Ugadi Get-together 2016 Menu!

Pot luck Menu for Ugadi 2016!

Starters: Ugadi Pachadi, Chakkera Pongal (me), Potato Bajji, Pesara Punugulu, Senaga Pappu Vadalu.

Chutneys: Cabbage Chutney, Coconut Chutney, Vankaya Pachadi.

Mains: Paravannam, Pudina Pulihora, Daddojanam, Dahi Vada, White Rice, Raw Banana Fry, Beans Fry, Batata Song (or Potato Song, gravy), Mudda Pappu, Sorakaya Pulusu, Sambhar.

Accompaniments: Papad's n Rice crackers, Plain yoghurt, Tomato ketchup, Salt, Ghee n Soft Drinks.

Dessert: Gulab Jamun, Vanilla Ice cream.

Enjoy! 

 (Dahi Vada)

 (Godhuma Rava Chakkera Pongal)

(Mysore Bonda)

(Vankaya Pachadi)

(Paramannam)

(Pudina Pulihora)

 (Daddojanam)

(Banana Fry using Green Banana)

(Alu Fry)

(Potato Song)

 (Mudda Pappu)

(Sorakaya Pulusu)

(Sambhar)

(Fryums)

(Gulab Jamun)

Prep Work:

© 2016 by Rajani Rayudu

Chikkudukaya Tomato Kura

Chikkudukaya Tomato Kura

I keep Frozen Val Papdi at all times in Freezer. This is easy when u don't have any fresh veggies to cook.

Ingredients n Prep:

Chikkudukaya - 350 g (frozen packet, Val Papdi)

- Wash n add it to cooker along with 1 tsp salt, 3 rice cups water. Cook for 3 whistles on gas stove top or If it electric top cook for 2 whistles n switch off.

Oil - 3 tbsp
Green chillies - 2 (slit)
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs (torn while adding)

Onion - 1 large (chopped)

Ginger gallic paste - 1 tsp

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Masala Powder - 1 tsp (refer notes, same as chicken masala)

Tomatoes - 4 m (or 1 tin chopped tomato)

Water - 2 rice cups or until veggies are just immersed 

Salt to taste
Coriander leaves - 2 handful (chopped)

Proceed:

Heat a medium deep nonstick pan on medium. add oil, once hot add green chillies n fry, add curry leaves n onion n fry until light golden color.

Reduce heat to low, n add gg paste, turmeric mix well n add strained cooked chikkudu pieces, on top of it put chilli powder, masala powder fry for 5 mins by covering.

Mix well, add tomatoes mix n increase heat to medium n cover for 5 mins.

Add water, mix bring to boil n keep the flame on simm n cook for 10 mins.

Add salt according to taste (*remember u already added salt while pressure cooking) n chopped coriander leaves, mix well n cook away for 5 mins n switch off.

Keep it covered for 10 mins at-least.

Serve with Roti or Rice, Ghee, Yoghurt on side.

Notes:

1) Homemade Chicken Masala Powder:

- 3 flat tsp Coriander seeds, 1 flat tsp Poppy seeds, 6 Cardamom, 6 Cloves, 1 inch Cinnamon - 

Powder these in coffee grinder (no need of roasting the ingredients).

2) Chikkudukaya = Val Papdi (can be found in Indian groceries Freezer section)


© 2016 by Rajani Rayudu

Courgette Tomato Kura or Curry

Courgette Tomato Curry

Ingredients:

Courgette - 6 no. (sliced n cut into 4 pieces)
Tomatoes - 8 no. small (chopped)

Oil - 5 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Green chillies - 4 no. - 6 no. (slit)
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs (torn into pieces)
Hing - 1/4 tsp

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Salt to taste
Coriander leaves - 2 handful (chopped)

Roasted Cumin-Fenugreek powder - 1/4 tsp (please reads notes)

Proceed:

Heat a Iron Kadai on medium heat once hot add oil, add mustard seeds, reduce heat now wait until it started to pop. then add cumin seeds, fry, green chillies, curry leaves, hing once fried. 

add turmeric n mix well. increase heat to medium n....

add courgette pieces, stir well n be gentle while stirring,  fry for few mins. then add chilli powder, coriander powder mix well for few secs. 

add chopped tomato mix well n cover n cook for 10 mins. keep stirring in-between.

add chopped coriander leaves n salt to taste mix well n cover for 4 mins. 

Now add roasted cumin-fenugreek powder cover n cook for 2 mins. mix well n switch off. Keep it for 10 mins with lid on n transfer to glass bowl. 

(Curry made in Iron Wok)

Serve with Methi Roti or Rice n Yoghurt on side.

Tip:

No need of water. Already courgette leaves lots of water.

No Onion n Ginger Garlic paste too.

Notes:

Roasted Cumin - Fenugreek Powder?

Cumin seeds - 2 tbsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1 tbsp

Fry these in a pan on low flame separately till light brown color. once roasted keep aside. n powder once cooled. Store it in airtight container.

Courtesy: Swapna garu. thanks andi! I am loving it.

© 2016 by Rajani Rayudu

Salmon Fish Biryani

Salmon Fish Biryani

Easy peasy. No marination required, done with the usual masalas lying in your pantry. Great the next day too. One pot meal!

Ingredients n Proceed:

1) Salmon - 350 g

Wash the pieces, chop into big pieces, Marinate with 1/2 tsp turmeric n Lime juice 1 tbsp. keep aside until needed.

