Mango Palak Sambar

Greens are the most refreshing and appealing in this heat. And what better to match with mangoes than spinach?

Preparation time: 20-25 min

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Raw mango 1
Spinach 1 bunch
Pigeon peas 1 cup
Sambar powder 1 tbsp
Ghee 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Cumin 1tsp
Curry leaves 4-5
Fenugreek seeds 1 tsp
Green chilly 1
Red chilli 1
Pinch of tamarind
Pinch of turmeric
Pinch of asafoetida
Salt to taste

Method:

Wash, peel and cut the mango into cubes. Finely chop the spinach.

Pressure cook to 3 whistles and together: Pigeon peas, mango cubes and a pinch of turmeric.

In a kadai/cooking pot/vessel heat ghee, add the red chilli, mustard seeds and as they pop, add the cumin, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves and a pinch of asafoetida.

Add the spinach, a green chilli, a pinch of tamarind and a cup of water. Cover and cook until the spinach is cooked, which should take 5-8 mins on simmer.

Add the cooked pigeon peas and mango mix, stir and leave to boil for a couple of minutes.

Add sambar powder, salt to taste and boil for another couple of minutes.

Serve mango palak sambar with hot ghee topped rice and a few chips to munch along.

Food Crossword - 3

It is the IPL final. The cup is going to be Chennai's or Kolkota's? Amma or Didi? Robo or Ra.One? 

Okay, we seem to sound like a Hindi news channel ;) watch the match and enjoy crossword 3...

(Click to enlarge)

Solution in the next one.

Solution to Food Crossword - 2:

Across

1. Sumac

3. Malabar

4. Pod

5. Butter

Down

1. Salt

2. Coriander

4. Pot 

Thotakura kaadala majjiga pulusu/Amaranth stem kadhi

There is a local Telugu expression in most parts of AP that goes -‘Tokka thotakura?’ implying thotakura or amaranth is one of the most miniscule things just like any vegetable peel, thanks to its abundant availability. However, with the fuel price hikes that are shaking the country, inflation and price rises seem to be the trending topics of the day. This just means not just the thotakura (amaranth leaves) but also their kaadalu (stems) should be used for cooking. And why not? The stems are a great nutritious option too.

Preparation time: 20-30 mins

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

Stems of 2 bunches of Amaranth leaves
Bengal gram (Senagabedalu) 2 tbsp
Green chilli 1
Coriander 2 strands
Ginger 1 tsp
Grated fresh coconut 1 tsp
Buttermilk 1 ladle
Refined cooking oil 2 tsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds 1/4th tsp
Red chilli 1
Curry leaves 4-5
Pinch of asafoetida (hing/inguva)
Salt to taste

Method:

Soak the Bengal gram for 15 mins.

Pluck the Amaranth leaves and set the stems aside. The leaves can be cooked into a yummy curry or dal that can compliment this kadhi.

For the stems, cut them into half a finger long pieces removing the fibrous strands all along. The Amaranth stem is very soft and easy to cut, but ensure not to mash it.

Add around a cup of water to the strands, a pinch of salt, cover and leave to boil for around 20 mins on simmer or until they are cooked.

Blend to a fine paste the Bengal gram, green chilli, coriander, ginger, a pinch each of asafoetida and salt and grated fresh coconut.

Add this Bengal gram paste to the boiled Amaranth stems and stir to a boil.

Add buttermilk and stir. Leave for a couple of minutes to cook and remove from heat. If using thick yoghurt then beat the yoghurt with water to its thinnest consistency and add without any lumps.

Heat oil in a kadai/pan and add mustard seeds and as they pop, red chilli, curry leaves and fenugreek seeds. Season the majjiga pulusu with this seasoning.

Kaadala majjiga pulusu or Amaranth stem kadhi is a rice supplement ideally had with any leafy dal and rice. It does make a great combo with some phulkas too.

A must for a summer afternoon lunch, will provide respite from the sweltering heat along with a few nutrients.

