Gangabayala Endu Mamidi Pappu/ Purslane leaves dal with Dried Mango Twist

Gangabayala Endu Mamidi Pappu

Dried Mango Slices or Amchur

Ingredients:

Kandi Pappu/ Toor Dal - 1 rice cup (wash it well)

Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Water - 2 and 1/2 rice cups

Gangabayala Akku/ Purslane Leaves - 1 bunch (wash well, keep only thin stalk and leaves and chop)

In a pressure cooker add toor dal, chilli powder, turmeric, water and 1 bunch chopped Purslane leaves, pressure cook with weight on top until soft.

Dried mango slices - 2 handful (wash well with cold water)

Meanwhile, for washed mango pieces, add 1 glass of kettle boiled water to it, cover and keep aside until you switched off the cooker.

Once the pressure is down, start cooking the mango pieces along with water you have soaked, in a medium skillet and cook until soft. Remove lid from the cooker add salt to taste and mash with pappu guthu or back of the laddle, add this mixture to the mango dish, rinse off the cooker bowl with little water and add it to the boiling dal, bring it to boil once and do seasoning.

Seasoning:

Oil - 1 tbsp, Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp, Cumin - 1/2 tsp, Urad dal - 1 tsp, Red chillies - 4 (split), Garlic cloves - 3 no. (mash once), Curry leaves - 1 sprig and Hing - a pinch.

Do seasoning and add it to dal, cover the dish for 5 mins and serve.

Serve with Saggubiyam vadiyalu and Gummadi vadiyalu or Papads or Indian style Omelette.

Note:

Tastes good even the next day.

I always store these dried mango pieces in my pantry, so when need it's easy peasy. You don't have to wait for the season to do this dish.

These are Dried Raw Mango Slices can be found in Indian grocery store.

Purslane leaves has Omega - 3 content, so try to include in your diet, people who haven't tried I highly recommend.

Translation:

Dried Mango Slices = Endu Mamidi kaya Badhalu

Purslane Leaves = Gangabayala/ Gangapayalu akku

© 2010 by Rajani Rayudu

Satyanarayana Puja Lunch Menu!!

"no onion, garlic and limited masala"

Puja Prasadam:

Panchamuratem

Satyanarayana Prasadam 

Kobbari mukkalu drizzled with sugar

Lunch Menu:

Motichoor Ladoo

Jangiri

Pulihora

White Rice

Poppadums

Ghee

Kobbari Pachadi

Dappalam

Vankaya Sanaga Pappu Kura

Mudda Pappu

Beans Fry

Aratikaya Fry

Yoghurt

Fruit Custard

Badam Halwa

Ice Creams

This menu was prepared for friend's gruhapravesam on puja day. Hope it will help you.

Aloo kurma, Potato fry, Panasa pottu Kura, Kanda Bachali and Vankaya allam Kura are also few suggestions of mine - just avoid onion and proceed the same.

© 2010 by Rajani Rayudu

Dappalam/ Mixed Vegetable with a twist

Dappalam

(a hot liquid tamarind extract with mixed vegetable pieces)

Chilakada dumpa/ Gold Kumara

Gummadi kaya/ Grey Pumpkin

Ingredients:

Grey Pumpkin - 200 g (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

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

Cabbage bangaladumpa kura/ Cabbage Potato Curry

Cabbage Bangaladumpa Kura

Buy smaller young cabbage, rather buying very large cabbage. Younger cabbage needs no water and tastes good with this particular curry

Ingredients:

Cabbage - 1 small no. (shred finely, soak these in water until needed)

Potato - 2 no. (skin removed and cut into small chunks)

Ginger Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp

Onion - 1/2 no. (chopped)

Green chillies - 2 no. (slit lengthwise)

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Home-made masala powder - 1 tsp (scroll down to see)

Coriander leaves - handful (chopped finely)

Oil - 3 tbsp

Proceed:

1) Heat a kadai, add oil when it is hot add green chillies and onions and fry until light brown.

2) Add potato pieces and gg paste and fry for 5 mins on medium-low heat, keep it covered.

3) Mix well and lay on top finely shredded cabbage (squeeze the water out and add), cook these until it leaves lots of water, by covering with lid at all times.

(make sure it is not burning underneath).

4) Now, add turmeric, chilli powder and salt to taste on top of cabbage, keep it covered and cook until potato pieces are 3/4 th cooked.

