Sri Rama Navami Neivedyam

SRI RAMA NAVAMI this day is celebrated as the birthday of Lord Ram. People normally perform kalyanotsavam,Kalyanam is performed at Bhadrachalam a famous temple on the banks of the river Godavari in Khammam district in AndhraPradesh,India.

The neivedyam i.e., prepared in this auspicioos day is panakam a sweet water and vada pappu(Moongdal)

Panakam

Ingredients:

1. Jaggery - 100gm
2. water - 4-5 cups
3. cardamom -  2 crushed
4. pepper - 1/2 tbps
5. tulasi - 5 to 6 leaves
6. Ginger - 1/2 tbps (grated)
7. Edible camphor - A pinch

Preparation:

• Dissolve the grated jaggery in water and add all the above ingredients into it and mix well.
• Its ready for neivedyam.

Vada pappu

Ingredients:

1. Moongdal - 1cup
2. carrot  (optional) - grated finely
3. Greenchilli - 2
4. Mango(optional)- grated
5. Coriander
6. salt - To taste

Preparation:

• Moongdal shouls be soaked in water for about 30 mins and drained.
• To this add all the other ingredients and mix well,this dal is eaten raw.
• Now its ready for Neivedyam.

Snacks!!....

PoriUrundai(Puffed rice)

Puffed rice is made from rice,Offerings of pori and jaggery made to Lord ganesh.Pori urundai is normally prepared on auspicious occasions.Puffed rice  is used in breakfast creals, snack foods and is also a popular street food in some parts of the world.

Ingredients

1. pori - 1kg
2. Grated Jaggery - 1/4 kg
3. water- 4 tbps

Preparation:

• Add jageery in a pan with water,when it dissolves in water strain it to avoid sand.
• Now boil the jaggery water and keep stirring it until we get a correct consistency i.e, when we take a drop of jaggery and drop it in water it should not dissolve rather we should be able to make a ball out of it.If jaggery is in such a stage then your jaggery syrup is at exact consistency.
• Now remove the jaggery from flame,add pori and mix it well, immediately start making small round balls by applying oil to your palm so that it wont stick.
• The yummy poriurundai is ready.

Kamarkat- Sweet balls

Kamarkat was my all time favorite sweet at my childhood times.Now it has even became a favorite sweet for my daughters she loves kamarkat. Its a yummy dish with cocont and jaggery and very simple to prepare.

Ingredients:

1. Jaggery(grated) - 3/4 cup
2. Coconut (grated) - 1 cup
3. Water - 2 to 3 tbps

Preparation:

• Fry the grated coconut in a pan till it turns golden brown and keep it aside.
• Add jaggery in a pan with water,when it dissolves in water strain it to avoid sand.
• Now boil the jaggery water and keep stirring it until we get an exact consistency i.e., when we take a drop of jaggery and drop it in water it should not dissolve rather we should be able to make ball.
• Now add fried coconut,mix it well and cook it for a minute and remove it from flame.

• Now start making small balls.The delicious kamarkat is ready.

Potato chips (Aloo chips)

Ingredients:

• Potatoes - Big size
• salt
• chilli powder
• oil

Preparation:

• Wash potatoes well,peel the skin and slice it with slicer.
• Rinse it well in salted water and wipe it gently with a clot.
• Heat oil in a pan and fry the potato slices till golden brown.

• Drain the excess oil on a paper towel.
• Sprinkle salt+chilli powder or salt+pepper on potatoes when they are hot and mix it well.
• After it cools it can be stored in a air tight container.

Enjoy the yummy aloo chips... :)

Veggies!...

Vazhaithandu Poriyal(Plantain stem curry)

This a healthy and tasty recipe,first step of cooking is there will be a outer shield to vazhaithandu remove this outer layer so that there are no more layers seen.As shown below

Now slice the remaining part of vazhaithandu thinly into disk shape,while slicing we get a fiber out of it,remove this fiber with help of one of your finger while slicing them, I am sure you would get frustrated by doing this whole procedure but be patience at the end you will have a yummy poriyal.

Keep these cut slices immersed in water mixed with lime or butter milk to prevent change of color.

Ingredients

vazhaithandu - 2

Turmeric - 1/2 tbps

Moongdal - 3 tbps

Salt

Curry leaves

For Tempering:

Mustard - 1 tbps

Urad dal - 1 tbps

Jeera - 1/2 tbps

Red chilli - 3

Preparation:

• Chop the slices finely add moong dal,salt,turmeric and mix well and keep aside for 15 min as this mixture will release water from it, its better place it on a strainer plate.
• Heat the kadai add the tempering ingredients,followed by curry leaves,now add the chopped vazhaithandu mixture by squeezing out excess water.
• Frey for 2 mins and cover cook till soft.You can notice it becomes transparent after cooked
• Serve hot with rice or pulka goes well with both.

