Sunday 27 October 2013

Idli Sambar | Tiffin Sambar | Sambar for Idli Dosa


Sambar - one of the best side dishes for idly, dosa or even pongal.  This can be prepared either with or without vegetables.  Even though we prepare different chutneys as sides to idli or dosa, nothing can beat the combo of hot idlis and sambar.  Sambars prepared for idli or dosa should be a bit watery than the normal thick ones we make for rice.


Sambar for idli dosa, tiffin sambar



Thursday 17 October 2013

Aloo Matar Dry Version | Potato With Peas Dry


Aloo Matar -- A spicy, flavorful Punjabi dish prepared with potatoes and peas.  I had already posted the gravy version quite a while back.. check out the recipe here.  The one I am presenting here is a more flavorful dry version and this one is preferred more by my family than the gravy version.  You can even add chaat masala (about 1/2 tsp) along with mango powder to further enhance the flavor.


Aloo matar dry, Aloo mattar


Sunday 13 October 2013

Groundnut Rasam | Peanut Rasam | Peanut Pacchi Pulusu


Rasam/Chaaru or Saaru is a South Indian lentil soup prepared using tamarind as a base.  There are different varieties of rasam like tomato rasam, garlic rasam, pepper rasam, groundnut rasam, pepper-cumin-garlic rasam, etc.  I am presenting here the recipe for Groundnut rasam which is slightly different from the other rasams -- here groundnuts are used instead of lentils.

Groundnut/Peanut Rasam or chenigginjala rasam -- This is a unique tasty dish from the Rayalaseema region in Andhra.  Groundnuts feature in most of the dishes from this region.  This rasam is tangy, spicy and a wee bit sweet and tastes divine with plain hot rice.


Groundnut rasam, peanut rasam


Saturday 12 October 2013

Bendakaya Vepudu | Bhindi Fry | Okra Stir Fry


Okra/Ladies finger/bhindi - There are umpteen ways to cook this veggie, but I love the stir fry version.  Even this simple stir fry has numerous variations -- onions and garlic, cumin and coriander powder, adding peanuts or peanut powder and cashew nuts, garlic and peanut powder, etc.  You can add or omit ingredients according to your choice and each ingredient used will give a different and unique taste to this same simple stir fry.

It tastes better if prepared with young and tender okra.

Bendakaya vepudu, Okra stir fry


Thursday 3 October 2013

Carrot Talimpu | Carrot Turumu Talimpu | Grated Carrot Stir Fry


Carrot Talimpu or Carrot Turumu (grated) Talimpu is a simple and quick stir fry that is quite delicious and healthy too.  It takes less than 10 minutes to make this colorful & yummy stir fry.  I have used only carrots here, but you can add other veggies too, like cabbage or beans, and make this stir fry.


carrot talimpu, carrot turumu fry


Tuesday 1 October 2013

Garlic Chutney | Poondu Chutney | Belluli Chutney


Garlic - the wonder spice/veggie - needs no introduction either as a flavoring agent in cooking or as a medicine.  It is packed with antioxidants, lowers cholesterol, is a blood purifier, regulates blood sugar, prevents heart disease and strokes, prevents cold, cough - the list is endless.

Garlic Chutney or lehsun ki chutney - There are many variations to this chutney.  The taste differs depending on the ingredients used - onions or tomatoes or tamarind, chillies etc.  The dry version is prepared without using water can be stored for a few weeks.  It tastes so yumm with paratha or plain hot rice and ghee.  The wet/watery version needs to be used immediately and tastes good with idli, dosa, uthappam.

Am presenting here the dry version.  Do try it.


Garlic Chutney, Lehsun Chutney