Bendakaya Pulusu/ Okra in Tamarind Gravy

Ingredients:
Bendakaya/Okra/Ladies Finger - 1/4 kg
Onion- 1 (small)
Red Chillies - 2
Chana Dal - 1 tsp
Urad Dal - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Green chillies - 4
Curry leaves
Turmeric
Chilli powder - 2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Tamraind - small (lemon size)
water
Coriander leaves

Preparation:
1. Wash okra, pat dry and cut them into 1 inch pieces.
2. Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add red chilli, Chana Dal, Urad Dal, Mustard seeds and Cumin seeds.
3. When mustard seeds start to crackle add curry leaves, green chilli and onions and fry till onions are tender.
4. Add turmeric and mix well. Now add Okra pieces and cook for a few minutes.
5. Soak tamarind in water and extract the pulp. Add tamarind pulp along with salt and chilli powder.
6. Add 3 cups of water and pressure cook for 1 or 2 whistles. After the pressure goes off, boil it till you get the desired consistency.
7. Finally garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice.
This tastes very good when combined with Muddapappu (Pressure cooked Toor Dal).

Beerakaya Gasagasalu Koora/ Ridge Gourd & Poppy Seed Curry

Ingredients:
Beerakaya - 2 (peel the outer ridges)
Onion- 1
Red Chillies - 2
Chana Dal - 1 tsp
Urad Dal - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Green chillies - 4
Curry leaves
Turmeric
Chilli powder - 2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Poppy Seeds - 1/4 cup
water - 1/4 cup
Coriander leaves

Preparation:
1. Dry roast poppy seeds in a skillet. Let them cool and grind to make a smooth powder.
2. Cut ridge gourd and onion into pieces.
3. Take oil in a pan and add red chilli, chana dal, urad dal, mustard seeds, cumin seeds.
4. When mustard seeds start to crackle add green chilli, curry leaves, onions and turmeric and fry till the onions are tender.
5. Add ridge gourd pieces and cook covered till tender.
6. Add Poppy seed powder, salt, chilli powder and water and cook covered on medium heat stirring occasionally until the gravy thickens.
7. Finally garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or chapathi

Courtesy: Mahanandi by Indira

Sugar Snap Peas Curry

Ingredients:
Sugar Snap Peas - 4 cups
Onion - 1
Tomato - 2
Green chillies - 4
Curry leaves - 5
Red chillies - 2
Urad Dal - 1 tsp
Chana Dal - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 2 tsp
Salt
Oil
water - 2 cups

Preparation:
1. Cut sugar snap peas and onions.
2. Heat oil and add Red chillies, Urad dal, Chana Dal, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and let the mustard seeds splitter.
3. Add onions, green chillies and curry leaves and fry till onions are transculent.
4. Add sugar snap peas and cook for a few minutes.
5. Add tomatoes, salt, chilli powder and water and cook till the peas are done.
6. Garnish with coriander and serve hot with roti.

Sambar

Ingredients:
Toor Dal/Kandipappu - 1 cup
Onion - 1
Drum sticks - 4
Green chilli - 4
Carrot - 1
Tomato - 1
Tamarind juice
Red chillies - 2
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder - 2 tsp
Garlic cloves - 2
Turmeric
Salt
Water
Curry leaves - 3-4
Coriander - finely chopped

Preparation:
1. Pressure cook toor dal for 2-3 whistles. Then take it out from the cooker and mash it to a paste.
2. cut onions, green chilli, carrot and tomato.
3. Take the tamarind and make juice from it by adding water.
4. In a pressure pan take some oil, add green chilli and onions.
5. After the onions are cooked add turmeric, carrots and drumsticks. Finally add tomato and let them fry for few minutes until the raw smell goes off.
6. Then add the required amount of water and let it boil for some time.
7. Add salt and red chilli powder along with mashed dal and let it cook for some more time.
8. Add tamarind juice and boil it till you get the desired consistency.
9. Heat oil in another pan and add red chillies, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves and garlic cloves and add it to the sambar.
10. Finally garnish with coriander leaves.

