Undrallu

Ingredients:

Rice/ Rice Rava (Biyyapu Rava) - 2 cups
Chana Dal - 1/4 cup
Salt - to taste
Jeera - 1/2 tbsp
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Chillies - 2 
Water - 4 cups

Method:

1. Usually we get Rice Rava (Biyyapu Rava) in Indian stores. Orelse, wash the rice and dry it on a cloth. Grind to coarse mixture.
2. Soak the chana dal for atleast 20 minutes.
3. In a pan, take ghee; let the jeera splutter, add chopped chillies, chana dal - Fry these for a minute or two. Then add water & salt. Once it comes to a boil, add Rice Rava by stirring continuously to make sure that there are no lumps.
4. Just like upma, let it cook for a while.
5. Once cool, make lemon size balls out of the mixture and offer as Neivedyam to our dear Lord Vinayaka.

Brown Senaggala Vadalu

Ingredients:

Brown senagalu 1/2 kg (soak for about one night)
Green chillies 4 to 5
Ginger 1 inch piece
Onions 1 or 2
Curry leaves
Oil for deep frying
Salt as per tast

Method:

1. Firstly take the soaked senagalu and put them in a grinder jar and add all the above mentioned ingredients I,e (green chillies, ginger, washed curry leaves and salt) and grind them all. And once grinding is over put the paste in a bowl and add cut onion pieces to it and mix it well.
2. Now take a kadai and put  oil and allow it to heat and when the oil is heated make the paste into small small balls like vadas and put them in oil for frying. 
3. Fry the balls till they turn golden brown, when done take the vadas out and put them on a tissue paper for oil to soak. And later when complete process is done then store them (vadas) in a hot pack/ casserole.
4. That’s it delicious senaga vadas are ready for serving. These vadas can be served hot directly or with hot rice they taste very delicious

Gongura Pulihora

Ingredients:

Raw Rice (wash, drain, soak for 30 mins in fresh water , cook using 1 1/2 Cup of water ) – 1 Cup
Sorrel Leaves (stalks removed, washed, dry) – 1 Cup tightly packed
Dry Red Chillies – 3 no
Green Chillies – 5 or to taste
Oil – 2 Tbsp
Mustard Seeds – 1/2 tsp
Cumin Seeds – 1/2 tsp
Urad Dal – 2tsp
Chanadal – 2 tsp
Asafoetida (hing) – generous pinch
Curry Leaves – 1 sprig
Turmeric Powder – 1/4 tsp
Salt – to taste

Method:

1. In a pan add 1/2 cup of water and sorrel leaves. Cook for 8 mins or until sorrel leaves are wilted and soft.
2. Blend to a smooth paste. 
3. In another pan heat oil, season with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, chanadal, urid dal, asafoetida, powdered methi, dry red chillies,  green chillies, turmeric powder, curry leaves.
4. Fry for 30 secs. Add blended gongura puree and cook for 2 mins. Add salt.
5. Add seasoned gongura paste with the cooked rice and gently mix well until blended.
6. Serve immediately or enjoy it after 30 mins resting time for best tasting Pulihora.

Enjoy with papad.

Medu Vada

Ingredients :

1 bunch Coriander leaves
1 tsp cumin seed Hing
to fry oil
1 cup Onion
1 tsp pepper powder(for taste)
AS PER TASTE SALT
200 grams urad dal

Method:

1. Soak Urad dal for 6 hour or overnight.
2. Blend it into a coarse paste.
3. Take a Frying pan add oil to it let it heat.
4. Take a bowl add blended urad dal,add onion,cumin seeds,pepper,coriander leaves,hing,salt as per taste mix all these ingredients well.
5. Make a donut and deep fry in the oil it turns to golden colour

Happy Ugadi --Ugadi Pachadi

Ingredients:

1 cup of raw fresh mango cleaned, dried, finely chopped along with skin
1 tbsp margosa flowers (neem tree flowers)
1 cup grated jaggery
1 tbsp fresh finely chopped coconut pieces (optional)
3 -4 tbsp tamarind paste
1 banana

Method:
1 Mix all the above ingredients to form a sauce like appearence.I f you want a thin and watery chutney add very little water (2-3 tbsps). You can also add small pieces of sugarcane, putanaala pappu (roasted channa dal) along with the above ingredients.

Note:
Each home has its own version of preparing the ugadi pachadi but the main ingredients (reflecting all the six flavors) are as specified above.

