Carrot pacchadi (carrot chutney)

Pacchadi or chutney is an essential item in any Indian menu, whether it is breakfast or lunch or dinner or a snack or even street food like bhel puri, aloo tikki or samosa etc. Chutney probably originated in the Indian Subcontinent.  If idli/dosa/pongaralu or pakora or any snack is served without chutney to any food lover, it will be considered an incomplete meal!!

Varieties of chutney can be consumed as dip or sauce or spread with any kind of food or bread.

Chutneys are prepared either wet or dry and can be hot, sweet or sour. Chutney varieties are countless and can be made from any  single vegetable, fruit or green vegetable or any combination of nuts and vegetables or lentils.

Carrot chutney is easily made and very tasty. It is very healthy as grated carrot is sautéd in minimal oil.

Grated carrot, cilantro and green chilis:

Grated carrot after sautéing:

Ingredients:

•      2 cups coarsely grated carrot
•      2 tsp oil
•      1/2 cup kothimira (cilantro) chopped
•      2 green chilis
•      1 tsp methi mustard powder
•      1 to 2 tsp lemon juice
•      Salt to taste

Directions:

1.      Fry grated carrot in a pan with oil.
2.      After carrot cools, grind all ingredients together except lemon juice. Add water if needed.
3.      Add lemon juice and mix well.

Can be served with rice, roti or idli etc. It can be used as a spread on sandwiches also.

 

 

 

Allam pacchadi (ginger sweet and sour chutney)

Pacchadi or chutney is an essential item in any Indian menu, whether it is breakfast or lunch or dinner or a snack or even street food like bhel puri, aloo tikki or samosa etc. Chutney probably originated in the Indian Subcontinent.  If idli/dosa/pongaralu or pakora or any snack is served without chutney to any food lover, it will be considered an incomplete meal!!

Varieties of chutney can be consumed as dip or sauce or spread with any kind of food or bread.

Chutneys are prepared either wet or dry and can be hot, sweet or sour. Chutney varieties are countless and can be made from any single vegetable, fruit or green vegetable or any combination of nuts and vegetables or lentils.

In Andhra Pradesh allam pacchadi or ginger sweet chutney is a very popular side dish for any breakfast /snack. As ginger is supposed  to  help digestion, people prefer this chutney with idli  or dosa etc.

 

 

Ingredients:

•      2 or 3 inch ginger peeled and chopped ( 3 to 4 tbsp. grated)
•      2 tbsp. tamarind paste
•      A pinch turmeric  powder
•      2 tsp methi mustard powder
•      2 or 3 tbsp. jaggery (adjust according to taste)
•      1 or 2 green chili
•      A pinch of hing (asafetida)
•      Salt to taste

Directions:

1.      Grind all ingredients together with just enough water (if needed).
2.      Store in a jar.
3.      When refrigerated, it stays for a long time.

Good side dish for idli, dosa etc.

Mango menthi baddalu ( mango pieces in methi mustard powder and jaggerry)

Early summer or spring time, when small mangos are available, some of these varieties are prepared for temporary use. In this variety, lot of jaggery and a little methi mustard powder (methi mustard roasted and powdered ) are used. Children also like this as it is sweet and sour.

Ingredients:

•      1/2 cup mango pieces, peeled and cut into small cubes
•      2 tsp methi mustard powder
•      3 tbsp. jaggery (brown sugar) amount according to taste
•      Salt to taste
•      A pinch of turmeric
•      2 tsp oil

Directions:

1.      Add the powders to the mango pieces.
2.      Add oil.
3.      Let it stand for 3 to 4 hours.

Jaggery and salt when mixed with mango pieces, give out a lot of juice.

Panasa mukkala gravy kura (Kathal/Jackfruit gravy subzi)

The Jackfruit is native to parts of South and Southeast Asia, and is believed to have originated in the Southwestern rain forests of India, in present-day Kerala and coastal Karnataka and Maharashtra. Its fruit is the largest tree-borne fruit reaching as much as 80 pounds (36kgs) in weight, 36 inches in length and 20 inches in diameter.
The Jackfruit tree is widely cultivated in tropical regions. Jackfruit is national fruit of Bangladesh.
The flesh of the jackfruit is starchy and fibrous and is a source of dietary fiber. The flavor is comparable to a combination of apple, pineapple, mango and banana.

