KOTHIMEERA PACHADI (CORIANDER CHUTNEY)

Fresh coriander leaves are an essenential ingredient in many south Indian recipes particilarly in chutneys.chopped coriander leaves are also used as a garnish on cooked dishes such as dal and many curries.At my mom s place every day there will be a chutney in every day menu.when ever amma makes Garelu(vada) she makes this coriander chutney,and its tastes really great with Garelu. Here is the recipe for my mom s coriander chutney.............
INGREDIENTS:---
Fresh coriander leaves --- 1 big bundle
Green chilies ---10 no.
Urad dal – 1 tab sp
Coriander seeds – 1 tea sp
Cumin seeds --- 1 tea sp
Tamarind – 1 inch pieces 2no.
Salt to taste
Oil 1 tab sp


METHOD :----
1. Pick only leaves and young stem s clean and wash for 3-4 times and dry in the shade.
2. Dry roast urad dal, coriander seeds, cumin seeds fry till light drown remove from heat and grind in to a coarse powder.
3. Now heat oil in a pan add green chilies and fry for 3 min. and remove from heat and add this green chilies to the coriander and cumin seed powder and tamarind and coriander leaves, salt to taste and grind in to a fine paste.
4. Remove the chutney in to a clean bowl and serve.
Serve with hot rice and a drop of ghee and mudda pappu.
And a very good combination with pongali, dosa, idli.
This is my entry for JFI - JHIVA FOR CILANTRO AT Cilantro and the event started by Indira of Mahanandi

PANDU MIRAPAKAYA PACHADI

Pickles(ooragaya) is one of the main part in Andhra people s menu. For a typical Andhrite, no meal is complete with out this pickle s.specialy summer means pickle season for Andhra people.Every body knows that Andhra pradesh is very famous for variety of pickles. In this pickles series first comes this very hot, spicy, tangy fresh Red chilli pickle .Normaly Amma use Guntur pandu mirapakayalu for this pickle but here I don't get that variety red chilies so I used Thai hot red chilies for this yummy pickle. One more name for this pickle is Korivi Khaaram. And here is the recipe for this unique Andhra pickle.......... INGREDIENTS:----
Fresh red chillies ---- 1/2 kg(500 gms)
Tamarind --- 50 gms (if need more tangy taste can add 75 gms)
Salt ---- 150 gms
Turmeric powder ---- 1 tab sp
Mustard powder --- 2 tab sp
Fenugreek powder --- 1 tab sp
FOR SEASONING:----
Oil --- 1 tab sp (that means nearly 200 ml)
Mustard seeds --- 1 tea sp tea sp
Garlic cloves --- 6 no. lightly crushed

METHOD:----

1. Clean fresh red chilies with a clean cloth(don't wash ). Remove the stems and grind coarsely with salt and turmeric powder.(traditionaly we grind this pickle in a stone mortar-pestle(roolu).
2.Clean and remove the seeds from the tamarind and add tamarind to chilli paste mix well and let it soak for 2-3 days.

3.On third day grind red chilli and tamarind mixture in to a coarse paste,adjust the salt according to spiciness of the red chilies(some times spiciness reducess after few days.)

4. Add mustard powder,fenugreek powder mix well and store it in a clean dry air-tight container.

5.You can start serving this pickle after 1 week. Before serving season the pickle with.

6. Heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds and let them popup then add lightly crushed garlic and add this seasoning to red chili pickle.

7. Mix well and serve.You can serve this with rice, idli, dosa,

8. This will stay for 1 year.

Enjoy the traditional Andhra pickle.

Note: Always use clean dry air-tight container to store the pickle.

Use clene dry spoon to take out the pickle.

You can store this pickle in fridge also. If you follow this recipe no need to keep it in the fridge.

