Pudina/Mint Fried Rice

Preparation Time: 10 Minutes
Cooking Time: 10 Minutes

Cuisine : South Indian (Fusion )

This is a  smart utilization of left over rice or fresh rice and a simple recipe for lunch boxes with refreshing flavor of mint . Mint or Pudina has a very refreshing flavor which is so unique making it a main ingredient in Dum Biryani , when I have  a bunch of  mint  left in my refrigerator for a long time it made me rethink the option of making the biryani which is painfully very time taking (although tastes amazing ) ,so I opted for a fried rice instead.
The real challenge is to prep for the ingredients  as they  should not be  strong competitors to mint but should enhance it's taste  , hence eliminated traditional ginger garlic & onions.
The key in making the dish lies in the selection of ingredients and the sequence in which they are added, so, I  selected some ingredients which can alone stand up to the taste by not sinking into the strong aroma of mint but add their uniqueness to the dish .Cooking a delicious dish does not end with taste it should provide a  good amount  of carbs , proteins and vitamins  after consuming, try to infuse some protein and green veggies into your plate , as esp rice is full of carbs which may fill the tummy but not the energy .
Infusing some vibrant greens like green peas or lima beans or spinach along with the mint really pops out the color along with taste and you will be happy as your kids enjoy their protein & vitamins  (as for fried rice we need not cook the veggies completely they provide more vibrant color and vitamins /protein ) more in their plate with taste .

Ravva / Broken Rice Pulihora

Preparing Time: 20 Minutes
Cooking Time : 15 Minutes

Cuisine : South Indian (Andhra)

Broken rice or Ravva pulihora is a quick recipe which is very similar to normal pulihora but the cooking time is much less .This recipe even uses less oil when compared to rice pulihora . You can get the broken rice or rice ravva in some stores , if not,  you can prepare it at home very easily .
As I promised more pulihora recipes in my old posts here is one which is authentic and tasty  addition to your exotic  recipes . This can be taken as a breakfast or dinner or brunch too .
Stay tuned for more authentic recipes of Pulihora/ puliogare  in my next posts .

Perugu gari/ Dahi Vada

Preparing Time: 3 Hours

Cooking Time: 20 Minutes

Marinating Time: 2 to 3 hours (at least ) 

Cuisine : Andhra (South Indian ) 

The sourness of the tempered yogurt and the tender texture of the perfectly fried gari /vada makes this dish a heavenly relish .I usually enjoy savory dishes rather than sweets , and this simple melting fried dumpling marinated in tempered yogurt is one . Perugu gari/ vada is a delicious South Indian dish which is prepared explicitly on occasions or festivals. You need not freak out as the prep is very simple and if you cannot make a gari or vada you  simply can make dumpling without a hole and marinate them in yogurt . 

 

As for every dish varies in different cuisines but the prep almost does not vary in exception to the ingredients used , today I am sharing an authentic South Indian (Andhra) style of Perugu Gari /Dahi Vada . You can add your custom additions to the dish like coriander leaves or peanuts  (boiled/ fried) or chick peas (boiled ) or mint chutney / tamarind -dates chutney or top with some masala powders or grated  coconut  or finely chopped cucumber  or some crunchy sev almost anything to make it more inviting . 

Vada/ Gari / Medhu Vada

Preparing Time: 3 Hours

Cooking Time: 20 Minutes

Cuisine : South Indian (Andhra)

Gari or Vada is a famous South Indian fritter  made with black gram  , which may sometimes include peppers , ginger, onions and many more which we call it as Masala Gari   . These crispy fritters are a must haves on any auspicious day and can be taken as a heavy breakfast on any regular day , along with sambar or chutney . These savory donuts are very easy to prepare , if you can make the perfect consistency batter , otherwise the shapes of your vada  may look weird and sometimes without a hole .

Serve these crispy treats immediately, otherwise they end up being soggy rather than being tender and crispy . 

