Brinjal perugu pachadi (Curd chutney)

Ingredients

1 brinjal ( big one)
1 cup curd
green chillis
salt
mustard seeds,cumin seeds,oil for seasoning
turmeric

Procedure

place the brinjal on the stove directly and keep it till the outerportion burns slightly and it becomes soft. keep shifting the brinjal on the stove to make sure it is cooked on all sides.

pour 1 sp oil for seasoning. After oil is heated, add mustard seeds and cumin seeds and wait till it splutters.Chop green chillies finely and add it in the seasoning.

Take curd in a bowl and mix with little water to give a soft consistency. Add the seasoning and turmeric powder and mix well.

Peel off the brinjal and make a small paste . Mix the brinjal in the curd mixture and mix well. It can be served with roti or rice.

Bhindi fry

Ingredients:

Ladys finger - 250 grms
oil - 2 tspn
salt as per taste
seasoning :
cumin seeds - 1/4 tspn
mustard seeds - 1/4 tspn
channa dal - 1/4 tspn
red chilli powder - 1/2 tspn as per taste
turmeric - 1/4 tspn

curry powder:
urud dal - 1/2 tspn
channa dal - 1/2 tspn
coriander seeds - 1/2 tspn
pepper - 1/4 tspn
dry coconut (optional) - 2 tbspn

procedure :

dry roast the curry powder ingredients till aroma comes in. It shud be slightly golden color. make the roasted items into a fine powder and keep aside. this powder can be used later for other curries too.

wash the ladys finger and cut both the ends. slit into 4 pieces and cut them into half. this will give long thin bhindi.

In a wok add oil. once oil is heated add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, channa dal once they splutter add the bhindi, salt and fry it . cook with closed lid for 5 mins and with open lid for 5-7 mins. make sure you saute them in between so that it dosent burn. Dont mix it too much it might make the bhindi mushy.

after its fried add the curry powder, turmeric powder, chilli powder( if reqd) and salt( if needed) and mix it well. fry it for 3 mins so that bhindi is slightly roasted.

This curry can be used as side dish with rice and roti.

Mixed Vegetable Curry

I love eating wet/gravy curries either with rice or roti. But few curries are too cumbersome to prepare and take a long time, which is what I dont have in the morning rush hour.
 Coconut milk is my best friend here giving all curries a rich flavour and making the curry delicious.
So my recipes of gravy curries with coconut milk gravy is very simple and easy to prepare . This recipe uses multiple vegetables but can also try with any vegetable of choice or multiple combinations.

I prepared this for combination to eat Sponge Dosa . One might wonder if they are combination at all but it worked beautifully and I would always try sponge dosa with this curry. 
This curry can also be had with rice/roti/ any dosa.

Recipe:

Ingredients:

Potato - 2
cauliflower - 1/4
tomato - 1 big
carrot - 1
green peas - 1/2 cup
onion - 1
green chillies - 2

coconut milk - 1/4 cup
cashews - 10

cumin seeds - 1/4 tspn
ginger garlic paste - 1 tspn
garam masala - 1/4 tspn
coriander powder - 1/2 tspn
amchur - 1/4 tspn
chilli powder - 1/2 tpsn

oil - 2 tbspn
water as needed for cooking.

Procedure:

• Cut all vegetables into medium sized pieces.
• finely chop green chillies and long slit cut onions.
• In a wok add oil and once heated add cumin seeds.
• add cashwes, green chillies and fry it till cashews are roasted.
• add onions and ginger garlic paste and fry till translucent.
• Add tomatoes and little salt and fry till tomatoes are cooked.
• Add the remaining vegetables and all the masala powders, salt and fry it.
• Add water till the vegetables are drowned and cook with close lid in high flame for 15 minutes till they are cooked.
• Add coconut milk and cook it for another 10 minutes.
• Adjust salt or chilli powder as per taste.
• Alternative option: add all vegetables ,coconut milk and cook in pressure cooker.

Sorakaya Pulsukura (Bottle guard gravy curry)

 Bottle gourd is extremely popular for reducing high blood pressure and keeping heart healthy. It has a lot of vitamins and minerals and extremely popular for weight loss as well.

This is very simple and easy dish to make especially when very tired . It tastes delicious with both roti and rice.