Punugulu with idly batter

Ingredients:

Idly Batter - 2 cups
Rice flour - 1 - 2 tbsps
Onions - 1/2, finely chopped
Green chili  - 1 tsp or 2 finely chopped green chilies
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig, finely chopped
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsps, finely chopped
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

Method :

1. Combine all the above ingredients except oil. Mix well. Leave aside for half an hour.
2. Heat oil for deep frying. Once the oil gets hot, reduce flame to medium. Place a tablespoon for batter into the hot oil. (You can use your hand instead of a spoon to drop small balls of the batter into the hot oil) Place 7-8 punugulu in the first batch. Do not crowd the vessel.
3. Turn the punugulu as they change color and cook till golden brown.
4. Remove onto absorbent paper. Serve with chutney of your choice.

Mango Rice

Ingredients:

Mango - 1, medium size

Rice - 1 cup

Green chillies - 4 or 5

Curry leaves - few

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Urad dal - 1 tsp

Channa dal - 1 tsp

Salt - as required

Oil - 1 tbsp.

Method :

1.  Cook rice with just enough water.
2. Peel the skin of an unripe mango and shred.
3. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and when it splutters, add urad dal and channa dal. Add the curry leaves and green chillies. Fry for a while and then add the shredded mango, turmeric powder and salt.
4. Saute for a while and then add the cooked rice. Mix well.

Karram gavvalu

                          

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Homemade Rice flour

1 cup sooji

1/2 cup Maida(plain flour)

1 big ladle(4 tbsp roughly) hot Oil

2 tsp Red chili powder

Salt to taste

Oil, to deep fry

Method:

1. Mix Rice flour, maida and sooji in a bowl.
2. Add red chili powder, hot oil and required amount of salt to the flour mixture and mix well
3. Add water slowly and knead it into a slightly stiff dough.
4. Pinch a small portion of it and make into very tiny balls and arrange them on a plate.
5. Now roll it on the gavvalu chekka(wooden mould) and arrange them on a plate before frying. Prepare all the gavvalu before you fry as the rolling process takes time.
6. Meanwhile heat oil in a kadai for deep frying. Add the prepared gavvalu and deep fry them on low-medium flame until they are crisp and golden brown in color. Do not over load the kadai with more balls at once, deep fry them in small batches. If you fry them on HIGH flame they would get burnt outside and remain uncooked inside.
7.  Drain them in a kitchen napkin.
8. Store them in air-tight container and serve them along with a tea/coffee.

Rava Kesari

Ingredients:

1 cup sooji/semolina/upma rava
1 1/2 cups sugar (adjust to suit your taste)
2 1/2 cups water
4 tbsps melted ghee/clarified butter/neyyi
12-15 cashew nuts/kaju/jeedi pappu
15-20 raisins/khis mish
3/4 tsp cardamom powder

Method:

1. Heat a heavy-bottomed vessel, add 2 tbsps of melted ghee, add cashew nuts and raisins and toast them till golden brown. Remove them and keep aside.
2. In the same ghee, add sooji/semolina and fry till light pink approx for 6 mts. You have to constantly stir it or else it will burn. Turn off heat, add sugar and mix.
3. Add water and cook on slow flame stirring constantly. It will come together like a thick pudding. It will take approx 8-10 mts to cook on slow flame.
4. Add half of the roasted nuts and raisins and mix. Cook on low flame for another mt. Add 2 tbsps of warm ghee and mix. Turn off flame, remove onto a serving bowl.
5. Garnish with the remaining nuts and raisins and serve warm.

Pongali (Pongal)

Ingredients:

1 cup raw rice
1 liter Milk
1 1/4 cup grated or powdered jaggery
5-6 cardamoms (powdered)
10-12 cashewnuts
8-10 raisins
2 tbsp ghee

Method:

1. Boil the milk
2. Wash rice and add to milk once the milk is boiled and cook at slow flame.
3. Cook jaggery in half cup of water till it dissolves completely.
4. Add the jaggery to the cooked rice after the rice is completely cooked in milk and cook on low flame for few minutes. Turn off heat.
5. Heat ghee and add the cashew nuts and raisins and fry till brown and add these along with the ghee to the sweet pongal. Now add the cardamom powder and mix well.
6. It can be served hot or cold.

Semiya Payasam

Ingredients:

1 cup Vermicelli

3/4 cup Water

1 cup Sugar

1 cup Milk

3-4 Cashew nuts

7-8 Raisins

2-3 Cardamom

Method:

1. Saute the vermicelli in ghee till it turns brown.
2. Boil water in another vessel..
3. Put vermicelli in boiling water and cover it, stirring occasionally.
4. After the vermicelli becomes soft, add the sugar stirring continuously.
5. Dissolve in the milk and add this to the vermicelli.
6. Powder the cardamom and add it to the mixture.
7. Flavor the desert with fried cashew nuts and almonds.
8. Simmer the vermicelli for about two minutes. Your delicious payasam is ready to be served .