Totapuri sweet tokku

Totapuri is a raw mango variety popular in south India. Referred to as chilakamuti maamidikaya in Telugu, it is a large long mango with the edges shaped like the beak of a parrot. Thus, the respective names. We see loads of them especially at Tirumala where long rows of old ladies settled on the main road’s footpath sell slices of this totapuri mango, cut stylishly and spiced with salt and red chilli powder. A moment of yum!

We got lucky to find a couple of totapuris here in Dubai this season and Totapuri sweet tokku is an instant sweet pickle with this mango variety.

Preparation time: 10-15 mins

Ingredients:  

 

Totapuri raw mango 1
Red chillies (Endu mirchi) 2
Tamarind (chintapandu) 1 blob
Jaggery (bellamu) 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds (aavalu) 1 1/4th tsp
Refined cooking oil 1 tbsp
Pinch of asafoetida (Inguva)
Pinch of turmeric (pasupu)
Salt to taste

Method:

Wash, wipe and peel the totapuri. Chop finely or into average sized cubes.

Grind to a fine paste the red chillies, tamarind/tamarind paste, jaggery, salt and less than one-fourth spoon of mustard seeds.

Add the paste to the chopped totapuri and mix well. Cover and set aside.

Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. Once they pop, set aside to cool for a couple of minutes and add the asafoetida.

Pour the seasoning over the totapuri and mix well. Cover and set aside for half an hour and serve. The pickle will remain good for around a day if refrigerated in an airtight container.

Sweet and spicy, Totapuri sweet tokku gives a real kick to the tongue. Mix with hot rice or have with hot and buttered paranthas.

Gummadikaya kura/ Pumpkin curry

Pumpkins are an all time favorite at home. Pumpkin curry is another quick recipe, with cut pumpkin slices being available at most supermarkets today.

Preparation time: 20-25 mins

Ingredients:

Pumpkin (gummadikaya) 1/4^th kilo

Red chillies 2

Mustard seeds 1 tsp

Cumin seeds 1 tsp

Black gram 1 tsp

Curry leaves 4-5

Refined cooking oil 1 tbsp

Pinch of asafoetida

Pinch of turmeric

Salt to taste

Fresh and chopped coriander and grated coconut to garnish

Method:

Peel and chop the pumpkin into small cubes.

Heat oil in a pan/kadai (bandli/mukudu). Add the red chillies and mustard seeds and as they pop, add cumin seeds, black gram, curry leaves and a pinch each of turmeric and asafoetida.

Add the chopped pumpkin and sauté. Cook for a couple of mins and add water until all the cubes are immersed. Cover and cook on low flame until the cubes are soft and the water has evaporated. This should take around 8-10 mins.

Add salt to taste and stir. Garnish with fresh and grated coconut and coriander just before serving.

Pumpkin curry or gummadikaya curry is a simple Indian bread and rice supplement. Bland and basic, it is both soothing and filling for the tummy.

Mango moong dal

We love the Turkish banana peppers. They blend so well into any recipe and give a distinct flavor especially when shallow fried. Being in Dubai is really an advantage; we get to blend different veggies into Indian cuisine while keeping the Indian veggies in mind.

Green gram is high on protein while what can we say about the mangoes. They leave us wanting to cook them differently every time.

Preparation time: 20-30 mins

Serves: 2

 

Ingredients:

Raw mango (mamidikaya) 1
Split green gram (moongdal/pesarapappu) 1 cup
Big green chillies (Bada mirchi/bajji mirapakayalu) 2
Refined cooking oil 1 tbsp
Curry leaves 4-5
Cumin seeds (jeera/jeelakarra) 1 tsp
Pinch of asafoetida (hing/inguva)
Pinch of turmeric (haldi/pasupu)
Fresh and chopped coriander to garnish

 

 

Method:

Wash, peel and cut the mango into cubes. Chop the chillies.

Pressure-cook the green gram and mango cubes together to 3 whistles. Alternatively, cook for around 20 mins/microwave for around 10 mins.

Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. As they splutter, add the curry leaves, a pinch each of turmeric and asafoetida.

Add the chopped chillies and shallow fry.

Add the cooked split green gram and mango mix, water as required and salt to taste and leave to cook for around 5-8 mins on medium heat. Garnish with fresh and grated coriander and some grated mango (optional, for some extra punch).