PAPPUPULUSU

A traditional Andhra pulusu with toor dal and lots of vegetables which is a perfect combination with hot rice and a drop of ghee with a side dish of gutthi vankaya kura.In my view there is a difference between pappucharu and pappupulusu, pappucharu is based with moong dal or toor dal with any 1 variety of vegetable that is like okra, drumstick, Cucumber (Andhra dosakaya).mostly people use lemon juice or thin tamarind juice for a tangy taste in this pappucharu; this will be in a thin consistency then pappupulusu with a seasoning of mustard and cumin seeds with garlic flavor.
And pappupulusu is a base with toor dal, lots of vegetables,thick tamarind juice and seasoned with mustard seeds, asafoetida. You can use any 3-5 variety s of vegetables like drumstick,eggplant, cucumber, pumpkin, sweet potato, carrot, radish, shallots.This is a nutritionally balanced and easy to cook recipe.. This pappupulusu is tastes much better the next day. And here I am with the recipe..............

INGREDIENTS:----

Toor(tour) dal ---- 1 cup
Mixed vegetables --- 2 cups cut in to1 inch cubes (I used bottle gourd, carrot, egg plant, and okra)
Onion --- 1 big cut in to cubes
Green chilies --- 3 slit
Tomatoes --- 2 medium cut in to quarters
Tamarind – 1 golf ball sized (1 big lemon size)
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tea sp
Red chili powder --- 1 tea sp (according to your taste if you don't like much spicy then jut remove this)
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves for garnish
FOR SEASONING:---
Oil --- 1 tab sp
Mustard seeds – 1 tea sp
Cumin seeds – 1/2 tea sp
Fenugreek seeds – 1/4 tea sp
Dry red chilies --- 3 broken
Fresh curry leaves --- 12
Asafetida – 1/4 tea sp
METHOD:-----
1. Soak tamarind in water for 1/2 hour and extract juice with 1 cup water and leave a side.
2. Soak toor dal in water for 10 min. and then cook with 1 tomato till soft, and remove from heat and mash with potato masher or pappuguthi( which we use to mash cooked dal) and leave a side.
3. Now cook mixed vegetable pieces, onion pieces, slit green chilies and remaining tomato pieces with tamarind extract till vegetables are tender then add salt to taste, turmeric powder, red chili powder mix well and the add cooked dal mix well and bring to a full boil.
4. Now heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds and let them popup then add cumin seeds, dry red chilies, asafetida, fenugreek seeds, fresh curry leaves and then add this seasoning to dal and vegetable mixture mix well and remove from heat. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
Serve with rice and any vegetable stir fry like potato or egg plant stir fry or even with okra stir fry

MOR KALI (RICE RAVA UPMA WITH BUTTER MILK)

Mor kali a perfect break fast for summer, and a very famous Tamil nadu break fast variety that can made with in a jiffy.Normally people make this with rice flour but this time I change that to very fine rice rava.For this rice rava just soak rice for 1 hour and drain the water and dry them in the shade and grind this rice in to a fine rava in a mixee or coffee grinder and here is the mor kali recipe....

INGREDIENTS:----

Very fine Rice rava --- 1 cup

Sour butter milk --- 3 cup

Oil --- 2 tab sp

mustard seeds --- 1/2 tea sp

Urad dal ---- 1 tab sp

Channa dal --- 1 tab sp

Chillies cured in yogurt(majjiga mirapakayalu or mor milagai) or red chilies --- 3

Asafoetida --- a pinch

salt to taste

curry leaves a few

METHOD:--

1. Heat oil in a pan or a pressure cooker add mustard seeds let them popup then add urad dal,channa dal,curd chilies(or) dry red chilies and curry leaves and asafoetida let them fry till light brown.

2. Now add butter milk, salt to taste mix well and bring to a boil then add rice rava mix well cover and cook till done.(stir in between)

3. If you are using pressure cooker then heat oil add mustard seeds let them popup then add all other seasoning ingredients then add butter milk, salt to taste and bring to a boil then add rice rava mix well and cover with the lid and cook for 2 whistles.

4. Remove from the heat and let it cool,mix well and serve with any pickle.

I served this with new aavakai(Mango pickle ).

