Andhra Gongura pachadi with red chilies

Weather is cooling down and my plants  are getting ready for fall. In the week end, I plucked all my Gongura leaves to make pickle with half and the other half went into freezer for use in winter.

Gongura pachadi/pickle is a popular authentic Andhra pickle and is world famous. Different regions call it with different names- Hibiscus cannabinus aka red sorrel leaves, roselle, gongura (telugu), pulicha keerai (Tamil), Ambad bhaji, ambada, ambadi(Hindi)

Gongura is a very rich source of Iron, vitamins, folic acid and anti-oxidants essential for human nutrition. Similarly, “Gongura” is popular in Tamilnadu as well, which is called “pulichakeerai” in Tamil. The famous combination with “pulichakeerai” is “Ragi Kali/Ragi Mudde“, which once used to be a regular food for the people in villages (since these items easily available in agricultural forms). It is highly recommended for sugar and heart patients to maintain their diet

This gongura pachadi can be done using dry red chilies or green chilies. When Red chilies are used, the consistency of pachadi will be little hard (hence, more oil is needed in tempering) compared to green chilies which give a moist consistency.

There are 2 varieties of this gongura, one is white stem gongura and the other is red gongura. Earlier vrariety (White gongura) has a little bitter taste than the latter (red variety). Both of them tastes extremely good. We can even combine both the varieties while cooking. My mom makes an excellent gongura pachadi with red chilies and when eaten with red onion hum!!! Delicious. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients-

• big bunch of fresh gongura / red sorrel (wash and separate leaves from the stalks and leave them out to dry)
• 10 whole dry red chilies
• 1/2 tsp methi / fenugreek seeds
• 1 tbsp minapppapu (black gram / urad dal)
• 1 tbsp senaga pappu (bengal gram / channa dal)
• 11/2 tbsp coriander seeds
• 5 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsps oil
• salt to taste

Tempering

• 4 tbsp oil (pickle made with red chilies needs more oil than green chilies)
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• ½ tsp cumin
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 whole dry red chillies
• 1 stalk of curry leaves

Andhra Gongura pachadi mudda on gongura leaf

Directions-

1. Heat 2 tbsps of oil in a heavy bottom vessel. Add the leaves and sauté them until soft. Remove and let it cool.
2. In the same vessel add 1 tbsp oil and add methi seeds and fry till light brown. Add coriander seeds, urad dal(black gram), channa dal (bengal gram lentil) and dry red chilies and fry stirring constantly till light brown. Remove them into a bowl and let them cool.
3. In a grinder, add methi, coriander seeds, urad dal, channa dal, dry red chilies, cumin, garlic, salt and grind them. Add the fried gongura leaves and grind very coarsely.
4. Heat 4 tbsps of oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, when they splutter, add the whole dry red chilies, crushed garlic, cumin, curry leaves and fry until garlic is slightly brown. Remove the tempering from fire; Let it cool before adding it to the ground gongura pachadi. (When storing any pickles for more than few days, always let the tempering cool to room temperature before adding it to the ground paste, since adding hot oil to the ground paste releases some more moisture and spoils the pachadi)
5. Add the tempering to the ground paste along with the oil.

This particular pickle can be stored in the refrigerator for almost 3 weeks and goes well with hot steamed rice, a dash of ghee and sliced red onions.

Andhra gongura pachadi with raw onion

Drumstick Leaf Fry

Drumstick plant is one of the world’s most useful plants. As the name sounds, this tree has long bean-fruit like Drumsticks. It is mostly grown as a backyard tree in most of the South Indian homes

This tree is a perennial, an extremely fast growing tree and drought tolerant (If thinking of having it in your garden, check with your zone areas, it’s a certain hit in Texas). Leaves and pods are of high nutritional value. It is commonly consumed in curries and contributes to a cheap and highly nutritious meal. Drumstick leaves are full of essential disease-preventing nutrients, they contain:

• 7 times more Vitamin C than oranges
  to fight many illnesses including colds and flu
• 4 times more Vitamin A than carrots
  against eye disease, skin disease, heart ailments, diarrhoea
• 4 times more Calcium than milk
  to build strong bones and teeth
• 3 times more Potassium than bananas
  essential for the functioning of the brain and nerves
• nearly equal amount of Protein as in eggs
  basic building blocks of all our body cells

The tender fruit is used in sambar and most dishes in South Indian homes.

