Confessions in groups of five meme

Priya Bhaskaran of priya's kitchen has tagged me for this meme. Thanks to priya for tagging me.

5 items in my freezer

• Amul Butter.
• Farmers union fresh yoghurt.
• Fruit platter.
• lots of vegetables.
• Ice creams - cornetto and strawberry.

5 items in my closet

• My clothes.
• Necklace [suresh presented it to me :) ]
• Disc man [which I hardly stopped listening to after bringing a music system at home]
• lots of handbags (priya, :) its the same as urs, I'm so lazy to change them )
• our first camera olympus that suresh bought from japan.

5 items in my car

• car in singapore?? With a very well developed transport system we never felt the need for it at all. :)

5 items in my purse

• Dr. watsons pocket tissues
• Face wash
• my credit and debit cards
• My EP (Employment pass) card and medical insurance card
• cab bills and some currency.

I would like to tag Shankari of stream of consciousness, Bdsn of taste corner and Archanat of spicyana

GARELU WITH COCONUT CHUTNEY

Ulli Garelu (Andhra Vada)

A festive treat especially made for the sons in law of our family. Garelu, also called vada make a perfect combination with kodi koora or kobbari pacchadi (coconut chutney). In my first few days every time I make the dish, it was a disaster. Later I learned the right way from my mother in law.

Ingredients

minapappu (whole urad dal) - 2 cups

onions - 4 finely chopped

green chillies - 7 finely chopped

coriander leaves - 1 small bunch finely chopped

jeera - 2 tsps

salt to taste.

oil for deep frying.

Preparation:

1. Soak minapappu in water for about 4-5 hours/overnight. Drain water completely.

2. Grind minapappu in a mixer/blender without adding water to tight paste. The batter must be thick that when you make vada's they should not run out of shape.

3. Remove and add salt, jeera, chopped onions, green chillies, coriander leaves and mix well.

4. Heat a deep pan with oil.

5. For making the vada's you can use your hands or a thick polythene sheet. Back at home in India, we use plantain leaves (arati akulu) to make these vada's.

6. Take a small ball of batter on to your left hand, pat into round shape and make a hole in the center.

7. Drop gently into hot oil from the sides. Fry till golden brown turning them both sides.

8. Serve hot with coconut chutney(recipe given below) or kodi koora.

Kobbari Pacchadi (coconut chutney)

Ingredients:

grated coconut - 1 cup

green chillies - 10 (slit length wise)

minapappu - 2 tb sp

jeera - 1 tb sp

dhaniyalu - 1 tb sp (coriander seeds)

garlic - 2 cloves

a small ball of tamarind

oil - 2 tsps

for seasoning

dried red chillies - 3 (broken to small pieces)

mustard seeds - 1 tsp

jeera - 1 tsp

minapappu - 1 tb sp (urad dal)

curry leaves - 2 sprigs

oil - 1 tsp

Preparation

1. Heat 2 tsps of oil in a pan, add urad dal, jeera, dhaniyalu, green chillies and crushed garlic. Fry till golden brown. Remove and allow to cool.

2. Grind the above with coconut, tamarind and salt to taste.

3. Do the popu, by heating 1 tsp of oil in a pan, adding minapappu,mustard sees, jeera, curry leaves, dried red chillies. Add this to ground chutney.

4. Goes well with all tiffins like vada, dosa, idli etc.,

Hurrah...

I'm going on a vacation to India.

I hope to come back and catch up with you all in about 4 weeks.

Until then, Dear Blog friends, Take care and Bye Bye!!

Fenugreek/Methi Dal (Menthi kura pappu)

Although I cook with all kinds of greens in my kitchen, this is my all time favorite. menthi kura pappu an excellent combination when taken with hot rice, ghee and papads.

Methi leaves are small and delicate for looks but when cooked release a great flavour.

