Gongura Pachadi (Red sorrel leaves pickle)

Ingredients:-

Gongura (red sorrel leaves) 1 kg
 Dry red chillies 250 gms
Cumin (jelakara) seeds 4 tsp
Coriander seeds (daniyalu) 4 tsp
Fenugreek seeds (mentulu)4 tsp
Oil 7 tbsp
Garlic (velipayalu) 4
Turmeric (pasupu) a pinch (chitikadu)
Hing (inguva) a  pinch (chitikadu)
Salt as per taste

Seasoning
Channa dal (senagapappu) 4 tsp
Mustard seeds (avalu) 4 tsp
Udad dal (minapappu) 4 tsp

Method:-

Wash gongura leaves and live in the sun to dry till water evapourates.
Take a pan with 2 tbsp of oil.Add red chillies,coriander,fenugreek,cumin and fry.Let it cool and make a coarse powder.Keep aside.
In the same pan remove oil and fry gongura leaves on a low flame.The leaves changes its colour and the quantity is reduced to half.
Once the leaves are cool enough,grind them with 3 garlic,turmeric powder,salt and the powder which you made it before.Don't grind it into smooth paste ,it should be coarse.
Then in a another pan take the remaining oil.When oil is hot add the seasoning,remaining garlic (crushed) and hing.
Then add the gongura paste and saute for a 2 minutes.

This pickle can be stored for one year.

PS:-I have scheduled few post after this and i am off for a month or so as i am relocating to india.Will come back soon.................

Ras Malai --- Indian Cooking Challenge

  I didn't participate  in indian cooking challenge since last two months as i didn't had muruku presser with me and other one i didn't had guts to attempt it.At home we all love bengali sweets and i have blogged about Rasgulla .We always buy halidram's tin almost 2-3 times a month,my hubby loves it and gobbles half of the tin.Half of the procedure is similar to Rasgulla and is quite easy to make.Just check manjula's video for the detailed procedure.I recommed that website because i learned making rasgulla's from that site.

Before marriage my mom used to get these always when there is a birthday at home and my younger sister loves this.Next time when i visit my mom will make these for her.Here is the recipe given by srivalli .:-

Ingredients:-

Milk 1 liter for making panner and 1/2 liter for milk syrup
Lemon 2 tbsp
Sugar 6 tbsp for sugar syrup and 3 tbsp for milk syrup
Water 1 big glass of water
Corn flour 1 tbsp
Cardamom 1 crushed
Almonds grated 4-5
Safforn (optional and my addition)

Method:-

1. Boil milk.Add lemon and boil till it breaks
2. Strain the curdle milk in a strainer,run through the water so that the taste of lemon goes off.Then wrap in a cloth and hang it,so that all the water drips out
3. Take a cooker,add water and sugar.Let it boil for sometime.
4. Knead the panner and corn flour for 5-8 minutes or till your hands are oily.Make small size balls and slightly press on the top.Be careful when making balls and they tend to increase the size when cooked.So always make small size balls.
5. Slowly drop these balls in the boiling sugar syrup.And close the cooker and wait till u get one whistle and switch of the stove.
6. Remove the balls and squeeze the water. Keep aside.
7. Take the 1/2 liter of milk and boil till it is reduced to half.
8. Add sugar and cardamom .Mix well.
9. Slowly add the panner balls to the milk syrup and switch off the stove.
10. Let it cool and refrigerate it.Sprinkle almonds and pista when serving.

PS:-The panner has to be knead very well.There should not be any cracks while making the balls,if there are any  cracks the panner balls disintegrate in the sugar syrup.If you find any cracks just knead it again and if you think it is too dry just add 2-3 drops of water and knead again.Your ras malai shapes depends on your kneading the panner dough.

Simple Beans Fry

Ingredients:-

Beans 250gms
Onion 1 chopped
Red chilly powder 1tsp
Fresh grated coconut 3 tbsp
Turmeric powder
Salt as per taste


Seasoning:-

Oil 2-3 tbsp
Rai 1 tsp
Udad dal 1 tsp
Dry red chillies 4
Curry leaves few

Method:-

Chop beans and keep aside
Take oil in a frying pan add all the seasoning,when they are fried add beans and turmeric powder.
Sprinkle 3 tbsp of water and salt.
Cover and cook till beans are soft and water is evaporated.Check if beans are not soft enough can sprinkle another 2-3 tbsp of water.
Lastly  add red chilly powder and grated fresh coconut.Mix throughly.

