Mushroom Pakoda/Pakora ( KFC ( crispy ) style )

Ingredients:

Mushroom: 200 gms

All purpose flour: 1 cup

Corn flour : 2 tsp

Baking powder : 3/4 tsp

Salt : to taste

Water : 1 cup ( as required )

Bread powder : 2 cups

Red chiili powder : 1/2 tsp

Oil : to fry

Method :

Wash moshroom in water and keep aside.

Take a bowl, add All purpose flour, corn flour, baking powder, salt and red chilli powder, mix them well.

Add water slowly and make the batter to pourable consistency, batter should have no lumps and is very smooth.

Now,  dip mushroom in batter and immediately roll on bread powder.

Heat enough oil for deep frying.

Gently sprinkle a handful of flour coated mushrooms to the hot oil, deep fry them until they turns crispy and golden brown.

Remove the excess of oil with a paper towel.

Enjoy these crispy mushroom pakoda.

Andhra Chicken Pickle recipe

Ingredients:

Chicken with bones : 1 kg ( cut into bite sized pieces )

Ginger - garlic paste : 1 1/2 tsp

Red chilli powder : 1 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder : 1/2 tsp

Juice of 3 lemons, heat it for 3 minutes and allow it to cool

Salt : as required

Oil : 4 tsp

Dry roast and make a powder:

Coriander seeds/dhaniyalu : 3 tsp

Cumin seeds/jeera : 1 tsp

Poppy seeds/khus-khus/ghasagasalu : 1 tsp

Methi seeds/methulu/fenugreek seeds : 1 1/2 tsp

Cloves : 6 no's

Cinnamon stick : 2"

Elaichi/cardamom : 1 no's

Star anise : 1 no's

For tempering/poppu/tadka/Seasoning:

Pinch of methi seeds

Fresh curry leaves : few

3-4 dry red chillis

15 cloves garlic, slightly crushed

3/4 cup oil

Method : 

Dry roast all the spices individually over low heat and cool. Once cool, combine all the dry roasted ingredients and grind to a fine pwd.

Heat 4 tbsps oil in a heavy bottomed vessel, add chicken, ginger garlic paste, red chilli pwd and salt and cook on high heat for 5 mts. Reduce heat to medium high and continue to cook till the oil separates and there is hardly any water content. This frying will take about 25 mts. This step is crucial to chicken pickle making. Keep stirring in between.

Heat 3/4 cup oil in another heavy bottomed vessel, add methi seeds, curry leaves, dry red chillis, crushed garlic and saute for a minute. Add the cooked chicken pieces along with any left over gravy and oil. Combine well. Add the ground spice pwd and combine well and cook on medium to high for 15-18 mts, stirring in between.

Add the cooled lemon juice and combine well and turn off heat. Cool and store in an airtight bottle and refrigerate.

Note:

Prepare this pickle when you have some time on hand and refrigerate it for a longer shelf life. The recipe I follow calls for heating of lemon juice so do not skip this step. Dry roast the spices well over low heat. Cloves, cinnamon, star anise and cardamom can be roasted together.

Raw Mango pulao

Ingredients:

Basmati rice: 2 cups

Raw mango : 1 ( grated )

Cummins : 1/2 tsp

Green chilli : 2 no's

Cinnamon : 1"

Cardamom : 4 no's

Clove : 4 no's

Pepper : 6 no's

Ghee : 2 tsp

Turmeric powder : 1/2 tsp

Cummins powder : 1 tsp

Grated Ginger : 1 tsp

Salt : to taste

Garam Masala : 1 tsp

Coriander leaves : 1 tsp ( chopped )

Water : 3 cups

Method :

Soak Basmati rice in water for 15 minutes.

Take a pressure cooker add ghee, heat it and add Cummins, green chilli, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, pepper fry them.

Now add grated ginger, fry it .

Now add grated raw mango cook it for 2 minutes on low flame.

Add turmeric powder, Cummins powder cook it for 2 minutes.

Add soaked Basmati rice and combine well.

Add 3 cups of water and cover the pressure cooker.

Allow it cook for two whistles.

Let it cool, remove the lid and add garam masala and coriander leaves .

Enjoy with your famly

Popcorn Laddu /Mokka jonna pelala Laddu

Ingredients :

Mokka Jonna pelalu ( Popcorn ) : 4 cups

Fried peanut/Groundnut powder : 1/4 cup

Putnala Pappu / Roasted gram dal powder : 1/4 cup

Grated dry coconut : 1/4 cup

Ghee : as required to make balls

Grated Jaggery : 3 cup

Cardamom Powder : 1 tsp

White Gingerly seeds : 2 tsp

Cashew nuts : few

Method:

Grind Popcorn into powder

Take a pan add 1/4 tsp ghee, heat it and fry cashew nuts till they turn into golden colour.

