Vakkaya pesarapappu pacchadi (Karuanda moong dal chutney)

Vakkaya known in North India as Karuanda is available in many parts of India.

Vakkaya is a rich source of iron. So it is used in treatment of anaemia. It contains a fair amount of Vitamin C. The fruits are available during monsoon season.

Vakkaya is very similar to cranberries, available in USA at Thanksgiving time.

Here is a recipe to make spicy (optional) chutney with vakkaya and moong dal. Moong dal is available in Indian stores in USA. You may use the yellow dal which is without the green skin or
the variety with the skin. I used the dal with skin.

 Ingredients:

•      1 cup soaked moong dal (either with skin or without skin)
•      1/2 cup vakkayalu cut in to pieces
•      3 or 4 green chiles
•      1/4 Tsp. turmeric powder
•      1 Tsp. methi mustard powder
•      Salt to taste
•      Hing

Seasoning:

•      1 Tsp. oil
•      1 red chile
•      1/2 Tsp. mustard seeds

Directions:

1.      Soak moong dal in water for 2 to 3 hours.
2.      Wash and cut vakkayalu in to pieces.
3.      Drain the water from dal and wash 2 or 3 times. 
4.      Drain in a sieve so that all the water is removed.
5.      Place the pieces of karuanda and moong dal in a mixie jar.
6.      Add green chiles, turmeric powder, methi mustard powder, salt and a pinch of hing.
7.      Grind the mixture to a paste. 
8.      Add a spoon of water if needed.
9.      Transfer to a serving dish.
10.      Seasoning is optional. 
11.      Heat oil in a small pan, add red chile, mustard seeds and hing.
12.      Add the seasoning to the chutney.
13.      Tastes very nice when eaten along with rice.

Vankaya kura with cashew (Eggplant subzi with cashew)

Cashews are grown widely in coastal areas of India. Before the cashew nuts are fully ready, the nuts are harvested in their tender form, when the shell is not hardened. At that stage, the shell is easily cut open and the kernel is removed. But the kernel is corrosive and is harmful and so gloves should be used. Even the cashew has to be soaked in hot water and the outer skin has to be removed. The tender cashew is very tasty and gives an exotic taste to the dish! These tender cashews have a very short season and are not available in stores throughout the year.

At times when the tender cashew is not available, if you want to make the subzi, you can soak regular cashew nuts in boiling water for 2 to 4 hours and use them.

In coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Kerala etc. tender cashew is available around March/April time.

Any vankayalu (eggplant), long or small round variety can be used for this subzi. Make sure that eggplant is tender and no seeds are there. You may use any amount of eggplant and cashew of your choice or availability. There is no particular proportion.

 

   Ripe cashew-apple                                                                         Green cashew just starting

Ingredients:

•      8 or 10 vankayalu (small eggplant)
•      1/4th cup cashew nuts
•      1/2 Tsp. turmeric powder
•      3 or 4 green chilis
•      2 Tsp.adrak (ginger grated)
•      2 Tbsp. oil
•      Salt to taste
•      Some cilantro (optional)

Directions:

 

1.      Boil a cup of water.
2.      Soak cashews in hot water for about 3 hours.
3.      Grind green chilis and ginger and cilantro.
4.      Cut eggplant into thin long pieces.
5.      Heat oil in a deep and thick pan.
6.      Add eggplant and turmeric powder. Keep stirring.
7.      After 5 minutes, drain cashew nuts and add them to eggplant.
8.      Add ginger chili paste and salt.
9.      Cover and cook on low heat.
10.      Keep stirring.
11.      Cook till eggplant and cashew are soft.
12.      Cashew adds an exotic look and taste to the subzi.

Caution:  In case, you have a chance to use tender cashew and have to cut and clean the kernel, you must use gloves and protect your hands and face etc, as the oil which comes out of the kernel is corrosive!

 

 

Sandita kothimira karam kura (sandita cooked with cilantro)

In my experiments to cook different dishes with sandita, I tried my favorite masala, cilantro. As you might have noticed, I use this masala for a variety of vegetables, like dondakaya/ parval/ eggplant etc. It comes in handy, to grind cilantro with green chile and keep the paste in refrigerator and use it during the week.

Ingredients:

•      2 cups sandita
•      1 cup cut cilantro
•      1 or 2 green chiles
•      Salt to taste
•      3 to 4 Tsp. oil

Directions:

1.      Clean cilantro, grind to a paste adding green chiles
2.      Either cut sandita in half or just make a slit half way through.
3.      Microwave for 3 minutes on medium heat.
4.      Add oil to a thick pan, add sandita.
5.      Stir sandita and add cilantro paste.
6.      Add a few spoons of water.
7.      Cover and cook on low heat for 5 to 8 minutes, till sandita are soft.
8.      Serve with rice or chapatti. 

