Pappu Palakura /Dhal-spinach

I'm very fond of all andhra dishes,especially this is my most favorite.After tasting this in Nandhini Palace(bangalore),i tried so many times at home,but cudnt get that mesmerizing taste yet :( So i should say,this is my style of paruppu-keerai kadaisal(Pappu palakura)...if anyone knows that particular secret recipe,pls pls let me know :-)

Ingredients:

1.Palak/Spinach..........1 bunch

2.Thoor Dhal...........1 cup

3.Moong dhal...........1/4 cup

4.Green chillies..........4

5.Garlic cloves.........10

6.Onion(big,chopped)..........1/2 cup

7.Salt to taste

8.Tomato.....1 (chopped)

9.Turmeric powder.......1/2 tbsp

10.Mustard seeds n cumin............1 tbsp

11.Sambar powder...........1/2 tbsp

Procedure:

1.Soak the dhals together for 30 minutes.

2.Wash the spinach well and chop it.

3.Take a pressure pan,heat oil splutter mustard seeds and cumin,later fry onion,garlic and green chilies.

4.Now add the chopped tomatoes turmeric powder,sambar powder and salt.

5.Then comes in the chopped spinach and dhal,add sufficient water.(Say for 1 cup of dhal ,2 cups of water)

6.Close the pressure cooker and wait for 3 to 4 whistles.

7.Once it is done,mash it well and transfer it to a serving bowl.

Serve hot with rice and melted ghee.Any veggie fry or simply papad is the perfect combination for this!!

Potato Masala Fry

A simple potato fry,suits well for all type of rice!!

Ingredients:

1.Potato(boiled & cubed).......2 cups

2.Red chilli powder...........1 tbsp

3.Dhaniya powder(coriander seed powder)........1/2 tsp

4.Turmeric powder...........1/2 tsp

5.Black pepper powder.........1/2 tsp

6.Onion flakes and garlic flakes............1tbsp

7.Salt to taste

8.Channa dhal............2tbsps

9.Mustard seeds.........1/2 tbsp

10.Oil...................2 to 3 tbsp to fry.

Procedure:

1.Marinate the boiled potato cubes with all masala powder(ingredients-2,3,4,5,6,7),and keep aside for 10 minutes.

2.Heat oil in a frying pan,splutter mustard seeds and later add the channa dhal,fry till golden.

3.Now add the marinated masala potato and roast it well in medium-low flame.

4.When it reaches good golden roast color,turn off the heat.

Serve this hot spicy roast with any rice,like sambar,rasam,lime rice,tomato rice or with anything u wish.

Home Remedies2 by Padma Prasad

TIPS...TIPS...TIPS.
Cut ginger in to small pieces and put it in a bottle of honey.After 2 days ginger will absorb all the honey.Daily eat two pieces, then say bye to many health problems.

Add dried and powdered thulsi leaves with tea leaves and prepare your cup of tea and see the wonders.Your appetite will get stimulated and free from allergies.

Suffering from dandruff, dont worry.soak 2 tspn of popy seeds(kus kus) in milk, grind it finely and apply and take bath after 1/2 an hr.repeat this for 3 days.Dandruff gone ..poyindi..poyepochu.

Always carry with you, your contact number or address, which will be of use at the time of emergencies.

Put dried corns in a paper bag and add some oil,salt and pepper to it , mix well and seal it and keep it in micro oven for 4 minutes and enjoy hot crispy masala popcorn.

Pudhina Aloo Paneer Sizzler Biryani

Tasted this awesome Biryani in Jarokha restaurant Bangalore.I should say,i was flattered by its taste.Its a less spicy but hot biryani also has a touch of pulao.It was a new experience for me when we were served food in a different way(biryani on hot metal tray which is placed on a wooden tray!!!)!!!

What is Sizzler Biryani??When i googled i got these information,Once the biryani is done to correct tenderness, it is immediately transferred on to a hot metal plate, kept ready on wooden tray. The food singes further on contact, makes a spluttering or hissing noise while being served to the guests.

