6 GUACAMOLE DIP

Guacamole / Avacado Dip
 

Guacamole dip is a dish made from Avacado and is a Mexican food. I have had this many times in Mexican restaurants and making this dip at home is very easy and can be done in just minute and also is no cook recipe. Here I have served with Blue Corn Chips which goes very well with it.

All you need is
 

Avacado – 3 riped ones

Red onion – 1 small or can use less as per your taste – chopped

Tomato – 1 deseeded and chopped fine

Serrano peppers – 2 deseeded and chopped fine or if u like a spicy touch then add chopped jalapenos

Salt as needed

Cilantro – very little – chopped

Lime juice – ½  tbsp. or more if needed as per your taste

Garlic powder – ½ tsp ( optional)
 

Cut avacados into half and slightly twist them and pull apart. Remove the pitt(seed) and using a spoon scoop out the pulp from the avacados and discard the skin. Collect them in a wide bowl or plate and using a fork press them to mash well. If you like it chunky then can leave out some pieces or mash finely. Since they are ripe you can do it in minutes. Next add all the remaining ingredients and mix well. Serve with your favourite chips.
 

Sending this to Let’s Brunch on Sunday event hosted by Priya and Veena http://www.veenasvegnation.com/

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9 AMARANTH LEAVES STIR FRY

Amaranth or Amaranthus Stir Fry / Dhantu Keerai Poriyal/ Thota Kura Vepudu / Dhantu Soppina Palya 

Amaranth leaves are one of the commonest available greens in any vegetable shops in India.  It is very common to consume  a variety of greens daily back home. Every day very early in the morning we can see vendors selling different varieties of greens in carts or some of them in baskets on their heads shouting to buy some.  After moving here , I missed all the greens and only from few years started to get few varieties and whenever I find this bunch I first take them in my cart. This leaves are very easy to clean and also no need to throw away the stem. They also can be used as stir fry or add them in kootu’s, sambar or soups.

Amaranth Leaves – 1 big bunch

Onion – 1 chopped fine or shallots – few sliced

Garlic – 4 or 5 cloves

Red chillies – 4 or 5 broken

Mustard seeds – very little

Urad dal – very little

Curry leaves – few

Grated coconut – 2 tbsp

Salt

Oil – very little

Clean, wasd and pat the leaves. Next chop them.

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leaves. When they splutter add red chillies and garlic. Saute for few seconds and  add onion. Fry till onions are transculent and add chopped greens. Reduce heat and stir in now and then till leaves are shrunk and cooked. Add salt and mix in grated coconut. Serve as a side with rice or with roti’s.

Sending this to Let’s Brunch on Sunday event hosted by Priya and Veena 

 

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4 JONNA UNDRALLU / SORGHUM FLOUR MINI BALLS

JOnna Undrallu / Cholam Mani or Ammini Kozhukattai/ Sorghum Flour Mini savory Balls

 

I was away from blog for many months. Though was clicking some pictures, I was not updating. May be as I had a very busy summer with house full of guests for 2 months around a dozen :D.  After everyone left I felt  very lazy to kick start to post when one day I saw Priya’s status in FB asking to join the Sunday brunch event. Without any thought I just replied that I am in as it was the best time to wake up my blog and also to join in an event.  When I was looking at my pictures as what to post an idea came up to post an appropriate one for the festival. We usually make this undrallu very often for snack and also with many twists loved by all. It is very easy and also very healthy. Try it out for a change and you will not be disappointed.

 

Jowar Flour/ Sorghum Flour – 1 cup

Salt – as needed

Oil – 2 tsp( preferably gingelly oil)

Mustard seeds -  very little

Urad dhal – very little

Asafoetida – 2 pinch

Red Chillies – 3 or 4 broken

Curry leaves - few

Grated coconut – 2 tbsp

Take a bowl  with the flour, add salt and a tsp of oil. Mix well and slowly add hot water and make a soft dough. It should not be very had or very watery. When pressed with your fingers/fist it should nost stick but easily go in. Apply a drop of oil in your palm and pinch a piece of dough and make small balls, as small as you can so that it will cook easily and also very easy to bite. Prepare balls with all the dough and place in a steaming plate and steam for 15 mts in a pressure pan without weight or in a idli cooker or anything else that you steam with. Remove and keep aside.

Heat remaining oil in a pan and when hot add mustard seeds, urad dhal and asafoetida . When it splutters up add broken red chilies and curry leaves. Stir once or twice and add in steamed balls and grated coconut. Mix well and serve. Can have this as a meal or snack.

