Guntha Ponganalu/Paniyaram

 

This is a South Indian dish.  In Telugu it is called as “Guntha Ponganalu” and in Tamil it is called as “Paniyaram”. This can be prepared as a sweet dish or spicy dish. Mine is spicy dish and the outer layer is crispy. This is prepared with leftover Dosa batter or fresh Dosa batter also.  You mainly need a “Guntha Ponganalu” maker for making this recipe.

 

 Guntha Ponganalu/Paniyaram with Onion chutney

 
Ingredients:

• Dosa batter                      3 cups
• Soaked Chana Dal          1 tbsp..
• Green chilies                    1 tsp..
• Salt for taste
• Finely chopped onions    2 tbsp..
• Grated Carrot                   1 tbsp..
• Finely chopped coriander leaves
• Finely chopped few curry leaves
• Mustard seeds                  ½ tsp..
• Cumin seeds                    ½ tsp..
• Hing                                  2 pinch
• Oil                                     2 tbsp..

Procedure:

• Take a left over Dosa batter (you can refer my Masala Dosa recipe for making the Dosa batter) add chopped onions, grated Carrot, green Chilies, Salt, Coriander leaves and soaked drained Chana Dal
• Put a seasoning with Mustard seeds, Cumin seeds, Hing and Curry leaves.
• Pour this seasoning in above mixed batter.
• Heat the Guntha Ponganalu maker and grease all molds with little oil.
• Now slowly pour this batter into molds till  ¾^th  is filled and put a little oil in every mold.
• Put a lid on top of it and cook until the surrounding area of the batter turns very light brown color.
• At this stage you will observe Ponganalu cooked 75%.

 

 

• This is the time to flip/turn the Ponganalu to other side and cook them for about 2-3 minutes without a lid.
• Once both sides are well cooked then remove them from the pan.
• Now serve the hot and spicy Guntha Ponganalu with onion chutney or coconut chutney.

Sabudhana/Saggubiyyam Kichidi

 

Sabudhana Kichidi is a Maharashtrain dish. I learnt this recipe when I was staying in Pune, India. This recipe is mildly spicy and crunchy of peanuts. I have used the boiled potato for extra taste. You can serve this as a Morning Breakfast or evening snack or when you complete the fasting and need to eat very light food for good digestion.

 

Sabudhana Kichidi

Note: For this dish use medium size Sabudhana only, don’t use small size one.
 Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cup Sabudhana/Tapioca/Saggu biyyam
• 2 tbsp. Roasted peanuts
• 1 tbsp. Fresh coconut
• 1 medium size green chilly
• 1 medium size boiled Potato
• Salt as per your taste
• 1/2tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. Mustard seeds
• 1 tsp. Cumin seeds
• Curry leaves few
• 1 tbsp. Oil
• Coriander leaves for garnishing

Procedure:

• Thoroughly wash Sabudhana 2 times, and then soak in 1 cup of water for about 5 minutes.
• Now drain the water completely and sprinkle little bit of water on the soaked Sabudhana. Then cover it and leave it for about 4 to 5 hours.

Soaked Sabudhana

• Before starting the process, grind roasted peanuts coarsely, keep it aside.
• Then grind together coconut and green chilies without water, keep it aside.
• Peal & dice the boiled potato and keep it aside.

Green chili & coconut mix, Peanut powder, and diced potato

• Now heat the wide non-stick pan then add oil.
• Once the oil warms up then add Mustard seeds, Cumin seeds and Curry leaves.
• Now add diced potato, turmeric powder; mix it well and cook it for a while.
• Now add the soaked Sabudhana, coarse peanut powder, Coconut Chili mixture and little bit Salt.
• Stir it gently and make sure that Sabudhana shouldn’t stick to the pan and apply few drops of oil to avoid Sabudhana sticking to the pan.
• Put a lid and cook it for about 5 to 6 minutes. Stir is occasionally.
• Finally switch of the heat and garnish with Coriander leaves.

