How to prepare Andhra Paruppu Podi ??

Andhra is a state in India. Their meals is incomplete without this paruppu podi. Andhra Paruppu Podi literally means Andhra Lentils powder that is usually mixed with hot steamed rice along with ghee or oil.

We had never had this at home. But I started liking it after tasting it in a restaurant in Tirupati. Since then I would eagerly look for podi in any restaurant meals. My Hus too likes this podi a lot. 

Though this is not always available in my kitchen like Idli Podi, I prepare this whenever my hus stays here alone or whenever guests arrive for lunch or whenever I crave for this podi. So unlike Idli Podi (or Idli Milagai Podi), I don't prepare a fresh batch as soon as it gets over. I got this recipe from one of my friend whose native place is in Andhra. I've planned to learn more recipes from her during my vacation this time.

So here is the authentic Andhra Paruppu podi recipe:

Ingredients:

Toor Dhal (Thuvaram Paruppu) 1 cup
Split yellow Moong Dhal (Pasiparuppu) 1/2 cup
Pepper 1 1/2 tsp
Cumin 1/2 tsp
Dried Red Chillies 3
Garlic Cloves 4
Curry Leaves Few
Asafoetida 1/8 tsp
Salt

Method:

Dry roast the dhals separately until few turn slightly brown.

Dry roast the red chillies, garlic cloves, pepper and cumin seeds until they turn their color slightly. Allow to cool. Grind everything together in a mixer along with salt. Store in an air tight container.

Serve with steamed rice and oil/ghee.

 

Notes:

Toor Dhal is the main ingredient. Other ingredients are included according to one's taste preferences. Moong dhal can be replaced by Pottukadalai (Chutney Dhal / Roasted Bengal Gram) or Channa Dhal or a combination of all these. Since I include those dhals in Idli podi, I prepare this only with Moong dhal and Toor dhal & this looks like a perfect combination for us.

This is off to Vegan Thursdays. We are a group of bloggers who share only vegan recipes on first and last thursdays of every month. To know more or join here.

Cucumber - Raw Mango Salad for Vegan Thursday

Salads have become a daily routine here. I am happy that I've lost few kilos, so do my hus. !!!  But it is quite difficult to include more vegetables during my busy preparations for breakfast. So I restrict myself with 2-3 veggies in daily salad. Today, I am going to share with you all a very tempting salad. I prepare this quite often and whenever I prepare, I always feel that why have I not prepared more. 

 
 

Ingredients:

Cucumbers - long -2
Raw Mango (green) - 1
Finely chopped Coriander leaves
Grated Carrot 2-3 tbsp
Salt and Pepper powder
Juice from a half lemon

Method:

Cut cucumber into small cubes. Remove the skin of green mango and cut into small cubes. Chop coriander leaves. Grate carrot.

Combine chopped cucumber, green mango, carrot and coriander leaves in a big bowl. Add salt, pepper powder and lemon juice. Mix well and serve.

Serves: 1-2

Linking this recipe to Vegan Thursdays. This happens every first and last thursday of every month and we share pure vegan recipes. To know more or to join, click here. 

Kirni Pazharasam / Musk Melon Juice for Vegan Thursday

I never liked Musk Melon. But my Hus likes it very much. Only this summer, I've started having this fruit, sometimes as such and sometimes as juice. Though this is not much refreshing for me as orange or apple juice, it really cools me and we need such drinks to beat the heat. Musk Melons comes in different colors and I am not sure whether all fruits would taste the same. This one was very sweet and so there was no need to add sugar.

Ingredients:

Musk Melon (Kirni pazham) 1
Few saffron strings

Method:

Remove the skin of Musk Melon. Cut into halves. Remove the seeds and scoop out the pulp.

Blend the pulp in a blender.

Add few saffron strings for garnishing.

Serve chilled.

Linking this recipe to Vegan thursdays. We are a group of bloggers who share only vegan recipes on first and last thursday of every month. To know more or to join click here.

Nellikkai Oorukai / Gooseberry Pickle for Vegan Thursdays

I think there is none who'd never tasted water after eating gooseberry. I remember my childhood days; I eat this fresh gooseberry and rush to drink a glass of water as soon I finish it. I still do that ;). When I was pregnant, my chithi used to insist to have at least one gooseberry each day. But I used to forget that often and it would lay untouched in my refrigerator for days together.. So I made pickle with 8-10 gooseberries with little salt and oil. 

From that day, I survived with pickles that I make in lesser quantities like instant mango pickles or those I bought from India. Somehow, I do not like to have store bought pickles because of its highest percentage of vinegar in it. The only exception is vadu mangai oorukai (baby mangoes- pickle). I buy that from stores as I've still not learnt that recipe.

But since my Hus is going to stay here alone for a month, I thought why not prepare it in quite larger quantity. Though he is not fond of pickles as I am, it would be savior if he doesn't gets time to prepare any side dish for rice.

 

Here is the recipe: 


Ingredients:

Gooseberry (Nellikkai) 1/2 kg
Chilli Powder 7 tsp
Salt
Methi seeds (Vendhayam) 1 1/2 tsp
Sesame oil 1 cup

Method:

Wash Gooseberries and pat them dry. In a bowl, add little salt and gooseberries. Stir it well and keep it aside for 5-10 minutes. Steam the gooseberries using a steamer or Idli cooker for five minutes.

Remove the gooseberries and set aside to cool for few minutes. Meanwhile, dry roast the methi seeds. Grind it to a powder.  Add chilli powder, salt to the ground methi seeds mixture. Mix well and keep it aside.

Wipe the gooseberries with a tissue paper or a clean kitchen towel to remove the moisture, if any. Press the gooseberries with your fingers along the sides. It opens into two parts. Remove the seeds and then gently divide into small parts.

My Mom uses the whole gooseberries as such without dividing into parts; but I prefer this method as sometimes I feel a just a half gooseberry is enough while eating with curd rice. So I prefer separating them into parts.

Pour the spice mixture onto the split gooseberries. Mix well and keep it aside.


Heat oil in a Pan. When hot, switch of the flame. Once cooled, pour the oil over the gooseberries-spice mixture. Mix well.

Store in an airtight container. This stays for more than two months. However store in a cool and dry place; use a dry spoon. Mix the pickle as often as possible.

Notes: 

My pickle is quite less hot. Adjust chilli powder according to your taste preferences.

Dry roast the chilli powder if it is not very fresh as this would remove little amount of moisture, if any. If using chillies, dry roast and cool them before grinding.

Use good amount of oil so that the gooseberries gets immersed.

Linking this pickle recipe to vegan thursdays. We share purely vegan recipes for vegan thursdays. This happens every first and last thursday of each month. To know more or to join, click here.