Poornam Boorelu

Boorelu, one of the most popular traditional sweet prepared  for festive occasions. There are two main variations. The filling can be prepared Channa dal(poornam boorelu) or Moong dal(pesarapappu boorelu).
The filling can be prepared by jaggery or sugar and the flavor is enhanced with grated coconut and cardamom powder.
The filling is dipped in batter made with a paste of urad dal and rice flour. The ratio of urad dal and rice and be based on the crispness required. For those who want soft and less crispy outer cover can decrease rice flour in the batter.

Ingredients:

For Outer Covering:

1. Urad dal  -  1/2 cup
2. Rice  -   1 cup
3. Salt  -  1/4 tsp or to taste

For Stuffing:

1. Chickpeas/Channa dal -   1 cup
2. Jaggery -    1 cup(grated or powdered)
3. Cardamom powder  -  1/2 tsp
4. Coconut -   2-3 tbsp or to taste(shredded)
• Oil/ghee  -  as needed.

Pressure cook Bengal gram for 1-2 whistles with just enough water to cover the dal. The dal should be just cooked and hold shape.Drain the dal  and use the left over water  for making Rasam.

Alternatively, you can cook the dal in vessel until the dal is cooked and holds the shape.

 Add jaggery or sugar to the dal and grind them together till it blends well. Mash the dal with a spoon or potato masher.

In a heavy-bottomed vessel, add a tsp of ghee/oil and add grated coconut , ground dal paste and cook till it appears like a thick paste, stirring continuously as the dal tends to stick to the vessel. Add cardamom powder and mix well. Turn off heat and cool.

Shape the ground paste into small balls of 1inch diameter in size.

Meanwhile, drain water from the black gram dal and rice and grind to fine paste adding very little water. Add a pinch of salt and mix well. Leave aside covered.

Heat enough oil in a wide heavy bottomed vessel for deep frying the balls. Dip each ball in the batter and let it coat evenly and place in the oil and deep fry till golden brown.

Enjoy them hot by adding  ghee...

Kakarikaya karam/Bitter gourd curry

Bitter gourd/Karela is very low in calories and is very rich in phytonutrients like dietary fiber, minerals, vitamins and anti-oxidants.

I learnt this recipe from a friend.  It is a little time consuming recipe but the curry tastes awesome. People who do not like bitter gourd will also like this curry for sure. As per the original recipe, the karela pieces need to be deep fried. I experimented and tried roasting them in the oven for a low fat version.

Ingredients:

4 bitter gourds – about 6” long

¼ tsp turmetic

2 onions – medium sized

4 Garlic pods – crushed

Salt to taste and soak bitter gourd

Water to soak

To roast and Grind:

¼ tsp cumin seeds

½ tsp Urad dal

½ tsp Chana dal

2 tbsp ground nut

2 tbsp Roasted Chana dal/Putnalu

5-6 Red Chillies – deseeded (varies depending on spice)

Curry leaves - few

Procedure:

Add a tsp of oil in a cooking pan and roast cumin,urad dal, chana dal,ground nuts,red chillies and curry leaves. Add the roasted chana dal and grind all these dry ingredients and keep aside.

Wash the bitter gourd thoroughly and cut them into circles.

 Soak/ Marinate the clean and cut gourd for an hour in salt and turmeric. Squeeze out the water after a hour.

The squeezed gourd can be deep fried or roasted in an oven. For a low fat version,  have used an oven to roast the bitter gourd slices.

Spray a  baking pan with cooking spray and place the sliced gourd. Brush with a little bit of oil on the top.

Roast  in the preheated oven, stirring every 5 minutes, or until the slices are cooked through and browned. Flip with a spatula during cooking in order to ensure even browning.

Depending on the maximum temperature of the oven, the cooking time varies. In  my case, with a preheated oven at  475 degrees F (245 degrees C), It took about 13 mins   to cook thoroughly.

Meanwhile heat oil in a cooking pan, add crushed garlic and saute for few seconds. Add the onions and sauté until they are soft and translucent.

Add the dry ingredients powder and mix well and sauté for a few seconds.

Now add the roasted bitter gourd slices from the baking tray and mix thoroughly. Cook on medium flame for 2-3 mins and switch off.

Enjoy with hot rice and dal.

Andhra Pesarattu/Moong dal dosa

Andhra pesarattu or green moong dal dosa is a delicious lentil based dosa recipe which is best enjoyed with spicy ginger chutney or coconut chutney. This healthy breakfast option is made by grinding soaked moong dal and is also relished in combination with Upma.

Ingredients :

• (Serves-4)
• Green moong dal/ Pesalu – 2 cups
• Rice Flour – 1 tbsp
• Cumin seeds – ½ tsp
• Ginger- 1 inch piece
• Green chillies – 4 to 5
• Salt – to taste

For garnishing/topping :

• Chopped onion – 1
• Grated carrot – ½
• Cilantro/coriander – 2tbsp
• Chopped cashew nuts

Generally only finely chopped onion is used for garnishing the pesarattu. Other toppings are purely based on one’s own choice.

Procedure:

Soak the moong dal/pesalu for 6-8 hours or overnight.

Green Moong dal soaked overnight

Drain the excess water and grind the soaked dal, ginger, green chillies and cumin seeds into a fine paste .

Collect the batter in a bowl and mix rice flour and salt. Little water can be added for the desired consistency. It should be little thicker than dosa batter.

.

Heat a griddle/tawa and when it hot pour a ladle full of pesarattu batter to the tawa and swirl the ladle in concentric circles  to spread out the batter using very little pressure. When the batter is fully spread, spray or drizzle a few drops of vegetable oil all over the dosa.

