DOSAVAKAI / CUCUMBER PICKLE

DOSAKAYA  AVAKAI
Dosavakaya is a tradtional pickle from ancient days.. its a very quick and easy pickle can be done in less time.It stays for 2 weeks..
Materials:
Cucumber / dosakaya pieces 1 cup
It should be well washed,dried with a cloth
and should be chopped in to pieces
The seeds etc should be removed.

Mustard seeds 4 tbsp
Should be smoothly  powdered

Red chilli powder 4 tbsp
Salt 1 and 1/2 spoon
Gingelle oil 4 to 5 tbsp
Method:
In a bowl mix mustard powder,redchilli powder and salt with 3 tbsp
of gingelle oil .
Mix well and lastly add the dosakaya pieces and mix thoroughly.
Now place the entire mixture in a dry bottle..
Set it with a spoon.
Lastly add the remaining oil and close it.
It can be consumed from the second day onwards.
But some people add juice of 2 nos of lime and eat
it from that day itself..in that case the pickle stays fresh
for a week..

PERUGU VADA / AVADA

PERUGU VADA / AVADA /DAHI VADA

Perugu vada/Avada /Dahi wada is a famous recipe in almost indian homes,it is a very tasty recipe made with fresh curds and urad daal,remains for 2 days when kept in fridge..
Materials:
For vada-
Urad daal 1 cup
(without skin)
Salt

Oil for deep frying

For dahi/ perugu-

Fresh curds 3 cups
Salt
Haldhi 1/2 tsp

For seasoning:
Oil 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
Jeera 1/2 tsp
Red chillies 2 nos.slits
Green chillies 2 nos.slits
Curry leaves
Ginger pieces 1tsp
Cilantro chopped
Method:
Soak urad daal for 6 hours..
Just before doing vadas ,beat the fresh curds with a spoon add salt and keep it aside.Now place a pan on the stove and add oil  2 tbsp for seasoning.After it is heated add mustard seeds and jeera,redchilli slits.And after they stop sizzling add green chilli slits,small ginger slits, and curry leaves and switch off after it is done.Then add the  prepared seasoning along with haldhi and salt to the curds ,mix well and keep it aside covered..
Meanwhile, wash  soaked urad daal well ,drain and grind into a coarse paste using very less water..add salt ,mix well and keep it aside..
Side by side heat oil in a pan for deep frying..now make vadas with a wet hand and fry vadas in the oil,by dropping slowly in to the oil one by one..At a time 3 to 4 vadas can be fried..after they attain gold colour (by medium frying)take them off and place in a bowl of  cold water..after 3 to 4 minutes  remove from water and place them   in the curds.. Likewise repeat the proceedure of dropping vadas in oil,frying, then placing in cold water,and again dropping in curds..Garnish with chopped cilantro if interested..
The recipe is very tasty if the curds are fresh and done in a proper way..

Urad daal with skin was used by our elders,it is a hectic proceedure of washing and removing the skin,but the taste is tremendrous..But now a days due to lack of time we are using daal without skin..
This recipe was done by my sister Padma for her 2 chhota bakhras for Dassehra..

CHUTNEY POWDER / SENAGA PAPPU KOBBARI PODI

CHUTNEY PODI
This recipe chutney powder/ kobbari podi,is used as one of the menu in meals ,and also in tiffins such as idlis and dosas in most of the indian homes..it is soft and tasty..
Materials:
Channa daal 50 gms
Urad daal 50 gms
Ground nuts 50 gms
Dhania 2 tbsp
Jeera 1 tbsp
Red mirchis 12 nos
Or Adjust
Hing a pinch
Dry coconut 3 to 4 inches piece
Made in to pieces
Method:
Roast all the items seperately.Next after they are roasted,keep them aside to cool.
After it is cool dry grind each item seperately  in to powders.
Now make dry coconut in to small pieces and grind in to powder,this need not be roasted.
Lastly mix all of them together with  hing powder salt.
Store in a airtight container after they are cool inorder to avoid moisture ..

Each item should be seperately powdered,as ground nuts and jeera take less time to be grinded in to powder.
Where as channa daal and urad daal take more time to be powdered,by that time ground nuts secrete oil and turn oily..so to avoid this we should grind seperately..
Its pretty much ideal with hot steamed rice and idlis and tiffins..

