Menthulu pulusu/Methi gojju (Fenugreek stew)

 

Methi seeds and leaves (Fenugreek seeds and green fenugreek) are widely used in Indian cuisine and also many other Asian cuisines. Methi is grown in most of the Asian countries and all over India.

Methi is well known for its health benefits. It is said that methi helps reduce cholesterol, reduce risk of heart disease, control blood sugar levels in diabetics, aid digestion, reduces acid reflux and heartburn. It is supposed to be a remedy for fever and sore throat. In South Indian cooking, every dish whether it is a chutney or dal or pulusu, the basic seasoning consists of methi seeds.

Methi is used as herb, spice, vegetable or sprouts.

I am giving a recipe where methi is a main ingredient along with onion. Either soaked methi can be used or methi sprouts can be used for this recipe. The consistency is thick so that it can be used as a side dish for many main dishes.

Ingredients:

•      2 or 3 Tbs. Methi seeds (Soaked and drained or sprouted)
•      2 cups Onion finely chopped
•      3 Tbs. Tamarind paste
•      3 to 4 Tbs. Jaggery
•      Salt to taste
•      1/4 Tsp. Turmeric powder
•      2 Tbs. Rice flour

•      2  Red chiles
•      1/2 Tsp. Mustard seeds
•      1/2 Tsp. Jeera seeds
•      2 Tsp. oil
•      A pinch of Hing (Asafetida)
•      A few curry  leaves

Directions:

1.      Soak methi seeds overnight. You may sprout them, if you like.
2.      Fine chop onion.
3.      Heat oil in a pressure cooker.
4.      Add red chiles, mustard and jeera seeds.
5.      When mustard seeds splutter, add curry leaves and hing.
6.      Keep stirring.
7.      Add soaked and drained methi and stir.
8.      Add onion pieces and keep cooking.
9.      Add turmeric powder, salt.
10.      When the onion pieces are half cooked, add tamarind paste, jaggery and mix thoroughly.
11.      Cover the cooker, and cook till three whistles.
12.      When the steam pressure is reduced, open the cooker.
13.      Keep cooking.
14.      Add some water to the rice flour to make a paste.
15.      Add the paste to the mixture and keep cooking on low heat.
16.      When the required consistency is reached, stop cooking.
17.      It may be served either hot or cold.

Methi pulusu is made thick, more like a stew and is a good side dish for rice, chapatti, dosa etc.

 

 

 

Methi aloo subzi (Fenugreek leaves and potato subzi)

When potatoes are harvested, you end up having a lot of baby potatoes. Baby potatoes taste very nice when cooked along with methi (Fenugreek leaves or cilantro or in tomato gravy). In markets also, you get small potatoes and children love to eat this kind of food.

As mentioned in another post, methi seeds and leaves are very healthy and prescribed by many nutritionists. So, here is a combination of potatoes and methi leaves. Peeling the potatoes is optional.
If home grown it is better not to peel the potatoes.

Ingredients:

•      15 to 20 Baby potatoes
•      2 Cups methi leaves (chopped)
•      3 Tsp. Oil
•      1 Tsp. Jeera seeds
•      1 Tsp. garam masala
•      1 Tsp. chile powder
•      1/4 Tsp. turmeric powder
•      Salt to taste

Directions:

1.      Wash and cook potatoes.
2.      Peel the potatoes if preferred. If very small potatoes are used, you may avoid peeling.
3.      Wash and cut methi.
4.      Heat oil in a pan.
5.      Add jeera seeds and stir for a minute.
6.      Add cooked potatoes and mix well.
7.      Add chopped methi leaves. Keep stirring.
8.      Add turmeric powder, salt and chile powder.
9.      Stir well.
10.      Sprinkle a few drops of water, cover and cook.
11.      Keep stirring in between.
12.      When the leaves are well cooked, add garam masala.
13.      Stir well for a few minutes.
14.      Serve with rice or chapattis.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pindi Pulihora (Mango flavored cracked rice)

In Telugu "ravva" means cracked, like Bombay ravva for sooji and godhuma ravva for daliya (cracked wheat). Main ingredient for this recipe is rice ravva. It is different from idli ravva. In Andhra, it is available in stores, sold as rice ravva. It can be made at home in the grinder. Wash rice in water and dry it for a few hours. Then coarse grind the rice. This ravva is used in undrallu or modakas made for Ganesh puja.

Cooking the ravva is more like cooking cous cous in USA.  More than enough water is boiled in a large container, a few minutes after adding ravva, most of the water is drained off. Then the container is covered and heated on low heat for 4 to 5 minutes. The resulting mixture is like small grains of sand. It should not be sticky.

In this recipe, instead of tamarind or lemon, I used grated green mango. Of course, in India the mangoes are usually very sour. You have to adjust the amount of mango, according to the sourness of the mango and your taste!

