Coconut semiya payasam

We wish all our friends and well wishers and every andhraite and kannadiga a very happy and prosperous Ugadi. We pray to Lord Venkateswara to bless all with a great year.

Payasam in South India is kheer in hindi. Coconut semiya kheer is one of the many varities of kheer that we make.

Preparation time: 20-25 mins.



Ingredients

Semiya/sewai (vermicelli)1 cup
Milk (paalu) 1 ½ cup
Sugar ½ cup
Dry coconut powdered (endukobbari podi) ¼ cup
Almond powder(badam mix) 2 tsp
Cardamom(Elaichi) 2
Cashews (kaju) 4-5
Raisins (kismis) 4-5
Pistachio(Pista) 4-5
Saffron (kum kumpuvvu/zaffran) 3-4
Ghee 5 tsp.

Method:
Slightly roast the semiya in ghee. Not until it is brown but till it turns a little orange.
Put 1/2 cup sugar to one cup of water and bring it to a boiling consistency and put the roasted semiya into it and keep a lid and put off the stove. Keep it aside.

Take one and half cup of milk and keep it on a stove allowing it to boil. Now add 4 spoons of sugar and 2 tsp of badam mix, elaichi powder and saffron.

Now in another vessel, take 2 tsp ghee and roast cashews and raisins. Add them to the milk.

After the semiya softens in the other vessel, add the flavored milk into that or vice versa.

Stir for two minutes. Now add the powdered dry coconut (endu kobbari podi kottindi).
Stir for a minute. Garnish with Almonds (badam) and Pistachio (Pista) and rose petals.

Serve hot or cold, coconut-semiya payasam tastes awesome either way. A perfect dish on any festival menu.

Guava Raita

Guavas are all time favorites to just munch with salt and spice. Guava raitha is an amazing recipe and equally tasty. Whenever we speak about guavas, we are always reminded of the big guava tree we had at home. We used to get around 300 guavas a day and all of them were big, yellow and sweet. It was because of this that amma started making everything possible with guavas, right from jams to this raitha. We really miss the guava tree, had to chop it down because of some disease it had developed. This recipe is dedicated to the Guava tree which had a special place in our childhood and has a special place in our hearts even today, and forever..

To see how guava raita is prepared, please click here.

Preparation time: 10 mins

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

Fully ripe, yellow and strong on the outer Guava 1
(Doraga unde jaamapandu)
Well beaten curds 1 cup
Ghee 1 tsp
Red chilli 1
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Black gram(urad dal/uddi pappu) 1 tsp
Curry leaves 4-5
Red chilli powder 1 tsp
Cumin powder 1 ½ tsp
Sugar to taste (optional)
Salt to taste

Finely chopped coriander to garnish
Grated fresh coconut(optional)

Method:

Cut the guava into two halves and scoop out all the pulp including the seeds. Now cut the outer crust into cubes.

In a vessel take the beaten curds. It is important that the curd has no lumps. Add the guava cubes. Sometimes the guavas may be semi ripened or not fully ripened. In such a case sugar to taste can be added to the curds while beating the curds.

Sprinkle red chilli powder, cumin powder and salt to taste and mix well.

In a kadai/pan add the ghee(refined cooking oil if ghee is unavailable). Once hot add mustard seeds and once they splutter add the black gram, red chilli and curry leaves. Add this seasoning to the Raitha.

Garnish with fresh and finely chopped coriander and grated fresh coconut(optional). Sweet and salty Guava raitha is ready.

Guava raitha goes well with any kind of flavoured rice or Indian breads. This is the recipe to make with pulaos/biryanis and surprise guests.

Babypotato fry

This is another of the vepudus we make. Potato fry or bangaladumpa vepudu is a common man’s special dish in Andhra. Baby potato fry is not a conventional recipe. It is today’s recipe. Simple and equally tasty, it is completely different from the normal potato fry.

Baby potatoes are the smallest sized potatoes and are commonly available now days in the market.

preparation time: 15-20 mins.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

Baby Potatoes Half kilo
Refined cooking oil 1 cup
Black gram (urad dal/uddipappu) 1 tsp
Curry leaves 5-8
Red chilli 1
Red chilli powder 1tsp
Salt to taste
Cumin powder(optional) 1tsp

Method:

Wash and Pressure cook the baby potatoes without peeling them for up to three whistles. Generally we put them in the cooker along with rice to make it easier.