Sending this to Sunday Brunch event started by Veena and Priya

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6 UGADI WISHES AND MY UGADI FEAST 2013

Wishing all my readers and Friends a very Happy Ugadi!!!

My Ugadi Feast that I made for our lunch today.

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6 UGADI PACHADI AND UGADI RECIPES

Ugadi is the New year festival in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. In Maharashtra it is called as Gudi Padwa. 

 Ugadi is derived from the Sanskrit work Yuga (age) and aadi(beginning): "the beginning of a new age". Each year it falls on a different date in the month of March of April and this festival marks as the First day in the New Year. In Karnataka it is very common to share Bevu( Neem) Bella( Jaggery) as Prasad and a very elaborate spread is prepared in many homes which includes Holige or Obbattu as one of the main sweet dish.

In Andhra Pradesh a special mixture is prepared called as Ugadi Pachadi. It is mixture of six tastes called as Shadrachalu which symbolizes the fact that life is a mixture of different experience. That is salty, spicy, tangy, bitter, sour and sweet. The significane of making this pachadi is for us to understand that life is a mixture of all emotions, good /bad/happy/sorrow and we have to face each one equally.

 

In Karnataka it is called as Bevu Bella where fresh neem leaves are mixed with jaggery pieces.
  

The special mixture called as Ugadi Pachadi consists of

1.Salt - 1/2 tsp - For Saltness( Uvarppu)- To represent scareness
2.Red chilli powder/or Black Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp( Spicy/Hot) ( Kaaram)- To represent Angry
3.Raw Mango - Few cut into small pieces - For Tanginess( Pulippu)- To represent excitement.
4.Neem flowers(or can use Methi seeds) - 2 tsp - For Bitterness( Kasappu)- To represent sorrow.
5.Tamarind( or can use Lemon Juice) - One small lime size- For Sour( Thuvarppu) - To represent Mischieveness.
6.Jaggery(or can use Honey or Sugar) - 2 - 3 tbsp - For Sweetness ( Inippu)- To represent Happiness.

Soak tamarind in water for 20 minutes and extract a dilute pulp . Mix in jaggery until it melts. Add mango pieces, salt and chilli powder. Mix well and add neem flowers. Mix and serve.

Alternate ingredients:-

Some alternatives to the ingredients if the above mentioned ingredients are not available.

Neem flowers can be replaced with neem leaves or dried methi leaves / kasuri methi or methi seeds.

Jaggery can be replaced with sugar, honey or with any chopped/sliced fruits like banana etc.

Chilli powder can be replaced with green chillies or pepper powder.

Tamarind can be replaced with lime/lemon juice.

Ugadi Recipes from Archives

Ugadi Pachadi - 2 Versions

Obbattu/Holige/Puran Poli – Version 1

Obbattu/Holige/Puran Poli – Version 2 

Coconut/ Kayi Obbattu(Holige) 

Spicy or Masala Obbattu/Holige/Puran Poli

Obbattina/Holige Saaru(Rasam) – Version 1

Obbattina/Holige Saaru(Rasam) – Version 2

Ugadi Feast

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14 AVAKAYA MANGO PICKLE (WITH GARLIC)

Avakaya Pachadi/Oorugaya/Urugai/ Pickle 

This is a traditional pickle of Andhra. It is spicy, sour and goes well with types of dishes. Serve with dhal/pappu and ghee or also with idli/dosa/chapathi. When this is made at home we love to have it with our meals every day. As the days goes by the masala would have oozed into the pickle and we love the bite of each piece.
During my visit to India last year I made sure that I learnt this recipe from my mom. This was very much available at that time in Bangalore. As we had a very big family reunion last time it was also fun making some dishes and also the kids too were very curious to know what we were making. My mom, grandmom and our maid started with the initial process of cutting and cleaning. The kids along with their cousins started to count the measurings as each ingredient was going one by one in the big container. 

Now to the recipe:-

Avakaya Mango - 3 or 4 ( cut into thick cubes)
Chilli powder - 1 cup( or can reduce to 3/4 cup)
Mustard seeds powder /Kadugu/Aavalu- 1 cup( or can reduce to 3/4 cup)
Fenugreek Seeds powder/Vendhayam/Menthulu - 1/4 cup
Garlic pods - Around 40( can avoid this if you are not a garlic lover or also ca reduce the amount)
Asafoetida powder/ Hing/Perungayam /Inguva - 1 spoon
Salt - 1 cup( Table salt)
Gingelly oil/Nallaennai / Nuvvu Nune - 1 1/2 cup - 2 cup

Select nice firm mangoes for this pickle. Cut the stem and soak in water for 1 - 2 hours. Scrub gently to remove the dirt and spread on a cloth. Wipe with a clean and dry cloth and again spread on a cloth or paper to remove moisture. Now cut into thick cubes. Remove the seeds and let the outer part of shell(hard portion) that is attached to the mango stay intact. There will a thin layer attached to the hard portion, we have to remove it by scrapping off by a knife or spoon starting from one end and peeling off the remaining.