Serve it as a side dish along with rice and sambar/rasam

Gongura Kheema (Sorrel and minced meat)

Gongura is also known as red sorrel leaves and gongura pachadi is very famous in andhra cuisine.Gongura is also knowns as puntikura,sorrel leaves,ambaadi,pitwaa,pulichakeerai,nalitaa saga and pandi.Most famous is gongura pachadi(gongura pickle) and gongura mamsam (Gongura mutton).Other varities are gongura kheema,gongura pappu (Gongura dal) and gongura royyalu (gonruga prawns).

I usually pick 3-4 bunches of gongura every time i see them at the market.With that i make pickle,dal and kheema/mutton.We just love the taste of gongura.I always have gongura pickle in my fridge,when it gets over i buy priya gongura pickle.Will be shortly posting gongura pickle as well.

Ingredients:-

Kheema (mutton minced) 250 gms
Gongura (sorrel leaves) 1 bunch (chopped)
Ginger garlic paste 1 1/2tbsp
Garam masala powder 1 tsp
Red chilly powder 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Dry red chilly 2 nos
Garlic 1 crushed
Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves few
Oil 3 tbsp
Salt as per taste

Make a paste of the following ingredients:-

Onions 2 chopped
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Coriander seeds 1 tbsp

Method:-

Take 2 tbsp oil in a pressure cooker.Add cumin seeds.When they splutter add the onion paste.
Fry till the onion leaves the raw smell and it is well fried.
Then add ginger garlic paste.Again saute till the ginger garlic paste is well fried and leaves the raw smell.
Add turmeric powder,red chilly powder,garam masala powder and salt.
Now add kheema and mix thoroughly.Add enough water and pressure cook until you get 3-4 whistle.
In another pan take 1 tbsp of oil and add curry leaves and red chillies.When they are fried add crushed garlic.
Saute for a while and add chopped gongura.Fry for 10 minutes.Water is not needed here.
Then add the cooked kheema along with water.Mix thoroughly and cook till the water get dried.
Serve hot with rice or with roti.

Sesame Rice

Ingredients:-

Rice (cooked)
Green chillis 2
Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
Channa dal 1/2 tsp
Dry red chillies 2-3
Coriander seeds 1 tbsp
Sesame seeds 1/4 cup (dry roast the seeds in a pan for a few minutes on medium heat tossing them around and make a coarse powder)
Oil 3 tbsp
salt to taste

Method:-

Dry roast coriander and red chillies and make powder.

Heat oil,add mustard,channa dal and curry leaves.Fry channa dal till light brown in colour.
Add coriander and red chilly powder,saute for a minute.Then add sesame seed powder.
Saute for another minute.Then lastly add cooked rice and combine well.
Serve hot with any side dish of your choice or just with a papad.

Peanut Ladoo

Ingredients:-

Peanuts 1 cup
Jaggery 1cup (grated)
Ghee 2 tbsp

Method:-

Roast peanuts and remove skin.Keep aside.
Take jaggery in a thick bottom vessel and add 5 tbsp of water.Let the jaggery melts.
Now make a thin syrup.
When syrup is done*.Switch off the stove and take the bowl down on the floor.
Add ghee and peanuts.Mix thoroughly and take the peanuts in a flat plate.
Wet your hands and make ladoos into your preferred sizes.These ladoos can be stored for long.

*To check whether the syrup is done or not take a bowl with water.Pour a teaspoon of syrup into the water.With your fingers gather the syrup into a ball.If a ball is formed then the syrup is ready.

Palak Paneer Rice

Ingredients:-

Rice 1 cup

Spinach (palak) 1/2 cup

Panner cubes 1/4 cup

Ginger garlic paste 1 tsp

Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Onions 1 chopped
Green chillies 2 chopped
Oil 2 tbsp

Method:-

Soak rice for 1 hour.
Heat oil,add panner pcs and fry till golden brown in colour.Remove and keep aside.
In the same oil,add zeera,onions and green chillies.Saute till onions are fried.
Once onions are fried,add ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw smell of ginger goes off.
Then add chopped spinach.
Fry for 4-5 minutes.Add salt and the soaked rice.
Saute till the rice is little dry.Add enough water and cook on a low heat.
Once the rice is done,add the fried panner pcs and mix gently.
Serve hot with any raita,as a side dish/curry is not required for this rice.

Note:-Amount of water depends on the rice used.I used basmati rice and i added 1 1/2 glass of water for 1 glass of rice.