Sprouted moong pulao

Sprouted moong pulao is an easy dish to be prepared. It can even be prepared in a microwave.
Moong sprouts are easy to cook, easy to digest, rich in proteins, calcium etc.

You have to soak moong beans for 4 to 5 hours or overnight. Drain the water. In a wet kitchen napkin or fine cloth, put the drained beans and tie them up. Leave this in a container, for a day or so. See that the beans are wet. You will see small sprouts on the beans. Sprouting is dependant on the outlide temperature. You may leave them for some more time, if you want longer sprouts. Now, sprouts are available in shops also. As sprouts are good for health, it is better to incorporate them in everyday menu (salads, chutneys, pulao etc.)

Ingredients:

•      1 cup long grain rice
•      1/2 cup sprouted moong
•      1 tbsp. ghee (clarified butter)
•      2 tsp. oil

Masala paste:
 

•      1 med size onion
•      2 cloves of garlic
•      1/2 inch ginger

Masala ingredients:

•      1 inch cinnamon stick
•      3 to 4 green cardamom
•      2 black cardamom
•      3 to 4 cloves
•      Bay leaf
•      1/3 tsp. turmeric powder  
•      1/2 tsp. garam masala
•      1 tsp. chili powder
•      Salt to taste

Directions:

1.      Wash and soak rice in water for half an hour.
2.      Grind onion, garlic and ginger into a thick paste.
3.      Heat oil in a pan add cinnamon, cardamom, cloves for a minute and finally bay leaf.
4.      Add onion masala, turmeric powder, and chili powder.
5.      Add drained rice, sprouts and stir.
6.      Add 2 cups of water and cook in a rice cooker or pressure cooker.
7.      Add ghee to get a nice flavor and glaze.
8.      Stir well and serve hot.

 

Carrot perugu pacchadi (carrot raita)

Carrots are very beneficial for health. They help in improved vision, cancer prevention, anti-aging, healthy skin, stroke prevention etc. Many people take a glass of carrot juice every morning on a regular basis.
so, it is better to eat carrots in salads, subzis, dals, or chutneys. Raita made out of grated carrot is very easy to prepare. It is a great side dish to be eaten with rice, pulao, parathas etc. As the grated carrot is microwaved, you may not use any oil also, except for seasoning.
Carrots are available everywhere all through the year.

Ingredients:

•      1 cup grated carrot
•      1/2 cup whipped curd (yogurt)
•      1 green chili (cut into small pieces)
•      Cilantro for garnish
•      Fresh pomegranate seeds for garnish (optional)
•      Ajwain leaves finely cut (optional)
•      A few curry leaves
•      Salt to taste

Seasoning:

•      1 tsp. oil
•      1/4 tsp. mustard seeds
•      1/4 tsp. jeera seeds
•      A pinch of hing (asafetida)

Directions:

1.      Microwave grated carrot (covered) in microwave for a minute.
2.      When it cools, add the carrot to curd.
3.      Heat oil in a small pan, add mustard and jeera.
4.      When mustard seeds splutter add hing and curry leaves.
5.      Add the seasoning to the carrot mixture.
6.      Serve after garnishing with cut cilantro, green chili and pomegranate seeds.

 

 

Avakaya - Andhra hot pickle

Avakaya derives its name from the main ingredient used in making the pickle, aavalu (mustard seeds).  Many Telugu people would like to eat it along with rice, right from the time the mango pieces are mixed with the chili mixture. For those, who are not acclimatized to the taste, the same would be bitter!
Mango pickle after the pieces are soaked for 2 days, tastes very nice when eaten with hot rice and ghee, and thick curd (yogurt) by the side!

The pickle stays for more than one year, if all the precautions mentioned in pickle making -- introduction.


Avakaya, about a month after making:

Avakaya with garlic, about a month after making:

Mango pieces cut into equal size pieces:

 

 

Mango pieces mixed in chili mixture with some oil added, ready to be put into a jar:           

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fresh pickle put in a jar:                                                                                                               

 

 

 

Ingredients:

•      1 kg (2 lbs) chili powder
•      1 kg (2 lbs) mustard powder
•      1 kg (2lbs) salt
•      100 gm methi seeds (fenugreek)
•      4 tbsp. turmeric powder
•      25 medium size or 30 small size mangos
•      1 to 2 liters of oil

Directions:

