Rice Idli / Instant idle ( easy and less than 20 minutes to make idli batter )

Ingredients:

Rice flour : 1 1/2 cup

flattened rice/ atukulu / poha : 1 cup

Curd : 1 cup

Baking soda : a pinch

Ghee as required

Water as required

salt to taste

Method:

Soak  atukulu/poha in curd for 4 minutes.

Smash them and make paste.

Now, add rice flour, baking soda, salt and mix them, keep this aside for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, add water little by little to form idli batter consistency.

Add ghee to idli plates. Pour the batter into the idli moulds and steam it for 15 minutes. 

Insert a knife or fork in the middle and check - If it comes out clean then idlis are done else steam it for few more minutes.

Serve hot with any chutney of your choice.

Dal Tandoori ( Daba style )

Ingredients:

Toor dal: 1 Cup

Water : 4 Cups

Salt : To taste

Turmeric (haldi) : 1/2 tsp

Fine chopped ginger : 1 tsp

Mango powder (amchoor) : 1 tsp

Garam masala : 1 tsp

Seasoning / Poppu / Tadka:

Butter (ghee): 2 tsp

Cumin seed (jeera) : 1/2 tsp

Black mustard seed (rai): 1/2 tsp

Red chili powder (lal mirch) : 1/2 tsp

2 bay leaves (tajpat)

Pinch of asafetida (hing)

Tomato : 1 medium chopped

1 small zucchini chopped into 1 inch long cubes

6 string beans chopped about 1 inch long

Method:

Wash dal, changing water several times until the water appears clear.

Soak dal in 4 cups of water for 30 minutes or longer.

In pressure cooker add dal, water, salt, turmeric, and ginger. Cook over medium high heat.

When the pressure cooker starts to steam, lower the heat to medium and cook seven minutes.

Turn off the heat and wait until steam has stopped before opening.

Mix the dal well. If the dal is thick, add more boiling water to desired thickness.

Mix the mango powder and garam masala with a few spoons of water and add the mixture to the dal.

Seasoning / Popu / Tadka :

Heat the oil in a saucepan. Test the heat by adding one cumin seed to the oil; if it cracks right away, the oil is ready. Add hing, cumin seeds, and mustard seeds.

After the seeds crack, add bay leaves and chili powder. Stir for a few seconds.

Add the vegetables. Stir and cook four to five minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

Combine the vegetables and the dal and mix gently.

Serve with steamed rice, roti, chapathi or any Indian bread.

Vegetarian Haleem ( Easy method )

Ingredient :

Fried onions :   1/2 Cup

Salt : to taste

Milk:  1 Cup

Ginger garlic paste :  1 tsp 

Rose petals : 1/4 cup

Green chilli :    5 no's

Ghee :   2  tsp

Dalia (broken wheat) :   1/2  Cup

Oats :   1/4  Cup

Almonds :  6  no's

Chana daal :  1 tsp

Masoor daal :  1 tsp 

Urad daal :   1 tsp

Moong daal : 1 tsp

Sesame seeds : 1 tsp

Cumin seeds : 1 tsp

Cloves : 4 no's

Pepper corns : 1/2 tsp

Cinnnamon sticks : 2 inch piece

Cardamom :  8 no's

Shahi jeera:   1/2 tsp

Kabab chini :  1/ 2 tsp

Curd (optional):  2 tsp

Coriander chopped :  1/2 Bunch

Mint chopped : 1/2  Bunch

Cashew nuts :  20 gms

Pistachios :  20 gms

Almonds:  20 gms

Soya bean nuggets :   100 gms

Method:

Boil the Soya bean nuggets and put it into the blender and make coarsely grounded.

Take a bowl add kabab chini, shahi jeera, green cardamom, cinnamon sticks, pepper corns, cumin seeds, moong daal, urad daal, masoor daal, chana daal, almonds, oats, broken wheat, mix this all together put it into the blender and make a powder.

Heat ghee in a pressure cooker, add cashew nuts, pistachios, almonds, green chilly saut it for a minute

Now, add fried onions, ginger garlic paste, coarse paste of soya nuggets, mix it well, add curd, milk, rose petals, chopped coriander, chopped mint, salt, water, mix this and add made masala and daal powder, mix it well and once it comes to boil then put the lid on and let it cook for 15 minutes (2 to 3 whistles) in a slow flame.

After that take potato masher and mash the mixture and add lime juice, salt, mix it well.

Now, season it with chopped coriander, mint, fried onions and serve this hot.

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.

