Mahanandi

Living in Consciousness ~ Indi(r)a’s Food and Garden Weblog

Mahanandi’s Food Blog List

Mahanandi’s Food Blog List is a comprehensive listing of food blogs practicing Indian (Bharath) Cuisine. Hailing from all parts of the world and from across the country, Indian food blogs provide a valuable resource and a traditional alternative to “always, all things, all-purpose flour” corporate promoted cooking.

To search for recipes and food traditons of individual homes:










Find and Enjoy! Happy Cooking!

Food Blogs Practicing Indian (Bharath) Cuisine

amla:

Besan:

channa:

dahi:

Elaichi:

Fenugreek:

Gobi:

Haldi:

Imli:

Jihva:

Kandipappu:

Lavanga:

Mirchi, Miriyam:

Neyyi:

Omu:

Pudina:

Quinoa:

Rava:

Sarson:

Thengai:

Venna:

Wada:

Yelumichai:

Zaapatri:

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Posted by Indira©Copyrighted in  (Saturday December 23, 2006 at 6:22 pm- permalink)
Comments (456)

The New Home of Mahanandi: www.themahanandi.org

Peanut Pachhi Pulusu (Peanut Cold Rasam)

For Independence Day Food Parade on August 15th, I’ve decided to write three recipes which are near and dear to my heart. One each from – my hometown, my state and my country. Today’s one is from my hometown. Some recipes are truly local, like a needlepoint, known and popular only in few homes in a town and surrounding villages. Peanut pachhi pulusu (pachhi =raw/unboiled, pulusu=rasam/soup) is one such recipe from “land of Nandis” – Nandyala, Rayalaseema region.

Peanuts are roasted to golden color, skins removed and then made into smooth paste along with salt, chilli powder, tamarind and jaggery. By adding water, the paste is made into rasam like consistency. Finely sliced onions are added and seasoning is done by popu/tadka. That’s it. This is sort of cold, no-boil rasam and perfect during hot summer days. Often prepared and served with pongal and potato curry, the whole combination tastes awesome and comforting.


Peanuts – Roasted and Golden (Skins Removed)

Recipe:

Roast Peanuts:
Take 2 cups of peanuts in a large skillet and on medium-high heat, roast them to golden color (see photo above) mixing and turning often to prevent scorching. Allow to cool. Rub them with hands to loosen the skins and remove the skins. (Roasting peanuts to golden color is important. Spend few minutes & pay attention to roasting process. Taste of this recipe depends on this step.)

Make a paste:
2 cups of Peanuts – roasted and skins removed (from above)
½ teaspoon of chilli powder
1 teaspoon of salt or to taste
1 tablespoon tamarind juice
2 tablespoons of powdered jaggery
Take all the above in a blender or in a mortar, crush them to smooth paste by adding 1 cup of water in between.

Finely Slice:
1 big onion – lengthwise, slice thinly and wash them in water to separate the onions pieces and to remove that raw onion smell.

Do the popu/tadka:
Heat 1 tsp of oil in a big vessel. Add and toast – few pieces of curry leaves, dried chillies and half teaspoon of mustard seeds and cumin. To this popu/tadka:
Add the smooth peanut paste.
Add the onions.
Stir in about 1 to 2 cups of cold water. Mix and serve.
Make the rasam like thick buttermilk consistency. Have a taste and adjust salt, sweet and sour levels to your taste.

Serve with pongal. This pachhi pulusu (cold rasam) has all 5 essential ruchulu (flavors) and is guaranteed to make one feel cool as a cucumber on a hot day.


Peanut Pachhi Pulusu with Pongal and Potato Kurma ~ Our Fabulous Meal:) Today

Posted by Indira©Copyrighted in Amma & Authentic Andhra,Jaggery,Onions,Peanuts (Thursday August 10, 2006 at 3:39 pm- permalink)
Comments (30)

The New Home of Mahanandi: www.themahanandi.org

Thumbnail Gallery

This is a collection of my favorite images taken from the recipes I have blogged so far on Mahanandi. These images appeal to me personally for a variety of reasons, some for technical reasons and others for aesthetic reasons. I hope you enjoy them too.

a:
(aloo, amla and avocado)

Aloo Chole Aloo Gobhi (Cauliflower kURMA) Aloo Menthi Baby Alu - Oven Baked (Baby Red Potatoes)
Aloo Kurma Aloo Pulusu Amal Pickle Avocado Chapati

b:
(bhakshala rasam, blackeye peas, brinjal, brussels sprouts, buggani, besan, beetroot, bendi, beans, beerakaya, banana, banana pepper and bajjis)

Bhakshala Rasam Blackeye Pea Vada Brinjal - Jaggery Chutney (Vankaya Bellam Pacchadi) Brinjal-Ginger Fry Brinjal-Potato Kurma
Brinjal - Stuffed with peanuts and sesame Stuffed Brinjal Curry (with chana dal etc) Brinjal Babies in Masala Sauce (Gutti Vankaya -2) Brussels Sprouts Curry Brussels Sprouts - Potato - Green Garbanzo Curry
Buggani Besan Dosa Beetroot Curry Beetroot - Red Cabbage - Red Beans Curry Beets and Carrots- Steamed
Okra (Bendakaya) Curry Okra (Bendakaya) Sambhar Okra - Split Pea Stew Okra in Yogurt Sauce (Dahi Bindi) Green Bean Curry
Ridgegourd Chutney Ridgegourd-Potato-Carrot Curry Ridgegourd Dal Ridgegourd-Tomato Kurma Ridgegourd Curry
Beerakaya Pesara Pappu (Ridge gourd/turai and moongdal) Banana-Walnut Cake Banana Pepper Curry Banana Pepper Kurma Bajji Platter

c:
(cabbage, capsicum, caramel, carrot, chana masala, chaaru, cherries, cherry pepper, chestnuts, chikkudu kaya, chitrannam, chocolate, cilantro, cluster beans, coconut, corn meal, couscous, cranberries and cucumber)

Cabbage Curry Capsicum Peanut Kurma Capsicum Curry Capcicum (3 colors) Fry Capsicum Chutney
Capsicum Stuffed with Potatoes Caramel Toffee Carrot Cake Chana Masala Chappidi Pappu
Cherry Clafouti Cherry Peppers - Stuffed Chestnut-Almond Cookies Roasted Chestnuts Chikkudu Pulusu
Chikkudu Fry Chitrannam Chocolate Cake Chocolate Covered Sesame Rounds Cilantro Chutney
Corinader - Pappula Chutney Cluster Beans Curry Gawar Beans Curry (Mattikayala Kura) Coconut Chutney Coconut Chutney - Raw Style
Coconut Milk Corn-Okra Bread Cornmeal - Cabbage Muffins Couscous Upma Cranberry-Corn Bread
Cranberry Jam Cranberry Clove Marmalade Cucumber Pickle

d:e:f:g:h:
(dondakaya, drumsticks, eggplant, eggs, frittata, fruit tart, ghee, gongura, guggullu and hominy grits)