 This type of puluskura is very popular in Andhra and can be made with other leafy vegetables like gongura &Thotakura (Amaranthus)



Recipe:

Ingredients:

 Bottle gourd (size: medium )
 Tomato            - 1
 Onion              - 1 (Big)
 Green chillies - 3 big

 Seasoning:
 Mustard seeds - 1/2 tspn
 Cumin seeds  - 1/2 tspn
 fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tspn
 Split urud dal - 1/2 tspn
 Channa dal  - 1/2 tspn
 Hing (Asafoetida)

 Turmeric - a pinch 
 Oil     - 2 tspn
 Tamarind juice - 2 tspn
 whole wheat flour - 1 tspn

Procedure :

• Chop green chillies.

• Cut Bottle gourd and tomato into small pieces

• Chop onions fine and long , so they are visible in the bottle gourd pieces.

• In a small pressure cooker , add 2 tspn oil. Once heated, add the seasoning ingredients

• Once the mustard seeds splutter , add the chopped onion , a pinch of salt and fry them till transparent.

• Add the tomato pieces and stir 

• Once cooked, Add bottle gourd pieces and add water till the pieces are slightly visible.

• Either put the cooker lid on and wait for one whistle or put a normal plate as a lid and check till it cooks.

• By the time the pieces cook , take a small bowl, add one tspn of whole wheat flour and water , mix till its a thick liquid.Keep it aside. This liquid is used to thicken the gravy, once the pieces are cooked in the water.

• By the time the pieces cook ,soak tamarind in water and make a thick juice by pressing tamarind in water.

• Once the pieces are cooked, add tamarind juice ,salt  and a pinch of turmeric.

• Mix the gravy and add a tspn of whole wheat flour water to let the gravy thicken.

• Add coriander leaves or kasuri methi for garnishing 

• Can be had with roti or rice .

Spicy Potato curry

Ingredients:

potatoes – 1/4 kg (around 3-4)
onions - 2 medium
salt
chillies - 6 (for spicy)  
ginger - just a small piece about 1/2 inch 
kasuri methi or corriander - for garnishing
cumin seeds
mustard seeds.
Turmeric 
Asafoetida (Hing)
oil – 1-2 tbspn

procedure:

1. wash the  potatoes and boil them till fully boiled. Don't boil in pressure cooker the potatoes might become soft . Boil it separately on stove.

2. Chop the onions into fine pieces.

3. mash the ginger and chillies in a small mortar and pestle.

4.Once cooled , peel the potatoes and cut them into medium sized pieces (around 16 pieces per potato)

5. in a wok add oil and add cumin , mustard seeds and a pinch of hing. After it splutters add the finely chopped onions and fry till they turn transparent. Add a pinch of  turmeric for good color.

 6. Then add boiled potato pieces and the chill-ginger paste.  Stir the potatoes to mix the chilli- ginger paste well into them ,by keeping the stove in low flame. 

7. once its properly mixed , add salt and garnish with corriander or kasuri methi .

This can be had as dry curry with any rice or roti.

beerakaya pappu koora /Ridge gourd curry with lentils

Ridge gourd has so many curries to its name yet very few people use it in their daily cooking. Its easy to cook and has very cooling effect on the body and can be given to young kids and toddlers too.

This is a very simple and easy dish to prepare especially when you are running to work and need to cook something. It takes great with both roti and rice making it even better.

This mode of cooking pappu koora or curry with lentils is popular in andhra and tamilnadu. This variety recipe can be made with other vegetables like cauliflower and cabbage. 

Ingredients:

ridge gourd- 1
channa dal - 1/4 cup
onion -1 big
salt
turmeric powder  a pinch
chilli powder - 1/4 tspn

Seasoning:
green chillies
mustard seeds
cumin seeds

Procedure:

1. Peel and cut the ridge gourd into small pieces .
2. Peel the onion and chop roughly.
3.  Add beerakaya ,channa dal , onion and turmeric and cook in pressure cooker for 3 whistles.
4. Alternatively this can be cooked with water on high flame in a wok but it might take more time to cook around 20  minutes atleast.
5. Once the vegetables are cooked keep aside and let it cool.
6. Add oil in wok and add seasoning and put this beerakaya mixture and mix well.cook for 10 mins on medium flame.
7. Add salt as need and use chilli powder is spiciness is not sufficient.
8. this is good to eat with roti or rice.

Baigan ka Bharta

Ingredients:

Aubergine - 1 large
onions- 1
tomato -1
coriander leaves finely chopped - 1tbspn
green chillies - 2 finely chopped

for seasoning
bengal gram - 1 tbspn
mustard seeds - 1tspn
cumin seeds - 1 tspn
salt
oil - 2 tbspn

Procedure::

Clean the aubergine and heat it directly over stove/fire or you can smoke it.Change the positions to cook all sides. The skin might be slightly burnt but this is hows its supposed to be.Keep it aside for 5 mins before peeling the skin.
After peeling the sin slightly mash it with some pieces visible.