Banana Pudding (Without Egg )

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 Minutes

Refrigerating Time: 4 Hours
Cuisine: French (Fusion)

Pudding means a soft sweet dessert thickened usually with flour or eggs  and baked or boiled or steamed . I have tried this recipe and turned out be outstanding even without eggs  with rich flavor of bananas & balanced sweetness (I have used extra ripened bananas for rich flavor and sweetness ) . The nuttiness of nuts and crunchy wafers add texture to the soft and melting pudding .

 

Pulihora / Puliyogare (Andhra Style )

Preparing Time: 20 Minutes

Cooking Time: 20 Minutes

Cuisine: South Indian (Andhra)

Traditional savory tempered yellow rice , a perfect vegan meal especially on occasions and an all time favorite to many . As discussed in my previous posts about the varieties in pulihora or puliyogare , here is the most traditional and authentic recipe made with rice which is  savored with various tempering seeds and tamarind pulp . This recipe is the first choice when it comes for a celebration esp for a typical South Indian . The recipe I am sharing today is pure  Andhra style with   flavors like  spicy , tangy and nutty infused in a single dish . Try this recipe and I am sure this will  be one among your other favorite recipes .

There are many other varieties in preparing pulihora , which I will be sharing in my next posts .

Other pulihora varieties shared  in this blog :

Puran Poli / Bobbatlu

Bobbatu or pooran poli is a favorite to many due to its dazzling  melting taste . This mild dessert is a must have in almost all  festivals . One must master the making to attain a delicious poli perfectly round, soft and tasty . 

I never cooked in my mom's kitchen , but when she made these polis , I should be the one who helps her to taste and roast with ghee . I learned making these polis  from my mother , who makes  perfectly without breaking or dry or chewy. This is her recipe  which  I have tried and succeeded. You can serve them with ghee or simply alone as they are roasted with generous amounts of ghee .

The secret of  making the poli lies in the dough that surrounds the stuff , in order to get it perfect , prepare the dough atleast 40 minutes prior to making .

Following the simple instructions makes this a child's play to master.

Moong Dal (Yellow Split pea ) Kichidi

Preparing Time: 10 Minutes

Cooking Time : 20 Minutes

Cuisine : North / South  Indian  

This is one simple healthy dish (as all kinds of veggies are added in prep along with lentils ) that everyone must try , as the similar recipe of Pulao contains a lot more calories which takes more time to prepare .

Kichidi is a kind of Pilaf where the rice is cooked in the broth of lentils and vegetables ( may or may not include garlic and onion ) . Here the type of kichidi I am sharing is one of a kind where I have used no onion or garlic or spices except to pepper balls . 

Lentils  used may be  like pigeon pea  or chick pea or beans or  split / whole moong dal  depending upon regions . People even add garma masala or whole garam masala depending upon regions , but the main ingredient which all regions add is ghee or clarified butter . Different traditional cooking cultures even add meat instead of vegetables or along with vegetables .

Today I am sharing a traditional recipe with neither meat nor spices . 

The balancing taste of moong dal , the fragrance of basmati rice , the taste of  veggies   and mainly the melting taste of ghee gives this dish a unique flavor and makes it a must haves in your menu . This can be served hot with curd or pickles or gravies like baigan ka bharta, aaloo ka bharta, tomato chutney,onion or cucumber  raita .

Almonds /Badam chutney

Preparing Time: 5 Minutes
Cooking Time: 5 Minutes

Cuisine : South Indian (Andhra)

Almonds or Badam    (click for health benefits of almonds) , tastes best when consumed toasted or raw . They add a crunchy and nutty flavor to the dish . Today I want to introduce a unique savory flavor of almonds in the form of chutney . This yummy chutney is the best alternative to Peanuts or coconut chutney as both are high in fats. This complements well with Idli & dosa . Due to its rich texture and less oil content when compared to peanuts (which has the highest ) this chutney may be considered healthy , and does not  make you feel  thirsty or bloated even when consumed in more quantities .A 10 minute recipe which is perfect when in a hurry or for  lunch box .