5) Add masala powder and coriander leaves, mix well and cook until potato pieces are fully cooked.

Serve with Plain white Rice or Roti, Ghee, Yoghurt and Capsicum Chutney on side.

Tip:

Please do not add any water to this dish, as it leaves lots of water.

Note:

Please follow the temperature and cooking procedure carefully.

I use Anjali Cutter for this, for fine shredding. If you don't, then use only knife not food processor. Some how food processor didn't work for this.

Home-made Masala powder:

3 tsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp Poppy seeds, 6 Cardamom, 6 Whole Cloves, 1 inch Cinnamon stick - Grind these in coffee grinder into smooth powder.

Left over Twist:

Chandrakala Uthappam

© 2009 by Rajani Rayudu

Hyderabadi Qeema Biriyani

Hyderabadi Qeema Biriyani

Thanks Samina! yet again for your lovely dish. This one is excellent and became my family favorite. Check out the other recipe I tried from her Channa pulao with Spinach. for vegetarian version.

Good for picnic or for unexpected guests or just treat your self :-)

Ingredients:

1) For Curry:

Diced Lamb - 1/2 kg (read tips)

Cut these into small pieces, but bigger than minced (in other words moti keema). Wash well, keep these in cooker bowl add 1/2 tsp salt and required water. Pressure cook for 20 mins. When the pressure is down, drain the liquid out while adding to the curry.

Onions - 2 large (slice thinly)

Oil - 1/2 cup

Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tbsp

Coriander Powder - 2 tsp

Red Chilli powder - 2 tsp

Cayenne Pepper - 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Whole Tomato - 3 large (chopped)

Water - 1/2 cup

For Garnish:

Curry leaves - 2 sprigs (cut them with scissors or finely chopped)

Coriander leaves - handful (chopped finely)

Mint leaves - handful (chopped finely)

Proceed for Curry:

1) Now heat a flat deep nonstick pan, add oil once heated fry the onions in batches until golden color (reserve the first batch for layer).

2) Add gg paste, fry for few mins.

3) Add strained keema to it, fry for 3 mins.

4) Add all powders and fry.

5) Add tomato pieces, cook until mushy.

6) Add water and cook until all the water has evaporated by keeping the lid on. Switch off and keep it covered for 5 mins.

7) To this, garnish with above ingredients.

2) For Rice:

Basmati Rice - 1/2 kg or 2 cups

Water - 4 cups

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

Salt - 3 tsp

Green Chillies - 4 no. (remove the stem and slit lengthways, with out tearing apart)

Proceed for Par-boiled Rice:

Bring water to boil in a deep dish, along with all other ingredients, except rice. Once it comes to boiling point add washed basmati rice to it, cover and reduce it to simmer until rice is cooked 3/4 th (we do dum, so cook only 75 %). Once finished, drain the water out in stainer completely (me does in Jalleda, once the rice drained out, I keep the stainer in an angle, this way the water comes out very easily) spread out in flat dish or pallem. Remove the chilli bit and add it to garnish curry.

3) For layering:

Colored Yoghurt - 125 g Yoghurt + Yellow Food Color - 1/2 tsp (mix this well)

Mace Nutmeg Powder - 1/2 tsp + 1/2 tsp extra

Colored Milk - 1/4 tsp yellow color + little milk (mix these both)

Lemon - 1 no. (take juice)

Proceed for final touch:

1) Grease the deep flat dish with butter all around.

2) Add half the cooked rice.

3) Add another layer of entire curry.

4) Add reserved fried onion on top.

5) Add all the colored Yoghurt.

6) Add 1/2 tsp of mace nutmeg powder.

7) Add all the lemon juice.

8) Add the remaining rice on top.

9) Add remaining 1/2 tsp mace nutmeg powder on top.

10) Top it up colored milk on top.

11) Keep the lid on tightly, and do dum on simmer heat for atleast 30 - 35 mins.

12) Once finished mix it lightly all through and serve.

Serve with Kachumber or Raita.

Tips:

Please Read my tips for dum in my Hyderabadi Chicken Biriyani recipe. Before even you start the dish.

Meat = we need smaller pieces but not too fine, so that they are firm to bite.

I buy Nutmeg Powder in packets, no need to grate. It is quite easy.

