Babycorn Carrot Curry

This is a simple curry we generally make when we have bought abundant of veggies to cook Chinese food and these veggies are still left over. We do receive some appreciation though for the varied and delicious use of these vegetables.

Preparation Time 15 to 20 mins

Serves 2

Ingredients:

Baby corns 6
Carrot 1
Tomato 1
Spring onions 2
Green chillies 2
Ginger 1 tsp
Bay leaf 1
Cardomom(Elaichi/yelakkayi) 1
Cinnamon ( dalchini/dalchinchakka) 1
Clove(Laung/Lavangam) 1
Cuminseeds (jeera/jeelakarra) 1 tsp
Refined cooking oil 4 tsp
Garam masala 1tsp
Pinch of red chilli powder
Pinch of cumin powder

Salt to taste

Finely chopped fresh coriander to garnish

Method:

Slice the baby corn into circles and the carrot into finger long pieces. Finely chop the spring onions including the strands or leaf and the tomato. Slit the green chillies and finely chop a tsp of ginger.

Take a kadai/pan (mookudu/bandli) and add 4 tsp oil. Please keep the stove on simmer all through the process.

Once oil is hot add the bay leaf, Cardomom(Elaichi), Clove(lavangam) and cinnamon(dalchini). Also add the green chillies and ginger and sauté twice. Add cumin seeds(jeera) and once they splutter add the spring onions and sauté till the onions give the aroma of being cooked and have become transparent. Please ensure that the onions do not become golden brown.

Add the sliced baby corn and carrot and mix well so that all the pieces absorb oil. This way they retain their color. Now add Salt to taste and mix well and add ½ cup of water enough for all the vegetables to be soaked in. Leave the vegetables to boil without closing the kadai with the lid.

Once most of the water has evaporated and all the vegetables are cooked, which may take up to 8-10 mins, add the finely chopped tomato or tomato paste as available. Mix well and leave for 3-4 mins so that the tomato softens and is easily mashed into the curry.

Now add a pinch of red chilli powder (optional), cumin powder and garam masala. Mix well and leave for 2 mins for the curry to absorb the masalas.

Switch the stove off and garnish with coriander.

Since we are using tomatoes, it is not necessary that all the water is evaporated as it turns into a gravy/semi-gravy curry. However, it is always advisable to cook and boil on simmer only so that the curry doesn‘t get burnt.

Babycorn carrot curry goes best with any of the Indian breads because of its semi-gravyness. It can also be had with Peas Pulao or Jeera rice.

Kattu Chaaru

First of all let us see why this dish is named this way. Kattu (pronounced as cuttu) means the water from boiling pigeon peas. In fact the stock left on boiling the pigeon peas or kandipappu/bedalu is referred to as kattu in Telugu and Kannada. Rasam made from this kattu is called Kattu chaaru. kattu rasam is the simplest of the recipes we know and the best thing to have when ill.

Preparation time 10-15 mins

Serves 2

Ingredients:

Pigeon peas (kandipappu/Toor dal) ½ cup
Cumin (jeera/jeelakarra) 1 tsp
Mustard seeds (Aavalu) 1 tsp
Curry leaves (karvepak) 4-5
Red Chilli 1
Ghee 2 tsp
Pinch of Asafoetida (Hing/Inguva)
Pinch of Turmeric
Salt to taste

Fresh chopped coriander to garnish.

Method:

Traditional one:

The actual traditional method of making kattu chaaru is to drain out all the stock or water left from boiling the Pigeon peas into a vessel.

Now take a Kadai/pan and add 2 tsp of ghee. Once hot add mustard seeds and once they splutter add the curry leaves and red chilli and a pinch of asafetida or hing. Add this seasoning to the drained water or stock.

Add a pinch of salt, 1 tsp of cumin and garnish with coriander.

The pigeon peas so boiled were and are still used to make sambar or dal and so on.

An Alternative:

Now a days we all use pressure cookers to boil the pigeon peas (kandi pappu/toor dal). There is not much stock left generally when the pressure cooker is used unless of course we add more water to the pigeon peas while keeping it in the cooker. This way there is some stock available.

Season this drained stock or water as in the above method, add salt to taste and garnish with chopped coriander.

This is an advisable option, but incase this is not done then the method we have begun to use now a days is also useful and is as follows:

Another way:

Pressure cook the pigeon peas with a pinch of turmeric.

