Pure Desi food: February 2011

Hyderabadi Mutton Biriyani

10:07 AM | Labels: Biriyanis/Fried rices

Ingredients:

1 kg Rice
1 kg Mutton
10 gms Cardamom
10 gms Cinnamon
10 gms Cumminseed
10 gms Cloves
40 gms Ginger
20 gms Garlic
100 gms Green Chillies
50 gms Fried Onion
1 bunch Coriander Leaves
1bunch Pudina
2 Lemon
1/4 Curd
1/4 kg Ghee

How to make meat biryani:

Wash mutton and take it in a vessel.
Grind green chillies, ginger, garlic, spices, fried onion, and mix them all, then add this mixture to the meat.
Then add curd to it, mix the stuff thoroughly. Leave the material for half an hour.
Take 2 litres of water in a vessel and put it on the stove.
When water boils well put the rice in the vessel. Take out the semi-cooked rice and spread it on the meat and spices mixture as a layer. Take some more rice and spread as second layer. Finally, spread the fully cooked rice.
Prepare a mixture of one cup of boiled water and 1/4 kg ghee and spill it on the rice.
Now put a plate on the vessel and seal the edges with dough. Put the vessel on the stove, cook for 15 minutes on medium flame.
Then turn off the stove. Leave the stuff for 15 minutes.
Hyderabadi mutton biryani is ready to serve.

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Veg Hyderabadi Biriyanis

10:01 AM | Labels: Biriyanis/Fried rices

Ingredients:

350 gms Basmati Rice
200 gms Potatoes
200 gms Carrots
100 gms Onions
4 Green Chilies
30 gms Ginger
20 gms Garlic
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Red Chili Powder
1 cup Curd
1 tsp Saffron
2 tbsp Milk
1/3 cup Mint ( Pudina leaves )
1/3 cup Coriander Leaves
4 tsp Rose Water
50 gms Cashewnuts
50 gms Almonds
25 gms Raisins
120 gms Ghee
Salt To taste

How to make hyderabad biryani :

Wash and soak the basmati rice for half an hour. Drain the water. Put the rice, some more water and add half the whole garam masala and salt in a pan.
Bring the rice to a boil and cook until the rice is done. Drain and keep aside.
Dice the peeled potatoes and carrots and wash them. Slice the onions and green chilies.
Peel ginger and garlic and chop finely. Chop the coriander and mint leaves.
Soak the almonds in water for half an hour and keep aside.
Beat the curd in a bowl and divide into two equal portions.
Dissolve saffron in warm milk and add it to one portion of the curd mixture.
Heat ghee, add the remaining garam masala and sauté over medium heat until it begins to crackle.
Add onions until golden brown. Then add green chilies, ginger, garlic and stir for a minute.
Add turmeric and chili powder, saute for half a minute add the chopped vegetables and stir for a minute.
Add the portion of plain curd, stir, add 2/3 cup water, and bring to a boil, then simmer until the vegetables are cooked.
Add the dry fruits and nuts when the vegetables are done.
In the handi with the cooked vegetables, sprinkle little saffron curd, mint and coriander.
Then spread half the rice and again sprinkle the remaining saffron-curd, mint and coriander and top it with the remaining rice.
Place a moist cloth on top, cover the lid tightly so that it gets sealed.
Put the handi on dum in a pre-heated oven for 15-20 minutes.
Serve the hyderabadi biryani hot with mint chutney and other vegtables.

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Masala Dosa

9:58 AM | Labels: Dosas

Ingredients:

Dosa shell:
1 1/2 cups rice
1/2 cup urad dal
salt to taste
Oil
Masala Filling:
2 large potatoes
1 medium onion (chopped)
1/2 teaspoon yellow split peas
1/2 teaspoon mustard seed
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1-2 green chili
1 tablespoon oil
salt to taste

Preparation:

Dosa shell

Separately soak rice and urad dal at least 6 hour or overnight in water.
Grind to paste.
Mix together, add salt with water to make batter.
Leave in room temperature overnight.
Mix onion and chilies to the thin batter.
Heat pan or griddle with little ghee or oil.
Spread the mix on pan in circular motion to make thin Dosa.
Cook on both the sides, if desired.

