Aloo Paratha (Stuffed Potato Paratha)

Ingredients:

Whole Wheat flour - 4 cups.
Olive oil - 4 Tbsp
Potatoes (boiled&mashed) 4 large
Green peas - 1 cup
Onion (chopped) 1 cup
Green chili - 1
Ginger - 1'' piece
Cilantro (finely chopped) - 1 cup
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Ghee or butter - 1 Tbsp

Procedure:

• In a bowl mix together wheat flour, hot ghee and a pinch of salt. To this add water and make the dough (which is easy to roll on a board with rolling pin). Keep it in the refrigerator for at least half an hour. Take the dough and make them into lemon sized balls.
  
  
• Next we will make potato for stuffing the paratha. Peel and cut the potatoes and boil them in water for 10 minutes. Keep them aside.
• Put 1 tablespoon oil in a pan on medium heat. When the oil is hot add cumin seeds, onion pieces and cut green chili pieces.
• When onion turns light brown add peas, cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Next add mashed potatoes, grated ginger, turmeric powder and salt to taste. Mix well and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Add cilantro and mix well.
• The stuffing is ready. Make the stuffing into lemon sized balls.
  
  
  
• Dust the rolling board with flour and place a ball of dough in the center. Roll it into a 5" diameter circle.
  
  
• Place potato ball in the center and cover it with the same flattened dough. Dust again with the flour and roll into a 6" to 7" diameter circle dusting it with flour whenever its sticking to the board.
  
  
• Next place a tava on medium heat and brush it with oil. Place the rolled paratha carefully.
  
  
• When it turns golden brown turn it over to the other side and let it cook to the same golden brown color. Brush it with oil on both sides.

Serve it hot with chutney or yogurt.

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Raw Mango Pickle (Mamidikaya Pacchadi)

Ingredients:

Raw mango - 1
chili powder - 1 tsp
Mustard - 1 tsp
Fenugreek (mentulu) - 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Red chilies - 1
Curry leaves - a few

Procedure:

• Cut mango into small pieces. Set them aside.
• Roast fenugreek and mustard seeds. Save half of it for seasoning and grind the other half into dry powder.
• Add 1 tablespoon oil to a pan on medium heat. When it is hot add roasted mustard, fenugreek, urad dal, red chili and curry leaves.
• When the urad dal turns light brown (may take a minute or two) add turmeric powder and salt to taste and turn off the heat. Next add roasted mustard, fenugreek and cut mango pieces and mix well.
  
  
  It is ready to be served. This pickle goes very well with yogurt rice. Could be stored in the refrigirator for 5 to 7 days.

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Sooji Halwa

Ingredients:

Sooji (cream of wheat) - 1 cup
Milk - 1 and 1/2 cups
Water - 1 and 1/2 cups
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Ghee (clarified butter) - 1/2 cup
Cashew nuts - 8 to 10
Raisins - 15
Cardamom - 1

Procedure:

• Peel the cardamom and grind the seeds into a smooth powder. Keep it aside.
• Put ghee (you could substitute ghee with butter) in a pan on medium heat. When it melts add cashew nuts and raisins.
• Cook for 2 minutes until raisins plump up into round shape.
• Add sooji and fry till it turns to golden brown. Turn off the heat and set it aside.
• In a separate pan add water and milk and bring it to a boil.
• Into the boiling liquid start adding sooji gradually as you keep stirring. Once all the sooji is added cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Next add sugar and cardamom powder and mix well. Cover and cook for 3 more minutes
• It is ready to be served. Could be rolled into balls
  
  

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Cracked Wheat Pulav (Goduma Nooka Pulav)

Ingredients:

Cracked wheat - 1 cup
Mixed vegetables - 2 cup
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Cloves - 3
Cardamom - 2
Whole black pepper - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 6 to 8
Cashew nuts - 10
Ghee (clarified butter) - 2 tsp

Procedure:

• In a pan add 2 tsp of ghee on medium heat. When it is warm add cracked wheat and fry for 3 minutes. Set it aside.
• In another pan add 2 Tbsp of oil on medium heat. When the oil is warm add cloves, cardamom, cumin seeds, black pepper, curry leaves and cashew nuts. Mix and cook for a minute.
• Next add mixed vegetables of your choice and salt to taste. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
• Add fried cracked wheat and 2 cups of hot water. Cover and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes until all the water is absorbed.
  