Now take 3 large spoons of the pigeon peas into a vessel. Add one and half cups of water. Add salt to taste and 1 tsp of cumin (jeera). Keep the vessel on the stove and leave for boiling. Once the pigeon peas are completely mashed and the water is of soup consistency switch the stove off.

Now take a Kadai/pan and add 2 tsp of ghee. Once hot add mustard seeds and once they splutter add the curry leaves and red chilli and a pinch of asafoetida. Season the rasam with this tampering and garnish with coriander. Kattu chaaru is ready to gulp down.

All the methods we have mentioned above are authentic and anyone of them will mean the same. Kattu chaaru can also be had as a soup especially when ill since it contains proteins, the body building nutrients and is easily digestible. The best way to have kattu chaaru however is with hot rice, mixed with a tsp of ghee and some lemon juice sprinkled on it.

Apun ka Vada Pav

Vada pav is a popular Maharashtrian snack. We have had the vada pav we make at home only. And thanks to Pavan, we got the right taste. It’s a simple but tasty snack and very filling too. We have taken the easiest way to make it as many are not patient enough to follow the long procedures. That is the reason we call it Apun ka Vada pav. This is not the authentic one, but just one that we make and find tasty.

Preparation time 1 hour

Serves 2

Ingredients:

Pav (the Pav bhaji pav or even small/medium sized burger buns will do) 6
Chopped Onions (ullipaya) ½ cup

For the vadas:

Chickpea Flour (Besan/senagapindi/kadle hittu/gram flour) 4 tbsp
Potatoes (aloo) 2
Mustard seeds (Aavalu) 1 tsp
Refined cooking oil 1 cup
Curry leaves ( karvepak) 6-8.

Salt to taste

For the chutney:

Coriander (Kothimeera) 1 bunch
Tomatoes 1
Green chilli finely chopped 1
Ginger or ginger powder(as available) 1tsp
Sugar 1tsp
Red chilli powder 1tsp
Mango Powder(amchur) 1tsp
Date/date powder 1 tsp
Tamarind or tamarind powder 1 tsp

Chat masala(optional) 4 tsp

Salt to taste


Method:

There are two ways of making the green chutney as per availability of ingredients.

1: Grind the coriander,tomato , green chilli and all the powders mentioned above and salt except chat masala .

2: Grind coriander,tomato, 1 tsp ginger, 1 tsp tamarind, 1 tsp of sugar, Salt and the finely chopped green chilli. To this mix 4 tsps of chat masala just before using it.

There are actually 2 kinds of chutneys conventionally used to make the vada pav: the green chutney and the red chutney. We have used the ingredients of both the chutneys together to make one chutney. However, if required the red chutney can also be made.

For the Vadas:

Pressure cook the potatoes upto 5 whistles or boil them till soft. Cool the potatoes and mash.

Take a kadai/pan and add 2tsp of oil. Once hot add the mustard seeds and curry leaves as the mustard seeds splutter. Season the mashed potatoes with this tampering and add a pinch of salt and mix well.

In another vessel take the chickpea flour and water of a consistency enough to make a dough into which the potato balls can dipped (bajji/bonda dough consistency). Keep mixing the flour while adding water so that lumps don’t get created.

Take a kadai/pan and add the cup of oil and leave for heating. In the meantime make medium sized balls of the potato mix and dip into the chickpea dough so as to cover the whole ball. Once oil is hot, fry these balls to make batata vadas and keep aside. It is advisable to make the vadas on simmer flame as they won’t get burnt and it is safer to cook on simmer especially while using such high quantities of oil.

For the Vada pav:

Slit the pav (or bun) horizontally leaving the other corner unslit and the pav foldable.

Spread the green chutney (or the chutneys/sauces of your choice) on both the halves of the pav.

Place tha vada, and a few chopped onions and cover the pav to seem like a burger.

Serve hot with tomato sauce or tamarind chutney. Since the chutney we use is already a mix of flavours even if served just like that the vada pav tastes great.

Arbi fry

Chaamagadda in telugu, Arbi in Hindi and taroroot in English is a very commonly available but seldom used vegetable.Arbi fry or chaamagadda vepudu is every andhraite’s favourite as obvious is the penchant for fry’s in Andhra homes.

The preparation time is 20 mins.