Ingredients:

•      2 cups rice ravva
•      1/2 to 3/4 cup grated green mango
•      Salt to taste
•      1/4 Tsp. Turmeric powder

Seasoning:

•      4 to Tbsp. oil
•      3 to 4 Red chiles
•      2 Tsp. Chana dal
•      2 Tsp. Urad dal
•      1 Tsp. Mustard seeds
•      A few curry  leaves
•      A pinch Hing (Asafetida)
•      1/2 cup peanuts (Optional)

Directions:

1.      Boil nearly 5 cups of water in a thick bottomed large container.
2.      When water is boiling, add a tea spoon of oil.
3.      Add rice ravva while stirring.
4.      When the mixture starts to cook, drain water from the container.
5.      Cook the drained mixture on low flame while keeping it covered.
6.      After 5 minutes, remove from heat.
7.      Mix it well using a long fork.
8.      Add grated mango.
9.      Add 2 table spoons oil, turmeric powder and salt.
10.      Mix it well, transfer to a plate and let it settle.
11.      Heat oil in a pan, add red chiles, and dals.
12.      After 2 minutes, add mustard seeds.
13.      When the seeds splutter, add curry leaves and hing.
14.      Add peanuts and let them all cook for a few minutes.
15.      Add seasoning, mix well.
16.      Transfer to a serving dish and keep it covered. 

Pulihora is served along with raita or majjiga pulusu. If eaten after 2 or 3 hours of making, Pulihora tastes nice.

 

 

 

 

Dondakaya kothimira karam kura

Dondakaya is a very common and widely consumed vegetable. It is available in India throughout the year. It is known as Kundru/Tindora/Tondli/Gherkins or Coccinia in different places. Dondakaya is a small oblong shaped smooth skinned light green to dark green vegetable, which is abundantly available all over India. It has a mild flavor with a crunchy juicy texture.

Dondakaya can be made into dry subzi, using different masalas. I am using kothimira karam( cilantro green chili mixture) to make a tasty and easy to cook subzi.

Normally, after cleaning fresh cilantro, I add a few green chilis and grind them together and store in the refrigerator. This mixture keeps fresh for about a week. Also, the cilantro does not go bad!

Fresh dondakaya:

Dondakaya cut and ready for microwave:

Dondakaya to be pressurecooked:

Ingredients:

•      About 25 to 30 dondakaya
•      1 cup kothimira (cilantro) (cleaned and chopped)
•      2 or 3 green chilis (according to taste)
•      salt to taste
•      2 to 3 tsp oil

Directions:

1.      Cut the dondakaya in quarter length wise, keeping them uncut at one end. 
2.      Put them in a microwave safe dish. Sprinkle a few drops of water.  Cover and microwave   for 3 to 4 minutes.
3.      Grind the kothimira and chilis together in a grinder.
4.      Heat a deep pan and put oil.
5.      Add the microwaved dondakaya to the pan.
6.      Add the kothimira mixture and salt.
7.      Add a few drops of water, if the paste is too dry.
8.      Cook on low heat for 5 to 10 minutes till the vegetable is soft.
9.      Alternately, if you have time, stuff a little bit of the masala mixture in each dondakaya.
10.      Pan fry in hot oil for a few minutes.
11.      Instead of microwaving, you can heat a pressure cooker, add oil and add the dondakaya. Add the masala and add a little water (2 or 3 tbsp.) and pressure cook.
12.      After 2 whistles, stop the heat. Open the cooker and cook for a few minutes till the fluid evaporates.

Alternate masalas:

Dondakaya can be cooked using egg plant masala, onion masala also. Instead of making the stuffed variety, you can cut the dondakaya into pieces and flavor the subzi with any of the masalas suggested in masalasetc

Eggplant parmesan

Eggplant (vankaya/baigan) is a popular vegetable in many different cuisines. Eggplant parmesan is a very popular Italian-American favourite. Tomato sauce used in this recipe is the same as we use for pizza. So, when the tomatoes were in season, we used to make plenty of sauce and freeze it, so that eggplant parmesan can be prepared within short notice also

While selecting eggplant for this recipe, you must look for those that are heavy for their size, tender and are smooth and shiny to look at.

Large eggplant cut into discs.

After the slices are pan fried.

 

 

After the first layers of eggplant, tomato sauce and grated cheese.

After placing the second eggplant layer.