Dondakaya (Tindora) Fry Dondakaya-Nuvvula Kura Dondakaya Pappu (Tindora Dal) Drumsticks - Tomato Curry Eggplant Chole
Eggplant Curry Egg Bajji Egg Kurma Egg Puffs prepared with Paratha Egg Frittata
Fruit Tart Ghee Gongura Pappu Guggullu with Blackyeye Peas Gongura Chutney
Guggullu - Chickpeas Guggullu - Kala Chana Guggullu - Fresh Peas Grits Upma (Hominy Grits)

i:j:k:l:
(idli kaaram, idli, jaggery, kadala curry, kakara, lasagna, lentil burger, lima beans, limes and lemon cucumber)

Idly Karam Podi Idly Jaggery (Bellam, Gur) Black Chickpea Curry (Kadala Curry) Kakara Chips
Kakara Curry Lasagna _ Stuffed Lentil Burgers Lima Beans Curry Lime Pickle
Budamkaya Pappu (Dosakaya, Lemon Cucumber Dal)

m:
(mamoul, mango, masala-tea;dosa;idli, menthi, mint, mirchi bajji, moong beans, muruku and majjiga mirapa)

mamoul Mango-Coconut Pulihora Mango Dal Mango Jam Mango - Sesame Curry
Mango - Strawberry Popsicle Mango Pulihora Mango Salsa Mango - Strawberry Scones Mango-Yogurt Rice
Masala Tea Masala Dosa Masala Idly Menthi Dal Methi Chutney
Methi Chole Methi - Coconut Pulao Mint Pulao Mirchi Bajjis Mirchi Bajji - Hyderabad Style
Moongbean Curry Moongdal Rasam Moong bean - Plantain Curry Moong Dal Aamti with Kokum and Goda Masala Murukulu
Majjiga Mirapa (Dahi Mirchi)

n:o:
(naan, nimona, oatmeal and onion)

Naan Nimona (Green Pea Kurma) Oatmeal Upma Onion Chutney

p:
(paneer, pappulu, pappu chaaru, paramannam, parappu usli, pasta, pie, peanuts, pesarattu, plantain, pongali, ponganalu, popu and portabella)

Palak Paneer Paneer Paneer Jalfrezi Spicy Pappula Podi Pappu Chaaru with Bendakaya (Okra Chaaru)
Paramannan (Sweet Rice) Green Beans Parappu Usli Parappu Usli with Gawar Beans (matti kayalu) Pasta in Basil Spinach Sauce Pasta in Red Capsicum Sauce
Pasta in Cherry Tomato Sauce Pasta (Melon Seed)Upma Penne Marinara with Goat Cheese Peach Pie Peanut Chutney
Peanut Pachhi Pulusu (Peanut Cold No-Boil Rasam) Pesarattu Sprouted Moongdal Dosa Plantain Chips Plantain Curry
Plantain Sweet Plantain in Mustard-Coconut Paste Pongal Ponganalu Ponganalu - Sweet
Ponganalu with Spinach and Sara Pappu Popu or Tadka (TIragamatha) Portabella - Stuffed

r:
(raagi, red beans, red chillies, red radish, rice noodles and rosematta rice)

Ragi Dosa Ragi Malt Ragi Mudda (Sankati) Red Bean Pizza Red Chilli Garlic Powder
Red Radish Curry Red Radish - Potato Curry Red Radish Pulao Rice Noodles with Tofu in Fiery Peanut Sauce Paneer Pad Thai
Rosematta Rice (Kerala Red Rice)

s:
(sesame, shallots, silk squash, sonti, sorakaya, sorghum, soya, spinach, steelers pizza, sweet burger and sarson)

Sesame Burgers Shallot Sambhar Silk Squash Curry Burger Sonti Coffee and Tea Sonti Kashayam
Sorakaya - Pappula Kurma Sorakaya - Yogurt Kurma Sorakya - Nuvvula Kura Sorghum Roti Soymilk Halwa
Soymilk - Homemade Spinach Dal Spinach - Garlic Dal Spinach Curry Steelers Pizza
SV Temple Food Sweet Burger Sarson Da Saag (Mustard Greens, Spinach and Paneer)

t:u:v:w:x:y:z:
(taro root, tomatoes, turnips, undrallu, upma, watermelon, wheat flour dosa, white radish, whole wheat bread, wild rice, yogurt, yuba and zucchini)

Taro Root Rasam (Chaama Dumpala Rasam) Taro Root Chips (Chama Dumpa Fry) Tomatoes - Oven Dried Tomato Pulao Tomato Rasam
Turnip (Shalgam) Masala Kudumulu, Undrallu Upma- Cracked Wheat Watermelon Granita with Cherries Wheat Flour Dosa
White Radish Sambhar Whole Wheat Bread Wild Rice Yogurt - Homemade Yuba - Potato Round
Zucchini Kurma

Posted by Indira©Copyrighted in  (Friday July 28, 2006 at 1:06 pm- permalink)
Comments (59)

The New Home of Mahanandi: www.themahanandi.org

Bhakthi ~ Bhukthi (SV Temple and Temple Food)


Sri Venkateswara Temple, Pittsburgh and Swarna Ratham

Temple food is the best way to enjoy traditional Indian food and no restaurant can match the taste and the quality. In Pittsburgh, the SV Temple canteen is open during temple hours and has a small kitchen and big dining hall to the side. The food is freshly prepared daily by the temple chef. The standard items you would find are – pulihora, yogurt rice, sambar rice, upma, pongal, mixture: sweet&hot varieties and also pickles. There is also a machine, where you can make your own tea and coffee.

The canteen has a separate entrance and open to all. Everything is priced very reasonable ($1.50, a box). My favorites are pongal, upma and mixture and I always buy them whenever I visit temple. Because of recent increase in number of people visiting this temple, temple management is fund-raising to build a more modern and big kitchen and also planning to include more items to serve.

Summer is the travel season here in US and temples are the most common tourist destinations to lot of folks like us. Our visits to temple are not only for divine darshan and also for homely dining. So thought I would share about SV Temple food. Bhakthi and bukthi fulfilled at the same time.


Temple Canteen


Yogurt Rice, Pulihora, Upma, Mixture, Pickle, Pongal and Sambar Rice

Bhakthi & Bhukthi – For Summer Travel:
Do you have a temple in your town/city? Join and share “Bhakthi and Bukthi” (divine and dine), experience, if you are interested, at your blogs. Thanks!
Temple Food: Ganesha Temple, Flushing, NY

Posted by Indira©Copyrighted in Bhakthi~Bhukthi,Zen (Personal) (Sunday July 2, 2006 at 4:24 pm- permalink)
Comments (33)

The New Home of Mahanandi: www.themahanandi.org

Jihva for Ingredients (JFI)

What is Jihvā ?
Jihvā, the Sanskrit word means taste, desire and deep longing. This powerful word also represents tongue and taste buds.