When i tried it at home(omitting the sizzler part),the taste was almost the same,so posting it here for u all and for my future reference ;-)

Ingredients:

1.Paneer(cubed)..........1/2 cup

2.Corn kernels...........1/2 cup

3.Aloo(cubed)..........1/4 cup

4.Mint leaves/pudhina............2 cups

5.Basmati rice............1cup

6.Ginger-garlic paste.......1tbsp

7.Green chilies....5(slit)

8.Salt

9.Oil......................4 tbsps

10.Ghee.....1tbsp

11.Coconut milk.....1/4 cup(optional)

12.Garam masala.......1/4 tbsp

13.Shahi jeera..........1/2 tbsp

14.Biryani leaf & Star Anis.........2

15.Chopped Onion(big)........1/2 cup

16.Coriander leaves..........1/4 cup

17.Turmeric powder.......1 tsp

18.Red chilli powder......1/2 tsp

To Grind:

1.Cinnamon....1/2 inch

2.Cardomon.....2

3.cloves......2

4.Black pepper.....4 or 5

Procedure:

1.Chop the mint and keep it aside.Fry paneer cubes in oil/ghee till golden and put them in warm water.(this warm water make them soft n not chewy)

2.Dry fry all the 'to grind' items and powder them in mixer.keep it aside.

3.Grind mint leaves n coriander leaves to a paste.

4.Heat oil n ghee in a kadai,splutter shahi jeera and biryani leaf,then comes in the onion,fry till it turns pink.

4.Now add ginger garlic paste,turmeric powder,red chilli powder,green chillies and salt.Fry till the raw smell leaves.Now add the pudhina/mint paste,then the grounded powder,the garam masala,the veggies except paneer.Fry well for 5 to 10 minutes.

5.Grease the electric cooker/normal cooker.Wash basmati rice and add right measure of water.

6.Put the Masala fried veggies and rice one after the other in the greased cooker.Now add a spoon full of ghee,top it with handful of freshly chopped pudhina.Close it.Wait till it is done.Once it is cooked,add the fried paneer ,mix it well.
Serve hot with any rich gravy or simply with cucumber raita :)

Note: if u do it in normal cooker the measure is rice-1 cup water-2 1/4 cups
for electric cooker rice-1cup water 2 1/2cups.
If u use coconut milk adjust the water measure with that.

 Yes,this is a little time consuming recipe,but if the masala powder and chopping veggies are done,then this cud be done within 20 minutes(i forgot to add turmeric powder and resulted with this color).I served this with masala potato fry.Try tis out and leave ur comments!!!

Choco-Banana Shake

A simple smooth shake with choco touch for a hot summer night.Sounds great right!!

Ingredients:

1.Double chocolate ice cream.....2 scoops

2.Milk(chilled).........2 cups

3.Banana(big)....1

4.Honey.........2 tbsps

Procedure:

1.Cut banana roughly,bring in all the ingredients to the blender.Make a smooth shake and serve it chilled.

U can add a bar of cadburys chocolate or drinking chocolate to make it more yummy or chocolaty.If u r more diet conscious,go for low fat ice cream.Personally i feel,no milk shake is complete without a dash of ice cream,having it once in a while is not that bad..so njoy tis summer with healthy juices n shakes!!!

Andhra style hot Milagu Kuzhambu

Got tis wonderful recipe from "pengal.com"'s cookery corner.I avoided few ingredients and added few to match my taste ;-).Ok here comes the super yummy hot pepper kulambu/menasu gojju...

Ingredients:


To Grind:

1.Black pepper......1 tbsp

2.Urad dhal.......1 tbsp

3.Red chillies.....3 to 5nos

4.Tamarind........a small lemon size

5.Fenugreek seeds(vendhayam).........1/2tbsp

6.Curry leaves/corinader(karuvepilai)........3/4 cup

Other ingredients:

1.Oil............5 to 7 tbsp(i used gingelly oil here)

2.Salt to taste.

3.Mustard seeds......1/2 tbsp

4.Jaggery.........2 tbsp(optional)

5.Turmeric powder,hing a pinch

6.Any vegetable like bendhi,drum stick,brinjal,onion,garlic etc...1 cup chopped(i used bitter gourd here).

