THE CHEF and HER KITCHEN

During my school and college days I used to carry various varieties of masala rice, pulavs,biriyanis, akki rotti and few breakfast items for my lunch box as they are not only easy to make one pot meals but also quite convenient to eat.Variety rices like Puliyogre,Tomato Bath,Lemon rice,Veg pulav,Peas pulav,Palak Rice,Veg biriyani,Vangibath,Bisibelebath,Carrot Rice,Capsicum rice,Garlic rice,

Green Chutney and Meetha Chutney plays a major role in preparing any chaat varieties and any chaat is incomplete with out these chutneys. I always prepare these chutneys in large portions and store these chutneys in my refrigerator. If the green chutney is stored in refrigerator it looses its color quickly,hence I always store it in freezer. This way it retains it freshness as well as color for long.As I store it in the freezer,in order to avoid the ice formation in the chutney I usually do not add water while grinding the chutney which makes it easy to scrape when needed.

Green Chutney Recipe:

Ingredients:

1 big bunch(4 cups loosely packed) Mint leaves

1 medium bunch(3 cups loosely packed) Coriander leaves

8-10 Green chillies

1 1/2" Ginger,peel the skin

1 tsp Chaat masala

1 tsp Kala namak(black salt)

1/2 tsp Salt(to taste)

1 tbsp Sugar

juice of 1 big Lemon

Method:

Wash and drain the mint leaves,coriander leaves in a colander for 1 hour.You do not need to dry them completely but make sure you drain all the excess water.

Wash and wipe the green chilliesand ginger and cut the ginger into pieces.
Grind mint leaves,coriander leaves with green chillies,cut ginger,chaat masala, salt, kala namak, sugar and lemon juice to a fine paste.
It is always advised to taste the chutney once and adjust the seasonings according to your taste buds.

I usually do not add water while grindingthe chutney,I try to grind the chutney by adding the lemon juice in intervals.
Store it in a container in fridge or freezer safe container in the freezer.If it is stored in refrigerator it stays good for upto a week -10 days.If stored in freezer,it can be stored for long upto a month or two.You need to scrape a small portion with a spoon when needed and keep the remaining portion back in the freezer.

Notes:

As I prepare it in a larger portion and freeze it I usually do not add water while grinding the chutney,I try to grind the chutney by adding the lemon juice in intervals.
If the chutney is stored in refrigerator it stays good for upto a week -10 days.If it is stored in freezer,it can be stored for long upto a month or two.You need to scrape a small portion when needed and keep the remaining portion back in the freezer.
If you are going to use the Green chutney instantly you can add a small onion or 1/2 cup Besan sev while grinding.It tastes nice with samosas or any other snack items.

I have posted Fresh Chickpeas Paneer Gravy some time back and I used the remaining chickpeas to make this delicious pulao.Pulaos are the most easiest one pot meal which I prepare on those lazy afternoons when I run out of ideas.

I usually take a easy route to make simple pulaos but when I am in a good mood I love to grind fresh masala which makes the pulao really aromatic.The addition of fresh coconut and marati moggu in the masala mixture makes it taste unique,it gives the taste of a typical Bangalore Darshini kind of pulaos.If you can get hold of fresh chickpeas do give a try this pulao definitely,if you do not find them you can use mixed vegetables or soya chunks or fresh green peas to make this aromatic pulao.

Fresh Chickpeas Pulao Recipe:

(Serves 2)

Ingredients:
1 cup Basmati Rice
2 cups Water

1 cup Fresh Chickpeas

2 Onions,sliced
8-10 Cashewnuts

2 tbsp Oil

1 tbsp Ghee

1 Bayleaf

Salt to taste

to grind:

1/4 cup freshly grated Coconut

3-4 Green Chillies

3-4 Garlic pods

3/4" Ginger

1/2 cup Mint leaves

1/2 cup Coriander leaves

1" Cinnamon stick

2-3 Cloves

1-2 Marathi Moggu(optional)

Method:

Make a coarse paste out of the ingredients mentioned under 'to grind' by adding little water.
Clean the rice and soak it in water for 10 mins.
In a pan/kadai heat oil and add bay leaf,cashewnuts and then add onions and fry it till it becomes soft and add all the fresh chickpeas and fry until its half cooked.
Add the ground masala and fry well until the raw smell disappears.
Add soaked and drained basmati rice and fry it for some time and add salt and fry it a bit and then add water.Now pour this mixture either into a rice cooker bowl and cook it until it is done.You can even pressure cook for 1 whistle and reduce the flame and cook it for 8-10 mins.

Serve hot with tomato onion raitha.

Notes:

The addition of pudina and corriander leaves adds a nice flavor to the pulav.
You can add mixed vegetables or fresh green peas instead of chickpeas in the recipe.
You can reduce the water to 1 3/4 cups to get still granular rice.
Marathi Moggu is a spice which looks similar to cloves and it adds a nice flavor to the pulao.If you do not get it you can avoid using it in the recipe.

Though I prepare mushrooms often I never got to post any recipe with mushrooms in my blog.I started to use mushrooms lately in my cooking now it has turned to be one of our favorites for its soft and meaty texture.Mushrooms can be widely used in making pulaos, briyanis, curries, gravies, stir fries, stuffed mushrooms, pastas, cutlets etc. Today I am posting Chettinad Mushroom Masala which is really an aromatic and spicy gravy which complements really well with steamed rice or Kerala parottas.

I highly recommend this recipe to give a try and I am sure you will thank me for the recipe.The taste of those meaty and soft mushrooms in the spicy and rich chettinad masala gravy is truly delicious and lip smacking and when paired with kerala parottas,it is really a good combo.

Mushroom Chettinad Masala Gravy:

(Serves 2-3)

Recipe Source: Nita Mehta

Ingredients:

200 gms Button Mushrooms

6-8 Black pepper corns,crushed coarsely

1 Onion,finely chopped

3 Tomatoes,finely chopped

1" Ginger,chopped

6-8 Garlic pods

1 tbsp Poppy Seeds(Khus Khus)

2 tbsp Cashewnuts

3 tbsp Curry leaves

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp Red chili powder

juice of 1/2 Lemon

Salt to taste

to roast spices together:

1 tbsp Oil

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds

1/2 cup grated fresh Coconut

1 tsp Fennel seeds

1 tsp Coriander Seeds

3-4 Red chillies

2-3 Cloves

3 Green Cardamoms,remove the seeds

1" Cinnamon stick

Method:

Clean mushrooms nicely,I usually rub the mushrooms with maida to remove the excess dirt and wash them and pat dry them.Trim the stalks and cut the mushrooms into halves.
Soak Poppy seeds and cashew nuts in half cup of warm water for 15 mins.
Heat 1 tbsp Oil in a pan and roast all the spices together on low heat till fragrant for about 2-3 mins and remove them and cool the spices.
Grind the roasted spices along with ginger,garlic,soaked cashewnuts and poppy seeds to a very smooth paste.Add required amount of water while grinding.
Heat 3 tbsp of oil in a kadai and stir fry onions till they turn slight brown in color and add curry leaves to them.
Add the ground masala and saute for a minute.
Add chopped tomatoes,turmeric powder,salt and red chili powder.Cook fro 5-7 mins till the tomatoes get well blended and the oil separates from the gravy.
Add mushrooms and stir fry for 5 mins.
Add 1 cups of water and add chopped coriander and give the gravy a boil.
Simmer the gravy and cook on reduced heat for 5 mins till the gravy is thickened.
Sprinkle crushed black pepper corns and add lemon juice to the gravy.