What is Jihvā for Ingredients?
I believe for Jihvā to happen, it’s all in the ingredients and how they are cooked. Jihvā for Ingredients (JFI) is online monthly food event, celebrating the Ingredients and what they can do for our Jeeva.

When, what and how?
The host will choose a food ingredient. To participate, cook a recipe with that ingredient and post it on your blog on the first of the month. Send these entries to the host, she/he will do the roundup and showcase all your entries within a week of receiving.

What are the guidelines to host?

1. Feature any natural ingredient and there are many.
2. I’d greatly appreciate if you could pick an ingredient related to India or Indian cuisine. (Which style of cuisine that ingredient prepared is, ofcourse it’s upto the participants).
3. Announce the event on your blog by first week of previous month. This will give plenty of time for the participants to shop, prepare, write and post their entry.

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Jihva Year 2008

(from May 08 – April 09)

May
Pedatha: Love
Lovely Tribute Jihva 		September
Monsoon Spice: Soya
JFI:Soy Roundup 		January
Ammalu’s Kitchen:Sprouts
Sprouts Roundup
June
My Creative Ideas: Bell Peppers
Bell Pepper Fireworks 		October
Tasty Palettes:Whole Grains
Whole Grains Roundup 		February
Sometime Foodie:Chickpeas
JFI:Chickpea Roundup
July
Live to Eat:Tamarind
JFI: Tamarind Roundup 		November
CfAS:Festival Treats
JFI: Festival Treats Roundup 		March
Paajaka:Cauliflower
Cauliflower Roundup
August
Soul Food:Flowers
Flower Power Jihva 		December
The Cooker:Carrots
JFI:Carrots Roundup 		April
Roma’s Space:Wheat
JFI:Wheat Roundup

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Jihva Year 2007

(from May 07 – April 08)

May
Mahanandi: Greens
JFI:Greens Recap 		September
Neivedyam: Rice
JFI:Rice Recap 		January
LetZ Cook: Chocolate
JFI:Colorful Chocolate
June
Jugalbandi: Jackfruit
JFI:Jackfruit Recap 		October
Ahaar: Banana
JFI:Banana Recap 		February
Radhi’s Kitchen:Onions
JFI:Onion Recap
July
Ghar Ka Khana:Eggplant
JFI:Eggplant Recap 		November
P,P&Me: Festival Jihva
JFI: Festival Treats 		March
The Spice Cafe : Lemons/Limes
JFI: Lemon/Lime Recap
August
Saffron Trail:Chillies
JFI: Chilli Recap 		December
Linda’s Garden: Toor Dal
JFI: A Tour of Toor 		April
Virundhu: Garlic
JFI: Garlic Goodness


A Tribute to Jihva Hosts 2007!

Jihva, the online food blogging event completed two years this April.

Each month a natural, wholesome ingredient was selected and featured, and during last year over a span of 12 months, a total of about 1500 entries and recipes flew in from across the world. The year started with Green leafy vegetables and moved on to Jackfruit, Brinjal, Mirchi, Rice, Banana, Diwali Treats, Toor Dal, Cocoa/Chocolate, Onions, Lemons/Limes and ended with Garlic goodness.

My sincere thanks to the Jihva hosts

Bee&Jai, Sangeeta, Nandita, Sharmi, Mandira, Vee, Linda, Deepz, Radhika, Coffee and Mathy Kandasamy. And, to all the participants for investing their effort and energy to create such wonderful cookery resource through Jihvā.

Great job and congratulations!

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Jihva Year 2006

(from May 06 – April 07)

May 1st
Mahanandi:Mangoes
JFI:Mango Recap		 September 1st
Vineela’s Cuisine:Milk
JFI:Milk Recap		 January 1st
Food for Thought:Coconut
JFI:Coconut Recap
June 1st
Baking Fairy:Strawberries
JFI:Strawberries Recap		 October 1st
Cooking Medley:Ghee
JFI:Ghee Recap		 February 1st
WTRT Jim?:Ginger
JFI:Ginger Recap
July 1st
Sailu’s Food : Dals
JFI:Dal Recap		 NovemberOctober 21st
Vee:Special Edition
JFI:Diwali Treats		 March 1st
Happy Burp:Potato
JFI:Potato Recap
August 1st
Me&My Kitchen:Flour
JFI:Flours Recap		 December 1st
Better Tomorrow:Jaggery
JFI:Jaggery Recap		 April 1st
My Work Shop:Tomatoes
JFI:Tomatoes Recap

Original announcement – here.

A Tribute to Jihva Hosts ~2006 !

May 1st, 2007 marks the completion of one year of Jihvā for Ingredients (JFI) , the food blogging event that showcases a food ingredient each month. This event was born out of my desire to celebrate natural ingredients and what they can do for our Jihvā.

From a nervous, tentative beginning, JFI evolved into a confident, inspiring event that captured the hearts and minds of many food lovers. Some of them went from being onlookers and supporters to active participants. Visitors to the event roundups started their own food blogs because they wanted to participate in Jihvā. Such is the attraction of Jihvā. Each month a natural, wholesome ingredient was selected and featured, and over a span of 12 months, a total of about 800 entries and recipes flew in from across the world.

Before beginning another Jihvā year on May 1st, I wanted to pay tribute to the gracious hosts of Jihvā and their ingredients. When I contacted them, they generously opened their hearts and shared their thoughts. From ingredient selection, invitation, fellow bloggers’ response to the time and effort expended in the process, here is the Jihvā experience.

Sailaja of Sailu’s Food, the host of JFI: Dals :

“Jihva to me denotes – food, fun and a culinary learning experience. Each round up is like a well laid out feast with gorgeous pictures, that touch upon food and diverse cultures of our country and the lesser known recipes are highlighted, adding that extra zing to each entry. Living in a country with such diverse cultures, we are hardly aware of the different regional cuisines our country offers. Throughout the length and breadth of the country, rice and lentils are our staple. I chose our beloved nutritious dal as an ingredient to showcase to the world the range of dal dishes our regional cuisines have to offer and also to learn more about the lesser known dal recipes. There are gems out there. And I love dal!
It took me about 3-4 days or 22-24 hours to actually put it all together, right from receiving the entries, compile a list, read each post and get it all together. It was worth all the effort because it our cuisine we are showcasing to the world, we want to present it well so that they understand the rich and diverse culinary heritage of our country and the importance we Indians give to our daily food.
Last but not the least, the utter passion of each blogger and how they all look forward to the final round-up further motivated me and not to mention their genuine warmth, overwhelming encouraging and appreciative response. I always look forward to the next ingredient with each host trying their best to enhance the flavor of Jihva manifold with sincerity and there is a high expectation and anticipation each month as Jihva unfolds with a new ingredient.”