Savory Maida Biscuits

Ingredients:

1 cup maida/plain flour
1/2 cup sujji
1/4 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tsp red chilli pwd or green chilli paste
1 tbsp hot oil or ghee or butter
salt to taste
water as required to prepare dough
oil for deep frying

Method:

1. In a wide plate, add the maida, Sujji,  salt, chilli pwd, ghee or oil,  and cumin seeds and combine. Knead the dough till smooth and firm. Test the dough for salt before preparing the biscuits.
2. Pinch a large lemon size ball of the dough and roll into slightly thick roti.  Using a sharp knife, cut the roti length wise about an inch apart. Then cut into 2 inch squares.
3. Heat a wide heavy bottomed vessel with enough oil for deep frying and once the oil is hot, place the cut maida squares one by one into the hot oil, you will find the oil froth up in bubbles. Let the squares/chips fry on high flame till they rise to the surface.
4. Once the chips rise to the surface, turn heat to medium flame and cook the squares till they turn a golden shade. Turn them over gently during the cooking process so that they cook on all sides. Remember the frying has to be done on medium flame to achieve that golden color and crispness. If you reduce flame to low, the chips will absorb a lot of oil, so keep flame on medium to high while frying.
5. Use a slotted ladle to remove onto an absorbent paper and cool. Cool completely before storing in an air tight metallic container.

Rava laddu

Ingredients:

1 cup sooji/upma rava/semolina
3/4 cup sugar (increase according to your choice)
1 tsp cardamom pwd
few cashewnuts
few raisins
3 tbsps ghee
few tbsps milk

Method:

1. Heat a pan, add a tbsp of ghee and toast the cashewnuts and raisins till golden brown. Remove from pan,  keep aside.
2. In the same pan, add the sooji and roast it for approx 7-8 mts till a nice aroma emanates the kitchen and it turns a light brown shade. Remove from pan and keep aside.
3. Take a vessel, add sugar, cardamom pwd, roasted sooji and remaining ghee and combine well. Sprinkle  few tbsps of milk and mix till it forms a crumbly mixture.
4. Using both your hands, form small ladoos and top with a roasted cashewnut and raisin. While shaping the laddos be careful such that the mixture stays together. Initially the laddu might tend to break hence be gentle and place the laddu carefully on a plate and it will harden in a few minutes.

Pulihora - Tamarind Rice

Ingredients:

2 cups raw rice
1/2 tsp turmeric
15-20 fresh curry leaves
salt to taste
large lemon sized tamarind (soak in a cup of hot water and extract pulp)
1 tbsp channa dal (split bengal gram)
1 tbsp urad dal/minappapu/split black gram
1 tsp teaspoon mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
3-4 medium dry red chilli
4-5 green chillis slit length wise
1 1/2 tsps finely chopped ginger
2 fistfuls roasted peanuts
2 tbsps oil

Method:

1. Sprinkle turmeric pwd, salt and a tbsp of oil to the cooked and cooled rice and keep aside.
2. Heat the remaining oil in a cooking vessel, add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add dry red chillis, cumin seeds, channa dal, urad dal and fry for a minute till light brown. Next add the slit green chillis, ginger and few curry leaves and fry for a few seconds.
3. Add the tamarind extract and cook till the raw smell of tamarind disappears, approx 5-7 mts. It will be a like a thick but flowing paste. Remove from heat.
4. Add the cooked tamarind mix and combine well such that its spread all over the rice. Adjust salt. Finally sprinkle the roasted sesame seeds pwd and roasted peanuts and combine well. Let it sit for at least 3-4 hours for the flavors to set in.

VaraLakshmi Puja

VaraLakshmi Puja....An Important Ritual performed by the Married women in South India for the prosperity and welfare of their families.

This year is my Second Puja...But the first puja which i performed alone without my mother or mother in law.....



Preparing the Goddess Laxmi and Decorating with all my jewellry is any intresting part of this puja.For the Naivedyam i prepared "Chintapandu Pulihora" "Payasam" "Garellu" and "Sanividi".

HAPPY SANKRANTHI

LEMON RICE



Ingredients:-

left out rice           -   2 cups
Lemon juice          -   5 tbsp.
Mustard Seeds     -   2 tsp.
Urad Daal             -    2 tsp.
Chana Daal           -     2 tsp.
Dried Red chillies  -   2-3
A pinch of asafoetida
Roasted Peanuts 1/2 cup
Curry leaves 10-12
Grated coconut 1 tbsp.
Salt to taste
Vegetable oil 2 tbsp.

Method:

1.	Heat oil in a deep frying pan or a kadai.
2.	Add asafoetida, dried red chillies cut into two, urad dal and chana dal.
3.	Cook until dals change colour to light brown.
4.	Add peanuts and mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds start to crackle, then add curry leaves. Fry for 10 seconds more.
7.	Add cooked rice, salt and lemon juice. Mix well very gently so that the rice grains does not break.

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.