Peanut Chutney

Ingredients:
Peanuts - 1 cup
Green chillies - 10
Tamarind
Salt
Garlic - a small piece
oil
red chillies - 2
mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
curry leaves - 3-4
Coriander leaves

Preparation:
1. Roast peanuts and green chillies in a skillet. Let them dry.
2. Take a mixer add the peanuts, green chillies, tamarind, garlic clove, salt and water and blend it into a smooth paste.
3. Heat oil in a pan and add red chillies, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves.
4. Mix it with the paste and garnish it with finely chopped coriander leaves
5. This goes good with idli or dosa.

Mirchi Bajji

Ingredients:
Bajji Mirchi - 15
Sesame seeds - 2 tbsp
Coriander seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Coconut powder - 2 tsp
Tamarind juice - 2 tbsp
Ajwain powder - 2 tsp
Salt
Senagapindi/Gram Flour - 3 cups
Rice Flour - 1 cup
Baking powder - a pinch
Oil for fying

Preparation:
1. Dry roast sesame seeds, coriander seeds and grind them to a smooth powder along with cumin seeds, ajwain powder, salt. Remove from the jar and add tamarind juice and mix well.
2. Wash and dry green chillies, and make a slit length wise in the middle with a knife.
3. Remove the seeds from the chillies.
4. Stuff the chillies with the masala.
5. For the batter mix gram flour, rice flour, salt and baking powder with water.
6. The batter should be thick.
7. Heat oil in a pan, dip the chilli in the batter and fry in the oil until it is light golden in color.
8. Remove it. Let it cool. Then cut each bajji in half and fry each piece in oil until they are golden in color.

Gummadikaya (Pumpkin) Curry

Ingredients:
Gummadikaya (Pumpkin) - 1 small
Tomato - 1
Onion - 1
Green chillies - 3
Urad Dal - 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Red chillies - 2
Jaggery - 1 tsp (grated)
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves
Oil
Salt
Coriander leaves

Preparation:
1. Peel and chop the pumpkin into small cubes.
2. Heat oil in a pan. Add the urad dal, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, red chillies and curry leaves and fry till the mustard seeds splutter.
3. Add the chopped onions and green chillies and fry till onions are transparent.
4. Add the turmeric, pumpkin cubes and let it cook covered on low heat.
5. Add tomato, salt, chilli powder, coriander powder and jaggery.
6. Cover and cook them till pumpkin is soft and cooked. If required add 1/2 cup water.
7. Finally garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or roti.

Dosakaya (Cucumber) Dal

Ingredients:
Toor Dal - 1 cup
Cucumber - 1
Onion - 1
Red Chilli - 1
Green chilli - 2
Tamarind juice
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Turmeric
Curry leaves
Garlic cloves - 2
Salt
Water - 2 cups
Coriander leaves - chopped

Preparation:
1. Peel the outer skin and remove the seeds of the cucumber. Cut into cubes.
2. Pressure cook Toor dal, cucumber slices, onions and green chillies for 2-3 whistles.
3. Once the dal is cooked, add the tamarind juice, turmeric, salt and chilli powder.
4. Heat oil in another pan and add red chilli, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, garlic cloves and curry leaves.
5. Mix them with the dal and cook it on a low flame.
6. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice.

Beetroot Curry

Ingredients:
Beetroot - 5 (small)
Onion- 1
Red Chillies - 2
Chana Dal - 1 tsp
Urad Dal - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Green chillies - 4
Curry leaves
Turmeric
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste

Preparation:
1. Peel the outer skin and cut the beetroot into small pieces.
2. Cut onion and green chillies.
3. Take oil in a pan and add red chilli, chana dal, urad dal, mustard seeds, cumin seeds.
4. When mustard seeds start to crackle add green chilli, curry leaves, onions and turmeric and fry till the onions are tender.
5. Add beetroot pieces and cook covered till tender.
6. Add salt and chilli powder and cook covered on medium heat stirring occasionally.
7. Finally garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or chapathi

Idli

Ingredients:
Urad Dal - 1 cup
Idli Rava - 3 cups
Salt

Preparation:
1. Soak Urad Dal and Idli Rava separately in water for 4-5 hrs.
2. Grind Urad Dal to a smooth batter.
3. Remove the batter from the grinder and then mix the idli rava after removing the water completely from idly rava.
4. Let the batter ferment overnight.
5. Next morning add water and salt to the batter.
6. Grease the idli plates with oil/ghee and then fill them with batter.
7. Fill a pressure cooker/or any idli vessel with water and place the idli plates in the pressure cooker.
8. Let them cook for 10 min.
9. Remove them from the cooker and serve hot with your favorite chutney.

