Ridge gourd stir fry

 Ridge gourd stir fry 

Ridge Gourd - 2 cups
Garlic - 10 cloves whole or lightly crushed
Onion - 1 medium chopped
Green chili - 4 slit
Chana dal - 1 tbsp
Urad dal - 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Salt - 3/4 tsp
Oil - 2 tbsp

Method :
1. Heat oil in a pan, add chana dal, urad dal, cumin, mustard seeds, and fry till dal turn light brown.
2. Now add onion, green chili, and fry till the onion turns translucent.
3. Now add Ridge gourd and it will ooze some water. Cook till water is evaporated.
4. Now add turmeric, salt and mix well.
5. Cover and cook for 10 mins on low flame.
Serve with hot rice.

Hyderabdi Chicken pakora

Marination ingredients:

Boneless Chicken - 2.5 lbs (breast)

Gram flour - 6/7 tbsp

Rice flour - 3 tbsp

Lemon juice - from 1 lemon

Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp

Ajwain seeds - 1 tsp (crush them little in your hands)

Salt - 1 tbsp

Red chili powder - 1 tbsp

Coriander Powder - 1 tbsp

Cumin powder - 1 tsp

Garam masala - 1 tsp

Oil - 2 tbsp

Green chili - 2 chopped fine

Mint leaves - 1/4 cup chopped

Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup chopped

For deep frying 

Oil  - 2 cups

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients under marination in a bowl and keep them aside in the fridge for 2 hrs
2. Now heat oil for deep frying in a Pan / Kadai.
3. Slide the chicken bites gently to the hot oil one after the other.
4. Regulate the flame to medium and fry till chicken bites turn golden and crisp
5. Once done remove the chicken pakoras to a bowl. Fry enough chicken batches in the same method.
6. Serve chicken pakoras with a yogurt dip and enjoy.

Dip for chicken pakoda and chicken cherga

 

Yogurt - 1 cup

Mint chutney - 3/4 tsp (Swad brand)

Coriander chutney - 1 tsp (Swad brand)

Red chili powder - 1/4 tsp

Rock salt - 1/2 tsp

Normal salt - 1 pinch

Mix everything in a bowl and serve and enjoy

Hyderabdi Chicken Chargha

Whole Chicken - 2 (de-skinned)

Marinate ingredients

Yogurt - 1/2 cup

Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp

Lemon juice - from 1 lemon

Oil - 4 tbsp

Salt - 1tbsp

Red chili powder - 1 tbsp

Red chili flakes - 1 tbsp

Coriander Powder - 1 tbsp

Cumin powder - 1 tsp

Garam masala - 1 tsp

Tandoori Masala - 1 tbsp

Black pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

Red food color - 1/2 tsp

Method :

1. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and keep them aside.
2. Now take the chicken and make V shape slits on the whole chicken with a knife.
3. Now pour prepared marination on top of chickens and marinate well rubbing all the slits and making sure all the marination is well done.
4. Now marinate chicken for at least 4 hrs in fridge
5. Once 4 hrs is one, Preheat Oven to 350 Fahrenheit 
6. Keep the chicken on the Oven tray and roast at 350 F for 25-30 mins each side.
7. Now increase oven heat to 400 and roast for 10 mins each side so that you will get crispier chicken on top.
8. Serve with onions and lemons and Mint coriander dip.
   

Almond flour Pineapple upside-down cake - Simple and easy

Almond flour Pineapple upside-down cake - Simple and easy

INGREDIENTS
Eggs -3 large (room temperature)
Vanilla extract - 1 tsp 
Sweetener (Monk fruit) - ⅓ cup 
Unsalted butter - ⅓ cup (melted)
Sour cream - ½ cup 
Almond flour - 2 cups
Baking powder - 2 tsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Pineapple slices in a tin  - 4 or 5 ( strain all the syrup out from tin)

Crushed pineapple tin - 1/2 cup( strain all the syrup out from tin)

Cherries - 6 cut into 1/2
Baking dish - 8*3 round 

Method :

1. In a big bowl add eggs, Vanilla extract, sugar, butter, sour cream, and beat well with a whisker
2. Now add almond flour, baking powder, salt and fold well everything together.
3. Now add crushed pineapple and fold again slowly
4. Now grease 8*3 baking dish with butter. ( place a greased parchment paper or foil in the dish- This is optional)

5. Now sprinkle sugar on top of butter nicely

6. Now arrange the pineapple slices and sweet cherries on the sugar in a decorative pattern
7. Now transfer the cake batter into the dish
8. Now Bake at 350ºF for 45-50 mins until the toothpick is clean when inserted.