Ingredients:

•      4 to 5 tsp oil
•      1 large eggplant
•      salt to taste
•      ground black pepper to taste
•      2 tsp chili flakes
•      2 cups tomato sauce
•      2 cups grated cheese
•      2 tsp oregano
•      a few leaves of basil

Directions:

1.      Slice the eggplant into 1/2 inch thick discs.
2.      Spread or spray some oil on a heated flat skillet.
3.      Place the eggplant slices on the hot skillet.
4.      Cook for a minute or two and flip them.
5.      Sprinkle a little salt and pepper.
6.      Cook till the eggplant slices are nearly half cooked.
7.      Sprinkle a little salt and pepper.
8.      Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C (350 degrees F)
9.      In a 9 by 13 inch baking dish spray a little oil.
10.      Arrange half of the eggplant slices at the bottom of the baking dish.
11.      Pour on the slices and spread uniformly half of the sauce.
12.      Sprinkle the grated cheese.
13.      Sprinkle a little bit of oregano and chili flakes.
14.      Repeat another layer of eggplant slices, tomato sauce and cheese.
15.      Sprinkle oregano and fresh basil (if available).
16.      Bake at 180 degrees C for about 20 minutes . (350 degrees F)
17.     The eggplant is ready when the cheese is getting golden brown.

It is served along with garlic bread or toasted bread or even naan









 

Thoorpu avakaya ( dried avakaya using yellow chile powder) Introduction

Pickles have some local variations, where ingredients locally available are used. Also, depending on the weather conditions, procedures are modified.
In east coastal Andhra Pradesh, from east Godavari district to Srikakulam district, yellow chilis, known as Gollaprolu mirchi are available. This variety of chilis are hotter than the red variety. Also very fine mustard seeds called Madugula avalu are used for making pickles in this region. The proportions of chili, mustard and salt are quite different from the usual red variety.
As this area is east coastal Andhra Pradesh, the pickles made here are called Thoorpu (eastern) avakayalu. Humidity in this region is much more than the rest of Andhra Pradesh. This affects the shelf life of pickles made. Probably this is the reason why this variety of pickles are kept in direct  sun and dehydrated for 6 to 9 days before they are kept away in the jar. 

Chilis and mustard seeds used are available only in coastal Andhra Pradesh. So, I normally get my supply of both from Rajahmundry.

I tried to get some information and photographs about the chilis and mustard from google, but could not get any. I had to request my niece to send me pictures of chilis and mustard from Vizianagaram, which is situated in north coastal Andhra Pradesh!!

Yellow chilis (Gollaprolu mirchi):

Fine mustard seeds (Madugula avalu):

                     

 

 

 

 

Sorakaya/lauki pappu kura (bottle gourd with moong dal subzi)

 

 

Sorakaya/aanapakaya/lauki/doodhi/ghiya/bottle gourd is available all over India. It is easily digestible and light on the stomach. Boiled lauki is served to babies and also persons convalescing after illness. It is high in certain minerals and vitamins. It is beneficial for diabetics and people suffering from high blood pressure!

As it is, lauki has a bland taste and children do not like it easily. To make it tastier and also more nutritious, you can add either dals (moong/chana etc) or garnish with groundnut powder/sesame powder etc. I am giving a recipe where lauki is cooked along with moong dal.

I normally use microwave to reduce the  cooking time. I am giving directions for both stove top method and microwave cooking.

 

Sabzi made using both the methods. Left half is microwave cooked.
Right half is stove top cooked.

 

  

Ingredients:

•      3 cups sorakaya /lauki pieces
•      1 cup moog dal
•      Salt to taste
•     A few curry  leaves

Seasoning:

•      2 red chiles
•      1/2  tsp. mustard seeds
•      1/2 tsp. jeera seeds
•      A pinch of hing (asafetida)
•      2 tsp. oil

Directions:
Stovetop cooking:

1.      Wash, peel and cut lauki into small cubes.
2.      Soak moong dal in water for about an hour.
3.      Heat pressure cooker and add oil.
4.      When the oil is hot, add red chile, mustard and jeera seeds.
5.      When mustard seeds splutter, add hing and curry leaves.
6.      Add lauki pieces.
7.      Mix it well.
8.      Drain moong dal and add it to the  lauki pieces.
9.      Sprinkle a little water, add salt and mix it well.
10.      Cover and let it cook for one whistle.
11.      Open the cooker when pressure is normal.
12.      Cook on low heat till the extra water evaporates.
13.      When moong dal and lauki pieces are cooked, turn the heat off.
14.      Leave it covered for five minutes and serve.

Microwave cooking:

1.      Place the lauki pieces and moong dal in a microwave safe bowl.
2.      Add a little water.
3.      Cover and cook on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes.
4.      Check whether lauki pieces and moong dal are partially cooked.
5.      Heat oil in a thick deep pan.
6.      Add chile pieces, mustard and jeera seeds.
7.      When mustard seeds splutter, add hing and curry leaves.
8.      Add lauki dal mixture.
9.      Add salt and stir well.
10.      Lower heat and cook covered for 3 to 4 minutes, till the liquid evaporates.
11.      Turn heat off and leave it covered for a few minutes and serve.