Bobbattulu/Puran Poli

This is thin layered and sweet stuffed soft Parota. We call this in Andhra Pradesh as “Bobbattlu” or “Bakshalu” and in Maharashtra we call “Puran Poli”. This is a typical traditional Indian sweet. It is very popular and prepared during festival time, weddings and also in some important functions. 

My Mother’s side we use Sugar for sweetness, but in my Mother-In-Law’s side they use Jaggery for sweetness. You can do it on either ways. But in my recipe I have used Jaggery. Some times Jaggery tastes little bit salty. That time we can add little bit sugar with Jaggery for reducing the saltiness.

 

For Poornam/stuffing ingredients:

• Chana dal                                1 cup
• Grated/shredded Jaggery      1 cup
• Cardamom powder                 ½ tsp..
• Ghee/melted butter                  1tbsp.

For dough ingredients:

• All-purpose flour/Maida          1 cup
• Melted butter                            1 tbsp..
• Oil for kneading                        2 tbsp..
• Salt one pinch
• Sugar one pinch

Procedure of mixing dough:

• Sieve All- purpose flour and keep it aside.
• Take a wide bowl; mix the flour, salt, sugar and melted butter very well without any crumbles.
• Now gradually add the water and mix it gently, if you feel stickiness of the dough then add little bit of oil to it. Don’t mix it like chapatti dough the dough should be lightly loose. Coat the dough by applying oil and little bit water, cover it and rest it for an hour.
• After an hour; press the dough with potato masher or knead it with your palm very well. If the dough is still sticky then apply little bit oil and knead it well until the dough becomes soft. If the dough is not softer then the thin layers won’t form and Bobbattlu will be hard to eat. Leave the dough again for 30 minutes.

Preparation of Poornam/stuffing:

• Wash Chana dal and pressure cook the dal with sufficient water till 6 pressures.
• Drain all water from the cooked Dal and let the Dal completely cool down. (Drained water can be used for Rasam or Sambar)
• Now grind the boiled Dal and grated Jaggery in a blender until it becomes smooth.
• At this stage we cannot make round balls with this Poornam, so we need to cook it for a while in a wide non-stick pan with Ghee and Cardamom powder for at least 10-15 minutes at low heat. Stir it continuously to avoiding burning.
• For best results frequently check the consistency of the mixture.
• For checking the Poornam consistency, take a little bit Poornam in a spatula and if you turn the spatula, if the Poornam falls it immediately then we need to cook the Poornam for some more time. If the Poornam do not drop immediately then the Poornam reached its required consistency at the same time we can check with your hands as well, if the Poornam is sticking to your hand. (You can see the below picture for sample)

• At this stage you can switch off stove and let the Poornam cool down. After that make medium size round balls (like a medium size lemon) and place it on a big plate.

Preparation of Bobbatulu:

• Take a little amount of prepared all-purpose flour dough which was prepared earlier and spread it on your palm like the way shown in the below pictures and place the Poornam in the middle of it and cover the Poornam with the dough.

• Take a small square piece of parchment or butter paper; lightly grease with oil and place this covered round ball in the middle and place the greased plastic warp then roll it like a Chapathi/Roti with rolling pin. Then remove the plastic wrap on top of the Bobbattu.

     

• Heat the non-stick Tava/Pan at low heat. Once pan gets warm then grease little oil. Now place the rolled Bobbattu with parchment paper upside down as showing the picture.

• Keep it like that for 1 minute then slowly remove the parchment paper and sauté it both sides with little ghee or oil at medium heat. Please check the heat of the Pan and adjust the heat accordingly. We should not sauté it with high heat.

• You can follow the above procedure for each Bobbattu.
• Now the delicious traditional sweet is ready. If some leftover is there, you can store it in a refrigerator for about 2 days. Warm the Bobbattu using microwave oven for about 20 seconds before serving.