  

Serve it hot with any chutney.

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Pressed Rice Pilaf( Atukulu Pulav)

Ingredients:

Pressed Rice - 2 cups
Black chana (Kala chana) - 1cup
Moong dal (whole) - 1 cup
Peanuts - 1 cup
Pamogrenate seeds - 1/2 cup
Cilantro(finely chopped) - 1 cup
Onion - 1
chili - 3
Curry leaves - 6 to 8
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds (Zeera) - 1 tsp
Ginger - 1'' piece
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Procedure:

• Soak peanuts, moong and kala chana in water overnight. Let them sprout. Keep them aside.
• In a bowl wash and keep aside the pressed rice.
• Put 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan on medium heat. When the oil is hot add mustard.
• Wait for the mustard to sputter. Then add cumin seeds, cut chilies, curry leaves and onion cut into small pieces.
• When the onion turns transparent add turmeric powder, grated ginger, sprouted peanuts, sprouted green gram, sprouted chana and salt to taste. Mix well.
• Then add pressed rice. Mix well and cover and cook for 8 to 10 minutes.
• Add pomegranate seeds, chopped cilantro, mix well and serve.

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Drumstick Curry (Mulankada Koora)

Ingredients:

Drumsticks - 4
Tomatoes - 4 large
Ginger - 1 inch
Mustard - 1/4 tsp
Chana dal - 1 tsp
Cumin seed - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves 8 to 10
Onion (cut into small pieces) - 1
chili powder - 1 tsp

Procedure:

• Peel the drumsticks and cut them into 2" pieces as shown. Set them aside.
• In a pan add 1 tablespoon oil on medium heat. When the oil is hot add mustard. When it sputters add cumin seeds, chana dal, curry leaves and cut onions. Fry the onion for 5 minutes.
• To this add a pinch of turmeric, chili powder and mix well for a minute.
• Next add cut drumsticks, grated ginger and salt to taste. Mix well. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
• Next add cut tomatoes and mix well. Cover and cook for 10 more minutes.
• Garnish with cut cilantro. It is ready to be served. Goes well with rice.
  

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Dosa

Ingredients:

Urad dal - 1 cup
Rice - 1 cup
Idli ravva (cream of rice) - 2 cups

Procedure:

• Soak urad dal and rice in one dish and idli ravva in a seperate dish for 8 hours.
• Once soaked grind the three ingredients with little water into a smooth batter. Add 1 teaspoon of salt to the batter.
• Transfer into a container and cover it with an air tight lid and leave it in a warm place (like an oven) over night for fermenting. Once the batter ferments it is ready for making dosas.
• Place a tava on medium heat and apply oil evenly on the tava.
• Pour 2 to 3 tablespoons of batter on the tava and spread it into a circle (like a crepe). Pour 2 tsps of oil all around the dosa. Cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. If you want dosa to be crispy, turn it over and cook for 2 more minutes without cover.
• You could stuff potato curry as shown and serve it with chutney.

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Moongdal with Mango (Mamidikaya Pesarapappu)

Ingredients:

Moong dal (Pesara pappu)- 1 cup
Green mango - 1/2
Onion - 1/2
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Red chili - 1
Garlic - 2 cloves
Curry leaves - 5 to 6
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Procedure:

• Put 1 tablespoon of oil in a pressure cooker on medium heat. When its hot add mustard.
• When the mustard sputters add cumin seeds, sliced garlic, curry leaves, red chili, urad dal, cut onion and turmeric. Mix well.
• After 5 minutes add cut mango pieces, washed moong dal and mix well. Let the oil coat the dal and mango pieces.
• Next add 3 cups water and close the pressure cooker and place weight. When the first whistle comes turn the stove off and wait for the pressure to release. Add salt to taste. It is ready to be served.
  