Corainder Brinjal Curry (kathirikay kothamalli curry)

Here is a very special and simple mouthwatering dish for corainder and brinjal lovers,this makes a great side for pulka and rotis.

Ingredient:

Brinjal - 10 Nos

Corainder leaf - 2 big bunches

green chilli - 6

jeera - 1 tbps

Ginger garlic paste - 2 tbps

Salt - to taste

oil

Preparation:

• Wash the brinjals remove the crown part and cut them from base end,make a slit towards stem but not all the way through i.e., slit into 4 sections lengthwise.
• Now grind the rest over ingrdients i.e., corainder leaf,greenchilli,ginger garlic paste,jeera and salt.
• Fill this paste inside the brinjal carefully without breaking them,stuff all the brinjals in this manner and keep aside the left over paste.
• Now take a kadia add some oil approxmately 5 tbps now place the brinjals gently, add even the left over paste into it,let this cook for 20min on low flame,do check them in between.
• Cover and cook for another 10min or till the brinjals are well cooked.
• Now its ready to serve with roti as well as rice.

Daddojanam/Thayir sadam(Curd rice)

Thayir sadam is commonly made prasadam at temples and during festivals.In summer this dish tastes great,it goes well with pickle.

Ingredients:

• Cooked Rice - 1 cup
• Curd - 1/4 cup
• Milk- 1 1/2 cup
• Salt

For Seasoning:

• Cumins Seeds -  1/4 tbps 
• Mustard Seeds -  1/4 tbps
• Jeera - 1/4 tbsp
• Asofoetida - pinch
• Green chilli - 2
• Red chilli- 1
• Ginger (finely chopped) - 1/4 tbps
• oil - 3 tbsp
• curry leaves
• Fried cashew,grapes,grated carrot,kismis,mango... to enhance flavor

Preparation:

• Mash the cooked rice well ,once it is done add curd,milk,salt and keep it aside.
• Heat oil in a kadai add cumin seeds,urad dal,chana dal,red chilli,green chilli,ginger,asafoetida and curry leaves.
• When it turns golden brown add this mixture to curd rice
• Serve with pickel.

Bone-In Chicken

Here is a very simple and easy chicken dish.I prepared this dish with left over chicken after preparing chicken 65.Was just thinking what to do with left over chicken with bones.Got an idea and Started cooking which turned out really yummy and even better than boneless chicken...

Ingredients

Chicken - 1/2 kg

Jeera- 1/2 tbps

Cumin- 1/2 tbps

Coriander powder - 1/2 tbps

Red chili powder - 2 tbps

Onion -1

Green chili - 2

Turmeric- pinch

Oil

Salt

Preparation:

• Heat a pan add oil, once it smokes add cumin seeds,jeera seeds once its done add onion and green chili.
• Now add chicken and cook it for almost 10min once its half cooked add coriander powder, chili powder,turmeric powder and salt.
• Now cover cook the chicken for another 10min till its done.
• Garnish with coriander and serve hot with roti.

Chepala Eguru Curry(Tamarind leaf fish curry)

Tamarind is a very well known herb and plant used by Indian’s in different types of cuisines, tamarind leaves has medicinal values these are used as herbal medicine as well as for spicing up soups and mainly in fish soups.

Fresh tamarinds are easily available in the spring months and are used in various cuisines.This fresh tamarind can be dried and stored and used when fresh leaves are unavailable.

Ingredients:

Tamarind leaves - 1/4kg

Tamarind paste - 1cup

Fish - 1kg

Onion- 1 large size

Green chilli - 3

Red chilli powder - 3 tbps

Tomato- 1

Ginger garlic paste - 2 tbps

curry leaves - 10-12

mustard seed-1 tbps,cumin seeds-1 tbps, coriander seed- 1 tbps (roast and powder all these)

salt

oil

Raw mango - 1 (optional)

Procedure:

• Heat a heavy bottomed pan on medium flame add oil,once it starts smoke add onions and fry till golden brown,now add green chilli,curry leaves,ginger garlic paste and fry for 2 min till oil separates.
• Now add fish gently add cook it for 5 min (quarter cooked)
• now add 2 cups of hot water,tamarind paste, chili powder,mustard,cumin, coriander powder,mango,salt and stir gently take care that fish shouldn't break
• Bring the gravy to boil for 5 min now add tamarind leaves and allow it to boil for another 15 mins till its done.
• Serve hot with boiled rice or dose.