Santhi of Me and My Kitchen, the Host of JFI-Flours:

“The variety of flours used in Indian cooking are so very many and such a huge variety of culinary possibilities with it. And I was not at all disappointed with the out come. Some fantastic and innovative recipes were send in. I had in my mind that I will have two round ups one for sweets and one for savory. I created two folders and sorted the entries as soon as I receive them so that I could keep track of all the entries. I will be honest. It is not very easy to do a round up. My admiration for hosts who do it week after week and month after month has increased tremendously after doing it. But Let me tell you that with all the visual delights every single minute has been most enjoyable. It was just so incredible to see so many fellow bloggers being passionate about food. And the enthusiasm you all have shown has been fantastic. And that is what is bringing me back into blogging world. One incident I have to tell you. When I did not receive an entry from Vaishali of Happy Burp, I was disappointed and so demanded an entry from her. And she responded immediately with an entry! That’s the kind of bond that I have shared with some of you out there. It has been a great pleasure to host this event. Thank to everyone involved with JFI in anyway. This success is a result of everyone out here in food blogosphere.”

Vee of Past Present and Me, the Host of JFI – Special Diwali Edition:

“I loved hosting the Diwali Special. It made my Diwali even more exciting than it already was. It was fun going to all blogs and seeing what they were cooking up and their memories and anecdotes and nostalgia about past Diwali’s. It is what a festival is about, isn’t it? Traditions and memories we grow up with. It was also so much like a virtual diwali meet and greet and exchanging new year wishes. I really got attached to that feeling that it generated. Which is why I opted to host it every year. Thanks for the oppurtunity. Until next time, take care.”

Kay of Towards a Better Tomorrow, the Host of JFI:Jaggery:

“When I first read about JFI – The idea of Jihva and celebration of those ingredients and their Indian flavors sounded wonderful. Little did I know it will do so much more to me.
As I mentioned in my blog, December is my favorite month for many reasons and I thought I’ll be ready to blog again, by December, after some post-partum recovery. I wanted to choose something very very Indian and very very authentic. Jaggery and Coconut tied till the final round and the queen of all sweeteners – Jaggery won! I also wanted to make it more special and requested participants to try out something new – either a dish they had eaten/read or even concoct some new dishes. This was just that – a request! A purely optional one. But wow! When I saw the entries pouring in and saw those new dishes, I felt so overwhelmed. People did try some new stuff and Some had ‘created’ new dishes! I felt so overwhelmed. Thank you guys, for paying heed to my whimsical request and creating some lovely stuff.
Kiran, a lovely nonblogger, sent in her post by mail and what did I find? Methi kheer! Something for a new mom, to help with lactation! How sweet of her to do that? And Lakshmi Ammal had written about ‘sweet fenugreek pongal’ for nursing moms. I was touched by these gestures. As fate would have it, My mom couldn’t come to Canada to be with me during the childbirth and recovery. I was missing her ever since I got pregnant and even more, after childbirth, this added to the stress and postpartum blues. Let’s say, I was longing for some motherly comfort… And these people whom I had never met, never exchanged emails with, cared and made something for me. Bless their heart! It was a very emotional moment for me. Thanks Kiran and Lakshmiammal. Puja of Creative Pooja had to type out her post, in one hand, on time, because the other hand was beautifully decorated with Mehendi.:) How sweet of her and how punctual of her! And now, I’ve learnt so much more about jaggery and a few other types of jaggeries and I’ve got tons of new dishes to try out – All with my favorite ingredient on earth. Ain’t that sweet? (Pun intended!):)
About hosting and writing the round up, it didn’t really take much time. After posting the roundup, I sent an email thanking every participant and letting them know about the roundup. Boy! I got some sweet responses to that mail. People are wonderful. What did hosting JFI do to me? After hosting the event, I feel like doing many more in the future and yes, participating in many other events. But the most important thing is, It has brought a sense of ‘belonging to a community’ in me. After studying in many schools and many colleges and worked and lived in many places, I never felt I ‘belonged’ anywhere. But after hosting this event, I feel like I belong here – with my blog friends, where I can truly be myself.”

RP of My Workshop, the Host of JFI:Tomatoes:

“I really had a hard time picking one ingredient. I wanted to choose something that is used in all cuisines. I wanted to make it easy for the participants. So I picked tomatoes, something that is essential in every kitchen. It was easier than I thought even though I got a little nervous before publishing the roundup. Special thanks to Shn of Mishmash, Mallugirl of Malabar Spices, and kitchen fairy of Secret of Taste for supporting me when I needed it. Many have congratulated me for the hard work. I got a couple of how-did-you-do-it mails. To be frank, it wasn’t difficult at all. I used batch processing which made things easy. Adding the caption, of course, had to be done individually. I spent like 10-15 minutes everyday and the roundup was ready in a week. I was so thrilled and wanted to finish it in one sitting, but I didn’t want anyone in my home to suffer because I was busy with the roundup. About the generous response from fellow bloggers – Delighted! I have never received so many mails that are not junk.:) Entries started flowing in since mid March, and everyday I got more and more excited. Sometimes I thought I was getting lost in the middle of so many entries, but I picked up in no time. I received more than 100 entries. I am so happy and I thank everybody again for making it possible.”

Baking Fairy, the host of JFI-Strawberries sent her wishes from Costa Rica. She moved to Costa Rica from SF and opened her own bakery there. She wrote “I bought a small bakery and runnning my own place. I have breakfast and lunch items, most “Indian” base recipes because I love them so much. Hope you will come to visit one day. It is really a great place…Very peaceful…”.

Rosie of What’s the Recipe Today Jim?, currently vacationing in Mexico sent her thanks and wishes to all the participants.

My sincere thanks to Baking Fairy, Sailaja, Santhi, Vineela, Love 2 Cook, Vee, Kay, Ashwini, Rosie, Vaishali and RP for laying the foundation of Jihva tradition.

My heartfelt thanks to all the participants and fellow bloggers who embraced this event to make it their own, and opened up their families’ culinary heirlooms and treasures with such selflessness. Preserving food traditions is critical in these days of globalization and I hope that together we contributed to this effort through Jihvā.

Here are the stars of Jihvā: 2006. May they be part of our culinary traditions forever!

Mango Sauce, mango Juice, Ripe Mango Slice, Green Mango Slice, Dried Mango Pulp Cubes, Amchur Powder ~ All Things Mango
Jihvā: Mango


Jihvā: Strawberries

Toor Dal (Kandi Pappu)
Jihvā: Dals

Besan, Gram Flour, Sanaga Pindi, Chana Dal Flour
Jihvā: Flours

Homemade Soya Milk
Jihvā: Milk

Milk, Rice, Ghee, Jaggery, Golden Raisins and Cashews ~ Ingredients for Bellam Paramannam
Jihvā: Ghee

A Plate Full of Indian Sweets for the Holidays
Jihvā: Diwali Treats

Jaggery (Gur in Hindi and Bellam in Telugu) ~ Sugarcane and Palm
Jihvā: Jaggery

Coconut - Young and Mature
Jihvā: Coconut


Jihvā: Ginger


Jihvā: Potato


Jihvā: Tomato

Posted by Indira©Copyrighted in  (Friday April 21, 2006 at 9:17 pm- permalink)
Comments (35)

The New Home of Mahanandi: www.themahanandi.org

Maamidikaya pulihora (Mango Rice)

Rice mixed with grated unripe mango is a festival rice that is specifically prepared on “Ugadi” – The Telugu New Year celebration, in our homes.

