A fantastic and flavorful chicken curry that is a regular at our home. This favorite chicken curry recipe is usually prepared as a side with flavored rice like Tomato Pulao. Coconut milk and poppy seeds are essential in the preparation of the curry. The chicken simmers in a concoction of yogurt, coconut milk, poppy seeds and garam masala to yield a rich creamy textured curry. Tomato Pulao with Chicken curry made for a deliciously comforting meal.

I like to feed Nehal healthy desserts made from nutrition rich ingredients rather than a fat-rich cake or mithai. Sesame seeds Laddu falls under the category of a healthy dessert. Nuvvula Unda or Nuvvula Laddu is a classic Andhra style sweet prepared for festivals like Nagula Chavati. At home, we make this calcium rich sweet often. I usually make small laddus (compared to the size of the sesame seeds laddus you see in this post) and serve as an after lunch dessert to Nehal.

Very simple to prepare with only two ingredients going into the making of traditional Nuvvula Laddu recipe. I tend to add roasted almond meal or roasted and powdered oats to boost the nutritional profile. The taste of Nuvvula Unda will depend on the quality of jaggery and sesame seeds. Use fresh sesame seeds and good quality jaggery to enjoy the chewy nutty taste of sesame seeds and the sweet flavor of jaggery. A unique combination of flavors that is bound to get you addicted.

1 Dry roast sesame seeds in a heavy bottomed vessel till the rawness disappears and a nutty aroma emanates the kitchen. Roast on low flame and do not burn them. Remove onto a wide plate and allow to cool.
2 In the same vessel, add the oats and dry roast on low flame for 5 mts. Remove onto a plate and cool.
3 In the same vessel, add the almonds and dry roast on low flame for 5 mts. Remove onto a plate and cool.
4 First grind the almonds till coarse. Remove onto a bowl. Next grind the oats to a powder (5 seconds). Remove onto a bowl with almond powder.
5 Next blend the sesame seeds for 5-6 seconds. You have to make a coarse powder of the sesame seeds. Add the grated jaggery and blend till combined. Add 1-2 tbsps of milk and blend. You can see the oil (sesame seeds) oozing out of the mixture.
6 Remove onto a plate and add the oats powder and almonds powder. Mix and make small balls with this mixture.
7 Store in an air tight container and they stay good for a week to ten days. You can store in the fridge too for longer shelf life.

Little pearl onions aka shallots have an intense flavor and give curries an immense flavor, be it vegetarian or meat based. I use them a lot in my regular cooking and today’s vegan recipe has shallots as the star ingredient. You cannot make this recipe with the regular white or yellow onions.

The combination of tamarind, spices and jaggery meld with the shallots to yield an amalgam of flavors that are addictive making you want to eat more and more. Seriously. Eat it with rice, brown rice, roti or dosa, you will love it.

1 Heat oil in a heavy bottomed vessel, add the mustard seeds and let them jump around. Add the cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, red chili and fry for few secs till they turn brown. Don’t burn them. Lastly add curry leaves, followed by the shallots.
2 Saute the shallots for 5-6 mts. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for another 4-5 mts. Add red chili powder, coriander pwd, cumin pwd and roasted methi pwd. Mix.
3Add the tamarind extract along with 1 1/2 cups of water, salt and jaggery and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let it simmer for 10-12 mts, till the rawness of the tamarind disappears.
4 Towards the end of the cooking process, add the besan water and mix. Cook for 2 mts and turn off heat.
5 Add half of the fresh coriander and keep covered for a few minutes before serving.
6 Remove onto a serving bowl. Garnish with the remaining fresh coriander and serve with hot steamed rice, vadiyaalu and appadam (papad).

We Andhras love our Pachadis (chutney/condiment) and in our home pachadis are revered. Seriously. Mom makes the BEST pachadis you can ever imagine. The aromas that fill the kitchen during the preparatory process is something that has to be experienced. For instance, take today’s pachadi which calls for green chilies. The intoxicating aroma of roasted green chilies and the sizzle of tempered spices hold promise of an eternally pleasing meal to come.

Most of the pachadi recipes you will find on my blog are simple and straightforward with minimal ingredients. The key is to use farm fresh vegetables and good quality ingredients.