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Yogurt Rice (Daddojanam)

Ingredients:

Rice - 1 cup
Yogurt - 3 cups
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Red chili - 1
Pomegranate seeds (optional) - 2 Tbsp
Curry leaves - 6 to 8


Procedure:

• Cook rice with 2 cups of water. Keep it aside.
• In a pan add 1 tsp of oil on medium heat. When oil is hot add mustard seeds.
• Once the mustard starts to sputter add urad dal, curry leaves and red chili cut into pieces.
• When urad dal turns golden brown turn off the stove.
• To this add cooked rice, salt to taste and mix well.
• When the above mixture comes to room temperature add yogurt and mix well.
• Garnish with pomegranate seeds and serve.

Goes well with raw mango chutney.

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Coconut Chutney (Kobbari Chutney)

Ingredients:

Fresh grated coconut - 1 cup
Roasted chana dal - 1/4 cup
Mint leaves - 1 cup
Ginger - 1" piece
Tamarind (optional) - 1" piece
Red chili - 1
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 4 to 5
Jaggery - 1'' cube
Lemon - 1/2

Procedure:

• In a blender grind together grated coconut, ginger, roasted chana dal, mint leaves, tamarind (optional) and jaggery with some water.
• Make it into a smooth paste and set it aside.
• In a small pan add 1 tsp oil (could substitute oil with ghee for a better taste) on low heat. When oil is hot add mustard seeds.
• When they sputter add cumin, urad dal, red chili and curry leaves. Leave it on low heat for a minute.
• Add this to the ground chutney. Squeeze juice from lemon. It is ready for serving.

It is a great dip for pakoras and goes well with dosas.

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Urad Dal Pancake (Minaparotti)

Ingredients:

Urad dal - 1 cup
Rice - 1 cup
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Green chili - 3
Ginger - 1'' piece
Curry leaves - a few

Procedure:

• Soak urad dal and rice in water for 8 hours.
• In a grinder grind together soaked rice, urad dal, grated ginger, green chilies and cumin seeds with some water into a smooth batter.
• Add 1 teaspoon salt to the batter and mix well. Set it aside.
• Put 1 teaspoon oil in a thick bottomed pan on medium heat.
• When oil is hot add 3 to 4 of curry leaves and 3 tablespoons of ground batter in the center of the pan and spread it in a circular motion into a thick pancake (1/2" thick).
• Cover and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until it turns golden brown. Turn it over and cover and let it cook to the same golden brown color on the other side.
• Serve it hot with coconut chutney.

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Plaintain Tomato Curry ( Aratikaya Tomato Koora )

Ingredients:

Raw plantains - 3
Tomatoes - 3
Onion - 1
Ginger - 1'' piece
Curry leaves - 6 to 8
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad Dal - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Chili powder - 1/2 tsp

Procedure:

• Peel the plantains and cut them into 1/2" pieces.
• Put 2 teaspoons oil in a pan on medium heat. When oil is hot add mustard seeds.
• Once the mustard seeds sputter, add urad dal, cumin seeds, curry leaves and cut onion. Mix well.
• When onion turns transparent add turmeric, chili powder and grated ginger. Mix well and cook for a minute.
• Now add cut plantain pieces and salt to taste. Cover and cook for 8 to 12 minutes mixing once in a while.
• Next add cut tomatoes and mix well. Cover and cook for 5 to 8 more minutes.
• Add a 1/2 cup of water and mix well and cook for couple more minutes.
• Garnish with cut cilantro. Goes well with steamed rice.
  