Ingredients

methi/fenugreek - 1 bunch (pluck the leaves and wash them)
kandipappu (toor dal) - 1 cup
green chillies - 10- 12 (slit length wise)
turmeric - 1 tsp
oil - 1 tsp
ghee - 1 tsp
salt to taste

for popu/tadka

1 t sp mustard seeds
1 t sp jeera
2 garlic cloves crushed
2 dried red chillies
curry leaves - 2 sprigs
small lemon size tamarind (soak in small cup of water)

fenugreek leaves

1. wash and pressure cook dal, spinach, green chillies,turmeric together with 2 cups of water till 4 whistles.

2. When the pressure is released, remove the lid, add salt and mash it to smooth paste with a wooden masher. Add soaked tamarind water to mashed dal. mix well.

seasoning for menthi kura pappu

3. Heat oil and ghee in a kadhai, add crushed garlic cloves, mustard seeds, jeera, dried red chillies, curry leaves. Let the seeds splutter and garlic to turn brown.

4. Add mashed dal to this popu, and cook in low heat with lid covered for 5 mts.

5. serve hot with rice and papad.

menthi kura pappu

Besan Ke laddu - A Festive Treat

This simple and easy sweet can be made within no time.

Ingredients

Besan (Senagapindi) - 1 cup

powdered sugar - 1/2 cup (for those who eat prefer more sweetness can add little more)

elaichi powder - 1 tsps

Ghee - 1/2 cup (melted)

Cashew nuts for topping

Preparation

1. Heat 2 tb sps of ghee in a pan and fry besan on low flame till the raw smell disappears.

2. Switch of the flame and allow to cool off. Add powdered sugar, elaichi powder, and melted ghee. Mix well and roll them into round shaped balls like laddus.

3. Top them up with cashew nuts (raw/roasted). Store them in an airtight container.

Stuffed Brussel Sprouts curry

When I first stepped in singapore, I was wondering what these could be. I thought they were baby cabbages and later realised that these are called brussel sprouts. Its been a long time that I'm watching them, so lets give a try I thought.

Brussel sprouts look like small cabbages but are sweeter. An amazing source of vitamins K, C , A , B6 and also contains folic acid and fibre too.

They taste wonderful, but make sure that they are not overcooked. Doing so produces strong flavor and smell.

Choose the ones that are firm, green and not too large.

Ingredients

Brussel sprouts - 16
green chillies - 6 (slit length wise)
curry leaves - 1 sprig
turmeric - 1 tsp
salt to taste.

for the stuffing

roasted bengal gram - 1 cup (vepudu senagapappu)
dhaniyalu - 1 tb sp (coriander seeds)
jeera - 1 tb sp
red chillies - 12
salt - 2 tsps

How to cook

1. Heat a pan and dry fry roasted bengal gram, dhaniyalu, jeera, red chillies for 5 mts.

2. Allow to cool and grind it to coarse powder and set aside. Left over powder can be stored in an air tight container for use later.

3. Wash brussel sprouts and remove the outer leaves.

4. Split them into four halves (into plus shape) and set aside.

5. stuff the ground powder slowly into each brussel sprout carefully without breaking them. use your left hand to separate the slits and right hand to stuff the powder.

6. Heat 4 tb sps of oil in a kadhai, Add green chillies, curry leaves. fry them for 2 mts.

7. Arrange stuffed brussel sprouts in the pan, sprinkle turmeric, salt (adjust accordingly as the stuffing already has salt) and cover with a lid. Allow to cook on its own steam for 6 - 7 mts.

8. Remove the lid add 3 tb sps of ground powder and cover with a lid for 2 mts again.

9. Add 1/2 cup of water, bring to boil and lower the flame. Allow to cook till thick gravy is formed. Serve hot with rice or chapathi.

Senagapappu - kobbari chutney (roasted bengal gram and coconut chutney)

This is a simple and easy to make chutney that goes well with tiffins like dosa, idli, mysore bajji....