Serve it hot with steamed rice/Chapati/Kerala Parottas/Pulaos.

Notes:

In order to clean mushrooms you can remove the thin layer over the mushrooms using a sharp knife or you can even rub the mushrooms with maida or rice flour to remove the excess dirt.Always wipe the mushrooms with a dry towel before it is added to the recipe,this way the mushrooms will not shrink much.
This is a very aromatic and slightly spicy recipe.Adjust the red chillies and pepper accordingly.

When ever I see mango ginger(mamidi allam/maa inji) in the market I cannot resist myself without buying it.Both of us love the simple marinated version of pickle with it which goes very well with curd rice.This time I bought them in a larger quantity to make this chutney/thokku which can be preserved for longer and comes handy to serve with breakfast items like Idli/Dosa when we want.When needed we just need to mix water with the required amount of thokku to get the chutney consistency,it is ready to serve.

Mamidi Allam NiluvaPachadi | Ambe Haldi Chutney:

Ingredients:

250 gms Mango Ginger/Mamidi Allam

200-250 gms Tamarind

200-250 gms Jaggery,grated

3-4 tbsp Red chili powder

Salt to taste

to temper:

1/2 cup + 2 tbsp Oil

1 tsp Mustard seeds

a fat pinch of Asafoetida(hing)

Method:

Soak tamarind in little hot water until it softens.Let it cool completely.
Wash and scrape the skin of mango ginger and cut them into pieces roughly.
Grind mango ginger with tamarind,grated jaggery,red chili powder and salt to a fine paste.Do not add water while grinding,use little water in which the tamarind is soaked.
Check the taste now and adjust salt and chili powder if required.if you want it more tangy or more sweeter adjust the chutney as per your taste buds at this point.
Heat oil in a thick bottomed kadai and crackle mustard seeds and add asafoetida to it and add the ground mixture and fry it over low-medium flame until it leaves the oil in the edges.It takes 15-20 minutes approximately.The water content in the chutney/pickle should evaporate completely and the oil should float in the edges and top.This way the shelf life of the pickle would be longer.
Cool the pickle completely and store it in a glass bottle or air tight container.It stays up to an year if prepared carefully.
When required scoop out some portion and add a couple of tbsp of water to it and mix well.

Serve it with Idli/Dosa/Bajji/Punugulu/Bonda/Pesarattu/Gunta Ponganalu/Adai.You can even serve it with rice.

Notes:

You can use regular ginger instead of mango ginger and follow the same recipe to make regular ginger pickle.It comes handy to serve with Idli,dosa and other breakfast varieties.
This pickle really tickles your taste buds as it is loaded with burst of flavors.
Feel free to adjust the tangyness,sweetness,salt and spicyness according to your requirements after grinding the chutney.

There are few items like Ginger-Garlic paste,Green chili paste,Green Chutney,Meetha Chutney which are home made and I always keep in my refrigerator as they are very handy while cooking.These are all the basic recipes and I am sure most of us would be preparing on regular basis.However I am posting these basic recipes which might help those who are new to cooking.We use this green chili paste in many of the breakfast and snack varieties like Gunta Ponganalu, Mosaru Kodubale, Kharada Onion Dosa, Onion Masala Idli, Rava Dosa, Akki rotti, Ragi Rotti, Punugulu, Sago bonda etc,it is very handy to use them instead of chopped green chillies in these recipes.

Green Chilli Paste:

Shelf life:upto a month when refrigerated

Ingredients:

100 gms Green chillies

Salt to taste( 3/4 to 1 tsp approx)

Method:

Wash and dry the green chillies on the kitchen napkin for 2-3 hrs until they are completely dry with out any water droplets.
Grind the green chillies with salt to a coarse paste.Do not grind it to fine paste,the paste should should be very coarse which will increase the shelf life of the paste.

Remove the paste and store it in an air tight container or glass bottle and keep it refrigerated.You can use this paste up to a month or more.

Notes:

The green chillies should be completely dry with out any water droplets.
Adding salt will increase the shelf life,so do not add less in it.
Always use a clean spoon while taking out the paste from the container.
You can use it for a month or more when refrigerated.
You can use this in various recipes like Gunta Ponganalu, Mosaru Kodubale, Kharada Onion Dosa, Onion Masala Idli, Rava Dosa, Akki rotti, Ragi Rotti, Punugulu, Sago bonda etc where we add green chili paste instead of green chillies.It eases the work.

I prepare various dry curries to go with rice for our lunch and this Cabbage-Pesarapappu podi kura(dry curry) is one of my favorites which I prepare quite often.If you do not like cabbage do give this combination a try,the addition of moong dal and coconut makes this curry extremely delicious and pairs well with rice or roti.You can find a similar version of podi kura with amaranth leaves here, T hotakura Pesarapappu Podi kura which is again my personal favorite.

Cabbage Pesarapappu Podi Kura | Cabbage Moong dal Dry Curry:

(serves 2)

Ingredients:

1 small Cabbage,shredded or finely chopped

1/3 cup Moong dal(yellow lentils),soaked

1/3 cup grated fresh Coconut

5-6 Green Chillies

a pinch of Turmeric powder

1 tbsp Chana dal

1 tsp Urad dal

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

a sprig of Curry leaves

Salt to taste

2 tbsp Oil

Method:

Soak moong dal overnight or for 1-2 hrs.
Heat oil in a kadai and crackle mustard seeds.
Add chana dal,urad dal and curry leaves and fry well.
Add curry soaked moong dal,shredded/finely chopped cabbage and turmeric powder and fry well for 2-3 minutes.
Cover it with a deep lid and pour water over it which enables steam cooking for the vegetable to get cooked.Keep it on low flame for 12-15 mins until the cabbage and moong dal is cooked.It would be a dry curry with slight moisture.Cook for another couple of minutes if needed.
Meanwhile grind grated coconut with salt and green chillies in a mixer to a coarse paste.
Once the cabbage moong dal is cooked add the ground coconut mixture and mix well and stir fry for 2 minutes.

