Once a week Preparations

For weekly / bi-weekly preparation, try to have the following set aside once a while, so that your curry preparation is easier

• Dhania Powder
• Jeera Powder
• Black Pepper Powder
• Garam Masala Powder
• Cinnamon Powder - for weight loss - add in curries
• Buy Priya Kura Kaaram for red chilly powder
• Dry Coconut powder

• Ginger Garlic Paste
• Chintapandu gujju
• Green mirchi, turmeric, salt - grinded coarsely

• Kothimeera - washed and dried and stored in air tight container wrapped in kitchen tissue paper roll
• Curry Leaves - washed and dried and stored in air tight container wrapped in paper for absorbing moisture

• Cut vegetables
• Peas, Carrot, Beans - freeze - for quick vegetable fried rice
• Tomatoes -  boil and puree

• Pasta Tomato Basil Sauce - just cook pasta and add the refrigerated Tomato Basil sauce for a quick pasta in weekdays/weekends - boil Pasta in Instant Pot and prepare Pasta sauce in parallel, drain pasta and add it

Vankaya Podi Curry

For stuffing:

• 1 1/4 tbsps coriander seeds/dhania/dhanayalu
• 3 tbsps channa dal/bengal gram/senaga pappu
• 1 1/2 tbsps urad dal/split gram dal/minappa pappu
• 2-3 dry red chillis, tear and de-seed
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds/jeera/jeelakara
• pinch of methi seeds/fenugreek/menthulu (optional)
• big pinch asafoetida/hing/inguva
• small gooseberry sized tamarind

Add 1/2 tsp oil in a cooking vessel, add coriander seeds and stir fry till it turns slightly dark in color. Remove. 

Similarly, add channa dal and urad dal, roast till them till they turn red and remove. 

Dry roast dry red chillis, methi seeds and cumin together for 2 mts and remove. 

Cool the dry roasted ingredients. 

Add turmeric pwd, salt, tamarind, hing to these roasted ingredients and grind them all together to a coarse pwd. 

It should not be wet

Kandi Podi

Kandi Podi

Recipe source: Amma

Prep & Cooking: 20 mts


Ingredients:

• 1 small cup kandi pappu/red gram/tur dal
• 1 small cup senaga pappu/bengal gram/channa dal
• 1 1/4 tsps cumin seeds
• 7-8 dried red chillis (adjust)
• 15 curry leaves (optional)
• 1/2 tsp asafoetida
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp oil

1 Heat a heavy bottomed vessel and add both the dals and slowly, dry roast on low to medium heat stirring constantly till they turn red. Don’t burn them. Remove from pan and keep aside.

2 In the same vessel, add the cumin seeds and toss them on medium heat for 2-3 mts. Remove from pan and keep aside.

3 Next drizzle some oil in the vessel, add the dry red chillis and curry leaves and stir fry for 3-4 mts. Remove and cool.

4 Once cool, grind all the ingredients to a slightly coarse or a rough texture. Add salt to taste and asafoetida and combine. Store in an air-tight container.

5 Serve hot with white steamed rice and a dollop of ghee.

Nuvvula Podi

Nuvvullu Podi – Spiced Sesame Seeds Powder Recipe

Recipe source: Adapted from Kanthamma’s Cook Book

Ingredients:

• 2 cups white seasame seeds
• 1/2 cup senaga pappu (bengal gram)
• 1/2 cup minappa pappu (split black gram dal)
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds
• 2 tbsps coriander seeds
• 6-7 dried red chillis
• 8-10 crushed garlic pods
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp oil

1 Add a tbsp of oil in a pan and add the Bengal gram and split black gram dal and fry them on medium heat till they turn red. Don’t burn them. Keep tossing them around continuosly. Remove from pan and keep aside to cool.

2 In the same pan add the cumin and coriander seeds and toss them on medium heat till they turn brown..approx 2-3 mts. Remove from pan and keep aside.

3 In the same pan add the dry chillis and toss them for 2 mts. Remove and keep aside to cool.

4 Now add the seasame seeds and toss them till they are crisp and roasted. Keep tossing them till they turn a light brown color (if necessary add a tsp of oil before roasting the sesame seeds). Turn off heat and cool all the roasted ingredients.

5 Once cool, grind the dals first (grind them coarse), followed by coriander, cumin seeds and red chillis and grind again. Remove and keep aside to cool.

6 Now add seasame seeds and garlic pods and grind for three to five seconds only (it should not form like a ball or paste) to make a coarse powder. Mix it with the earlier coarsely ground spices and salt. Store in an air-tight container.