Masala Filling (Spicy Filling):

Heat oil. Add mustard seed, peas, onions and spice.
Fry for about 5 minutes on medium heat or/until onions are turned into golden brown
Add potatoes and mix and cook some more Serve
Add filling inside Dosa and roll. Serve hot with Chutney.

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Shammi Kebab

9:56 AM | Labels: Kebabri

Ingredients:

500 gms kheema (minced meat)
1/4 cup of Bengal gram lentil(soaked in water for 1/2 hr)
10 cloves garlic
1 tsp cumin seeds
5 pods green cardamom
2 sticks cinnamon
5 cloves
1/4 tsp turmeric pwd
1 tsp red chilli pwd
2 tbsp oil/ghee(clarified butter)
1 1/2 cup water
Mix all the above ingredients and bring to a boil and then bring to medium heat for 2 mts before reducing to low heat until all the water evaporates and the meat and dal is cooked.Stir occassionally to prevent burning.
Then add salt and blend in a mixie and knead it like a dough.Shape into round pattis.
For filling:

3 tbsp finely chopped onions
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint leaves
3 tbsp grated yogurt cheese
4 deseeded and chopped green chillis
salt
Mix all the ingredients for the filling.

Flatten the pattis and put a tbsp of the filling in the center and reshape into a patti.Refridgerate for 20-25 mts.

Pre-heat a griddle adding 2 tbsps of oil/ghee and shallow fry 3 kebabs at a time.Let them cook on low heat to medium heat.Flip over and brown both sides till golden brown.
Serve with salad,onion rings and lemon wedges.

Note:The authentic recipe calls for chunks of meat which is cooked in spices and pounded in a stone mortar.I have used minced meat out of sheer convenience..:)

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Chana Dal Payasam

9:49 AM | Labels: Sweets

Recently I have been craving to eat sweet; I was really not in the mood to eat a cookie or a cake. I just craved for something home made and something my mom used to make for us as kids. So, I decided to make chana dal payasam (we call it chanaga bedala payasam), one of my favorites. It can be enjoyed either hot or cold. The payasam is a combination of chana dal, sabudan cooked with milk in jaggery syrup. The thickness for the payasam comes from the cashew and coconut paste. A very simple but ultimate satisfying dessert.
There were few reasons I wanted to make this sweet -
It’s been almost four months I started blogging,
To satisfy my sweet tooth I was craving for and
Offering as naivedyam for the god.

Recipe:
Chana dal (pachi chanaga pappu) – 1 cup
Sago (sabudan, sabiyamu) – 1/4th cup
Jaggery- 1cup
Milk- 3 ½ cups
Water- 3 cups
Cardamom -2 (crushed)
To Grind:
Whole Cashews – 7
Grated fresh coconut – 2 to 3 tbsps (I used frozen coconut, I just put it in the microwave for 30 seconds for it to become soft)
For tempering:
Ghee- 2 tsps
Few cashews and raisins.
Cook chana dal with one cup of water in the pressure cooker. Make sure the dal still holds its shape, so its very important not to over cook it.
In a small vessel put the sabudan with one cup of water and cook in low heat for about seven minutes or until the sabudan is cooked through. Keep it on side.
In a mixer grind the cashew and coconut with half cup of milk.
In a small pan add the ghee and fry the cashew and raisins till golden brown.
Now take a vessel, add one cup of water with the jaggery and boil till the jaggery melts. Then add the cooked sabudan, mix and add the cashew-coconut paste with 3 cups of milk. Cook all these in medium heat for about ten minutes.
At this point add the cooked chana dal (with the water) and boil the whole thing in low heat for another ten minutes. At the end add the cardamom powder and fried cashew and raisins.
Let it sit for few minutes, offer as naivedyam to the god and enjoy this payasam with your loved once.
Please note that the payasam gets thicker after it’s cooked for couple of hours.

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Egg masala curry

9:45 AM | Labels: Currys

There are innnumerable ways of cooking eggs right from a simple boiled egg or bull's eye to a stuffed egg curry.Bagara Anda Masala requires the famous Indian 'Bagara masala' which is a type of Indian curry where the key flavours are coconut, tamarind, peanuts and sesame seeds. Bagara Baigan(egg plant),a Hyderabadi speciality dish is cooked with these ingredients which lends its a certain exotic rich creamy quality that no one can resist.Bagara Anda Masala is eggs cooked in peanut-sesame paste and in tamarind sauce and without the use of onions or tomatoes(onions and tomatoes are the basic ingredients for most indian curries) and believe me it tastes great.This dish goes well with flavoured rice,rotis or white rice.

