ANDHRA PUNUGULU

Punugulu is a tasty deep fried snack popular in Andhra pradesh. This rehash crispy snack is prepared using left over idli-dosa batter.


INGREDIENTS


IDLI DOSA BATTER (Slightly sour)-  2 CUPS

MAIDA FLOUR-  2 TBSP

CHOPPED ONIONS- 2 NOS

CHOPPED GINGER- 1/2 TSP

CHOPPED GREEN CHILLIES- 3 NOS

CUMIN SEEDS- 1 TSP

CURRY LEAVES CHOPPED ROUGHLY- 1 SPRIG

CORIANDER LEAVES CHOPPED- 3 TSP

ROASTED GROUNDNUTS- 1 TBSP

SALT TO TASTE

OIL FOR FRYING





METHOD



In a wide bowl add dosa batter,maida flour,salt,green chillies,ginger,curry leaves,coriander leaves,cumin seeds,roasted groundnuts,chopped onions and mix to little tight batter without adding water and keep it aside.

Since the batter has salt,take care while adding salt.

Heat oil in a pan. When it is hot using a small ladle or spoon gently drop the batter in hot oil. Fry on both the sides till it turns crispy.


Always maintain uniform heat while frying.

VENDAKKAI MASALA PARUPPU USILI

I have already posted traditional paruppu usili recipe involving banana flower. In this recipe I have incorporated fennel seeds and garlic. Hence these ingredients lends a nice flavour to this curry.



INGREDIENTS

LADY'S  FINGER- 600 GRAMS

ONIONS-  2 NOS

GRAM DAL-  1 1/2 TBSP

FENNEL SEEDS- 1 TSP

RED CHILLIES- 5-6 NOS

GARLIC CLOVES- 4 NOS.

SALT TO TASTE.

OIL- 2 TBSP


FOR SEASONING

MUSTARD- 1 TSP

SPLIT URAD DAL- 1 TSP

CURRY LEAVES- 1 SPRIG


METHOD


Wash,wipe and chop lady's finger and keep it aside for twenty minutes.

Soak gram dal in hot water for 40 minutes.

After 40 minutes,drain water and grind it along with red chillies,fennel seeds and garlic cloves to little coarse paste.

In a pan add 1 tbsp oil and when it is hot,add chopped lady's finger and saute till the veggie turns crisp and switch off the stove.

In another pan add 1 tbsp oil and when it is hot add mustard when it starts to splutter,add split urad dal,curry leaves and chopped onions. Add salt and saute till the onions turn translucent.

Add ground lentil paste over the sauteed onions. Saute lentil mixture in mild heat till it becomes crumbly.

Now add in this crumbly lentil mixture to the sauteed veggie and mix well.

FRIED MODAK

Fried modak can be prepared using wheat flour or maida flour. In this recipe, I have used wheat flour.

INGREDIENTS

WHEAT FLOUR-  1 CUP

JAGGERY-  3/4 CUP

COCONUT GRATINGS-  1 CUP

SALT A PINCH

CARDAMOM POWDER- 1/2 TSP

GHEE-  2 TSP

OIL FOR FRYING

FOR THE OUTER LAYER

Mix wheat flour,ghee,salt,water and knead to stiff dough.Allow it to rest for twenty minutes.

Roll the dough to big chapati. Using a sharp round lid press it firmly on the rolled chapati.

Now cut out the small chapatis and keep it aside.

FOR THE FILLING.

Dissolve jaggery in water and pass it through a sieve to remove impurities.

Heat the jaggery syrup. When it starts to boil add coconut gratings and simmer in mild heat till syrup blends well with the gratings and switch off. Add cardamom powder and mix well.


 Now take the jaggery mixture and roll into equal size balls. Now place the sweet filling inside the small chapatis and gently close the edges to form modak shape.

Heat oil in a pan and fry the modaks on both the sides till it turns crisp.

SWEET KOZHUKATTAI

Kozhukattai is a sweet dumpling prepared during Ganesh Chathurthi in the South. In preparing Sweet kozhukattai,coconut gratings and jaggery is blended well . The outer layer of kozhukattai is prepared from rice flour or rice batter. The jaggery mixture is stuffed inside the rice flour dough and steamed.

The outer covering can be prepared in two methods. In first method soaked rice grains is ground to fine batter and stirred in mild heat till it thickens to dough consistency. In the second method, soaked,dried rice grains is pounded to fine powder.