Now take bowl, add popcorn powder, fried peanuts powder, Putnala pappu, grated dry coconut , grated jaggery, cardamom powder, white gingerly seeds and Mix them.

 

Add 1 tsp of ghee. Mix it again. This should get you a texture that will hold it together.

Make tight balls from the mixture and adjust the ghee to see if the balls are holding it together.

Season them with fried Cashew nuts.

Enjoy Popcorn laddu

This can be Store in air tight container for a week.

Mokka jonna pelalu Vadalu ( Popcorn vadalu)

Ingredients:

Popcorn : 2 cups

Rice flour: 2 cups

Onions: 1/2 Cup ( Chopped )

Green Chillis: 4

Chopped Ginger: 2 tsp

Cumin : 1 tsp

Salt : as per taste

Coriander leaves : 1 tsp ( chopped )

Oil : to fry

Method :

Soak Popcorn in hot water for a minute.

Take bowl, combine every ingredient ( except Oil ) and make a paste.

Take a deep pan add oil and heat it.

Take small lemon size balls of this paste, flatten them a little and deep fry them in hot oil till they turn golden color.

Remove from the oil and serve hot.

Mango Chicken curry

Ingredients:

Chicken : 1 kg

Lime juice : 2 tsp

Curd : 2 tsp

Mango : 1 large ( peeled and cubed )

Garlic : 6 no's

Green chillies : 4 no's

Salt : to taste

Onion : 3 big ( cut into 4 pieces )

Turmeric powder : 1 tsp

Red chilli powder : 2 tsp

Cumins powder : 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder : 1 tsp

Cumins : 1 tsp

Sugar : 1/2 tsp

Oil : 4 tsp

Coriander leaves : 2 tsp ( chopped )

Water : as required

Method :

In a blender , make a paste with peeled and cubed mango, garlic and green chillies.

Combine Chicken, lime juice and Curd. Marinate this mixture for 30 minutes.

In a blender make Onions into a paste, keep aside.

Take a pan, add 2 tsp of oil, Heat it. Now, fry the chicken and keep aside.

Take another pan add remaining oil, let it heat. Now add cumins , with-in fews seconds add onion paste, fry it for 5 minutes.

Now add Mango paste, turmeric powder, cumins powder, coriander powder, red chilli  powder and sugar, fry them for 5 minutes.

Now, add fried chicken and salt, combine them well.

Add some water and allow it to cook for 20 minutes.

Before turning off  stove, season it with coriander leaves.

Instant pickle : Keera Dosakaya / Cucumber pickle

Ingredients:

Keera Dosakaya / Cucumber :  1 ( remove seeds and cut into small pieces )

Vinegar : 1 tsp

Nuvvula / Gingelly oil  :  2 tsp

Salt : to taste

Red chilli powder :  4 tsp

Fenugreek powder : 1/2 tsp

Mustard seeds powder : 1 tsp

Fried  Nuvvulu / Gingelly seeds  : few

Method :

Take bowl  add red chilli powder, fenugreek powder,  mustard seeds powder and salt , combine them well.

Add this mixture to Keera Dosakaya / Cucumber pieces .

Now add Gingelly oil and vinegar , combine well.

Season it with fried Nuvvulu / Gingelly seeds.

Serve with steamed rice and a dollop of ghee.

Summer special: Keera Dosakaya / Cucumber cooler( juice )

Ingredients:

Keera Dosakaya / Cucumber :  1 ( cut into small pieces )

Mint leaves : 8 no's

Water : 2 cups

Lemon juice : 1 tsp

Sugar : 3 tsp

Salt : 1/4 tsp

Jeera/ Cumin powder :  1/4 tsp

Pepper powder : 1/4 tsp

Method :

Grind Keera Dosakaya / Cucumber pieces, water, mint leaves, salt, pepper powder and sugar.

Filter the juice , in a separate bowl.

Add lemon juice to it.

Before serving add ice cubes and jeera/cumins powder.

Enjoy with your family and friends.