For more information of health tips visit- http://www.health-care-tips.org/herbal-medicines/drumstick.htm

Research has shown the drumstick tree to be of exceptional nutritional value. The leaves are 38% protein with the 8 essential amino acids, which will be of interest to vegetarians, or people who wish to cut back on meat and dairy products.

I have no clue of using drumstick leaves in cooking until my MIL made this one day, it is unbelievably good and extremely nutritious. One has to taste this dish to believe it.

My friend sandeepa has this in her garden and I’m looking forward to plant this tree in my garden for the next season.

Adding Garlic and crushed groundnut powder enhances the dish even more.

Drumstick Plant

Ingredients

• 1 bunch of drumstick leaves (the bunch might look bigger, but when boiled and cooked it reduces considerably, like other leafy vegetables)
• 6 garlic cloves crushed
• 1 small onion ( about the size of a golf ball serves the purpose)
• 3 tbsp crushed peanuts (dry roast peanuts till they change color and blend them to a coarse powder)
• 1 tbsp red chili powder or to taste
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp each of mustard seeds, cumin seeds
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 2dry red chilies
• 1 small stalk of curry leaves (optional)

Directions-

1. Pick the drum stick leaves from the stems, clean them thoroughly and give them a rough chop.
2. Boil these leaves in a pressure cooker with ¼ cup of water and a pinch of salt for 3 whistles. (drum stick leaves are little tough, so we have to boil them)
3. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a heavy bottom pan. Add mustard seeds, when they splutter, add cumin seeds, dry red chilies, turmeric and crushed garlic.
4. When the garlic is sautéed, add onions and let them sauté until they turn transparent.
5. Add boiled drum stick leaves and sauté for 2 mins.
6. Add red chili powder and salt to taste. Mix all of them together and sauté until all the spices and leaves are cooked together.
7. Add crushed peanut powder and mix well to coat the leaves and sauté it for another min or so.
8. Adjust the taste if needed and serve it with hot rice.

Munaga aaku fry

Gongura Chicken

“Gongura Chicken” is a traditional  Andhra dish. The sour gongura leaves when cooked with spices and chicken gives a very unique and authentic taste. This is one favorite non-veg dish for Andhra people. I have Gongura in my back yard and I can’t wait to use it in my cooking. My son helped me in picking the leaves today.

Ingredients:

• 2 pound Chicken, cleaned and cut into pieces
• 1 big onion diced
• 2Tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 2 Tbsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 Tbsp coriander powder
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 large cinnamon stick (Dalchina chekka)
• 4 cloves
• 1 cup yogurt
• 1 small bunch gongura leaves (discard the leaves from the steam and wash it) cut roughly
• Salt to taste
• 1 Tbsp Garam masala (Home made taste better)

Sorrel Chicken

Directions-

1. In a heavy bottom pan, put 1 tsp of oil and put the roughly cut gongura leaves into the pan and let them sauté for a min , cover the lid and saute them till all the leaves wrinkle and slightly cook. ( It doesn’t need to be cooked fully)
2. In a blender blend the sauteed gongura leaves to a coarse paste ( do not blend it too smooth, grinding it coarsely gives a good texture to the dish).
3. Heat a heavy bottom pan, add cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves and let it saute for a min.
4. Add onions, green chilies and let it saute for 2 mins until the onions are little brown. Add ginger garlic paste and sauté till the raw flavor is gone.
5. Add chicken and let it sit in the dish for 2 min’s. Add chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric, salt and mix chicken to combine with the spices.
6. Add yogurt, stir every thing together and close the lid. Let chicken cook in these spices with occasional stirring.
7. When the chicken is more than half cooked, put the gongura paste into it, stir the whole mixture and let it cook for 10 min or until chicken is fully cooked (if needed you can add little water)
8. Check the seasoning and add garam masala powder, let it cook for a min or 2.
9. Turn off the flame and sprinkle some finely chopped coriander leaves.
10. Serve hot with rice or roti.

Note-

If using pressure cooker, After step 6 cover the lid and let it whistle 2 times

When the pressure cools down, open the lid, add gongura paste and follow the steps from step7.

