MONACO BISCUIT SNACK

INGREDIENTS

Monaco biscuit packet – 1

FOR THE FIRST TOPPING

Finely chopped onions – 2 tbsp

Finely chopped capsicum – 2 tbsp

Finely chopped tomatoes – 1 1/2 tsp [without seeds]

Finely chopped coriander leaves – 1/2 tsp

Chat masala – 3/4 tsp

Black pepper powder – 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Tomato ketchup for spreading

For the second topping

Britannia cheese spread cream cheese – 2 to 3 tbsp

Finely chopped coriander leaves – 1/2 tsp

Finely chopped onions – 1 tsp

Hot garlic sauce- 1 tsp

Finely chopped coriander leaves for garnishing

METHOD

For the frist topping

1. Take a bowl and add all the ingredients. Mix well and keep it aside. Check out the seasonings.
2. Just before serving, place monaco biscuits on a serving plate. Spread tomato ketchup evenly on monaco biscuit .
3. Top with 1 to 1 1/2 tsp of topping and add some ketchup on it . Serve immediately.

SECOND TOPPING

1. Take a bowl. Mix cheese spread, chopped coriander leaves, chopped onions and hot garlic sauce.
2. Top the biscuits with the prepared mix. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve immediately.

NOTE

These toppings can be enjoyed on any biscuit of your choice.

TOMATO COCONUT ROTI PACHADI

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INGREDIENTS

Tomatoes – 3 cut into small pieces

Oil – 1 tsp

Turmeric powder- a pinch

Tamarind paste – 3 tsp

Salt to taste

Red chilli powder- 3 tbsp

Garlic – 8 with out skin

Curry leaves – few

Cumin seeds – 1 tsp

Freshly grated coconut – 1/2 cup

TALIMPU

Oil – 2 tsp

Urad dal – 1/2 tsp

Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp

Broken red chillies- 4

Mashed garlic – 3 cloves

Curry leaves – few

Asafoetida – 1/4 tsp

METHOD

1. Wash and cut tomatoes into small pieces. Heat oil in a pan. Add tomatoes, salt and turmeric powder.
2. Cook on medium flame for 5 to 6 minutes. Add tamarind paste and mix well. Cook on medium flame till tomatoes becomes mushy.
3. Take a mortar and pestle. Crush garlic, cumin seeds and curry leaves to a coarse paste. Add cooked tomatoes and crush into a coarse paste. Add freshly grated coconut and red chilli powder. Mix well and mash it to a coarse paste.
4. At this stage check out salt. If you want it to be more spicy, add more red chilli powder. Mix well and keep it aside.
5. Heat oil for talimpu. Add mustard seeds. When mustard seeds starts spluttering, add urad dal and cumin seeds.
6. Fry for few seconds. Add mashed garlic, broken red chillies and curry leaves. Fry for few seconds and add asafoetida. Mix well.
7. Add tomato coconut mixture to this talimpu. Switch off the flame. Mix well.
8. Serve with hot rice and ghee.

KATTU PONGAL [ DHANURMASAM PRASADAM]

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INGREDIENTS

Rice – 1/2 cup

Moong dal – 1 1/2 tbsp

Water – 2 cup

Asafoetida

Salt – 1/2 tsp

TALIMPU

Cow ghee – 3 tbsp

Cumin seeds – 1/2 seeds

Black pepper – 1/2 tsp coarsely powdered

Dhanur masam is considered the month of bhakthi. Offering of pongal as naivedya is the most sacred offer for Lord Vishnu. Basil is one more thing that is more important and auspicious to offer to god.

METHOD

1. Heat a pan and add moong dal. Dry roast it till they are slightly golden brown colour.
2. Cool it . Wash rice and dal twice and drain it .
3. Heat ghee in a pressure cooker. Add cumin seeds and coarsely grounded black pepper. Fry on low flame till the pepper starts to burst.
4. Then add asafoetida, curry leaves and fry for 10 seconds.
5. Add washed moong dal and rice. Mix well. Add salt and 2 cups of water. Pressure cook on high flame till the first whistle .
6. Then cook on low flame for 6 to 7 minutes. Switch off the flame.
7. Allow the pressure to release on its own and then open the cooker.
8. Mix well and offer as naivedyam to god.