Serves 2



Ingredients:

Arbi/Taro root/chaama gadda ½ kg
Refined cooking oil 1 cup
Red chilli powder 1 tsp
Cumin Powder (jeera powder) 1 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:

Pressure cook the Arbi/chaamagadda. Usually we leave it for 3 whistles. With this done, leave the arbi to cool.

Once the arbi is cooled, peel the arbi and slice into round circles.

Now keep oil for heating. Once hot, deep fry the sliced Arbi and take them into a vessel.

Add 1 tsp red chilli powder and ½ tsp cumin powder (optional) and salt to taste. Mix so that all the fried arbi absorb the powders.

Crisp and spicy chaamagadda vepudu is ready.Serve hot with rice and a tsp of ghee.

Rajma

Rajma is a common North Indian dish, basically from Himachal Pradesh. Infact Himachal Pradesh is famous for the best available red kidney beans. Rajma is a wonderful curry that is nutritious too. Parul taught us this curry. Thank You Parul.
So here is the “Punjabi” way of making Rajma:

Preparation time: 35 - 45 mins.

Serves 2

Ingredients:
Red Kidney beans (Rajma) 250 gms
Finely Chopped Onions (ullipaya) 4
Tomatoes (Big) 2
Refined Cooking oil 4 tsp
Red Chilli powder 1 tsp
Turmeric 1 tsp
Coriander ( Dhania) Powder 2 tsp
Garam Masala ½ tsp
Cardamom( Black Elaichi) 2

Salt to taste
Coriander to garnish

Method:

Soak the kidney beans (Rajma) overnight.

Now Pressure cook the Rajma.

Take a kadai/pan and put oil 4 tsp. Once oil is hot, add cardamom and leave for 2 mins. Add onions and fry till golden brown.

Add grated tomatoes. Incase tomato puree is available, it can also be used instead of tomatoes.

Once the tomatoes leave oil in the corners of the kadai, add salt to taste, red chilli powder, turmeric, Coriander powder and mix well. After 2 mins, add 1/2 cup of water to the masala. Keep stirring the masala for 10 mins as it has to mix well in the water to form a gravy.

In the meantime drain the water from the pressure cooked Rajma and keep both aside. Keep the Rajma in the cooker itself.

Now add the masala to the Rajma and mix for another 5 mins on the stove(simmer). Now add the drained water to this mixture and pressure cook up to 2 whistles. Incase the rajma feels undone, it can be kept until another whistle.

Garnish with coriander and Punjabi Rajma is ready to serve.

Rajma goes well and is conventionaly complemented with rice. It is also a good roti,paratha and phulka supplement.

Chintakaya Tokku

Chintakaya is raw tamarind fruit and is also called hunsekayi in kannada. Chintakaya tokku is one of the two kinds of tamarind chutneys made in south India. While chintakaya pachadi using tamarind fruit and red chillies is popular in Andhra households, the chintakaya tokku that we are writing about is made mostly in Karnataka and Rayalaseema areas of AP.  

Preparation time: 10 - 15 mins

An important note regarding Chintakaya tokku is that there should be NO moisture while making and storing the tokku. Even a slight touch of moisture will spoil the chintakaya tokku. So please use dry hands and moisture less, dry vessels/containers/ladles while making/storing chintakaya tokku.

Ingredients:

Raw tamarind Fruit (Chintakaya/hunsekaya) 100 gms
Green chillies 10
Pinch of turmeric (Haldi/pasupu)
Refined cooking oil 4 tsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Pinch of Asafoetida (Hing)
Salt to taste

Method:

Wash the tamarind fruits (chintakaya/hunsekaya) and wipe them and dry them for a day (remember, no moisture).

Now cut the tamarind fruits into small pieces removing the fibre along.

Please ensure the mixie is dry and put the pieces in the mixie and grind for a minute.

Add the green chillies and grind for a minute.

Add a small pinch of turmeric powder and grind for another minute.

Add salt to taste, ideally 1 to 1 ½ tsp for 100 gms of tamarind and grind till the tamarind becomes soft.

Now transfer all the mixture into an air-tight dry container.

Take a kadai/pan and add 4 tsp oil. Once the oil is hot add mustard seeds and Asafoeteda (Hing). Season the tokku or chutney with this tempering. Spicy and tangy chintakaya tokku is ready.