BROCCOLI - CAPSICUM PEPPER STIR FRY

Broccoli --- 1 no.
Capsicum red --- 1 big
Onion – 1 big
Garlic --- 5 cloves
Oil – 2 tab sp
Mustard seeds – 1/2 tea sp
Coriander seeds --- 1 tea sp
Cumin seeds – 1 & 1/2 tea sp
Pepper corn s --- 2 tea sp
Lemon juice – 1 tabs
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tea sp
METHOD: ----
Cut broccoli in to bite size piece s and add little salt to them and pour hot water and leave them for 10 min. then drain hot water and leave a side.
Peel the skin of onion and garlic and chop them in to very fine pieces
Wash and cut in to 2 inch long pieces
Heat and dry roast coriander seeds, pepper corns, cumin seeds and grind in to a fine powder and keep a side.
Now heat oil and add mustard seeds and let them popup then add chopped onion and garlic and fry till soft.
Then add broccoli and capsicum pieces and stir fry till vegetable become tender.
Now add salt to taste, ground powder, and turmeric powder and stir fry till nice aroma comes out.
Then add lemon juice mix well and remove from heat.
Serve with roti or bread
And a good choice for sambar rice as a side dish.
This is my entry for FIC - RED& GREEN hosted by Neha and event started by HARINI

WATER MELON SHAKE - 2

INGREDIENTS:----

Water melon pieces --- 1 cup
Rooh afza ---- 1/2 cup
Ice cubes --- 1 cup
If like more sweet then you can add 1 tab sp sugar to this I don't like that much sweet so I didn't add, that is according to your taste.

METHOD: -----
Blend all three ingredients in a blender till smooth and serve chill
A perfect cooler for this hot summer
If you don't have rooh afza then add a few drops of rose water and 1 tab sp of sugar syrup
Other variations: you can add 1/2 cup milk or curd to this to make a delicious smoothie
Enjoy your cool cool drink.

Check my water melon shake - 1 here

this refreshing shake is going to Chandrabhaga s REFRESHING DRINKS FOR SUMMER event

MAIDA HALWA

When I was a child my mom use to make this halwa for my b'day.every year on my b'day amma use to ask me what special you want for you b'day, and I ask for this halwa with pulihora(Tamarind rice)or gulab jamun with pulihora and this is the menu for my every b'day.Thank you so so much amma for this lovely halwa. TAMIL PUTHANDU VAZHTHUKKAL
HAPPY TAMIL NEW YEAR TO ALL

Maida (all purpose flour) --- 1 cup

sugar ---- 1 &1/2 cup (or according to your taste you can increase or decrease the sugar)

red orange food color --- 2 pinches

Cashew nuts --- 20 broken and roasted

Ghee --- 2 cups

Cardamom powder --- 1 tea sp

METHOD:-----

Shift maida in to a big bowl and add water to make a thin batter like rava dosa batter and add food color to this maida batter and leave a side.

Now add little water to sugar and boil it to make a sticky syrup(add a little water to sugar don't add too much water ).

Now add maida mixture to the sugar syrup keep stirring well. with in 6-8 min it will get thick.

In the same time heat the ghee, now start adding the ghee to the maida and sugar syrup mixture and keep stirring. The halwa would absorb all the ghee then again add some more ghee and keep stirring,by the time you finish the ghee halwa starts to leave the sides of the pan and it will become like a ball around to your laddle. Now add cardamom powder and mix well.

Now transfer it in to a greased plate and make it flat with a spoon and let it cool and cut in to pieces with a greased knife and garnish with roasted cashew nuts.

enjoy your sweet.

this will stay for 10 days .

PURPLE CABBAGE AND CHANNA DAL CURRY

Purple cabbage ---- 1medium chopped (that means nearly 3 cups)
Channa dal --- 1 cup
Oil --- 2 tab sp
Mustard seeds --- 1/2 tea sp
Cumin seeds --- 1/2 tea sp
Curry leaves a few
Onion – 1 big chopped
Turmeric powder --- 1/2 tea sp
Red chili powder --- 1 tea sp

Salt to taste
Garam masala powder --- 1 tea sp
Grated coconut --- 1 tab sp
Fennel seeds – 1 tea sp
METHOD: ----
Grind grated coconut and fennel seeds in to cores paste and leave a side.
Soak channa dal for 1/2 hour and cook till 1/2 done, then add chopped purple cabbage to the dal and cook till tender, but not so soft( if you pinch cabbage piece with your fingers you should fell still crunchy I hope you understand).
Now add salt to taste, turmeric powder, and red chili powder mix well and remove from the heat and keep a side.
Now heat oil in a fry pan or deep frying pan (kadai) add mustard seeds and let them popup, then add cumin seeds and curry leaves and fry for a while then add chopped onion and stir till onion become soft, then add ground coconut and fennel seeds mixture stir for 1 sec. and add cooked cabbage and dal mixture mix well and stir for 5 min in a medium flame, then remove from the heat and serve.
Serve hot, as a side dish for rice and rasam or pappucharu and even goes very well with roti.