9. Remove from the oven and leave to stand for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a plate and enjoy.

Spinach garlic stir fry

Spinach garlic stir fry

Palak / Spinach - 2 cups

Garlic - 10 cloves whole or lightly crushed

Onion - 1 medium chopped

Green chili - 2 chopped

Dry red chili - 1 

Chana dal - 1 tbsp

Urad dal - 1 tbsp

Cumin seeds - 3/4 tsp

Mustard seeds - 3/4 tsp

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Salt - 3/4 tsp

Oil - 2 tbsp

Method :

1. Heat oil in a pan, add chana dal, urad dal, cumin, mustard seeds, and fry till dal turn light brown.
2. Now add onion, green chili, dry red chili, and fry till the onion turns translucent.
3. Now add Palak/spinach and fry for 2 mins
4. Now add turmeric, salt and mix well
5. Cover and cook for 10 mins on low flame.
6. Serve with hot rice.

Amritsari choley

 Amritsari chole

Main ingredients 

Chole - 1 cup - soaked overnight

Oil - 2 tbsp

Onion - 1 large chopped

Ginger garlic paste - 2tsp

Tomatoes - 3 M pureed

Water -  1 cup

Set 1 - Whole dry spices

Bat leaf - 1

Cinnamon - 2 inch

Cloves - 6

Cardamom - 3

Badi elachi - 1

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Set 2 - First spice powders 

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Red chili powder - 1 tsp

Cumin powder - 1.2 tsp

Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Salt - 3/4 tsp or  to taste

Set 3 - Second spice powders

Dry mango powder   - 1/2 tsp

Choley masala - 2 tsp

Garam masla - 1/2 tsp

Set 4 - to make tea water

Boiling Water - 1 cup

Tea powder - 1 tsp

Set 5 - Tadka ( garnishing on top of curry) 

Ghee - 1 tsp

Ginger - 2 inch - cut into long thin slices

Green chili - 3 - slit into half

Preparation.

From Set 4, Add tea powder to boiling water for 5 mins and strain and keep aside.

Method :

1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker.
2. Now add Set 1 whole dry spices and fry for a min
3. Now add onions and fry till light golden brown.
4. Now add ginger garlic paste and fry till onion looks dark brown color.
5. Now add Set 2 spice powders and mix well.
6. Now add water, tomato puree and mix well
7. Now add soaked chickpea, Set 3 spice powders, tea water, and mix well
8. Now cook for 4 whistles and switch off the flame. wait till pressure releases and open the lid and cook for 5-7 mins on low flame. Curry is ready.
9. From Set  5, Heat ghee in a separate pan, add ginger and green chilis and fry for a min or 2 and add on top of whole curry.

Easy Upma recipe with ginger and green chili paste

 Easy Upma  recipe with ginger and green chili paste

Sooji / Rava - 1 cup

Ginger - 2 inch

Green chili - 3 ( spicy ones)

Methi seeds - 5

Urad dal - 1 tbsp

Chana dal - 1 tbsp

Mustard - 1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves - 6 chopped

Fried Cashews - 10 broken ( optional )

Ghee - 2 tbsp 

Salt - 3/4 tsp or to taste

Lemon juice - 2 tbsp ( optional) I did not use this

Oil - 2 tbsp

Water - 3.5 cups

Preparation:

1. Take ginger and green chili and crush them to semi-smooth paste

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan, add methi seeds, urad, chana dal, urad dal, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, and fry till dals turns light brown.