Add oil in a wok and add bengal gram,mustard,cumin seeds and green chillies. after the mustard seeds start to splutter add onions and fry till transluscent. add tomatoes and salt and cook with closed lid for 5 mins. add the mashed aubergine and coriander leaves and mix it well and cook for 2 mins.

This can be had as side dish either with chapati/roti/rice.

Chemagadda (Colocasia) pulusu

Ingredients:

colocasia -1/2 kg
tomato -2
onions - 2
tamarind jus - 1/2 cup
salt
chilli powder - 2 tbspn
curry leaves - 4-5
mustard seeds - 1/2 tspn
cumin seeds - 1/2 tspn

sugar/jaggery - 1 tbspn

Procedure:

Clean the colocasia well and boil them till almost done and keep aside. It should not be completely boiled else it will get smashed easily as it will boil along with pulusu.

in a handi pour some oil for seasoning and add mustard and cumin seeds, curry leaves.
once it splutters add onions and fry till tansluscent.
add chopped tomatoes and fry till tomatoes goes soft.
add the tamarind jus, salt and chilli powder . add some water so that its not thick.
boil it for 15 mins till its not too thin.

add some sugar/jaggery to get slight sweetness.

Peel the skin of colocasia and add them to pulusu.
boil for 15 mins on medium flame till colocasia absorbs the pulusu.

beerakaya pala koora (Ridge gourd curry with milk)

There are thousands of vegetarian dishes out there it still amazes me to find new ones everyday. Ive learnt too many dishes from my mother and sisters now my mother-in-law has been another cooking guru of me. She made amazing dishes when they came to visit us which were completely different from what my mom used to make. So ive started writing down all her recipes and trying it out one by one.This dish has captured my appetite too well that ive made it numerous times after her visit. Never I imaged that a dish with ridge gourd can be soo interesting and ive always cooked only dal with this vegetable.

Aloo ginger chilli curry

Ingredients:

aloo - 4
green chillies- 3 (based on spiciness)
ginger- small piece.
salt
turmeric powder
mustard seeds
cumin seeds
channa dal

Procedure:

aloo ni cooker lo udakabettali.
challaraka peel chesi pakkana petukovali

pachi mirchi and allam ni mixie cheyali.

banali lo oil vesi tiragamatha lo aavalu, jeelakarra and senagabedalu veyali.
chitapataladaka allam pachi mirchi paste vesi kasepu veyinchali pachi vasana poyevaraku.

tarvatha boiled aloo ni pieces ga cut chesi induko veyali.

salt and pasupu vesi baga kalapali.
5 mins medium flame lo fry cheyali.

idi rice and roti ki baguntundi

Dum Aloo

Ingredients:

15 small Potatoes, boiled in salted water
1 large Onion, finely chopped
3/4 cup thick Curd (yogurt)
1 Bay Leaf
1 pinch Asafoetida
1 teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
1/4 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
1 tablespoon Ginger Garlic Paste
1 tablespoon Coriander Seeds
1/2 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
1 pod Green Cardamom
1 small piece of Cinnamon
4 Cloves
8-10 Cashew Nuts
1/2 tablespoon Kasuri Methi (Dried Fenugreek Leaves)
1 teaspoon Sugar (optional)
5 tablespoons Cooking Oil
2 tablespoons Coriander Leaves, chopped
Salt

Directions:
step-1
Peel boiled potatoes and prick them with a fork.
step-2
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a pan. Add boiled potatoes and shallow fry them over medium heat until they turn light brown. Drain and transfer to plate.
step-3
Grind coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cardamom pod, cinnamon, cloves and cashew nuts into a dry mix powder. Keep aside until called for use.
step-4
Take remaining 3 tablespoons oil in same kadai and heat it. Add a pinch of asafoetida and sauté for 8-10 seconds. Add bay leaves and finely chopped onion, sauté until onion turns light brown or for approx. 1-2 minutes. Add ginger garlic paste and sauté for 30 seconds.
step-5
Add dry mix powder (prepared in step 3) and sauté for a minute.
step-6
Beat curd and slowly add it in kadai. Add turmeric powder and red chilli powder and mix again.
step-7
Stir continuously for 2-3 minutes or until oil starts to separate.
step-8
Add shallow fried potatoes, kasuri methi, sugar and salt, cook on low heat for 2 minutes.
step-9
Add 3/4 cup water and bring it to boil.
step-10
When it starts to boil, cook covered on low flame until you get the desired consistency of gravy. Turn off the heat and transfer to a serving bowl.
l_step
Garnish punjabi dum aloo with coriander leaves, serve hot.
Tips and Variations:
Deep-fry raw potatoes instead of shallow frying boiled potatoes for a change in texture.
Use groundnut oil for aromatic flavor.
Make sure that curd is not sour otherwise curry will taste sour.
Taste: Nice aroma of spices with a touch of kasuri methi and curd based gravy.
Serving Ideas: Most of the Punjabi curries are main course food items and this curry is no exception. Serve it with any of Amritsari kulcha, butter naan, tanduri roti, lachha paratha or steamed rice for lunch or dinner.