2) Cook rice in electric cooker:

(cooked rice)

Basmati rice - 4 rice cups
Water - 5 rice cups or until to the level of no. 4 line immersed.
Whole spices - {1 tsp Shah jeera, 4 Whole Cloves, 4 Cardamom, 1 inch Cinnamon, 5 Bay leafs}
Oil - 1/2 tbsp
Green chillies - 5 no. (leave it whole)

Cook Rice along with ingredients above. Mean while make curry.....


3) For making Gravy:

(cooked dish)

Heat a flat deep pan, add 4 tbsp oil, once hot add 2 large onions (sliced), n 1/2 tsp salt n fry until golden brown. remove half the fried onion with a slotted spoon, n keep aside. to the pan add 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste stir well on low heat fry, 1 tbsp dried mint leaves, add  1 n 1/2 tsp chilli powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1/4 tsp nutmeg powder,  garam masala powder (4 cloves, 4 elaichi, 1 inch cinnamon, 2 mace - powder in pestle), salt to taste. fry for few secs. add 3/4 cup yoghurt, mix well n add fish pieces one by one. rotate the dish n cover n simm for 5 mins. turn again, cover n simm again for 5 mins. check for salt.

Mean while grease a flat deep nonstick pan with butter.

(greased pan)

Now rice will be cooked, remove bay leafs on top n stir with fork to fluff it up. n curry is ready.

4) Layering rice:

(fried onions)

Add half cooked rice in the greased pan, top it with half the fried onions, entire gravy all over to cover, 1 tbsp lime juice, if you r using fresh mint, add now chopped mint or else leave it if u have used dried mint, cover with remaining half the cooked rice, remaining fried onions, 1 tbsp lime juice, yellow color (mix in 1/2 katori milk) drizzle over, put  1 tbsp butter on top. Cover with foil, place the lid tightly n do dum on simm for 20 mins.

(ready to do dum)

(done dum)

Tip:

add 1 cap full pandan water on top while doing dum.


© 2015 by Rajani Rayudu

Sri Satyanarayana Swamy Puja

Puja Prasadam Menu: for 40 - 50 people

Rawa Kesari (1/2 kg)

Podi Prasadam (made with fine godhuma rawa, skipped banana n coconut)

Panchamrutam (plus added little sugar)

Vada Pappu (soak moong dal, over night)

Lime rice (12 rice cups)

Daddojanam (6 rice cups)

White rice (12 rice cups)

Garelu (3 kg)

Kobbari Chutney (5 packs frozen)

Tomato Dal (3/4 th kg)

Senagala Talimpu or Kadala Curry (1 kg for curry is good, if u r doing dry little more would be good)

Aloo Fry (we did with 3 kg but 5 kg is appropriate as kids loved it)

Beans Fry (we did with 3 kg's frozen packet, but felt like 5 kg would be sufficient)

Papad's
Majjiga Mirapakayalu

Carrot Halwa (we did with 3 kg's, but 2 kg are enough ) or Gulab Jamun (your wish)
Vanilla ice cream (if it is summer)

Fruit juices

a) Points to remember:

    1) Banana stem should be towards you.
    2) Betel Leaves stem should be towards you.
    3) In kalasam inside put - 3/4 th qty water with powdered ingredients like (pacha karpuram, elaichi, cloves, nutmeg), coin, akshintalu, pasupu, kum kuma.
    4) Tamalpaku lo pette tappudu put, 1 date, 1 vakka, 1 coin, 1 pasupu kommu.

b) Watch "Blouse Piece folding for Kalash" on youtube.

c) Watch "Hindu Customs -Toran made by stringing mango leaves and marigold flowers" on you tube.

 (mango leaves toran)

 Random Pictures for the big day!

(7-1 parallel dots)

(painted muggulu)

(13-7 madya chukka)

(Lime Rice)

(Garelu frying away)

(Aloo Fry)

(Kadala Curry)

(Fried Papad's)

(Kobbari Chutney)

(Carrot Halwa)

(Tomato Pappu)

(Rawa Kesari)

(Lime Rice)

(Daddojanam)

(Hare Krishna's Boondi Laddu)

(Stack all the cutlery in beautiful baskets)

(Return gifts)

(Directions while doing Nava graha puja)

(Directions for Ashta dikpalakas)

(Soak gatti vathulu in ghee over night)

Tips:

1) For lime rice, use squeeze lime juice.
2) Sri Satyanarayana Swamy Poojavidhanm And Katha.
3) Keep Ziplock bags for Podi Prasadam.
4) When you are visiting some ones home for Sri Satyanarayan Puja, u can take to host's house 1 coconut, 1 Incense stick packet, Bananas, or Flower pot of Chamanthi or sweets like Hare Krishna's Boondi Laddu with you.

Note:

For Tambulam: 

Vakka Packet, Pasupu, Kum kuma, 2 Betel leaves, 2 Fruits,  Coin or Return Gift, 1 Blouse piece (buy colors like red, orange, green, yellow as they can keep it on kalash)  1/2 broken Coconut (prasadam), 1 Ziplock Packet Podi Prasadam (inside put 3 spoons each Podi Prasadam or as u wish), n finally chocolates (for kids) - inside a goody bag or a small box that fits everything or a nice to-go platter.

For Shopping for puja items:

Giri.in or buy local Indian Store for puja items.

© 2015 by Rajani Rayudu