Spicy Asparagus

1 bunch Asparagus
10- 12 Spring Onions
1 Red Onion
2 tsp Besan - Sengapindi
2 tsp Chili Paste
2 tsp grated Garlic
2 tsp sliced Ginger
1 tsp Agi-na-moto
3 tsp Tomato sauce/Ketchup
Coriander

Chop onions and spring onions. Grate Ginger and Garlic.

Chop Asparagus diagonally into 2 “pieces. Boil with salt, turmeric and ½ “butter with enough water in a skillet for 4 to 5 minutes on high flame (Do not overcook). Drain and keep aside.

Take 4 tsp of oil in a non-stick skillet and add sliced/chopped garlic, ginger, the white part of spring onions and onions. Stir fry on high flame till it is nicely done. Then add chili paste, salt, agi-na-moto, ketchup/sauce, the greens of the spring onions and fry for a few minutes.

Taste for salt and seasonings can be adjusted according to taste. Now add the boiled asparagus, 3 tsp besan and 2 tsp oil and mix gently without disturbing the shape of the florets. Besan will coat the asparagus and frying it with the extra oil will give it a crispy, crunchy taste.

Garnish with the chopped spring onion greens and coriander leaves. Serve it hot.

This is a good evening snack or a starter, good as is or as a side dish with breads or Basmati rice.

Tomato Rice

4 cups Basmati rice
2 Onions
6 Tomatoes
1 tsp Tamarind Paste
2 tsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
3 Green Chilies
Few Curry Leaves
4 tsp Garam Masala - From my previous blog in Podis/Powders
4 Bay Leaves
1” Butter Stick
Coriander

Chop onions, chilies and tomatoes.

Take 4 tsp of oil in a skillet add jeera, curry leaves, chopped onions, green chilies, bay leaf and once the onions are translucent, add ginger-garlic paste and chopped tomatoes, turmeric and salt. Let tomatoes cook till done. Then add garam masala.

Wash and drain rice. Then add rice to the masala base. Stir fry for a few minutes.

Transfer from the skillet to a rice cooker and pour 1:1.5 ratio of water for the rice. Add 1” of butter stick in the vessel and taste for salt, seasoning and adjust accordingly. If using Roma tomatoes add a tsp of tamarind paste for tarty taste.

Garnish with fried cashews and chopped coriander.

Papad, vadiyam, potato chips are all good side dishes with tomato rice.

Cabbage and Potato Allamkaram

1 Medium Cabbage
2 Potatoes
Chili-Ginger-Coriander Paste
Few Curry Leaves

Grind green chilies, ginger and coriander into a smooth paste.

Peel and cut potatoes into cubes.

Chop Cabbage very finely.

Take 3 tsp of oil in a skillet and make tadka with ½ tsp urad dal, ½ tsp chenna dal, mustard seeds, jeera, hing and curry leaves. Then add potato cubes and stir fry for a few minutes, then add chili-ginger-coriander paste and fry for a few minutes. Then add chopped cabbage, salt and turmeric and let cook in medium flame.

Cabbage gives out its water first and shrinks, then, immediately turn the flame to high and stir fry for a few seconds and remove from flame.

Potatoes can also be boiled in micro oven with salt and water and can be added after cabbage is half cooked. This is just a matter of convenience and time.

Taste for salt and seasonings, can be adjusted to suite your taste.

This is a good side dish with rice and rotis.

Plantains Koora

Banana Plantain - Cooking long Plantains


1 Plantain
2 Onions
3 Green Chilies
1" Ginger
Few Curry Leaves
2 tsp Fresh Curd
2 tsp Kura Podi - Curry Powder : From my previous blog in Podis/Powders

Peel and grate plantain.

Take 4 tsp of oil in a skillet and make tadka with 1 tsp urad dal, 1 tsp chenna dal, 1/2 tsp jeera, 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, hing and red chili. Then add chopped green chilies, ginger and curry leaves.

Then add chopped onions and fry for a few minutes. When onion becomes translucent then add grated plantain and 2 tsp of curd. This will prevent the plantain to stick.

Fry for a few minutes and add salt, turmeric, curry powder and 1/2 tsp red chili powder.

Serve with rice, vadiyams and rasam.

Plum

One of the unique things about plums is that there are so many varieties available and they come in such a panorama of colors.

Plums are relatives of the peach, nectarine and almond. They are all considered "drupes," fruits that have a hard stone pit surrounding their seeds. Some have much firmer-fleshed than others and some have yellow, white, green or red flesh.

Look for plums that are ripe and ready to eat which are slightly soft at their tip. While you can also purchase plums that are firm and ripen them at home, avoid those that are excessively hard as they will be immature and will probably not develop a good taste and texture profile. Good quality plums will feature a rich color.

Plums that are not yet ripe can be left at room temperature. As this fruit tends to mature quickly, check on them in the next day or two to ensure that they do not become overripe. Once they are ripe, plums can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days. While plums can be frozen, to ensure maximum taste remove their stone pits before placing them in the freezer.

