Methi Dal

Ingredients:

1 cup packed menthu akkulu/menthu kura
1 cup toor dal (kandi pappu)
1 medium sized onion chopped finely
1 tomato, finely chopped (optional)
4-5 green chillis 
1/3 tsp turmeric 
2 whole dry red chillis(deseed and tear into pieces)
5 garlic flakes slightly crushed
1 tsp chopped ginger
10 curry leaves
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds 
1 tsp salt
oil
chopped coriander leaves for garnish
2 cups water

Method:

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a sauce pan and add the mustard seeds and let them splutter.
2. Now add the cumin seeds, slightly crushed garlic, whole red chilli pieces and curry leaves and fry for a minute. 
3. Now add the chopped onions, chopped ginger and green chillis and fry for 2 minutes on medium heat. Add the chopped tomatoes and saute for 3 mts. Remove from heat.
4. Add this tempering mixture and turmeric to tur dal and add 2 cups of water in a pressure cooker.Now add the washed and picked fenugreek leaves on top and pressure cook upto till three to four whistles or until tur dal is soft.
5. Wait until the pressure is released and remove the lid.
6. Add salt to this cooked mixture and mash with ladle till well combined.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice and ghee, 

Pachi Pulusu

INGREDIENTS:

Tamarind - 1/2 lemon sized
Jaggery - 1/2 lemon size piece
Onion - 1 small onion finely chopped
Brinjal(big) - 1
Red Chillis - 2
Jeera - 1tsp
Green Chilli-2
Coriander leaves - a fist full
Oil-2tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1tsp
Jeera - 1tsp
Curry Leaves- 1 sprig
Water - 3 cups
Turmeric powder - 1/4th tsp
Salt acc to taste

METHOD:

1. Soak the tamarind in the water and squeeze out the pulp.
2. Strain the water and add the jaggery and let the jaggery dissolve.
3. Take a morter and pestel and pound the red chillis and jeera to a coarse powder.
4. Heat the vankaya on the stove and after it is fried remove the peel and mix the pulp to the tamarind water.
5. Add the onion and and mix well. Now add the finely chopped coriander leaves , mix well and keep aside.
6. Once the jaggery has melted add the onion mixture and salt and mix well.
7. Heat oil once hot add the mustard seeds , jeera and fry , now add curry leaves and turmeric powder and immediately add to the pulusu.
8. Serve with rice.

MUDDA PAPPU

Mudda Pappu is the comfort food of Andhras. Pressure cooked tur dal, mashed and salted is served as a first course in the Andhra traditional meal, and is eaten mixed with hot steamed white rice, a dollop of ghee and the famous Andhra avakai (mango pickle). No words can describe the down to earth flavor of the dal and comfort of this delicious combination. Its sure manna from heaven!!
Preparation of ‘mudda pappu’ is very simple. When cooked right, these lentils which are chewy yet tender, are very flavorful and comforting. Traditionally, Indian toddlers and children are fed a nutritious diet of lentil and rice with a dollop of ghee during their growing up years.

Ingredients:
1 cup kandi pappu (toor dal)
salt to taste
approx 1 1/2 cups water (enough water for the dal to immerse)

Method:

1. Roast toor dal lightly in a heavy bottomed vessel on medium heat till light brown, The dal can be pressure cooked even without dry roasting. Its your choice.
2. Add just enough water to the dal till it is immersed. Pressure cook it. Once cooked, add salt to taste and mash it well.
3. Serve with hot steamed rice, clarified butter (ghee) and avakai (mango pickle) or any pickle of you choice. Other than this combination, most Andhra homes, eat mudda pappu normally in combination with a tangy-sweet flavored gravy called “theepi pulusu” or chaaru.

Beetroot Curry

Beetroot is one of the veggies that my parents and brother is not too fond of 'coz of its sweetness. I personally dig it a lot, so had to find a way to make them change their strong opinion. This curry did the trick - my vadinas's recipe.... The tough part was convincing that they will not be disappointed with the dish.....But my vadinas recipe was a magic it worked successfully.... by adding mango to it...it got a marvelous taste.

INGREDIENTS: -

Beetroot - 2 (grated)
Raw mango - 1/2 (grated)
Green chillies - 2-3
Salt - as required
Garlic - 5-6 pods
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Jeera - 1 tsp
Oil - 2 tbsp

METHOD: -

1. Heat oil add jeera , mustard seeds and garlic clove and fry
2. Add the slot green chillies.
3. Add the grated betroot and cook for 10- 15 min till it is completly cooked.
4. Now add the salt
5. Add 1/2 grated raw mango and mix well and cook for 2 min
6. Garnish with chillies and serve with roti's and rice.