Tender Mango Pickle

Preparing Time :10 Minutes
Cooking Time : 5 Minutes

Cuisine: Andhra (South Indian )

Summer time is mango time whether in the form of a juice or pickle or dal or fruit it is the king of  this  season . There is no exaggeration to say Mango alone brings fun to summer with it's delightful taste which makes our taste buds thirsty &  yearning for more n more  .
I lean more towards the savory taste of mango , rather than to sweet , mainly in pickles since my childhood .Being a  South Indian  we admire the very taste of mangoes in many forms of pickles and today I want to share one typical form of a pickle we explicitly prepare while the mangoes are still tender with a bit of acrid and sour taste combined .
This goes well as a side to curd rice ,dals, sambaar , rasam, dosa or as a pickle . An all time hit combination of sour, bitter and hot tastes make this dish a special and favorite side to everyone  after trying this simple and a 15 minute recipe  .

Vermicelli (Semiya ) Pulihora (Puliyogare )

Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Preparing Time :5 minutes

Cuisine : Traditional South Indian 

This yummy and 15 minute recipe,is the best choice for lunch boxes or for breakfast or as a brunch.

Savory vermicelli with a load of fresh lime juice and inviting yellow color makes this dish more slurpy  by just its sight. 

There are many  varieties in pulihora which is mainly tempered rice , which inherits its sour taste from either tamarind or lime or raw mango or amla ,a  must have esp on special occasions and is considered to be auspicious due to its charming yellow color .

Vermicelli pulihora  is a quick recipe almost the same taste of pulihora in exception to the main ingredient rice which is replaced by semiya / vermicelli .

In contrast to the original recipe of pulihora which is made with rice , this uses less oil, salt and even less tamarind or lime which is healthy with respective to calories 

Stay tuned for different  and authentic flavors of pulihora in my next posts ......

One more variety of vermicelli pulihora  (with gooseberry) here (click on the image below)

Bottle Gourd Pickle

Preparing Time: 5 Minutes
Cooking Time : 15 minutes

Cuisine : South Indian (Andhra)

Bottle gourd  is a veggie  which contain a lot of vitamins and minerals with very less calories just 14 calories per 100 g ,  a must have in your daily intake if dieting .
This is even very healthy for pregnant woman as fresh gourds contain small quantities of folates, contain about 6 µg/100 g (Provide just 1.5% of RDA). Folate helps reduce the incidence of neural tube defects in the newborns when taken by anticipant mothers during early months of their pregnancy.
You can make dal , curries, sambhar with this vegetable.
Today I want to share a  simple & unique flavor of Bottle gourd . This goes well as a chutney to dosa, idli, or with rice .

Bread Dhoklas

Preparing Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 5 to 8 minutes

Cuisine: Gujarati (North Indian )

Dhoklas take  time to prepare , so, when craving to eat one this  simple snack  fills your tummy with satisfaction with in 10 minutes :)
You can prepare as a afternoon snack  for your kids, they will love these beautiful yummy tasting dhoklas .
Here is a recipe that is really simple and tasty .This is a very quick & perfect snack for kids

Coriander Stuffed Brinjal ( Gutti vankaya )

Preparing Time: 10 Minutes
Cooking Time : 15 Minutes

Cuisine: South Indian (Andhra)

As promised here is one more recipe that makes the king of all veggies an emperor .....
In my previous posts I have shared one delectable recipe with Eggplant , and promised to share more types of stuffing with eggplant depending upon the regions .

Stuffed Eggplant (Gutti Vankaya )(Click here to the recipe )

And today the recipe I share is  completely garlic and onion free , which is a Jain style recipe , but delicious with hot rice and rotis.
This recipe might be the only recipe which takes less time like 20 minutes of all the stuffed eggplants recipes . With less than five ingredients this recipe is a must try
When in a hurry especially for lunch boxes this recipe is the best option.....
Eggplants  with rich coriander greens and spiced with hot chilies gives this dish a unique taste , do try and enjoy this dish with your family and let me know .....

