DHABA STYLE DAL FRY

DAL is one of the regular and popular dish prepared in every home. Different varieties of dals are prepared in different places in different ways. Basically Dal is very rich in proteins and vitamins. Today i am sharing with you DAL FRY prepared as like in restaurants. This is the best combination for jeera rice as i said before. Very tasty dish which is simple to prepare and easy to cook. Tadka gives special aroma and taste to the dish.

Preparation time : 15-20 mins
Cooking time : 30 mins
Serves 2-3

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 glass tur dal/kandipappu/pigeon peas (dry roasted and soaked)
• 1 glass water
• Pinch of turmeric powder 
• FOR THE TADKA
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp urad dal /minapappu /split black gram
• 1 tsp rai / mustard seeds / aavaalu
• 1 tsp jeera/cumin seeds / jeelakarra
• 3 red chillies, broken into 1 inch pieces
• 1/4 tsp hing/asafoetida
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 onion, diced into small pieces
• 2 tomatoes, diced into small pieces
• 2 green chillies, cut into splits
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• Salt as per taste
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder 
• 1 tbsp ghee

PREPARATION

• Take a frying pan and add the tur dal. Dry roast on medium flame until a nice aroma comes. Once the dal gets fried take it in a bowl and add water. Let it soak for 10-15 mins.
• After 15 mins take pressure cooker and add soaked dal and 1 glass water. Pressure cook the dal for 3 whistles (dal should turn soft and mushy)
• In the meanwhile cut the onions, tomatoes, green chillies.
• Grind 1 inch ginger piece and 6-7 garlic cloves into paste. 

METHOD OF COOKING 

• Take a cooking pan and add oil. Once the oil is heat add the ingredients one by one listed above.
• Add the urad dal, mustard seeds, jeera, red chillies, green chillies, curry leaves and hing. Let them fry.
• Add onions, ginger-garlic paste, tomatoes. Mix well and let them fry until the raw smell of onions and ginger-garlic paste goes away and the tomatoes becomes soft, juicy and mushy.
• Add salt, turmeric powder. Mix well. Leave it for 2 mins.
• Add the cooked dal. Mix well and let it cook for 3 mins.
• Add sufficient quantity of water( if u want thick gravy add little quantity or if u want thin gravy add more). Mix well and let it cook for 5-10 mins until the dal gets thickens.
• Lastly add 1 tbsp ghee and mix. Leave it for 1-2 mins and off the stove.
• Serve hot with jeera rice, chapathi or roti.

TIPS

• U can avoid ginger-garlic paste if u dont like the flavour.  

 

 

JEERA RICE / CUMIN RICE

JEERA RICE / CUMIN RICE... Most popular Indian rice dish prepared with jeera or cumin seeds and basmati rice. This is my favorite dish which is very simple to prepare with a very few ingredients. I love this dish to eat with Dal fry(recipe updating soon...) which is a perfect combination for this.

JEERA RICE WITH DAL FRY

Preparation time : 15-20 mins
Cooking time : 20-25 mins
Serves 3

INGREDIENTS

• 1-2 tbsp jeera seeds / cumin seeds
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 and 1/2 glass basmati rice ( soaked)
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste (optional)
• Salt as per taste
• 2 and 1/2 glass water
• 3-4 tbsp oil  

PREPARATION

• Clean and soak the basmati rice for 15-20 mins.
• In the meanwhile grind 1 inch ginger and 6-7 garlic cloves into fine paste.

METHOD OF COOKING  

• Take a wide cooking pan and add oil.
• Once the oil is heat add jeera seeds, curry leaves and ginger garlic paste. Let them fry for 2-3 mins.
• Add water and salt. Let it boil on high flame.
• Once it boils add the soaked basmati rice and mix. Let it boil.
• Once the boiling starts, reduce the rice to slow flame and keep the lid on the cooking pan.
• Let it cook on slow flame. Check the rice in between.
• When the water gets completely absorbed off the stove and leave it for 5 mins.
• Serve hot with Dal fry or any of your gravy curry as per your choice. 

TIPS 

• Do not mix the rice in between when it is cooking on low flame. Mixing the rice in between makes it sticky.  

ANDHRA STYLE INSTANT TOMATO PICKLE

Tomatoes are one of the regular and friendly vegetable used in almost every recipe. This is very rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.This is my favorite vegetable and i prepare many varieties using this tomato. Today i am sharing with you a pickle recipe which is prepared instantly. This is a very famous pickle in Andhra pradesh. Addition of tadka gives a tasty flavor and aroma to the dish.