Crispy Chegodilu

Ingredients:

Rice flour: 1 cup

Water: 1 cup

Moong dal/pesara pappu : 1 1/2 tbsps  (soak in water for an hour)

Cumin seeds : 1/2 tbsp

Sesame seeds : 1 tsp

Red chilli powder: 1 tsp

Ghee or oil : 1 tbsp

salt to taste

Oil for deep frying

Method:

Boil water, add salt, ghee and moong dal. Add the rice flour, combine with water by stirring it in and turn off heat immediately. Cover with lid and keep aside.

Once it cool, add chilli powder, sesame seeds and cumin seeds and combine with the rice dough. Knead the dough till smooth. Taste the dough for salt before preparing chegodis.

Apply oil to your fingers and pinch a small lemon size ball of the dough and roll into a thick rope which is approx 3-4 inches in length and form a ring by pressing the ends of the rope firmly. So, that they are in circular shape and place lid over them so that they don’t dry.

Heat a wide heavy bottomed vessel with enough oil for deep frying and once the oil is hot, place the chegodis one by one into the hot oil, you will find the oil froth up in bubbles. Let the chegodis fry on high flame till they rise to the surface.

Once the chegodis rise to the surface, turn heat to medium flame and cook the chegodis till they turn a golden shade. Remember the frying has to be done on medium flame to achieve that golden color and crispness. It does take a while to fry the chegodi, hence patience is required. If you reduce flame to low, the chegodis will absorb a lot of oil so remember to keep flame on medium to high.

When they slowly turn to a golden color, turn them over gently to the other side and cook to a golden shade. Use a slotted ladle to remove onto an absorbent paper and cool.

Note:

Cool completely before storing in an air tight metallic container.

Bread Bajji / Bread Pakora / Bread pakodi

Ingredients:

Besan/ kadalai maavu/ gram flour : 1/2 cup 

Rice flour : 1/4 cup 

Cooking soda : 2 pinches 

Asafoetida : A generous pinch 

Ajwain / jeera / Cummins: 1 tsp

Ghee : 1 tsp 

Bread slices : 3 (or as needed) 

Salt : As per taste

Oil :  For deep frying 

Method:

In a mixing bowl, mix besan, rice flour, cooking soda, asafoetida, ajwain/jeera, ghee and salt with water to make a batter. Let the batter be thick but the consistency should be enough to easily spread, coat the bread slices. So adjust the consistency accordingly.

Cut off the edges of the bread.

Take a deep Pan, add oil and heat it.

Dip each piece of bread in the batter and fry in hot oil. Cook both sides over medium flame. For each batch, while dropping the pakoras, keep the flame high.

Fry both sides until golden in colour.

Before Serving drain oil in paper towel.

Tomato Uragaya / Tomato Pickle

Ingredients:

• Tomatoes :– 500gms
• Fenugreek Seeds :– 10gms
• Salt :– As per Taste
• Tamarind :– 50gms
• Turmeric Powder :– 1/4tsp
• Red Chili Powder :– 50gms

For Seasoning:

• Mustard Seeds :– 1tsp
• Fenugreek Seeds :– 1/2tsp
• Asafoetida :– 1/8tsp
• Red Chilies :– 2 (Break Each Chili Into Two Pieces)
• Oil :– 50gms

Method:

Wash & dry tomatoes. Cut each tomato into eight pieces. Similarly cut all the tomatoes into pieces and take them into a dry bowl.

Add turmeric powder and salt to the tomato pieces and mix well. While mixing squeeze the tomato pieces to make them soft and release some juice.

Transfer the tomato pieces along with the juice to a ceramic or glass bowl and cover it. Keep the tomato bowl in a dry place for two days (48 hours).

On the third day squeeze the tomato pieces and separate from the juice. Spread the squeezed tomato pieces in a plate.

To the tomato juice, add tamarind and allow it to soak. Place the juice bowl and tomato pieces plate under sun and dry them.

Cover the juice bowl with a slotted plate to avoid dust falling into it. Dry the tomato pieces till they turn crisp—this may take two or three days, depending upon Sun light. When the tomato pieces are dried till crisp then we can start preparing the pickle.

Now, we need to prepare fenugreek seeds powder. Heat a pan and add the fenugreek seeds and fry them. Grind roasted fenugreek seeds to make a fine powder.

Squeeze and remove the tamarind from the juice.

Spread the tamarind in a plate and remove the seeds and pith if any. Take the tamarind into a mixie jar and grind to smooth paste. If required add some juice for easy grinding of the tamarind. Add this tamarind paste to the juice and mix well.

Now add the dried tomato pieces to the mixie jar and crush them coarsely—this coarse crushing adds some texture and taste to the pickle.