Ingredients:

6 boiled eggs
1 1/2 tbsp roasted peanuts
1 1/2 tbsp sesame seeds (til,nuvvulu)
1 tbsp fresh coconut
1 tbsp poppy seeds (optional)
oil for cooking
1/4 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
pinch of methi (fenugreek seeds)
1-2 whole dry red chillis
4 garlic flakes chopped
8-10 curry leaves
2 slit green chillies
1/2 - 3/4 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp jeera pwd
1 tsp coriander pwd
1/3 tsp turmeric pwd
1 1/2 tbsp tamarind paste
1 cup water - as required
salt
1/4 tsp garam masala pwd

Heat 2 tsps oil in a pan and add the boiled eggs and fry for 2 minutes and remove.Make small slits with a knife along the length of the eggs and keep aside.

Dry roast sesame seeds and poppy seeds for 4-5 minutes. Grind sesame seeds,poppy seeds,fresh coconut and roasted peanuts to a fine paste adding some water.Keep aside.

Heat 1 1/2 tbsps oil in a pan.Add cumin seeds and let them splutter and then add methi seeds.curry leaves,dry red chilli,green chillis and chopped garlic fry for 20 seconds and then add the ground paste.Saute till oil seperates..i.e approx 7-8 minutes on medium heat and stirring it constantly so that it doesnt burn.
Now add chilli pwd,turmeric pwd,coriander pwd,cumin pwd and saute again for 30 seconds.
Add the boiled eggs and mix well.Add tamarind paste and let it cook covered for 4-5 minutes.

Now add 1 cup water and salt, cover and cook on medium flame for about 10-12 minutes. Lastly add garam masala pwd (optional).

Serve hot along with plain white rice, biryani, paratha or roti

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Mutton curry

9:43 AM | Labels: Currys

Marinate 1/2 kg (500 gms) of mutton (lamb) in 1 cup curd,1 tbsp ginger garlic paste,2 tsps coriander pwd,1/4 tsp garam masala pwd,1/4 tsp turmeric pwd,1 tsp red chilli pwd,1/2 tsp jeera pwd(cumin pwd)and salt for half an hour.
Heat 3 tbsp of oil in a cooking dish and add whole garam masala [3 green cardamoms,6 cloves,1" dalchini (cinnamon sticks)] and let them fry for 5 seconds.
Now add 1 cup of sliced onions and 3 slit green chillis and fry till transparent.
Now add the mutton marinade and mix well.Let it cook in its own water on medium heat till oil seperates.
Now add 2 cups of water,cover and cook the mutton till soft on slow fire.
Add a pinch of nutmeg pwd(called jaaji kaaya podi in telugu) before you turn off the heat.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and your mutton curry is ready to serve with hot rice or rotis.

This is a very simple and easy mutton curry that I often make.A typical andhra style mutton curry and tastes good...

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Chikkudi Kayi Vepudu (Indian Beans/Lima Beans Fry)

9:41 AM | Labels: Currys

250 gms indian beans
2 onions chopped
1 green chilli slit lengthwise
8 garlic flakes chopped finely
10 curry leaves
1 tsp cumin seeds(jeera,jeelakara)
1/2 tsp red chilli pwd
1/2 tsp coriander pwd
1/4 tsp cumin pwd
1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
1 tsp sugar(optional)
salt to taste
oil

Wash,string the beans and split each bean into two to three pieces.
Boil 2 cups water in a pot and add the beans with salt and cook with lid till almost cooked but not too soft i.e three fourth cooked.Drain.
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a vessel.Add cumin seeds and let them splutter,now add curry leaves and garlic and fry for 5 seconds.
Add the onions and fry till transparent.Add chilli pwd,coriander pwd,cumin pwd and sugar and mix well.
Add the boiled beans and cook covered for 5 minutes on low heat.Adjust salt.
Garnish with coriander leaves.