Meanings:

Mace = Javithri

Nutmeg = Jaiphal = Jajjikaya (in Telugu)

© 2009 by Rajani Rayudu

Chukka Kura Pappu/ Sorrel Spinach Dal

Chukka Kura Pappu/ Sorrel spinach Dal ?

Ingredients:

Kandi Pappu/ Toor Dal - 1 rice cup (washed three times in a cooker bowl)

Chukka kura - 1/2 - 3/4 bunch (washed and leaves chopped)

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Chilli Powder - 1 tsp

Water - 2 and 1/2 rice cups

Add these all to above washed toor dal dish and pressure cook until toor dal becomes mushy.

Salt - to taste

Once pressure is released add salt to it and mash well with pappu guthu or with a back of a spoon.

(washed Chukka Kura leaves)

Seasoning:

Oil 1 tbsp + Ghee 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Urad dal - 2 tsp

Red chillies - 4 no. (broken into bits)

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Asafoetida/ Hing - a pinch

Do seasoning in a medium sauce pan in the order given above, once finished add mashed dal to it, mix well. If it is thick add 1/4 th cup water to it and boil once and switch off or else switch off once adding it to seasoning.

Serve with Ghee, Indian style Omelette, Potato Fry, Rice and Yoghurt on side.

Chukka kura Leaf (close up)

Thanks Anuradha for your organic leaves :-) I am loving it.

Chukka kura :

In Palmy every one calling these as pullakku. These leaves are sour in taste just like gongura leaves but looks like spinach, instead of round on top as spinach these leaves has pointed tip. For making dal treat them as gongura by not adding any tamarind or tomatoes while cooking. As these leaves are sourer than gongura.

Translated:

Hindi - Katta Palak

English - Sorrel Spinach

© 2009 by Rajani Rayudu

Simple Indian Thali

Triangular Paratha with Mixed Vegetable Paneer

For recipe details please visit here where I have posted guest post for Menu Mania.

Mixed Vegetable Paneer (wee close up)

For Making Paneer (200 g):

Whole Milk Powder - 1 cup

Water - 4 cups

Mix these both with out any lumps in 2 lit-re microwave safe bowl, keep the lid and keep in fridge for 30 mins.

Remove the lid and microwave for 11 mins.

To that add 3 tbsp Vinegar, by now the whey will separate from it. Keep a colander lined with cotton kerchief or muslin cloth pour the separated milk in there and gather four corners and tie it four corners. Keep a heavy weight on top me uses pestle. Keep this for 3 hrs. Later keep this in small plastic container and keep chilled for 1 hr, once chilled remove the cloth and keep it refrigerate and use the next day. By now paneer will be hardened. Cut into bite size pieces and use. For curry's I normally fry them in butter and keep them in single layer while frying until golden brown.

Tip:

I like this texture very much rather boiling milk and adding lemon juice. This is more like meaty texture. If you got any near expiry milk powder then I would recommend go for it.

Above yields 200 g for me. If you want more double the qty for more paneer.

Note:

For 1 cup of Milk powder you will have 1 lit-re of milk.

2 nd recipe

Aloo Gobhi

© 2009 by Rajani Rayudu

Godhuma Rawa Halwa/ Cracked Wheat Halwa

Satyanarayana Prasadam

Set 1:

Godhuma Rawa - 1/4 kg

Ghee - 50 g

Cashews and Sultanas - Handful

Set 2:

Water - 2 and 1/2 cups

Sugar - 250 g

Cardamom Powder - 2 g

Ghee - 50 g

Proceed:

Heat a deep flat nonstick pan, add ghee to it once heated add cashews first fry till light golden, immediately add sultanas and fry altogether and remove. Keep aside.

In the above ghee dish fry rawa too (mean while boil separately,water+sugar+cardamom powder)

Once water boiled add this to rawa and mix well. Once cooked add remaining ghee and mix, add the fried cashews and sultanas too, mix well. Switch off, cover it for 15 mins.

Tip:

You can use half water + half Milk too.

Instead of using white sugar try using brown sugar to get that jaggery look.

or jaggery, if you are then heat this separately with small amount of water kind of thick syrup add this when cracked wheat is fully cooked, mix, cook until it absorbs the liquid.

Note:

We serve it for Satyanarayana Puja as Prasadam.

