Dal Fry

This is a Punjabi recipe. I have learned this from one of my Punjabi friend. It is very easy to make and goes well with rotis. We need very less ingredients.

Ingredients:

Toor Dal - 1 Cup

Onion - 1 Large

Tomato - 1 Large

Ginger - 1 tbsp

Garlic - 1 tbsp

Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp

Coriander Powder - 1 tbsp

Red Chilli Powder - 1 tbsp

Amchur Powder - 1 tbsp

Garam Masala Powder - 1 tbsp

Salt - to taste

Curry Leaves - 5 to 7

Coriander Leaves - 5 to 7

Oil - 1 tbsp
Asafoetida - 1 pinch

Procedure:

Pressure cook dal for three whistles. Mash it well so that no grains will left over.

Chop onions, Tomatoes, ginger and garlic. 

Heat oil in a pan add cumin seeds, allow them to crackle. Add ginger and garlic. Add onion and tomatoes. Fry them till they turn into soft and translucent. 
Add salt, turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder, amchur powder and garam masala powder. 
Cook them till tomatoes and onions becomes very soft. Add the mashed dal.  Cook the dal stirring it occasionally and in the low flame. Cook for 5 minutes and turn off the stove. Garnish with curry leaves and coriander leaves. Serve it with rotis.

Coconut Chutney-another variant

This is another variant of coconut chutney. This is good accompaniment for dosa and idli. 

Ingredients:

• Coconut - 1 cup
• Green Chillies - 10 to 15
• Ginger - 1 tbsp
• Black Gram - 1 tbsp
• Bengal Gram - 1 tbsp
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Salt - to taste
• Curd - 1/2 cup
• Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tbsp
• Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tbsp
• Curry Leaves - 5 to 7
• Red Chillies - 1

Procedure:

1. Chop or grate coconut.
2. Heat oil in a pan Add 1/2 tbsp of black gram and bengal gram. 
3. Fry them till they turn brown colour.
4. Add coconut, ginger, green chillies to it. Fry them till the coconut softens.
5. Allow this to cool. 
6. In a mixer grinder add salt and curd and above fried ingredients. 
7. Grind them to make smooth and fine paste. 
8. Heat oil in a pan, add remaining 1/2 tbsp of black gram and bengal gram. 
9. Fry them till they turn brown, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida and curry leaves. 
10. Once mustard seeds and cumin seeds splutter add it to the chutney. 
11. Serve coconut chutney with dosa or idli. 

Kakarakaya Pindimiriyam/Pindimiriyam with Bitter Gourd

Pindimiriyam is a kind of soup made with a special masala. Normally  pindimiriyam  with any other vegetable like snake gourd, raw banana and potato follow the same way, but making with bitter gourd is a little bit different. The masala is same as in other pindimiriyam recipe but before adding bitter gourd we need to fry it and then add.

Ingredients:

Red Gram/Toor Dal/Kandi Pappu - 1 cup

Bitter Gourd - 2

Tamarind Pulp - 1/2 cup

Salt - to taste

Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp

Pindimiriyam Masala - 1 cup

For Tadka:

Ghee - 1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tbsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tbsp
Red Chillies - 2
Curry Leaves - 5 to 7

Pindimiriyam Masala:

Coriander seeds-3tbsp
Black gram-2tbsp
Bengal gram-2tbsp
Black pepper seeds-2tbsp
Red chillies-3 or 4
Dry Coconut-3tbsp
Asafoetida-a pinch
Oil-1/2tsp

Procedure for masala:

Heat oil in a kadai. Add all the spices and roast all of them except dry coconut. Roast them till they turn brown. Keep them a side. Roast dry coconut separately till it also turns brown.Make a fine paste of it. 