INGREDIENTS





RAW RICE- 1 CUP

WATER- 2 CUPS

COCONUT GRATINGS- 1 CUP

GRATED JAGGERY- 3/4 CUP

SESAME OIL- 1 TBSP

SALT A PINCH

CARDOMOM POWDER- 1/2  TSP


METHOD

FOR KOZHAKATTAI DOUGH

Wash,rinse and soak raw rice in 1 cup of water for one hour.

Grind the soaked rice along with water in a mixer grinder to fine batter.

Heat the remaining cup of water in a pan along with salt .

When the water starts to boil,add the ground batter,sesame oil and keep stirring till the batter thickens and reaches chapati dough consistency.

Now switch off the stove and cover the dough and allow it to cool

FOR THE SWEET FILLING

Dissolve jaggery in water and pass it through a sieve to remove impurities.

Heat the jaggery syrup. When it starts to boil add coconut gratings and simmer in mild heat till syrup blends well with the gratings and switch off. Add cardamom powder and mix well.

FOR THE OUTER COVERING

Take the dough  and divide it into small balls and keep it aside.

Apply oil on your palm. and flatten the ball and gently place the sweet filling inside the flattened dough and seal it tightly.

Arrange  the stuffed kozhukattais on a greased idli plates and steam for 5 minutes without placing the whistle.

RAW BANANA KALAN

Kalan is an authentic yogurt based curry prepared using raw banana /yam. At times even both the veggies are combined in preparing this curry. This curry is an integral part of Onam Sadhya.


INGREDIENTS


RAW BANANA- 2 NOS

CURD-  3/4 CUP

TURMERIC POWDER- 1/4 TSP

PEPPER POWDER- 1 TSP

FENUGREEK POWDER- 1/4 TSP

SALT TO TASTE



INGREDIENTS  TO GRIND


COCONUT  GRATINGS-  1 1/2 TBSP

GREEN CHILLIES- 2 NOS

CUMIN SEEDS- 1 TSP



FOR  TEMPERING


COCONUT OIL-  1 TBSP

MUSTARD- 1 TSP

FENUGREEK SEEDS- 1 TSP

RED CHILLIES- 2 NOS

CURRY LEAVES- 1 SPRIG



METHOD

• Wash,peel and chop raw bananas. Boil the chopped pieces along with salt,turmeric powder,pepper powder,fenugreek powder to slightly mushy consistency and keep it aside.

• Grind  coconut gratings,cumin seeds,green chillies to fine paste using little water.

•  Whisk curd to smooth mixture. 

•    Add the ground mixture to boiled raw banana pieces and simmer till the raw smell of the mixture goes off and the mixture blends well.

• Add in the whisked curd mixture and boil in mild heat.

•  At last prepare seasoning by heating coconut oil. When the oil is hot add mustard,fenugreek seeds,curry leaves,red chillies. Add the seasoning to the raw banana mixture.  

     

     
   

    

           

CABBAGE STIR FRY

INGREDIENTS



CABBAGE CHOPPED-  400 GRAMS

ONION CHOPPED- 2 NOS

GREEN CHILLIES- 2 NOS

CHILLI POWDER- 1 TSP

GARLIC CLOVES CRUSHED- 5-6 NOS

GINGER MINCED- 1 TSP

COCONUT GRATINGS- 1 TBSP

GRAM DAL- 1 TBSP

TURMERIC POWDER- 1/2 TSP

SALT TO TASTE.




FOR TEMPERING


OIL- 1 TBSP

MUSTARD- 1 TSP

CUMIN SEEDS- 1 TSP

CURRY LEAVES- 1 SPRIG



METHOD



1. Soak gram dal till it becomes soft. Wash,chop and boil cabbage till its cooked and keep it aside.

2.  In a pan heat oil and add mustard. When it starts to splutter add cumin seeds,chopped onions,salt and     saute till onions turn translucent.

3.Now add in crushed garlic,minced ginger,chopped green chillies,curry leaves,chilli powder,turmeric powder and saute well.

4.Add soaked gram dal and boiled cabbage over the sauteed contents and mix well.

5.At last add the coconut gratings and saute for two minutes in mild heat and switch off.

ASH GOURD PEEL CHUTNEY

This is yet another peel chutney I have discovered lately. Hence next time think twice before discarding the peel. Make sure that  the peel is fresh and free from  infestation. After using ash gourd,store the peel in refrigerator.



