Onion Pulusu

3 Onions
1 Tomato
2 Green Chilies
Few Curry Leaves
Tamarind Juice
Sambar Powder
1/2 tsp Jaggery
Coriander

Soak tamarind in hot water and make juice adding less water.

Chop onions and tomato into small pieces.

Take 4 tsp of oil in a sauce pan and make tadka (poppu) with jeera, mustard seeds, few fenugreek seeds, hing and a red chili. Add chopped green chilies, curry leaves and fry for a few seconds. Remove the red chili.

Add onions and fry till they are translucent. Then add tomatoes. Cook for a minute and add turmeric, salt and tamarind juice and bring to a boil.

In a bowl smash the red chili add 2 tsp of rice flour, 1/2 tsp of jaggery , 1 tsp sambar powder. Using 1/2 cup water mix them all nicely and add to the vegetables in the sauce pan.

Cook for a few minutes more, the liquid will start to thicken and oil will separate then remove from flame.

Garnish with coriander. Check for salt, more jaggery can be added according to taste.

Serve it with hot white rice or as a side dish with any podi rice like kandi podi etc. The tangy of the tamarind juice, sweet of jaggery, hot from the red chili and spices from the sambar powder gives this liquid dish a unique taste.

Banana

Commonly eaten fruit, bananas are a non-seasonal crop; they are available fresh year round.

Since bananas are picked off the tree while they're still green, base your choice of bananas depending upon when you want to consume them. Bananas with more green coloration will take longer to ripen than those more yellow in hue and/or with brown spots.

Bananas should be firm, but not too hard, bright in appearance, and free from bruises or other injuries. Their stems and tips should be intact. The size of the banana does not affect its quality, so simply choose the size that best meets your needs.

They should be left to ripen at room temperature. If you need to hasten the ripening process, you can place bananas in a paper bag or wrap them in newspaper, adding an apple to accelerate the process.

Unripe bananas should not be placed in the refrigerator as this will interrupt the ripening process to such an extent that it will not be able to resume even if the bananas are returned to room temperature. Ripe bananas that will not be consumed for a few days can be placed in the refrigerator. While their peel may darken, the flesh will not be affected. For maximum flavor when consuming refrigerated bananas, remove them from the refrigerator and allow them to come back to room temperature.

Bananas are classified either as dessert bananas (meaning they are yellow and fully ripe when eaten) or as green cooking bananas common called plantains. Cooking bananas are very similar to potatoes in how they are used. Both can be fried, boiled, baked or chipped and have similar taste and texture when served.

In addition to the fruit, the flower of the banana plant (also known as banana blossom or banana heart) the bark of the plant are also edible. They are used in making curries and stews.

The leaves of the banana plant are large, flexible, and waterproof. They are used to wrap food for cooking or storage. Banana leaves are also used to serve food.

Banana chips are a snack produced from dehydrated or fried banana or plantain slices.
In addition to being eaten raw, bananas are a wonderful addition to a variety of recipes from salads to baked goods.

A peanut butter and banana sandwich drizzled with honey is an all-time favorite comfort food for children and adults.

Add chopped bananas, walnuts and maple syrup to oatmeal or porridge.

In Japan, the banana plant has long been a source of fiber for high quality textiles.

The depiction of a person slipping on a banana peel has been a staple of physical comedy for generations.

Nutritional Profile

Bananas are a very good source of vitamin B6 and a good source of vitamin C, potassium, dietary fiber, and manganese.

Chikudukaye Belam Kura - Papdi Lilva

1 lb Chikudukaye - Papdi Lilva
1 cup Chikudukaye seeds
3 Green Chilies
Few Curry Leaves
1 tsp Tamarind paste
4 tsp Jaggery

It is sometimes difficult to get fresh chikudukaye, I usually use frozen ones from the Indian stores.

Peel the strings from either side using fingers and cut them into 1" pieces. Boil chikudukaye and seeds in a skillet on stove top with some turmeric and salt till they are soft and cooked. Remove and drain the water.

Take 3 tsp of oil in a skillet and make tadka with 1/2 tsp urad dal, 1/2 tsp channa dal, few mustard seeds, jeera, hing and a red chili. Add cut green chilies and curry leaves and fry for a few seconds.

Add the cooked vegetable and fry for a few minutes. Add 1 tsp of tamarind paste, mix well and add 4 tsp of grated jaggery (jaggery will spread and boil) check for salt and seasonings, can be adjusted to suit your taste. Sometimes if it is new jaggery it will make it liquidy, sprinkle a tsp of dry rice flour and cook for 3 to 4 minutes in medium flame and remove from flame.

This is a good side dish with rice.

Sri Rama Navami - 04/03/2009

Sita Rama moola viratu (main deity) picture from Bhadrachalam.