Here is the simple, 4-step preparation process of festival rice – in images:

Grating the unripe mango

Step 1:
Peel the skin and grate the unripe mango. Measurement is: for 1 cup raw rice – 1½ cups grated mango to 2 cups. (Adjust the quantity to suit your tart/tangy preference.)

Cook the rice (preferably ‘Sona Masuri’). Maintain the grain integrity, don’t cook to mush.


Step 2:
In a skillet, heat peanut oil or ghee. Add and toast the listed ingredients below. One by one, until pale gold, in this order:

Cashews
Peanuts
Chana dal (presoaked in water for about 30 minutes beforehand)
Slit green chillies -brown them for better taste
Curry leaves and few pieces of dried red chillies
Mustard seeds and cumin

At the end, bring all these toasted ingredients, sprinkle turmeric and asafetida. Stir to mix and saute for another two minutes. (See the photo above)


Step 3:
Add the grated mango to the pan. Stir to mix with other toasted contents in the pan. Cook it on medium-high just for two minutes and switch off the heat. (This is done to remove the raw smell of grated mango. Do not cook the mango gratings more than two minutes, that would kill the precious mango flavor.)

Step 4:
Add salt and mix this toasted mango-peanut mixture with cooked rice thoroughly with a big spoon or with your right hand. Serve hot.


Celebrating Ugadi Festival with Maamidikaya Pulihora

Ingredients:
(For two)
1 cup rice (uncooked, raw)
1 to 2 cups grated green mango (quantity needed depends on how sour the green mango is)
6 to 8 Indian or Thai variety small-sized green chillies – Cut into 2or4 pieces lengthwise
¼ cup of cashews and peanuts combined
1 tablespoon of chana dal (soaked in water for ½ hour)
1 teaspoon each – cumin and mustard seeds
10 curry leaves, and 4-6 small pieces of dried red chilli
½ teaspoon of turmeric
Pinch of asafetida
Salt to taste or ½ teaspoon

Posted by Indira©Copyrighted in Amma & Authentic Andhra,Mamidikaya (Green Mango),Sona Masuri Rice (Tuesday March 28, 2006 at 10:07 am- permalink)
Comments (49)

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Coconut Chutney (Kobbari Pacchadi)

Coconut chutney is an example of how good a raw food can taste when prepared with right ingredients. Whoever came up with this recipe, my salute to them! People remember and replicate a good recipe; no wonder, this age old recipe continues to be popular and beloved by all who tried it.

Breakfast is not a proper breakfast without coconut chutney in Southern states of India (Andhra, Tamilnadu, Karnataka and Kerala). Perfect blend of different flavors and the ease with which it can be made – coconut chutney is a great example of traditional, health conscious South Indian food and a showcase recipe for raw cuisine. See the photo below, if you find coconut chutney looking similar in an Indian restaurant along with your dosas, idlies, that’s a sure sign that you are getting a proper south Indian food.

Fresh Coconut, Cilantro, Red onion, Ginger, Dalia(pappulu) and green chillies

Recipe:

1 cup of thinly sliced fresh coconut
¼ cup of pappulu(dalia, roasted chickpeas)
6 Indian small green chillies, chopped
1 tiny red onion or shallot, sliced into chunks
6 sprigs of fresh cilantro and 1/2 inch of ginger
½ tablespoon of tamarind extract
¼ tsp of salt
for popu or tadka
1 tsp each of mustard seeds, cumin, urad dal, fresh curry leaves and few pieces of dried red chilli.
extras(optional)
1 tablespoon of yogurt and one lime

Tadka/popu is done and ready to add to the coconut chutney Final step- adding the tadka/popu to coconut chutney

Preparation:
Preparation means grinding. Taste of coconut chutney varies with grinding method. Believe it or not, different grinding tools give different taste. The best taste comes out of using a stone mortar. Closest is the machine, which grinds with a stone. Last is the food processor or the blender etc., The taste is inversely proportionate to how easily you can grind it.

In a mortar or blender, combine all the ingredients (coconut, pappulu, onion, green chillies, cilantro, ginger, tamarind extract and salt). Add half to one cup of water and grind them until the ingredients are pureed. Transfer the mixture to a cup.

In a small pan, add half teaspoon of peanut oil, add the popu ingredients, sauté them until they start to splutter. Remove the pan from heat and add this popu to the pureed coconut mixture in the cup. Stir in little bit of yogurt now (our family variation). The chutney is ready. Just before serving, squeeze few drops of limejuice.

Traditionally coconut chutney is served with dosa, idly, vada, upma, utappam, pesarattu and pongal, as a part of morning breakfast.

Coconut chutney with popu/tadka just added
Coconut Chutney ~ South Indian Style

Note to reader: I use, tiny red onion or shallot (Indian onion, small baby onion) for this chutney. Either one is preferable than white/yellow onions (US). Red onion/shallots are less harsh in flavor when raw and don’t overpower the chutney with their bitterness.

Recipe source: Family- Amma & Attamma(mother and mil)
For several variations of this recipe, read the comments.

Posted by Indira©Copyrighted in Amma & Authentic Andhra,Chana Dal-Roasted (Dalia),Coconut (Fresh) (Thursday February 16, 2006 at 8:13 pm- permalink)
Comments (54)

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Cashew~Walnut Laddu (Kaju-Akhrot Burfi)

When I invited my friends to celebrate Sankranthi festival, in addition to the traditional ‘sweet pongal’, I also prepared cashew walnut laddu. Low in sugar calories, high in nut energy! Cashews and walnuts are first roasted and powdered, then cooked in milk-sugar kova till they all came together into solid fudge like consistency. Cooling further solidifies the mixture and then small portions are taken and shaped into rounds -‘laddus‘ or cut into squares-‘burfis‘. I like the round shape, so I always go with round laddus. Very convenient to hold and eat, children particularly love laddus.

Cashews, Walnuts, Milk and Sugar in the Background

Recipe:

Half gallon- Whole milk
2 cups-sugar (3 cups if you like the laddus on the sweeter side)
1 cup – cashews
1 cup – walnuts

Preparation:

Milk and Sugar: In a thick bottomed big pot, bring milk to boil. Add sugar. Stirring occasionally, simmer the milk-sugar mixture until it gets thick and is reduced to about one fourths of the original quantity. It takes at least 45 minutes to one hour.:) Do this on medium heat. Avoid high heat and take care not to scald the milk.

Cashews and Walnuts: Meanwhile, lightly roast cashews and walnuts separately in an iron skillet. Let them cool down to room temperature. Separate 10 pieces from each and chop them into small pieces. With the remaining ones – make fine powder of them in a food processor/mixer.

Milk and sugar simmering thickened milk and sugar after 1 hour on the stove
Milk and sugar simmering………………..Thickened milk and sugar kova after one hour on the stove

Kova into Laddu: Add this fine powder to the thickened milk-sugar kova and cook for 15 minutes, stirring continuously, until the mixture is firm. Sprinkle chopped chunks of cashews and walnuts that were kept aside. Continue cooking for another 10 minutes until the mixture is almost crumbly and comes away easily from the sides of pan.

