నూనె గోంగూర: Nune Gongoura- Kenaf Leaves

INGREDIENTS:

1 Bunch gongura/ Kenaf leaves
10 to 12 green chilies (as per taste)
Salt to taste
11/2 tsp Red chilly powder
1/2 cup Gingile oil/sesame oil/nuvvula nune
1 Big onion
2 Tbs senagapappu/bengalgram dal/chanadal
1 Tbs minappappu/split black gramdal/uraddal
1 Tsp aavalu/mustard seeds
1/2 tsp menthi podi/fenugreek powder

Method
1.Wash and chop gongura/ Kenaf leaves and keep aside.
2.Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds.
3.When it splutters add uraddal and chanadal.
4.Add red chillies and fry them.
5. Now add cut onions and fry it.
6. When onions are half fried add gongura leaves and fry.
7. Add salt, green chillies and fenugreek powder.
8. Mix well and add red chilly powder.
9. Cook them until it is done.

రవ కేసరి/ Sooji Halwa/ Semolina Dessert

Ingredients:
Sooji/ Rava/ Semolina - 1/3 cup
Sugar - 1/3cup
Cashews/ Jeedipapu - 5to 6
Pinch of Orange/yellow Food color
Cardamom - 2 (powdered)
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Water - 3 times of Rava

Method:

Heat ghee in a wide Vessel and roast cashews first and then Sooji Rava. Remove them in to a plate.
In the same vessel, add sugar, food color to water and bring it to a boil.
Reduce the heat and add Sooji rava, Cashews and cardamom powder.
Simmer on slow heat for ten minutes.
Serve warm or cold, and enjoy.

MIRAPAKAAYA BAJJILU / STUFFED CHILLY FRYS

INGREDIENTS:

1.Green chillys............................10 to 12 big and long.

2.Besan ( gram flour).................1/2 cup.

3.Oil............................................for deep frying.

4.Onion.......................................1 big.

5.Cilantro..........................

STUFFING:

1.Carom seeds (Vaamu / Ajwain)......................................1 t sp.

2.Red chilly powder...................1 t sp.

3.salt................

4.Tamarind pulp.........................1 t sp.

5.Cumin powder..........................1/2 t sp.

6.Coriander powder.....................1/2 t sp.

7.Sugar..........................................1/2 t sp.

8.Aamchur (dry mango powder)....................................1/2 t sp.

METHOD:

1.Take gram flour, put 1/2 t sp. chilly powder and salt for taste. Now add water, prepare a thick paste. Beat it with hand nicely. keep it aside.

2. Clean, wash chillys and wipe them.

3.Mix all the stuffing items nicely. keep it ready for filling.

4.Slit each chilly in length wise.

5.Open the cut and fill the chilly with masala stuffing.

6.Keep oil on the stove heat it.

7.Take each stuffed chilly, dip in the prepared besan/gram flour batter.

8.Drop one chilly after the other in to oil. fry them nicely. take them out.

9.Cut onion in to small pieces. In a plate, place the chilly with cut onion pieces.

10.Decorate them with cut cilantro.

ఆవడలు/పెరుగు వడలు: Aavadalu/Perugu Vadalu- Fried black gram donuts soaked in yogurt

INGREDIENTS:

1.Black gram dal..................1 cup.

2.Yogurt....................1 cup.

3.Oil......................................for deep fry.

4.Mustard seeds....................1 t sp.

5.Red chilly............................2

6.Green chilly..........................3.

7.Ginger....................................1"

8.Sugar......................................1 tsp.

9.Salt..........................................as per taste.

10Turmeric................................1/4 sp.

11.Curry leaves/cilantro or both.

METHOD:

1.Soak black gram dal for 2 to 3 hrs. only. For vadas it should not be soaked over night, as in dosas.Do not throw away all the soaked water. keep some.

2.Using the soaked water, grind dal into a smooth paste. adding little of that, at a time. The ready batter must be thick and fine.

3.Make the paste of ginger,green chilly.

4.Add ginger, chilly  paste, to curd in a bowl. put salt, turmeric, sugar, mix well.

5.Keeping the small pan on stove, put 1 tbl sp oil (if available little ghee also). Heat it. put red chilly cut in small pieces, then mustard, aseofotida, lastly curry leaves. When it flutters add to the curd. keep aside covered. now we have to prepare vadas.

6.In a bigger pan put oil for deep frying. Oil should be hot. 