Once done, leave the potatoes to cool and peel them.

Now take a kadai/pan and add the oil. Once oil is hot fry the baby potatoes. Please ensure that they don’t turn brown. This means fry them very light and take them into another vessel.

Now in another kadai/pan take a tsp of oil. Once hot, add the red chilli, black gram and curry leaves. Season the potatoes with this tempering and mix well so that all the potatoes absorb the seasoning.

Sprinkle a tsp of red chilli powder and cumin powder(optional). Also sprinkle salt according to taste and mix well.

Baby potato fry is done.

Baby potato fry is a good rice and Indian breads’ supplement. But it is great snack too. While serving as a snack, please add pepper instead of red chilli powder and serve just like that or with sauce/chutney.

Gongura pachadi pappu

Pappu in telugu is dal in Hindi and parupu in tamizh. As the name suggests gongura pachadi pappu is a dal made from Gongura Pachadi. This is a quick, simple and tasty dal and we always make it whenever there is gongura pachadi at home. Gongura pachadi recipe is already posted and gongura pachadi pappu is here:

Preparation time: 20 mins

Serves 2

Ingredients:

Gongura pachadi 4 spoons
Pigeon peas (kandipappu) 1 cup
Finely chopped onion 1
Chopped Green chillies 2
Refined cooking oil 2 tsp
Mustard seeds(aavalu) 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds (jeera) 1 tsp
Black gram (uddipappu/urad dal) 1 tsp
Curry leaves 4-5
Pinch of turmeric
Oinch of red chilli powder
Salt to taste

Method:

Pressure cook the pigeon peas (Kandi pappu/toor dal/ kadlebele).

In a pan/kadai add oil. Once hot add mustard seeds. Once they splutter, add cumin, black gram and curry leaves and green chillies. Add a pinch of turmeric and onions.

Saute till the onions are transparent. We don’t want them brown. Now add the gongura pachadi and mix. Add the boiled pigeon peas and mix.

Add a little water so that the dal doesn’t get burnt and allow to cook. Since the gongura pachadi already has spices and salt it is a notion that nothing more needs to be added. But actually after adding pigeon peas and water, the dish becomes bland. So now add a pinch of red chilli powder and salt to taste and mix. Leave to cook for a few minutes.

Gongura pachadi pappu is ready.

Serve gongura pachadi pappu with rice. We have not yet tasted it with either the Indian bread or bread until now though.

Instant Gongura Pachadi

There is a popular dialogue from the Telugu classic Mayabazar referring to gongura as “Sakhambaridevi prasadam”, and why not? After aavakaaya, gongura pachadi is the most savoured chutney in Andhra households.


Gongura is a leafy vegetable like spinach and mint leaves. It is an average sized leaf with zigzag ends. The leaf has a completely different and slightly pungent and tangy taste when bit as it is. Gongura like spinach, mint and methi are sold in bunches in the markets. It is easy to spot gongura because of the distinctions mentioned above (as is evident from the pic). Gongura is also called puntikura in Telangana areas of Andhra Pradesh. Gongura is called Sorrel leaves in English, Ambada in Hindi, Pulichikeerai in Tamizh and Pundi Soppu in Kannada.
 

Instant gongura pachadi is named so because it can be stored for not more than a week. It is not like the conventional gongura pachadi that can be stored for months together.
 

Preparation time 20-25 mins

Ingredients:
 

Sorrel leaves (Gongura) 1 bunch
Green chillies 5
Refined cooking oil 6-7 tsp
Red chillies 2
Mustard seeds ½ tsp
Fenugreek seeds ½ tsp
Pinch of Asafoetida
Salt to taste
 

Method:
 

Wash and pluck the gongura. Slit the green chillies (if more spice is required, more than 5 green chillies can be used)
 

Now in a kadai take 4 tsps of oil and add the gongura and green chillies and sauté till the gongura becomes a small lump and changes colur into pinkish brown. As the gongura is just leaves it will leave out a lot of water and the whole big bunch of leaves will just form a small lump. It is advisable to sauté on simmer.
 