Procedure:

Cut bitter gourd into rounds and medium sized.
Heat oil in a pan and fry them till they turn into brown colour. These bitter gourd will have bitter taste. 
To lessen the bitterness add 1 laddle full of buttermilk or curd. 
Add salt and turmeric powder and allow this to cook for a while. This will soften them. Fry them till become crisp. 
Pressure cook toor dal/red gram.
Take a thick bottomed vessel, pour tamarind pulp, add salt and turmeric powder. Allow this to boil for a while. Add the grounded pindimiriyam masala. 
Allow it to boil for 3 to 5 more minutes. 
Add boiled toor dal/red gram/kandi pappu to it and allow this to boil.
Lastly add fried bitter gourd and allow it to boil. 
Allow this to boil it to the optimum but do not burn and mix with the laddle in between.
Boil it n the low flame only. 
Heat ghee in a pan. Add ingredients under 'for tadka'. When they crackle add it to the boiling pindimiriyam. 
Hot and fumy pindimiriyam is ready to serve. Serve it with rice and papad. 

Nuvvula Pachchadi/Til Chutney/Chutney with Sesame Seeds

This chutney is made with sesame seeds. They are very good for health. Making of this chutney is also very easy. Some people make it by roasting sesame seeds, but in my in-laws house they make it without roasting them. 

Ingredients:

Sesame Seeds - 1/2 Cup

Green Chillies - 6 or 8

Salt - to taste

Tamarind - 2 strings

Garlic cloves - 10 to 15

For Tadka:

Oil - 1 tbsp

Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp

Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp

Bengal Gram - 1tsp

Red Chillies - 1 

Curry Leaves - 5 to 8

Asafoetida - a pinch

Procedure:

Grind sesame seeds, green chillies, tamarind, garlic cloves and salt together. Grind them to a fine paste by required amount of  water. 

Heat oil in a pan add the ingredients under 'for tadka'. 

When the mustard seeds start spluttering add this tadka to the above chutney. 

So Simple to make this chutney. Serve it with rice or idly or dosa. 

Ava Perugu Chutney/Rai Chutney with Curd

Chutney with avalu or rai or mustard seeds is the also one of the best combination for dosa or idli. But this chutney will be a little pungent taste and smell. One should be able to bear with that then only we can enjoy this recipe. Making it is very easy. 

Ingredients:

Avalu/Mustard Seeds - 1 tbsp

Green Chilli - 1 or 2 depending on their savor

Salt - to taste

Curd - 1 cup

For Tadka:

Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp

Black Gram - 1/4 tsp

Curry Leaves - 5 or 6

Asafoetida - a pinch

Oil - 1/2 tbsp

Procedure:

Grind mustard seeds, green chilli and salt into a fine paste. Add required amount of water while grinding. 

Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds, Black gram, asafoetida and curry leaves. Allow them to crackle. 

Add curd to the chutney. Add the above tadka also to the chutney and mix well. Serve it with dosa or idli. 

Kandi Kattu/Soup with Red Lentil

Thanks to Lakshmi attagaru (Lakshmi Aunty). She is my MIL. She taught me this recipe. It is very easy to make and really tasty. 

Ingredients:

Red Lentils/ Toor Dal/Kandi Pappu - 1/2 cup
Red Chillies - 5 or 6
Salt - to taste
Ghee - 1 tsp
Oil - 1/2 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Curry Leaves - fist full or even more than that

Procedure:

Heat ghee in a pan. Fry toor dal and red chillies. Fry them till the dal turns into light brown colour. Do not burn. 
Allow it to cool and add 1/2tsp of cumin seeds and grind it to a coarse paste. Add necessary water to it. This will make chutney. It's consistency should be as thin as dosa batter. 
In a thick bottomed vessel boil two cups of water. At the time of boiling level add the above chutney to it and remove it from the stove.
Heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds and cumin seeds, once they start crackling add them to the above kattu. 
Now add fresh curry leaves to it. Serve with rice. 

Panasa Pottu Kura/Jack Fruit Curry

The young Jack fruit is famous in coastal regions of Andhra Pradesh. It is also considered as a special and must in auspicious occasions. The shredded young jack fruit is available in super markets which we can use it directly.It is known as jack fruit husk. The husk is stored with turmeric powder, salt and oil.  Normally we get 500 grms packed jack fruit. This curry serves 10 to 15 people.