Fish Fry / Chepala Vepudu

Ingredients:
Fish fillets - 5
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Red Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
salt
Onion (chopped) - 2 tbsp
oil
Coriander

Preparation:
1. Clean fish.
2. For the marinade make a paste of the following: onions, turmeric, red chilli powder, ginger garlic paste, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala and salt.
3. Apply the marinade to all the fish fillets and keep aside for 20 minutes.
4. Heat oil add the marinated fish fillets and cook them on slow fire for 7-8 minutes. 5. Flip over and let them cook on the other side for 4-5 minutes.
6. Garnish with coriander and serve hot with rice.

Beerakaya (Ridge Gourd) Koora

Ingredients:
Beerakaya - 2 (peel the outer ridges)
Onion- 1
Red Chillies - 2
Chana Dal - 1 tsp
Urad Dal - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Green chillies - 4
Curry leaves
Turmeric
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste

Preparation:
1. Cut ridge gourd and onion into pieces.
2. Take oil in a pan and add red chilli, chana dal, urad dal, mustard seeds, cumin seeds.
3. When mustard seeds start to crackle add green chilli, curry leaves, onions and turmeric and fry till the onions are tender.
4. Add ridge gourd pieces and cook covered till tender.
5. Add salt and chilli powder and cook covered on medium heat stirring occasionally.
6. Finally garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or chapathi

Palak (Spinach) Paratha

Ingredients:
Spinach - finely chopped
Wheat flour - 2 cups
Chilli powder
Salt
Lukewarm water
Oil

Preparation:
1. Make a soft dough with all the ingredients and let it sit for atleast 30 mins.
2. Make small balls with the dough and roll each ball on a lightly floured surface into thin circle.
3. When the pan is hot, place the paratha.
4. Cook it for 30 seconds and then flip and cook the other side by applying a few drops of oil and again flip it.
5. Serve hot.

Egg Puffs

Ingredients:
Puff Pastry sheets(pepperidge farm)
Boiled Eggs cut into half - 5
Chilli powder
Aluminium foil
Salt to taste

Prepartion:
1. Thaw the pastry sheets following the instructions on the box.
2. Cut the pastry sheet lengthwise into 3.
3. Take a piece of sheet and keep 1/2 egg slice in first half of the sheet and add a little salt and chilli powder to it and cover it with other half.
4. Seal the edges using water.
5. Place an aluminium foil on a baking tray and keep the pastry in the baking tray
6. Preheat the oven to 400C and then place the baking tray in oven and wait for 15-20 min. or until the puffs turn golden brown.
7. serve with tomato ketchup.

Tomato Moong Dal (Pesarapappu)

Ingredients:
Moong Dal - 1 cup
Tomato - 1
Onion - 1
Red Chilli - 1
Green chilli - 2
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Turmeric
Curry leaves
Salt
Water - 2 cups
Coriander leaves - chopped

Preparation:
1. In a pan take oil and add red chilli, mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
2. When cumin seeds start splutter and curry leaves, green chilli, onions and turmeric and fry till onions are tender.
3. Add tomato and moong dal
4. After 5 minutes add water and cook them covered under medium heat until you get the desired consistency.
5. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice.