 

I used purple colored Indian eggplants , you can use white colored eggplants

Buttermilk Stew / Dahi kadhi (Majjiga pulusu)

This traditional dish is not only a favorite to Punjabi people , but also to South Indians . Simple ingredients make it more delightful. 

It's taste varies depending upon the region , today I am sharing the  Andhra style khadi/ stew , without pakora (which is more traditional punjabi style) .

A perfect side dish with rice, roti, chapathi, poori, naan, flavored rice , idli, dosa .

As this is made with almost negligible oil ,  steamed veggies , dals and buttermilk  it's even a healthy complement to many  dishes .You can almost add any veggie to this stew to make it more tasty and mouth watering . 

Masala Dosa

Dosa is my all time favorite since my childhood . Not only me may be many of you love it , because of its crispy and puffy texture which is served with delicious chutneys or sambar.
Masala dosa is one good and easy dish that fills your tummy upto its brim. Making of masala dosa is very easy too. This restaurant style recipe leaves you in wonder why haven't you tried it in your kitchen long back  .

This version  I have listed here is , onion and garlic  free , some restaurants serve this in their menu  .  Onion version will be updated in next posts.

Poornam Boori (Stuffed Yellow Split Pea Sweet Dumplings) with Pongu Boori (Spicy Dumpling)

Happy Sankranthi (Pongal ) to one and all ......

This is a harvest festival  where Indians celebrate for the harvest of new Rice crop by cooking Pongal (sweet or hot) . This festival is  celebrated for 3 days as bhogi, Sankranthi, and Kanuma respectively.

Bhogi is the festival celebrated widely in Andhra Pradesh . At dawn, people light a bonfire with logs of wood, other solid-fuels and wooden furniture  which are no longer useful, this reflects people discard old and derelict things and concentrate on new things causing change or transformation in life. It represents realization, transformation and purification of the soul by imbibing and inculcating various divine virtues.

Makar Sankranti marks the transition of the Sun into the zodiac sign of Makara rashi (Capricorn) on its celestial path. The day is also believed to mark the arrival of spring in India and is a traditional event.Makar Sankranti, apart from a harvest festival is also regarded as the beginning of an auspicious phase in Indian culture.

People cook pongal on Bhogi festival and poornam boori on Sankranthi (Pongal)

I want to share this traditional recipe of poornam boori and Pongu boori 

Moong Dal Kichidi & Veggie Chops

Moong Dal Kichidi:
You might have tasted this  Kichidi some time or the other which is very nutritious and tasty.Try this recipe  on your fasting to get the energy needed .

Vrat ka Chawal & Nutritious Juice

Vrat Ki Chawal:
This is a traditional Gujarati food  typically cooked during fasting .

Ingredients:
Basmati Rice 1 cup
Potato 1 large
Cumin Seeds 1 teaspoon
Coriander Powder  1/4 teaspoon
Mustard Seeds 1 teaspoon
Green chilies 5
Peppers 5 balls
Cashews 10
Bay leaves 3
Cloves 2
Elachi 3
Curry leaves 10
Ghee 1 table spoon
Oil 1 tablespoon
Salt for taste
Coriander Leaves for garnish
Sugar a pinch

Cooking Time:
Preparing Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Method:
Step 1: Peel the potato and dice into medium sized cubes . Slice the chilies , rinse & wash the rice well with cold or hot water .
Step 2: Heat oil add tempering ,when sputters add spices taken when are done add cashews .
Step 3: When cashews turn brown add potatoes ,green chilies,curry leaves and pepper balls.Add a little of salt and cover it for a minute or two
Step 4: Now add the washed rice and sufficient water like if one cup taken add 1.5 cups of water 
Step 5:Add salt for taste and cover it until done,if cooking in a cooker allow it for 4 or 5 whistles
Step 6: When done add taken ghee on top and garnish with chopped cilantro,sprinkle a little sugar .Serve Hot.this goes good with curd .