APPLE BANANA HALWA

APPLE BANANA HALWA
Today i wanted to do some new variety,hence i tried this,i have done only with apple and banana as i had only these 2 items handy..but it came out very tasty..
Materials:
Apple 2 nos

chopped with skin
Banana 1 no
Sugar 100 gms

Condensed milk 2 tbsp
Ghee 3tsp
Dry nuts 1 tbsp

Food colour 1 pinch optional
Method:
Chop the apple into  pieces along with banana pieces and grind into a paste without adding water..

Now grease a microwave bowl with a tsp ghee and place the apple paste ,and microwave high for 4 minutes.
Remove the bowl out after 1 minute,stir it well and add condensed milk,along with sugar and again micro high for 6 minutes.
Remove it ,and add 1 tsp of ghee and a pinch of food colour,stir well and again place the bowl in oven.
Now lastly micro high for 5 minutes.
Now place 1 tsp of ghee in another bowl and micro high for 30 seconds.
Remove it outside and add dry nuts and micro high for 1 minute.
Now add the fried nuts in to the apple halwa bowl and mix well.
Lastly garnish with a few nuts..

Serve hot..

BASUNDHI/FLAVOURED CHILL MILK

BASUNDHI
WISH ALL OF MY FRIENDS A VERY HAPPY DIVALI..
Basundhi ,is a famous chilled flavoured milk recipe liked by most of the people..it requires patience and take more time..But i did it in microwave and it lasted me just less than half an hour..Mothers can make this recipe sweet chilled milk  and let their children have it without making fuss..
Materials:

Milk 500 ml
Sugar 1 cup
Khova 1 tbsp/condensed milk 1 tbsp
Elaichi powder/essence
Saffron a few strands
Dry nuts 1to 2  tbsp
Method:
Place half spoon of ghee in a microsafe bowl and micro high for 30 seconds.Remove it outside and add the dry nuts/fruits as per your choice and micro high for 1 minute.Keep them aside.
Boil milk(micro  in 360 degrees) in a microsafe bowl for 20 minutes,stir for every 3 to 4 minutes..I prefer to boil in low heat, to avoid milk not to spill ..By this time the milk will be boiled and reduced a little .Remove it outside,and add khova/condensed milk,sugar,saffron,and dry nuts and elaichi powder.
Let it boil for another 10 minutes in low heat only.(stir for every 2 minutes)
Thats all,remove from oven and mix well .Let it cool.After it is cool,place the milk in a refrigerator and freeze it for atleast 3 to 4 hours and serve..

A tasty chilled and flavoured milk with light colour of saffron will be ready with dry nuts to drink.Both elders and Children like it a lot..tasty and yummy..

KESAR BHATH

KESAR BHATH
I made this for the first time in micro wave,it was fine and a super fast recipe done with in minutes of time.And the 2 chhota bakhras in my home enjoyed it a lot..
Materials:
Suji ravva 1 cup
Sugar 1cup
Ghee 2 tbsp
Elaichi powder
Dry nuts 1to 2  tbsp

Food colour
Condensed milk 2 tbsp
Water 3 cups
Method:
Place 1/2 tsp of ghee in a microwave safe bowl and micro high  it for 30 sec.
Then after it is heated add dryfruits and again micro high it for 1 min.
Remove the dry fruits and keep aside,retain the left over ghee.
And add suji ravva and micro high it for 2 min,in the mean while after 1 min mix it once..
Remove it into another plate,now add sugar and water in the micro wave bowl
and micro high it for 6 minutes.
After microing it for 3 min  add colour,and condensed milk mix well.
Then again micro it for 3 mins.
Then add the roasted suji ravva and mix it well without forming lumps.
Again micro high it for 2 minutes.Then remove it outside.
Now add ghee and fried dry fruits and micro it in medium 40%(360 degrees)
for 1 to 2 min..
Remove it and serve .

Totally i microwed it for 30 sec+1 min+2 min+6 min+2 min+lastly 2 min in medium..so totally 13 and 1/2 min..