What we need

green chillies - 8 (slit length wise)
roasted bengal gram (vepudu senagapappu) - 1 cup
grated coconut - 1 cup
oil - 1 tsp
salt to taste

for tempering

oil - 2 tsps
curry leaves - 2 sprigs
mustard seeds (avalu) - 1 tsp
jeera - 1 tsp
urad dal (minapappu) - 1 tb sp
red chillies - 3

Preparation

1. Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan and fry green chillies for 3 mts in low flame.

2. Allow to cool. Grind roasted bengal gram, grated coconut, fried green chillies and salt to smooth paste. Set aside.

3. Heat 2 tsps of oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, jeera, urad dal, curry leaves, and red chillies. Fry them for 2 mts in low flame. Add this to ground chutney.

4. Serve hot with idli or dosa.

Mysore Bajji

A delicious breakfast which we like a lot. I remember my mom making the batter and leaving it overnight. That makes bajjis come out soft and tastier, says mom.

mysore bajji with senagapappu-kobbari chutney

What we need:

maida - 2 cups

sour curd - 1 cup (whip smooth without lumps)

onions - 2 finely chopped

green chillies - 3 finely chopped

jeera - 1 tsp

cooking soda - 1 tsp

salt to taste

oil for deep frying

Preparation

1. Sieve maida.mix with sour curd and leave overnight.

2. In the morning add salt, cooking soda, onions, green chillies, and jeera to form a thick batter without lumps as shown.

3. Heat oil in a pan and drop batter into round balls. Fry till golden brown in color and serve hot with senagapappu-kobbari chutney.

4. These bajjis can also be made instantly if you have left over sour curd at home. Just sieve maida, mix with sour curd, cooking soda, onions, green chillies, jeera and fry them as shown below.

10 Things I miss about my moms cooking ~ Meme

Nice theme garam masala. Here are the 10 things I miss about my moms cooking.

1. Cleanliness: I remember my mom being very particular when it comes to keeping the kitchen clean. She used to stay hours in the kitchen till 11 pm cleaning up everything, while we were in deep sleep by then.

2. Sambhar: Ever since I'm married I've made this dish a hundred times, never it came up like the one which my mom does. Thats her magic :-)

3. Sesame curry: This special dish which she made with nuvvulu was always a hit and the tastiest dish I miss a lot too.

4. Amma mudda: The most tastiest bite of rice anyone would ever have, be it with avakaya and mudda pappu or plain rice with charu the taste is unforgettable.

5. Mysore pak: A sweet made with besan (senagapindi) and ghee, and that really melts in the mouth.

6. Biryani: Its damn good. All I can say is I love it.

7. Uppudu pindi: Made with rice rava and moong dal, she used to make this on saturdays when she was fasting.

8. Kheema fry: A spicy mutton recipe. Never I tasted this dish at any restaurant, after eating my moms home made one.

9. Boondi laddu: sweet balls round in shape made again with besan, was a feast every year on my birthday.

10. Bobbara vadalu: A snack made with black eyed beans.The pain she used to take to grind the paste in a rubbu rolu (a hand made grinder), and the taste... I have no words to say.

Thanks to sailu for reminding me of my moms cooking (with her chinta chiguru pappu post a few days back) and also for her first comment on my blog, to indira of mahanandi a place where I stop by everyday.

Cauliflower Masaledar

Cauliflower Masaledar

Ingredients

cauliflower - 1 (cut them into florets)

onions - 2 (chopped)

capsicum - 1

tomato - 1 (chopped)

cloves - 3 (lavangalu)

elaichi - 1

dalchini - 1 small stick (cinnanmon stick)

poppy seeds - 2 tb sps (khus khus)

dhaniyalu - 1 tb sp (coriander seeds)

jeera - 1 tsp

ginger - 1 inch piece

garlic - 2 cloves

chillie powder - 1 1/2 tb sps

salt to taste

oil - 3 tb sps

Preparation

1. Add 1 tsp of salt in hot water and soak cauliflower florets for 3 mts.

2. Drain water and set aside.


3. Heat 1 tb sp of oil in a pan and add half of chopped onions. Fry for 3 mts in low flame. Add all of the chopped capsicum to it and fry till onions and capsicum turn their color. Switch of the flame and allow them to cool.