Cutting into pieces at home is difficult as we need to more strength to cut them, usually whenever we buy them we get the mangoes cut by the seller itself or during peak season there will be a helper or an other man specifically to cut them near the mango seller. He cuts each mango by the number or by the kilo's for a minimal charge. In that case wash the piece or scrub them with a clean towel and dry them.

Sun dry mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds seperately for 3 - 4 hours and powder seperately.

In a big mixing bowl take mango and add chilli powder, mustard seeds powder, fenugreek seeds powder , salt, asafoetida and mix well with a wooden spatula. Avoid using hands for better or long shelf life. To it add garlic pods and also pour in oil and mix well. Cover and keep it undisturbed for 12 hours. For 3 - 4 days every 12 hours that is every morning and evening mix it well with a clean spoon or spatula and cover it and keep it aside. On the 5 th day transfer it to cleaned bowls or glass jars with lids. Pour some more oil if needed on top. 

The spice level of the pickle will be high initially, as the days goes by the spice level reduces. At home we usually make this during mango season and store it for a year. So if you are making less quantity or to use it for a month or two, you can reduce the salt and spice level.

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15 DOUBLE KA MEETHA / SHAHI TUKDA

Wishing you all a very Happy and a Prosperous New Year

 

On the first day of 2013 I am starting with a sweet post called Double Ka Meetha / Shahi Tukda/ Shahi Tukra. This sweet/ desert is very famous in Hyderabad and served also in marriages. I love this simple and now my older son joins with me. Last week we( Me and kids) were deciding what to make for the New Year especially for my first post of the year and that too a recipe – a sweet recipe which I have not posted till now when my son jumped and said yes for this sweet. He just loves this sweet and was asking me to make for over a month. Lately I have reduced making sweets like I used before so was waiting for a occasion. The moment I started to prepare, he came and peeped in and asked if he could help. I said yes and he started taking all the bread slices from the pack and removed the edges and cut into triangles and then was patiently waiting for me to fry them and serve. I fried the first batch and wanted to click when they were fresh but, I could see hubby and son waiting for me serve rather than click. I was like wait just few more minutes as I am clicking after a long time. All I could was serve my son first and poor hubby waited till I clicked and after which I served him, it was over by the time I started to fry the next batch. He said it tasted so good and was perfect in sweetness. It made my day nice and happy and also when my son asked for more :D

Now let’s turn to the recipe:-

I had blogged about this recipe about 4 years back, when I had started my blog as it was one of my favourite. Now here I am with a picture that can tempt you to try soon. I managed to somehow click them when I was half way frying the bread slices of the next batch.

To make Shahi Tukda we need 

Bread slices – 5

Ghee or oil – ½ cup

Nuts – crushed pista slices or almond flakes of chironji nuts

For the sugar syrup:-

Water – 1 cup

Sugar – ¾ cup

Rose water – 1 tbsp

For the Rabri :-

Milk – 4 cups

Sugar – ½ cup

Cardamom powder – 2 pinch

Saffron – few strands

Boil milk in a vessel when it boils and bubbles up reduce flame and continue cooking. Let the milk reduce in quantity and allow it to thicken. Keep stirring. Next add sugar and mix well. Also add some saffron strands. Mix well and switch off. Add cardamom powder.

In another vessel take water and sugar for the syrup. Heat it up and allow it to boil. Once it boils reduce flame and let it cook for another 2 – 3 minutes. Add rose water and remove. Keep it aside.

Take the bread slices and remove the crust. Cut into half as a triangle or rectangle or any other shape. Heat oil or ghee( for best taste) and add the cut slices in batches and fry both side till golden brown. Remove and dip in sugar syrup so both sides are completely soaked. Remove or arrange in a serving plate. Pour the prepared rabri and top with some nuts and serve.

As an alternate to frying:-

 

You can also apply some butter on both sides of the bread slices and bake in the oven (if you want to avoid frying in oil or ghee )until they are golden brown. Next follow the same procedure and serve.

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