 Sprinkle onions and all the other desired toppings on the top and pat gently with a spatula.

Cook on medium-high heat till the bottom side of the dosa becomes lightly brown. When cooked on the top, flip it over and smear with little oil.

Serve hot with ginger/coconut chutney.. 

Muri Mixture (Puffed rice mixture)

Serves-  4, Preparation time - 10 mins

Beach Side Muri Mixture ...................

Puffed rice is commonly called as Murilu/Borugulu /Marmaralu in Andhra Pradesh. It is used to make dried snacks, upmas, laddoos etc but my all time favourite is this Muri mixture evening snack. It reminds me of my college days when we used to sit along the beach and relish this. The spice of chilli and the sourness of mango and lime water anyone’s taste buds. 

Ingredients:

Puffed rice/Murilu – 2 cups     

Lime juice of ½ lemon

1 onion – finely chopped

1 tomato – finely chopped

Roasted Peanuts-2-3 tbsp

1 Carrot – Grated (Optional)

Raw mango slice – Grated

Coriander/Cilantro – finely chopped 2 tbsps

Any khara mixture or peas – 2 tbsps (Optional)

Red Chilli Powder – ½ tsp (can be replaced by green chilli paste)

Salt- To taste

Procedure:

Mix all the ingredients except the puffed rice well in a bowl.

Add salt, red chilli powder and lemon  juice and check the taste for the desired spice and sourness.

Now add the puffed rice and mix well…

Bon Appétit !!!

Ridge Gourd Curry/ Beera kaya kura

Ridge Gourd or Chinese okra or Beerakaya is  one of the most nutritious and easily digestible vegetable. This curry tastes great with hot rice ,  roti/ chapathi  or any type of bread.

Keep in mind to check the Ridge gourd for bitterness before cooking. If it tastes bitter, don’t use it. Do not discard the peel as it can be used to make chutney. J

Ingredients:

• 2-3 Medium sized   ridge gourd (washed , cleaned and peeled and chopped into 1 inch pieces )
• 1 medium sized onion
• 2 tomatoes
• 1-2 green chillies, slit length wise
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp Red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp Coriander powder
• ¼ tsp  Cumin powder (optional)
• ½ tsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
• 1/2 tsp sugar or Jaggery
• 1 tbsp  finely chopped Coriander leaves
• Salt – to taste

For Popu/Tadka/Tempering:

• 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp Urad dal  
• 1/2 tsp Chana dal
• 2-3 Garlic cloves – crushed
• 4-5 Curry leaves

Procedure:

Heat oil in a cooking pan, add the mustard seeds and allow them to splutter.  Add the cumin seeds, urad dal and chana dal and sauté until the dals turn light brown.  Add crushed garlic and curry leaves and saute for few seconds.

Add chopped onions, green chillies and sauté for 2-3 mins till the onions turn little translucent. Add turmeric and crush kasuri methi (with your palm) and give a quick stir.

Add the ridge gourd pieces and stir for few seconds until they are evenly coated. Add red chilli powder followed by coriander powder . Cover  with a lid and cook on medium flame for  4-5 mins.

Add the chopped tomatoes, salt, sugar/jaggery and cook  for 4-5 mins. Add little water if required.

Once done, remove into a bowl and garnish with chopped cilantro/coriander leaves.

Enjoy with Hot rice or Bread of your choice ...

Ridge Gourd Peel Chutney / Beerakaya thokku pacchadi

Ridge gourd is very popular edible vegetable that occupies the prominent place in day to day cooking in Indian kitchens for its well known health and nutritional benefits.It contains a very high amount of fiber, vitamins and minerals. Often many people tend to throw away the outer peels of the ridge gourd while making this vegetable. Instead of throwing it out you can turn it into a tasty chutney which is very easy to prepare. Traditionally there are many variations of this chutney but I am blogging one of my favorite recipe with the peel.

Ridge Gourd peel......

Ingredients:

• Peel of the 2-3 medium sized Ridge Gourd             

• 2-3 Green Chillies

• 1 tsp Chana dal

• 1 tsp Urad dal

• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds

• 1/4 tsp mustard seeds

• 2 tbsp ground nuts

• Tamarind extract from a lemon sized tamarind ball

• 1/4 tsp turmeric

• 2 garlic pods (optional)

For the seasoning:

• 1/4 tsp mustard seeds

• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds

• 1 red chilli 

• Curry leaves

• a pinch of asafoetida (hing)

Procedure:

1. Add a teaspoon of oil to a cooking vessel and add in Chana dal, Urad dal, cumin seeds,mustard seeds, groundnuts,green chillies and the garlic pods. Once the dals turn brown, switch it off and keep aside to cool.

• In the same vessel, add the  washed beerakaya peels and turmeric. Sprinkle little water and saute on medium flame for 2-3 mins and switch off and keep aside to cool.

• Firstly grind all the roasted ingredients into a coarse paste.

• Later, add in the soft and boiled peel, salt along with the  tamarind extract and grind them into a slightly coarse paste. Keep in  mind not to blend them too much. A course textured chutney tastes better.

•     Heat a ½ tsp. of oil, add all ingredients for tempering/seasoning one after other and stir-fry for a minute. Pour the seasoning over the ground paste and serve it with hot rice or breads.

                                                                      bon appetit   !!!!!

  Try this healthy and tasty Chutney with steaming hot rice drizzled with ghee (clarified butter) !!! It is absolutely delicious and comforting meal.