Serve it hot with steamed rice/roti/chapati.

Variations:

You can add grated carrots along with cabbage and follow the same recipe.
You can substitute cabbage with grated carrots or grated beetroots in the recipe.The cooking time may vary accordingly.
Moong dal can be substituted with Chana dal and follow the same recipe,even this tastes nice.

We usually prefer Pastas for our weekend dinners and both of us love the simpler versions of pastas or the pesto based ones more than the tomato or cheese loaded ones.Our most favorite pasta being the Basil pesto pasta and the next comes this Sundried Tomato Pesto Pasta.

The preparation process of the Pesto sauce is quite simple as we just need to grind the ingredients to a coarse paste.You can toss the cooked pasta in a good amount of Olive oil with the pesto sauce for a quick pasta,but I love to add some crunch to the pasta and hence I always saute few bell peppers,babycorns,broccoli etc as I like to bite into the crunchy vegetables in pasta.

Sun dried Tomato Pesto Pasta Recipe:

Ingredients:

To prepare Sun dried Tomato pesto:

1 cup Sundried Tomatoes

1/2 cup loosely packed fresh Basil

1/4 cup Extra virgin olive oil(EVOO) + 3 tbsp oil from Sundried tomatoes

1/3 cup Pine nuts or Walnuts

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese(optional)

4-5 Garlic pods

1/2 tsp ground Pepper

1/2 tsp Red chili flakes

Salt to taste

To prepare Pasta:

10-12 blocks Fettucini pasta(or any other pasta-2 cups)

1/2 cup Sundried Tomato Pesto Sauce

1 Onion,sliced

3-4 Garlic pods,sliced

1 cup chopped Vegetables(Bellpeppers, Capsicum,Babycorn,Mushrooms)

1 tsp mixed herbs

1/2 tsp Chili flakes

1/2 tsp ground Pepper

1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese(optional)

8-10 Basil leaves,torn

2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

Salt to taste

Method:

To prepare Sun dried tomato Pesto:

In a mixer add sun dried tomatoes, basil leaves,pine nuts/walnuts,garlic pods,pepper,add half the quantity of olive oil,parmesan cheese,red chili flakes,salt and ground to a medium coarse paste.Add the remaining olive oil in stages in between to ease the process of grinding.Do not add water to grind it,the EVOO is enough to grind into a slight coarse and uniform paste.
Now check for the taste and adjust the salt for the pesto.

To Cook Pasta:

Cook the pasts according to the instructions of your package or follow this procedure:
Bring water to boil in a big pot (filled to its half) and add salt,1 tsp olive oil and pasta and cook over medium flame for 10-12 mins until al dente(cooked and tender to teeth).
Drain and reserve 1/2 cup of water for later usage.you can even give a cold bath to the pasta by running it under fresh tap water which helps in keeping the pasta separate.

To prepare Sundried tomato Pesto Pasta:

Heat olive oil in a wide bottomed pan and fry sliced garlic until slight brown and crisp and add thinly sliced onions and fry until they are pink and soft.
Now add sliced vegetables and saute them for few minutes.
Add the sun dried tomato pesto sauce and mix well.Add 4-5 tbsp of reserved pasta liquid if required add more to get a medium sauce consistency.
Add cooked pasta and mix well until all the pasta is covered with the sauce and is warm.Now add red chili flakes,Italian herbs,basil leaves,salt and pepper and mix well.
Dish it out to the serving platter and sprinkle some cheese over it.Garnish with basil.

Serve it hot or warm with Raspberry Soda or drink of your choice.

Notes:

You can add more Parmesan cheese while preparing sauce in the above recipe to make pasta more cheesy.
You can replace fettucini pasta with any of the pasta like penne,spiral,macaroni ,farfelle or any other pasta of your choice.
You can add finely chopped carrot,blanched broccoli,thinly sliced mushrooms,blanched asparagus,zucchini to the pasta
You can even fill the pasta in a baking dish and cover with grated Parmesan cheese(1/4-1/2 cup) and cover it with a foil and bake it in oven @ 160 degrees for 20 mins until the cheese melts.Serve it hot right from the oven.This would be a exclusive dish for parties especially or for special romantic dinners.
For a Vegan version avoid parmesan cheese while making pesto,it tastes even delicious without cheese in it.

You can check out the other pesto versions of various Pasta varieties here - Basil Pesto Pasta and Spinach Pesto Pasta.

I have been experimenting with new recipes only after I started my own blog. There were many ingredients for which I wasn't aware of the usage and flax seeds is one of them. Though I knew that Flax seeds are rich in Omega 3 Fatty acids, I wasn't sure of the ways to include them in my diet. Only after I started blogging, I tried using it in various recipes like Oats & Dry Fruits Laddu, Daily Oats Porridge, Granola Bars, Muesli , Flax Seeds Chutney Pudi for Idli/Dosa, Flax seeds Podi for Rice etc...the options are endless. I have even mixed powdered flax seeds in my chapati dough for a healthy and nutty roti.

I always stock a variety of powders/podis which can be mixed with rice and they come to the rescue when I am not in a mood to cook anything or at times it serves as an extra item in my daily meal. Flax seeds powder is a favorite at my place as it has got that unique nutty texture.We usually prefer mixing it with hot steamed rice, extra virgin olive oil and finely chopped onions.I must say that this combination is truly delicious. You can use ghee instead of olive oil to mix with rice.

On another note, I recently got to know about CupoNation,a website which offers amazing deals from various retailers such as Dominos, Ekstop, Jabong, Myntra, Pepperfry, Zovi etc.I even purchased a few cookbooks from Flipkart, some bakeware and my monthly groceries from Fkstop using their coupons. I must say I got very nice deals. If you are looking out for good discounts,Cuponation would serve as a one stop destination for you.

Flax Seeds Podi (Powder) for Rice:

Shelf life: upto a month

recipe adapted from: Veg Inspirations

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Flax seeds

1/3 cup Groundnuts

1/4 cup Sesame seeds

1/4 cup Fried(roasted) Gram(chutney dalia)

2 tbsp grated Dry Coconut

8-10 Red chillies

20-25 Curry leaves

3-4 Garlic pods,with skin

1/2 tsp Sugar(optional)

half a gooseberry sized Tamarind

Salt to taste

Method:

Dry roast groundnuts in the kadai/pan until they turn brown and the skin starts peeling off.Once they are cooled you can remove the skin or leave them as they are.Keep them aside.
Dry roast sesame seeds until they start popping and keep them aside.
Dry roast flax seeds until they get roasted and they try to pop up once they are roasted nicely.It gets a nice shine when they are roasted.Keep them aside.
Dry roast grated coconut slightly and keep it aside.
Dry roast red chillies until they turn crisp and keep them aside.
Spread the curry leaves on the microwave plate and microwave it for 2-3 mins depends on the microwave powder.They would turn crisp or alternatively you can dry roast them in the kadai/pan until they turn crisp,keep them aside
While the kadai is hot add tamarind at the end and just warm it a bit.
Once all the ingredients are cooled down to a room temperature,grind red chillies with salt to a powder.
Add the roasted flax seeds, groundnuts, sesame seeds, grated dry coconut, curry leaves, sugar, tamarind and grind to a slight coarse powder.Do not grind it to a fine powder,it tastes best if it is coarse.Taste the powder now and add more salt if required.
Add garlic pods at the end and run the mixer again for few seconds.
Store it in air tight container.

