గవ్వలు: Gavvalu- Sweet fried flour nuggets

INGREDIENTS:

Plain flour......................1cup.

Sugar................................1 t sp.

Jaggery.............................1/2 cup.

Semolina...........................1 tbl sp.

Oil.......................................deep frying.

METHOD:

1.Take myda(plain flour). Seive for no lumps. Add 1 t sp of sugar, and semolina. Mix nicely with hand ans with water make a fine dough.It should not be very tight or too soft. Make sure it is good. keep aside.

2.Take a fork or if available use the small board which is meant for the purpose of making gavvalu. Taking a marble size of dough press it on your three fingers with your thumb finger.

Take the fork in your left hand, on its back side press this and role it. It takes a shape of 'Gavva',Shell shape is formed. with few groves on its back side and a hole sort of a thing in the front. Prepare all in the same way. Keep them on a dry cloth.

3.Take jaggery, put little water, keep it on stove. After it melts slowly stir it. when it comes to boil, keep checking it. The syrup must not be over cooked. To get a correct consistency follow the test.

The syrup testing is, take a little in the ladle, drop into a bowl of some water. If the syrup is not spreading in the water,and you can take with fingers try to make a ball, it should be firm. It is called (ball consistency) 'unda paakam'.Keep the flame on low.Maintain the syrup consistency.

4.Keep oil in a pan , heat it. when it is medium hot, slowly drop these prepared(shells) gavvalu few at a time in to the oil. Remove them before they become dark in colour.Drop them in to the syrup. Stir it nicely, so that the syrup will go into the groves too. And take from the syrup, spread them in a plate to dry.

5.As and when you are frying, put them in the syrup, and take out, if the syrup start getting thicker, add little water and warm again to keep the consistency in same way, till all finished. 

6.These are good nick knacks for children to eat as much. They are not harmful like Candys. 

టమేట దోస/ ఉతప్పం: Tomato dosa/utappam- Tomato crepe

INGREDIENTS:

1.Rice flour.....................1 and 1/2 cup.

2.Tomato.........................1 big size.

3.Ginger...........................1" piece.

4.Green Chilly..................5 to 6. depending the pungency.

5.Garlic Cloves.................3 or 4

6.Cumin seeds..................1 t sp.

7.Salt for taste

8.Cilantro.

METHOD:

1.Cut tomato, ginger, chilly, garlic into pieces.

2.Put all above items, salt and rice flour in to a mixer. with little water grind it into soft batter. 

3.If required add some more water. Remove any small pieces left with help of a sieve. The batter must be fine. Keep this batter for 15 mts aside. Add cut cilantro to the batter.

4.Take dosa pan heat well. Taking one full ladle of batter put it on the pan, spread it evenly.Put oil around the dosa. Let it cook on medium flame. Turn it cook the other side.

5.Eat it  hot with coconut chutney.

6.Can make green dosas using spinach, mint or carrots instead of tomato.

చక్కర పొంగలి: Chakkara Pongali- Sweet Pongal/pudding

Sankranthi special

INGREDIENTS:

Rice---------1 cup
Jaggary/brown sugar/bellam--1 1/4 cup or(as per taste)
Pesarapappu/green gram dal---1/4 cup
Senagapappu/bengalgram dal-----1/2 tbs(optional)
Milk--------4 cups
Cardamom/elaachi-----1/2 tsp (powdered)
Cashews/jeedipappu-----few
Ghee/neyyi-------1tbs

METHOD:

1.Lightly roast dals.
2.Mix it with rice and add milk and pressure cook.
3.Take thick bottem vessel melt jaggary and add cooked rice.
4.Mix it well and cook for 5 minutes.
5.In a different pan heat ghee, add cashews fry them till
light golden brown.
5.Add cardamom powder and cashews to the pongal.

This is my way of making pongal. If you don't like
adding bengalgram dal. Make with out that.