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Khatta Mitchi Masala

9:40 AM | Labels: Currys

Ingredients:

10 long green chillis (cut into 2" pieces)
1 cup chopped onions (make a coarse paste)
1/2 tsp shahjeera (black cumin seeds)
1 tbsp chopped pudina (mint leaves)
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1/2 tsp red chilli pwd
1 tsp coriander pwd
1/2 tsp cumin pwd
1/2 tsp garam masala pwd
2 tbsp tamarind paste
1 tbsp of boiled channa dal paste (boil 2 tbsp of channa dal and make a paste)
2 tbsp of khus-khus and melon seeds(magaz,dawsa ginjallu) paste(soak 2 tsps each of poppy seeds and melon seeds in little water for half an hour and make a smoothe paste)
3 tbsp oil
2 cups water
salt
chopped coriander leaves for garnish

Heat 3 tbsp oil in a pan.Add shahjeera and pudina leaves and fry for 10 seconds.
Add the coarse onion paste and fry till oil seperates.
Next add ginger garlic paste and fry till oil seperates.
Add the chopped tomatoes and mix well and fry till oil seperates.
Add chilli pwd,cumin pwd and coriander pwd and mix well.
Now add the green chilli pieces and salt, mix well.Cover and cook on slow fire till three fourth cooked.
Now add the khus-khus and melon seed paste along with boiled channa dal paste and tamarind paste.Mix well.
Add water and mix well and cook till the chillis are soft.Add garam masala towards the end and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
Serves best with hot rotis and rice/pulao.

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Cucumber chutney(Perugu pachadi)

9:36 AM | Labels: Chutnys

Cucumber Raita(Perugu Pachadi)

A solid recipe with yogurt(dahi,perugu) as the base and is a regular salad in Indian meals. Its called Raitha in North India and Pachadi in South India .Pachadis can be eaten as a salad and are usually served along with white rice, biryani and pulao (special Indian rice dishes ).Raita can be made with most vegetables like onions, cucumber, carrots or leafy vegetable.Well you can make raita with most veggies you can ever think of.

Todays recipe is Cucumber raita.Take a bowl and combine 1 cup of chopped cucumber(Kheera), 1/2 cup of chopped onions, salt and 2 cups of whipped curd (yogurt). Make a coarse paste of 2 green chillies and 1 tbsp of grated coconut(optional)and add to the yogurt mixture.You can add 1/2 cup of water if you dont want a thick raita. Garnish with fresh chopped coriander leaves (cilantro).Best served chill.

Well you can add 2 tbsp of grated carrot and 1/2 cup of chopped red tomatoes too for more flavour and color.This is a very healthy salad and good for cooling our system.South Indians season their pachadis. Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan and add 1/2 tsp of mustard seeds and let them splutter and then some curry leaves (5-6).Remove from fire and add this seasoning to the Pachadi/Raita.

I have compiled a list of some healthy personal recipes of Pachadis /Raitas made of curry leaves, coriander leaves, ridge gourd, coconut, pudina (mint leaves),ginger, tomato, groundnut, garlic, raw mango, brinjal (egg plant), seasame seeds (nuvvulu, til), onion and more veggies

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Carrot and capsicum pickle

12:16 PM | Labels: pickls

Ingredients:

Medium size carrots about 4
Small Green bell pepper – 1
Green chilles- 5
a handfull of coriander leaves
few curry leaves
Tamarind paste and salt.

Dry ingredients :

chana dal – 3 tsps
urad dal – 1 1/2 tsp
dhania and jeera – 1/2 tsp each

Take these four ingredients in a dry pan and toast them till light brown. Once warm transfer these to a mixer and grind to a fine powder.

Procedure:
Peel and chop the carrot to small pieces. chop the green bell pepper and slit the chilles.
In a pan add two tsps of oil, then add the curry leaves and green chillies. After a minute add the veggies and salt. Cover and cook till soft. Just before turning off the stove add the coriander leaves and tamarind.
Combine this mixture with the powdered dry ingredients and grind to a coarse paste.
If the mixer is not cooperating, add a bit of water. That should work.
Transfer the mixture to a bowl, adjust the seasoning and do the talimpu (tempering).. Take a tsp of oil, once hot add few mustard seeds. Then half a tsp each of chana dal, urad dal and jeera. Then add the curry leaves and a pinch of asafatedia.
Serve with chapathi or hot white rice. Also tastes great with toasted wheat bread.