Serve it with hot steamed rice and a dollop of ghee with cut raw onions.You can even sprinkle on dosa or you can even mix with melted ghee or sesame oil and smear the idlis with it.

Notes:

I like to eat it with hot rice mixed with extra virgin olive oil and finely chopped onions.Its your choice you can use even sesame oil or ghee to mix it with rice.
You can increase or decrease the quantity of red chillies in the recipe according to your requirements. I like it medium spicy.
The amount of grated dry coconut can be increased to 1/4 cup,also adjust the salt,red chillies and tamarind accordingly.

We spent a large part of the last month in preparing pickles as we always prefer home made pickles. The key source of the pickles in our house is my MIL who usually makes several varieties of pickles during the mango season. Check them here. These last for a long time but she also makes another batch of pickles in the winter season which lasts for us until the next mango season.

"Mixed Vegetable Achar", is a must in winter as we get really fresh and various varieties of vegetables in this season.I like the taste of Mixed Vegetables in this pickle, as they retain their crunch even after a few months of pickling. Apart from Mixed Vegetable Achar she also prepares other varieties like Gooseberry(Amla) pickle and Red chili pickle ,the recipes which I will post soon.

This North Indian style Mixed Vegetable Achar goes extremely well with parathas/rotis. I have shared this pickle with many of my friends & family and they absolutely loved it and requested me for the recipe.So here is my MIL's famous Mixed Vegetable Achar for all those who requested for it.
PS: I plan to post another spicy version of mixed vegetable pickle later.This version while a mild variation from the current one , does taste well too.

Mixed Vegetable Achar Recipe:

shelf life: upto 1 year

Ingredients:

3 tbsp Nigella Seeds(Kalonji)

1/4 cup Vinegar

1 liter Mustard Oil

Vegetables (16 cups of cut vegetables):

4-5 Carrots,peeled and cut into 1" thin long pieces

1 medium Cauliflower,separate and cut into small florets

3-4 Radish,peeled and cut into 1" thin long pieces

250 gms French Beans,remove the strings and cut into 1" thin long pieces

10-12 Lemons,cut into 8 pieces length wise

20-22 Gooseberry,cut into 6-8 pieces length wise(remove the seeds)

250 gms light colored Green chillies,cut into 2 pieces

2 whole Garlic pods,separate into pods and remove the skin

250 gms Ginger or Mango Ginger,peeled and cut into 1" thin strips

Powders:

4 cups Mustard powder,preferably Yellow mustard

3/4 cup Yellow Mustard tukda(you can avoid this if you do not get it)

3 1/2 cups Salt

1 tbsp Fenugreek powder

100 gms Amchur(Dried mango) powder

100 gms Fennel seeds(Saunf) powder,ground to a very coarse powder

2 tbsp Turmeric powder

Method:

Cleaning,Cutting and drying the Vegetables:

Wash and wipe all the vegetables with a dry cloth.Cut various vegetables as per the instructions I mentioned above.Take care that you cut all the vegetables into a similar length and sized pieces.
Spread them over a dry cloth in sun and let them dry completely.You should take care that the vegetables are dry with out any moisture content in it.If you have really good sun it should take half day otherwise you can keep it in shade up to a day.

for making pickle:

Keep ready the sterilized and sun dried jars ready before you start pickling.
Grind fenugreek seeds to a fine powder.
Grind saunf in whipper mode until coarse powder.Do not run it for long time just run it for 2-3 times until you get coarse powder.
Now take a big bowl and mix the saunf and fenugreek powder,mustard powder,salt,kalonji seeds,mustard tukda and turmeric powder until everything is mixed well.
Now take another wide small bowl and take 1 cup of mixed powders and add sufficient mustard oil until the mixture is wet completely and mix with hands.
Take 2 cups of vegetable pieces at a time and apply the mixture all over the mixed vegetable pieces with your hands.Using your hands for this step is better than mixing it up with ladle.
Put the masala coated vegetable pieces in a big bowl and repeat the process of coating the vegetable pieces in small portions and put them in a big bowl.
Once all the vegetable pieces are mixed,add vinegar and remaining pickle masala and mix well again.
Carefully fill the sterilized jars with the vegetable pieces and pour the remaining oil over it.
Cover the jar with lid and keep it aside for 3 days.
On day-1 check it some oil might have started floating over the pickle.Do not panic if the oil does not float on day-1,if not on day-1 you will see oil floating on day-2.
Mix with a clean and dry ladle all over and repeat the same process on day-3.
Now taste the masala mixture in the pickle,it should be perfect and slightly salty as the pickle has to be yet marinated for atleast one week before its usage.But if you feel the salt is less add a tsp or 2tsps of salt to it and mix well.I don't think it would be necessary if you follow the measurements accurate.
On the day-3 if you see the oil is floating on the pickle up to an 1/2" height then it is perfect.Otherwise add extra mustard oil over the top until the oil floats on top.
Store it in air-tight tupper ware container or glass bottles.This way your pickle stores for long with freshness in it and even the vegetable pieces do not get soft.

Serve it with piping hot Parathas/Theplas or it can be served with Rotis/Naans/Kulchas/Pulavs.

Other Vegetable Options:

Shalgum(Turnip),Lotus Stem(Kamal Kakdi/Bhein),Raw Mangoes can also be added to the pickle according to the availability of them.

Variations:

This pickle is not spicy but it is a real burst of flavors.If you want it spicy add 2 cups red chili powder while mixing the masala.But I strongly recommend not to use red chili powder for this pickle.

Notes:

Always transfer a small portion of pickle into a small jar and use a clean and dry spoon.
Increase the amount of mustard oil as required in the recipe.The basic thumb rule is to make the oil float over the pickle after 3 days.So feel free to add extra mustard oil.
Do not replace or remove any of the ingredients in the recipe,all the ingredients are must to get a tasty Vegetable achaar in North Indian style.
This pickle stays good for an year.It might turn slightly sour after 5-6 months but it is good to eat with hot hot parathas and curd.
You can easily halve the recipe,the basic rule is to use 4 cups of vegetable pieces with 1cup salt and 1 cup mustard powder.
You can add a tsp of the pickle masala(in the pickle) while making methi theplas,it really adds a nice taste to the thepla.