కార్న్ ఫ్లేక్స్ మిక్స్తుర్ / Corn Flakes Mixture

Ingredients:

1.Corn flakes-------2 cups(available in Indian stores)
2.Peanuts-----------1cup
3.Roasted Chick Peas/ Putnala pappu---1/4 cup
4.Curry leaves--------few
5.Green chillies--------5to8
6.Salt to taste
7.Chilly powder--------2 tsp
8.Oil------------------For deep fry

Method:
Heat oil in a pan.
Insert a deep slotted/holes ladle into the hot oil. (as shown in picture)
Add few cornflakes to the oil in the slotted ladle.











When the cornflakes are fully done, remove the slotted ladle from the oil, spread the fried cornflakes on a paper towel & let the oil drain (as shown in picture).

Continue to do the same until all the flakes are done.

Fry Peanuts and Curry leaves.

Cut chillies into two lengthwise and fry them.
Now, take a big bowl, place all the fried items, add salt, chilly powder and mix well.

Store this mixture in airtight container.

ఉప్పుపొంగలి: Uppu pongali- Salty Mung bean & rice pudding

Serving 2 persons

INGREDIENTS:

Rice----------1 cup(rice cooker cup)
Dehusked split Mung beans/Split green gram/ Pesarapappu/ Dhuli Moong dal-1/4 cup
Ginger/ allam--------1" piece
Green chilly/ Pachi mirapa kaayalu --2

Seasoning:

Black gram dal/ Urad dal/ Minapappu-1tbs
Black pepper corns/ Miriyalu-----1tbs
Cumin seeds/Jeelakarra/ Jeera----1tsp
Mustard seeds/ Aavalu----------1tsp
Cashew nuts/ Jeedi pappu--------10 pieces
Ghee---------------------2tbs

METHOD:

1. Light roast dal .
2. Cut green chillies length wise
3. Peel and cut ginger in to small pieces.
4. Wash rice, mix roasted dal and pressure cook them for 3 whistles.
5. When the pressure releases add salt.
6. Heat ghee in a small pan and add mustard seeds.
7. When it splutters add one after one all ingredients.
8. Finally add ginger pieces,chilly and turn off the fire.
9. Add the seasoning to the cooked pongal.
10. Mix well and serve hot.

This is a very tasty break fast item, also a special festive dish.
This is a special item made during navaratri and dhanurmasa.

ఆవిరి కుడుము: Aaviri Kudumu- Steamed black gram pancake

INGREDIENTS;

Split black gram dal/minapappu-- 1 cup
Salt to taste
water to grind------1/2 cup


Method: 1


1.Soak dal for two hours.
2. Grind it in to smooth batter by adding water.
3. Take idly moulds grease it and pour batter and cook.
4. Steam them for 10 minutes.
5. Eat them hot with ghee.

Method : 2 (Traditional Procedure- Used in olden days)

1. Take 1 cup of water in a vessel.
2. Tie a clean cloth on the mouth of the vessel and close the mouth tightly.
(as shown in the picture)
3. Pour some batter in cloth.
4. Steam them for 10 minutes
5. When it is done eat with ghee.

You can make these Kudumulu immediately after grinding the blackgram dal. No need to ferment the batter.


Aaviri kudumu(steamed pancake) are easily digestible and also easy to prepare.This food is given to gain strength.

ఉప్పుడు పిండి/ Uppudu Pindi

INGREDIENTS:

Rice 1 Cup

Salt to taste

Split yellow Mung bean/Split green gram dal/pesarapappu----1/4 cup

Curry leaves------few

Mustard seeds--------1tsp

Jeera/cumin seeds----1tsp

Minapappu/split black gram dal--1tbs

Red chillies/yendumirapakayalu--2

Oil---------2tbs

Water--------3 cups

METHOD:

1. Grind Rice to a coarse powder( just like Rava)

2.Heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds, when it splutters add minapappu.

3.Then add jeera, red chilly and curry leaves.
4.Add 3 cups of water , salt and boil it.
5.Wash pesarapappu and add to the boilling water.
6.After 5minutes add rava and stir.
7.Cover with lid and cook it on low flame.
8.Stir occasionally.
9. when rava become smooth paste remove from the fire.
10. Eat hot with chutneys.
This is a easy and heavy tiffin item. Enjoy with all chutneys, pacchadis and pickles.