Enjoy your meal.

Iam sending this to EC s WYF - side dish event

LEMON RICE SEVAI

MTR rice sevai --- 1/2 pack
Green chilies --- 3 chopped
Ginger – 1/ 2 inch piece chopped
Lemon juice --- 2 tab sp (according to your taste)
Turmeric powder --- 1/2 tea sp
Salt to taste
Chopped coriander leaves – 1 tab sp
Oil --- 1 tab sp
Mustard seeds --- 1/2 tea sp
Ground nuts --- 1 tab sp
Asafetida – 1/4 tea sp
Channa dal --- 1 tea sp
A few curry leaves
Dry red chilies – 2 broken
METHOD: ----
Boil 6-7 cups water in a big pan and bring to a full boil and add 1 tea sp oil to the water and add rice sevai to the water and cook for 5 min (don't over cook the sevai, If you over cook they become sticky and lumpy) then drain the extra water and pour cold water to prevent extra cooking, and spread out on a plate to cool.
Now heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds and let them popup then add channa dal, ground nuts, chopped green chilies, chopped ginger and fry till light brown and then add asafetida, broken dry red chilies, curry leaves and fry for a while and add turmeric powder and lemon juice mix well and add cooked rice sevai, salt to taste, chopped coriander leaves and mix well and remove from the heat and mix well again
Serve hot.

BEERAKAYA SENAGA PAPPU KURA

Beerakaya (ridge gourd) --- 2 no.
Channa dal – 1 cup
Onion --- 1 medium chopped
Green chilies --- 3 cut in to small pieces
Tomato --- 1 big chopped
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tea sp
Salt to taste
Oil --- 2 tab sp
Mustard seeds --- 1/2 tea sp
Urad dal ---- 1 tea sp
Curry leaves a few
Dry red chilies --- 2 broken
For paste: ---
Grated dry coconut --- 1 tab sp
Cumin seeds --- 1 tea sp
Garlic cloves --- 4 no.
Red chili powder – 1 tea sp
Dry roast dry coconut and cumin seeds in a pan till nice aroma come out then add garlic cloves and red chili powder and grind in to a coarse paste with little water and leave a side.
Peel outer hard skin of the ridge gourd and cut in to 1/2 inch pieces.
Wash channa dal and add ridge gourd pieces and chopped onion and green chilies, tomato chopped to the dal and cook till soft (If you are using a pressure cooker then cook for 2 whistles).
Now add turmeric powder and salt to taste mix well and cook for 2 more min. then add ground masala mix well and cook for 5 more min
Now heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds and let them popup then add urad dal, dry red chilies broken and curry leaves fry till light brown then add this to cooked dal and ridge gourd mixture mix well and remove from the heat.
Serve hot with rice or roti
Enjoy your meal.