Preparation & cooking time : 3 hours
Yields a 500gms bottle pickle

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Kg tomatoes 
• 1 big lemon size tamarind 
• 1/2 glass pickle chilli /mirchi powder( i used three mangoes mirchi powder, u can use normal chilli powder also) 
• 1/2 glass salt 
• 2-21/2 tbsp menthulu / fenugreek seeds powder ( dry roasted and grinded into powder) 
• 150 gms groundnut oil ( approx one and half tea glass) 
• 1 whole garlic pod (optional) 
• FOR TADKA /POPU /TEMPERING 
• 50 gms groundnut oil ( approx 1/2 tea glass oil) 
• 10-12 red chillies, broken into 1 inch pieces  
• 1 tbsp mustard seeds/aavalu 
• 1 tbsp fenugreek seeds / menthulu 
• 1/2 tbsp hing/asafoetida 

PREPARATION

• Wash and clean the tomatoes. Dice into medium pieces.
• Take a frying pan and add fenugreek seeds / menthulu. Dry roast them on medium flame. A nice aroma will come once they fry. Take care they should not get burnt. Once they cool down grind into fine powder.
• Peel the garlic pods. Crush them and keep aside.

 METHOD OF COOKING 

• Take a wide cooking pan and add oil. 
• Once the oil is heat add the diced tomato pieces. Mix well.
• Add tamarind, 1 tbsp salt. Mix well. Juice will come out after adding salt.
• Cook on medium flame until the juice gets absorbed completely and oil will be separated once it is done.  This may take approx 11/2 to 2 hours.
• Let it cool.
• Once it cools add the crushed garlic pods,chillipowder, salt and methi powder. Mix well.
• Take a cooking vessel and add oil.
• Once the oil is heat add the ingredients FOR THE TADKA listed above and let it fry.
• Add this tadka to the pickle mixture. Mix well.
• Transfer into a clean glass or plastic jar.
• Serve with hot rice with ghee. Best side dish for idly and dosa too..

TIPS  

• U can increase or decrease chilli powder and salt as per your flavor.
• U can avoid garlic pods if u don't like it. Its optional.

 


  

CAULIFLOWER / GOBI TOMATO CURRY

CAULIFLOWER / GOBI.... one of the best vegetable which is very rich in minerals, vitamins and dietary fibre. Low calorie vegetable too...Most of the people don't love this vegetable due to some bitter taste and odor. But i love this vegetable very much. Whenever u use this vegetable first blanch it and use the gobi. This removes the odor and bitterness of the gobi and gives a nice and tasty flavor to the dish. Today i am sharing with you one of my favourite combination for rotis and chapati.. i.e., GOBI TOMATO CURRY :) Tangyness of tomatoes gives tasty flavour to the curry.

Preparation time : 15-20 mins
Cooking time : 30-40 mins
Serves 3

INGREDIENTS
1 medium cauliflower ( washed and blanched)
5-6 tomatoes
2 onions
2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
2 green chillies
salt as per taste
1 tsp chillipowder
1 tsp garam masala powder
3 tbsp oil
Coriander leaves for garnish

PREPARATION

• Separate the cauliflower into florets.
• Take a wide cooking vessel, add the gobi florets, sufficient quantity of water and salt. Let it boil until the florets become soft.
• In the meanwhile cut the tomatoes and onions into small pieces. Slit green chillies. 
• Grind 2 inch ginger piece and 6-8 garlic pods into fine paste.

METHOD OF COOKING

• Take a cooking vessel and add oil. Once the oil is heat add onions. Let it fry until golden brown.
• Add ginger-garlic paste, green chillies. Let them fry for 2 mins.
• Add chilli powder, garam masala powder. Mix well.
• Add tomatoes and salt. Mix well and let it cook until tomatoes becomes soft and mushy.
• Add the boiled cauliflower florets. Mix well and leave for 2 mins.
• Add little quantity of water (approx 1/2 glass water) and let it cook for 10 mins on medium flame.
•  Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with chapathi, naan or roti.

 

VERMICELLI KHEER/ SEMIYA PAYASAM

VERMICELLI KHEER / SEMIYA PAYASAM.... One of the most popular dish prepared by everyone during festivals and special occasions. I prepare this frequently and differently using different ingredients( recipes will update soon) Today i am sharing with you basic and simple preparation of kheer with few ingredients. Combination of nuts and ghee gives additional flavour to the dish.