Leave the gongura and green chillies to cool.
 

Once cool grind the gongura, green chillies, salt to taste (ideally a pinch for a bunch of gongura). Grind into a fine paste.
 

Now in a kadai/pan add 2 tsps of oil. Once hot add ½ tsp mustard seeds and once they splutter add red chillies and fenugreek seeds. Also add a pinch of asafoetida or hing. Now add the gongura paste. Please keep the stove on simmer. Now mix the chutney well to absorb the oil and tempering and switch the stove off.
 

Leave the chutney to cool and then transfer into an air tight container and keep it in the fridge.
 

Since the chutney is instant, it shall last only for around a week and not long like the conventional gongura pachadi. This is because the gongura is not dried before use and green chillies are used and not red chillies like in the traditionally made gongura pachadi.
 

Gongura pachadi can be had with bread or any of the Indian breads and rice. The right way to enjoy gongura pachadi is however to mix gongura pachadi with rice a tsp of oil and munch an onion with the gongura rice. The pungent onions and tangy, spicy gongura will give the tongue complete entertainment.

As Dr. C. Narayanreddy (Cinare), a popular contemporary telugu poet had once written, "Panchabhakshya paramannalu unna gongura kosamai gutakalesevadu- evarayya vaadu? Inkevarayya telugu vaadu". Gongura pachadi is indeed the route to every Telugu's heart.

Peas Poori

Peas poori is a very tasty and easy to make dish. It can be had for lunch or dinner or even as an evening snack.

Ingredients:

Green peas (batani) 100 gms
Green chilly 1
Ginger 1 tsp
Coriander 4-5 strands
Wheat flour 2 cups
Refined cooking oil 1 cup
Salt to taste

Method:

Grind coarsely the green peas, green chilly,ginger and coriander. Coarse means the peas should just be broken and not made into a paste. (It is optional to add a few strands of Mint leaves (pudina) too for the taste.)

Take a vessel and add the 2 cups of wheat flour (godam pindi/godi hittu). To this add the green peas mix, a pinch of salt and water and mix the dough of roti/poori dough consistency.(It is optional here to add ¼ cup of finely chopped onions and a tsp of cumin(jeera).)

Roll the pooris and fry them in oil. Hot and delicious Peas pooris are ready.

Since the Peas poori already has green peas and other veggies, it can be had just like that. But Since summer has begun, it is preferable to have the peas poori with curds or any of the raithas including boondi raitha. But incase the preference is for Spicy food then just bite a green chilly with every helping of the poori for the additional spice. For first timers while eating mirchi every bit should be dipped in salt, then it will not make it too hot and also gives the chilli kick.Of course any of the curries also go well with peas poori since it has just green peas.

Budidagummadikaya Majjiga Pulusu

Budida gummadikaya is White pumpkin or Ash gourd or winter melon. Majjiga in telugu, majjige in kannada and more in tamizh mean buttermilk. Pulusu in telugu, huli in kannada and kolambu in tamizh mean sambar. Thus majjiga pulusu is a liquefied sambar kind of dish made with buttermilk or curds. It is called majjige huli in kannada and morukolambu in tamizh. Of course this yet another of the traditional telugu/kannada recipes.

Preparation time 20-25 mins

Serves 2

Ingredients:

Budida gummadikaya (White pumpkin/Ash gourd/winter melon) 1/4th kg
Bengal gram (Senagabedalu/Chana dal) 2 tbsp
Green chilly 1
Coriander 2 strands
Ginger 1 tsp
Coconut grated 2 tsp
Buttermilk 1 ladle
Refined cooking oil 2 tsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Fenugreek(menthulu/methi) seeds 1/4th tsp
Red chilli 1
Curry leaves 4-5
Pinch of Asafoetida
Pinch of turmeric
Salt to taste

Method:

Generally Ash gourd is cut into slices and sold in the market. It is preferable to get such slices and cut them into cubes instead of buying the whole vegetable. This makes it simpler and ideal for our required quantities.

Soak the chana dal for around half an hour.

Now grind the chana dal, green chilly,coriander, ginger, pinch of asafoetida,pinch of turmeric, pinch of salt and grated coconut into a paste and keep aside.

