Saggubeeyam Majjiga Jantikalu / Sago Crispies

With dewali just around the corner I prepared one of my favorite snacks today, a traditional savory andhra snack whose main ingredients are curd and sago.

Its crunchy and tangy flavor and the little pearls that burst out at the end give it a very unique appearance.

Ingredients

•     4 cups homemade rice flour
•     1 cup Saggubeeyam (Sago/Sabudana/Tapioca)
•     2 cups curd
•     10-15 medium size green chilles paste
•     2 tbsp roasted channa dal powder
•     salt to taste

Procedure

Soak the rice for 4 hours, drain the water completely and pat it dry and make it a fine powder. Keep aside

Soak the sago in 1 cup curd for 2 hours.

Now mix the rice flour, soaked sago , green chillies paste, salt, roasted channa dal powder nicely. Then add little by little curd and check the consistency.Blend nicely until the prepared dough should not stick to the side of the vessel.

Heat oil to fry in a deep bottom pan,set the three hole plate in the jantikalu gottam/murukku press and now fill the dough in jantikalu gottam and slowly press one inch over the hot oil.

Fry on medium flame and flip it occasionally till it becomes golden brown and looks crispy. Remove it and place on a paper towel to absorb the excess oil.



 
Store it a air tight container once its completely cooled.

Note:

1. Oil should be properly heated initially medium to high flame and it should not be too hot as it will get charred and if too cold will not fry properly.

2. Adding roasted channa dal powder makes it more crispy.

3. The green chilli paste should be very fine otherwise it will stick to the plate inside the murukku press and dough will not come out smoothly

4. Sago should be properly soaked.To check if it is soaked properly press it between your fingertips and it should be completely soft.

Dhaniyalu Karivepaku Podi/ Tangy Curry Leaf Powder

This tangy and aromatic podi/powder is a age old recipe of south indian households which is served as a condiment with a spoonful of oil for breakfast with idli and dosa . It also tastes awesome when it is served with peppy hot steamed rice topped with a dash of ghee.

Ingredients

• 2 cups coriander seeds
• 1 cup urad dal/black gram lentil skinned
• 1/4 cup cummin seeds
• 1 cup tightly packed curry leaves
• 1 cup loosely packed red chillies(around 15-20)
• 10-12 garlic pods
• a lemon size tamarind
• 3 tsp oil
• salt to taste

Procedure

Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan , add coriander seeds and fry in medium flame till it gives a nice aroma and keep aside.

In the same pan fry add another tsp oil then add urad dal and fry till it is golden brown.Keep aside.

In the same pan fry add another tsp oil then add red chillies and fry till it is crispy.Keep aside.

Then finally in same pan add one more tsp oil and fry curry leaves on medium heat till they turn crisp but retain their lovely green colour.keep side till it cools.

First grind all the above four items together to a fine powder then add the remaining ingredients and grind again till it is smooth and flowy powder.Once it cools store it into an air tight container and serve with idly and dosa .

Note: 

1.You can increase the quantity of curry leaves and it will add more flavor.

2.You can decrease the amount of red chillies if you wish.

Andhra Special Boorelu / Sweet Lentil Balls

Wishing all my blog friends a very happy dasara. On this festive occasion I would like to share a authentic south indian andhra sweet prepared with lentils.This delicacy has a crispy exterior and  a soft sweet stuffing and tastes best when eaten warm with a dash of ghee/clarified butter as a dip. It is traditionally served with tamarind rice .

Ingredients

• 1 cup urad dal / black gram lentil without skin
• 2 cups raw rice
• 1 cup chana dal / split bengal gram
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 cardamom powder
• a pinch of cooking soda
• oil to deep fry

Procedure:

Step 1: Preparing the batter
Soak urad dal and rice with enough water in bowl overnight or 4-5 hrs,then discard the water and wash properly and make a smooth semi thick paste with adding required amount of water    

Step 2: Preparing the stuffing
Soak the chana dal for 30 min before cooking .Pressure cook the dal along with 3 cups water for 3 whistles and switch of the flame .After it cools open the pressure cooker and stain the water from dal completely .
 

In a blender make a smooth paste of sugar and dal. Heat a broad open pan and put this paste and stir continuously till this paste start to caramelize.Transfer the whole mixture to a plate ,keep aside and let it cool.After the dal mixture cools ,divide the total paste to large lemon size balls

Step 3: Deep Fry
Heat oil in a deep fry pan.Dip the balls in the batter and fry it till golden brown.

A flavorful crunchy and cheesy salad

Lifestyle has become fast paced with little time for nutrition, salads can be healthy, satisfying meals on their own or perfect accompaniments to main dishes.