7.Keep a vessel ready with cold water.

8.Take thick plastic sheet. may be 6''/6'' size. wet this on top side, also wet your hand with water, take batter little, a size of big lemon, press it on the sheet, again dipping hand in the water, press it lightly.Making a hole in the center is optional. Olden days this is done on banana leaf. 

suppose one feels confident, can do it with hands only. Instead of plastic sheet use only hands. 

Wet your left hand palm with water, dip your right hand in water, take the batter keep it on wet left palm. now press it lightly. you can make a hole with right finger in the center. when this is ready, slowly drop it in the oil. You can put 3 or 4 at a time, depending on the size of the pan. with out getting burn, turn it. The colour should be red. 

9.Keep another bowl of water ready. taking few at a time put them in water. take out immediately and squeeze out water, keeping between both the palms. Now put these vadas in the ready yogurt. Dip them nicely and arrange in another serving plate.

10. Make all in the same way. They are tasty and soft.

11.Nearly 20 perugu vadalu will come.

వడియాలు/ Vadiyalu/ Sun dried Rice Flour Crispies

INGREDIENTS:

5 cups rice flour (rice cooker measure)
1 cup Tapioca/saboodana/saggu biyyam/sago
20 green chillies
2 big size lemons
Salt to taste
15 cups water
(For 1 cup of rice flour take 3 cups of water)


METHOD:

1. Soak saboodana overnight.
2. Next Morning grind saboodana into smooth paste.
3. Grind green chillies to make a smooth paste.
4. Boil 15 cups of water in a big vessel.
5. Add saboodhana and stir.
6. Add chilly paste (it must be very smooth).
7. Now add rice flour and stir continuously.
8. Add salt and stir well.
9. Make sure that there are no lumps in it.
10. When it becomes a smooth dough remove it from fire.
11. Squeeze lemon and filter the juice and add it to the dough and mix well.
12. Spread a plastic sheet in an open place under sun.
13. Take the mould (Muruku Maker), fill it with dough and press the dough on the plastic sheet and you will find the dough coming out shaped as per the attachment used. Slightly rotate the maker round and round until you make a circle.
14.Make one small circle with the dough and give space and make another as shown in picture.
15. Let them dry in sun untill they are crisp and dry.
By evening, the vadiyalu will be dried and will come out of the plastic sheet.
Dry under sun again the next day till crisp. Store the fully dried vadiyalu in an airtight container and fry them when required.

Heat oil for deep frying and drop vadiyalu and fry them.

Serve the vadiyalu with rice and sambar, pulusu etc

ఆలూ బొండా: Alu bonda- Fried potato balls

INGREDIENTS:

1.Potaoes..................................2 big ones.

2.Onion......................................1

3.Carrot......................................1.

4.French Beans...........................3 or 4

5.Green Peas...............................2 tbl sp.

6.Cali Flower.............................few pieces if desired.

7.Green Chilly...............................5 or 6

8.Lemon juice................................2 tbl sp.

9.Pea Nuts /Cashew nuts(both)..2 tbl sp.

10.Cilantro.....................................

11.Salt.............................................as per taste.

12.Oil..............................................for deep frying.

13.Besan (Bengal gram flour).....less than a cup.

14.Bengal gram dal

15.Black gram dal

16.Mustard seeds

17.Cumin seeds.

18.Asefoetido..............................pinch 1/4 sp.

19.Red chilly...............................2.

Water..............................................for mixing the flour.

METHOD:

1.Sieve the flour to be clean and with out any lumps.

2. put enough water to make a semi solid batter. mix it nicely with hand. It should be smooth and fine. keep a side.

3.Boil potato and peel. cut into pieces. keep a side. cut all other vegetables into small.

4.Keep a pan, put little oil, Break the red chilly, put it in the oil. next put all the seasoning items as required. and the nuts. 

5. Stir, and do not burn them. when they flutter, add the cut veg. mix them well.

6.When the veg. are nearly cooked add  already boiled potato pieces. again stir well. do not over cook. it will be tasty if they are little crunchy. also when we put them in hot oil they will cook again any way. take out from fire. add lemon juice. mix well. lemon never should added in very hot condition when o the stove.

7.When it gets cool, add the finely cut cilantro. make into balls of your choice.

8.Keep a frying pan on stove pour oil, heat it. should be hot.

