are cooked.

Onion - 2 no. (sliced finely, brown ones)
Green chillies - 6 no. (sliced round)
Salt to taste
Oil - 5 tbsp

Masala Powder:

Coriander seeds - 3 tsp

Whole cloves - 5 no.

Cardamom - 5 no.

Cinnamon stick - 5 in

Black peppers - 1 tsp

Fry these in tsp of ghee, until roasts well and powder.

Garnish:

Coriander leaves - handful (chopped finely)
Mint leaves - handful (chopped finely)

Proceed:

1) Heat a flat deep non-stick pan with oil on medium heat, when it is hot add green chillies first, fry.

2) Add sliced onion and fry until golden color. keep mixing (otherwise onions become darker).

3) Add cooked chicken along with gravy it may have. Now mix these and fry until all the water is evaporated and sticks to the chicken. Check for seasoning.

4) Add masala powder and garnishing stuff, mix well and switch off.

Serving suggestions:

Serve with Kodi Kura, Charu or Rasam, Rice and Yoghurt.

Serve with Kodi Kura, Mutton Pulav or Ghee Rice and Raita.

Tip:

You have to keep stirring while cooking, to get even frying.

© 2008 by Rajani Rayudu

Apricot Pastry Puff

Apricot Pastry Puff

Ingredients:

Puff pastry - 1 - 2 sheets (defrost as per instructions, cut in to round circles with help of cookies cutter makes 8)

Apricots - 1 tin (drain, keep these on paper towels)

Crystalised ginger - as needed (each piece cut into pieces and keep them sperately)

Runny honey - as needed

Pistachios - chopped, as needed

Egg wash or milk - to smear

Proceed:

Preheat oven to 220 d' C.

Place circles on a lined baking tray, brush with egg wash or milk all over.

Place small amount of crystalised ginger inside middle of each pastry circle. Drizzle little honey.

Place 3 apricots on top, drizzle bit more honey on top.

Decorate pistachios on top.

Repeat this procedure for each circle.

Bake these for 15 mins or until golden brown.

Serve dusted with icing sugar on top. yummy....................

Note: I have cut the pastry into four as I don't have any cookie cutter, smeared milk on top. Instead of 3 apricots, I used 4. I don't have pistachios either so used lightly toasted almonds.
I think you need to prick them before you keep everything in the middle, I didn't do it so no worry's.

This recipe is adapted from Allyson Gofton.

© 2008 by Rajani Rayudu

Vegetarian Tacos

Vegetarian Tacos

Things we need:

Tacos - 10 no.

Cook until heated through in a microwave, do not burn

Mexican Style beans - 1 tin

Cayenne pepper - 1/2 tsp

Mix these two in microwave safe bowl and cook for 1-2 min

wee look

Nupur's Green tomato chutney (Hiravya tamatyachi Chutney) - as required

Avocado and garlic dressing - store bought

Red Capsicum - 1 no. (chopped)

Carrots - 1-2 no. (grated)

Cheddar Cheese - grated, as needed

Hiravya tamatyachi Chutney

Salsa - as needed

White onion - 1/2 no. (chopped very finely), Jalapeno - 2 no. (chopped finely), Tomato - 1 no. (chopped finely), lemon juice - to taste - Mix these in a small bowl

getting ready

Proceed:

Keep everything separately in bowls with serving spoons.

Hold taco shell in one hand and spoon off some beans on to the bottom of the shell, then some grated carrots, capsicum pieces, salsa, Nupur's chutney, avocado dressing and some cheese.

A big thanks to Nupur for the recipe, I ate it with kichdi and invented to eat this way too. Worked wonder. Hugs........


Tip:


For assembling in taco shells, invert non-stick muffin trays, and keep the shell inside the gap to hold, do this for every gap, fill and place it to serve.

© 2008 by Rajani Rayudu

Silverbeet Pappu/ Dal

Silverbeet Pappu/ Dal

Set 1:

Toor Dal/ Kandi pappu - 1 cup
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Water - 2 and 1/2 cups
Silverbeet - 1/2 bunch (cut the white part off, wash and chop)

Cook set 1 in pressure cooker until soft and mash lightly with pappu guthu. or masher.