Chow chow curry

When it comes to making side dishes there are thousands of dishes available in Indian cuisine that too vegetarian varying across different parts of India.Each vegetable has numerous dishes to its name made in completely different ways.
ChowChow is one vegetable we dont use regularly in our house but I like its taste. In our college hostel cafeteria they use to make from curry to chutney everything with chowchow. Going to a grocery store it caught my eye and got me thinking why I dont use this vegetable much.Started of with basic chowchow curry.

Ingredients:

Chow chow- 1
onion -1 big
tomato -1 big
green chillies - 2

seasoning

channa dal - 1 tspn
mustard seeds - 1tspn
coriander seeds - 1 tspn

salt - 1 tspn (to taste)
turmeric powder - 1/2 tspn
chilli powder - 1/2 tspn
coriander powder - 1/2 tspn
oil - 2 tbspn
water - 1/4 cup

Procedure:

Peel the chowchow and cut into medium size pieces.cut onions long and dice tomatoes.finely chop green chillies.

In a wok add oil . once the oil is heated add channa dal,mustard and coriander seeds. once the mustard seeds splutter add green chillies and fry for a minute. add onions and fry till transluscent.

add tomatoes and salt and fry for a minute. cook with closed lid for 2 mins.

mash the tomatoes and onions with spatula lightly.

add the chowchow pieces and water and cook with closed lid for 10 mins. Check in between to see if water is evaporated. If so add water. The curry shudnt be too runny nor solid.

Once the chowchow is cooked well add coriander powder,turmeric powder and chilli powder(check the spiciness before adding this) and mix well and cook with closed lid for 2 mins.add more salt if required.

If its too spicy for your taste you can add curd/yoghurt to reduce the spiciness.

This can be had as side dish with roti/chapati/rice.

Veyinchina pappu (fried dal)

Ingredients:

toor dal- 1 cup

onion -1

tomato -1

garlic - 4-5 pods

red chillies - 5-7

tamarind- gooseberry size.

oil - 2tbspn

salt

seasoning:

mustard seeds - 1/2 tspn

cumin seeds - 1/2 tspn

channa dal - 1/2 tspn

Procedure:

Take a wok add 1 tbspn of oil

Add all the ingredients except salt and fry for 5 minutes.

Once is fried and the dal is roasted add them in a pressure cooker add some water and cook the dal for 3-4 whistles.

Once its cooked add the seasoning to it.

You can use the same wok which we fried..

add oil and once heated add the seasoning ingredients.

Once the splutter add the cooked dal ,salt and let it cook for 2 minutes.

aratikaya coconut curry

Ingredients:

Raw banana - 2

Onion big -1

coconut milk - 1/4 cup

salt as per taste

chilli powder - 1/2 tspn

turmeric- 1/4 tspn

cumin seeds - 1/2 tspn

mustard seeds - 1/2 tspn

oil - 1 tbspn

Procedure:

Peel the banana and chop them into small pieces and keep them in water to avoid becoming dark.

finely chop the onions.

In a wok add oil. Once heated add cumin seeds and mustard seeds.

Once they splutter add the onions and some salt,turmeric and fry them till golden color.

Drain the water from chopped banana and add it to the wok.

add the coconut milk to the wok.. and add water if needed.

close the lid and let it cook for around 10 mins.

Add chilli powder and let it cook for around a minute till the banana is cooked.

Can top it off with coriander leaves if desired.

Aratikaya curry (Raw Banana Curry)

Very few know that raw bananas can be used to make delicious curries which can be had with rice or Roti. Here is the recipe for a simple and tasty curry made of raw banana

Ingredients:

Raw banana (boiled)

salt and chilli powder

mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetadia

coriander leaves for garnishing

Procedure:

Peel the raw banana and cut into pieces. Boil the Raw Banana until it is half boiled.