4. Grind tomato, poppy seeds, cloves, elaichi, dalchini, dhaniyalu, jeera, ginger and garlic, fried onions and capsicum to smooth paste. set aside.

5. Heat 2 tb sps of oil in a pan, fry remaining onions till golden brown. Add cauliflower florets, mix well and cook with lid covered for 3 mts in low flame.

6. Add ground paste, 1 1/2 tb sps of chillie powder, salt to taste and 3 cups of water. mix well. Turn to high flame and bring to boil. Allow to cook with lid covered till gravy turns thick and cauliflower pieces are well cooked.

7. Garnish with coriander and serve hot with rice, chapathis or roti.

Royyalu vepudu

royyalu vepudu, suresh's favorite :-)

Royyalu vepudu (Prawn fry)

Andhra royyalu vepudu, a lip smacking sea food dish made with onions and Indian spices, always proves to be a good hit during parties. A simple and easy dish to prepare.

Ingredients

Prawns - 500 gms
onions - 10 (finely chopped)
green chillies - 10
water - 2 cups
curry leaves - 2 sprigs
turmeric powder - 1 tb sp
chillie powder - 3 tb sps
salt to taste.
oil - 3 tb sps

poppy seeds - 3 tb sps (gasagasalu)
cloves - 3 (lavangalu)
elaichi - 1 (cardamom)
dalchini - 1 small stick
ginger - 1 inch piece
garlic - 3 cloves
dhaniyalu - 1 tb sp (coriander seeds)
jeera - 1 tsp

Preparation

1. Grind poppy seeds, cloves, elaichi, dalchini, ginger, garlic, dhaniyalu,and jeera to smooth paste and set aside.

2. Remove the shell of prawns, add 1 t sp on turmeric and 1 t sp of salt. wash them well with lots of water (about 6 to 7 times). Drain water and set aside.
3. Add ground masala paste, chillie powder, a pinch of turmeric, 1 tb sp of salt to washed prawns and mix well.

4. Add 2 cups of water and boil them in high flame, stirring in between till water dissolves.

5. Heat oil in a kadhai, add curry leaves, green chillies, onions and cook till soft (for about 4 mts in low flame).

6. Add boiled prawns to onions and mix well. Adjust salt and chillie powder accordingly. cook in low flame for bout 5 mts covering with a lid and stirring occassionally.

7. Serve hot with rice.

Adding boiled prawns to fried onion

vankaya vepudu

Vankaya vepudu (Brinjal Fry with roasted bengal gram powder)

This is another tasty dish with brinjal that my mother in law prepares and is a good when accompanied with pappu charu, sambhar, or dal.

Ingredients

Fresh Brinjals - 10

Oil - 4 tb sps.

salt to taste.

for powder

Roasted bengal gram - 1 cup (also called putnala pappu/vepudu senagapappu)

Dried red chillies - 10

jeera - 1 t sp

salt - 1 tb sp

for seasoning

mustard seeds - 1 t sp

jeera - 1 tsp

curry leaves - 1 sprig

urad dal (minapappu) - 2 tb sps

dried red chillies - 4

onions - 2 (slit length wise)

green chillies - 6

onions, chillies and roasted bengal gram powder

1. Heat a pan and fry roasted bengal gram, dried red chillies, jeera in low flame for about 4 mts. Switich of the flame when bengal gram starts turning its color. Allow to cool, add salt and grind to coarse powder.set aside. (This powder can be stored in a tight container for about a month).