Ingredients:

Shredded Jack Fruit - 500 gms
Salt - to taste
Oil - 2 tbsp
Ground Nuts - 1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tbsp
Cumin Seeds - 1 tbsp
Bengal Gram - 1 tbsp
Black Gram - 1 tbsp
Red Chillies - 1
Green Chillies - 2
Tamarind juice - 3 tbsp
Curry leaves - 5 or 6
Asafoetida Powder - a pinch
Rai Powder - 1/2 tbsp
Red Chilli - 1
Green Chilli - 1

Procedure:

Wash thoroughly. Wash it three to four times or put this under running water.
Pressure cook for three or four whistles. When the cooker gets cooled, take the jack fruit out and drain the excess water. Squeeze out the remaining water and keep it aside.

Chop green chillies.
Heat oil in pan. Add ground nuts. When they turn into light brown colour add bengal gram, black gram. When they start crackle add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and red chillies to it. Fry them. Add asafoetida powder.
Add chopped green chillies, curry leaves.
Add tamarind juice, salt and turmeric powder. Allow this to boil till the tamarind juice thickens.
Now add squeezed jack fruit to it. Mix well. 
Meanwhile, grind the rai powder, green chillies and red chilli into a smooth paste. 
Once the moisture in the curry goes off add the above paste to the curry. Allow it to cook for 3 to 5 minutes.

Methi Paratha/Paratha with Fenugreek leaves

Fenugreek is good for health, mainly for diabetic patience. Fenugreek leaves can be used in dal and curries. Making methi paratha is very easy. Just mix all the ingredients and make parathas. 

Ingredients:

Methi Leaves - 2 cups
Whole Wheat Flour - 2 cups
Salt - to taste
Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp

Procedure:

Discar the methi leaves, chop them and wash them thoroughly. 
Add them to the whole wheat flour, add salt and red chilli powder.
Mix it well and make dough. Knead the dough well. 
Keep it covered for 15 to 20 minutes.
Roll the parathas using rolling pin. 
Heat tawa and cook on it both sides until the golden brown spots appear. Apply oil.
Serve hot with tomato sauce or curd.

Flax Seeds Powder/Aviseginjalu Podi

Flax seeds contains all sorts of healthy qualities. They are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, lot of fibers. I have learned this recipe from my neighbouring aunty. This is the first time I made it and the taste is really good. Flax seeds are of two types, one is yellow and another one is brownish colour. We normally get brownish one only.  They look like this.

Ingredients:

Flax Seeds/Avise ginjalu - 100 grms

Red Chillies - 6 or 8

Salt - to taste

Garlic Cloves - 6 to 8

Procedure:

Dry roast flax seeds/avise ginjalu. It is very easy, just heat the pan and put the flax seeds in it. they will crackle immediately. Once they stop crackling keep them aside. 

Dry roast red chillies separately. 

Allow them to cool. Add salt and grind it to make fine powder. Add garlic cloves and again ground it.Do not remove the skin of garlic. 

That's all Flax Seeds Powder is ready to use. Serve it with hot rice. 

Dosakaya Pulusu/Yellow Cucumber Soup

This is a very old recipe in my house. I have made a small changes in it and prepared it. 

Ingredients:

Toor Dal/Red Lentils - 1/2 cup

Dosakaya/Yellow Cucumber - 1 medium sized

Onions - 1 large

Garlic - 5 or 6 cloves

Tamarind Pulp - 1/2 cup

Salt - to taste

Red chilli Powder - 1 or 2 tsp

Jaggery - 1 tbsp

Turmeric Powder - 1 pinch

For Tadka:

Oil - 1 tbsp

Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp

Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp

Red Chillies - 1

Asafoetida - 1 pinch

Curry Leaves - 5 or 6

Coriander Leaves - 5 or 6

Procedure:

Pressure cook the dal for three whistles. Mash the dal and keep it aside.

Peel the skin of yellow cucumber, remove the flesh inside it. Cut it into cubes. 

Chop onions. remove the skin of garlic also.

Heat oil in a pressure cooker, add all the ingredients under 'For Tadka'. 
Add onions, garlic and yellow cucumber pieces also. No need to fry them. Add turmeric powder, salt and tamarind pulp. Pressure cook them for two whistles. 
Once it gets cooled add cooked dal and jaggery. Allow it to boil for 5 minutes. 

Cabbage Paratha

Cabbage is a good source of beta-carotene, vitamin C and Fiber. Using cabbage in parathas is the best way to make kids eat this vegetable. 