Gongura chicken with rice and rasam

Today, as I am cleaning the weeds in my garden, my little boy (Pravan, 14 month old) thought of lending a hand and he pulled some amaranth (Thota Koora) leaves.  As i am cleaning the garden, he came from my back giggling, to show me what he been doing and clapping happily. I was shocked and laughed immediately to see him wanting to help me. He gave me the ones he plucked and went to pull more, then I said, ok let’s make Amaranth Dal (thota koora pappu) today. I cut some stems, put it in a little garden basket and asked him to carry it inside. It is so cute to look at him walking with the basket. When I said, good job!! He clapped to himself happily and got busy with his toys.

While he was occupied with his toys (doesn’t last long), I can make this dal which is easy to fix.

Tip- Adding crushed garlic cloves enhances the flavor of any dal.

Ingredients-

• 1 bunch of Amaranth / Thota kura leaves washed and chopped
• 1 cup Tor dal / Kandi pappu
• Green chilies at least 6
  1 medium sized onion chopped
• Key lime size tamarind
• ¼ tsp of turmeric
• 2 Garlic pods
• 1 tsp each of mustard seeds and cumin.
• 3 Red dry chilies
• Pinch of Hing
• Few Curry leaves
• Salt and chilly powder according to taste

Directions

1. In a pressure cooker, wash Toor dal and keep it to one side of pressure cooker.
2. Add amaranth leaves,chilies, onion, tamarind juice, salt and chilly powder to the other side of the pressure cooker (If you add salt to toor dal,it takes longer to cook.)
3. Add water(1dal:2 water ratio ), turn on the stove on medium high.
4. Let it whistle for 3 times. Wait until the pressure is released, remove the lid.
5. if any water is left drain it into a separate bowl and mash Dal with a masher or pappu gutti.
6. Now, in a sauce pan, over low medium heat, do the popu or tadka (means toasting the mustard, cumin seeds, garlic, red chili pieces and curry leaves in one tablespoon of ghee or oil). Add this tadka or popu to the mashed dal.
7. Check the taste. Mix everything together, cook it for a min and serve.

Tastes great with rice or jowar roti. Dals can be served with rice, ghee and papad.

A typical andhra daily meal with one vegetable fry/vepudu, dal, curry, pickle and yogurt served with rice.

‘Spinach’ aka ‘Pala kura’ is Known to be a ‘Powerhouse of Nutrients’ among all green leafy veggies, spinach is one of the most beneficial and healthy vegetables.

Today, I invited one of my college friend to my house. I want to cook something different, yet satisfying and ofcourse needs to be a quick fix. I looked into my refrigerator and also took a peek into my freezer, I found frozen spinach then i immediatley thought of fixing this spinach soy fry. one of a several from my mom recipes. This dish can also be named as “Vegetarian Kheema fry” as it tastes so close to Kheema fry.

This is my contribution to ” MadTeaParty-ExpressIndian” contest for under 30 min recipes.

Frozen spinach is very healthy to use and a life saver to have it stocked in the freezer.

Ingredients-

• 1 frozen chopped spinach thawed / defrosted
• ½ onion chopped
• Soya Granules soaked in hot water
• 1 tsp ginger- garlic paste
• 1 tsp garam masala powder (Adjust accodring to taste)
• salt and chilly powder to taste
• 3 tbsps Oil

Directions

1. Heat oil in a wide heavy bottom pan.Add onion and when onion turns little brown, add ginger-garlic paste and sauté till new aroma fills the kitchen.
2. Add thawed / fresh spinach and let it cook with the lid open. Mix once a while to prevent it from burning.
3. When spinach is getting dry, add salt according to taste. Let it sauté for 2 more minutes.when spinach is nicely cooked, add soaked soya granules (squeeze out extra water) to spinach and mix well.
4. Let all of them sauté together for a min. Add chilly powder and sauté till, both soya and spinach are nicely cooked.
5. Add garam masala, and mix all of them together.
6. Serve with steamed rice or chapathi.

NOTE-

1. For additional flavor you can add Cinnamon and cloves after step 1 from above and let them fry for a min.
2. You can also add cashews for taste.

Today I got fresh Gongura from my garden. It is my pleasure to go and pluck fresh leaves from the garden, straight to the kitchen…it just feels so close to home.