PACHI MAGAI

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INGREDIENTS

Raw firm sour mangoes – 5 

Red chilli powder – 1/2 cup

Mustard powder – 1 tbsp

Fenugreek powder – 2tbsp

Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp

Fenugreek seeds – 1/2 tsp

Garlic  – 8 with out skin

Garlic – 8 mashed with skin

Salt -3 tbsp

Oil – 1 1/2 cup

The taste and texture of this pickle when mixed with hot rice, mudda pappu and ghee is just wonderful. Buy medium sized mangoes which are deep green and firm.

METHOD

1. Wash and wipe the mangoes with a soft dry cotton cloth.
2. Peel the mangoes and cut into thin long 2 inch strips. Remove the seeds .In this pickle you can use inner shell called tenka in telugu along with mango pieces . 
3. Spread the mango pieces on a clean plastic sheet and dry it in sun for one complete day.
4. In the evening, take a wide bowl and add oil, sun dried mango pieces and mix well .
5. Then add mashed garlic and peeled garlic cloves. Mix well.
6. Then one by one add all the dry ingredients. Mix well and store in a clean jar.
7. Keep it aside in a dry place for 3 days. After 3 days if you see the oil floating on the pickle up to 1/2 inch then, it is perfect. If not, add 2 to 3 tbsp of oil.
8. Mix well. Check out the seasonings. This pickle needs 2 to 3 days to get marinated and ready to use.
9. This stays good for over an year. Serve it with hot rice,  ghee and dal.

INSTANT USIRIKAYA PICKLE

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INGREDIENTS

Usirikaya – 10 cut into pieces

Lemon juice – 4 tbsp

Roasted cumin powder – 1/8 tsp

Red chilli powder – 5 tbsp

Garlic – 15 mashed with skin

Oil – 1/2 cup

Salt to taste

METHOD

1. Wash and pat dry usirikayas. Cut usirikayas into pieces discarding the seeds.
2. Take a bowl, add all the ingredients one by one. Add usirikaya pieces to it, mix well.
3. Check out the seasonings. Serve with hot rice . Goes well with idli, dosa and upma.

SENAGA PAPPU MASALA KOORA

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INGREDIENTS

Senega Pappu – 1/2 cup washed and soaked for 6 to 8 hours

Oil – 5 tbsp

Onion paste – 4 to 4 1/2 tbsp [ check out my previous posts]

Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp

Red chilli powder- 2 1/2 tbsp

Pulav masala – 1/4 tsp (check out my previous posts)

Water – 2 1/2 cups

Salt to taste

TALIMPU

Oil – 5 tbsp

Garlic – 3 cloves

Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp

Broken red chilli pieces- 4 to 5

Curry leaves – few

METHOD

1. Wash and soak Senega Pappu for 6 to 8 hours. Drain and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan. Add crushed garlic, cumin seeds, red chilli pieces and curry leaves. Fry for 1 minute.
3. Add onion paste. Fry for 7 to 8 minutes on low flame. Then, add turmeric powder, red chilli powder. Mix well.
4. Add drained Senaga Pappu. Mix well and fry for another 5 to 6 minutes .
5. Add pulav masala , salt and mix well. Add 2 1/2 cups of water. Cover and cook on low flame for 10 minutes till the water evaporates.
6. Check out the seasonings. If the senaga pappu is not cooked well, add some more water and cook on low flame till it is cooked well. Switch off the flame.

USIRIKAYA KOBBARI PACHADI

This pachadi can be made during kartika masam as it has no garlic.