The seventh reincarnation/avataram of Lord Maha Vishnu, Sri Rama Navami marks the birth of Lord Rama in the Ikshwaku dynasty to Kousalya, the 1st wife of King Dasaratha of Ayodha. He was born on Chaitra Suklapaksha Navami (the ninth day of the Hindu month Chaitra on Navami) when the ruling star of day is Punarvasu.

Sri Rama is considered as Ardarsha Purusha, the one to be followed. He has 16 perfect qualities (poorna chandrudu) which make him Maryada Purushottama, the perfect Lord. He led his life as a human being without using his supernatural powers. Rama's life and journey is one of perfect adherence to dharma, in harsh tests of life and time. For the sake of his Father's honor, Rama abandons his claim to the throne to serve an exile of fourteen years in the forest. He is a responsible elder brother to Lakshmana, Bharata and Shatrugna.

Rama's courage in searching for Sita and fighting a terrible battle with Ravana, the king of Lanka to rescue his wife shows his absolute love and loyalty for her.

Friendships made with Guha, Sugriva, Hunuman, Vebhishna and the Vanaras of Kishkinda, with whose help he rescued Sita, are powerful and full of devotion.

On Sri Rama Navami, Sita Rama Kalyanam is performed for Loka Kalyanam, to bring prosperity and well being to mankind. It is performed with pomp and show in Bhadrachalam, AP, on the shore of Godavari river every year.

Om and Ra-ma are the only two ‘taaraka mantras', that is, the mantras which takes you across the ocean of samsaara. (That which can ferry you across.)

In the name `Rama' the syllable 'ra' comes from the eight lettered mantra (astakshari) of Om Namo Narayanaya and the syllable 'ma' comes from the five lettered mantra (panchakshari) of Namasivaya.

Both are the life giving letters (jiiva aksharas) of the respective mantras because without them the two mantras become a curse.

Without these letters, the mantra Om namo narayanaya becomes Om namo na yanaya - meaning, not for good; and Namasivaya becomes Na sivaya - meaning, again, not for good.

Thus the word Rama combines in itself the life giving letters of the two most important mantras of the Hindu religion.

"Sri Raama Raama Raameti Rame Raame Manorame.
Sahasranaama Tattulyam Raamanaama Varaanane."

This slokam from Vishnu Sahasranamam told by Siva to Parvati has so much power that by merely saying this slokam 3 times it is as good as reading Vishnu Sahasranamam 1000 times.

For Sri Rama Navami, the "Prasadams" offered are: Vadapappu and Panakam.

Panakam

1 cup Jaggery – Grated
1 tsp Cradamon : Elachi – Powdered
½ tsp Fresh Black Pepper - Ground
3 cups Water

Mix the jaggery in water and stir till is dissolves well. Filter the liquid using a clean cloth or filter. Add elachi powder, pepper and mix well. Serve chilled.

Vadapappu

1 cup Moong dal – Pesara pappu

Soak pesara pappu in water for 1 – 2 hrs and drain the water. Dal will be swollen and can be eaten raw.

Or can be made into a salad.

Chop raw mango, cucumber, green chili, coriander and mix well with lemon juice, chili powder and salt. This is a refreshing salad.

In olden days, there was a custom to gift hand-made fans to other people. Since there were no electric fans then, to reduce the effect of the heat, these hand-operated fans were very useful during the summer months. It was indeed a thoughtful gesture. The idea behind vada pappu and panakam is also to reduce the heat in the body due to the heat of the Sun.

Magai Pachadi

2 tsp Magai – Mango pickle
1 Onion
5 – 6 Green Chilies
Coriander

Chop onions, chilies and coriander.

Grind the chopped vegetables, magai, salt, turmeric with lemon juice to a smooth paste. Empty it into a container.

Churn in some beaten curd before serving.

This pachadi comes to rescue when they are no vegetables. Also this is a good side dish for pesara pappu dishes and uppidipindi.

Coyote Squash Nuvupodi Kura - Bangalore Vankaye

3 Coyote Squash - Bangalore Vankaye
3 Green chilies
Few Curry Leaves
3 tsp. Nuvupodi

Coyote squash is a water vegetable like bottle gourd so, the amount will shrink after cooking.

Fry sesame seeds in a skillet, let cool and grind to powder.

Peel and cut squash into small pieces. Sprinkle some water add salt and cook in micro oven till the vegetable is soft (about 15 mins). Or squash can be cooked on stove top in a sauce pan with some water. Remove, drain water.

Take 3 tsp of oil in a skillet and make tadka with 1/2 tsp urad day, 1/2 tsp chenna dal, few mustard seeds, jeera, hing and a red chili. Add chopped green chilies and curry leaves and fry for a min. Then add cooked vegetables and cook for a few minutes. Add nuvu podi and 1/4 tsp red chili powder. Mix well and empty into a serving dish.