Jackfruit on the tree:                                                Ready to cut:

Cut in half:

 

Pieces cut into small cubes and added some turmeric (slightly tender jackfruit):

 

 

 Pieces from a store (fully grown jackfruit, notice the seeds are formed) :

 

 

Caution:

Before touching the raw jackfruit for cutting, spread 2 or 3 newspapers, grease both hands generously with sesame (til) oil or use gloves. When we cut jackfruit, it leaves a milk like latex which is very sticky. It leaves stains as well. It is important to prevent spoiling the floor, your hands and your dress!!
Cut the jackfruit into two pieces. Then remove the thorny green skin part and the hard
core (center part) and chop into small cubes. Grease your hands frequently while you are cutting the vegetable.

Ingredients:

•      2 cups jackfruit pieces
•      1/2 cup onion (diced)
•      2 pods garlic
•      1 inch ginger cut into pieces
•      4 to 5 tomatoes made into puree
•      2 inch piece of cinnamon
•      4 green cardamom
•      2 black cardamom
•      3 cloves
•      2 bay leaves
•      1 tsp garam masala
•      1/2 tsp turmeric powder
•      1 tsp chili powder
•      2 tsp coriander powder
•      1/2 tsp jeera powder
•      Salt to taste
•      3 to 4 tsp oil
•      Cilantro for garnish

Directions:

1.      Cut the jackfruit into 1 inch cubes.
2.      Grind onion, ginger and garlic into a paste.
3.      Add cinnamon. cardomom, and cloves to hot oil in a deep pan.
4.      Add bay leaves.
5.      Add ground onion paste and sauté till onion turns brown.
6.      Add turmeric, coriander, jeera and chili powders. Fry for a minute.
7.      Add the jackfruit pieces and tomato puree.
8.      Cook till the pieces are soft to touch.
9.      Add garam masala and cook for a few more minutes.
10.      Garnish with freshly cut cilantro and serve.

Note:

Cut jackfruit pieces are available in many super markets in India. In USA, baby jackfruit pieces are available in cans, in Indian stores or Asian food markets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gunta pongaralu ( unni-appam / paniyaram/pancake puffs)

Unni-appam or paniyaram or gunta pongaralu is a snack from Kerala. Minimal amount of oil is used in cooking these snacks. Also any left over idli batter or dosa batter can be used to make this delicious snack. These are a very healthy snack.

In some European countries and USA, they are called Aebleskiver or puffed pancakes.

A special utensil called paniyaram chetti or Aebleskiver pan which have molds in it is needed for making the appams.. In south Indian markets you can buy the pan. In USA, it is available in kitchen ware shops as aebleskiver pan. It is better to go in for a non stick pan, so that it is easy to flip them while cooking.

I have inserted photographs of the pan.

Pan that I purchased in Hyderabad, India.

Molds filled with batter:

Appams after they are flipped:

Ingredients:

•      1 cup idli batter or dosa batter
•      3 tbsp. onion finely chopped
•      2 tsp green chili finely chopped (adjust according to taste)
•      1 tsp ginger finely chopped
•      Salt to taste
•      2 or 3 tbsp. poha (flat rice)
•      2 tbsp. curd (yogurt)

Directions:

1.      Mix all the ingredients except poha.
2.      Mix enough poha to make the batter liquidy enough to be dropped by spoon.
3.      Grease or spray the pan nicely and heat on high heat.
4.      Once the pan is hot, reduce the heat to medium.
5.      Put a spoon of batter into each of the molds. (not full, up to 3/4th full)
6.      Cover and cook on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes.
7.      Try to lift the appam with a sharp wooden stick or fork. Flip all the appams.
8.      Add one drop oil on each, if necessary.
9.      Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Test with a tooth pick to see if they are cooked.
10.      Appams are ready to be served.
11.      Serve with chutney or sambar.