2. Now add curry leaves, ginger-green chili paste and fry for 2 mins

3. Now add water, salt, ghee and let it boil.

4. Now add sooji slowly while mixing continuously and close the lid for 2 mins

5. Now switch. of the flame and leave it for 5 mins before serving.

6. You can garnish with cashews, lemon juice on top and mix before serving.

ritual

 Notes for this ritual at the end of the page

Kalagura

Onion - 1 medium - chopped into cubes

Tomato - 3 medium-chopped cubes

Green chili - 4 chopped

Potatoes - 3 -  small - peel and cut into big pieces

Sweet potato - 2 (don’t peel n cut into small chunks like thick chips)

Eggplant - 8 long thick slices 

Bottle guard - 1/2 of veg ( 1 cup of big chunks) see the pic

Board beans (chikudu kaya) - 20 cuts into long three pieces of 1 board bean

Raw banana - 1/2 of veg ( cut into small chunks like potato fry)

Suran - frozen - 1/2 cup ( see pic)

Tapioca (Cassava) - 1/2 cup ( see pic)

Gummadi kaya ( yellow) - hand size piece - cut into big chunks

Cilantro (kothimeer) - 1 /2 cup chopped

Oil - 1/2 cup

Red chili powder - 1 tsp

Salt - 1.5 tsp ( to taste) you should not taste

Method:

1. Now take everything in one big pan and cook on the stove on low to medium flame.

2. Once veggies are cooked and become half in quantity. If needed only add 1/2 cup of water and cook again till they are well cooked 

for this ritual - you have to use 9 or 11 or 13  vegetables, oil, red chili powder, salt

and you have to make paravanam ( 3/4 cup rice, 1/4 cup sagoo, 1 cup milk, 1 cup sugar or jagerry, cardamom powder)

and you have to make mudda papu ( just boil toordal with salt like a very thick)

and you have to make rasam ( tamarind or tamato)

and you have to cook white rice

and you have to keep ariselu

and you have to keep photo, flowers, and fruits

and you have to keep a saree, shirt, and towels

Sweet Pongal / Chekkara pingal

 Sweet Pongal / Chekkara pingal 

Use the same measuring cup for all ingredients ( I used 1/2 cup measuring cup)

Set 1:

Rice – 1 cup

Moong dal – 1 cup

Ghee -1 tsp

Water 6 cups

Set 2

Cashews – few

Raisings – few

Ghee – tbsp.

Set 3

Milk – ½ cup

Saffron – few strands

Set 4

Palm sugar/Cane sugar – 1 cup

Water – 1 cup

Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp

 

Preparation : 

1. Set 1 -  Wash rice and moong dal and add 6 cups of water, 1 tbsp of ghee and give 4 whistles and keep aside

2. Set 2- Fry cashews and raisins in ghee and keep them aside.

3. Set 3 - Soak saffron in milk and keep aside.

 

Method:

1.       Heat water in a pan and add sugar from set 4 and wait till it's a rolling boil.

2.       Now add cooked rice, dal mixture, fried cashews, raisins, saffron milk, cardamom powder and mix well

3.       Close the lid and cook for 5 minutes on low flame. Keep mixing in-between.

Ven pongal / Khara pongal

 Ven pongal / Khara pongal

Set 1:

Rice – 1 cup

Moong dal – 3/4 cup

Ghee -1 tsp

Water 6 cups

Salt - 1 1 /2 tsp (1.5)

Set 2

Ghee – 3 tbsp.

Ginger - 2 inches chopped fine (1 tbsp)

Green chili - 3 slit

Cashews – 10

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Dry red chili - 1 break into half

Curry leaves - 12 

Pepper seeds - 1 tsp

Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp

Preparation : 

1. Set 1 -  Wash rice and moong dal. Add 6 cups of water, ghee, salt and give 4 whistles and keep aside.

 

Method:

1.  Heat ghee in a pan and add all ingredients from set 2 and fry till cashews turn a light brown color.

2.  Now add the above-fried seasoning to the cooked rice and dal mixture.

3.   If needed add little extra water and ghee and cover and leave for 5 minutes on low flame. Keep mixing in-between.

4.  Serve hot with sambar and papad

Hyderabadi Aloo Egg Curry

Hyderabadi Aloo Egg Curry

Set 1- Boiled eggs- 5 Potatoes - 4 small ones cut into halved Salt- 1/4 tsp

Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp

Set 2 Onion - 2 medium finely chopped- Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp Tomatoes- 2 medium - pureed