Take a spoonful of mixture and press it with your hands into a ball. If it holds shape, then mixture is ready for cooling. Turn off the heat. Spoon the mixture into a greased square or round pan. Level it with a spatula and let it cool for at least 4 to 5 hours. Cut into squares for burfis or take a spoonful of mixture, shape it with your hands into a round ball for laddus. Store the laddus in glass jar. They will stay fresh for upto one week.

(This recipe makes 15 medium sized laddus.)

Cashew-Walnut Laddu

One medium sized cashew-walnut laddu, my entry to ‘Sugar-Low Friday’ event hosted by lovely Sam of Beck & Posh.

By the time my friends left, I had only four laddus remaining out of 20. Two for me and two for Vijay, enough for us. This is how I do my ‘Sugar – Low’, by portion control. In my view, this is also one of the ways to lower the sugar consumption.

Tagged with:

Posted by Indira©Copyrighted in Cashews,Indian Sweets 101,Milk,Mitai,Sugar,Walnuts (Friday January 27, 2006 at 7:16 pm- permalink)
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Celebrating Sankranthi

The holiday season is my favorite time of the year and our holiday or rather festival season starts with Vinayaka Chavati in August ends with Sankranthi, in January. First Vinayaka Chavati, then Dasera, Deepavali and Halloween, followed by Thanksgiving and Christmas, rolling right on through the New years eve to Sankranthi. In between all these festivities, both of our birthdays and our marriage day falls. So every year, I look forward to August, for good times. And the Hindu festivals I listed above, are major ones, if one follows a true Hindu calendar, it’s going to be a festival, every other week.:)

To celebrate Sankranthi on 14th, we invited few of our Pittsburgh friends for festival lunch and we are planning to prepare a traditional meal. The menu we finalized is this:

Traditional Festival Day Lunch Menu:
Papads – sabudana, rice and urad dal varieties
Bajjis – Onion and potato
~~~
Pulihora (Tamarind Rice)
Plain rice
Tomato Dal
Okra Sambhar
Potato Curry- festival day type
Drumstick (Munaga) kurma
Peanut chutney – Rayala seema style
Yogurt
Ghee
~~~
For Naivedyam – Sweet Pongal, the traditional sweet of Sankranthi
Cashew – Walnut Laddu
Fruit Platter

I’ve shopping to do, house to clean, puja mandir to decorate and some prep work to do in the kitchen before Saturday. So, see you all after Sankranthi and have a great Sankranthi celebration or a neat weekend.

Posted by Indira©Copyrighted in Zen (Personal) (Friday January 13, 2006 at 6:01 am- permalink)
Comments (29)

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Chitrannam (Lemon Rice)

Nimmakaya Pulihora:

Prasadam in temples, part of festival feast, or simple lunch – Chitrannam or lemon rice plays an important part of South Indian meal. Our celebratory feasts are not complete without this particular dish. The tangy rice prepared with lemon juice refreshes the palate after the sweet beginnings, as you may already know it is an Indian tradition to serve the sweet first. I think serving these two, traditional Indian sweet and chitrannam together, is our elders way of reminding us to appreciate life moments, both sweet and sour. That is why, I think the temple prasadam or the celebratory food in all moments of our lives includes chitrannam.

People, who know the taste, crave this lemony rice. Even though the recipe is so simple to make, there is always one expert in the family who prepares the best chitrannam. In my home, I can manage an edible one, but Vijay prepares the ‘can’t get enough’ version. We do use the same ingredients and methods; still I don’t know how his version always turns out so exceptional. I am sure it is true in every other south Indian family too. Only chosen few are blessed by Annapurna, the Goddess of Food, to prepare this favorite food of Gods. It is one of those recipes, where either you have it or you don’t. And I am sorry to say that even though I know the authentic recipe, follow all the tricks and tips still the end result in my case always turns out mediocre. There is no magic in my hand.:)

What about you, are you the chosen one? Try it out, if you have not already done so.

Recipe:
(Serves two)

Limes, cashews, peanuts, majjiga mirapakaayalu, vertically slit green chillies, mustard seeds, cumin, red chilli, curry leaves, soaked chana dal, urad dal, cubed potato

Rice:
4 cups of freshly cooked rice. (Any kind of white rice is ok for this recipe, but I prefer ‘Sona Masuri’. Cook it like for pulao or fried rice but not like pongal or risotto.
Limes and Chillies
2 to 3 juicy limes – cut and juice to a cup
6 to 8 green chillies, Indian or Thai variety – slit vertically
(Chitrannam needs spicy punch from chillies. So, add one or two chillies (of any variety) more than your normal tolerance of chillies. Otherwise the dish falls apart, and lime juice dominates the taste.)
Seasoning
¼ cup – Chana dal (senaga pappu), pre-soaked in water at least half an hour before.
2 tablespoons – urad dal (minapa pappu)
1 teaspoon each – salt and turmeric
2 tablespoons –ghee, Or oil for calorie-consicous.
For popu or tadka
1/2 tsp each – mustard seeds, cumin, and red dry chilli pieces.
12- 15 fresh curry leaves. Don’t forget to add the fresh curry leaves. Chitrannam is not authentic or complete without the curry leaves.

You can prepare decent, basic version of chitrannam with the above items. But for special occasions, and if you want to impress guests or family, then you need the following items too.

Nuts
Quarter cup – cashews
Quarter cup – peanuts
Veggies
Quarter cup vegetables – I usually add potato, finely cubed, sometimes Indian type brinjal and shredded carrot too.
5 to 6 majjiga mirapa kaayalu (Green chillies soaked in buttermilk and completely dried in sun, a specialty of Andhra), deep fried in oil.

Method:

In a skillet, heat one tablespoon of ghee. First add peanuts, fry them until they turn light brown. Remove. Add and fry cashews next. Remove from the pan to a plate, keep them aside.

Now in the same skillet, add another tablespoon of ghee. Heat. Add and fry the curry leaves first. Then cumin and mustard seeds. When seeds start to splutter, add the split green chillies, chana dal, urad dal, and cubed potatoes. Saute them till golden and crisp. In the end, sprinkle half teaspoon turmeric for that golden yellow color. Mix and then saute for another one to two minutes.

cashews and peanuts saut�ing in ghee saut�ing the Chitrannam/lemon rice ingredients in ghee
Sauteing the cashews and Peanuts…… Sauteing the veggies and dals

Mixing turmeric Mixing saut�ed ingredients with rice along with lime juice
Stirring in turmeric………. Squeezing some lime juice over rice and sauteed ingredients

Add the sauteed ingredients of skillet, and also the toasted peanuts and cashews to the cooked rice. Stir in salt and sprinkle the limejuice. Combine thoroughly and delicately (without breaking the rice grains) with your hand or using a big slotted spoon.