Set 2 (seasoning):

Oil - 1 & 1/2 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Garlic - 5 cloves (smashed and sliced)

Red chillies - 2 no. (split in half)

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Hing/ Asafoetida - small pinch

MTR Rasam powder - 1/2 tsp (my twist)

Set 3:

Tamarind - lemon size (add water until immersed and microwave for 1 and 1/2 min and squeeze out the pulp when cool enough)

Salt to taste

Proceed:

1) Take a kadhai, heat oil in it. Do seasoning from Set 2 by adding mustard seeds when it is stopped poping add cumin seeds when it is starting to brown, add curry leaves, red chillies, garlic and fry, add hing and rasam powder in the last, mix well. Immediately follow by adding Set 3 and stir. Cook until it becomes slightly thick.

2) Add cooked dal from Set 1 to the above, mix well. If you want the dish to be little runny add water to loosen up a bit, cook until it boils. Check for salt and switch off.

Serve with Plain White Rice, Ghee, Poppadums, Aloo Fry, Yoghurt on side.

Tip:

Use home made tamarind paste.

Meanings:

Silver-beet = Swiss Chard

© 2008 by Rajani Rayudu

Majjiga Mirapakayalu/ Dried Sour Chillies

Ingredients:

Yoghurt - 1/2 litre
Water - to make it thin
Salt - as needed
Green chillies - 15 no. (long variety)

Proceed:

Wash the green chillies, slit them in the middle (by keeping intact). In a Plastic container add yoghurt, water, salt and beat it. Now add slit chillies to it, put the lid on top. In the morning take a steel tray, keep the chillies side by side (do not throw away the butter milk) and keep it in a sunny area whole day. In the evening add these chillies to the same buttermilk, repeat this process for 3 days. On the 3 rd day throw away the buttermilk. Now keep these chillies under the hot sun until all the chillies are dried up. You can turn now and then. But make sure to keep inside in the evening. Store these in an air-tight container, keep serviattes in side to remove any moisture it may have. Will stay for an year.

While serving:

Deep fry the chillies and serve.

Serve with Yoghurt rice or daddojanem and any lentil curry. Yum........................

Tip:

You can stuff these chillies with turmeric, mustard powder, fenugreek powder, amchur (dried mango powder), hing and kala namak (black salt) or salt. When you have slitted the chilli, sprinkle some of this mixture inside and keep in butter milk. Taste will be so

different..................

© 2008 by Rajani Rayudu

Merry X-mas

Have a Happy Christmas and a New Year!

Want to try an Eggless Fruit cake...................

© 2007 by Rajani Rayudu

Baingan Burta/ Roasted Eggplant with Tomatoes

Baingan Burta

Roasting:

Eggplant - 1 no.(large and fat)
Oil - little to smear

First preheat oven to 250 ' C- Bake. Smear little oil to the eggplant and keep it on a tray lined with foil and roast the eggplant for 40 - 60 mins until the skin looks flaky and water oozes out. keep aside and remove the eggplant skin and tap it with serviettes to remove any water which is coming out and chop.

Other things we need:

Oil - 5 & 1/2 tbsp

Garlic - 7 cloves (sliced)
Ginger - 2 inch (sliced and chopped)

Green chillies - 6 no. (cut into small pieces)

Onions - 2 m (chopped)

Tomatoes - 3/4 th tin

Coriander leaves - handful (chopped)
Salt to taste

Proceed:

1) Heat oil in a non stick kadhai, add sliced garlic, ginger and fry well . Add green chilli fry again.

2) Add chopped onion and fry until light brown.

3) Add chopped smoked eggplant and fry for 8 mins keep stirring.

4) Add 3/4 tin chopped tomatoes (cook first, for 1 min in microwave) and cook for 8 mins again or until oil floats on top, stirring in between.

5) Garnish with chopped coriander leaves, stir and remove from flame and add salt to taste.

Serve with Phulkas or Rice.


Eggplant used:


American Eggplant

© 2007 by Rajani Rayudu