SPICY ANDHRA CHICKEN FRY

INGREDIENTS: Chicken - 1kg
                            Onions - 1big size sliced
                            Green chillies - 1
                            Ginger garlic paste - 2tbsp
                             Daneya powder - 1tsp
                             Jeera powder - 1tsp
                             Garam masala - 1/2tsp
                             Salt - to taste
                             Chilli powder - 1tbsp
                             Curry leaves
                             Coriander leaves - 1tbsp chopped finely
                             Haldi - pinch
                             Lemon juice
                             Oil - 2tbsp

METHOD:

1. Wash and clean chicken adding salt and haldi.

2. Heat a frying pan.

3.Add 2tbsp oil  and add sliced onions.

4. Then add ginger garlic paste and green chillies.

5. Saute nicely until the raw smell disappears.

6. Add pinch haldi , daneya powder, and jeera powder.

7. Add chilli powder .

8. Now add chicken pieces and fry in high flame for 5mins.

9.Cover with the lid and pour little water on top of the plate so that the gravy does not stick to the bottom.

10. Let it cook for 15 mins.

11. Add garam masala and freshly ground pepper powder.

12. Garnish with coriander leaves.............

serve hot with plain rice.

LADY'S FINGER PULUSU( BENDAKAYA)

INGREDIENTS:

Bendakaya  - 1/4kg
Onions - 2 finely chopped
Tomato - 1 finely chopped
Green chillis - 2 slit lengthwise
Curry leaves
  Red chilli powder - 1tbsp
Coriander pwd - 1tsp
Turmeric pwd - pinch
Jaggery, grated -  pinch
Tamarind
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves for garnish
Oil - 1tbsp

For tempering :

Mustard seeds - 1/4tsp
Methi seeds - 6
Few curry leaves

METHOD:

1. Heat oil in a pan.
2.  Add mustard seeds and let them pop, add methi and curry leaves fry for a half a minute till the flavors come out and take care not to burn them.
3.  Add the chopped onions and green chillis and saute for a minute.
4.  Add the okra pieces and salt and combine.
5. Cook on medium flame for 12-14 mts or till the onions and okra are lightly browned.
6. Add chilli pwd, coriander pwd, turmeric pwd and salt and combine well.
7. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook further for another 4-5 mts.
8.  Add the grated jaggery and tamarind pulp along with approx three cups of water.
9.  Bring to a boil and reduce flame and cover with lid.
10.  Let it cook for 8-10 mts till the gravy thickens slightly. Remember, ‘pulusu’ is a gravy dish and should be of a slightly watery consistency.
11.  Once cooked, garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with steamed rice.

LUNCH BOX MENU 6

Todays lunch box menu consists of: Tomato rasam

                                                      Lady's finger  with tamarind

                                                    

                                                                        TOMATO RASAM

INGREDIENTS:

Tur dal -  1/4cup

Tomato - 1 big size chop into small pieces

Haldi - pinch

Rasam pwd - 1tbsp

Tamarind paste - 1tsp

Jaggery (optional) - little

Few fresh curry leaves

Salt to taste

Water

For seasoning:

Mustard seeds - 1/4tsp

Hing - pinch

Dry red chilli - 1

Few fresh curry leaves

Ghee - 1tsp

METHOD:

1. In a pressure cooker, place a cup of tur dal, turmeric pwd, pinch of hing and 1 cup of water and pressure cook upto 3 whistles.
2 Heat a deep vessel.
3. Add 3 cups of water, mashed dal, chopped tomatoes, tamarind extract, salt, turmeric pwd, few fresh curry leaves, pinch of jaggery and rasam pwd and bring to a boil.
4.  Continue to boil for 2-3 mts.
5. Heat oil in a pan.
6. Add mustards seeds and as they splutter.
7. Add red chillis and curry leaves and stir fry for a few seconds. Add asafoetida and turn off heat.
8. Add this to the rasam and combine.
9. Turn off heat and place lid.
10. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with plain rice..............................

SOYA BEAN AND KASURI METHI KI PULAO

INGREDIENTS: Soya beans - 1/4kg
                           Dry kasuri methi - 2tbsp
                           Onions - 1 finely chopped
                           Green chillies - 5 slits
                           Coriander leaves - 1tbsp finely chopped
                           Tomatoes - 1 chopped
                           3cc(cloves - 3, cardamom - 3, cinammon - 1/2'nch)
                           Bay leaf - 2
                           Rice - 1cup
                           Lemon - 1
                           Ghee + oil - 2tbsp
                           Ginger garlic paste - 1tbsp
                           Garam masala - 1/2tsp
                           Water
                           Cashew nuts - 8
                           Jeera seeds - 1/2tsp

METHOD:

1. Chop onions, green chillies and tomatoes.
2. Wash soya beans and keep aside.

3. Grind ginger and garlic to paste.

4. Heat a pressure cooker add oil + ghee .

5. After the oil becomes hot add jeera seeds and let them crackle.

6. Now add cashewnuts,  3ccc and bay leaf.

 