LIME PICKLE

LIME PICKLE
Lime pickle is famous in indian homes.A full source of natural Vit-C ,it is quite tasty too with steamed hot rice ,curd rice and dosas..
Lemon-50  nos
Salt 1 glass
Upto 200 gms,
check out as only too much salty,iodized salt
is available now a days..
Chilli powder 1/2 kg
To season:
Oil 1/4 th kg
Mustard seeds 1 tbsp
Red chillies 5 to 6 nos
Hing- a small ground nut sized  piece
made in to powder
Roasted  powder:
Mustard seeds 1and half tsp
Methi seeds 1/2 tsp
These 2 materials are to be roasted,
let them cool, and made in to powder
Method:
Wash all the lemon,wipe them  with a
dry cloth,and cut them in to small pieces..
Then take in to a plastic basin,and mix
chilli powder,salt,and roasted mustard
methi powder well.Mix all the lime pieces
and the powders well.Lastly heat oil in a
pan and after it is heated add the seasoning
materials mustard seeds,hing and red chillies.
After they splutter and stop popping,switch off
the stove.Let the oil cool completely.Lastly add
this oil in the lime pickle..Set it aside for 7
complete days.In the mean while mix the pickle
well for 2 times in the 7 days.
You can serve after 7 days,but the lime piece
 tastes bitterand it takes time to settle completely
 up to 20 days..
This recipe does not need to be placed in sunlight..
and it remain s fresh for months..
Check out the salt and chillie powder and add

according to your taste..
Both the pickles lime and the previous tomato pickle is from my sister Padmas kitchen,a big Thanks to her as she takes care of me n my family in cooking ..

TOMATO PICKLE

TOMATO PICKLE
Tomato pickle stays for more than 6 months ,if proper care is taken while preparing without touching water..
Materials:
Tomatoes - 1 kg
They should be well washed and dried with a dry cloth.
Avakai karam chillie powder  1/4 th kg
Avakai karam (chillie powder)is used in mango pickle, prepared in the months of summer,the red chillie is broad and long, is from Guntur,of Andhra pradesh,it will be rich red in colour,and it will not be too spicy n hot.Iused the leftover pickle chilli powder now and the rich red colour is due to that..
or
Aashirvad karam 100 gms or a little more
Ordinary locally made chillie powder  is from thin and short redchillies and it is very hot n spicy,we use them in curries.So less amount is used.
Tamarind 50 gms
Salt 100 gms
As now a days iodized salt is used less qty of salt is enough
Method:
Soak(washed and dry) tomatoes in salt and tamarind for 2 days.
(Mix in between 1 to 2 times per daywith a dry plastic spoon).
From 3 rd day keep dry open  in sun light.
Place the tomato  pieces  and the tomato liquid seperately in  plastic basins.
If it is dry sunny weather then one day sunlight is enough.
Or else if it is cloudy then 2 to 3 days of sunlight are needed.
And immediately in the evening prepare the pickle.
In the mean while before making pickle ,dry roast 1 tbsp of mustard seeds,and half tbsp of methi seeds in a pan.
Dry grind it in to a powder after it is cool.
next grind the dried tomato pieces and the left over tomato juice  in to a paste along with chilli powder, and mustard and methi powder.. and keep it aside.
Place a pan on the stove,and add 1/2 kg of oil to it,then after it is heated add 2 tbsp of channa daal,2 tsp mustard seeds,red chilli slits of 4 nos,hing, and ,then after they stop spluttering add (washed and dried)curry leaves toss well for 2 minutes.
This is to ensure the tomato pickle mixture not to get spoiled ,if at all any moisture is left over.
Lastly add the grinded paste of tomato pickle to it and fry for 2 minutes.
Thats all.Switch off the stove.
Store it in a airtight container after it is cool..
Serve with steamed hot rice or dosas n rotis..

Garlic flakes can be added in seasoning in small quantities of pickle  taken outside ,foronce in every  month ..Idonno because i use garlic very rarely..
This recipe i am sending to the event conducted by Nivedhita and Jagruthi
COMPLETE MY THALI-PICKLE..

And one more thing i want to say,if u r in a urgency,then soak tomatoes along with tamarind and salt in the eve,leave it overnight.Next day morn grind it in to a paste and season it as in the proceedure.. No need of sunlight etc.This will stay for more than 20 days..No touch of water,and ample amount of oil is enough for it to stay fresh..