Ingredients:

For Curry:

Cabbage - 1 cup

Salt - to taste

Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp

Garam Masala Powder - 1 tsp

Green Chillies - 2

Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp

Procedure:

Chop or grate cabbage. Chop green chillies. 

Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds. When they start splutter add cabbage, green chillies to it. Add salt, red chilli powder and garam masala powder.

Cook this for 5 minutes or till the smell of cabbage goes off. The curry should become dry. 

Switch off the stove. Let it cool. Make 5 equal portions of it and keep it aside.

Ingredients:

For Parathas:

Whole Wheat Flour - 1 cup

Salt - to taste

Water - as per requirement

Procedure:

Add salt to the whole wheat flour. Add water and make dough. 

Knead the dough for 10 minutes. 

Allow the dough to rest for at least 20 minutes. 

Procedure of Making Parathas:

Make the dough into four equal portions. 

Take one ball of dough into the hands and shape it into a small bowl. 

Stuff cabbage curry into it and cover with the dough. 

Roll one paratha using rolling pin. Do not use pressure to roll it. Roll it lightly. 

Heat tawa. Cook on the tawa both sides until the golden brown spots appear.

Apply oil.

Serve it with the tomato sauce or curd.

Aloo Bonda/Potato Bonda

Aloo/Potato is all time favourite for every one. Any recipe with aloo is always a hot cake. No need to market it. It will go automatically. Aloo bonda or Potato bonda is one among them.
Making it is also very easy. It will be there always during festive season. 

Ingredients:

For Curry:

Potatoes/Aloo -  250 gms
Onions - 2 Large
Green Chillies -  2 
Salt - to taste
Red chillie Powder -  1 tsp

For Tadka:

Oil -  2 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp

For Bonda:

Besan/ Bengal Gram Flour - as per requirement
Salt - to taste
Red Chillie Powder -  1 tsp
Cooking Soda - a pinch
Oil - for frying bondas

Procedure:

For Curry:

Boil potatoes. 
Easily we can pressure cook them with or without skin.
Chop onions and green chillies.
Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds, when they start crackle add onions and green chillies. Fry them till the onions becomes soft. Do not add water.
Add salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder. Mix well.
Mash potatoes (if cooked with skin remove skin).
Add them to the above curry. Mix well. 
Potato curry is ready. 
Allow it to cool.
Once the curry is cool enough to handle make balls of it.

For Bonda:

Heat oil in a deep frying pan. For frying bondas. 
Add water to the besan/ bengal gram flour. It should be as thick as dosa batter. Add salt and red chilli powder to it. 
Dip the potato curry balls into it. Take them along with the batter and drop them in the oil. 
Fry them till they turn into brown colour. Serve with tomato sauce.

Groundnut Chutney -- Palli Chutney -- How to make Groundnut Chutney

This is a very common variety of groundnut chutney. It is a good accompaniment of dosa, idly,upma and some people like it even for rice. I made it with red chillies, some people made it with green chillies only. Adding garlic is optional. Those who don't like or do not eat garlic can avoid them, rest is the same. 
Preparation Time: 5 min
Cooking Time: 10 min
Recipe Category: Side Dish  
Recipe Cuisine: Andhra
Serves: 4 people

Ingredients:

• Groundnut/Peanut/Palli/ Verusenaga Pappu - 1 cup
• Salt - to taste
• Tamarind -  2" inch long piece
• Turmeric Powder - 1 pinch
• Garlic - 4 to 6 cloves
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Mustard Seeds - 1 tbsp
• Black Gram -  1 tbsp
• Red chillies - 10 to 12
• Green Chillies - 2 to 3

Procedure:

1. Roast groundnuts till they turn brown colour or till we get the aroma of it. We can microwave them also. I prefer to roast them in a traditional way only.
2. Heat oil in a fry pan. Saute black gram, mustard seeds, red chillies and green chillies.
3. Saute it till the mustard seeds crackle and do not make red chillies to turn into dark. It will give a dark color to the chutney and the taste of it also become bitter. 
   