For the people not familiar with this leafy vegetable. Gongura/ Red Sorrel is a leafy vegetable and has very distinctive sour taste. For the past few years we were able to purchase it in Indian stores, here in US too. But from couple years i am proud to own gongura in my garden.  I even freeze it to use in winter.

When cooked with toor dal, channa dal or as pickle, it wakes up the taste buds and makes you crave its unique taste.

Gongura is called the Andhra matha and it is very famous in Guntur. When you talk about gongura to any Andhra people you can see that glow in their face, that’s the power of gongura.

Adding crushed garlic cloves enhances the flavor of any dal.

Coming to the recipe…

Ingredients

• 1 bunch of Gongura leaves separated from stem, washed and chopped
  1 cup of Chanaa dal
  Green chilies at least 6
  1 medium sized onion, cut into small pieces
  1/2 tsp of turmeric
• 2 Garlic pods
• 1 tsp each of mustard seeds and cumin.
• 3 Red dry chilies
• Pinch of Hing
• Few Curry leaves

Directions

1. In a pressure cooker wash channa dal, add gongura leaves, chilies, onion, salt and chili powder. Add water(1dal:3 water ratio ) and turn the stove on medium high. Let it whistle for 4 times.
2. Wait until the pressure is released, remove the lid.
3. If any water is left drain it into a separate bowl and mash dal with a masher or pappu gutti.
4. Heat a small tadka (talimpu) pan over low medium heat. Do the popu or tadka (means toasting the mustard, cumin seeds, garlic, red chili pieces and curry leaves in one tablespoon of ghee or oil).
5. Add this tadka to mashed gongura dal . Stir all of it once, cover with a lid and cook it for a minute. Turn the stove off and Gongura dal is ready.
6. Tastes great with rice or jowar roti. Best way of course is the combination of this dal mixed with rice, ghee, and papad.

I don’t need to introduce Spinach or its health benefits to anyone. A so-called “super food” because it’s packed with nutrients, Spinach is a cinch to grow. Like other leafy greens, plant some in a shaded spot to keep harvests going into the summer months. Look at my gardening category for spinach plant.

It is so good for kids and I know many parents who complain that their kids don’t like to eat spinach. I don’t really know if I am lucky to have kids that don’t complain about eating vegetables. I truly believe that if we make tasty food they will definitely eat it.  This is one of the dish that kids love to eat just like that.

As a child I am a very picky eater…more than a picky eater I think I should say I don’t like to eat food…I literally use to cry when it’s time for lunch or dinner…even at those times I love to eat this spinach tomato curry without much fussing!!!!because if I don’t fuss atleast a little bit I think my mom will feed me more so after having 4 spoons of it I make sure I fuss little bit atleast. It is so funny to look back at ourselves when we are kids and I think it is worth to look back at ourselves so that we can respect and understand our kids more.

This is one of my dear mother recipe and it is so yummy!!!! Garlic is the one that makes this dish even more delicious. I love garlic in almost all my dishes and this is one in particular.

This is one of my 30 min meal category

Here is the recipe-

Ingredients

• 2 bunches Spinach/ 1pk of frozen Chopped Spinach
• 1 Big Tomato
• 1 small Onion
• Small Marble size of tamarind
• 1tsp each of mustard seeds and jeera
• 2 Dry Red Chili
• 3 Garlic cloves

Directions

1. Take a pressure cooker, add chopped spinach (fresh/Frozen), diced Tomato, diced onion, tamarind, little salt and chili powder.
2. Add ¼ cup of water and close the lid, let it whistle for 3 times.
3. Let the pressure cooker release all the pressure out, then open the cooker lid.
4. Mix it well, drain any excess water into a bowl. And with a hand masher, mash spinach and all of them together, now add the water back to spinach mix. Adjust the taste and let the curry boil till the curry gets thick without much water.
5. While the curry is boiling, heat a small pan with 1 tbsp oil/ghee. Add chopped garlic, dry red chili, mustard seeds, cumin, urad dal and channa dal, let them turn golden color. Add curry leaves and mix this thadka to the spinach gravy boiling in the cooker. Let them boil together and when you get the right consistency turn off the flame.

Note- You can cook this dish with out pressure cooker following the same steps as above, except you might need to add 1 cup of water to let all of them cook. unless, Pressure cooking preserves the nutrients and it helps to cook fast.

Enjoy this with rice and Ghee. Let me know your comments.