  

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Eggplant Pakora ( Vankaya Bajji)

Ingredients:

Besan - 3 cups
Eggplant - 1
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
chili powder - 1 teaspoon

Procedure:

• Slice eggplant into thin circles.
• In a bowl add basin, cumin seeds, chili powder and salt to taste. Mix well. Add water to make a thick batter.
• Dip each slice of eggplant in the batter and deep fry until golden brown.

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Mint Rice

Ingredients:

Rice - 1cup
Mint leaves - 1 cup
Green peas - 1/2 cup
Green chilies - 2
Ginger - 1'' piece
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Ghee (clarified butter) - 2 tsp
Cashew nuts - 10
Cloves - 4
Cardamom - 2
Cinnamon stick - 1'' piece

Procedure:

• Cook rice with 2 cups water and keep it aide.
• In a food processor grind mint leaves, green chilies, cumin seeds and ginger with a little water into a smooth paste. Keep it aside.
• In a pan add 1 tablespoon of oil on medium heat. Wen the oil is warm add cloves, cardamom, cinnamon stick and cashew nuts.
• When they turn light brown add the ground paste, peas and salt to taste. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes.
• Then add cooked rice, ghee and mix them well. Serve hot.

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Black Chana Snack

Ingredients:

Black chana - 1 cup
Onion (chopped) - 1/4 cup
Cilantro (chopped) - 1/4 cup
Ginger (grated) - 1 inch piece
Lime - 1/2
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
chili powder (optional) - 1 tsp

Procedure:

• Soak black chana for 10 to 12 hours. (Over night.).
• In a pan add 1 Tbsp oil on medium heat. Add cumin seeds and cut onion.
• When onion turns transparent add a couple of pinches of turmeric powder and red chili powder.
• Then add soaked chana, grated ginger and salt to taste. Mix well and cover and cook for 10 minutes.
• Add chopped cilantro and mix well. Cover and cook for 5 more minutes on low heat.
• Turn off the heat and squeeze lime juice. It is ready to be served.

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Whole Tindora Fry (Dondakaya Vepudu)

Ingredients:

Tindora - 1 pound
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Garlic - 3 cloves
Besan - 2 tsp
Rice flour - 2 tsp
Coconut powder - 2 tsp
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 8 to 10

Procedure:

• Make a single cut in the tindora half way through.
• Peel and crush ginger and garlic into a paste.
• Add 2 Tbsp oil to a cooking pan on medium heat.
• When the oil is hot add mustard. When the mustard sputters add cumin, urad dal, curry leaves, pinch of turmeric, ginger garlic paste. Cook for couple of minutes.
• Then add cut tindoras, salt to taste and 1 tsp chili powder. Cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes stirring occasionally. Uncover and cook 5 to 7 minutes.
• Add besan, rice flour and coconut powder. Stir well and cover and cook for 5 to 10 more minutes on low heat. It is ready to be served.

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Cabbage Pakora (Pakodi)

Ingredients:

Besan - 4 cups
Cabbage - 1/2 cabbage (approximately 3/4 lb)
Cilantro - 1 cup
Cumin - 2 tsp
Red chili powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste

Procedure:

• Slice cabbage into thin strips.
• In a bowl mix sliced cabbage, besan, cilantro, cumin, chili powder and salt. Mix well.
• Add 1 cup water and mix well to form a thick batter. Set this aside.



• In a pan heat oil. When the oil is hot add batter (spoonfuls) and deep fry until golden brown.
  
  

Could be served with mint chutney.

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Ravva Laddu

Ingredients:

Bombay ravva (cream of wheat) - 2 cups
Sugar (powdered) - 2 cups
Coconut (powdered) - 1/4 cup
Fried chanadal - 1/4 cup
Almonds - 8
Pistachios - 8
Raisins 1/2 cup
Cashew nuts (fried) - 1/4 cup
Cardamom (powdered) - 4
Ghee (or melted butter) - 2 cups

Procedure:

• In the blender coarsely powder together almonds, pistachios, cashew nuts and fried chanadal. Keep it aside.
• In a pan dry roast cream of wheat (bombay ravva) to golden brown.
• In a separate pan heat ghee on medium heat. To this add raisins, roasted cream of wheat, sugar, coconut powder, cardamom powder and the earlier ground powder. Keep stirring on medium heat for 5 minutes. Turn the heat off.
• Let it cool down and make into balls.