Have a taste, it should zing or shock your taste buds like sucking on a fresh lime wedge. If not, add some more limejuice and salt. Mix again. And keep in mind that rice absorbs the limejuice, and the tanginess you feel during the preparation reduces in intensity after sometime.

Serve with fried majjiga mirapakaayalu (buttermilk soaked, dried green chillies) and a cup of yogurt for a nice meal.

Lemon Rice and Pickled Green Chilli (Chitrannam and Majjiga Mirapa kaayalu)
chitrannam(Lemon Rice) with majjiga mirapa kaayalu.

Chitrannam, the English translation of this Telugu word is chitra= wonderful, magical, Annam= rice. This Refreshing lemony rice is all that and more, and tastes great when served hot or cold.

Recipe Source:Attamma(MIL)

Posted by Indira©Copyrighted in Amma & Authentic Andhra,Biyyamu (Rice),Cashews,Limes/Lemons,Peanuts,Sona Masuri Rice (Friday October 7, 2005 at 2:07 pm- permalink)
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Article and Recipe Index

Mahanandi is easy to navigate, and recipes are archived in four ways.

Browse by Ingredients: Ingredients are listed in alphabetical order in category section on the sidebar of Mahanandi.

Browse by Date or Month: Recipe name appears by hovering the mouse on the calendar. Clicking on the dates in the calendar will take you to the recipe that is blogged on that day. Or click on the month in archives section and then on the date in calendar.

Browse by Title: Recipes are listed in types of meal, courses and cuisines on this page.

Browse for Indian Sweets: Sweets List

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About Culinary Experience and Recipe Inspiration

My culinary life in few words:

I started out as a burper and spitter (aren’t we all?), taste tester, picky eater, ruthless critiquer (1 to 12 years age), trained under my mother’s guidance to dish washer, prep cook, line cook, sous-chef (12 to 25 years) at home. I was a partner and assistant chef, immensely benefited from my other half’s culinary wisdom and wit (25 to 30 years). I am the chief home-chef and kitchen manager at this time.
My culinary experience is a process of progression and I will always be an eager student at Mother Annapoorna’s culinary school.

Recipe Inspiration:

The main portion, about 60 percent of the blogged recipes at Mahanandi listed below, are from my home – Nandyala in India.

The remaining 40 percent, inspired by my imagination and the time I spent visiting and browsing famiy, friends and fellow food bloggers real and virtual kitchens.

Index Layout

As a reader, cook, taster and enthusiast I fashioned the index page following the strict Indic culinary wisdom, on how we serve the meal in a traditional setting. This page is laid out in a way, that if you cook a recipe from each category, you would have sampled the complete “Morning to Night” meal experience of my home. The combinations and possibilities are endless. It’s very much possible to re-create the varied and myriad hues of Indian cooking – a different flavor and texture for each of its hundred thousand villages.

“Real Knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance”, the old Sanskrit proverb says. I hope you find here some information and recipes which you recognise, and others which surprise and delight you enough to try them out. Enjoy!

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A Daily Record: Articles, Recipes and Photos from My Home
(From March 26th, 2005 to December 30th, 2009)

Morning Meal:

Dosa, Pesarattu, and Utappam:

Idly:

Minimalism for Morning:

Ponganalu (Paniyaram)

Upma:

Refreshing Paniyam:

Vindu Bhojanam for Mid-day or Night:

(The recipe index is laid out in the traditional serving ritual of Vindu Bhojanam (feast). Water first, then salt, pachadi, podi, uragaya, teepi (sweet), kaaram (snack), festival rice, rice, pappu, kura, pulusu, sambar, rasam, perugu, and the meal ends with sweet taste of Mother Earth, the seasonal fruits like banana, mango etc.)

Pacchadi, Podi and Uragaya:

Pacchadi (using Rolu or Mortar & Pestle):

Pacchadi or Chutney (Made in a Mixer, Blender or Food Processor):

Podi (Spicy Powder):

Uragaya (Pickles of India):

Teepu (Sweets, Bharath- 101):

Festival Sweets:

Mithai:

Karalu or Snacks (Bharath):

Deep Fried in Peanut Oil

Pan-Fried:

Oven Baked:

Traditional Sun~Dried Snacks of Bharath:
(Vadiyam, Papadam, Appadam etc)

Annam & Dhanyam (Rice and Grains):

Festival Rice:

Pulao (Masala Annam, Pilaf, Fried Rice):

Ganji, Kanji or Congee

Articles on Rice and Grains from India:

Chapati, Naan, Paratha, Puri and Roti:

Pappu (Dal, Daal, Dahl):

Pappu With Kandi Pappu (Toor, Tuvar Dal):
(Pappu with Kandi pappu and vegetabels is prepared for daily meals at my home and at Nandyala.)

Pappu With Pesara Pappu (Moong, Mung Dal):

Pappu With With Masoor Dal (Red Lentils):

Pappu with Split Peas – Green and Yellow:
(Split peas are neither toor dal nor chana dal. It’s the truth!)

Chaaru, Pappuchaaru, Pacchi Pulusu, Rasam and Sambar:

Pappuchaaru, Pacchi Pulusu, Rasam:

Sambar: The South Indian Soopa
(Difference between Soup and Sambar – No vegetables are harmed (mashed) in sambar.)

Kura, Vepudu, Poriyal, or Thoran:
(Indian Salads With Minimum Saute)
Cooking cut-up vegetables briskly in a small amount of oil, stir-frying or sauteing is the most popular tenchnique that I use in my cooking. The resulting dish is called “Kura” or “Vepudu” in Telugu.

Kura, Kurma, Pulusu or Subji:

Home Classics with Fresh Vegetables

Home Classics With Beans and Legumes:

Home Classics With Paneer:

Home Classics with Egg:

Home Classics for a Potluck Party of 25:

Restaurant Popular, but to My Palate:

Adapting World’s Classics to My Palate:

Perugu, Dahi, Curd or Yogurt (Raita)

Refreshing Ice (Granita, Icecream, Sherbet):

How to Prepare? The Essentials:

Yogi Diet (Food of Fasting Days):

Vitamins for Everyday: Herbs and Spices with Recipes
(by Anjali Damerla)

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Occidental Food:

Occidental grub happens at my home occasionally. This is a record of such accidents.

Bread, Burger, Pasta and Pizza:

Bread:

Burger (Cutlet) and Sandwich:

Pizza:

Pasta or Noodles – Wheat and Rice:

Sugary Desserts Sans Western Whimsy:

Cakes and Scones Filled with Fruit and Nuts:

Clafouti, Pies and Tarts:

Cookies and Such:

Jams and Such:

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Discoveries and Divine Prasadams:

New Traditions:

Bhakti~Bhukti (Devotion Mixed with Dining):

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Cookery: Books, Food Art, Pots and Pans

Cookbook Reviews and Interviews:

Food Art:

Food Articles:

Pots and Utensils:

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The Joy of Effort ~ Personal and Team:

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Posted by Indira©Copyrighted in  (Sunday July 24, 2005 at 1:47 pm- permalink)
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Pappula Podi (Putnala/Bhuna Chana Powder) (Spicy Roasted Chickpea Powder)

Roasted Chickpeas, Pappulu, Putnala Pappulu, Dalia - 4 pounds for $4.99, purchased at Subji Mandi, NJ

Pappulu, Putnala pappulu or Dalia are prepared from chickpeas. Not the regular, white chickpeas but from a special variety of chickpeas specific to India and commonly sold under the name “Kala Chana or Black Chickpeas”.