9. Now dip veg. ball in to the besan batter, drop slowly into the oil. depending on the size and the oil poured in the pan, you can put 4 or 5 at a time. fry them. they should not be dark colour.

10.Fry all in the same way.

11. The tasty Bondas are ready to eat hot, with chutney.

12. It makes 14 to 15 pieces.

ఉండల మజ్జిగ పులుసు: Undala majjiga pulusu- Lentil balls in butter-milk stew

INGREDIENTS:

Serving for 4 persons(8 balls)

For Balls/vundalu:
1/3 cup chana dal/bengalgram dal/senaagapappu
1/3 cup toor dal/kandi pappu
3 to 5 red chillies/yendu mirapakayalu
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp jeera/jeelakarra/cuminseeds
1/2 tsp asafitodia/heeng/inguva

For gravy
1 ltr Butter milk/majjiga
Salt to taste

For paste:
11/2 tbs senagapappu/chanadal/bengalgram dal
1/2 tsp jeelakarra/jeera/cuminseeds
1/2 tsp avalu/mustard seeds/raayi
6 green chillies/pacchi mirpakayalu
1 inch long ginger/allam/
2 tbs coconut powder/kobbari turumu (fresh or dry coconut)

SEASONING:
1tsp oil/nune
1/2 tsp Avalu/mustard deeds
1/2 tsp jeelakarra/jeera/cumin seeds


METHOD:
1. Soak dals for balls and soak gravy items separately for one hour.
2. Grind soaked dalls, red chillies ,salt,jeera and heeng together and make dough.
(with out adding water)and make medium sized balls and keep aside.
3.Now grind all ingredients to make smooth paste for gravy.
4.Take thick bottom vessel add 1ltr butter milk and mix with paste.
5.Add salt and turmeric and let it boil.
6. When it comes to boil drop one ball in it.
7. After a minute add another and continue like that for all the balls.
8.Boil them for 5 minutes.
9. Heat oil in a small pan and add seasoning when it splutters add to the pulusu.
and serve.


This goes with rice. First, take one ball and smash it and mix with rice then
add gravy to it and mix well and eat.

మామిడి వరుగుల పప్పు: Mamidi varugula pappu: Pigeon peas with dried green mango

INGREDIENTS:

1.Dried Mango Pieces................1/2 cup

2.Tuvar Dal..................................1 cup.

3.Chilly Powder............................2 t sp.

4.Turmeric.....................................1/2 t sp.

5.Salt................................................1/2 tsp.

6.Green Chilly.................................4

7.Red Chilly......................................2

8.Mustard Seeds..............................1 t sp.

9.Cumin Seeds...................................

10.Asafoetida...................................

11.Oil..................................................2 tbl sp.

12.Cilantro, curry leaves.................as needed.

METHOD:

1.To dry mango pieces, you must prepare them, when raw mangoes are available and so that you can store them. when you want to eat maamidi kaya pappu you should be able to make and eat it. to prepare these, in the mango season, take raw mango which is sour, cut in to pieces. you can store them as it is like this. but these pieces may not stay for year, fungus may form. To prepare these pieces is, add salt,turmeric to them and keep it for over night keeping covered.

next day, you can see, it oozes out some water. now squeeze out this water and dry the pieces in the sun, after 2 or 3 days drying as they will be ready to store for more than a year. with these you prepare pappu now.

2. Soak the mango pieces in water for 2 hours. they should become soft.

3. Cook Tuvar dal either in cooker or out side directly. dal should be cooked nicely,but not become paste type of cooking.

4. Now cook mango pieces in little water. put turmeric. when they are soft add it to dal.

5. Cook together some time, adding chilly powder. salt should be added as needed. because we already have salt in the dried mango pieces.

6. Cut green chilly add to dal.

7. For seasoning, heat oil in a pan put red chilly pieces, mustard, cumin seeds, and asafoetida.

when they splitter add to the dal.

8. Mix it nicely. the dried mango dal is ready to eat hot with hot rice adding ghee in it.

9. It serves 3 people.

కాజాలు: Kaajaalu- Sweet fried pastry rolls

INGREDIENTS:

1.Maida /Plain flour/Multi purpose flour.....1/2 cup

2.Oil......................................................................for deep frying.

3.Sugar..................................................................1/2 cup

4.Water.................................................................enough to make dough, also for syrup.

5.Few cashew nuts, or khoya.............................make into powder.

6.ghee and unsalted butter....................................2 tbl sp.