Nutritious Juice:
As explained in my last posts  the importance of  nutritious food during fasting  ,try this wonderful pack of delighted  ,yummy  and healthy juice

Ingredients:
Apple Green/ Red 1 medium size
Carrot 1 medium
Orange 1 small
Lemon 2 tablespoons
Sugar 1 table spoon (optional)

Preparing Time: 
Preparing Time: 10 minutes

Method:
Step 1: Peel the apple , chop it roughly and clean out the seeds. Peel carrot and dice it into small cubes
Step 2: Peel orange and take out the bulbs /slices .Now add the ingredients to a blender and blend until it is  smooth 
Step 3: You can filter the juice ,but good if taken directly along  with the pulp .Finally add lemon juice and sugar if   you think necessary and  mix well .Serve  it after cooling or at normal temperature .

Ridge Gourd Moong Dal & Potato Spinach Vada

Ridge Gourd Moong Dal :
Ridge Gourd is  low in saturated fat and cholesterol, high in dietary fiber , vitamin C, riboflavin, zinc, thiamine,  iron, magnesium and manganese & in  Moong Dal  we get s considerable amount of fiber carbohydrates and protein but have no minerals which  we can get  from ridge gourd. So ,when we fast we need  to supplement our body with necessary  vitamins and minerals with one meal , so  try this combination. .This goes well with rice as well as rotis .

Ingredients:
Ridge Gourd  1 large
Moong Dal nearly 1/2 cup
Curry leaves 10
Green chilies 5
Red chilies 2
Cumin Seeds 3/4  teaspoon
Mustard Seeds 1/2 teaspoon
Black Gram 1/4 teaspoon
Hing a pinch
Salt for taste
Ghee 1/4 teaspoon
Oil 1 teaspoon
Turmeric a pinch

Cooking Time:
Preparing Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Method:
Step 1: Peel ridge gourd and dice it into small cubes,rinse moong dal and add sufficient amount of  water 
Step 2: Slice green chilies into half and add  them along with 1/2 tea spoon of cumin seeds, curry leaves  to the moong dal and bring it into boil .This may take 5 minutes
Step 3: Now add the ridge gourd pieces and cover with lid or cook it in a cooker for four or five whistles 
Step 4: When cools temper with remaining  cumin seeds,mustard seeds,hing,turmeric  and black gram in ghee and oil.Add salt for taste.DON'T ADD SALT WHILE BOILING MOONG DAL.
Step 5: This same recipe can be cooked with Bottle Gourd or Cabbage .So cook accordingly to your taste  

Potato Spinach Vada :
This is a simple and easy recipe with great taste

Ingredients:
Potato 1 large
Spinach 1 /2 cup chopped
Green chilies 5
Pepper Powder 1 pinch
Salt for taste
Oil for Deep Fry
Curry leaves 10
Cilantro 1/ cup chopped
Coriander Powder 1/4 teaspoon
Corn Flour 1 tablespoon
Chick Pea Flour 1 tablespoon
Coriander Seeds 1/4 teaspoon
Cumin seeds 1/4 teaspoon
Ginger a small piece

Cooking Time:
Preparing Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Method:
Step 1: Boil potato ,cool it and mash it, roughly chop spinach ,cilantro and add it to the mashed potato
Step 2: Crush green chilies,ginger into a smooth paste  add it to potato and spinach 
Step 3: Add the taken flours ,a tablespoon of oil, salt,pepper,coriander powder ,curry leaves  and mix it evenly ,if  needed add some water 
Step 4: Bring it into  an exact  consistency so that you can make a vada with breaking  or loosing the shape .Make  into a  small flattened  round  shape or any shape  you desire .
Step 5: Heat oil for deep frying and fry vada until they reach golden brown .