Dosakaya Dosa / Cucumber Dosa

Ingredients:

Grated Dosakaya / Cucumber : 2 Cups

Fenugreek seeds : few

Atukulu / Flattened rice : 1/2 Cup

Rice : 1/2 Cup

Salt : to taste

Oil : as required     

Method:

Soak rice, flattened rice and fenugreek seeds separately in water for 3 - 4 hours.

Grind Soaked rice, soaked flattened rice, soaked fenugreek seeds and grated cucumber into  a paste without adding any water.

Cucumber gives out enough water while grinding, to make a smooth batter. Also, we want a thick batter with thick consistency, so do not add any water while grinding.

When you have a smooth batter, add salt and grind for a minute or two so that they mix well with the batter.

Transfer the finely ground batter into a vessel, close it with a lid and allow it to rest for atleast 7-8 hours ( over a night ).

During the resting time, fermentation takes palce. The more time you allow the batter to rest, the more it ferments. The more the batter ferments, the better the dosa tastes. Adding of salt fastens the fermentation during the resting period.

Once the batter has rested for 7-8 hours, the batter rises - that means the batter has fermented well and is ready to make dosas. Give the batter a nice mix and make yummy dosas.

Heat up a frying pan, take a laddle full of batter and make beautiful round dosas. Fry the dosas on both the sides using oil until they are golden brown. 

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

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.

Cabbage Pappu/Dal

Ingredients:

Cabbage : 1/4 Kg, chop into required size pieces
Toor dal/Kandi pappu : 1 big cup
Tomato : 1 big, finely sliced

Turmeric powder : 1 big pinch
Green chillis: as per taste

Water as required.

Cook all ingredients listed above in the pressure cooker.

For seasoing/Poppu:

Onion : 1 small, finely sliced
Mustard seeds : 1 teaspoon
Cumin seeds : 1/4 teaspoon
Curry leaves : 1 twig

Dry red chillis: as per taste
Salt : as per taste
Garlic : 3 flakes, roughly mashed
Oil : 2 tabelspoons

Method:

Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter.

Add curry leaves, cumin seeds, dry red chillis and saute for few seconds.

Add sliced onion, mashes garlic flakes and saute till they turn transparent.

Add the cooked dal, salt to taste and required amount of water. Bring to boil and cook on medium flame till you get required consistency.

Remove from heat.

Serve hot with rice, roti, or dosa.

Sweet atukulu/ Bellam atukulu

Ingredients:

Atukulu/ Aval/ Pohe/ Beaten Rice :– 1 Cup

Grated Bellam/ Jaggery :– 2/3 Cup

Neyyi/ Butter/ Ghee :– 1 tbsp

Cashew Nuts :– 4 or 5

Green Cardamom powder :– 1/2 tsp

Method:

Wash the  Atukulu under running water for a 2-3 minutes untill they absorb the water.

Let the Atukulu drain in a colander for about 1 hour.

In a heavy-bottomed vessel, heat the ghee.

Split the cashews in half and add to the hot ghee.

Fry till golden brown.

Turn the heat to medium-low and add the grated jaggery.

Stir continously and let the jaggery melt to form a thick syrup.

Add the cardamom powder and mix well.

Turn off the heat.

Add the soaked and drained Atukulu to the jaggery syrup.

Mix well with a light hand.

Note:

Ensure that the Atukulu are just damp but not dry before starting to make the jaggery syrup.

If the Atukulu are wet, you will have a lumpy mess on your hands.

The jaggery syrup should just start to foam before you add the Atukulu.

After adding the Atukulu mix with a light hand, else the Atukulu will disintegrate and you will have a mash on your hands.

Atukula upma/Poha/Coriander poha

Ingredients:

Poha :- 2 cups, (beaten rice/atukulu/aval)

Turmeric powder :- 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste

To make paste:

Coconut :- 1/3 cup, fresh and grated

Green chilis :- 2

Coriander leaves :- 3/4 cup, fresh and chopped

Lemon juice :- 1 1/2 tsps

Rasam powder :- 1/2 tsp (homemade or store bought)

Jaggery :- 1 tsp, grated or sugar

For Seasoning/poppu/tadka/tempering:

Mustard seeds :- 1/2 tsp

Urad dal :- 1 tsp

Cinnamon stick :- 1/2"

Asafoetida :- pinch (optional)

Curry leaves :- 1 sprig

Oil :- 1 1/2 tbsps

Method:

Wash the beaten rice and drain. Sprinkle 4 to 5 tbsps of water over the beaten rice/poha and keep aside.

Grind grated fresh coconut, fresh coriander leaves, green chilis, lemon juice, jaggery, rasam powder and salt to a paste by adding three tbsps of water.

Mix the ground coconut mixture well with washed beaten rice and keep it aside.