Now put some oil in a pan and add the seeds for seasoning. Once the mustard seeds start to split, add the half boiled pieces, add salt and chilli powder (and bit of turmeric) and place the lid.

Let it cook for five mins. Tasty banana curry is ready!!

You could add onions also if you like, You could also add a bit of turmeric juice if you like bit of sour taste,

Potlakaya (Snake gourd) podi koora

ingredients: 

potlakayalu - 2 (snake gourd)

 onions- 1

 cumin seeds - 1/2 tspn

mustard seeds - 1/4 tspn

 turmeric powder  - a pinch

chilli powder/green chillies 

senaga podi * - 2 tbspn 

procedure: 

Take the snake gourd and finely chop them.

 cut onions into thin slices. 

add potlakaya and onions and mash well till the water comes out. 

In a wok add oil and add seasoning cumin ,mustard seeds and channa dal .

After splutters add the veggies and mix well. 

fry for 10 mins till its cooked. 

add senaga podi at the end and mix it well. fry for another 5 mins.

Note:

senaga podi  is powder made with dahlia dal.

to make senaga podi ( dahlia dal powder)

dahlia dal - 1/4 cup

salt - 1/2 tspn

chilli powder - 1 tspn

cumin seeds - 1/2 tspn

garlic ( if desired) - 3 pods

put all ingredients in a blender and make into a powder.Can be stored and used later.

guthi vankaya (stuffed brinjal)

Stuffed Brinjal/Gutti Vankaya is the tastiest dish with its heavenly deliciousness, A recipe passed over by my mother along with some of her childhood stories to go with it. It is my mother's favourite dish and also my uncles' as she says, Here is the recipe for you all

Ingredients:
Green brinjals (7 to 8 - tender ones)
oil - 3 to 4 tbspns

For stuffing:
Urad dal (minappappu) - 3 tsp
Split chick peas (Senagabedalu) - 3 tsp
coriander seeds (dhaniyalu)  - 1tsp
dried coconut
Red chillies (dried) - 20
small piece of tamarind
Onions - 3

PROCEDURE:
1. Dry roast the urad dal, split chick peas coriander seeds, red chillies and dried coconut.
2. Grind it into fine powder.
3. Now add onions to the powder, some salt and grind into smooth paste.
4. Now take the brinjals and make 2 cuts into the brinjal to make space for stuffing.
5. Now stuff the brinjals with the stuffing
6. Now take a flat bottomed pan and put some oil and let it heat. Place the stuffed brinjals in the pan and some oil on them.
7. Cover it with a lid and let it cook properly. After a while, open the lid and turn the brinjals around to cook the other side also,
8. After it is all cooked (brinjals should change color) , switch off the stove and pour the remaining paste (if left out) on the brinjals and close the lid
Note: Do not put the excess paste in the pan in the beginning itself. It will get burnt by the time the brinjals get cooked.

Egg Curry

Ingredients:

eggs- 4

tomato - 1 big

onions- 1 big

coconut milk - 3 tbspn

ginger garlic paste - 1 tbspn

mustard seeds- 1/4 tspn

cumin seeds- 1/2 tspn

green chilli - 1

chilli powder - 1/2 tspn

salt as needed ( 1/2 tspn)

water

oil - 1 tbspn

Aloo chips curry

Ingredients:
aloo – 4
tomato – 2
onions- 2
red chilli powder
turmeric powder
mustard seeds
cumin seeds
channa dal
.coriander leaves – optional

procedure:
wash and peel the potatoes and cut into medium slices as sliced for bajji/chips
cut the onions into thin slices and finely chop tomatoes.
add oil in a wok and add the seasonings channa dal, mustard and cumin seeds.
after they splutter add the onions and fry till transluscent.
add the chopped tomatoes and add some salt and cook with closed lid for 3 mins.
once the tomatoes become soft add the aloo chips.mix well and cook with closed lid for 10 mins till aloo is cooked.
add the chilli powder and turmeric powder and mix well and cook for 2 mins without lid.
this can be had with roti or rice.

Aloo kaju masala (Potato cashewnut curry)

A simple yet rich curry dish to accompany your roti or enhance your rice. If you loved eating kaju curries in restaurant try this and you would now love to make it at home instead.
If you are diet conscious then make sure to reduce ghee and oil. 

Ingredients:

Potatoes - 2
cashewnuts - 5 tbspn
onions - 2
tomatoes -2
garlic -10 pods
ginger - 1 small
cinnamon stick - 1
garam masala - 1 tspn
coriander powder - 1tbspn
ghee - 1 tbspn
oil - 2 tbspn