This salad is a combination of fresh chrunchy veggies,fruits,nuts and feta cheese tossed with a yummy dressing.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup diced cucumber
• 1 cup shredded lettuce
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
• 1/4 cup pitted olives
• 1/4 cup feta cheese cubes
• 1/4 pomegranate seeds
• 1 tbsp chopped walnuts

For dressing

• 6-7 mint leaves
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 chopped green chilli
• a pinch of black pepper
• a few drops of lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp himalayan salt 

Procedure

Mix all the above in a salad bowl and give it a nice toss then refrigerate to 15 min and serve chilled

Mini Wonder Ammini Kozhukattai With Tomato Chutney

Ammini Kozhukattai a variation of the telugu dish undrallu, it is a festive food which is prepared in southern part of India during Ganesh Chaturthi. It is a healthy option for breakfast as these rice balls are steamed and sauteed with minimum oil. And the tomato chutney/dip is the perfect accompaniment for these lovely cuties. So surprise your family ...

Ingredients

• 1 cup rice flour(see the below note)
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp salt

For tempering

• 1 tsp urad dal / black gram lentil without skin
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp cummin seeds
• 1 tbsp grated coconut
• a pinch of hing /asafoetida
• 2 tsp oil
• 1 spring of curry leaves

Procedure:
Boil water in a pan ,add salt and once the water starts boiling add the rice flour slowly and stir it continously till water n flour mix completly and form a big lump like dough.

Once the mixture is cool shift it to broad plate and knead it till it form lumpless smooth dough.Now apply oil to your palms take small portion of dough and form a small ball,repeat for the rest of the flour.Place all the balls in to steamer or idly stand and steam for 10 min .

Heat oil in a pan add urad dal ,mustard seeds,cummin seeds and once mustard seeds splutters add curry leaves and red chillies and stir once and then add the steamed balls and mix properly ,then add coconut stir nicely and tranfer it to serving bowl

Note:
Preparing the Rice flour
Soak the rice for one hour and drain the water completely. Spread on a dry cloth for 10 minutes then make a fine powder in a mixie. Sieve it and use if for the dough.

For Tomato Chutney

Ingredients

• 250 gms Tomatoes
• 1 1/2 tbsp urad dal / black gram lentil without skin
• 4 red chillies
• 1 tsp jeera/cummin seds
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• pinch of fenugreek seeds
• pinch sugar
• little tamarind
• 2 tsp oil
• salt to taste

For tempering

• 1/4 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 red chilli
• pinch of hing/asafoetida
• 1 spring curry leaves

Procedure

Wash the tomatoes and chop it into medium size chucks.Keep aside.

Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan, add urad dal, cummin , mustard and fenugreek seeds. Once cummin seeds starts to splutter add red chillies and saute if for a min. Transfer it then to a plate.
Once it cools grind to a fine powder.

In the same pan add 1 tsp of oil and the choped tomatoes and fry for 4-5 minutes or until it becomes soft. Then switch off the flame.

Once it cools add the tomatoes to the above grinded powder with tamarind,salt,sugar and grind to a fine paste.

Transfer it to a serving bowl.

Prepare the tempering with 1 tsp oil in a pan.Add mustard seeds,hing. Once it splutter add the red chillies and curry leaves and saute it for 1/2 min and immediately pour it over the chutney. Enjoy this yummy chutney with ammini kozhukattai

Irresistible Peanut Butter Cups

I love peanut butter and chocolate so when I suddenly came across a recipe with a combination I couldnt stop myself to try this out. I used small paper cups to have small heavenly bites. I adopted the recipe from here. So here is the recipe
Ingredients

• 1 cup semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup creamy natural peanut butter
• 2 tbsp butter, softened
• 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar or superfine sugar

 

Pour the melted chocolate into small muffin cups to 1/3 rd and refrigerate it for 15 min. In the meantime mix peanut butter with sugar and butter till it forms a smooth paste.

Once the chocolate has set pour another 1/3 of cup with peanut paste and again refrigerate it for ten minutes.

Once the peanut butter is set add the remaining part of cup with chocolate and again refridgerate for 30 minutes. You peanut butter chocolate cups are ready.

Note:
Melting chocolate in double boiler: Fill a pan with water and let is boil once it boils put the flame in sim and place another bowl on top of this pan with the chocolate. The steam of below pan would melt the chocolate slowly.This is the safest method to melt chocolate.

Melting chocolate in microwave: If you want to melt you chocolate in microwave then put the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl for 30 seconds. Mix it then microwave again for 10 seconds repeatedly and stir every 10 seconds till it melts. If you are not alert the chocolate will burn.