Ckeck my one more recipe for Beerakaya sensga pappu kura here

SOYA NUGGETS PULAO

SOYA NURRETS PULAO

Dry Soya nuggets – 15 no.
Basmati rice --- 2 cups
Onion – 1 medium sliced
Tomato – 1 big chopped
Ginger garlic paste – 1 tea sp
Cloves – 4 no.
Cardamom --- 3no
Cinnamon --- 1/2 inch sticks 3 no.
Cumin seeds – 1 tea sp
Oil or ghee --- 2 tab sp
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tea sp
Red chili powder – 1 tea sp
Salt to taste
Wash and soak basmati rice for 10 min.
In a pan boil water and add 1/4 tea sp salt and add Soya nuggets (chunks) cover with a lid and remove from the heat and leave a side for 1/2 hour then drain the hot water and pour cold water and leave for 2 min and drain the cold water also and squeeze out the extra water fro the chunks and leave a side.
Now heat oil or ghee in a pan add cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon, cumin seeds and let then popup.
Then now add sliced onions and fry till light brown color then add chopped tomato and ginger garlic paste and stir for 5 min. or till tomato becomes soft.
Then add Soya chunks, turmeric powder and red chili powder mix well and cook for 5 min in a very low flame.
Now add soaked basmati rice (drain the water in to a bowl and add only rice) and fry for 3 min.
Add 3 & 1/2 cup water to the rice and Soya chunks and add salt to taste mix well cover and cook till done.
Open the lid and add 1 tea sp ghee on top again cover with lid and switch off the heat and leave it like that for 10 min. then open the lid and mix well and serve.
Serve with onion or cucumber raitha.
For me I don’t need any curry for this pulao, this it self is a full meal so….. If you need any side dish you can make any kurma or any thing you like.

This is my entry for SINGLE SERVING RECIPE EVENT at Sahaja s Spicy rasam

PINDIMIRIYAM

Toor dal --- 1 cup
channa dal --- 1/2 cup
Tamarind paste --- 1 tea sp(some people they dont add tamarind so if you dont like tangy taste just remove that)
Drumstick --- 1 cut in to2 inch pieces
Okra (bhendi, bendakaya) --- 5 no. cut in to 1 inch pieces
Potato -- 1 medium cut in to cubes
Carrot -- 1 medium cut in to cubes
small onion (sambar onion) --- 1/2 cup(not only this you can use any 5 varieties of vegetables)
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder -- 1/2 tea sp
FOR MASALA PASTE:----
Coriander seeds -- 1 tab sp
Red chilies --- 2 (i used kashmiri red chilis)
Chanadal --- 2 tea sp
Pepper corns ---- 1 tea sp
Rice -- 1 tea sp
Grated coconut --- 1/2 cup
dry roast all above ingredients in a fry pan exp. coconut and grind with coconut and little water in to a smooth paste and leave a side.
FOR SEASONING: ----
Oil --- 2 tab sp
Mustard seeds -- 1 tea sp
cumin seeds --- 1/2 tea sp
Asafoetida --- 1/4 tea sp
curry leaves -- 15
METHOD:----
Mix toor dal and channa dal wash well and cook till soft (if you are using a pressure cooker then cook till 3 whistles).
In a other pan cook all vegetables till tender (don't over cook the vegetables)
Then add tamarind paste, turmeric powder,salt to taste,cooked dal and add 1 cup water if required mix well and cook till gravy becomes thick this should be in avery thick sambar consistency.
Bring to a full boil and then add masala paste mix well and again bring to a full boil and keep the flame low.
now heat oil in a other pan and add mustard seeds let them popup then add cuminseeds,asafoetida,and curry leaves let them fry for 1 sec and then add this to dal and vegetable mixture, mix well and remove from the heat.
Serve with hot rice and appdam,vadiyalu(pappad and fryams)
Enjoy your meal.
Iam sending this to EC s WYF - side dish event

ALLAM PACHADI (GINGER PICKLE)

Fresh ginger --- 100 gms
Tamarind --- 50 gms
Grated jaggery --- 100 gms
Red chilies --- 6 (i used 3 hot chilies and 3 Kashmiri chilies for color)
Salt -- 2 tab sp
Oil 1/4 cup
coriander seeds --- 1 tab sp
Fenugreek seeds -- 1/2 tea sp
Mustard seeds -- 1 tea sp
curry leaves -- 10
Urad dal --- 1 tea sp
Garlic --- 10 cloves crushed
METHOD:----
Soak tamarind in water (just cover the tamarind with water) till it become soft.
In a pan add 1 tea sp oil add coriander seeds and fry till light brown color then add fenugreek seeds and fry till nice arom comes out remove and leave a side to cool.
Now in the same pan add red chilies and fry for 3 min remove and add to coriander and fenugreek seeds and grind in to a fine powder.
in the same time peel ginger, wash and chop it in to small pieces.
add ginger pieces and soaked tamarind to the red chili and coriander seed powder in the blender and add salt and grind it in to a smooth paste.
now add grated jaggery and run the blender for 2 min.
Heat oil in a fry pan add mustard seeds and let them popup then add garlic,urad dal, curry leaves and fry for 2 min. or till light brown.
Now add ginger paste to this (tadka, talimpu) and switch off the heat mix well and leave it like that for 10 min then mix again well and let it cool.
Store the pickle in an airtight container
Serve this allam pachadi with pesarattu,idli, dosa or mix in hot steamed rice with a dro of ghee mmmmmmmmmmm yummmy