The preparation of pappulu (dalia) is a fascinating process. First, the black chickpeas get soaked in water for several hours, and then after draining, chickpeas are roasted in big caldrons under controlled low fire for several hours. Until the chickpeas turn to crisp. Once the roasting process is completed, the hulls of chickpeas will be removed and each chickpea will be split into two equal pieces. This whole soaking-roasting process intensifies the chickpea flavor, and also changes them to light yellow, mildly sweet pappulu or Dalia. This process is done in special places called Bhattis. Almost every town in Andhra Pradesh would have a bhatti. People go there to buy the freshly prepared pappulu and also the puffed rice There were couple of bhattis near our home in Nandyala and we were used to buy them fresh and hot from those places.

Among all the lentil types available in an Indian store, pappulu are the only one which you can just open the packet and pop them into mouth. As kids and even now, we love to eat them as they are or mixed with murmura. They are a snack item for us, like popcorn. If you are from South India, I assume you already know the pappula taste. For those of you who don’t, you must try them at least once. They are usually sold in Indian grocery shops under the label “Dalia” in lentil section. They are really great tasting, guilt free snack.

Pappulu, Dry Red chillies, Cumin, Salt and Dry Coconut

Pappula Podi is a famous Andhra preparation. In some parts of Andhra this is also called gunpowder. We add it to season the curries and also to prepare chutneys and to spread on dosas, idly, pongali and upma. Pappula Podi not only spices but also adds a mild sweetness to the preparation. This following recipe is from my mother’s and my most valued one. If you are used to besan (gram flour) preparations, try this one instead. You will be delighted, I promise.

Pappula Podi:

1 cup – Pappulu
6 to 8 – dried red chillies, Indian variety
2 tablespoons – grated coconut or dried coconut pieces
1 tablespoon – cumin
½ teaspoon – salt or to taste
4 garlic cloves (this is optional, even without garlic this powder tastes great.)

Take pappulu, chillies, coconut, cumin, garlic and salt in a clean and dry mixer jar or food processor. Grind to fine powder. This is a dry preparation and do not add water. Store the powder in a clean, dry, airtight container. This will stay fresh as long as it remains dry.

The following are the most common ways I enjoy the Pappula Podi:

1. Add a tablespoon of Podi to fistful of cooked rice. Add a teaspoon of ghee. Mix and make small rounds. Eat.

2. Add a tablespoon of Podi to cooked rice and dal (tomato or spinach etc). Add a teaspoon of ghee. Mix and eat.

3. Prepare dosas and spread the pappula Podi on the dosa for Masala Dosa. Yum!

4. Dunk and coat the Idly, Upma and pongal morsels in Pappula Podi, and eat. My new favorite is Pappula Podi and oatmeal upma combination.

5. I also add pappula Podi to vegetable curries. Cabbage, bell pepper, green beans and Indian variety broad beans (Chikkudu kaya), the sauté style curries with these vegetables taste great spiced with pappula Podi. I usually sprinkle one tablespoon of this powder before turning off the heat.)

6. Add roasted onion, garlic and few branches of fresh cilantro to Pappula Podi, along with about half glass of water. Grind to smooth to make an instant chutney.

Pappula Podi (Spicy Roasted Chickpea powder, Putnala pappula powder, Dalia Powder)
Pappula Podi

Posted by Indira©Copyrighted in Amma & Authentic Andhra,Chana Dal-Roasted (Dalia),Dried Red Chillies (Thursday July 7, 2005 at 5:53 pm- permalink)
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Peanut Chutney (Groundnut Chutney)

Buddala Pacchadi:

Peanut chutney is the usual accompaniment to breakfast dishes like upma, pongal, pesarattu, dosa, and vada at my home so I prepare peanut chutney quite often. Also it makes a decent substitute to coconut chutney. Fresh coconut is a premium thing here at Ohio, because of that whenever a chutney recipe is called for I usually go with home classic, a crowd pleaser and an Andhra delight ~ peanut chutney (Buddala pachadi in Telugu language).

Peanut chutney ingredients
Peanut Chutney Ingredients

Recipe:

1 cup – peanuts
5 dried red chillies
1 small onion and 1 garlic clove – sliced to big chunks
2 teaspoons – tamarind pulp or to taste
½ tsp salt or to taste
For popu or tadka – 1 tsp each – cumin, mustard seeds, urad dal and six curry leaves

First step is roasting the peanuts.

If I have some time to kill, I usually go for stove-top method.
Place an iron skillet on stove top and on medium heat, slowly roast the peanuts to golden brown color. Cool and rub the skins off. I love the roasted peanut taste produced in this slow-cooking method.

In a rush, needs to prepare quickly, then I go for microwave method.
Pick a wide and big microwave safe bowl. Place peanuts and microwave them for 2-4 minutes, uncovered. How fast the roasting process is done depends on how powerful the microwave is and the quantity of peanuts. After each minute of microwaving, remove the bowl and mix or turn the peanuts with a spoon for even cooking. Microwave again for another one minute and repeat the process. Do this until the cream colored peanuts turn to light brown color. I have to warn you though, just like in any roasting process, microwave method is also a delicate one and in a split second perfectly golden peanuts could turn to charcoal black. Please be careful and pay attention to the process, if this is your first time. Once you get the hang of it, it will be really a breeze to roast peanuts in a microwave.

Step Two:
Heat a tablespoon of oil to smoking point in an iron skillet. Add and brown dried red chillies, onion and garlic.

Wait few minutes for them to cool down. This cooling process somehow increases the chutney taste tremendously and saves the motor blade of your mixer from melting.

Take roasted peanuts in a blender/food processor. Grind to fine.
Add other ingredients, plus tamarind, salt and a cup of water.
Grind to fine consistency.
Remove the chutney to a bowl.
Do the popu or tadka (toast popu ingredients listed above, in half teaspoon of oil in a vessel), add them to the chutney. This is always the final seasoning thing we do.
Mix and serve.

For breakfast dishes like upma, dosas, idlies etc, I always make the chutney little bit watery (see the chutney photo below). If the chutney is for rice (yes, it tastes quite good with rice also) I’d make the chutney little bit tight with as little amount of water as possible. (In the first case we have to dunk the breakfast item in chutney and in second case we have to mix it with rice and shape it into a round.)

Peanut chutney
Peanut Chutney

Posted by Indira©Copyrighted in Amma & Authentic Andhra,Dry Fruits, Nuts & Seeds,Peanuts (Friday May 13, 2005 at 1:50 pm- permalink)
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