Variations:

Stuffed appams can be made by putting a spoon of batter, and 1/2 spoon of chutney or jam etc and topping with one more spoon of batter again and cook.
Dahi vadas can be made with appams made using urad dal (black gram dal) batter.
Kadhi with pakoras can be made with appams made of besan (chickpea flour)

Vankaya chikkudukaya kura

Vankaya (eggplant) is a very popular vegetable all over the world. We find different varieties of eggplant. Any variety is alright for this recipe.
Chikkudukaya (broad beans) is available in winter months in India. When cooked together, they make a very tasty dish.  In festival dinners or at wedding lunches, this is a very common item on the menu.
Maybe because very little spices are used and it does not need any effort in making!
 

Ingredients:

•      4 medium round eggplant
•      20 chikkudu kaya (broad beans)
•      1/2 tsp turmeric powder
•      2 tsp chana dal
•      1 tsp urad dal
•      1 tsp mustard seeds
•      A pinch hing
•      2 or 3 green chilis
•      1 inch ginger
•      A few curry leaves
•      2 tsp rice flour
•      Salt to taste

Directions:

1.      Cut the eggplant into large cubes.
2.      Cut the beans into 1 inch pieces after removing the strings.
3.      In a microwave safe bowl, put the pieces, add turmeric, add some water and microwave for 3 to 4 minutes, till the pieces become soft.
4.      Cut chili and ginger into small pieces or crush them together in a grinder or pestle.
5.      In a deep pan, heat oil, add the dals.
6.      When the dals are changing color, add mustard seeds and hing,
7.      Add chili ginger mixture and curry leaves.
8.      Add the eggplant and same, add salt. Mix or almost mash it thoroughly. Let it cook for 4 to 5 minutes.
9.      Sprinkle rice powder and mix it well.
10.      Cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
11.      Serve it with rice or roti.

Variation:

Instead of microwaving, the eggplant and beans pieces can be directly added to seasoning and cooked in a pressure cooker for one or two whistles. When the cooker cools down, open the lid, and cook directly till the liquid dries off. Add rice flour and mix well.
In place of sem, lobia (long string beans) can be used, Also the subzi can be tried adding shelled green peas to eggplant.

Black bottu for babies

As I mentioned in the earlier post, for babies of either gender, it is customary to put a black dot on the forehead. It is said to ward off evil eye and so applied soon after a baby is given bath. When a new baby arrives in the house, mothers or grandmothers prepare katuka and the agulu (black bindi).

It is a fairly simple process and also does not take too long to make. Bottu is usually stored in coconut shells, or silver bowls or even small wooden bowls. Once it cools, bottu hardens and is not messy. Just when it has to be used, a drop of water is added on the top and in a few minutes, you can rub your index finger on the top and get a smooth paste as gel.

 

 

 

                                                                                                                   

Home made katuka and bottu:

                                                                                                                                                                                         

Saggubiyyam ( sabudana):

Roasting saggubiyyam:

Water added when saggubiyyam turns dark:

Ingredients:

•      3 or 4 tbsp. saggubiyyam (sabudana/tapioca sago/sago pearls)
•      Thick sauce pan
•      3 to 4 tbsp. water

Directions:

1.      Heat the pan on medium heat till it is very hot.
2.      Add sago and keep stirring till the sago pearls turn black.
3.      Sago almost melts in the heat.
4.      Add a little water and keep stirring.
5.      Fried sago melts in water and looks like a paste.
6.      Keep adding water and keep stirring until all the sago melts completely.
7.      Keep stirring till the paste gets a thicker consistency (pouring consistency).
8.      Transfer it to a container and let cool.
9.      It hardens when cooled.

Note: Do not use thin sauce pan, it is better to use an iron one or a thick bottom one. It is better not to use non-stick pans also, as the pan may be ruined. 
Keep the place well ventilated as the fumes may engulf the surroundings.