Oil- 3 tbsp Salt- 3/4 tsp or to taste Coriander leaves, chopped-3 tbsp Whole spices: Bay leaf- 2 Dried red chilli- 3 Cumin seeds- 3/4 tsp Cardamom- 3 Cloves- 4 Cinnamon- 2 small sticks

Spice powders:

Turmeric powder- 1/2tsp Red Chilli powder- 1 tsp Cumin Powder- 1/2 tsp Coriander powder- 2 tsp Garam Masala Powder- 1/2 tsp Preparation: a) Take a bowl and add the peeled, halved potatoes and boiled eggs. Add 1/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder. Keep aside for 10 mins.

b) Heat 1tbsp oil in a pan c) Add the potato halves and fry on medium to low heat for 5 mins till they are golden. 4) Remove and then add the boiled eggs. Fry till golden. Remove and set aside. Method: 1. Heat the rest of the 2 tbsp of oil in the same pan where you fried potatoes and eggs.

2. Now add the cumin seeds fry for 30 secs. 3. Now add the ingredients under whole spices and fry for a minute 4. Now add the chopped onion until they turn till golden brown 5. Now add the ginger garlic paste and fry on low heat for 2 mins. 6. Now add the pureed tomatoes, mix well and fry for 2 mins.

7. Now add the turmeric, red chilli, coriander and cumin powder. Mix well and close the lid.

8. Now cook until tomatoes are soft and oil separates from onion and tomato gravy.

9. Now add the fried potatoes, eggs and mix well and fry for 2 mins.

10. Now add around 1/2 cup water, give a mix

11. Now add Garam Masala powder, salt and mix again and close the lid

12. Now cook on low heat for 15 mins on low flame.

13. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Hyderabadi Chicken fry

Hyderabdi Chicken Fry:

Whole Chicken - 2 lbs - small pieces with bones

Spice Powders: Turmeric Powder- 1/4 tsp Red chili powder - 1 tsp Coriander Powder- 1 tsp Cumin Powder- 1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder- 3/4 tsp ( optional)

Other Ingredients:

Ginger garlic paste- 2 tsp Salt- 1 tsp Tomato - 2 small- make puree ( 1/2 cup) Oil- 3 tbsp

Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup

Water -1/2 cup

Preparation: Clean and cut the chicken into small pieces. Wash and keep it in a colander to drain. Process: 1. Heat oil in a pan 2. Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry on low heat for 1-2 minutes.

4. Now the chicken pieces and mix & fry on high heat for 4 mins till the color changes. 5. Now add the turmeric powder and salt and mix & fry on medium heat for 2-3 mins till little browned. 6. Now add water and cover & cook on low heat for around 5 mins till the chicken is nearly tender. You can remove the lid once halfway, give a stir and cover it again. 7. Now add all the spice powders, give a mix, and fry on medium heat for 3-4 mins till the spices are cooked & the chicken pieces are browned. 8. Now add the tomato puree, give a mix, and continue to fry on medium heat for 3-4 mins till it coats the chicken and is browned. 9. Lastly, garnish with chopped coriander leaves, mix and fry for a minute and serve hot.

Chicken fry with mint and coriander Chicken fry

 

Mint coriander chutney Chicken Fry:

Whole Chicken - 1 lb - small pieces with bones

Spice Powders: Turmeric Powder- 1/4 tsp Pepper Powder- 1/2 tsp Coriander Powder- 1/2 tsp Cumin Powder- 1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder- 1/2 tsp ( optional) Other Ingredients:

Mint chutney - 1 tsp

Coriander chutney - 1 tsp Ginger garlic paste- 1 tsp Salt- 1 tsp Tomato -1 make puree ( 2 tbsp or 3 tbsp) Oil- 3 tbsp

Ginger - 1 inch - sliced v v thin long pieces

Water -1/2 cup Preparation: Clean and cut the chicken into small pieces. Wash and keep it in a colander to drain. Process: 1. Heat oil in a pan 2. Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry on low heat for 1-2 minutes. 3. Now add mint chutney and coriander chutney and fry for a minute.