Corn Burger With Fresh Herbed Wholewheat Buns

The American culture is synonymous with fast food. Burgers are easy to pack and carry along on short trips filling you up with energy. Children would love it and this burger has a healthy twist

Burger bun preparation

Ingredients

• 2 cups wholewheat flour
• 1 tbsp yeast
• 1 tsp sugar
• 4 tbsp warm milk
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tsp chopped garlic
• 1/2 tsp dry oregano
• 1/2 tsp dry parsley
• 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
• 1 tbsp coriander chopped / cilantro
• 3-4 tbsp milk (for brush)
• 1/2 tsp sesame seeds to sprinkle

Step 1: Making the Dough

In a big bowl add yeast,sugar,salt n warm water let it sit for 10 min. It will become foamy. Then add oil , milk,chilly flakes,chopped garlic and chopped cilantro n all dry herbs and mix nicely. Then add flour slowly 1/2 cup at a time n stir with spatula. Then take it out of the bowl n on a lightly floured surface knead it for 5 min n then make it into a ball. Grease it with oil then put it in a bowl n cover with a damp cloth n let it
sit for 1 hr or till it become double .

Step 2: Shaping
After a hour or till the dough become double.Take it out n punch it in the center to take all the air out.Now divide the dough into six parts n shape it into six to eight balls accordingly n let it sit for another 30 min in a warm to proove.

Step 3: Baking

Preheat the oven at 210 celsius , brush the buns with milk and sprinkle some sesame and bake these buns for 15 min or till they golden brown. 

Once burger buns cools store in airtight container. It will last for 4 days.

Preparing the corn cutlets

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh / frozen corn
• 2 bread slices
• 2 tbsp chopped mint
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander
• 1 inch ginger
• 1 green chilli
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp amchur powder
• 2-3 tbsp milk
• oil for frying
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds/sauf
• salt to taste

Boil the corn and make a coarse paste and keep aside. Make a fine paste coriander,mint,ginger and green chilli and keep aside

Break the bread slices roughly and grind in a mixie for a few second to get bread crumbs

1 tsp oil in a pan add fennel seeds once it crackles and the above prepared coriander paste and fry for a minute. Then add the sweet corn paste and all the masala and mix nicely.Switch off the flame.

Once it cools add the bread crumbs and mix nicely if the mixture is dry add little milk.Now divide it into medium size balls and shape it into a patty. Head a little oil and shallow fry each patty on both the sides till golden brown.

Preparation of Hari Chutney

•     1 cup cilantro
•     1/2 cup mint leaves
•     1 tsp lemon juice
•     1/2 tsp cumin seeds
•     2 green chillies
•     2 garlic pods
•     salt to taste

Make a fine past of above ingredient,check the consistency add water if needed. Hari chutney is ready to use

Assembly of burger

Ingredients

• 6 burger buns
• slices of onions
• slices of tomatoes
• slices of cucumber
• 6 corn patty
• 6 tsp hari chutney

Slice the burger bun horizontally.Lightly butter and toast on a pan till crisp on both the sides. 

Take one half of bun on the serving plate, then put a tomato slice,cucumber slices,onion slices,corn patty, 1 tsp hari chutney and cover with top half of the bun on the top.

Serve hot.

Note:  

1.To make it more flavorful feel free to add, cheese slice, mayonnaise, mustard sauce, lettuce leaves 

2.While making buns yeast proofing is very important if it is not activated properly then discard and again try the yeast proofing otherwise all your efforts will go to waste.

3.To check if the  buns are baked properly or not tap the bottom of bun and it should sound hollow.

Special Paneer Pulao / Cottage Cheese Pilaf

I was looking for different flavored pulao and came across a sanjeev kapoors mushroom paneer pulao. It sounded very interesting as it didnt any khada masala. The key ingredient is crushed coriander seeds and kasuri methi. I skipped the mushrooms as it wasnt available.

One addition I gave to this dish was adding shah jeera.With the blend of all these spices with a soft undertone of paneer makes the rice very flavorful.You can feel it in every bite.

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked rice
• 1/4 cup green peas
• 1/4 cup sweet corn
• 3/4 cup diced paneer cubes
• 1 tbsp kasuri methi
• 1/2 cup sliced onions
• 1 tsp garlic
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1/4 tsp shahi jeera
• 1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
• 1 green chilli
• pinch of turmeric
• 2 tbsp oil
• salt to taste

Procedure

Soak rice with 2 cups water for one hr. Then discard the water completely and keep aside

Crush the coriander seeds and keep aside

Heat oil in a pressure cooker, add shah jeera once it splutter add sliced onions, garlic and saute till onions become translucent.