Idli and Dosa arevery common breakfast items in many south Indian house holds. Most of the times we prepare idli, we end up having some extra ones and one can be creative with what to do with these extra idlis. Some dishes one can prepare include Masala Idli fries, Seeyali,Masala Cocktail Idlis,Milagai Podi Idlis,Fried Idli,Chily Idli, Idli Manchurian and this simple Idli upma.

We usually know how many idlis to prepare for a breakfast so technically, chances of having left overs are less but in order to plan for an evening snack , i usually prepare a few extra ones. Infact I like these snacks more than the standard plain Idlis by itself. I think this idli upma is the easiest of all these snacks as it hardly takes any time to prepare.If you have'nt tried it before do give it a try - am sure you would want to make it again.

Idli Upma Recipe:

(serves 2)

Ingredients:

5-6 big sized Idlis,leftover/fresh

2 Onions,roughly chopped

1 tbsp Coriander leaves,chopped

4-5 Green Chillies,slit

1 tbsp Chana dal

1 tsp Urad dal

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

Salt to taste

2-3 tbsp Oil

Method:

Crumble the Idlis to get a coarse rava type of powder and keep them ready.
Heat oil in a kadai and crackle mustard seeds.
Add chana dal and urad dal and fry them.
Add slit green chillies and fry them well.
Add chopped onions and curry leaves and fry them until they turn pink.
Add turmeric powder,salt and crumbled Idlis and mix well.
Garnish with coriander.

Serve it hot as it is or with some sev on top.

Notes:

You can add a bit of lemon juice at the end if you want.
Green chillies can be replaced by garlic chili powder or curd chillies or red chillies in the recipe for a different flavor.
You can even cut the idlis into fine pieces instead of crumbling them and follow the same recipe.
You can sprinkle few spoons of water if you feel the idlis are dried when you crumble them.
You can add 2-3 tbsp grated fresh coconut at the end.It adds nice taste too.

I have been posting many pickle recipes these days and you would see many more pickle recipes in my blog.I have recently posted Mango Ginger Chutney(Maa Inji Chutney) which can be served with Idli,Dosa and also can be stored for long time.Mango ginger is neither a variety of mango nor ginger,it is a kind of turmeric and hence it is even called as 'Ambe Haldi' but it has strong flavor of ginger and taste of mango and probably that is the reason it is called 'Mango Ginger'.It looks like Ginger roots but when you try to peel the skin it has slight yellowish flesh unlike ginger.I had bought a large quantity of Mango ginger and I have turned half the portion to this simple Mango Ginger pickle and the other half to that delicious tongue tickling Mango Ginger Chutney.

Today's post is an easy Instant pickle recipe which hardly takes any time to prepare but is packed with lot of flavors.If you get hold of mango ginger,do give this pickle recipe a try.It tastes very delicious with Curd rice.

Mango Ginger Pickle Recipe:

shelf life:8-10 days if refrigerated

Ingredients:

200 gms Mango Ginger/Maa Inji/Mamidi allam

8-10 light colored Green Chillies

3 Lemons

1/8 tsp Turmeric powder(optional)

Salt to taste

to temper:

2 tsp Oil

1 tsp Mustard seeds

a sprig of Curry leaves(optional)

a pinch of Asafoetida

Method:

Wash and peel the skin of mango ginger and wipe it with a dry cloth.Thinly slice them or cut them into fine pieces,do not slice them thick as they do not get marinated quickly.I like the look of thin slices and hence I cut them into slices.

Slit and cut green chillies length wise into 1/2" pieces if you are cutting the mango ginger into slices.If you cut the mango ginger into fine pieces,you even cut the green chillies into fine pieces.You should cut both of them uniformly so that they marinate well at the same time.
Take juice of lemons and add enough salt to it and mix well.
Add turmeric powder and chopped ginger and green chilli pieces and mix nicely.
Heat oil in a small pan and crackle mustard seeds and add curry leaves and asafoetida and fry and switch off the flame.
Add the tempering to the pickle and give a stir and let it marinate for a day.You can either keep it outside or in the refrigerator for marination.Mix it in between so that it marinates well.
Once it is marinated you can keep it refrigerated for 8-10 days.

Serve it with Curd rice or even with sambar rice/parathas.

Notes:

My mom adds the tempering to this pickle while my MIL does not.It is your wish to add the tempering to it,but I like the addition of tempering which adds extra flavor to the pickle.
The addition of turmeric powder is optional,I like to add it as it gives a nice color to the pickle.
I used light green colored green chillies as they are less spicy and tastes nice when marinated.It is your wish to use the spicy green chillies or less spicy green chillies.So adjust the quantity accordingly as well.

Check out the recipe for Mango Ginger Chutney which goes very well with Idli,Dosa,Pesarattu and other breakfast items here.

Sambar is a very common accompaniment for Rice in south India and every state has a different version of it. The recipe for sambar powder also varies from state to state which is what makes the taste differentt.My mom makes sambar powder in large quantity which lasts for an year and given the quantity, we usually get it done in a flour mill. I plan to post this version later.

Today, I am posting a Sambar powder recipe which is typical Andhra style, the way my MIL prepares.However, do note that there would be a slight variation in the ingredients across homes.

Andhra Style Sambar Powder recipe:

(shelf life: upto 1-2 months)

Ingredients:

1 cup Coriander seeds

15-20 Red chillies

1/3 cup Chana dal

1 tsp Fenugreek seeds

2 tbsp Cumin seeds

Method:

In a kadai dry roast coriander seeds until they turn brown and fragrant and keep them aside.
Dry roast chana dal in the same kadai over low to medium flame until they turn red in color and keep it aside.
Dry roast fenugreek seeds and cumin seeds separately until they turn brown and keep them aside.
Once all the ingredients cool down grind them to a fine powder.
Store it in airtight container.You can store it for 1-2 months.

You can use it in making various sambars like Radish sambar, Red Pumpkin sambar, Drumstick sambar or any other sambar variety.This sambar powder is perfect for Tiffin sambar.

Notes:

Store it in airtight container and use a clean spoon.
Always make this powder in a small quantity as it looses its freshness after long.
You can add a tsp of peppercorns in the recipe if you wish. Do roast them and grind with the rest of the spices.

During Avarekai season my mom prepares various varieties ranging from simple snacks to sweets, and even in many breakfast and lunch varieties like Usli,saaru, curry, dal, rotti, upma etc.Not everyone would like these beans for the first time,I would say it is an acquired taste which was the same with me.I never liked it as a child and now I have few favorite varieties with them which I do not miss preparing with them during their season.