Add this coarsely crushed tomato pieces to the juice and mix well. Now add the red chili powder and roasted fenugreek seeds powder to the juice and mix well. The pickle is ready for seasoning.

Seasoning:

Heat a pan and add oil to it. Add the fenugreek seeds and mustard seeds and fry stirring.

By the time the mustard seeds crackle fully fenugreek seeds change color. Then add the red chili pieces and asafoetida. Before the red chilies turn dark in color add the seasoning to the prepared pickle and mix well.

Keep this pickle aside for two hours and then serve. The bitterness of the fenugreek seeds powder gets balanced with the tamarind-tomato juice and tastes better after two hours.

Serve with plain hot rice and ghee, dosa, utappam, pesarattu, Curd rice etc.

Nimmakai Pachhadi / Lemon Pickle / Nimbu ka Achaar

Ingredients:
Lemon : 4-5 medium Limes

Green Chillies: 5-6, finely chopped ( or as per taste)
Cloves of Garlic: 3 no's, finely chopped
Salt as per taste

Spices:

Red Chilli Powder : 2-3 tsp ( or as per taste )
Turmeric Powder : 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek Seeds: 1 1/2 tsp

For Tadka/Tempering/Poppu/Seasoning:

Mustard Seeds : 1 tsp
Jeera/Cumin Seeds: 1/2 tsp
Hing/Asafoetida: 1/2 tsp
2 springs of Curry Leaves
Oil : 1 tsp

Method:

1.    Wash and pat dry the lime/lemons. Make sure that there is no moisture left. With the help of a clean and dry knife, cut the limes into halves and cut each halves into 4-6 equal pieces.

2.    Start to layer the lime and salt in a clean and dry sterilised jar, preferably ceramic or glass jar with a tight lid. First place few lime pieces in a single layer and spread 1-1½ tbsp of salt on top. Continue to layer lime pieces and top them with salt until you exhaust all the limes. Close the jar and leave it in a window sill where there is plenty of sunlight steaming for 2-3 weeks. Make sure that you shake the jar once in a day to move the pieces around in the container without opening the lid. This will help in spreading the salt evenly and softening the lime.

3.    After 2-3 weeks, the limes/lemon pieces would have softened and changed their skin colour.

4.    Lightly roast the fenugreek seeds until their colour deepens to light red. Let them cool completely before grinding them to fine powder with a help of a pestle and mortar or in a spice grinder. Keep it aside until needed.

5.    Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When mustard seeds start to pop and splutter, add finely chopped garlic and fry them until they start to brown on the edges.

6.    Mix in finely chopped green chillies and curry leaves and sauté for few seconds.

7.    Next add cured lemon pieces along with the juice and stir them for 2-3 minutes on medium heat.

8.    Mix in red chilli powder, fenugreek powder and turmeric powder and stir them well so that each lime piece is coated well with the spices. Add powdered hing and mix them well before switching off the gas.

9.    Let the Spicy Lemon Pickle or Nimbu Ka Achaar cool down to room temperature before storing it in a clean and dry airtight sterilised jar. It can be stored for 3-4 months in room temperature and upto 6-8 months in refrigerator if made with utmost care and stored in a right condition. You can serve this delicious tongue tickling Nimbu Achaar or Spicy Indian Lemon Pickle with dal and rice, yogurt rice, dosa or any Indian flat breads.

Thotakura Pappu ( Amaranth Leaves Dal ) Andhra Style

Ingredients:

Toor dal (Kandi pappu) :- 1/2 cup

amaranth leaves :- a bunch

onion :- 1 ( Chopped )

Tomato :- 1 ( Chopped )

Green chilly :- 3 to 4 (  Slit into 2 pieces )

Tamarind paste :- 2 tsp

Salt to taste

Turmeric powder: a pinch

For Seasoning / Poppu:

Oil: 1 tsp

Mustard seeds: few

Chana dal: 1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds : 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves : few

 a pinch of asafoetida

Method:

Wash the Amaranth/Thotakura leaves, drain the water and chop them. 

Take a Pressure cooker and add toor dal, chopped thotakura/amaranth leaves, green chillies, onion, tomato and turmeric. Cook it in the pressure cooker till soft.

Once cooked, mash a bit and do the tempering with oil, mustard seeds, chana dal, cumin seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida.

Add the Poppu/tempering to the cooked dal mixture. Now add the salt and tamarind and return the dal mixture to the stove and cook for another five minutes.

Enjoy Thotakura/Amaranth Leaves Pappu.