this pickle will stay for 10 day out side after that you have to store this in the refrigerater the this will stay for 3-6 months

ASPARAGUS AND LENTIL STIR FRY

Asparagus --- 1 bundle
Tour dal --- 1 cup
Onion --- 1 medium chopped
Green chilies --- 3 chopped(according to your taste)
Oil – 1 tab sp
Mustard seeds – 1/2 tea sp
Cumin seeds --- 1 tea sp
Curry leaves --- 10 no.
Garlic – 3 cloves crushed
Urad dal – 1 tea sp
Lemon juice --- 1 tab sp
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder --- 1/4 tea sp
METHOD:---
1. Cut the woody ends of the asparagus then peel any blemishes. Wash thoroughly in warm water, and cut into 1/2 inch pieces and boil asparagus till tender.
2. Wash and soak dal for 10 min, and cook till 3/4 done don’t mash the dal drain if any water is there in dal and use this water in rasam or soups.
3. Now heat oil in a fry pan add mustard seeds let them popup then add urad dal, crushed garlic, cumin seeds, curry leaves and let them fry till golden.
4. Then add chopped onion and green chilies and fry till onion become soft then add cooked asparagus and stir for 3 min, then add cooked dale keep the flame in high and add slt to taste, turmeric powder and lemon juice and stir for 2 min and remove from heat.
5. Serve with steamed rice and rasam or with pulusu (tamarind graves) and goes well with roti also.
And you can eat this as it is, a very good choice for diet

And you can make the same curry with Amaranth leaves stems(totakura kadalu) also

ARITIKAYA PULUSU ( RAW BANANA IN TAMARIND GRAVY)

Ariti kaya (raw green banana) – 2 no.
Onion --- 1 big finely chopped
Tamarind pulp --- 1 tab sp or 5 gms of tamarind(a small gooseberry size) soak in hot water for 5 min. and extract juice with 1 cup of water or dilute 1 tab sp tamarind pulp in 1 cup water.
Turmeric powder --- 1/2 tea sp
Red chili powder --- 1 tea sp
Grated jaggery --- 1 tab sp (or according to your taste)
Oil --- 2 tab sp
Mustard seeds --- 1/2 tea sp
Cumin seeds --- 1 tea sp
Urad dal – 1 tea sp
Chana dal --- 1 tea sp
Asafoetida --- 1/4 tea sp
Curry leave a few
Salt to taste
METHOD : ----
1. peel outer skin and cut raw banana in to 1/2 inch cubes. And leave them in water this prevents changing the color of banana.
2. Now heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds and let them popup then add urad dal , chanadal, cumin seeds, asafetida and curry leaves and let them fry till light brown then add chopped onion and fry till light pinkish color.
3. Then now add raw banana pieces, salt to taste, redchilli powder, turmeric powder, mix well and sprinkle some water cover and cook for 5 min, stir in between.
4. After 5 min add tamarind juice mix well and cook till gravy becomes thick( this will take 10 – 15 min.).
5. Now add grated jaggery mix well and cook 5 more min.

Remove from heat and leave a side for 1/2 hour to 1 hour before serving.
Serve with rice and mudda pappu (plain dal) or any dal curry (pappu kura).
Iserved this with rice and Asparagus pappu kura (asparagus and lentil stir fry).

PALAK PAKODIS (SPINACH PAKORAS)

Palak (palakura, spinach) --- 1 bundle or 1 &1/2 cup finely chopped

Chickpea flour (bengalgram flour, senagapindi) --- 1 cup

Rice flour --- 1 tab sp

Ginger 1/2 inch piece

Green chilies --- 3 no.