7. Saute well.

8. Add chopped onions. and green chillies.

9. Add ginger garlic paste and fry nicely till the raw smell comes out.

10. Now add  chopped tomatoes.

11. Then add soya beans and kasuri methi.

12. Saute nicely.

13. Add basamati rice and fry nicely till light brown.

14. Then add chopped coriander leaves.

15. Add  water(1:2 1cup rice 2 cups water) and garam masala.

16. Cover the lid and let it cook for 3whistles.

squeeze lemon juice and serve hot with onion raita.............and papad

AUTHENTIC COORG FILTER COFFEE

                              TIPS ON MAKING AUTHENTIC FILTER COFFEE

1.First and foremost, one must be connoisseur of Coffee. A coffee lover would go down to any length to brew it correctly

2. A Coffee Filter is a must. An Indian Coffee filter is a two portion steel container, the bottom portion is for collection and the top portion is where the ground coffee and boiling water are placed. A mushroom shaped filter is located within the top portion. It?s available in various sizes and not expensive.


3. Brewing the coffee is Art which one masters by practice. It?s always according to your taste. Some prefer to be strong/light/black. The brew that percolates down is called decoction. It can be strong or light depending on how many spoons of coffee powder is added to the filter.


4.Open the lid of the top portion of filter. Then u remove the mushroom shaped filter. It resembles like an umbrella kind of a strainer. Add 4-6 spoons of finely ground Indian coffee and close it with that strainer.

Coffee powder is available with chicory also. But I prefer always the pure one. It has an authentic& aromatic flavor. The usual brands are Narasus, Tata Coffee, and Leo Coffee. Also Coffee Day too sells varieties of coffee beans. One must select and they will ground it immediately.

5.Add boiling water to this coffee powder. Immediately u can see bubbles emanating from this froth and close it quickly.


6. After 15-20 minutes, decoction will get collected in bottom container. Its ready for use.

7.Now boil the milk in a pan.

8. First add 1/4th cup of decoction in a glass. Then pour 3/4th cup of hot piping milk. Sugar is always according to one?s taste. This is the normal coffee. One can always increase or decrease the strength of the decoction depending on one?s preference.

9.Don?t ever boil this again as it will kill the beverage and ruin the taste.

10.The authentic flavor of coffee can be enjoyed when served appropriately in a ?Tumbler & davara?.{special serving vessel for coffee only.} It gives that ?oriental touch ? though I m equally at ease with a Coffee Mug.

INGREDIENTS FOR PREPARING DECOCTION: Filter coffee powder - 4tsp
                                                                                Water - 1/2 cup
                                                                                  Filter for making coffee decoction

FOR COFFEE: Milk - 1cup
                         Sugar - 8tsp
                         Coffee mugs

METHOD:

1. Take 1/2 cup water in a sauce pan.

2. Allow it to boil.

3. Take a filter add 4tsp of coffee powder.

 
4. After the water starts boiling add to the coffee powder.
 

 
5. Till it reaches the marked level.
 

 
6. Close the lid and keep it aside for 10 mins.
 

 
7. Take the same sauce pan and add milk in it .
 

8. Allow it to boil nicely.

 
9. This may take 5mins .

10. By the time you can see that the decoction gets collected to the bottom vessel of the filter.

11. In a container add 8tsp sugar.

12. Once the milk finishes boiling brew the milk with sugar well ,so that you can see foam on top of the milk.

 
13. Take  coffee mugs.
 

13. Pour the decoction in it.

14. Now add the milk .

 
15. It will be like this.
 

16. Pour the 1/2tsp decoction on top of the milk foam for extra kick.

 
now hot hot filter coffee is ready to serve with biscuits....................................
 

POTATO MASALA FRY

INGREDIENTS: Potato - 1/2kg
                           Onions- 1 big size
                            Red chilli powder - 1tbsp
                            Garlic - 10 cloves
                            Salt - to taste
                            Jeera powder - 1tsp
                            Daneya powder - 1tsp
                            Garam  masala - 1/2tsp
                             Amchur powder - 1/4tsp
                              Jeera - 1/4tsp
                              Curry leaves
                              Coriander leaves - 1tbsp chopped finely
                               Oil - for deep frying aloo.

METHOD:

1. Boil aloo in pressure cooker for 2whistles along with the skin.

2. Remove the skin and chop them into cubes.

3. Peal the onion and cut into big pieces and keep in mixy jar.

4. Add garlic, daneya , jeera powder and grind into a fine paste.

5. Heat oil for deep fry in a kadai.

6. Add the boiled potato cubes in oil.

7. Deep fry till golden brown in colour, keep them on a tissue paper so that excess oil is absorbed by the tissue.

8. Keep another pan add 1tbsp oil and heat it.

9. Add 1tsp jeera seeds and let it crackle.

10. Add curry leaves and saute well till crisp ( the curry leaves should be crispy) it tastes really very good.

11. Now add the grinder masala paste in step no: 4

12. Fry nicely until the raw smell disappears.

13. Add a pinch of haldi  and salt to taste.

13. Add chilli powder.

14. Mix well nicely until the oil comes out.

15. Now add the deep fried potatoes in the masala.

16. Mix well nicely in cut and fold method.

17. Saute well till nice aroma releases out, and add garam masala powder and amchur powder.

18. Sprinkle coriander leaves..........

serve hot goes good with sambhar rice , plain hot  rice ............