Procedure:

1.Heat half spoon of oil in a kadai,fry all the 'to grind' ingredients.Grind the fried items to a paste with needed water.Keep it aside.

2.Heat rest of the oil in a kadai,splutter mustard seeds and fry the chopped veggies.

3.Once the veggies are done,add in the grounded paste,salt,turmeric powder and hing.Add 2 cups of water.Let it boil until it shrinks to half the amount in the volume.

4.Add jaggery and let tis boil for few more minutes.Switch off the flame once it is done.Serve with hot rice.

This tastes heaven when served with urad papad,onion vadagam and potato fry.Try tis out and pour in ur feedback.Cooking time takes roughly from 20 to 30 mintues.

Tomato-onion hot chutney

A simple yet delicious dish which i usually do for chapatis n dosas.I wud say this is apt side dish for hurry burry mornings.

Ingredients:

1.Onions.......3 big

2.Roma Tomatoes.......2 big

 3.Red chilli powder.........3/4 tbsop

4.Salt to taste

5.Oil.....2 tbsp

6.Mustard seeds......1 tsp

7.Turmeric powder...1/2tsp

Procedure:

1.Finely chop the onions n tomatoes.

2.Splutter mustard seeds in oil,add in the chopped onion and pinch of salt,saute till it turns pink.

3.Next in goes the chopped tomatoes,fry till the raw smells leaves.Now add chilli powder,turmeric powder and salt.Saute for 10 more minutes until the mixture binds well together.

4.Serve this hot with chapatis and dosas.Cooking time hardly takes 10-15 minutes,even an untrained bachelor can get master chef result in tis....try tis out.

Mochai Sundal/Whole bean fry

Ingredients:

1.Soaked and drained bean(mochai payaru).......2 cups

2.Sunflower oil.....1tbsp

3.Chopped Green chilles.....1 tbsp / Red chilli powder...........1/2 tsp

4.Coriander leaves ...few

5.Mustard seeds...1/2 tsp

6.Salt to taste

7.Finely chopped onion.....3/4 cup

Procedure:

1.Soak the whole bean overnite.Pressure cook tis with 1 cup of water until soft.

2.Heat oil in a kadai,splutter mustard seeds,chilles,coriander leaves and onion.Saute till the onion turns transparent.

3.Add the boiled beans with water(dont drain the water),add salt and close it with a lid.Wait until all the water evaporates.

4.Then fry it for 2 more minutes till dry.

5.This can be had with sambar sadham or as an evening snack.

 Benefits of whole bean:

• lower cholesterol levels
• improve diabetics' blood glucose control
• reduce risk of many cancers
• lower blood pressure
• regulate functions of the colon
• prevent and cure constipation
• prevent piles and other bowel problems

Tomato Masala Rice

This is a new recipe got from one of my friend.Then adjusted the spice level and ingredients to match my taste.Here comes the recipe...

Ingredients:

1.Roma Tomatoes(bangalore tomatoes).............3

2.Ginger.........1 inch

3.Garlic.........15 cloves

4.Coriander seeds.........1 tbsp

5.Red chillies.......3

6.Oil...........2 tbsp

7.Ghee....2 tbsp

8.Salt to taste

9.Cinnamon stick-1,cardamon....2 cloves.....3 cumin seeds......1/2 tsp

10.Potato (chopped in big size)........1 cup(optional)

11.Green peas.............1/4 cup(optional)

12.Garam masala......1/2 tsp

13.Rice ......1  cup

14.Water......2 cups

15.Chopped cilantro....a little.

Procedure:

1.Grind the ingredients(1 - 5) in a mixer to a paste without water.

2.Now heat oil and ghee together in a kadai,splutter cumin,cinnamon,cardamon n cloves.

3.Add in the grounded paste and saute till the raw smell leaves.Then add in the potatoes n peas.Saute it for 2 more minutes.

4.Now comes in the garam masala n salt.

5.After a minute or two add the rice,water and cilantro.Pressure cook this.Switch off once it is done.

6.Serve with simple cucumber raita/onion raita or even simply with potato chips.

Potato and peas are purely optional,if u have them in hand,dont omit them.But they definitely add special taste to tis recipe.

Have a wonderful Day!!!