Chintakaya tokku can be stored for 10 to 15 days provided it is kept away from moisture and water. In fact in Karnataka and Rayalaseema the chintakaya is ground with turmeric and stored dry all year round. Periodically required quantity is taken out and ground with chillies, salt, seasoned and used.

The best combo and in fact traditional combo is to have rice mixed with chintakaya tokku, biting a green chilli in between. However, it goes well with any of the Indian breads or even just as a spread for normal bread because of its yummy spicy and tangy taste.

Aloo Capsicum Peas curry

We generally prepare this curry as a roti supplement. Potatoes go with most of the vegetables and so do green peas. Capsicum is rich in vitaman C. The specialty of this curry is that each veggie compliments the other to give a great taste.

Preparation time is 15 -20 mins.

Serves 2

Ingredients

Potatoes (Aloo) sliced 2
Capsicum (Simla Mirchi) sliced 1
Frozen/Fresh green peas (Batani) 1 cup
Tomato puree/tomato 1
Finely chopped onion 1
Finely chopped Ginger (Allam) 1tsp
Refined cooking oil 2 tsp
Pinch of turmeric (Pasupu/haldi)
Cumin (Jeera/jilakara) 1 tsp
Garam masala 1 tsp
Cumin powder (Jeera powder) 1 tsp
Red chilly powder 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Finely chopped coriander to garnish

Method:

Place the kadai (bandli/mookudu) on the stove on simmer and add 2 tsp of oil.

Once the oil is heated add cumin (jeera) and the ginger. Once the cumin splutters add onion and sauté till they are transparent.

Add a pinch of turmeric and the potatoes and sauté for half a min.

Add the capsicum and green peas and sauté for half a min. Add salt and mix. Add one fourth cup of water i.e. enough for the vegetables to be half soaked in water. Now allow the vegetables to cook until the water is almost evaporated.

Once the vegetables are cooked, and water content has also reduced, add a tbsp of tomato paste or the chopped tomatoes as available.

Add 1 tsp of garam masala and half tsp red chilly powder. Also add 1 tsp of cumin powder and mix. Now allow to cook for 1 to 2 mins and switch the stove off. Hot and spicy Aloo capsicum peas curry is ready.

Garnish with coriander to serve.

Since we have added tomato paste/tomatoes incase there is water left also, it will seem a semi-gravy curry. But it is advisable to see that all the water has not evaporated as that may result in the curry getting burnt.

Aloo Capsicum peas curry is a great combo for Rotis, naans and plain parathas.

Pineapple Rasam

Rasam, called saaru in Kannada and chaaru in Telugu is a must in the daily menus of Tamil and Kannada house holds. But in Andhra, it is not that important but is served during important occasions. Rasams are good for digestion and the best food, especially when ill. Pineapple rasam is an unconventional rice supplement that we learnt from amma.

Preparation time is 20 to 25 mins and the method is as follows:

Serves 2

Ingredients:

Finely chopped fresh pineapple/canned pineapple 1 cup
Boiled Pigeon peas (kandipappu/togri bele) 1/4th cup
Tamarind (Chintapandu) 1 small ball
Ginger chopped 1 tsp
Rasam powder 1 tbsp
Sugar 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Ghee 2 tsp
Mustard seeds 1tsp
Curry leaves 4-5
Asafoetida (Hing/Inguva) pinch

Chopped Coriander and freshly grated coconut to garnish

Method:

Take a cup of warm water and soak the small ball of tamarind for 10 mins.

Take a vessel and add pineapple,ginger,salt and sugar. Add the tamarind soaked water. Add two more cups of water and keep on the stove on simmer for boiling for 5 mins.

Once the pineapple seems almost cooked, add the boiled pigeon peas (toor dal/kandi pappu/togri bele) and leave for boiling on simmer for another 3-5 mins.

Now add the rasam powder and leave for boiling for another 2 mins.

As this is on, on another flame, take a pan or kadai and add 2 tsp ghee. Once the ghee is heated add mustard seeds. As the mustard seeds splutter add curry leaves and a pinch of asafoetida. This is the seasoning to be added to the Rasam. Pineapple Rasam is ready

Garnish with chopped coriander and grated coconut before serving.

The best part of pineapple rasam is the taste. It has the sweetness of the pineapple, tanginess of the tamarind and spice of the rasam powder and ginger. Pineapple Rasam goes best with rice but can also be had as it is as a soup.