1 Heat 2 tsps oil in a vessel, add cumin seeds, let them splutter. Add the green chillis (remove the stalks) and fry for 3-4 mts. Remove from heat and cool. In the same pan, add a tsp of oil add the urad dal and saute till the dal turns red. Remove from heat and cool.
2 Grind the sauteed green chili mixture, urad dal, jaggery, tamarind and salt to a paste. Add few tbsps water while grinding.
3 Heat oil in a pan, add the mustard and let them splutter. Add curry leaves and turn off heat. Pour this seasoning over the chutney and serve with any tiffin like idli or dosa.

I always have left over Idlis when I prepare Idlis for breakfast or dinner. When I am in need of snacks, Indian recipe style, all I do is saute the crumbled cold refrigerated idlis with a spiced base of onions and lots of fresh coriander leaves. I tend to play with the spices each time I go the crumbled idli upma way.

Recently, I prepared a version of Idli Upma with fresh coconut and carrot being the star players. It made for a visually appealing, filling, delicious and healthy evening snack for my son, Nehal. Use fresh coriander leaves which give a herb-y flavor to the dish.

1 Heat oil in a cooking vessel, add the curry leaves and saute till a nice aroma emanates the kitchen.
2 Add the green chilies and chopped onions and saute for 3-4 mts.
3 Add the turmeric pwd, red chili pwd, garam masala pwd and kasuri methi and half of the fresh coriander leaves and mix well. Add tomato sauce and mix. Saute for a mt.
4 Add the grated carrots and grated coconut and saute for 4 mts on low to medium flame. Add the crumbled idlis and mix. Saute for 2 mts. Turn off heat.
5 Garnish with fresh coriander leaves. Serve this quick left overs snack warm.

Raw Plantains are a low glycemic source of carbohydrate and full of nutrition. Aratikaya as its known in Andhra is a regular every day vegetable in South Indian vegetarian cuisine. I usually prepare stir fries, yogurt based or tamarind based stew, pachadi and vadas with Raw Plantains.

The key is to use fresh and firm green plantains before they ripen to a yellow shade. Today’s vegetarian stir fry recipe makes for a perfect side dish with rice, sambar, papad and a bowl of yogurt. This simple plantain fry calls for a few aromatic spices like cinnamon which brings immense flavor to the well roasted plantains. Tempering of curry leaves and fresh coriander leaves as a final garnish are essential so do not compromise with these ingredients.

1 Mix chili powder, methi powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, salt, ginger garlic paste and grated coconut to the sliced raw plantain. Sprinkle 4-5 tbsps of water and keep aside for 10 mts.
2 Meanwhile, heat oil in a cooking vessel, add the cumin seeds and let them splutter. Add curry leaves and green chilies and toss for about 5-6 seconds.
3 Add the chopped onions and saute for 4-5 mts till they turn pink. Add the sliced plantain pieces and stir fry for 4-5 mts without lid on medium high. Constantly stir fry to ensure they don’t burn or stick to the pan.
4 Cook with lid on low to medium flame for 18-20 mts or till the plantains are well roasted and turn soft. Remove lid and cook on medium high, tossing constantly, for 2-3 mts. Add cinnamon powder and mix. Turn off heat and remove onto a serving bowl.
5 Serve with hot rice and sambar.

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Amaranth leaves (Chauli/Thotakura) are much loved in our home and take the form of stir fry, dal and stew in our daily meals. In recent past, I have used these nutritious greens along with chick pea flour (besan) to prepare fritters. They are easy to make, work great as appetizers for parties and also make for a wonderful tea time snack.

These vegan crispy green leafy balls taste best when warm. Try them the next time you bring home some amaranth greens and you’ll want to invite your friends just to serve them a perfect finger food treat.

1 In a bowl, add the chopped amaranth greens, green chilles, ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder, cumin seeds, besan and salt. Add little water to make a dough such that you can make small balls. Make small balls and keep aside.
2 Heat oil in a deep frying vessel. Once its piping hot, reduce flame to medium and drop the balls gently into the oil and fry them to a golden brown color. Deep fry a batch of 8-10 balls depending on the size of the vessel.
3 Heat 2 tsps oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and allow to splutter. Add sesame seeds, red chilies, hing and curry leaves and saute for a few seconds. Add the balls to the pan and mix well. Turn off heat and sprinkle fresh grated coconut.
4 Serve warm with a cup of masala chai.