Coriander seeds -- 1 tea sp

cumin seeds -- 1/2 tea sp

Ajwain --- 1/2 tea sp

Salt to taste

turmeric powder -- 1/2 tea sp

Oil for frying

METHOD:---

1. Peel and chop ginger and cut green chilies in to small pieces and add coriander seeds and cumin seeds to ginger and green chilies and grind in to a coarse paste.

2. wash palak many times and chop it very finely.

3. In a big mixing bowl add chickpea flour and rice flour,salt to taste,turmeric powder,ajwain,ground paste and chopped palak and make a dumpling batter with the help of very little water if required.

4. Now heat oil in a deep frying pan and drop spinach and chickpea flour mixture in the form of pakodis and fry till nice golden color.

5. remove from oil and drain extra oil,and palak pakodi s are ready to eat.

6. Serve hot with tomato sauce or green chutney and a cup of tea.

Be carefull when you are droping the batter in to the hot oil if you are not able to drop with your hand use a spoon to drop the batter.

Take care and enjoy your palak pakodis.......

SHAHI PANEER

Paneer ----- 200 gms

Onion --- 2 medium

ginger ---- 1 inch piece

Garlic ----- 4 cloves

Tomato ---- 4 medium

Green chilies ---- 3 no.

Red chilli powder --- 1 tea sp

Turmeric powder ---- 1/2 tea sp

Garam masala powder --- 1 tea sp

Cashew nuts --- 20- 25

Cream --- 3/4 tab sp

Milk ---- 1/2

Oil ---- 3 tab sp

Salt to taste

METHOD:---

Peal onions and cut in to cubes heat 1 tea sp oil in a pan and fry onions till soft, peel and chop ginger,peel and remove seeds and chop tomato and add garlic, tomato,ginger, green chilies to onions and make a smooth paste.

Soak cashew nuts in milk for 1/2 hour and grind in to smooth paste and keep a side.

Now cut the paneer in to 1 inch pieces and fry in hot oil in a medium heat till ligh brown remove from oil and leave a side(drop paneer in warm water in a bowl and keep a side this keep paneer soft ).

Now heat oil (or you can use ghee for this curry) in a pan add onion paste and stir till oil starts separating from the onion paste.

And then add red chili powder ,turmeric powder, garam masala powder, saute for 2 min. then add cashew nut paste and stir for 3 more min then add 1/2 cup water and salt to taste mix well and bring to a full boil and let it cook in a very slow flame till gravy becomes thick(here you can add if you like to add any dry fruits like cashew,almonds and risins, fri them in ghee till light brown and add them to gravy.).

Finally add fried paneer pieces and cream mix well and leave in alow flame for 1 minute.

Remove from heat and garnish shahi paneer with chopped coriander leaves and cream.

Serve with naan or pulao.

Enjoy your meal.

This is my entry for RCI - Lucknow at Lavi s home cook s recipe s RCI started by Lakshmi

KESARI PULAO (SAFFRON RICE)

Basmati rice --- 1&1/2 cup
Ghee --- 3 tab sp
Sugar --- 3 tab sp
Almonds --- 10 blanched and sliced
Raisins --- 30 lightly fried
Dry coconut --- 1 tab sp cut in to 1/2 inch pieces(optional)
Cinnamon – 1 inch pieces 3 no.
Cardamom – 3
Cloves --- 4
Saffron (kesar, kumkuma puvu) --- 4 tab sp soaked in hot milk

I used 1 &1/2 cup water and 1 cup milk for cooking this pulao( I just soaked saffron in this one cup milk only).