Mango moong dal is an Indian bread and rice supplement. Green gram cools the system while tangy mangoes and spicy chillies give the tongue the required kick. Enjoy with some masala papads.

Dosavakaya

Summers in Andhra are synonymous with the pickle season. Avakaya is the popular Andhra raw mango pickle. Tangy and spicy Avakaya is the brand ambassador of Andhra cuisine. Every grand mom and mom in Andhra is busy especially in the month of May when the sun is at its peak, scouting for fresh raw mangoes and pickling them.

Dosavakaya is Avakaya with yellow cucumbers or dosakayalu as they are called in Telugu. Though not as popular as its mango counterpart, Dosavakaya is a regular at most homes and a must at all celebrations, be it a wedding or a puja at home. Cucumbers are popular coolants and Dosavakaya is a great recipe for those who feel Avakaya creates heat in the body. In addition, the recipe is simple enough and fresh yellow cucumbers are available all round the year. Here are the ingredients for the ever fresh and spicy Dosavakaya:

Ingredients:

Yellow cucumber (dosakaya) ½ kilo
Mustard powder (aavapindi) 50 gm
Red chilli powder (karam) 100gm
Salt (uppu) 100gm
Sesame seeds oil/Refined cooking oil (til oil/nuvvula noone) 250 gm
Turmeric (pasupu) 1 tsp
Pinch of Asafoetida (inguva)

Notes:

Pickles always require a moisture free environment and probably that is the reason summer is regarded as the best season for pickling. From bowls, ladles and jars to the ingredients everything needs to be dry and moisture free, even your hands.

Only glass or ceramic utensils are used for pickling. Stainless steel, nonstick or plastic is not preferred and not advisable too.

If mustard powder is unavailable, grind raw mustard seeds to a fine powder.

For avakayas sesame seed (til/nuvvulu) oil is used. This enhances the avakaya flavor. However if unavailable, use refined cooking oil.

Method:

Wash and wipe dry the yellow cucumber. Dry for a few minutes and ensure they are moist-free.

Cut the yellow cucumber into equal sized cubes without peeling the yellow cucumber.

In a dry glass/ceramic bowl, add 50 gm of mustard powder. To this, add red chilli powder and salt in equal proportion (i.e. For 1 cup red chilli powder, 1 cup salt.) In this case, both are 100gms.

Add a pinch of asafoetida, a tsp of turmeric and 2 full ladles (100 gm) of oil to the above dry powders, mix even and well.

Add the yellow cucumber cubes, 2½ ladles of oil (150 gm) and mix well to spice all the cubes.

Shift into an airtight, moisture free ceramic/glass jar.

Dosavakaya, though not instant literally pickles quite quickly and can be served after 3-4 hours of pickling. This is the reason for its regular inclusion in most festival and celebration menus.

Dosavakaya stays good for around 15 days to sometimes a month when stored in a moisture free place, in a good airtight ceramic/glass jar.

Dosavakaya is an Andhra pickle and complements dosas, vadas, upma, pooris and even Indian bread. A typical Telugu mixes spicy dosavakaya into a serving of heaped rice and gulps in handfuls.

Mango roti

The next thing we did to the mangoes is to bake them into the popular Indian bread - Rotis. With wheat flour and mangoes, this turned out to be a healthy tangy one.

Preparation time: 10-15 mins

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

Wheat flour (atta/godhampindi/godhihittu) 2 cups
Raw mango 1
Carom seeds (ajwain/vaamu) 1tsp
Cumin powder (jeera powder) 1 tsp
Refined cooking oil/ghee few tsps
Salt to taste

Method:

Wash, peel and grate the mango.

Add the grated mango, crushed carom seeds, cumin powder, salt to taste and a tsp of red chilli powder (optional, for those who love spicy rotis) to the wheat flour. Add a few drops of oil/ghee, water as required and knead to roti dough, thick and smooth. (A little finely chopped coriander can also be added ensuring that the coriander doesn’t overtake the mango’s flavor.)

Take lumps of the dough and bail into rotis.

Heat a pan/tawa and bake the rotis.