Other prasadam we do on Satyanarayana Puja are:

Panchamrutam

Check my Rawa Kesari instead of doing Godhuma Rawa Halwa for Puja.

Meaning:

Godhuma Rawa = Cracked Wheat

© 2009 by Rajani Rayudu

Guthi Vankaya Kura/ Andhra Stuffed Brinjal Curry

Guthi Vankaya Kura

Ingredients:

Guthi Vankayalu/ Small Egg plants - 5 no. (each eggplant should be the same size, with the top bit or muchka, wash and wipe with serviettes)

Heat oil in a deep frying pan, once heated do plus signs or star shape on each eggplant from underneath about 3/4 of it's size. Deep fry one eggplant at a time, only for few secs, making sure you are turning the eggplant, to coat the hot oil on all sides. By now they will open a bit, remove to a plate. Do this to all of them. Switch off.

For Stuffing (masala paste):

Oil - 3 tbsp

Whole Masalas - {Coriander seeds - 3 tsp, Poppy seeds - 1 tsp, Whole Cloves - 6, Cardamom - 6, Cinnamon stick - 1 inch}

Onion - 1 and 1/2 large no. (chopped into chunks)

Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 tsp

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Chilli powder - 1 and 1/2 tsp

Heat oil in a deep nonstick pan, once heated fry in the order given above. Switch off, keep it cooled, transfer these to mixie jar and grind into smooth paste with out any water, remove to a bowl.

Salt to taste

Add this to above paste and mix well.

Water - 1/4 rice cup

To the emptied grinded jar add water, and pulse the mixie. Keep this water aside until needed.

Oil - 1 tbsp

Proceed:

1) For the fried eggplant, stuff with above masala paste, just about.

2) Heat oil in the same non-stick pan on medium-low, add stuffed eggplant keep them in a single layer, add remaining paste which you may have. Rotate the dish once add reserved water, and keep the flame simmer, cover and cook for 10 mins. Turn once and rotate the dish and cook for 10 more mins. Now remove the lid and cook for 2 mins. Switch off. Keep the lid on for 5 more mins, by now you will see eggplant have glossy finish with oil, now keep the lid ajar. Serve.

Serve with Sambhar, Vegetable Pulao or Rice and Yoghurt on side. Even goes well as a party dish.

Stuffed Eggplant

Tip:

When choosing brinjals, choose which are tender, not those which has seeds in them means in telugu muduru.

For Indians:- pick atleast 10 - 12 no. purple eggplant, tender and little in size.

My mom never deep fries it before, in that case instead of putting plus mark, cut into star, keep them in warm salted water until ready.

For masala do the same way (I am thinking shallots will be lot tastier in this dish, in that case no need to pre fry them, add same amount of weight) + add 1 tbsp butter (not melted but soften). For adding oil in kadai, my mom puts 1 egg plant in the middle of the dish pour oil until the eggplant is half way filled with oil, then remove and stuff, once heated keep them in a single layered, fry for few mins, turn over again do the same and add reserved water, cover and cook. You shouldn't stir all the time, instead rotate the dish carefully and turn the pieces half way through. If you follow this way it is quite tasty, only for Indian brinjals though. (this way oil will go inside the eggplant and masala will be fried evenly, you won't get kacha taste). Cook this dish on eye method, until eggplant are cooked well.

Want to see who tried my recipe:

My World of Recipes - by Preethi Chalavadhi

© 2009 by Rajani Rayudu

Menthaku Pachadi/ Fenugreek leaves Chutney

Menthaku Pachadi

Get ready and Proceed:

Oil - 3 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp

Urad dal - 2 tsp

Red Chillies - 10 no.

Hing - a pinch

Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Heat oil in a deep skillet, fry one by one, once fried keep these in mixie jar, when cool enough grind these into powder.

Garlic - 4 no. flakes

Salt to taste

Add these to above jar and grind.

Menthaku/ Fenugreek Leaves - 4 blocks (frozen packet, read tips) or 1 bunch (fresh, only leaves please, wash them thoroughly)

Tamarind - 1/2 lime size. (add water just enough to immerse, microwave for 1 min, when cool enough, make pulp)

Whole Tomatoes - 2 no. (small size, chopped)

Oil - 2 tsp

Heat oil in the same skillet, add menthaku and fry for 2 mins. Add chopped tomatoes, mix well and fry until it becomes mushy. Cool off a bit and add this to grinded jar along with tamarind juice and grind into smooth paste. Check for seasoning. Remove this to container and refrigerate for at-least 4 hrs before serving.