Masala Veggie Curry

I have learnt this curry from my mom. She is a great cook. This curry is different; neither gravy nor dry. This curry is made of mild spicy and sweetness of veggies. We can eat this curry with hot Rice or Roti. Please note I usually make very mild spice dishes. So you can adjust spices according to your taste.
 

Masala Veggie Curry

Ingredients:

• Small size cabbage         1
• Medium size Potato         1
• Medium size capsicum    1
• Carrots                             2
• Frozen peas                     2tbsps.
• Turmeric powder              1/2tsp
• Salt according to your taste
• Coriander leaves for garnishing

     Seasoning Ingredients:

•       Mustard seeds       1tsp
•       Cumin seeds          1tsp.
•       Curry leaves few
•       Cooking oil              1tbsp.

      Masala Ingredients:

•        Coriander seeds        1 ½ tsp.
•        Poppy seeds/kuskus  2 tsp.
•        Fresh coconut            1tbsp
•        Small Green chilies     2
•        Salt                             ¾ tsp.

Preparation:

• Wash& dice all vegetables and keep it aside.
• Warm up a wide frying pan and add all seasoning ingredients one at a time.
• Then sauté capsicum, carrot, potato, cabbage and green peas and fry it very well.
• Now add salt, turmeric powder and ¼ cup of water. Put a lid and cook it for a while.
• At this time grind all masala ingredients with little water, like a fine paste.
• Once vegetables are 75% cooked then add ground masala and mix it well.
• If the curry is too spicy then add ½ tomato dices and cook it for a while. Wait until all vegetables are properly cooked.
• Then take into a serving dish and garnish with coriander leaves.

Note: In this recipe I didn’t use onion or ginger garlic paste. If you wish you can add them also.

Veggie Kichidi

 

This healthy Veggie Kichidi is delicious rice dish. Easy to make when you don’t have much time. It has full of nutritional values. Here I didn’t use onion and garlic so you can have it on fasting days. Kichidi means made with rice and dal. But I have added vegetables and few spices for extra taste. Kids will love it. This can be served in a dinner time or any full meal time.

Ingredients:

• Rice 2 cups
• Split Moong dal 1cup
• Medium size Potato 1
• Green beans few
• Cauliflower few pieces
• Medium size Carrot s 2
• Frozen Lima beans 3 tbsp.
• Ginger ¼”
• Green chilies 2
• Bye leaves 2
• Cloves 2
• Cinnamon stick small piece
• Cumin seeds 1 tsp.
• Mint leaves few
• Butter or ghee 2 tbsp
• Salt 1 ½ tsp.
• Turmeric powder 1 tsp.

Preparation:

• Cut all vegetables like small cubes and keep it aside.
• Take a pressure cooker put it @ medium heat add butter/ghee once ghee starts warm then add one by one spices, i.e. Cumin seeds, Bay leaves, Cloves, Cinnamon stick , Green chilies, Crushed ginger and Mint leaves. Fry everything well.
• Then add all vegetables, salt, turmeric powder and cook it well. Now add washed rice, Dal and 4 cups of water.
• Stir it well and put a lid and pressure, cook until 2 pressers/whistles come.
• Once the pressure cooker cool down then transfer the Kichidi in a serving dish and serve with any pickle or chutney.

Moong & Besan flour Muruku

Murukulu is a popular snack in South India. Murukulu can be made with different kind of flours and shapes using Murukulu presser. Each and every variety has its own taste. My husband and my kids are very fond of this snack. I often make different kind of Murukulu. The main ingredients are Yellow Moong flour, Besan flour and Rice flour.
 

Ingredients:
 

• Yellow Moong flour         ½ cup
• Besan flour                     ½ cup
• Rice flour                        2 cups
• Sesame seeds                2tbs
• Ajwine/Vamu                   2tbs
• Dry red chili powder        3 tbs
• Salt                                  2 ½ tbs
• Hing                                 2pinch
• Melted butter                   2tbs
• Cooking oil     (for deep frying)
• Water (for kneading)

 
Preparation:
Preparation of dough:
 

• Mix all 3 kinds of flours in a wide bowl.
• Now add sesame seeds, Ajwine, Hing, Salt, Red chili powder and melted butter.
• Mix everything until well mixed.
• Now make soft dough by gradually adding water and knead it lightly soft. Dough shouldn’t be stiff.
• Put medium size hole shaped mold in Muruku presser.
• Now fill Muruku presser with required amount of dough.