2. Wash brinjals, slit them into 4 halves (make a plus shape) leaving the stems.

3. Heat oil in a kadhai and fry brinjals in low flame till brinjals turn soft. (cover with a lid and stir occassionally)

4. Set aside the brinjals once soft.

5. In the remaining oil, add urad dal, mustard seeds, jeera, dried red chillies (4), curry leaves, green chillies. fry for 2 mts in low flame.

6. Add onions, and fry till soft (for about 4 mts in low flame).

7. Add fried brinjals to onions, and cook for 3 mts in low flame.

8. Add roasted bengal gram powder, adjust salt and stir gently so that brinjals do not break. leave on low flame for 3 mts.

9. Serve hot with rice, sambhar/pappu charu or dal.

pappu charu

Pappu Charu (Toor dal rasam)

A very tasty and an easily digestable dish that is popular in Andhra homes. My mom used to make this dish during winter, serving it with hot rice, ghee, potato fry and gummadi vadiyalu... mmm :-) the thought itself is mouth watering.

Ingredients

Kandipappu (toor dal) - 1 cup

brinjal - 1 (cut into cubes)

tomato - 1 ( cut into cubes)

okra (bendakaya) - cut into 2 inch size pieces

onions - 2 (cut length wise)

green chillies - 6 (slit length wise)

tamarind - 1 big lemon size. (soak in 2 cups of water and extract the pulp)

oil - 2 tb sps

turmeric - 1 tsp

salt to taste.

sugar - 1 tb sp (optional)

for seasoning

mustard seeds - 1 tsp

jeera - 1 tsp

red chillies - 4

curry leaves - 2 sprigs

garlic - 3 cloves (cut into small pieces or crush them)

chopped coriander to garnish.

Preparation

1. Pressure cook kandipappu with 2 cups of water till 3-4 whistles and mash it smooth. Set aside.

2. In a separate sauce pan add 1 cup of water, brinjal, onions, okra, tomato, green chillies, curry leaves and on medium heat cook till the vegetables turn soft. This would take around 15-20 mts.

3. Add, mashed dal, tamarind juice, salt, sugar,turmeric powder and allow to boil in low flame for 15 mts. Adjust tamarind juice and salt according to taste while cooking.

4. For the tadka/popu, heat 2 tb sps of oil in a pan. Add crushed garlic, mustard seeds, jeera, red chillies, curry leaves and allow them to splutter. Add this seasoning to pappu charu. Allow to cook for 3 more minutes, garnish with coriander and serve hot with rice.

pappu charu with vankaya vepudu

carrot kurma

Carrot kurma

Ingredients

Baby carrots - 15 (each carrot cut into two pieces)

onions - 5 (chopped lenght wise)

curry leaves - 2 sprigs

curd - 1 big cup (whipped in a blender)

oil - 2 tb sps

water - 1 1/2 cup

chillie powder - 2 t sps

poppy seeds (gasagasalu) - 2 tb sps

cashew nuts - 2 tb sps

cloves (lavangalu) - 4

elaichi - 2

dalchini - 1 small stick

coriander seeds (dhaniyalu) - 2 tb sps

jeera - 1 tb sp

ginger - 1 inch piece

garlic - 3 cloves

Preparation

1. Grind poppy seeds, cashew nuts, cloves, elaichi, dalchini, coriander seeds, jeera, ginger and garlic to smooth paste with little water.

2. heat oil in a pan, add chopped onions, curry leaves and fry till onions turn soft.

3. add baby carrots, mix well. cover the pan with a lid and cook in low flame for 4 mts.

4. remove the lid, add ground paste, turmeric powder, chillie powder, salt and mix well. add 1 1/2 cup of water.

5. Raise the flame and bring it to boil. reduce the flame and cover with a lid. Allow the carrots to turn soft (takes about 10 mts)

6. revome the lid, add whipped curd and cook in high flame till the gravy turns thick.

7. serve hot with chapathi or rice.