Vankaya (Eggplant) Curry

Ingredients:
Eggplant - 1
Peas - 1 cup
Onion - 1
Chana Dal - 1 tsp
Urad Dal - 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Red chilli - 2
Green Chilli - 2
Curry leaves
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Tomato - 1
Salt
chilli powder - 1 tsp
coriander leaves - chopped

Preparation:
1. Cut eggpalant and onion into pieces.
2. Take oil in a pan and add red chilli, chana dal, urad dal, mustard seeds, cumin seeds.
3. When mustard seeds start to crackle add green chilli, curry leaves, onions and turmeric and fry till the onions are tender.
4. Add eggplant and peas and cook covered till tender.
5. Add tomato, salt and chilli powder and cook covered on medium heat stirring occasionally.
6. Finally garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or chapathi

Chapathi

Ingredients:
Wheat Flour (Atta) - 2 cups
Salt
Lukewarm water

Preparation:
1. Mix Wheat Flour, salt by adding water in a mixing bowl to make a smooth dough.
2. Knead the dough for atleast 10-15 min.
3. Close it and leave it for an hour.
4. Make equal size balls.
5. Roll each ball on a lightly floured surface into thin circle.
6. Heat the griddle.
7. When the griddle is hot place the chapati on the griddle.
8. Cook it for 30 seconds and then flip and cook the other side

Cabbage Moongdal (Pesarapappu) Curry

Ingredients:
Cabbage - 1
Moongdal - 1 cup
Red Chilli - 1
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Onion - 1
Green Chilli - 2
Curry leaves - 3-4
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1/4 tsp
chili powder - 1 tsp
salt to taste
coriander leaves - chopped

Preparation:
1. Soak moongdal in water for 30 minutes
2. Chop the cabbage and cook it in microwave for 5 minutes
3. Take 2tsp oil in a pan and add red chili, mustard seeds, cumin seeds.
4. When Mustard seeds start to crackle, add curry leaves, green chilli, onions and turmeric and fry till the onions are tender.
5. Add ginger garlic paste and mix well.
6. Squeeze all the water from the cabbage and add it to the above mixture along with moong dal.
7. Add salt and chilli powder and cook it on a medium heat.
8. Finally garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or chapathi.

Cauliflower Potato Curry

Ingredients:
Red Chilli - 1 (long)
Chana Dal - 1 tsp
Urad Dal - 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Onion - 1
Curry leaves - few
Green Chilli - 2
Cauliflower - 1
Potato - 2
Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
coriander leaves - chopped

Preparation:
1. Cut the cauliflower and potato into medium size cubes and wash them.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add red chilli, chana dal, urad dal, mustard and cumin seeds.
3. When mustard seeds starts to crackle add curry leaves, green chilli, onions and turmeric and fry till onions are tender.
4. Add Cauliflower, potato. Cook covered until tender.
5. Add salt and chilli powder
6. Cover and cook on medium heat.
7. Finally garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or chapathi.

Semiya (Vermicelli) Upma

Ingredients:
Vermicelli - 2 cups
Red chilli - 1
Chana Dal - l tsp
Urad Dal - 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cashewnuts - 2tsp
Onion - 1 (small)
Green Chillies - 2
curry leaves
Turmeric - 1/4tsp
Carrot - 1
Peas - 1/4 cup
Tomato - 1
Water - 4 cups
salt to taste

Preparation:
1. Fry vermicelli until it turns golden brown in color and keep it aside
2. Chop the onion, green chillies, carrot, tomato into small pieces
3. Heat oil and add Red chilli, chana dal, Urad Dal, Mustard Seeds. When Mustard seeds start to crackle add cashwenuts.
4. Add curry leaves, green chillies, onions and turmeric and fry till the onions are tender.
5. Add carrots and peas and fry them for 1-2 minutes.
6. Add 4 cups of water and let the water boil. Add salt.
7. Add vermicelli and let it cook until the water evaporates.

Dosa

Ingredients:
Urad Dal: 1 cup
Rice: 3 cups
Oil
Salt

Preparation:
1. Soak Urad Dal and Rice in water for 4-5 hrs.
2. Grind Urad Dal and Rice to a paster and let the batter ferment overnight.
3. Next morning add water and salt to the batter.
4. Take a pan and pour a spoonful of batter in the center and spread it to make it round. Pour oil on it.
5. You can cook on both sides if desired and remove it when it is crisp.
6. Serve hot with chutney.