Frying:

• Heat up deep frying pan with cooking oil @medium to high heat.
• Check the oil for perfect temperature by dropping a very small amount of prepared dough (bead size). If the dough rises immediately that means oil is ready to fry.
• At this time with your hands, press the Muruku mold over the hot oil and make concentric 2-3 circles.
• Once the hot oil bubbles reduce then you can flip/turn it other side and fry it well, until golden brown.
• Take out the big fried Muruku and place it on a strainer.
• Check and adjust the oil temperature for every batch.
• Store it in an air tight container once they come to the room temperature.

Masala Dosa

Masala Dosa is a South Indians favorite delicious breakfast dish. This thin crispy texture dosa is stuffed with potato masala and served with great varieties of chutneys/dipping’s. For crispiness and light brown color I have added little bit Chana dal and fenugreek seeds (Methi seeds). For softness add little amount of Rice flakes (Pooha).
One day ahead we need to start the preparation. But once the batter is ready we can store this in a refrigerator for at least one week and prepare Dosa’s whenever you want. First I will explain how to make Dosa and then I will explain the procedure of Potato Masala and coconut chutney.

 Dosa batter

Dosa batter Ingredients:

• Urad dal                          1 cup
• Rice                                 3 cups
• Chana dal                        1 tbsp.
• Coriander seeds               1tsp
• Fenugreek seeds/Methi    1tsp
• Rice flakes/Pooha               ¾ cup
• Salt                                    2tbsp.
• Baking soda                      1tsp.
• Oil for making dosa.

Note: Coriander seeds, Chana dal  and Rice flakes are optional ingredients.

Preparation of Dosa batter:

• Wash & soak Urad dal and Rice separately in water for at least 4 hrs.
• At the same time soak coriander seeds, chana dal and fenugreek seeds in a separate container.
• Soak rice flakes separately before grinding.
• Preserve the soaked Urad dal water, because it has some nutritional values (Dietary Fiber and Iron).
• Grind everything separately with preserved Urad dal water like fine thick paste. Mix it very well with salt. Store it in a warm place at least 6-8 hours for fermentation depending on the room temperature.
• Now the batter is ready for making Dosa.
• Before making Dosa, mix the baking soda in the batter.
• Left over batter you can store it in a refrigerator.

Potato Masala

 

 Potato Masala Ingredients:

• Cooking oil                      1tbsp
• Mustard seeds                 1tsp
• Cumin seeds                    1tsp
• Chana dal                         2tsp
• Curry leaves few
• Asafoetida/Hing                2 pinch
• Chopped onions               3tbsp
• Green chili & Ginger paste 1tbsp
• Garlic paste                        1tsp
• Boiled, peeled and lightly mashed potatoes                              2 cups
• Turmeric powder                 1tsp
• Salt                                      1½tsp.
• Coriander leaves for garnishing.

Preparation:

• Take a wide pan; add oil, once oil gets warm then add mustard, cumin, chana dal, curry leaves and hing.
• Now fry chopped onions till light brown color.
• Add green chili and ginger paste fry it very well.
• Add garlic paste and turmeric powder fry it well
• Now add lightly mashed potatoes to the mix and fry it well.
• Pour little water and salt, cover it with a lid and cook for few minutes.
• Garnish with coriander leaves.
• Don’t add any other masalas, the taste will change.

                 Coconut chutney

Ingredients:

• Fried chana dal/Dalia          3tbsp.
• Roasted peanuts                 2tbsp.
• Fresh Shredded coconut     5tbsp.
• Green chilies (small size)     2
• Salt                                       1tsp.
• Mustard seeds                       ½tsp.
• Hing Pinch
• Curry leaves few
• Oil                                         ½tsp..