INGREDIENTS

ASH GOURD PEEL - 1 CUP

GRAM DHAL- 4 TSP

COCONUT GRATINGS- 1 TBSP

RED CHILLIES- 2 NOS

GREEN CHILLIES- 2 NOS

GARLIC CLOVES- 3 NOS

TAMARIND- GOOSEBERRY SIZE

SALT TO TASTE

OIL=   1 TBSP






METHOD

Chop the peel roughly and wash it thoroughly. Boil the chopped peel till it softens.

In a pan heat oil and  fry gram dal,red chillies,green chillies,garlic cloves,tamarind  till the lentils and red chillies become crisp. Remove from the pan and allow it to cool.

Now add in boiled peel in the same pan and saute in the remaining oil and switch off.

In a mixer jar transfer boiled and sauteed peel,roasted ingredients,coconut gratings,salt and little water and grind to little coarse paste.

KUDHI MENUSU.

 Curry leaves is an quintessential ingredient in Indian cuisine. Owing to its strong aroma,it used as an
flavoring agent in allthe Indian dishes. Its mainly used in seasoning.  Kudhi menusu  is an authentic dish in Karnataka cuisine. Kudhi means boil and menusu implies peppercorns in Kannada. The ground curry leaves mixture is boiled till it thickens. My grandmother passed down this recipe to my mom .This dish tastes heavenly when mixed with plain rice with a dollop of ghee and also aids in digestion.




INGREDIENTS

CURRY LEAVES-  1 CUP.

PEPPERCORNS-  2 1/2 tsp

TAMARIND - GOOSEBERRY SIZE.

SESAME OIL- 1 TBSP

JAGGERY- 1 TSP

SALT TO TASTE.





METHOD




Wash,rinse and pat dry curry leaves and keep it aside. Soak tamarind in warm water and extract thick syrup.

In a mixer jar blend curry leaves,tamarind syrup or paste,peppercorns to fine paste.

Heat sesame oil in a pan and when the oil is hot,add asafoetida, ground curry leaves paste,powdered jaggery,salt and boil till the water evaporates completely and reaches thick mass like consistency.

To prolong shelf life, store the dish in a refrigerator on cooling.

MASALA DAL

INGREDIENTS



ONION CHOPPED- 2 NOS

TOMATO CHOPPED - 2 NOS

GREEN CHILLIES- 1 NO

GARLIC CLOVES CRUSHED- 4 NOS

STEAMED TOOR DAL- 1 CUP

GARAM MASALA- 1/2 TSP

KASOORI METHI CRUSHED- 1/2 TSP

SALT TO TASTE.

STAR ANESE- 1 NO

CINNAMON- 1/2 INCH

CLOVES- 2 NOS

OIL- 5 TSP

TURMERIC POWDER- 1/4 TSP






METHOD

Steam cook toor dal and keep it aside.

In a pan heat oil add star anese,cinnamon,cloves,chopped onions,salt and saute till onions turn translucent. Add chopped tomatoes and saute till it turns mushy.

Add green chillies,crushed garlic cloves and fry well.

Pour steamed toor dal over the sauteed ingredients and simmer in mild heat.

At last add garam masala and cook for few minutes and switch off.At last add crushed kasoori methi and switch off.

MASALA KADHI

INGREDIENTS TO GRIND

TOMATO- 1

CHILLI POWDER- 1 TSP

CORIANDER POWDER- 1 TSP

GINGER GARLIC PASTE- 1 TSP

GREEN CHILLIES- 2 NOS



OTHER INGREDIENTS

GHEE- 1 TBSP

CURRY LEAVES= 1 SPRIG

CUMIN SEEDS- 1 TSP

SALT TO TASTE

TOMATO- 1 NO

CAPSICUM- 1 NO

ONION- 2 NOS

THICK CURD- 1/4 litre

GRAM FLOUR- 2 TSP

CUMIN POWDER- 1/4 TSP

KASOORI METHI CRUSHED- 1 TSP

SUGAR- 1/2 TSP



METHOD

In a wide bowl whisk curd,gram flour and water to smooth paste and keep it aside.

In a mixer jar blend chopped tomatoes,ginger garlic paste,chilli powder,coriander powder,green chillies to fine paste using little water.

Heat ghee in a pan add cumin seeds,when it starts to splutter add curry leaves,chopped onions,salt and saute well till it turns translucent. Add chopped tomatoes and saute till it turns mushy. At last add chopped capsicum and fry for few seconds.

Over the sauteed ingredients add the ground paste and saute till raw smell of the paste goes off.whisk curd mixture and simmer in mild heat till the ingredients blend well. Add roasted cumin powder and mix well.

At last garnish with crushed kasoori methi and serve.

This tasty kadhi goes well with naan,chapati,rice and phulka.