KAJJIKAYALU

KAJJI KAYALU
Kajji kayalu ,is a snack item which children like to eat in the evenings after school time,and more over it is a simple and easy  and safe recipe which can be made in minutes of time..It is a tradtional andhra sweet which consume less oil.
Materials:
Maidha 2 cups
Salt a pinch
Water
Mix maidha,and salt with water(add 1 tbsp milk  also for soft ness) just as we mix for chhappathis..Keep aside.
For stuffing:
Suji ravva 3/4 th cup
Grated coconut -1/2 cup
Sugar 3/4 th cup
Elaichi powder 1 tsp
Oil (for deep frying)
Method:
Roast suji ravva in a pan by adding 1 tsp ghee,till light brown and keep it aside.
Like wise dry roast the dry coconut grate a little,and place in a bowl.
After they are  cool,add suji ravva, grated dry coconut and sugar and elaichi powder ,mix well,store the powder in a container.
Knead  the maidha flour well and make small round  balls marble sized.
Expertisation should be needed in rolling them  in to small puris.
The thickness  should be made evenly ,if it is thin in the middle it will break while deep frying and the stuffing will be leaked out..
After preparing a puri add 1  tbsp of the ravva mixture/powder on one side of the puri.
Apply a little water to the ends with index finger.
And affix the 2 ends firmly to join together,and check that the filling will not come out while deep frying.
Place a pan with oil in it for deep frying.
Fry in medium heat ,by placing 3 to 4 kajjikayalu at a time.
Fry them till light brown and place on a tissue paper.Store them after they are cool.

They remain for more than 10 days.

PALU PAYASAM / MILK KHEER

PALU PAYASAM / MILK KHEER
Palu payasam is a delicious variety of payasam,very tasty especially children love it..
Materials:

Milk - Half litre
3% milk

Rice - 50 gms

Sugar- 125 gms

Elaichi powder- 1/2 tsp
Dry fruits - each 1 tbsp


 (cashew,badam and raisins)

Condensed milk-2 tbsp

Colour

Essence 4 drops

Method:

Wash and soak rice for 20 min.
After 20 min,take off the excess water and grind into a paste
Take a micro safe bowl,add 2 tsp ghee and micro it for 30 seconds.Remove it ouside and add the dry fruits and again micro it for 1 minute,take out and keep aside.
In a big  microsafe bowl,boil milk  at 40 % for 10 min,in between stir it thrice,beware while boiling milk or it may spill out.
Add rice paste and sugar to the boiled milk,and micro it in 60% for 4 min.
Remove it outside and stir it then again micro it in 60% for another 4 min.
Remove it outside,again stir it,now add the  condensed milk ,stir it well,and micro it for another 3 min.
Lastly remove it ,and add essence,colour,elaichi powder,and fried dry fruits and micro it in 40%for 5 minutes.
Mix it twice ,in between,and garnish it with dry fruits.
Pala payasam thickens to semi solid consistancy after it is chilled.But if u need it to be in thin consistancy micro it for only 3 to 4 minutes in 40 %,and lessen the rice quantity a little in the beginning itself..

Serve chilled..

SUJI HALWA-BOBBATTU

SUJI HALWA-BOBBATTU/ SOJIAPPAM SHALLOW FRY
Suji halwa bobbattu tastes yummy,we shallo fried it due to calorie conscious.Previously we used to deep fry it,then it was called as Sojiappam.

Materials:
For Halwa:
Suji 1 cup
Sugar 1 cup
Ghee 3 tbsp
Water 2 cups
Place a heavy bottomed vessel on the stove,add 1 tsp ghee and roast the suji ravva in med temp till light brown .Keep it aside.
Add sugar and water in a seperate bowl and let it boil,after it is boiled add suji ravva slowly and cook in a low temp.
Now add ghee and cook till it turns in to a halwa paste,leaving the sides.
Switch off the stove,cover with a lid and allow to cool.
After it is cool,make small portions into round balls n keep them covered.
For Poli/bobbattu:
Maidha-2 cups
Salt a pinch
Water
Oil 2 to 3 tbsp
Mix maidha  well with water into a smooth  dough  ,like we prepare for puris.
Lastly pour 2 tbsp oil and mix n pat with the hands.It will be smooth .Keep it aside for more than one hour..it should be done before preparing the halwa.
After one hour make small portions into balls n keep them covered.
Method:
Taka a plantain leaf/plastic foil spread a few drops oil with your hand,take a small ball of maidha and spread it with your hands,in to a small puri.
Then take one halwa round ball,and keep it in the puri and cover from 4 sides.
Now again press with your oily  hand and spread it ,and place directly on tawa and shallow fry with oil/ghee as per your choice..
If you are not calorie conscious deep fry in ghee /oil.
A sweet item which we can offer as prasadam,children love them..This recipe is straightly from my sister padmas kitchen..