బొరుగుల లడ్డు/ Borugula Laddu/ Puffed Rice Sweet Crispies

Ingredients:

Murmura/borugulu/ puffed rice- 1 cup
Powdered Jaggery - 1 cup (adjust as per sweet levels)
Water to melt jaggery - 1 tbsp

Method:
In a thick-bottomed vessel, add water and jaggery.
Cook on medium-high heat.
Jaggery melts and begins to concentrate.
To test the consistency of Jaggery syrup, take cold water in a plate and add few drops of jaggery syrup. If the syrup can be rolled to a round it is done and the syrup is ready.
Add Murmuralu while stirring continuously. Turn off the heat and remove the vessel from fire.
Let it cool for few minutes and then start making laddus.
I learnt this from my Mom-in-law

అటుకుల పులిహోర / Atukula Pulihora/ Flattened Rice with Tamarind Extract

Ingredients:

Atukulu/ Poha/ Beaten Rice/ Flat rice - 2 cups
Tamarind/Chinta pandu - small lime size ball
Turmeric/ pasupu - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

Seasoning:

Oil - 1 tbsp
Broken Red Chilies - 3 to 4
Urad Dal/ Split black gram - 2 tsp
Chana Dal - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Peanuts - 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp


Method:
Soak tamarind in 3/4 cup warm water for 10 minutes and extract thick juice. Discard the tamarind.
Now soak Poha in tamarind extract for 5 to 10 minutes or until it absorbs all the liquid and the flakes become soft, fluffy and separate.
Meanwhile heat oil in a wide pan. Add mustard seeds, curry leaves, hing, Peanuts, red chillies, urad dal, turmeric powder. When mustard seeds crackle, add poha. Sprinkle salt.
Gently toss everything together without mashing Poha.
Fry for 2-3 minutes and serve hot.

Trivia : I learnt this from my Mom-in-law.

ఆవడలు/పెరుగు వడలు: Aavadalu/Perugu Vadalu- Fried black gram donuts soaked in yogurt

INGREDIENTS:

1.Black gram dal..................1 cup.

2.Yogurt....................1 cup.

3.Oil......................................for deep fry.

4.Mustard seeds....................1 t sp.

5.Red chilly............................2

6.Green chilly..........................3.

7.Ginger....................................1"

8.Sugar......................................1 tsp.

9.Salt..........................................as per taste.

10Turmeric................................1/4 sp.

11.Curry leaves/cilantro or both.

METHOD:

1.Soak black gram dal for 2 to 3 hrs. only. For vadas it should not be soaked over night, as in dosas.Do not throw away all the soaked water. keep some.

2.Using the soaked water, grind dal into a smooth paste. adding little of that, at a time. The ready batter must be thick and fine.

3.Make the paste of ginger,green chilly.

4.Add ginger, chilly  paste, to curd in a bowl. put salt, turmeric, sugar, mix well.

5.Keeping the small pan on stove, put 1 tbl sp oil (if available little ghee also). Heat it. put red chilly cut in small pieces, then mustard, aseofotida, lastly curry leaves. When it flutters add to the curd. keep aside covered. now we have to prepare vadas.

6.In a bigger pan put oil for deep frying. Oil should be hot. 

7.Keep a vessel ready with cold water.

8.Take thick plastic sheet. may be 6''/6'' size. wet this on top side, also wet your hand with water, take batter little, a size of big lemon, press it on the sheet, again dipping hand in the water, press it lightly.Making a hole in the center is optional. Olden days this is done on banana leaf. 

suppose one feels confident, can do it with hands only. Instead of plastic sheet use only hands. 

Wet your left hand palm with water, dip your right hand in water, take the batter keep it on wet left palm. now press it lightly. you can make a hole with right finger in the center. when this is ready, slowly drop it in the oil. You can put 3 or 4 at a time, depending on the size of the pan. with out getting burn, turn it. The colour should be red. 

9.Keep another bowl of water ready. taking few at a time put them in water. take out immediately and squeeze out water, keeping between both the palms. Now put these vadas in the ready yogurt. Dip them nicely and arrange in another serving plate.