Even in Mumbai we do get good Avarekaalu and during the season I buy them in large quantity and try to store them in freezer for later use.I use them in various recipes if I want to add some extra flavor to it.These beans lends a different flavor and taste to the dish if added in moderate amounts.I usually add them in upma,rotti and sometime pairs up with brinjal or aloo in a curry.I am sharing a simple Upma recipe today using rice rava and these hyacinth beans.

Avarekalu Akki Tari Uppittu Recipe:

(Serves 2)

Ingredients:

1 cup Rice Rava

2 cups Water

1/3 cup tender Hyacinth beans(avarekalu)

1/4 cup grated Fresh Coconut

1 medium Onion,sliced(optional)

3-4 Green chillies,slit

4-5 Pepper corns,slightly crushed

8-10 Curry leaves

1 tsp Urad dal

1 tsp Chana dal

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

1 tbsp Oil

1 tbsp Ghee

Method:

Pressure cook the tender hyacinth beans for 2-3 whistles with salt until they are cooked.Drain them and keep them aside.
Dry roast rice rawa for 2-3 mins ,it does not need to change its color.
Heat oil and ghee in a kadai and crackle mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
Add chana dal,urad dal and fry until they turn bit red in color.
Add slit green chillies,curry leaves,crushed pepper corns and fry until the green chillies wilt.
If you are using onions,add sliced onions at this stage and fry them well.
Add cooked and drained hyacinth beans to it and fry well.
Add 2 cups of water and cover it with lid and let it come to a boil.
Add enough salt and roasted rice rava and stir it nicely and cover it and cook for 4-5 mins until the water is absorbed.
Add grated coconut at the end and give a nice stir.

Serve it hot with Lemon Pickle/Avakai/Mango Thokku/Podi and sliced cucumber/chips.

Notes:

The addition of onion is entirely optional,I like to add onions in upma and hence I added.It is your personal choice.
You can even skip the addition of chana dal and urad dal in the recipe and just give simple tempering of mustard and cumin seeds.
Green chillies can be replaced by red chillies or you can use both the chillies in the recipe.It is your wish.
You can add chopped dill leaves for additional flavor.If you are adding them you need to saute them in oil before you add water to it.
The quantity of hyacinth beans can be increased even to 3/4th cup- 1 cup which depends on your choice.
You can follow the same recipe and replace rice rava with normal sooji or bansi rava and make regular upma.You can increase the water quantity to 2 1/2 cups if you want a soft upma.

Also check out other Avarekalu recipes in my blog here.

Our family is a big fan of pickles and we like both South Indian and North Indian varieties.We are very particular about the flavor and taste of pickles and ensure that we pair a north indian one with roti and a south indian variety with rice.

I have various south Indian variety of Mango pickles like Andhra Avakay, Allam Avakay, Pesara Avakay, Bellam Avakay,Palli Avakay,Nuvvu Avakay, Magaya, Mukkala pacchadi, No Oil Mango Pickle , in my blog. These are prepared using Raw mangoes. We absolutely love all the varieties and I do make a point to get these prepared by my MIL, but in limited quantities, so that we can enjoy the other kind of pickles which she prepares during winters.During winters, she prepares pickles with fresh vegetables, red chillies and gooseberries.I love Usiri avakaya (Andhra style Gooseberry pickle) more than the regular Avakay made up of mango as gooseberries lend a nice taste and flavor to the pickle.The process of making this gooseberry pickles is not complicated,hence you can make small batches and enjoy with your curd rice or you can even mix it with hot rice,dal podi and ghee.If it is prepared carefully, the shelf life is longer for this pickle,hence if you want you. can even make it in larger batches and store it.

Gooseberry Pickle | Usiri Avakaya :

shelf life: upto 1-2 months

Ingredients:

20 big sized Gooseberries/Amla

1/2 cup Red chili powder*

1/3 cup Mustard powder

1 tsp Fenugreek powder

1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder

1/4 cup + 1tbsp Salt( to taste)

1 1/4 cups Sesame oil

Method:

Wash and wipe the gooseberries and let them dry on a kitchen towel for 2-3 hrs.

Heat sesame oil in a thick heavy bottomed kadai/pan and add dried amlas and fry them for a couple of minutes.Cover it with a deep lid and add pour some water(1/2 cup) on the lid,this process creates steam cooking but ensure that you take the lid always carefully so that water does not splutter on the amlas, otherwise the pickle will get spoilt.
Reduce the flame and let the amlas cook on low flame for 12-15 mins until they are slightly soft.Stir once or twice in between by lifting the lid carefully.If the water evaporates in the lid add some water on to the plate.Some might even crackle which indicates that they are completely done.

Remove the lid and let them cool completely.
Meanwhile grind a tsp of fenugreek seeds and roughly 3 tbsp mustard seeds to a fine powder in the mixer.
I used a less spicy variety of red chili powder for the pickle,if you are using more spicy one reduce the quantity of chili powder by 2-3 tbsp in the recipe.

Add the fenugreek and mustard powder,turmeric powder,red chili powder,salt to the cooled amlas and mix nicely.

Check the taste of the mixed mixture,it should be salty now.If it is less salty add another tbsp of salt. If the salt is less in the pickle,it will get spoilt soon.
Carefully transfer this to a clean and sterilized glass bottle and cover it.
After 3 days the oil should float on top of the pickle.If it does not float add heated and cooled sesame oil(1/3 cup) to the pickle and mix well.
Let the pickle stand for a week before using so that the pickle get marinated and flavors blend nicely.You can store it outside but I suggest you to refrigerate the pickle.

Serve it with Curd rice or you can even mix it with hot rice,dal powder and ghee.

Notes:

Use red chili powder which is specially used for pickles as this variety gives a nice and bright red color to the pickle and also it is not very spicy.My MIL brought a brand called 'Three Mangoes' which is good for pickles.It is not very spicy and also gives beautiful bright red color to pickle giving a fiery look.I used less spicy one,if you are using more spicy one reduce the quantity by 2-3 tbsp in the recipe.
Always transfer a small portion of pickle into a small jar and use a clean and dry spoon.
Increase the amount of sesame oil as required in the recipe.The basic thumb rule is to make the oil float over the pickle after 3 days.So feel free to add extra sesame oil.
In general it is said if the pickle is prepared well it would stay good for long time like 5-6 months or upto an year.I am not sure about the shelf life for that long as I always make it in small quantities and finish it in 2-3 weeks time.
You can avoid mustard powder in the recipe to make simple Amla pickle.Follow the same process and avoid mustard powder in the recipe.
You can pressure cook gooseberries by placing them in a vessel with out adding any water to it for 1 whistle.
My mom usually adds lemon juice at the end to the pickle.She says it enhances the taste of it and also the shelf life of the pickle.In this case you can add about 1/4 cup to the pickle.