Heat oil in a vessel, add the mustard seeds and allow them to splutter. Add the urad dal and cinnamon stick and fry until the dal turns red. Add the curry leaves, asafoetida and turmeric powder and fry for a few seconds.

Add the beaten rice mixture and give a good toss so that the contents are combined well. Allow to cook for a minute, adjust salt, turn off flame and serve warm.

Instant Tomato Dosa

Ingredients needed 

Dosa Batter :- 2 1/4 cup

Salt to taste

To make apaste:

Tomatoes (medium sized ripe ones) :-2
Green chillies :- 2
Jeera/cumin seeds :- 1 tsp
Ginger :- 1" ( inch piece )

Method:

Dry grind jeera first coarsely, then add tomatoes, ginger, green chilli and grind to a fine paste adding little salt (dosa batter already has salt in it).

Mix this with the dosa batter nicely. Our tomato dosa batter is ready.

Now we will make dosa. You can add a little finely chopped coriander leaves if preferred.

Heat a non stick tawa or an iron tawa, add a drop of oil and rub with half an onion.(this is done to prevent the dosa from sticking to the tawa/pan)

Pour 1 ladle of batter in the center and spread it in a circular motion.

Drizzle a tsp of oil around the dosa. Once the dosa is cooked to some extent, flip it over to the other side.

Cook the other side also well.

Serve hot with any chutney.

Moong dal Khichdi

Ingredients needed
Rice :- 1 cup ( basmati rice or normal rice )
Moong dal :- 1/4 cup (split yellow variety is preferable)

Ginger-garlic paste :- 1/2 tsp
Onion :- 1 ( chop it )
Oil :- 2 tbsp

To make paste ( raw ):

Make a fine paste ( with below ingredients ) and keep aside.

Tomato :-1
Green chilli :- 1
Coriander leaves :- handful
Mint leaves :- handful

For the seasoning/Poppu

Cloves :- 2
Cinnamon :- 1" ( inch piece )

Method:

Roast moong dal until it is slightly hot to touch without oil. (do not brown it).

Soak rice and dal for 20 minutes. Drain the water completely and keep it aside.

Heat oil, add the ingredients mentioned under seasoning. Add chopped onions and saute till onions turn transparent.

Add ginger garlic paste and saute for a few more minutes.

Then add the grounded paste and cook for a few minutes. Add the drained rice, 2 cups of boiling water, salt required and pressure cook for 3 whistles.

After the pressure subsides, open it and fluff it with a fork.

Serve hot with raita or tomato chutney or papad.

Vegetable Khichdi Recipe

Ingredients:

Raw Rice :- 1/2 cup
Dal :- 1/4 cup (I used tur dal and split yellow mung dal )
Water :- 2 1/2 cups
Onion :-1 (medium size)
Green chilli :- 1 slit
Ginger-garlic paste :-1/2 tsp
Potato :-1 medium size
Green peas :-1/4 cup
Salt as needed

Dry Masala ( powder  )

Turmeric powder -1/4 tsp
Chilli powder -1 tsp
Coriander powder -3/4 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1/4 tsp

For the seasoning/Poppu

Oil :- 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds :- 1 tsp
Cumin seeds/jeera :-3/4 tsp
Black pepper :-1/4 tsp
Hing :- a generous pinch
Curry leaves :- few

Top up seasoning/Poppu

Ghee -2-3 tsp
Cumin seeds/jeera - 1/2 tsp
Red chillies -1
Garlic - 3-4 cloves finely chopped

Method:

Wash and soak rice and dal for 30 minutes in hot water.

Wash, peel the skin and cut potato into cubes. Chop onions and keep it aside.

Heat oil in a pan (I used pressure pan), add mustard seeds, jeera seeds, when they sizzle, add whole black pepper, curry leaves and hing.

Then add chopped onions and saute until onions turn transparent.

Now add ginger garlic paste (if you do not have ginger garlic paste, you can add finely chopped ginger and garlic) and saute for a few more minutes.

Now add the chopped potatoes and peas.

Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder and saute for 2-3 seconds.

Then add the soaked dal and rice and saute for a few more seconds.

  

Add 2 1/2 cups of water, salt needed and bring it to boil. (taste the water to check for salt, if it is slightly salty, it will be perfect once cooked)

Close the cooker and pressure cook for 3 whistles.

Once the pressure subsides, open the cooker and see how lovely it it. Mix it gently.

Now we will do the top up seasoning - Heat 3 tsp of ghee, add cumin seeds, when it sizzles, add red chilli, finely chopped garlic, saute for a few seconds and pour it over the khichdi.

Serve Khichdi hot with any raita (pachadi) or papads or pickles.

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