Now add chilli powder, turmeric, crushed coriander seeds and fry till oil begins to saturate

Add green peas,sweet corn and mix nicely. Add kasuri methi and mix once again

Add the drained rice to above and mix nicely, add 2 cups water and pressure cook for 3 whistles, then switch it off. In the meantime in a pan add 1 tsp oil and fry the paneer carefully. Turn the cubes on each side for it to turn golden brown.

Once cooker cools open and mix the rice properly for all the flavor to incorporate. Add the paneer cubes and again mix softly.

Serve immediately

The Bewitching Spiral Apple Bread

Baking bread is always a delightful experience , I still recollect my first attempt when I would faithfully watch the yeast proof,lift the towel on the dough bowl to see if it is ready to punch down and the joyfull aroma of bread fill the kitchen while baking.My heart would pound with excitement when I pull the bread out from the oven.I relive these lovely moments whenever I bake any type of bread be it a simple loaf, or stuffed bun or a braided bread.

When I saw this bread on treatandtrick I bookmarked it immediately and tried as soon as I got a chance.I am so glad it turned out so good.This spiral apple bread is crusty on the outside and flaky on the inside with a divinely soft flavor of apple.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup warm milk
• 2 tbsp melted butter
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1.5 tsp instant yeast
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 apples cored and sliced

Topping

• 1/4 cups melted butter
• 1/4 cup sugar or to taste

Make: 2 bread spirals

Procedure

Step 1: Making the Dough

In a big bowl add yeast,sugar,salt n warm milk let it sit for 10 min. It will become foamy. Then add butter mix nicely. Then add flour slowly 1/2 cup at a time n stir with spatula. Then take it out of the bowl n on a lightly floured surface knead it for 5 min n then make it into a ball. Grease it with oil then put it in a bowl n cover with a damp cloth n let it sit for 1 hr.

After a hour or till the dough become double.Take it out n punch it in the center to take all the air out and knead for 5 min.Now divide the dough into two parts.

Step 2: Shaping and Assembly

Take one part and flatten it with a roller into rectangle shape as thin as a chappati and cut vertically into 9 strips. Take a 8inch round baking pan and grease it with butter.

Starting at the center of pan take one strip of dough and coil it initially in one round then add apple slices and bind with the strip.Continue to place apple slice and coil it further. Once the first strip is over join with the next strip and simultanously add apple slices within it.Continue till all strips are over.

Repeat the same for the second part of the dough.

Step 3:Baking and Glazing

Let it sit for 30 minutes.In the meantime preheat the oven to 190 degree Celsius.Bake for 30 minutes or till it becomes golde brown. Remove from oven brush with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar powder.

Cut into wedges and enjoy.

Submitting this recipe to a wonderful event hosted by Fun and Food Cafe and Cooks Joy

Ridge Gourd Chutney / Beerakaya Pachadi

A simple delicious chutney is a great way to start a meal in andhra.It is a common practise to have this chutney as a accompaniment with rice. However this goes well with rotis too. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients

• 250 gms ridge gourd
• 1 1/2 tbsp urad dal
• 4 red chillies
• 1 tsp jeera/cummin seds
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• pinch of fenugreek seeds
• pinch sugar
• little tamarind
• 2 tsp oil
• salt to taste

For tempering

• 1/4 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 red chilli
• pinch of hing/asafoetida
• 1 spring curry leaves

Procedure

Wash the ridge gourd and chop it into medium size chucks.Keep aside.

Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan, add urad dal, cummin , mustard and fenugreek seeds. Once cummin seeds starts to splutter add red chillies and saute if for a min. Transfer it then to a plate.Once it cools grind to a fine powder.

In the same pan add 1 tsp of oil and the choped ridge gourd and fry for 1-2 minutes or until it becomes translucent. Do not overcook it. Switch off the flame.

Once it cools add the ridge gourd to the above grinded powder with tamarind,salt,sugar and grind to a fine paste.

Transfer it to a serving bowl.

Prepare the tempering with 1 tsp oil in a pan.Add mustard seeds,hing. Once it splutter add the red chillies and curry leaves and saute it for 1/2 min and immediately pour it over the chutney.

Mix and serve it with rice or chappati.

Note: 
1.Do not peel the ridge gourd as it gives a unique flavor and it is full of fibre.
2.Do not overcook the ridge gourd as it will loose its flavor.

Posting this recipe to  a wonderful event Simply Sides hosted by Sumee Culinary