7.Rice flour.............................................................1/4 cup.

8.Cooking Soda.......................................................1/4 t sp.

METHOD:

1.Heat 2 tbl sps ghee. Make powder of cashews nuts.

2.Sieve maida / plain flour along with cooking soda. mix cashew powder/khoya, put hot ghee in to the flour, rub it with fingers. keep making it till they look like crumbs.

3. Add water little by little while mixing with fingers. The dough must be fine and tight. it should be able to roll out easily.

4.Keep this dough aside for 1 hr.

5.Beat the unsalted butter fine and smoothy.

6. Take the dough and make equal number of balls. all should be rolled out into big rotis in normal thickness.  

7. Now take one ball, make roti and spread the beaten butter on top of it and sprinkle dry rice powder. keep the next roti on top of it. Again spread butter, sprinkle dry rice powder. now all together roll out into a bundle tightly. as you are rolling keep applying little butter. then cut them into 1/2 thickness as shown them in the photo. they look layered khajalu in raw. keep them aside till oil gets hot, ready.

8.Take a heavy bottom vessel put sugar and water and keep it on stove to make syrup, keep stirring. The syrup  must be in one thread consistency.

9. After syrup is ready, take a pan with oil for deep frying. heat it.

10. When oil is hot put the cut and kept ready khajalu, few at a time. fry and take them in slow fire, with out turning color. This is a single fry. do, all this way and then, fry them for second time. Fried well, take out as they turn into light brown in colour.

11. Put them in the ready hot syrup, mix them in  as all can get syrup into them.

12. Remove khajas from syrup, keep them separately in a plate. They should not touch to one another. let them dry.

13.When  all are dried, store them in a container. They stay at least for fifteen days. 

14.These are famous in coastal Andhra. specially Kakinada area.

15. They are tasty and good to serve for the guests.

Fried Idli with vegetables

Serves: Two persons. Preparation time: 15 minutes. 

Ingredients:
18 small Idlis (refer to Idli recipe)
Ghee/oil to roast the Idlis
Cilantro
1 Tsp Salt

For tempering:
1 Tbp Oil
1 Tsp Mustard seeds
1 Tsp Jheera Seeds
1 Tsp Red chilli powder
1/2 Tsp Turmeric
1 pinch Asafoetida
1 pinch Fenugreek powder
5 curry leaves

Chopped vegetables:

Green bell pepper/Capsicum
Carrot

Green chilli

Onion

 Potato
Soft ripe Tomato

Fistful  of green peas

Method:

1. Quarter the idlis and set aside. 

2. Place the oil on medium heat in a saucepan. When it is hot, add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add all the tempering ingredients and the vegetables (but not the tomatoes). 

Mix well, cover and let it cook until the vegetables are done. It takes around 10 minutes, you can further roast them uncovered for longer if you like them crisp. You can add the salt right at the beginning, since salt draws moisture out of the vegetables & makes them crisp. However, if you want your vegetables steamed soft, add salt later. When the vegetables are almost done, add the chopped tomatoes and cook until the mixture looks slightly soupy. You may add some water/tomato juice if the tomatoes aren't juicy enough.

Meanwhile,

3. In a skillet, pour a few drops of oil/ghee, arrange the quartered idlis on the surface of the skillet and let them roast until you see the bottoms turning brown. Pour ghee generously if you like a fried effect. The idlis can be turned over to roast the other side too, however, I like one side done crisp, and the other side left undone. Transfer the browned quarters onto blotting paper and set aside. Fry/roast the next batch. 

When the vegetables are ready and the idlis are done, 

4. Add the idli quarters into the vegetables and mix in thoroughly. The soft side of the idlis absorbs the oil/soup of the vegetables while the roasted side stays crisp. Some of the idli quarters crumble during the mixing process. Cover & cook for a few minutes so the idlis soak up the soup/spice . Garnish with cilantro.

Serve hot. Goes well on its own and also with yogurt. 

Suggestions/Variations:

1. Fried Idli: Some people like to deep fry the idli quarters and serve them with chat masala. 

2. Idli Upma: Idli quarters/mashed Idlis are used instead of upma rava, and the item is prepared as per Rava upma recipe. 

3. You can follow your heart for this recipe, add whatever spice you like, add/omit vegetables as you wish, experiment with sweet corn, carrots, beans, include peanuts, bengal gram, etc.