INGREDIENTS

Usirikayalu – 5 cut into small pieces

Freshly grated coconut -1 cup

Green chillies – 3 to 4

Coriander seeds – 1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp

Oil for frying

Salt to taste

Lemon juice – 1 tbsp

TALIMPU

Oil – 1 1/2 tsp

Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp

Chana dal – 1/4 tsp

urad dal .- 1/4 tsp

Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp

Broken red chillies – 6 pieces

Curry leaves – few

Turmeric powder – 1/3 tsp

Asafoetida – 1/3 tsp

METHOD

1. Wash and pat dry usirikayalu. Chop the usirikayalu into pieces discarding the seeds.
2. Heat 1 1/2 tsp of oil in a pan. Add green chillies , cumin seeds and coriander seeds.
3. Fry on medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes till the raw smell goes out. Keep it aside.
4. In the same pan, heat 1 1/2 tsp of oil. Fry usirikaya pieces on medium flame for 3 to 4 minutes. Fry till the usirikaya pieces turn into light pink colour.
5. Take a motor & pestle. Crush green chillies , cumin seeds and coriander seeds to a coarse paste.
6. Then, add salt and fried usirikaya pieces and mash it to a coarse paste. Add freshly grated coconut and lemon juice. Mix well and check out the seasonings.
7. Heat 1 1/2 tsp oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When mustard seeds start spluttering, add chana dal, urad dal, cumin seeds and fry for a second. Add red chillies, curry leaves, turmeric powder and asafoetida.Fry for few seconds.
8. Add usirikaya and coconut mixture prepared earlier. Switch off the flame. Mix well.
9. Serve with steamed rice and a dollop of ghee.

ARITIKAYA PALU POSI KOORA [ NO ONION NO GARLIC]

 

This curry can be made during kartika masam as it has no onions and garlic.

INGREDIENTS

Aritikaya- 2 ( raw bananas )

Green chillies – 2

Turmeric powder – 1/3 tsp

Milk – 2 cups

Salt to taste

TALIMPU

Oil – 3 tbsp

Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp

Broken red chillies – 6

Curry leaves – few

METHOD

1. Trim the ends of the raw banana and peel the skin. Cut into cubes and add to a bowl filled with water. If you don’t immerse the pieces immediately in water , it will start to blacken soon.
2. Heat oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add cumin seeds, red chillies and curry leaves. Fry for few seconds .
3. Add green chillies,  aritikaya pieces, salt and turmeric powder and mix well.
4. Close the lid and cook on low flame for 2 to 3 minutes. Open the lid, mix throughly and close the lid.  Let it cook for another 3 to 4 minutes on low flame till the aritikaya pieces are well cooked and soft
5. Stir to ensure they don’t burn or stick to the pan.
6. Add milk. Mix well. Cook on high flame for 1 to 2 minutes. Switch off the flame, curry should be semi liquid.

PLAIN TOOR DAL [ MUDDA PAPPU ]

INGREDIENTS

Toor dal – 1/2 cup

Water – 1 1/2 cups

Salt to taste

Turmeric powder- a big pinch

method

1. Wash toor dal 2 times. Pressure cook toor dal with 1 1/2 cups of water.
2. Cook on high flame till the first whistle comes. Turn the heat low and cook for 5 min.
3. Turn off the flame and wait for pressure to release.
4. Open lid add salt, turmeric and mix well with potato masher.
5. Serve with hot rice and ghee.

USIRIKAYA PACHADI

INGREDIENTS

Grated Usirikaya – 1 cup

Oil – 1 cup for frying usirikaya,

Red chilli powder – 5 tbsp

Fenugreek powder – 1 tsp

Turmeric powder – 1/8 tsp

Mustard powder – 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Lemon juice – 3 tbsp

TALIMPU

Oil – 1/2 cup

Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp

Fenugreek seeds – 1/4 tsp

Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp

Mashed garlic – 10

Asafoetida -1/8 tsp

Broken red chillies – 8 pieces

Curry leaves – 2 springs

PROCEDURE

1. Wash and pat dry usirikayas. Grate them using a carrot grater. Keep aside.
2. Heat 1/2 cup of oil in a pan and add grated usirikaya. Fry on medium flame till colour changes.
3. Switch off the flame and add lemon juice. Mix well and keep it aside.
4. Take a bowl. Mix red chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt, fenugreek powder and mustard powder. Mix well keep it aside.

TALIMPU

1. Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. When mustard seeds start to crackle, add cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds. Then add mashed garlic, red chillies , curry leaves and asafoetida.
2. Fry for 1 to 2 minutes. Switch off the flame.
3. Mix it with grated usirikaya. Add all the dry masalas to it. Mix well.
4. Check out the seasonings. Goes well with idli , dosa and rice.