Preparation:

• First grind roasted peanuts and fried chana dal then add fresh shredded coconut, green chilies and salt. Grind everything with little water. Add water depending on your desired consistency.
• For seasoning, put a small pan; add oil once the oil gets warm add mustard seeds, hing and curry leaves. Now pour immediately on the chutney.

Preparation of masala dosa

• Heat a flat pan/Tava on a medium heat preferably nonstick pan.
• Apply little bit of oil and spread with cloth or round onion slice evenly. Please repeat this process with every alternative Dosa.
• Now take a big spoon of batter; pour and spread in a circular motion on a medium hot pan.
• Apply few drops of oil around the Dosa.
• After a minute or two you will see the thinner part of the Dosa is turning dark brown. This indicates that the Dosa is coming out crispy and is almost done.
• At this stage simmer the heat and put potato masala on half part of the dosa and fold the other part with a flat spatula.
• Now tasty Masala Dosa is ready and you can serve with coconut chutney.

Sesame Laddu

Sesame Laddu is healthy mouthwatering sweet with high iron. It is made of sesame seeds and Jaggery. For extra health richness I have added flax seed meal(it has rich Omega3) and dry coconut powder.


Ingredients:

• Sesame seeds           1 cup
• Grated jaggery           ¾ cup
• Flax seed meal           1 tbsp.
• Dry coconut powder   1 tbsp.

Note: Flax seed meal and dry coconut is optional.
 

Sesame seeds, Jaggery, Dry cocount and flax seed meal

Procedure:

• First grind sesame seeds in a blender at low speed until it become fine powder.
• Then add flax seeds powder, coconut powder, and grated jaggery. Grind everything until blended very well. At this point you will observe some oil comes from sesame seeds.
• Now take this mixture on a plate/bowl and make small balls.
• Now your favorite Sesame Laddu is ready.
• Store them in air tight container.

Puffed Rice Upma

Puffed rice Upma is a popular dish of Rayalaseema, Andhra Pradesh. I learnt this recipe from my sister-in-law, she lives in Kurnool. Puffed Rice is also called Mamara/ Borugulu/Moori. This is very tasty breakfast entry and it is easy to make as well. Try to use “Kolhapuri puffed rice” for better results.

 

Ingredients:

• Puffed rice                250 grams
• Chopped onion         3tbsp
• Turmeric Powder      1tsp
• Salt                            tsp
• Coriander leaves for garnishing.

   
 Masala Ingredients:

• Fried chana dhal       2tbsp
• Fresh coconut           1tbsp
• Green chilies             2
• Salt                            1tsp

  Seasoning Ingredients:

• Mustard seeds           1tsp
• Cumin seeds              1tsp
• Chana dhal                 1 ½ tsp.
• Curry leaves                few
• Hing (Asafoetida)         2pinches
• Cooking oil                   2tbsp

Procedure:

• First soak puffed rice in a large container with water until all puffed rice completely immersed.  (approximately 5-10min.)

(You can see in below pic.)

• Squeeze the water completely from the puffed rice and keep the squeezed puffed rice aside.(Like in a below pic.)

• Now blend all the above mentioned masala ingredients like a fine powder.
• Mix this ground masala, salt and turmeric powder to the squeezed puffed rice.
• Take a wide sauté pan, put 2 tbsp. of cooking oil. Once the oil gets warm add the above mentioned seasoning ingredients.
• Then fry the chopped onions until golden brown.
• Now add the puffed rice mixture and fry it very well. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for about 10 min. Once in a while stir it.
• Now take this in a serving dish and garnish with coriander leaves.

Note: This recipe needs less chilies and salt.

Dhokla

Dhokla is a Guajarati dish served as breakfast. Guajarati’s make different varieties of Dhokla. My recipe is instant Dhokla and it is very easy to make.
 