Culture & Health:

This is a very mix & match dish usually prepared with leftover idlis. If you have very few leftover idlis, the addition of vegetables adds volume to the dish along with a varied taste. It can also be prepared with freshly prepared cooled idlis (hot idlis get mashed easily when handled).

Idli is a good source of protein & carbohydrate, the addition of vegetable makes it a complete balanced diet.

Trivia:

Whenever I have lots of Idli batter and I am bored of plain idli, I find this a very easy quick fix which is simply awesome to taste, with the added health benefits!!

కొతిమీర కారపు వంకాయ :Kotimeera karapu vankaya- Eggplant with cilantro & green chilli

Serving for 2 persons

INGREDIENTS:

Vankayalu/eggplant...........2(Long)
Green chillies.. ..............10 to 12 (medium size)
Salt .......................................to taste
Cilantro .................................1/2 bunch
Oil .......................................To fry (Not deep fry)

METHOD:

1.Cut eggplant about 3 inc length and keep in water.
2.Grind cilantro,chillies and salt make paste.
3.Make a slit on both side of eggplant as shown in picture.
4.Stuff the cilantro paste in to slits.
5.Heat oil in a pan add pieces and fry them untill it becomes tender.

It goes with hot rice and ghee.
Variations: you can stuff red chilly powder and heeng instead of above paste.

సోజ్జప్పాలు: Sojjappaalu- Stuffed sweet pooris

To make 9 appalu

INGREDIENTS:

To prepare stuffing:

Rava/sooji/Semolina.......1/3 cup
Sugar.......1/3 cup
Cashew....10to 12 whole (cut in to small pieces
Elachi/Cardamom ...3 no.
Oil to deep fry

To prepare dough:

Maida/all purpose flour.......3/4 cup
Wheat flour.........................3/4 cup
Rava /sooji.........................2 tsp
Salt....................................pinch

METHOD:
1.prepare a soft dough with above ingredients and add little oil and keep it aside.
2.To make stuffing take 2/3 cup of water and heat it.
3.Add sugar and boil.
4.Now add rava and nicely cut cashews and cook.(prepare like upma)
5.When it is done let it cool, then make desired size balls.
6.Take small amount of dough and flatten it.
7.Put sooji ball in it and make round ball.
8.Grease a plastic paper put that ball and roll with rolling pin.(or use puri press)
9.Make thin puri and deep fry in oil.
10.Press them with two big spoons and take them in to a paper towel.



Eat them hot it is so tasty

వంకాయ పచ్చడి: Vankaya pacchadi: Eggplant chutney

INGREDIENTS:

Big eggplant/ vankaya..........1
Green chillies.................6
Tamarind.......................Half marble size
Salt to taste
Cilantro.......................few leaves
Avalu/mustard..................1/2 tsp
Urad dal/minapappu.............2 tsp
Heeng..........................1/4tsp
Menthi podi/fenugreek powder...1/4tsp
Oil............................11/2tsp

METHOD:
1.Peel and microwave vankaya for 5to8 min.( or cook on stove top and remove skin)
2.Soak tamarind and keep aside.
3.Heat oil in a pan put mustard seeds.
4.When it splutter add urad dal.
5.Then add menthi powder and heeng.
6.Grind green chillies,salt and tamarind together.
7.Add vankaya, seasoning to the
chilly paste,now grind using whipping button.
8.Add chopped cilantro and serve.


It goes with rice.

ఉల్లి అట్టు/ ఉతప్పం: Ulli attu/Utappam: Sour Onion pancake

Serving: 6 atlu





INGREDIENTS:

Black gram dal 1/4 cup
Rice 1 cup
Salt to taste
Onions 2 big
Green chillies 8 to 10
Chilly powder 1/2 tsp
Oil enough to roast
Curry leaves few

METHOD:

1.soak dal and rice separately for over night.
2. Next day morning grind separately to make smooth batter.
3.Keep aside for fermentation.
4.Cut onions into small pieces.
5.Cut green chillies and curry leaves in to small pieces.
6.Add onions, green chillies, salt and curry leaves to the batter.
7.Mix well.
8.Heat flat pan grease with oil, then pour batter and spread thick round.
9.Add oil around the dosa and keep lid on it.
10. cook in medium flame.
11.when it is cooked turn it and cook other side for some more time.
12.when it is done serve hot.

It can be made with left over idly or dosa batter.
The batter must be sour.