10. Make all in the same way. They are tasty and soft.

11.Nearly 20 perugu vadalu will come.

ఆలూ బొండా: Alu bonda- Fried potato balls

INGREDIENTS:

1.Potaoes..................................2 big ones.

2.Onion......................................1

3.Carrot......................................1.

4.French Beans...........................3 or 4

5.Green Peas...............................2 tbl sp.

6.Cali Flower.............................few pieces if desired.

7.Green Chilly...............................5 or 6

8.Lemon juice................................2 tbl sp.

9.Pea Nuts /Cashew nuts(both)..2 tbl sp.

10.Cilantro.....................................

11.Salt.............................................as per taste.

12.Oil..............................................for deep frying.

13.Besan (Bengal gram flour).....less than a cup.

14.Bengal gram dal

15.Black gram dal

16.Mustard seeds

17.Cumin seeds.

18.Asefoetido..............................pinch 1/4 sp.

19.Red chilly...............................2.

Water..............................................for mixing the flour.

METHOD:

1.Sieve the flour to be clean and with out any lumps.

2. put enough water to make a semi solid batter. mix it nicely with hand. It should be smooth and fine. keep a side.

3.Boil potato and peel. cut into pieces. keep a side. cut all other vegetables into small.

4.Keep a pan, put little oil, Break the red chilly, put it in the oil. next put all the seasoning items as required. and the nuts. 

5. Stir, and do not burn them. when they flutter, add the cut veg. mix them well.

6.When the veg. are nearly cooked add  already boiled potato pieces. again stir well. do not over cook. it will be tasty if they are little crunchy. also when we put them in hot oil they will cook again any way. take out from fire. add lemon juice. mix well. lemon never should added in very hot condition when o the stove.

7.When it gets cool, add the finely cut cilantro. make into balls of your choice.

8.Keep a frying pan on stove pour oil, heat it. should be hot.

9. Now dip veg. ball in to the besan batter, drop slowly into the oil. depending on the size and the oil poured in the pan, you can put 4 or 5 at a time. fry them. they should not be dark colour.

10.Fry all in the same way.

11. The tasty Bondas are ready to eat hot, with chutney.

12. It makes 14 to 15 pieces.

Fried Idli with vegetables

Serves: Two persons. Preparation time: 15 minutes. 

Ingredients:
18 small Idlis (refer to Idli recipe)
Ghee/oil to roast the Idlis
Cilantro
1 Tsp Salt

For tempering:
1 Tbp Oil
1 Tsp Mustard seeds
1 Tsp Jheera Seeds
1 Tsp Red chilli powder
1/2 Tsp Turmeric
1 pinch Asafoetida
1 pinch Fenugreek powder
5 curry leaves

Chopped vegetables:

Green bell pepper/Capsicum
Carrot

Green chilli

Onion

 Potato
Soft ripe Tomato

Fistful  of green peas

Method:

1. Quarter the idlis and set aside. 

2. Place the oil on medium heat in a saucepan. When it is hot, add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add all the tempering ingredients and the vegetables (but not the tomatoes). 

Mix well, cover and let it cook until the vegetables are done. It takes around 10 minutes, you can further roast them uncovered for longer if you like them crisp. You can add the salt right at the beginning, since salt draws moisture out of the vegetables & makes them crisp. However, if you want your vegetables steamed soft, add salt later. When the vegetables are almost done, add the chopped tomatoes and cook until the mixture looks slightly soupy. You may add some water/tomato juice if the tomatoes aren't juicy enough.

Meanwhile,

3. In a skillet, pour a few drops of oil/ghee, arrange the quartered idlis on the surface of the skillet and let them roast until you see the bottoms turning brown. Pour ghee generously if you like a fried effect. The idlis can be turned over to roast the other side too, however, I like one side done crisp, and the other side left undone. Transfer the browned quarters onto blotting paper and set aside. Fry/roast the next batch. 