7 Serve hot with white steamed rice and ghee.

Pappula Podi (Dondakaya curry)

Grind to a fine powder (Pappula Podi)

• 1 tbsp dry coconut, grated
• 1-2 garlic cloves (optional)
• 2 dry red chilies, dry roast for a mt
• pinch of cumin seeds, dry roast for a mt
• 1 1/2 tbsps roasted chickpeas/dalia/putnala pappu
• pinch of salt

Tastes good with Dondakaya curry

Cook/Steam Veggies

Tomato Puree - wash, cook, release steam, cool, grind

Boiled Vegetables - wash, cook, pressure, release steam naturally

How to Chana family - to be soaked overnight, cooked in instant pot for 25 mins and pressure holding for another 15 mins - dont forget the masala like chole masala to be brought in advance

Boiling Potato - wash, cut, pressure cook, release steam naturally

Soak Sabudana - soak in water for an hour, Cook sabudana in water

Pesarappu - Wash, soak in enough water for at least 4-5 hours. Drain. Pressure cooker along with salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder, and water(1 cup - 1 cup water)

Dal - wash, cook, pressure cook, release steam naturally

Dal - Wash, Add water 2 in above lentils (or1 dal:3 water), Cook for 2 whistles and simmer for 3-4 min, release steam naturally

Pesarapappu Curry

http://www.archanaskitchen.com/urad-ki-sukhi-dal-recipe

Mulled Apple Juice Recipe

Mulled Apple Juice is a lovely winter warmer drink and the perfect alternative to mulled wine.  This warm apple drink, is ideal for entertaining kids and adults who do not drink wine. The addition if cinnamon and spices along with orange makes the Mulled Apple Juice very energizing.

Ingredients

• 750 ml apple juice
• juice from 2 oranges
• zest from 1 orange
• 1/2 teaspoon all-spice powder
• 3 cloves
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 1-2 star anise
• 2 teaspoons sugar (or more, as per your taste)

Directions for Mulled Apple Juice Recipe

To begin making the Mulled Apple Juice Recipe, in a saucepan, pour the apple juice and the orange juice. Add the sugar, orange zest, allspice powder, cloves, star anise and cinnamon. Simmer the juice for about 3 to 4 minutes and turn off the heat.

Pour the Mulled Apple Juice in glasses and serve warm, raising a toast to fun times!

Courtesy
Monica Deshpande

Mixed Fruit and Vegetable Juice

The Mixed Fruit and Vegetable Juice is a simple and quick recipe made from raw vegetables like pumpkin, carrots and apples. Drinking a juice from raw fruits and vegetables helps the body absorbs all the vitamins and nutrients almost instantly. You can pike up the flavors of the juice by adding some salt and masala to palate them easily.

Ingredients

• 2 cups raw yellow pumpkin, peeled and cubed
• 2 apples, cored and chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
• 1 pinch of salt
• juice from one lemon

Directions for Mixed Fruit and Vegetable Juice Recipe

To make the Mixed Fruit and Vegetable Juice Recipe, its ideal to use a Juicer as it squeezes out the excess residue and brings out just the juice.

Add all the chopped raw fruits and vegetables into the juicer. Do one extraction without adding any water. Add water into the juicer and extract more juice from the pulp that is remaining in the juicer.

Combine both the extracts, add the salt and lemon and adjust to suit your taste. You can also add water to adjust the consistency of the juice.

Serve the Mixed Fruit and Vegetable Juice chilled by adding ice or as it is to the instant boost of nutrients and energy.

Courtesy
Cinzy Johnson

Muskmelon Juice (Kharbuja)

Ingredients

• 600 grams musk melon, peeled and chopped
• an inch piece of ginger, grated
• juice from one lemon
• salt or black salt to taste
• sugar to taste
• ice cubes

Directions for Muskmelon (Kharbuj) Juice Recipe

To begin making the Muskmelon (Kharbuj) Juice Recipe, blend all the ingredients into a smooth puree. Adjust the consistency by adding water as desired. Check the salt and sweetness and adjust to suit your taste.

This is a refreshing summer special drink is ready in minutes. Just add few ice cubes to the Muskmelon (Kharbuj) Juice Recipe and serve chilled for the hot summer days

Note:
1.Muskmelon juice should be consumed within 15-20 minutes of extraction to prevent any oxidation and loss of nutrients.
2. You can use Soda, instead of water and some crushed mint leaves to add to the freshness.

Courtesy
Darshana Shah

Cantaloupe Juice

Ingredients

• 1 Cantaloupe, diced along with seeds
• 2 tablespoons sugar (depending upon the sweetness of cantaloupe)
• juice from one or two lemons
• Mint leaves or ice cubes (for serving)
• a pinch of salt or black salt to taste

Directions for Cantaloupe (Melon) Juice Recipe

To begin making the Cantaloupe (Melon) Juice Recipe, you can use a Juicer or a Blender to make this drink. If you are using a juice you dont have to strain the excess pulp and residue.

Add all the ingredients to the blender or juice and blend to make a smooth melon juice. Add water to adjust the consistency of the juice and also check the salt and sugars to suit your taste.

Don't strain the pulp, as it contains all the fibers and nutrients as well.
If you like a smooth textures juice then strain the excess residue and serve the juice immediately.

Courtesy
Pooja Kamlesh