1.      Wash and dry the mangoes.
2.      Cut them into 1 and 1/2 inch square pieces (cutting them along with the kernel).
3.      Clean each of the pieces with dry cloth again, removing the seed and the thin film around the seed. You may need to use a sharp knife to remove the thin film.
4.      Mix all the powders in a large plate.
5.      Add turmeric and methi seeds (fenugreek).
6.      Mix a cup of oil.
7.      Approximately, for one measure of the masala mixture, one and half measures of cut pieces are added.
8.      Put 2 cups of pieces into the mixture.
9.      Drop a few spoons of oil to the bottom of the vessel.
10.      Drop the mango pieces coated with chili mixture into the vessel.
11.      Keep adding the pieces and mixture till all the mango pieces are in the vessel.
12.      Top it with half of the oil.
13.      Cover and leave it in a cool dry place.
14.      By next day the volume of the pickle will be less.
15.      On the third day, mix it thoroughly, using a long dry spoon or by hand.
16.      Make sure that the spoon/hand reaches the bottom of the vessel.
17.      Add more oil. See that the pieces are completely immersed in oil.
18.      Oil must be at least 1 inch above the pickle level.
19.      Transfer the pickle into a dry airtight jar and keep in a cool dry place,
20.      Small amounts of pickle can be transferred into a small serving jar for daily use.
21.      Extreme care must be taken in handling the pickle with dry spoon.

Variation:

2 cups garlic peeled.
Add garlic to the prepared pickle and mix it well.
Make sure the oil is 1 inch above the pickle.
Keep covered and let it sit for a few days.
Mix it well once in between.
Avakaya with garlic will be ready to eat in 10 days.

 

 

 

Pickle making -- Introduction

Pickles from Andhra Pradesh are well known all over. In the recent times, spice level is toned down, to suit to the present generation food habits. Measurements of ingredients cannot be exact, as they are dependent on the sourness of mangoes used. So, the best possible proportions are given. Also, amounts have to be adjusted according to the size of mangoes.

Mostly, the principal ingredients are the same, but procedural variations make the pickles different.
Sesame oil (gingely /til) is preferred for making the long term pickles. If in case, it is not available, you may use any other oil available locally.

Precaution:

It is preferred to use powdered rock salt rather than iodized salt.
My mother's and her earlier generations, used to buy red chilis, mustard seeds, dry them in the sun and and get them pounded in big stone or wooden pestles. Now, many people just buy the powders and use them.
Not too hot chili powder or mircha powder is preferred rather than very hot and spicy one.
In Andhra Pradesh, we prefer using Three Mangoes Chili powder or Joshi's Chili powder and mustard powder.
Now, ready mixed pickle masala is available in market. You have to just add mango pieces to the mixture and the pickle is ready in a jiffy!!!
While making pickles for the year, utmost care should be taken to see that the mangoes, utensils used, jars where the pickles are stored etc are absolutely dry.
Whenever mixing or transferring the pickles, hands and spoons also have to be dried thoroughly. The jars must be kept in a cool dry place and the jars have to be airtight.
Before starting pickle making, you have to get all the jars/bottles and all the vessels and spoons cleaned and dried.

Selection of mangoes:

In Andhra Pradesh, the process of selecting the mangoes, process of preparation, storage and serving the pickles is almost considered to be a ritual! The process is handed down from mother to daughter or mother-in-law to daughter-in-law!!

It is very important to pick the right variety of mangoes for pickle making. Mango must be mature with hard seed, firm and medium in size and sour. If the mangoes are not mature (hard seed is not developed), there is a chance that the pickle may not stay for long. When we were young, we used to get our mango supply from the village .The farmer used to say that the birds have started eating the mature mangoes. That is the indication that mangoes are ready to be picked for pickles. Parrots and other birds know when mangoes are mature!!  
It is necessary that the mangoes are raw and creamish in color when cut. The pieces must taste sour.
Taste and shelf life of the pickle is proportionate to the sourness!
Only mangoes which are directly plucked from the tree are to be used. Mangoes fallen to the ground may have some internal damage and the pickle may go bad.

In Andhra Pradesh pickle making starts from around last week of April. Most of the local vegetable markets have loads of mangoes heaped. The pickling season goes on till middle of May.

Cutting mangoes for avakaya is also a very difficult process. Every piece of mango has to have a part of the hard seed cover. If the pieces are squeezed while cutting, they are not used in the pickle. 

Each mango is cut into half. Then it is cut again into quarter. Every quarter piece is to be cut into 3 or 4 pieces according to your choice.

Professional cutters are available in the market to cut the mangoes into pieces. The instrument used to cut the mangoes has a firm handle on a butcher's knife and a firm base both joined at on end.

I am inserting some photographs of the process of cutting etc. 
I normally take a bucket and some clean water in bottles for soaking and cleaning the mangoes. After the mangoes are cleaned and dried, I spread an old sheet and get the mangoes cut on to that. I collect all the pieces in a dry container and bring them home for mixing.