Sugandhi Sherbet

Sugandhi sherbet is a herbal drink with many medicinal properties.Sugandhi is prepared from the roots of the sugandhi plant.The juice of sugandhi helps in the purification of blood. It acts as a cooling agent and helps prevent sunstroke and quick recovery from sun strokes.

I first tasted this at my sister's place.My brother inlaw loves this and his mom sends him a bottle of concentrated juice every summer.Last few days back i went to vijaywada along with my sister's family.There i saw each and very street has a vendor selling this sherbert to beat the horrible heat of vijaywada (the temple town of Godess kanaka durga)

One glass of sugandhi is prized at Rs.10/-.When we order a glass,the vendor pours a quarter of the concentrated juice and half time.Then he adds soda and mixes it.It tastes good when drank cold.

The concentrated juice are sold in bottles costing Rs.100/- per bottle.I brought one bottle and we finished it within 15 days.Wished i had taken a snap of the vendor selling this juice.I googled it and got a picture.

This drink is conveniently given in polythane bags to take home to drink in leisure.

Berakaya Mamsam (Mutton and Ridge Gourd curry)

Its been a while i posted anything in my blogs.Its quite hectic at home.Kids school re-opened after summer vacation. Initial 1 week went for shopping for the kids school dresses and other things.Then the big job of putting covers on the books.It took almost 3 days for me to complete the task.There are few recipes which are there in my drafts since long and i am not getting time to post them.Today some how took out some time to write a post here and i am completely ignored my general blog.

This is my m-law recipes.She always adds one vegetable to mutton,the most common veggies she uses is tomato,potato,drumstick,brinjal and ridge gourd.I most use potato,tomato and ridge gourd in my mutton curry.

Ingredients:-

Mutton 500gms
Berakaya/Ridge gourd 2 (skin peeled and choped into pieces

Onions 2 (big)
Bay leaf 2
Red chillies 3
Cinnamon 1
Clove 1
Ginger garlic paste 1tbsp
Coriander powder 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Red chilly powder 1/2 tsp
Salt as per taste
Canola oil 3 tbsp

For masala paste:-

Fresh coconut (grated) 1/2 cup
Khas Khas 1 tsp
Cinnamon 1
Clove 2
Elachi 1

Make a fine paste of the above.

Method:-

1. Heat oil,add all the masala and fry till brown in colour.


2. Add red chillies and onions,saute till onions are brown in colour.


3. Add mutton pieces,ginger garlic paste,salt,red chilly powder and turmeric powder


4. Cover and cook till the curry is dry.


5. Now add the above masala paste and mix thoroughly.


6. Add coriander powder and cook till the masala coats the pieces and oils comes out.


7. Now add enough water and pressure cook until the pieces are soft.I prefer cooking in pressure cooker as meat takes time to cook.
8. Once cool open the pressure cooker and add the berakaya pieces/Ridge gourd pieces and pressure cook again for 2 whistle.Serve hot with rice or roti.

Karapusa

This is the easy muruku one can make.I make this very often and now kids at home and they ask for something or the other to munch.Sometimes i buy murukkus from a store but they wont last for long as the oil they use is not good.Here goes karapusa recipe which calls for very few ingredients.

Ingredient:-

Rice flour 2 cups

Besan/Senagapindi 2 cups

Ajwain/Vamu 1 tbsp

Butter/Vena 3 tbsp

Red chilli powder 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Oil for deep frying

Water to make a hard dough

Method:-

Mix all the ingredients.Add very little water and made a hard dough.

Apply oil to the inner part of the muruku maker.

Take a wide bottom kadai and add oil.

Fill a small quantity of the dough in the muruku maker.

Once the oil is hot,reduce the flame and with the muruku maker press muruku into the kadai in a circular motion.Once down increase the flame.

When the bubbles start reducing,it means the muruku is cooked.Remove the muruku with a long laddle with holes.And drain on a kitchen napkin.

Repeat with the rest of the dough.

Once muruku is cooled store them in a air tight container.

Avakaya/Mango Pickle

As soon as summer sets in people in Andhra wait for the delicious mango pickle.I remember it was a big thing to make the pickle in my grannies house.Morning my granny used to go to market to get mangoes.Actually the preparation starts much before the day actual pickle is made.Red chillies,mustard and fenugreek are sun dried before day.Red chillies and mustard are made into fine powder.Garlic is peeled in the morning on the day the pickle is made.

All my aunties and granny used to mix the pickle .Kids were not allowed in the room where the mixing is done.Then the pickle is stored in the ceramic jar commonly known as Jadi.It is mixed again the next day and my granny used to distribute the pickle to her children.

Ingredients:-

Mangoes 50

Fenugreek 125gms

Red chilly powder 1/2 kg

Salt 1/2kg

Mustard powder 1/2 kg

Turmeric powder 3 tsp

Garlic 1/4 kg

Oil 1 1/2 kg

Method:-

The manoges are throughly washed and are to be wiped dry.Then cut into pieces according to ones choice.Some cut the pieces with the seed and some don't.

Mustard are to be sun dried and grounded into fine powder.

Fenugreek has to be slightly roasted and grounded into fine powder.

Garlic has to be peeled.

Now mix all the ingredients with a dry spoon.Store it in a air tight container preferably a jabi.After three days mix throughly and can be eaten.

I love the garlic pieces more than the mango pieces maybe i am weired but i love the soft texture of garlic when soaked in the pickel,yummmmyyyyyy.......

Mango Murabba in Microwave

Its been a while i posted in my blog.Its summer holidays for kids and whole day goes with them and hardly find time to blog.The time i get is usually spent in Facebook.This recipe i learnt if from my classmate who used to get this to college during summers.This is similar to jam but a hotter version of it.This time i did this in microwave and came out quite well.Here goes my friends recipe

Ingredients:-

Raw Mangoes 3 skin peeled and grated

Sugar 2 cups

Elachi/cardamom 1/2 tsp

Cinnamon 1/2 tsp

Cloves powder 1/2 tsp

Ghee 2 tbsp

Method:-

In a microwave safe bowl take sugar and add 1/2 cup water.Microwave high for 1 minute

Then add grated mango and microwave for another 3 minutes.

Now add all the powders and ghee.Mix well.

Microwave high again for 3-4 minutes.

Mango murabba is ready in 8 minutes,isn't it easy to make it in microwave.

Spread to on bread or have with hot rotis.....