METHOD:--
Soak rice in 1& 1/2 cup water for 10- 15 min
Heat ghee in a pan add cinnamon, clove cardamom let them popup and then add soaked rice and sugar, 3/4 th raisins and almond slices and then add saffron soaked in 1 cup milk mix well and let it cook in a very low flame till done this will take only 8-10 min .then remove from heat and leave a side for 5 min. and serve.
Serve with dum aloo or shahi paneer or even it goes very well with dal fry
We enjoyed this saffron pulao with dale fry and cucumber raita with aloo bajji(potato fitters)

CHINTACHIGURU GORUCHIKKUDU KURA ( YOUNG TAMARIND LEAVES AND CLUSTER BEANS CURRY)

Chintachiguru -- young tamarind leaves Ihave to tell a big thanks to my mom for this. she purchased fresh young tamarind leaves and cleaned and washed them and dry them in the shade for some time and packed in small plastic bags and she stored them in the fridge.
in the fridge they become dry and looks like this.you can make a powder with this dry leaves and store in a bottle these leaves will stay for 1 year in the fridge.
and you can use these leaves for kheema curry, fish curry and even for dal(chintachiguru pappu) check my dal recipe here .
And chintachiguru dishes are most favorites in Andhra people. And now it is time for young tamarind leaves I think.

Goruchikkudu kayalu (guvar beans, cluster beans, kotthavarai) --- 200gms
Young tamarind leaves (dry or fresh) ---100
Onion – 1 big chopped
Green chilies --- 3 cut in to small pieces
Ginger garlic paste --- 1 tea sp
Red chili powder --- 1 tea sp
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tea sp
Salt to taste
Oil --- 2 tab sp
Mustard seeds --- 1/2 tea sp
Urad dal – 1 tea sp
Cumin seeds – 1 tea sp
Dry red chili – 1 brokenCurry leaves a few

Curry leaves a few

METHOD: ---
Wash cluster beans well and cut in to small pieces and add 1 cup water and1/4 tea sp salt and cook till beans become soft remove from heat and drain extra water and leave a side.
Take dry young tamarind leaves and grind them in to a powder, or if you are using fresh leaves then clean, wash and just crush with hand.
Now heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds and let them popup then add urad dal, broken dry red chilies, cumin seeds, curry leaves let them fry for a while.
Then add chopped onion and green chilies and fry till onion become soft.
Now add ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, and stir once and then add tamarind leaves, red chili powder and cooked cluster beans, salt to taste (check the taste and add salt here because we add salt when we are cooking the beans) mix well and add 1/4 cup water, stir in between and cook till water evaporates.
Make sure there is no water left in the curry and then remove from heat and serve hot.
Serve hot with rice or rotis

And also you can cook this in a pressure cooker for that what you need to do is.

Heat presure cooker pan and add mustard seeds and let them popup then add urad dal, cumin seeds, redchili pieces and curry leaves then add chopped onion and green chilies and fry till onion become soft.

Now add ginger garlic paste stir once and then add cluster beans pieces, tamarind leaves powder or fresh leaves,salt to taste, turmeric powder, and 1/4 cup water and cook for 2 whistles.

Remove from heat and let it cool and open check if there is any water left again bring back to heat and cook in a high flame till all water evaporates and then remove from the heat and serve.

this is the easy way to cook this curry I think

in this way no need to cook cluster beans before.

MAJJIGA CHARU (BUTTER MILK RASAM)

Majjiga charu is on of my favorites, its very simple and easy to make. no need to cook only you have to give talimpu (tadka,seasoning ).But butter milk shoud be sour then only it gives a delicious taste to majjigacharu(not very sour one day old butter milk will give a better taste).And here iam with my favorite recipe....

Butter milk (sour) – 2 cups
Onion --- 1 medium chopped very finely
Green chilies --- 2 chopped very finely
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tea sp
Red chili powder – 1/4 tea sp
Chopped coriander leaves --- 1 tab sp
Oil --- 1 tea sp
Mustard seeds --- 1/2 tea sp
Urad dal – 1 tea sp
Cumin seeds --- 1/2 tea sp
Dry red chili – 1 broken
Curry leaves – 5-6 leaves
Grated coconut --- 1 tab sp
METHOD:---
Add chopped onion and green chilies and grated coconut, turmeric powder, red chili powder, chopped coriander leaves, salt to taste to butter milk.
Now heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds and let them popup then add urad dal, broken dry red chili, cumin seeds and curry leaves and fry for a while and then add this to butter milk mixture and mix well.
Serve with rice and any side dish like potato fry or okra (bendakaya) fry or ivy gourd(dondakaya) fry
Enjoy your food..