4. Now the chicken pieces and mix & fry on high heat for 2 mins till the color changes. 5. Now add the turmeric powder and salt and mix & fry on medium heat for 2-3 mins till little browned. 6. Now add water and cover & cook on low heat for around 5 mins till the chicken is nearly tender. You can remove the lid once halfway, give a stir and cover it again. 7. Now add all the spice powders, give a mix, and fry on medium heat for 3-4 mins till the spices are cooked & the chicken pieces are browned. 8. Now add the tomato puree, give a mix, and continue to fry on medium heat for 3-4 mins till it coats the chicken and is browned. 9. Lastly, garnish with chopped ginger pieces, mix and fry for a minute and serve hot.

Crispy onion potato Pakora

 

Crispy Vegetable Pakora

Ingredients 
Gram flour (Besan) - 2 cup
Rice flour - 4 tsp
Onion - 2 medium Long thin slices
Potatoes - 2 medium Long thin slices
Green chili - 3 or 4 chopped
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup
Salt - 1 tbsp or to taste
Red chili powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Ajwain seeds - 1/2 tsp
Baking Soda - 1/2 tsp (optional - I did not use)

Water - 1/2 cup - (to make tight dough)

Method

1. In a big bowl, add, onion, green chili, red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin, ajwain, salt and mix well and keep aside for 15 mins.

2. Now add potatoes, besan, rice flour. Now try and mix nicely with onion moisture as much as you can.

3. Now add water little by little and make a tight dough, it should not be runny at all.

4. Heat oil in a pan to deep frying. Test if oil is hot enough by dropping a small portion of the mix.

5. Take small portions of pakodi dough and drop in oil.

6. Fry until golden brown on medium flame stirring often. When they are done. bubbles will reduce.

7. Take them our and drain them on kitchen tissue

Hotel-style tomato chutney

 Hotel-style tomato chutney

Set 1

Oil – 2 tbsp

Dry Red chili – 3

Cumin seeds – 1 tsp

Urad dal – 1 tsp

Garlic – 4 cloves

Ginger – 2-inch piece

Onion – 1 small – cubed

Tomato – 3 medium–cubed

Green chili – 1

 

Set 2

Blender

Tamarind paste – 1 tsp

Puffed chana dal – 2 tbsp

Salt – to taste

Water – ¼ cup

 

Set 3 - Tempering

Oil – 2 tbsp

Mustard seeds – ½ tsp

Cumin – ½ tsp

Dry red chili – 1 broken

Garlic – 1 clove – crushed

Curry leaves – few

Asafetida – 2 pinches

 

Method:

1. Take a pan and add all the Ingredients in set 1 and cook till tomatoes are mushy. Switch off the flame and let it cool down.

2. Now in a blender add cooked set 1 ingredient, add set 2 ingredients, and blend to smooth paste.

3. Now heat oil in a small pan, add Set 3 ingredients and fry for 2-3 mins and add to above smooth paste and mix well and serve with your fav breakfast.

 

My mom simple dal / Chapatti Pappu

 

Set 1: 

Toor dal - 1 small cup

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Water - 3 cups

Set 2 -
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Oil - 2 tbsp
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Cumin - 1/2 tsp,

Urad dal - 1/2 tsp

Tomato - 1/2  chopped small

Green chili - 3

Garlic - 3 cloves 

Curry leaves - 10 - 12 teared
Asafetida / Hing- 2 pinches 

Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup chopped

Method: 
1. Pressure cooker set 1 ingredient for 4 whistles and once done switch off the stove and let the pressure release and mash the dal to smooth paste.
2. Heat oil in another pan add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal, green chilies, curry leaves, garlic, and fry for a minute or two.

3. Now add tomato and cook till they are mashed and now add hing and mix well.
4. Now to the dal to above tomato mix, add 1 cup water, coriander leaves, ghee, and salt, and let it boil for 5 mins and it's done.