Add water to the ash gourd pieces and keep it for boiling. 2 cups water will do for 1 cup of ash gourd. Add a pinch of salt. As the ash gourd is getting cooked, the water splashes out like milk does when it is boiled. So it is advisable to boil the ash gourd on simmer and keep stirring so that the water doesn’t splash out.

Once the vegetable is completely cooked, that is soft and eatable, add the chana dal paste previously prepared and mix. Keep stirring to one boil.

Add buttermilk and mix. Leave for 2 mins and switch the stove off. Incase curds is available, then beat the curds thoroughly before adding it to ensure no lumps are formed.

In the meanwhile take a kadai/pan, and add 2 tsp of oil. Once oil is hot add the red chilli and mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds splutter, add curry leaves and fenugreek seeds. Season the majjiga pulusu with this tempering.

Majjiga pulusu is ready to serve.

Majjiga pulusu is a must at all festival menu. In fact the pappu(dal) and majjiga pulusu combination is so tasty, that it itself feels like a celebration. Mix dal with rice and keep dipping into the majjiga pulusu and have it or vice versa, it tastes heavenly. It is also a coolant and best for the hot summer afternoon lunches.

Boondi Raita

Sorry first of all for the gap in updating the blog as we were celebrating our first wedding anniversary and were off to Dubai. Neeharika has been busy with her television work and so couldn’t update the blog.

This is our first Raitha recipe and is a popular one in north Indian homes. The recipe is also very simple.

To see how boondi raita is made, please click here.

Preparation time: 10-15 mins

Ingredients:

For the boondi:

Gram flour (Besan/senagapindi) 1 cup

Refined cooking oil 1 cup

For the Raitha:

Curds 1 cup
Milk(optional) ¼ cup
Cumin powder 1 tsp
Red chilli powder 1 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:

For preparing the boondi, Mix the gram flour with water to the consistency of bajji/bonda dough. Now heat the oil in a kadai and drop pearl sized balls into the hot oil and remove them immediately as they are fried. Incase a ladle with holes is available, then rub the dough from above the ladle such that the dough falls through the holes into the kadai in the form of small balls. These balls too are to be removed as they are fried. Please keep the stove on simmer for the whole process.

Leave the boondi aside for cooling and drain out the oil if any. Generally readymade boondi is also available in the market to do away with the above process. But since there is use of oil, homemade is always healthy.

Now in a vessel, take the curds and beat well. If the curds is still very thick add milk to loosen it. Beat once again. Now add a pinch of cumin powder,salt and Red chilli powder to taste and beat again.

Just before serving, add the boondi and crispy and salty boondi raitha is ready to eat.

Boondi raitha is generally made as a roti compliment and served alongside salads in buffet dinners.

Beetroot Curry

Beetroot is a commonly available salad vegetable. It is the best vegetable for health conscious people. Amma tells us that it purifies the blood. Beetroot curry is one of our favorites and of course we learnt it from Amma.

Preparation time 15-20 mins

Serves 2

Ingredients:

Beetroots 2
Green chillies 2
Curry leaves 4-5
Refined cooking oil 2 tsp
Mustard Seeds (Aavaalu) 1tsp
Cumin seeds (Jeera) 1tsp
Black Gram (urad dal/uddi pappu) 1tsp
Salt to taste

Coriander and grated coconut to garnish

Method:

Slice the beetroots into cubes of eatable size. Slit the green chillies.

Take a Kadai/pan and add 2 tsp of oil. Once oil is hot add 1tsp of mustard seeds and as they splutter add the tsp each of cumin seeds, black gram and curry leaves (karvepaku).

Add the green chillies and sauté for half a min. Add the sliced beetroot and sauté for half a min.

Add ½ cup water and leave for cooking. Once the water has evaporated and the vegetable is cooked, which may take 7 to 10 mins, switch the stove off.

Garnish with finely chopped coriander and grated fresh coconut. Beetroot curry is done.

Beetroot curry can be had with rice, but we just love the beetroot curry and piping hot chapattis combination. Amma says this combo is a perfect nutritious Breakfast, and we can only agree to this fact.