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Sunnundalu(Urad dal laddu)

12:10 PM | Labels: Sweets

Urad dal, ghee and sugar
Recipe:
(makes about 17 med laddoos)
• Urad dal – 2 cups
• Sugar – 1 ¼ cup
• Ghee – ¾ th cup
• Cardamom-2 (optional)
Roast the urad dal in a low heat till golden brown. Stir continuously, it takes about 20 minutes. (My hand did hurt because of the continuous stirring, but was worth it). Let cool of completely.
Mean while, melt the ghee and let this cool also.
Now take the roasted urad dal and grind it to a smooth powder using a mixer or a food processor. (First I used the mixer, some how it wasn’t doing the job. So, I switched to the food processor). Make sure it’s nice and smooth. It’s very important that the mixture is smooth and super fine. Keep it a side.
Now add the sugar and grind it to a fine powder. Now return the urad dal mixture to the food processor and grind again. This helps the sugar and the urad dal mixture to incorporate well. At this point you can also add some crushed cardamom.
Remove this mixture to a skillet; little by little add the melted ghee till you get a consistency where you can mold them in the form of laddoo.

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black eyed peas cutlet

10:00 AM | Labels: Fast foods

I adopted this recipe from paula deen of food network. It is definitely a healthy snack and could be made with just the ingredients we have in the pantry. I am very fond of black eyed peas, i use them in many of my dishes like- sambar, curry, snack(sauteing it with some oil and chillies) and of course these cutlets.

These cutlets are very soft and must be handled with gentle care.

Makes about 10 cutlets.

Ingredients:

Black eyed peas(alasandu)- 1 cup(uncooked)
Medium green bell pepper(capscium)- 1
small onion-1
garlic cloves-2
all purpose flour(maida)-few teaspoons
crushed black pepper- 1/4 tsp
Red chillie powder- 1tsp
cilantro

Procedure:

The black eyed peas have a thinner skin, no presoaking is required before cooking. Pressure cook the black eyed peas, it should be soft but still hold its shape.
Drain the water and squeeze the peas just a little.
Now add finely chopped green bell pepper, onion, garlic, red and black pepper, cilantro and salt.
Mix it well, taste and re-season accordingly.
Now make a pattie, dust both sides of the pattie with all purpose flour(maida).
Take a non stick pan, add few teaspoons of oil and cook the pattie for three minutes on each side.
Serve with some tomato ketchup or maggi hot & sweet tomato sauce.
These cutlets are little soft immediately after cooking. If you prefer it little firm, just leave the cutlets for few minutes and then serve it.

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Poha Dosa (Atukula dosa)

9:57 AM | Labels: Dosas

Poha dosa (atululu dosa in andhra) is so soft, it just melts in your mouth. Unlike other dosas this one is little thick and soft in texture. The soft ness comes from the poha and sabudan. When ever i make this dosa it reminds me of my home town nellore – during my summer vacation i used to visit my family in nellore and my atta (aunt) used to make different types of dosas for me. In the evening’s pretty much every single day i used to buy this poha dosa, we call it rupayi dosalu (one rupee dosa).

Ingredients:

Rice- 3 cups
Poha (atukulu)- 3/4th cup
Urad dal (minna pappu)- 1/4th cup
Pearl sago (sabudan)- 1 tbsp

Procedure:

Soak all the above ingredients in water for good four hours. In a mixer grind them to a smooth paste, add salt and let the batter ferment overnight.

Take a non stick pan, pour some batter not spreading it too much. It should be little thick, as its shown below. Add some oil, close the lid and cook for a minute and then flip the other side.

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Pure Desi food

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Hyderabadi Mutton Biriyani

Veg Hyderabadi Biriyanis

Masala Dosa

Shammi Kebab

Chana Dal Payasam

Egg masala curry

Mutton curry

Chikkudi Kayi Vepudu (Indian Beans/Lima Beans Fry)

Khatta Mitchi Masala

Cucumber chutney(Perugu pachadi)

Cucumber Raita(Perugu Pachadi)

Carrot and capsicum pickle

Sunnundalu(Urad dal laddu)

black eyed peas cutlet

Poha Dosa (Atukula dosa)