Are you familiar with this exotic underground stem? Goes by the name Taro root, Elephant Ears, Colocasia, Arbi in Hindi and Chamadumpa in Telugu. You will find it at across all the Rythu Bazaars (farmer’s market) in Andhra.

Its the sliminess and slippery feel of taro root which keeps away many from relishing its flavor. Please don’t let that put you away from trying it. It is full of fiber, lot of starch and has a delicious creamy texture.

Today’s recipe for chips is a deep fried version. You can even shallow fry the taro root slices which would yield a less crisp exterior but tasty nevertheless. I’m yet to try baking them. Do try this Arbi recipe you wouldn’t want to miss.

1 Boil taro roots with enough water till soft. Drain water and cool. Peel the taro roots and slice them slightly thick.
2 Heat oil in a heavy bottomed vessel. To test if oil is hot enough for deep frying chamadumpa aka arbi root slices, drop a slice into the oil, if the oil bubbles around it with a sizzling noise, the oil is ready.
3 Into the hot oil, drop the sliced taro roots (depending on the size of vessel used for deep frying, drop just enough arbi slices such that the vessel isn’t overcrowded). On medium flame, deep fry chamadumpa slices.
4 Use a slotted stainless steel ladle to stir the taro root chips gently. When they reach golden brown color, remove them onto a paper towel to absorb any excess oil. Repeat with the remaining batch of arbi slices.
5 Season chamadumpa slices with salt, chilli pwd, cumin pwd and coriander pwd. Remove onto a serving plate and serve.

Katte Pongali is a traditional Andhra style rice and moong dal recipe that is often served in temples as Prasadam (Prashad). Nothing like a creamy, fragrant, warm bowl of Pongali especially during winters. There is something unique about the blending of earthy lentils with starchy creaminess of rice. Its pure comfort food.

Clarified butter aka ghee is essential for tempering and I never skimp on black pepper corns. Its super quick to bring together with few spices going into it. Here’s Katte Pongali recipe for you as Navratri special festival food. Enjoy!

1 Wash the rice and dal and keep aside.
2 Meanwhile in a heavy bottomed vessel or pot, heat ghee. Add the cumin seeds, let them splutter and turn slightly brown. Add the curry leaves, green chilies, black pepper corns, asafoetida and ginger and fry for a few seconds.
3 Add the drained rice and dal and mix with spices and fry for a few seconds.
4 Add water and salt and pressure cook till the rice and dal are cooked and soft. If cooking over stove top, bring water to a boil, reduce flame and place lid. Cook till the water is completely absorbed and the Pongal is cooked.
5 Garnish with fried cashwenuts and serve Pongali warm.

Savory snack enthusiasts will love today’s Navrati Special offering to Durga Ma. Addictively satisfying, Chitti Budagalu are adorable, tiny puffed up crisps with a hint of spice. Only 3 ingredients go into its making – urad dal aka black gram dal, rice flour and chili powder.

It does take some time to prepare but its worth the effort. Serve these crispy treats with a cup of chai and you will have your family and guests asking for seconds and thirds.

1 Soak whole black gram dal in water for 2 hours.
2 Strain the water and grind the dal to a paste sprinkling very little water. Remove from the grinder.
3 To the ground urad dal, add rice flour, salt and chili powder, mix well. Add little water to make a smooth dough.
4 Heat oil for deep frying in a heavy bottomed vessel and heat till piping hot. Reduce flame to medium.
5 Make very small balls from the dough. Grease two sheets or 2 small banana leaves. Place a small ball in between two greased sheets (place a small ball on the greased sheet and place the greased side down of the other sheet over the ball).
6Lightly flatten the ball using a flat spatula or tumbler. Remove the flattened dough and place on a plate. Prepare with rest of the dough and keep aside
7 Slowly drop the flattened rounds into the hot oil and cook them on medium flame. They will puff up on touching the hot oil. Fry the chitti budagalu on both sides to a golden brown color. Deep fry 8-10 budagalu per batch depending on the size of the vessel.
8 Remove the chitti budagalu onto a serving plate. Bring to room temperature and store in an air tight container. Stays fresh upto 3-4 days.