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Whole Okra Fry (Bendakaya Vepudu)

Ingredients:

Okra (small) - 1 pound
Besan (senega pindi) - 2 tsp
Rice flour - 2tsp
Grated coconut (dry) - 1 tsp
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Red chili - 1
Curry leaves - 6 to 8
Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp

Procedure:

• In a pan add 6 tsp oil on medium heat. To this add mustard.
• Once mustard sputters add cumin, urad dal, red chili, curry leaves and a pinch of turmeric, red chili powder.
• Next add whole okra and salt to taste. Mix well. Do not cover the pan. Let it cook for at least 10 to 12 minutes.
• When it is almost done add besan, rice flour and fine grated coconut. Cook for five more minutes. It is ready to be served.

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Sunnundalu

Ingredients:

Urad dal - 2 cups
Sugar - 1 and 1/2 cups
Ghee (clarified butter) - 1 cup

Procedure:

• Roast urad dal in a thick bottomed pan until it changes to light brown color on low heat.
• Grind together roasted urad dal and sugar to a fine powder in a food processor.
• In a bowl add the dry powder (urad dal + sugar) and hot ghee and mix them well.
• While the mixture is still warm start rolling them into balls.

In this recipe you could substitute sugar with brown sugar.

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Jantikalu (Muruku)

Ingredients:

Besan (senega pindi) - 1 cup
Rice flour - 3 cups
Zeera - 2 tsp
Ajwain (vaamu) - 1 tsp
Chili powder - 1 tsp
Butter (or hot oil) - 1 stick (or 1 cup)

Procedure:

• In a bowl add 2 cups water, zeera and ajwain and boil it on medium heat for 5 minutes. Filter this water and keep it aside.
• In another bowl mix together besan, rice flour, chili powder, salt to taste, melted butter and zeera ajwain water. Knead it into a dough.
• Take muruku maker and make them into desired shape and deep fry them in oil until they turn golden brown. Place them on paper towels to drain excess oil.

Can be stored up to a month in a cool dry place.

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Tomato Cilantro Chutney (Tomato Kottimiri Pacchadi)

Ingredients:

Tomatoes - 3 large
Cilantro - 3 cups
Zeera - 2 tsp
Red chilies - 2

Procedure:

• In a pan add 2 Tbsp oil on medium heat.
• To this add zeera, red chilies, cut tomatoes, a couple of pinches of turmeric and salt to taste. Let it cook for 5 to 7 minutes.
• Add cut cilantro to this and cook for 5 more minutes.
• Let the mixture cool a bit and grind it in a food processor. The chutney is ready.

This chutney goes very well with samosas.

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Dum Aaloo

Ingredients:

Potatoes (small) - 1 pound
Tomatoes - 1/2 pound
Onion - 1
Cilantro - 1/2 cup
Cashew nuts - 10
Almonds - 10
Red chilies - 2
Cumin seeds - 2 tsp
Cloves - 6
Cardamom - 3

Procedure:

• Peel all the potatoes and boil them in hot water over medium heat for 10 minutes. They should be tender to fork touch.
• Take a pan and add 1 tsp oil and a pinch of turmeric. Keep it on medium heat. To this add the boiled potatoes and let them light brown for a few minutes. Keep them aside.

• Next make a paste of almonds, cashew nuts, red chilies, cilantro,cumin and cloves (half the quantity) with a little water. Keep it aside.
• Now take a deep frying pan and keep it on medium heat. To this add 1 Tbsp oil. When hot add the remaining cloves, cinnamon and cardamom.
• Next add onion and let it brown. Then add a pinch of turmeric followed by the paste you made earlier and salt to taste. Let it cook for a few minutes.Make tomato puree.
• To this add tomato puree and let it cook for 10 minutes.
• When done add the potatoes and cook for 5 more minutes.
• Garnish with finely chopped cilantro. It is ready for serving.