Plums are delicious eaten as is. If the plums have been in the refrigerator, allow them to approach room temperature before eating them as this will help them attain the maximum juiciness and sweetness. If you want to first remove the pit before eating or cooking, cut the plum in half lengthwise, gently twist the halves in opposite directions and then carefully take out the pit.

Add plum slices to cold cereal.

Dried plums are known as prunes.

Nutritional Profile

Plums are a very good source of vitamin C. They are also a good source of vitamin A, vitamin B2 and potassium. In addition, plums are a good source of dietary fiber.

Plums and prunes are known for their laxative effect. Prunes and prune juice are often used to help regulate the functioning of the digestive system.

Fenugreek Leaves - Menthikura Pappu

Menthi Leaves


1 cup Toor dal – Kandi pappu
1 bunch Menthikura – Fenugreek leaves
2 Green Chilies
Coriander
Few Curry Leaves
Sambar powder
Tamarind juice

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

Pluck the leaves from the stems and top tender part of each stem can be used. Wash and drain.

Dry fry toor dal in a skillet till the dal is nicely roasted and emits aroma.Wash and add water for the dal (1: 2 for each cup of dal) in a vessel and place the menthi leaves on the top, water from the dal is sufficient for the leaves also.

Cook in a Pressure Cooker till the dal is nicely done. Remove; add salt and mix well keep aside.

Take 2 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.

Then add cooked dal with leaves, salt, turmeric, 1 tsp sambar powder, tamarind juice and coriander. Bring to a boil, cook for a few minutes more and remove from flame.

This combination of dal and leaves is very good. Serve it with hot rice or with rotis or chapattis.

Gongura Pachadi

Gongura (Sorrel or sour greens) pachadi is quintessentially Andhra cuisine. Gongura is a very rich source of Iron, vitamins, folic acid and anti-oxidants essential for human nutrition.


Gongura plants.


Gongura pachadi with Garlic.


Gongura pachadi.

1 bunch Gongura
Marble sized Tamarind
2 tsp Fenugreek seeds - Menthulu
1 tsp Mustard Seeds - Avalu
Handful Red chilies
15 – 16 Garlic Pods: Optional
Hing
Oil

Separate leaves from the stems, wash and let sun or air dry or wipe with a paper towel.

Take 5 tsp oil in a skillet and when oil is hot add fenugreek seeds and fry till they are nicely roasted and then add mustard seeds, when they are popping add red chilies (add liberally as the heat/karam will reduce in a day) and then hing. Fry for a few seconds, remove only the tadka with a strainer leaving the oil in the skillet.

Now add gongura leaves. Do not worry about the volume, in no time it will shrink and will hit the bottom of the pan. Add tamarind, salt and turmeric and fry for a few minutes. Remove for flame and let cool.

Dry grind the fenugreek tadka first and then add the fried gongura leaves and grind to a smooth paste. Taste for salt and seasonings. Adjust according to taste.

Garlic is a good combination to go with gongura. Fry pods in oil and add to the pachadi.

Gongura pachadi is eaten with rice and oil, chopped onion slices with lemon juice and a pinch of salt by the side is a great addition.

Sometimes when fresh gongura is not available, I add tadka to the store bought pickle and fry it in oil for a semi homemade taste.

White Radish - Mullangi Sambar

1 cup Toor dal – Kandi pappu
1 White Radish – Mullangi
2 Onions
6 – 8 Ladies fingers - Bendakaye
1 Carrot
1 Drumstick
1 Tomato
2 Green Chilies
Coriander
Few curry leaves
Sambar powder - From my previous blog "Sambar Powder" in Podis-Powders
Tamarind juice

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

Peel and cut radish and carrot into small pieces or circles. Cut drumstick into 3” pieces. Chop ladies finger into 1 “ circles and chop onions into medium pieces.

Wash and add water for the dal (1: 2 for each cup of dal) in a vessel and all the vegetables in one vessel add salt and turmeric. Cook both in a Pressure cooker till the dal is nicely done. Remove and keep aside.

Take 2 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.

Then add cooked dal, salt, turmeric, 1 tsp sambar powder, tamarind juice, 1 tsp jaggery or sugar and coriander. Let cook and then add the cooked vegetables. Bring it to boil and cook for a few minutes more and remove from flame.
Serve it with hot rice and ghee. Sambar is a good side dish for idli.

Potato Fry

1 lb Red Potatoes
3 Onions - Optional

If using red potatoes no need to peel, rest of them, wash, peel and cut potatoes in desired shape and size.

Take 3 -4 tsp of oil in a skillet and heat it. Once oil is hot add the chopped potatoes and fry for a few minutes on medium flame. If desired add chopped onions and fry for a few more minutes and add salt.

Once the vegetables are crunchy or completely cooked add red chili powder and remove from flame. Serve hot with rice when the vegetable is crispy and crunchy.

Or completely fry the vegetable; do not add red chili powder. Just before serving add a tsp of oil and fry on high flame and serve hot.

Vegetables that are good for frying are: Potatoes, Plantain (Aritikaye), French-cut beans, Ladies finger (Benadakaye), Karela - Indian bitter gourd, Agakarakaye (another variety in bitter gourd- only this not so bitter), Tindora (Dondakaye).