Kitchen-Kollections

Sankrathi Shubakankshalu

Today is special day for all south indians as its sankranthi or pongal festival. Its actually called makara sankranthi..on this day, sun enters makara i.e. capricorn sign – 10th sign of the zodiac. This is the day when ladies of the house makes lot of tasty dishes! One of them is minapa garelu. Here is the recipe…

Ingredients

1 cup Urad dal
2 Green chillies
1 big Onioin finely chopped
1 tbsp small pieces of ginger
Salt – According to taste
Jeera
Oil

Method

• Soak Urad dal in water for about four hours.

• Drain the water completely and grind the dal adding some salt (Dont use water while grinding).

• Add finely chopped onions, green chillies, ginger pieces and jeera to the dough. You can add a little chilli powder too. Then make the dough into the the shape of vada. You can do this on a ziplock bag easily.

• Deep fry till golden brown. Serve hot with coconut chutney.

ENJOY!!!!!

I finally made cheese straws at home..i used to dream abt making these…:) it reminds me of my good old campus life..and RAINBOW!! I miss delhi…. :)

Ingredients

Pastry sheets
1 cup shredded cheese (parmesan,cheddar or pepperjack)
Salt to taste
1 tsp pepper
1 Egg yolk mixed with 1/2 tsp water and whisk it well.

Method

• Take out the pastry sheets from the packet and cut the sheets into three rectangular sheets.

• Take one of the sheet and apply one coat of egg yolk. Sprinkle salt and pepper. Sprinkle cheese evenly.

• Cut small perpendicular pieces..and twist like a roll and place them on a parchment paper lined tray

• Bake at 350F for 15 min..Take them out and cool it on a rack.

• Savor the straws with hot hot ginger flavored tea

My attempt at making andhra style pretzels i had fun making them…

Ingredients

3/4 cup rice flour
1/4 cup maida
1 tsp aijwain or vamu
2 tsp sesame seeds or nuvvulu
Salt to taste
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 cup water
1 cup oil for deep frying

Method

• Boil 1 cup of water in a pan and add salt to it. Mix it well.
• Sieve the flours and add aijwain, sesame seeds, red chilli powder.
• After the water has boiled, take it off the stove and mix the flour slowly into the water. It will quickly change into solid form.
• Cover it with a lid and let it cool off.
• After it has cooled, grease your palms with ghee or oil and knead the dough. Take one small round ball and make circular shapes. I tried making pretzel shapes you can try any shape.
• Deep fry and place them on an absorbent paper so that excess oil is soaked.

Enjoy it with hot tea! Its a perfect afternoon snack!

Ingredients

2 Cups of cauliflower florets
1 cup spring onions
4 green chillies slit vertically
1 cup onion chopped
Salt to taste
1 tbs red chilli powder
Hot chilli sauce
Soya sauce
Green chilli sauce

Ingredients for the batter

1 cup besan or gram flour
3 tbs corn flour
1 tbs red chili powder
salt to taste
A pinch of turmeric
A pinch of Baking soda
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
A pinch of red food color

Method

• Boil the cauliflower florets in water with little salt. Drain them and keep it aside.
• Mix the ingredients for the batter in a bowl and keep it aside for 10 min.
• Take a deep pan and add 1 cup of vegetable oil. Dip each floret in the batter and deep fry till golden brown. Put these fried florets on a tissue paper so that excess oil is absorbed.
• Take another pan, fry onion, spring onions and green chillies. Add the sauces and fry for a while. Add the florets and mix well so that the sauce is evenly coated. Add salt and red chilli powder.
• Sprinkle coriandar leaves and spring onions on top and serve hot!

Recipe for spicy mirchi bajji…this is one of the eternal snack! This is a common method of making these bajjis. This coconut stuffed bajjis are quite famous in Hyderabad. There is another version of stuffing where you just add vamu and jeera paste. Its very hot and spicy stuffing so I always prefer this mild version.

Ingredients for stuffing

3 tbs coconut powder
1 tbs dhaniya powder
1 tbs sesame seeds or nuvvulu

Roast all of them and grind them adding little salt. Add two tbs of tamarind extract and mix well.

Ingredients for batter

1 cup besan
salt to taste
1 tsp Red chilli powder
A pinch of turmeric
1 tsp vamu
A pinch of baking soda

Sieve the besan into a bowl.Now prepare the batter by adding water and mix it well so that it is without any lumps. Keep it aside for 10 min. Clean each green chilli and make a slit and remove all the seeds with a back of a spoon (believe me..its easy this way). To avoid that burning sensation, you can apply some oil on your hands and then remove the seeds. This way, there will be no burning sensation (old granma thing ). After removing the seeds, add the stuffing in the slit and keep it aside.

Now take another pan and add oil for deep frying. Take each stuffed chilli and dip in the batter so that its evenly coated with the batter and dip it in the hot oil. Fry till golden brown.  Serve hot!

Serving tips – Stuff chopped onions in the slit and sprinkle lemon juice on it and gobble it up!!

Ragda pattis covered with fresh beaten curd..smeared wtih tamarind chutney and loaded with yummy chick peas!! Perfect Combo!

Ingredients

1 cup chick peas
half cup chopped onion
Coriander leaves for garnishing
Tamarind paste – 1 cup
Curd
Roasted cumin powder
Boiled and mashed potato – 2 cups
Corn flour – 3 tbs
Crushed pepper
Red chilli powder
Garam masala 1/4th tsp
salt to taste
Oil

Method

• Soak chick peas for 2 hrs and boil them.
• Soak tamarind in water or microwave it for 30 sec and squeeze the juice out of it and keep it aside.
• Beat the curd and add salt, cumin powder and mix well. Keep it in fridge.
• Now take the mashed potato and add salt, red chilli powder, cumin powder, garam masala powder and mix well. Add corn flour and make patties and rosat them with little oil on a pan. Transfer them on an absorbant paper.
• Take a big pan, and add tamarind paste and 1/2 cup water. Add salt, red chilli powder, pepper,cumin powder and mix well. Add boiled chick peas and boil it for 10 minutes.

For serving, take two patties on a plate, top it with hot tamarind/chick peas and cold beaten curd. Sprinkle chopped onions and coriandar leaves and Enjoy!!!!!