Check out my other pickle posts:

I prepare various kind of dals on daily basis and I prefer to make the most basic and simple dals for everyday cooking.When compared to other dals I feel Masoor dal and Moong dal are very light on stomach.Today I am posting a very simple recipe using masoor dal with garlic tempering which imparts a nice flavor to the dal.

Simple Masoor Dal Recipe:

(Serves 2)

Ingredients:

1/3 cup Masoor dal

1 tsp chopped Coriander leaves

a pinch of Turmeric powder

salt to tatse

for Tadka:

1 tbsp Ghee/Oil

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

1 tsp Cumin seeds

3-4 Garlic pods,finely chopped or crushed

2 Green Chillies,finely chopped

a pinch of Asafoetida

5-6 Curry leaves

Method:

Pressure cookmasoor dal with turmeric for 2-3 whistles and simmer it for 5-6 mins.
Once the pressure drops mash the dal slightly and add some water if required and simmer it for sometime.
Meanwhile in a small tadka pan heat ghee and crackle mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
Add finely chopped green chillies,garlic pods,curry leaves and asafoetida and fry for a minute.
Pour this tadka to the simmering masoor dal and add salt and cook for 2-3 mins.
Add chopped corriander at the end and mix well.

Serve it hot with Rice/Rotis/Parathas.If you are serving with rice,it goes well with a vegetable fry and pickle.

Notes:

You can squeeze juice of half a lemon to the dal at the end after you switch off the flame.
You can also add finely chopped onions when you are frying garlic pods and add it to the dal.
Chopped spinach or methi leaves can be added while pressure cooking the dal and follow the same process of temering with/without onions.
You can skip garlic in the recipe and add ginger instead for a different flavor.If you are using ginger in the recipe do add lemon juice at the end,it enhances the flavor.
You can add chopped tomatoes to the dal while pressure cooking it.
Avoid ghee and use oil in the recipe for a Vegan version.

I always store this Garlic chili powder in my pantry which comes handy while making various curries and stir fries.It adds a nice hint of garlic along with the spiciness from red chillies.You can use this garlic chili powder in various stir fries,all you need to do is stir fry vegetables like ladies finger, tindora, brinjal, cauliflower, potato, arbi etc and add a couple of tsp of garlic chili powder at the end.

Garlic Chili Powder | Vellulli Karam | Goddu Karam Recipe:

shelf life: up to 1-2 months

Ingredients:

150 gms Garlic

1 tbsp Cumin seeds

1/2 cup Red chili powder

1/3 cup Salt(or slightly less than 1/2 cup)

Method:

Separate the garlic pods and remove the extra outer layers of garlic,you can keep one layer or you can even remove that completely or you can either remove the layers completely for half the pods and retain for the other half.
Grind red chili powder,cumin seeds and salt to a powder.
Add garlic pods and grind again to a coarse powder.
Store it in air tight container.

You can sprinkle it for most of the Andhra style vegetable fries (vepudu), curries or you can even sprinkle this powder on dosa.

Notes:

You can increase the garlic pods in the recipe if you want more garlic.But too much garlic will also spoil the taste.
Sprinkle this garlic powder when you make vegetable stir fries like Ladies finger, Brinjal, Tindora(Ivy gourd), Bitter gourd, Cluster beans , Carrot, Beetroot, French Beans, Cauliflower, Potato fry, Arbi fry etc.You need to saute the vegetables until done and add the spicy garlic powder as per your taste at the end.
You can roast the whole slit vegetables like Brinjals, Ivy gourd and Bitter gourd(partially cooked in tamarind water) until they are completely done and stuff them at the end with this spicy garlic podi.You should make this just before serving,it tastes nice.
This garlic podi is a multi purpose powder,you can spice up your dals, regular dry curries, parathas with it.
It can be even sprinkled on dosas or idlis.

Mushrooms is a treat for Vegetarians and we are no exception.Both of us love eating mushrooms and I make it quite often.The only thing which puts me off is the process of cleaning the mushrooms which is very tedious. Apart from that, preparing any dish with it, is a breeze, as they cook very fast.I have posted Mushroom Chettinad Recipe earlier, which is an absolute favorite for me and today I am posting a simple Matar Mushroom Curry recipe, which is good as an accompaniment for everyday rotis and pulavs and of course even for special occasions.

Matar Mushroom Masala | Matar Kumbh | Dhingri Matar Recipe:

(Serves 2)

Ingredients:

200 gms Button Mushrooms,white variety

1 cup fresh/frozen Green Peas

2 medium Onions

3 medium Tomatoes

1 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste

8-10 Cashew nuts

2 tbsp Poppy seeds

1/2 tsp Sugar

1 tsp Red chili powder

2 tsp Coriander powder

1 tsp Cumin powder

1/4 tsp Garam masala

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

2 Cloves,1 Green Cardamom,1/2" Cinnamon stick - to temper

1 tbsp chopped Coriander leaves,to garnish

Salt to taste

2-3 tbsp Oil

Method:

Soak Khus khus(poppy seeds) and cashew nuts in warm water for 10-15 mins.Drain them before grinding.I forgot to soak the khus khus and hence you can see the grainy texture of them in the gravy,hence I suggest you to soak them ahead.
Clean mushrooms nicely,I usually rub the mushrooms with maida to remove the excess dirt and wash them and pat dry them.Trim the stalks and cut the mushrooms into 4 quarters.
Chop one onion into fine pieces and quarter the other onion.
Chop one tomato finely and mark a cross on the other two tomatoes.Bring water to a boil in a big pot and add the marked tomatoes and quartered onion and boil for 2-3 mins.Remove them with a slotted spoon and cool them.Peel the skin off the tomatoes and keep it ready.
In that boiling water add fresh/frozen green peas and boil for 2-3 mins.Drain and keep them aside.
Roughly chop the peeled tomatoes and grind it with boiled quartered onion,soaked cashewnuts and poppy seeds to a very smooth paste.
Heat oil in a kadai/pan and add cardamom,cloves and cinnamon and let them splutter.
Add finely chopped onion and fry until they turn translucent.Add ginger garlic paste and fry well until the raw smell disappears.
Add ground tomato-onion-cashew mixture and continue frying for 2-3 mins.
Add coriander powder,cumin powder,garam masala,turmeric powder,sugar and salt and continue frying for another minute.
Now add blanched green peas and chopped mushrooms and saute them nicely.The mushrooms would leave water initially and soak up all the water later.It would take 4-5 mins.You can saute mushrooms and peas simultaneously in another pan and add it now.
Add 3/4th cup - 1 cup of water based on the required consistency and cover it and cook on low-medium flame for another 3-4 mins.
Garnish with coriander.

Serve it hot with Roti/Paratha/Pulavs/Steamed Rice/Jeera Rice.