Mango roti is ideally dipped into thick curd or whipped cream and enjoyed. We splashed some butter onto the rotis and enjoyed them with sweet mango jam while watching the butter melt. The sweetness of the mango jam just complimented the tanginess of the rotis. We had them for brunch, you could have them anytime and more importantly whenever you feel ‘man-gry’ or mango-hungry!

Pomegranate Mirchi Masala

With the mango season on, we really got fruity but craved for something spicy. What more can a Hyderabadi think of but these large banana peppers or mirchi bajji mirchis as we call them and that’s how Pomegranate Mirchi masala happened. A Moderately spicy and yummy gravy.

Spicy big chillies and tangy tiny pomegranates dipped in a rich milky gravy

Preparation time: 35-45 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Big green chillies (bada mirchi/bajji mirapakayalu) 10
Pomegranate seeds 1 cup (3/4th of a pomegranate).
Onion 1
Almonds (badam) 5
Cashews (kaju) 5
Milk ½ cup
Cloves (laung/lavangalu) 2
Cinnamon stick (dalchini/dalchinchakka) 1
Refined cooking oil 4-5 tbsp
Butter 2 tsp
Bay leaf 1
Cumin seeds (jeera/jeelakarra) 1 tsp
Red chilli powder (lal mirch/karam) 1 tsp
Coriander powder (dhania powder) 1 tsp
Cumin powder (jeera powder) 1 tsp
Garam masala 1 tsp
Tomato paste 2 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:

Wash, wipe and slit the green chillies vertically (they could also be chopped into circles). Finely chop the onion. De-seed the pomegranate. If tomato paste is unavailable, finely chop/grate a tomato.

Soak the almonds and cashews in half a cup of milk for around 10 mins. Grind to a fine paste the almonds, cashews, milk, cloves and cinnamon.

Shallow fry the Chillies and remove onto a tissue to drain off excess oil.

Heat the butter and add a bay leaf and cumin seeds. Add finely chopped onion and sauté until light brown.

Add a tsp each of chilli powder, coriander and cumin powders, garam masala and mix.

Add the almond-cashew paste, tomato paste and mix. If using grated tomatoes, cook for a couple of minutes and then add the almond-cashew paste and mix.

Add water as required (around half a cup), fried chillies, and pomegranate seeds, salt to taste, cover and cook to a thick gravy. This should take around 5 mins. Pomegranate seeds will leave a tangy taste (since they are being boiled) and the chillies will give the spicy touch while the gravy gives a rich texture and flavor.

Pomegranate mirch masala is an Indian bread supplement and tastes great with any flavored rice, especially biryanis, considering the Hyderabadi tinge it has. It also tastes yummy with paranthas and butter naans. Now we have the best guess on what your weekend menu shall be.

Menthya Maavinkai Tokku/Menthi Mamidikaya Tokku

A tangy,sour and spicy Summer pickle

Mango tokku is a popular Andhra-Karnataka recipe. With a dash of fenugreek, the pickle is a regular during summer at most south Indian homes.

Preparation time: 10-15 mins

Ingredients:

Raw mango (maamidikayalu/maavinkai) 2
Red chillies 6
Fenugreek seeds (menthulu/menthya) 3/4th spoon
Mustard seeds (aavalu/saasive) 1 ¼spoon
Refined cooking oil 2 tsp
Pinch of turmeric
Pinch of asafoetida
Salt to taste

Method:

Dry roast 5 red chillies, 3/4th tsp of fenugreek seeds and 1/4th tsp of mustard seeds. Cool and grind to a fine powder.

Wash, peel and grate the mangoes. Add salt to taste, the above ground powder and mix well.

In a pan, heat oil, add mustard seeds and as they pop a pinch of turmeric and leave to cool for 5 mins. Add a pinch of asafoetida and a crushed red chilli to complete the seasoning.

Pour the seasoning over the mangoes and mix well.

Menthya maavinkai tokku or Menthi maamidi tokku is an instant pickle and makes a great combo with dosas, pooris, upma, Indian bread and of course hot rice topped with groundnut oil. Our favorite is cold curd rice and this tokku to smack the lips, indeed a superb summer noon lunch.