When the vegetables are ready and the idlis are done, 

4. Add the idli quarters into the vegetables and mix in thoroughly. The soft side of the idlis absorbs the oil/soup of the vegetables while the roasted side stays crisp. Some of the idli quarters crumble during the mixing process. Cover & cook for a few minutes so the idlis soak up the soup/spice . Garnish with cilantro.

Serve hot. Goes well on its own and also with yogurt. 

Suggestions/Variations:

1. Fried Idli: Some people like to deep fry the idli quarters and serve them with chat masala. 

2. Idli Upma: Idli quarters/mashed Idlis are used instead of upma rava, and the item is prepared as per Rava upma recipe. 

3. You can follow your heart for this recipe, add whatever spice you like, add/omit vegetables as you wish, experiment with sweet corn, carrots, beans, include peanuts, bengal gram, etc.

Culture & Health:

This is a very mix & match dish usually prepared with leftover idlis. If you have very few leftover idlis, the addition of vegetables adds volume to the dish along with a varied taste. It can also be prepared with freshly prepared cooled idlis (hot idlis get mashed easily when handled).

Idli is a good source of protein & carbohydrate, the addition of vegetable makes it a complete balanced diet.

Trivia:

Whenever I have lots of Idli batter and I am bored of plain idli, I find this a very easy quick fix which is simply awesome to taste, with the added health benefits!!

ఉల్లి అట్టు/ ఉతప్పం: Ulli attu/Utappam: Sour Onion pancake

Serving: 6 atlu





INGREDIENTS:

Black gram dal 1/4 cup
Rice 1 cup
Salt to taste
Onions 2 big
Green chillies 8 to 10
Chilly powder 1/2 tsp
Oil enough to roast
Curry leaves few

METHOD:

1.soak dal and rice separately for over night.
2. Next day morning grind separately to make smooth batter.
3.Keep aside for fermentation.
4.Cut onions into small pieces.
5.Cut green chillies and curry leaves in to small pieces.
6.Add onions, green chillies, salt and curry leaves to the batter.
7.Mix well.
8.Heat flat pan grease with oil, then pour batter and spread thick round.
9.Add oil around the dosa and keep lid on it.
10. cook in medium flame.
11.when it is cooked turn it and cook other side for some more time.
12.when it is done serve hot.

It can be made with left over idly or dosa batter.
The batter must be sour.

ఉల్లిపాయ సమోసా: Ullipaya Samosa- Onion Samosa

Ingredients:

Maida (all purpose flour).........1 cup (rice cooker cup)
Atta (Wheat Flour)...........1 cup
oil......................................2 tsp
Water..................................enough.
Salt......................................2 pinches.
Oil .......................................for deep frying
Plain flour............................2 tsps with water to make a paste for sealing

For Stuffing:

Onions....................................1 big
Flat rice (atukulu)...................same quantity of onion pieces
Green Chillies..........................5 no.
Cilantro.....................................1/2 bunch
Chilly Powder............................1 tsp
Chat Masala................................2 tsp.
Cumin Powder...............................1 tsp

Method:

1.Add both the flours together in a bowl, with salt and oil mix with fingers. Do not use the palm now. Mix it with fingers making like crumbs. then add water little by little making it into a soft and fine dough. keep it for 1/2 an hr.
2.Cut onion into small pieces.and measure
3.Add same quantity of flat rice to onions.
4.Now add salt, chilly powder, cut green chilly and cilantro, cumin powder, chat masala.
5.mix all these together.
6. Now the filling is ready.
7. Take lemon size ball from the dough, roll it in to thin roti(like rumali roti)heat this roti on a pan, on one side only. and keep it on a plate not heated side.now roti is ready to prepare samosas.
8.Cut this pre-heated roti, into broad strips, apply the prepared plain flour paste to all sides.fold it in a triangle shape, fill it with the filling.now seal the samosa using the paste.make all the dough in the same form.
9.Keep the oil on stove and heat it.
10.Put these samosas in oil, in a medium heat.do not over heat.
11.Take them out soon, put rest of the samosas.take them out soon.
12.Now again put all the samosas in the oil fry second time till they are light brown.
13.These samosas are ready and crisp to consume.

Variation:
you can use potato curry also for filling.
It makes 25 samosas.