Tips:

I have used frozen packet, if you are then keep the frozen menthi blocks in warm water, once it is defrosted squeeze the water out by using tea strainer.

For better results do the chutney at lunch time and serve it in the evening, by making sure the flavors will seep through.

Serve with Rice, Mudda Pappu, Ghee and Yoghurt on side.

Meaning:

Menthaku = Fenugreek leaves

Menthaku = Methi (hindi)

© 2009 by Rajani Rayudu

Cauliflower Paratha

Cauliflower Paratha

For Atta Dough:

Atta flour - 2 cups

Rice bran oil - 1 tbsp

Salt - 1 tsp

Water - as needed (normal not heated)

First mix the dry ingredients first and add water little by little until it's forms soft dough like consistency. keep this covered for 30 mins.

For Cauliflower Stuffing:

Cauliflower - 2 cups (take few florets with their stems, wash them, take a grater and hold the stem and grate the flower bit, discard the stem, it is very easy so don't get panicked while grating)

Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp

Salt - 1/2 tsp

Mix these and leave it for at-least 30 mins, after it's finished 30 mins stand by time squeeze the water out from it and keep in the plate, repeat this two times to remove as much water as possible and follow remaining part.

To the above squeezed cauliflower thingi add 1/2 tsp chilli powder, 3/4 tsp garam masala powder, mix well, now our mix is ready for stuffing.

Other things:

Plain flour for dusting

Rice bran oil or Ghee - as needed

Proceed:

1) From Atta dough, take golf sized balls and roll into soft balls. Do this until you finish off the dough. Now carefully take each ball and with the help of plain flour roll each into round thin shape by using roll pin. Do this to all of them.

2) Now hold the circle on the bench and spread 3 tspns of stuffing mix all around leaving 1 inch around the edges, keep another circle on top, keep your both hands on top of it pat them to remove the air inside, carefully roll into as thin as possible with out tearing, dust them with flour when ever needed. Repeat this step for all of them.

3) Heat a tawa on medium heat, once heated put the stuffed circle on top of it and cook until small bubbles appear on top. Turn over and cook until small bubbles appear underneath.

Spread some Ghee or Rice bran oil on top of it, turn over, keep the flame to high and press with spatula to get brown spots underneath. Smear some ghee or oil on top of it and turn again to get brown spots. Keep them covered in Roti Basket.

Repeat this to all of them and Serve.

Serve with Mango Thokku Pickle (Priya Bottle).

Tip:

Stuffing can be made ahead and refrigerate.

While stuffing inside paratha, sprinkle some finely chopped garlic, to give extra flavor to paratha.

Well you can make atta dough too and do dough balls, keep this in air tight container and store it in fridge not freezer, when you want to roll them, keep outside 30 mins prior and roll them. Stays good atleast for 2 days.

While cooking make sure to keep the temperature as mentioned by turning up and down when ever needed.

If you got left over stuffing, sprinkle these to make uthappam. preheat pan with little bit of oil, add directly idli batter on uthappam pan, sprinkle some of the mixture on top, cover and cook on low heat cook for 5 mins, again put little oil on top and then turn and cover for 3 mins and remove lid cook for 2 mins. and serve

Note:

These are good for those unexpected guests or just have it for lunch or dinner or when it rains :-)

Product that I use:

Grainlands Atta Flour (Champion Brand)

My husband's tip:

He smears margarine on top instead of oil or ghee while cooking on point 3. Tastes good too.

© 2009 by Rajani Rayudu

Get together Menu

Now check this out, isn't it perfect. Recipes coming soon until then............

Weekend Lunch Hangouts!

Plate Meals:

Biriyani Rice

Malai Kofta

Chilli Chicken

Garlic Naan

For Cold Drinks:

Carrot Cooler

For Cooling Off:

Watermelon Pieces

© 2009 by Rajani Rayudu

Gangabayala Pachi Mamidikaya Pappu/ Purslane Dal with Raw Mango Twist

Picture: Purslane leaves, Gangabayala Pachi Mamidikaya Pappu, Pickled Raw Mango Pulp.