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Coconut Rice (Kobbari Annam)

Ingredients:

Rice (washed) 1 cup
Fresh coconut (grated) - 1 cup
Whole moong (sprouts) - 1/2 cup (optional)
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Lime - 1/2
Cilantro(finely chopped) - 1 cup
Curry leaves - a few
Cashew nuts - a few
Cloves - 4
Cinnamon - 1 inch piece
Peppercorn - 2 tsp
Zeera - 1 tsp

Procedure:

• Soak whole moong (green gram dal) for at least 8 hours or overnight. This step can be omitted if you have sprouted moong.
• In a deep bottomed pan add 3 tsp oil.
• To this add cloves, cinnamon, zeera, half of peppercorn (1 tsp), cashew nuts and curry leaves.
• Next add rice, soaked moong, chopped cilantro, grated ginger, grated coconut, a pinch of turmeric and salt to taste.
• Roast this for couple of minutes and then add 2 cups water (hot water preferable).
• Let it cook until the rice is done. Squeeze lime juice and mix well.
• It is ready to be served.

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Lettuce Wraps

This is one of those recipes which is very easy to make and very healthy for the body and equally pleasing to the eyes. Also this recipe once you get the concept can be altered to your own taste.

Ingredients:

Lettuce - 1
Kala chana sprouts - 1 cup
Peanuts (soaked overnight) - 1 cup
Whole moong sprouts - 1 cup
Pomegranate seeds - 1/2 cup
Baby Carrots - 1 cup
Cherry Tomatoes 1 cup
Cilantro (finely chopped) - 1 cup
Ginger (grated) - 2 tsp
Lime - 1

Procedure:

• In a bowl mix sprouts, tomatoes, pomegranate seeds, carrots, peanuts and ginger.
• To this add finely chopped cilantro and squeeze the lime juice on the mixture. Mix well.
• Take couple of lettuce leaves and put some of this mixture into the wraps and close it with a toothpick.

The wraps are ready to serve. Good for lunch. Very filling and nutritious.

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Chekka Vadalu

Ingredients:

Rice flour - 3 cups
Butter - 1/4 cup
Coconut (dry grated) - 1/2 cup
Groundnuts - 1/2 cup
Fried Chanadal - 1/2 cup
Red chilies - 3
Curry leaves - 1/2 cups
Zeera - 2 tsp

Procedure:

• Grind peanuts, fried chanadal, red chilies, zeera and curry leaves to a coarse consistency.
• In a bowl mix rice flour, ground powder from previous step with melted butter and some salt to taste.
• Then add water to make a dough (same consistency as chapati dough).
• Roll dough to make 1/2" diameter balls and flatten them likes poories.
• Deep fry them in oil until golden brown.

This is one of those snacks which is great for tea time or in fact anytime.

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Poornam Boorelu

Ingredients:

Rice - 1 cup
Urad Dal - 1 cup
Jaggery(grated) - 2 cups
Chanadal - 2 cups
Cashew Nuts - 10
Raisins - 20
Almonds - 10
Coconut powder(optional) - 4 tsp
Cardamom - 5

Procedure:

• Soak rice and urad dal for 6 hours in water.
• Grind them together with little water into a thick batter and set it aside.
• Roast cashew nuts and raisins in 2 tsp of ghee to light golden brown and set them aside.
• Pressure cook chanadal with 5 cups water.
• Add jaggery to this and stir the mixture on medium heat until it forms a thick paste.
• To this add coconut powder,cardamom powder, raisins, cashew nuts and cook for 5 minutes on low heat.
• Once done let the mixture cool down and roll into lemon size balls and set them aside.

• Heat oil in a pan. Dip the balls in batter and deep fry them in oil on medium heat.

• Once they turn golden brown they are ready to be served.

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