Notes:

You can saute the mushrooms and peas separately in a tbsp oil and add to the gravy or you can saute them along with onions before adding the tomato mixture.It is your wish to follow either ways but take care that you do not over cook the mushrooms as they cook really fast.
In order to clean mushrooms you can remove the thin layer over the mushrooms using a sharp knife or you can even rub the mushrooms with maida or rice flour to remove the excess dirt.Always wipe the mushrooms with a dry towel before it is added to the recipe,this way the mushrooms will not shrink much.
You can add 1 tsp of Kasuri methi while boiling the gravy for a nice flavor.

Do check out Mushroom Chettinad Recipe which is absolutely a treat with Kerala Parottas.

Recently, I received a big carton box of goodies which was sent to me by my Mom through one of my friends who had visited Bangalore.The box contained various powders, masalas, snacks, sweets which are all home made and also other small grocery items which I do not find in Mumbai.Though my Mom had already mentioned to me about the goodies she was sending, I was really excited to unpack the carton box to see the various goodies she had sent.Among all the stuff, Sago Murukku and these Spicy Palakayalu caught my attention when I opened the box .

My mom usually makes these Spicy Palakayalu to add them to Avarekalu mixture during their season.Though I am not a fan of the Avarekalu mixture, I used to pick the spicy rice flour balls (palakayalu) from the mixture as I just love to munch them, as they are really spicy and very tasty.That is the reason my mom sent me an extra packet of those spicy rice flour balls.Moms are the best,they know what we like and what we want.I think its time I head to the recipe,here you go!!

Spicy Palakayalu Recipe:

shelf life: 3-4 weeks

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Rice flour

1 cup fine Chiroti Rava(or regular sooji)

1/2 cup Maida

4 tbsp hot Oil

2-3 tbsp Sesame seeds

1 tbsp Red chili powder

Salt to taste

Oil,to deep fry

Method:

Mix Rice flour,maida and chiroti rawa in a bowl.
Add sesame seeds,red chili powder,hot oil and required amount of salt to the mix and mix well.
Add water slowly and knead it into a slightly stiff dough.
Leave it aside for 15-20 mins.
Pinch a small portion of it and make into very tiny balls and arrange them on a kitchen napkin or on a plate.This process is bit time consuming to make in large portions.You can even roll the mixture into a 1/2 cm thickness thick chapati and use a knife or pizza cutter and cut them into very small diamonds.This saves lot of time.
Meanwhile heat oil in a kadai for deep frying.Add the prepared balls(or diamonds) and deep fry them on low-medium flame until they are crisp and golden brown in color.Do not over load the kadai with more balls at once,deep fry them in small batches.
Drain them in a kitchen napkin.

Store them in air-tight container.You can eat them as they are or you can also add them in various mixtures, Kara Pori, Sago mixture, Cornflakes mixture, Avarekalu mixture etc.

Notes:

Chiroti rawa(very fine variety of rawa also called as Holige rawa) makes these balls very crisp and also have nice texture.If you do not get it you can use normal rava,just pulse it in mixer for a couple of times and use it in the recipe.
You can reduce the amount of chili powder in the recipe and make them plain.
The addition of sesame seeds adds extra taste to it,so you can increase the quantity if you want.
These spicy palakayalu can be added in various varieties of mixtures like Kara Pori, Sago mixture, Cornflakes mixture, Avarekalu mixture etc.

The first thing you would notice if you go to any Andhra restaurant for a thali is an array of pickle jars and various powders which are placed on every table.While few varieties might vary,the most common varieties would be Andhra Avakaya andKandi Podi(which is fondly called as Andhra Gun powder).

Andhrites start their lunch with a powder, mostly Kandi podi which is Andhra's trademark recipe.It is usually mixed with hot rice and a generous dollop of ghee, a combination which is definitely a heaven on a plate.You can even mix Avakaya with the powder and ghee,even that tastes absolutely delicious.Many of my friends(including those who are not from Andhra) have tasted this powder/podi and have always raved about its taste. One must try this trademark Andhra Gun powder recipe for sure to understand what I am saying.

Kandi Podi | Andhra famous Gun PowderRecipe:

shelf life:stays fresh up to a month

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Toor dal

1/2 cup Moong dal

1/2 cup Chana dal

10-12 Red chillies

1 tsp Cumin seeds

Salt to taste

Method:

Dry roast toor dal until it turns red in color and keep it aside and dry roast moong dal until red in color and remove it from pan and keep it aside and do the same with chana dal.Always dry roast each dal separately as they will not get roasted uniformly otherwise.Let them cool.
Dry roast red chillies until they turn slight red in color and keep them aside.
Dry roast cumin seeds and keep them aside.
Once all the dals come to room temperature grind all the dals with red chillies,cumin seeds and salt to a powder.You can either grind it to a fine powder or slightly coarse powder.
Store it in an air tight container.

Serve it with hot steamed rice and a dollop of ghee.You can serve chopped raw onions along with it,it tastes delicious.

Notes:

Add 1-2 garlic pods after the dals are ground to a powder and grind it again to a powder.
Do not grind it to a very fine powder,keep it slightly coarse.
You can mix the kandi podi with Mango Avakaya,Usiri Avakaya,Gongura etc or just mix it with hot rice and a dollop of ghee.It tastes very delicious.

Carrot Rice Recipe | Easy Lunch Box Recipes

Green Chutney for Chaats | Mint Coriander Chutney

Fresh Chickpeas Pulao | Hare Chane ka Pulav

Mushroom Chettinad | Chettinad Mushroom Masala | Mushroom Recipes

Mango Ginger Chutney | Mamidi Allam Pachadi | Maa Inji Thokku

How to make Green Chilli Paste | Kitchen Basics

Cabbage Pesarapappu Podi Kura | Cabbage Moongdal Dry Curry

SUN DRIED TOMATO PESTO PASTA | EASY PASTA RECIPES

Flax Seeds Podi (Powder) | Alsi Pudi for Rice

Mixed Vegetable Achar - North Indian Style | Mixed Vegetable Pickle

IDLI UPMA | Idli Upma Recipe with left over Idlis

Mango Ginger Pickle | Mamidi Allam Urugai | Easy Instant Pickles

Sambar Powder Recipe | Andhra style Sambar Powder

Avarekalu Akki Tari Uppittu | Rice Rava Upma with Flat Beans

Usiri Avakaya | Nellikai Urugai | Amla Achar | Gooseberry Pickle

Simple Masoor Dal | Pappu Kattu | Simple Dal Recipes

Garlic Chili Powder | Vellulli Karam | Goddu Karam

Matar Mushroom Masala | Mushroom Peas Curry | Mushroom Recipes

Spicy Palakayalu | Spicy Rice Flour balls | Easy Snacks

Kandi Podi | Andhra style Gun Powder Recipe