Ingredients:

· Gram flour/Besan      2 cups.
· Water                        1 cup.
· Sugar                        1 tsp.
· Turmeric                    ½ tsp.
· Chili & Ginger paste   2 tsps.
· Baking soda less than ½ tsp.
· Eno fruit salt                2 tsp.
· Lemon                         ½ slice juice.
· Oil                               1 tsp.
· Salt                             1 ¼ tsp.

Seasoning ingredients:
· Oil                    1 tsp.
· Mustard seeds 1 tsp.
· Asafetida/hing  2 pinches.
· Curry leaves     few.
 



Procedure:

• Sift gram flour in wide bowl.
• Whisk thoroughly by adding one by one ingredient mentioned above to the gram flour except Eno fruit salt and oil.
• For softness, prepare a liquid solution with 1 tsp. of oil and 2 tsps. of water in a small bowl.
• Add the above liquid solution to the Besan batter and whisk it completely like a smooth paste.
• Now add Eno fruit salt at this stage. Light fermentation happens.
• Take a steamer/cooker, pour 2-3 cups of water in it and put a small bowl inside the cooker. This small bowl will work as a stand.
• Pour this batter in an oil greased wide vessel and cover it. Now place this vessel inside the arranged cooker and steam it like an Idly about 15 to 20min. (Don’t put the whistle)
• Now check whether it has completely cooked it or not, then remove the vessel from steamer/cooker and place it separately (to cool down).
• For seasoning take a pan add oil and mustard, once mustard starting splutter then add hing and curry leaves immediately. Switch off the flame and then add 1tbsp. of water in the seasoning, and pour that mixture on the cooked Dhokla.
• Cut into desired shape and size serve with coriander chutney.

Note:

Don’t add too much baking soda.
Please add water in seasoning because while eating you won’t feel hardness.
Please cover the vessel when you put in cooker/steamer.
Please follow my coriander chutney recipe.

Kudumulu

Kudumulu is offered to Lord Ganesh in auspicious days. This is not only served in auspicious days but also served as healthy breakfast with coconut chutney or onion chutney. I will post these two chutneys in my next posts. In this recipe Chana Dhal is optional. You can make Kudumulu without Chana Dhal also. You can view both varieties in below pictures.

Kudumulu is made with cracked Rice/Rice Rava (not Idly Rava). I usually make this cracked Rice at home, in this post I also described, how to make cracked Rice, so please go through my entire post.

 

Ingredients:

Cracked Rice             1 cup.
Salt                             1 tsp.
Chana Dhal                2 tbsp.
Ghee/cooking oil        2 tbsp.
Water                         2 cups.

Cooking Procedure:

• Take a cooking pot and pour 2 cups of water in it. 
• Once water gets boiled add salt and few drops of oil.  
• Mix it well, so that salt will be dissolved completely. Now slowly pour Cracked Rice and stir it well.
• Put a lid; let it cook at low flame. It will take about 15-20min to cook.
• Meanwhile you can cook Chana Dhal without salt and with little water in a bowl using pressure cooker. Cook up to 3 whistles to come.
• Once the Cracked Rice is cooked, spread this cooked cracked rice in a big plate for cooling.
• Once the Chana Dhal is cooked drain the water completely.
• Now add cooked Chana Dhal with cooked cracked Rice and mix them well without any lumps and with little bit of oil and few drops of water.
• With an oily greased hand make desired size of round balls or flat disk shapes (like above picture I didn’t use Chana Dhal in flat disk shape kudumulu). Now arrange them in a flat vessel.
• Now steam them like an Idly in a cooker/steamer for about 10-15min @medium flame without whistle (pressure).
• Once it is done you can serve them with two chutneys mentioned above.

For making cracked Rice/Rice Rava:

• Take desired amount of any kind of rice other than boiled rice, wash it and soak it about an hour.
• Drain the water completely and dry it.
• Once rice is completely dried then grind it in a blender at low speed. After that sieve it until rava doesn’t have any flour left inside. Now you can store it in airtight container for later use.