This is a good side dish with rice.

Payasam - Kheer

1/2 cup Vermicelli
1/2 cup Sabudana - Sagubiyyam
2 cups Sugar
1/4 th Gallon Milk
1/2 tsp Elachi Powder
Few Saffron flakes
Few Raisins, Cashews and Almonds

Take 2 tsp of ghee in a skillet and fry almonds, cashews and raisins in that order. Remove and place them in a bowl leaving the remaining ghee in the skillet.

Now fry sagubiyyam till they expand and become bigger. Empty into a vessel. Then fry vermicelli till they turn into golden yellow. Remove into the same vessel.

Mix well, add enough water 1 : 1 to the mixture and cook in a pressure cooker or on a stove top till sagubiyyam and vermicelli are soft and cooked.

Empty the cooked items into a low bottom sauce pan add 1/2 cup water and cook on medium flame, then add milk and keep stirring frequently till the milk boils. Add sugar(suite taste), elaci powder, saffron flakes and 2 tsp of ghee and let cook for 4 - 5 minutes and remove from flame.

Garnish with raisins and nuts. Payasam may thicken when it cools, add more milk and heat before serving. Serve warm.

PoliRotti - Dibbarotti

2 cups Rice
1 cup Urad dal
1 tsp Jeera
Chili, Ginger paste
2 cups sour Curd
1/4 tsp Red Chili Powder

Dry grind dal and rice together till very fine grain texture. (soft flour consistency not required)Work in small batches so that it will be faster. This mixture has a good shelf life. Store in air tight container.

Add curd, chili and ginger paste, jeera, red chili powder and salt to the mixture
and set aside to ferment for 6 - 8 hrs.

Pour in a medium griddle (batter can be poured thick) and add 4 tsp of oil. Let cook in low flame for 15 -20 min for a thick nicely done crust. Flip on the other side and let roast.

It does not a side dish as it has chili-ginger in it, but you eat with simple magai-perugupachadi.

My aunt used to make this as travel food, very filling and it will not get spoilt quickly. It may be done over night and packed, also needs no side dish.

A suggested recommendation, should try.

Grapes

Finger fruit, grapes are small round or oval berries that feature a semi-translucent flesh encased by a smooth skin. Some contain edible seeds, while others are seedless.

Grapes that are eaten from the vine are called table grapes, as opposed to wine grapes (used in viniculture) or raisin grapes. (Dried grapes are referred to as 'raisins'.)

Grapes come in a variety of colors including green, amber, red, blue-black, and purple. Color, size, taste and physical characteristics differ amongst the varieties. For the most antioxidants, choose fully ripened grapes.

Choose grapes that are plump and free from wrinkles. They should be intact, not leaking juice, and firmly attached to a healthy looking stem. One way to evaluate the sweetness of grapes is by their color, it should be deep and rich in color.

Since grapes tend to spoil and ferment at room temperature, they should always be stored in the refrigerator. Loosely wrap unwashed grapes in a paper towel and place them in a plastic bag. This way, they'll keep fresh in the refrigerator for several days.

Grapes should be washed under cold running water right before consuming. After washing, either drain the grapes in a colander or gently pat them dry. If you are not going to consume the whole bunch at one time, use scissors to separate small clusters of grapes from the stem instead of removing individual grapes. This will help keep the remaining grapes fresher by preventing the stem from drying out.

Grapes can be eaten raw or used for making jam, juice, jelly, vinegar, wine or raisins.

Grapes are a wonderful addition to any fruit salad; consider using a few different varieties of grapes.

Give your curries a fruity punch by including fresh grapes in the recipe.
Add grapes to mixed green salads.

Nutritional Profile

Grapes are excellent sources of manganese, good sources of vitamin B6, vitamin B1, potassium, and vitamin C, in addition, grapes contain antioxidant compounds.

Bendi Masala

1 lb Ladies finger – Okra- Bendakaye
2 Onions
2 Tomatoes
1 tsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
Coriander

Wash and drain okra. Chop into 1” pieces and let air/sun dry for a couple of hours in a flat basin or plate. By doing this, okra will not stick to each other while cooking and will loose most of its sticky nature.

Take 3 tsp of oil in a skillet and add ½ tsp jeera and few curry leaves. Then add okra and fry for a few minutes till they are soft. Then add chopped onions and fry till the onion caramelizes, then add chopped tomatoes and cook till all of them are done nicely.

Add 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp red chili powder, turmeric and salt and mix well. Do not overcook, or the shape of the okra will be lost.

Check for salt and seasonings and remove from flame. Garnish with chopped coriander.
Serve with rice or chapati/parata.