Cooking time : 30 mins
Serves 3

INGREDIENTS
1 cup vermicelli / semiya (plain or roasted, i used plain one)
2 cups boiled milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp green cardamom powder / green elachi powder
3-4 tbsp ghee
2 cups water
2 tbsp dryfruits ( i used cashew)

METHOD OF COOKING

• Take a cooking vessel and add 2 tbsp ghee. Add the cashews and fry them until they turn brown. Remove and keep aside.
• Add the remaining ghee in the vessel and add the vermicelli and fry on medium heat until it turns golden brown. Nice aroma will come when it fries ( If you are using roasted vermicelli, no need to fry in ghee)
• Add water and mix well. Let it cook.
• Once the water gets absorbed add sugar and cardamom powder and mix well.
• Add milk and mix well. Let it boil on low flame for 5-10 mins.
• Add the roasted cashews. Mix well and let it cook for 2-3 mins.
• Serve hot or cold.  

TIPS 

• U can add dry fruits as per your choice.
• U can increase or decrease sugar and milk quantity as per your taste.

 
 

TOMATO WHEATRAVVA UPMA/ TOMATO GODHUMARAVVA UPMA

WHEATRAVVA / GODHUMARAVVA.... This is very rich in fiber and low in fat. Tomatoes are also rich in vitamins and minerals. As u all know UPMA is a very popular breakfast dish in south india..Usually i prepare different varieties of upma but compared to all this is my favorite breakfast recipe and i will prepare this very frequently.Combination of both of these gives a very tasty flavor to the dish. I prepare this with adding vegetables also (will update soon...) but this is very simple and easy to prepare with a very few ingredients. 

Preparation time : 5 mins
Cooking time : 30 mins
Serves 3

INGREDIENTS 
1 glass wheatravva/godhumaravva
4-5 tomatoes, diced into small cubes
3 greenchillies, cut into slits
1 inch ginger, cut into small pieces
1 sprig curry leaves
4 tbsp oil
Salt as per taste
Pinch of turmeric powder
2 tbsp lemon juice (optional)
FOR TEMPERING
1 tsp chanadal/sanagapappu
1 tsp uraddal/minapappu
1 tsp rai/mustard seeds/aavaalu

METHOD OF COOKING

• Take a vessel and add 2 glasses water in it. Let it boil on low flame.
• In the meanwhile take a wide cooking pan and add oil.
• Once the oil is heat add the ingredients one by one FOR TEMPERING.
• Once they splutter add curry leaves, greenchillies and ginger. Let them fry.
• Add tomatoes. Let them cook until they turn soft and juicy.
• Add the boiling water, salt and turmeric powder ( adding of boiling water helps in cooking the dish quick)
• Add the ravva and mix well. Let it cook on low flame until the water gets absorbed. Off the stove and add lemon juice. Mix well and leave it for 5 mins.
• Serve hot with ghee and any chutney or pickle as per your choice. 

 
 

BREAD HALWA

Hello all.. Today i am sharing with you one of my favorite recipe BREAD HALWA :) Bread is one of the most common ingredient in my kitchen :) Toast, sandwich, bread and omelet are common and favorite breakfasts for me in my home... So many varieties of breads are available in the market now but i prefer milk bread or sandwich bread.... I did this with milk bread with a very few ingredients.. Very simple and easy to prepare.. Try this and enjoy friends.. :)

Preparation and Cooking time: 30 mins
Serves 3

INGREDIENTS

• 8-9 bread slices(brown bread or milk bread, i used milk bread)
• 1/4 cup ghee
• 1 tea cup sugar  
• 1/2 tbsp cardamom powder
• 1/2 cup boiled milk

PREPARATION  

• Remove the sides of bread and keep aside. (sides removal is optional, if u like it keep it as it is)

METHOD OF COOKING

• Apply ghee on both sides of the bread and toast them on both sides until golden brown. ( u can use toaster or u can toast on tawa also). Take care the bread should not get burnt.
• Keep them in a plate side by side or one by one and pour milk on the bread slices. Bread slices will become soft after pouring milk on them.
• Take a deep bottom pan and add sugar and 1/2 tea cup water. Mix well. Once the sugar melts add cardamom powder. Mix well and let it boil for another 5 mins on low heat. 
• Once the sugar syrup starts thickening add the breadslices and leave it for 2 mins.
• Mix well with a spatula until it gets closer.
• Add 2 tbsp ghee and mix. 
• Serve hot or cold.

TIPS

• U can increase or decrease sugar and milk quantity as per your taste.
• U can chopped nuts as per your choice.