4. We can use the groundnuts with or without the skin. If we don't want the skin just remove it by rubbing the groundnuts between our hands.
5. I prefer to use mix of it some skin removed and some with skin for chutney. 
6. In a mixer grinder add all the ingredients along with salt, garlic and tamarind streaks. 
7. Grind it to a fine paste by adding requirement amount of water. 
8. Heat oil in another pan, add mustard seeds, black gram, curry leaves and red chillies pieces. 
9. Add this seasoning to the chutney.
10. Serve groundnut chutney with dosa, idli or upma. 
    

Arbi Fry/ Chamadumpa Fry/ Colacasia Fry

Today's my recipe is chamadumpa fry. It is also very simple recipe like yam fry. Chamadumpa is also a root vegetable.

Ingredients:

Chamadumap - 500 gm

Salt -to taste

Red chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp or to taste

Oil - 3 tbsp

Procedure:

Pressure cook them for 3 whistles without adding salt. 

When cooker gets cooled take them out and let them cool completely.

When they come to room temperature peel off the skin of  them. If they are big in size cut them into small and equal pieces. 
Check before peeling off the skin, if the skin can't be peeled off easily do not use it as it will have a tendency of causing itching in the throat.

Heat oil in a deep frying pan. 

Make three or four portions of the cut pieces, drop one portion into the oil at once. 

Fry them slowly and in regular intervals. Mind you not continuously.

Fry them till they turn into light brown or red shade. Keep them aside.

Repeat the same with the rest of the portions also. 

Lastly add salt and red chilli powder. Serve them with rice. Even kids also like this fry.

Yam Fry/Kanda Vepudu

Yam or kanda is a root vegetable. It is really tasty. I don't know many recipes with it, but I know only one tasty and really simple recipe. That is its fry. It doesn't require more ingredients.

Ingredients:

Yam/Kanda - 500 grms

Salt -to taste

Red Chilli Powder -  1/2 tbsp or to taste

Oil -  3 tbsp

Procedure:

Remove the skin of  yam. Cut it into big pieces.

Pressure cook them without adding salt for three whistles.

When cooker gets cooled take it out and let it cool completely. 

when it come to room temperature cut it into small pieces.

Heat oil in deep frying pan.

Make three or four portions of pieces, drop one portion into the oil at once.

Fry them slowly with the help of a spatula. 

Fry them till they turn into brown colour, keep them aside.

Repeat with all other portions like this only.

Lastly add salt and red chilli powder. Serve it with rice or munch with sambar. 

Ridge Gourd Skin Chutney -- Ridge Gourd Skin Chutney Recipe -- Beerakaya Peechu Pachchadi

Ridge Gourd is low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Rich in dietary fibre. The vegetable itself has so many qualities, so the skin also. When I make ridge gourd curry, I store the skin for further use. If the skin is tender and fresh. We can make chutney, pulusu or soup and also curry with that. For today I am making chutney and all other recipes will come later dates.

Ingredients:

Ridge Gourd Skin/Beera Peechu - 1 cup (or skin of three ridge gourd)

Tomato -1

Garlic - 4 to 5(optional)

Tamarind - 2" inches long

Salt - to taste

For Tadka:

Oil - 2 tbsp

Mustard Seeds - 1 tbsp

Black Gram - 1 tbsp

Bengal Gram - 1 tbsp

Red chillies -  5 to 7

Green Chillies - 2

Fenugreek Seeds - 1 tsp

Asafoetida - 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp

Procedure:

Take the skin of the ridge gourd. Chop it finely and wash thoroughly. 

Cut tomato into four or eight pieces.

Heat oil in a pan. Add the ingredients under 'For Tadka'. Fry them till the dals turn into brown colour. Keep them a side.

Again heat oil and add ridge gourd skin, tomato pieces and tamarind. 

Cook for 5 to 8 minutes or till the skin becomes soft. 

Switch off the stove and add garlic. 

Let it cool. 

Take some portion of tadka with all the red chillies and green chillies, add salt and grind them. 

Add cooked ridge gourd skin, tomatoes and tamarind mixtur to it and again grind to make coarse paste.Add water if necessary. 

Do not make smooth paste, it should be a little bit coarse only. 

For more recipes with Ridge Gourd click here.