A special thanks to Krishna Preethi Chalavadhi from "My World Of Recipes" who has shared this amazing combo recipe with me, thanks Preethi................. I should thank other too who inquired about this leaf in my e.mail, by then I didn't know about it, but I am glad I found this leafy vege, if you haven't tasted it yet then scroll down to read......

Ingredients:

Toor Dal/ Kandi Pappu - 1 rice cup

Onion - 1 no. small (chopped into chunks)

Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Keep this in pressure cooker bowl, to that add 2 and 1/2 rice cups of water.

Gangabayala aaku/ Purslane leaves - 1 bunch (use leaves only, wash and chop roughly)

Pickled Raw Mango Pulp or Raw Mango - 3 tbsp or 1 no. (wash and chop into pieces)

Keep these seperately in pressure cooker bowl, to that add 1/2 rice cup water. Now keep these two bowls in pressure cooker and keep the weight on and cook until 5 whistles or until toor dal is mushy.

For Seasoning:

Oil - 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Urad dal - 1 tsp

Red chillies - 4 no. (split in half)

Curryleaves - few sprigs

Fenugreek powder - a pinch

Garlic - 2 cloves (smashed lightly)

Hing/ Asafoetida - a pinch

Proceed:

1) Heat oil in a non-stick kadai, once heated do seasoning in the order given above.

2) After seasoning is finished, add first bowl of cooked leaves and secondly mashed and cooked toor dal, mix well. Bring it to boil once and switch off. Check for seasoning, normally if we are using pickled raw mango pulp, it always has lots of salt, so if needed add accordingly, if you are using fresh mango then add salt to taste. Serve.

Serve with Ghee on top, Plain white Rice, any fried dish, Yoghurt and Poppadums

on side.

Tip:

you can add green chilles too, while pressure cooking the dal as per your taste and garnish with coriander leaves if you feel like, I didn't do any of these, but still tasted excellent.

Pickled Raw Mango Pulp:

This was given to me from dear friend of mine Swapna Billa, her mom did the pickling stuff. The only ingredients where grated raw mango (peel the raw mango, grate this, the water which comes with it throw away by leaving little juice is enough), to that add turmeric and lots of salt, keep in glass jar (no sun-drying needed, just like mixing mango pickle but with out any masalas or chilli powder) looks like above. This will store for months in fridge can be used for dal dishes and for doing Mango Pulihora. I would recommend you get it from India and tastes just like real mango no yucky bottled stuff, can be used when out of season.

Note:

Do Dal with Mango required amount, do not cook more and eat the next day, it tastes yucky. Some how it looses it's tastes. Fresh is the best for this stuff.

Translation:

Gangabayala/ Gangapayala aaku = Purslane leaves

Purslane:

is a member of the Portulaca family, a fleshy decorative plant with small bright flowers which grows wild, from Greece right across to China. It is a very ancient plant and was known to the ancient Egyptians. Purslane can be enjoyed both raw and cooked.

Appearance & Flavor Purslane has fat, succulent stems that are often tinged with red and small, fleshy green leaves. It has small yellow flowers. The texture is somewhat sticky and chewy, like that of okra, and it's flavor, sometimes described as having a sweet-sour taste, is pleasant. Choosing & Storing Look for bunches where the stems are firm and not wilted. Refrigerate the vegetables in a jar with the stem ends standing in 1 in (2 1/2 cm) of cold water. Store for 1 - days. Kept this way, the purslane remains fresh for 2 - 3 days, although the vegetable should be used as soon as possible because the plant wilts quickly. Preparing To prepare, cut off the root end and cut the stems together with their leaves into 2 -3 in (5 - 8 cm) lengths. Nutritional & Medicinal Properties Purslane is not just one of the few plants to contain omega 3 fatty acids - which is believed to help combat high cholesterol levels - it has the highest amount of fatty acid compared to other plants. It is also rich in beta - carotene, vitamin C and iron. In addition, it is believed to be a diuretic. Culinary Uses Purslane can be eaten either raw or blanched with a dip or added to soups. It is also good in stews, mixed with spices and freshly grated coconut or briefly stir-fried with garlic and lightly seasoned with soy sauce and sesame oil. (by Wendy Hutton, A Cook's Guide to Asian Vegetables)

More in Wikipedia............

© 2009 by Rajani Rayudu