Lunch Menu # 18

Lunch menu # 18

It’s time for a special thali. I’ve prepared this thali for Rakhi pournami.  The festival is celebrated on full moon day of Sravana masam which usually falls in August month. On this special day rakhis(Decorated threads) are tied around the wrists of brothers by their sisters. Special gifts are offered to sisters by their brothers and also feeding sweets(Ritually protecting brothers). I’ve prepared delicious thali for lunch which comprises of beerakaya telaga pindi kura(Ridge gourd curry with sesame seeds residue), bachali kura pappu(Malabar spinach leaves lentils), sakkarai Pongal(Sweet pongal with jaggery), kobbari annam(Coconut rice) and Chitti vadiyalu( Store bought Urad dal fryums) along with hot steamed rice and curd. Here I present Raksha bandhan/Rakhi special lunch menu to enjoy with family. Njoy Cooking, Serving n Savoring!

Steamed Rice

Beerakaya Telaga Pindi Kura/Ridge Gourd Curry With Sesame Seeds Residue

Bachali Kura Pappu/Malabar Spinach Leaves Lentils

Coconut Rice

Sakkarai Pongal (Sweet Pongal)

Curd

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Bachali Kura Pappu/Malabar Spinach Leaves Lentils

Bachali kura Pappu

Bachali kura pappu is one of the healthiest recipes prepared with bachali kura/Malabar spinach leaves. I’ve used yellow gram to prepare the recipe. This is so simple and easy recipe. Chopped Malabar spinach leaves and yellow gram are cooked together with required number of green chillies. Salt, turmeric are added and tempering is done with tempering ingredients. Here I present wholesome recipe bachali kura pappu which can be served with hot steamed rice. Njoy Cooking, Serving n Savoring!

Author: Akshayakumbham

Course: Side dish

Cuisine: Andhra

Servings:4-6

Ingredients:

Yellow gram/moong dal: 3/4 th cup or two fistfuls 

Malabar spinach leaves: 3 bunches medium 

Green chillies: 2 nos.

Salt: As required 

Turmeric: Generous pinch

Water: 3 cups or little more 

Tempering:

Oil: One tbsp

Mustard seeds: 3/4 th tsp

Cumin seeds: 3/4 th tsp

Asafoetida: A pinch 

Red chilli: 1 no.

Method of preparation:

1. Take 3 bunches of Malabar spinach leaves, separate the leaves from stems. Rinse well with water twice and roughly chop them. 

2. Take a heavy bottomed vessel and pour moong dal into it. Rinse once with water.

3. Now add three cups of water and chopped Malabar spinach leaves. Also add chopped green chillies into it.

4. Cook them on low flame.

5. When it starts boiling, add turmeric into it and mix well.

6. When it’s almost done add required amount of salt and mix thoroughly. Continue to cook for three more minutes.

7. Heat kadai and pour oil for tempering. Put mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When mustard splutter add a pinch of asafoetida and broken red chilli. 

8. Switch off the flame and pour the tempering onto the dal. 

9. Mix thoroughly and switch off the flame of the dal. 

10. Now the Malabar spinach leaves lentils/dal is ready to serve hot. Transfer the dal into a Serving bowl and enjoy with hot steamed rice.

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Beerakaya Telaga Pindi Kura/Ridge Gourd Curry With Sesame Seeds Residue

Beerakaya telaga pindi kura 

Beerakaya telaga pindi kura is an amazing recipe with its awesome health benefits. Telaga pindi which is a residue of sesame seeds while extracting oil. Telaga pindi is very good for lactating mothers. It contains good amount of folic acid, iron, rich in protein content and calcium. We used to get them in cake form earlier. Now we are getting it in Powder form which is convenient to use. Telaga pindi  can be used for watery vegetables like ridge gourd, bottle gourd, snake gourd and drumstick leaves also. 

Today I’m  posting the recipe of telaga pindi kura. Ridge gourds skin are peeled and chopped into bite size pieces. Ridge gourd pieces are sautéed in oil till it becomes soft.  Ground red chilli n  garlic flakes, telaga pindi mixture are added to the sautéed ridge gourd pieces. Tempering is added to the ridge gourd telaga pindi mixture. Here I present super healthy recipe beerakaya telaga pindi kura  to relish anytime. Njoy Cooking, Serving n Savoring!

Author: Akshayakumbham

Course: Side dish/curries

Cuisine: Andhra, India 

Servings: 6-8

Ingredients:

Ridge gourd: 750 gms or four nos.

Telaga pindi: One cup

Garlic flakes: 10 nos.

Red chillies: 6/7 nos.(Moderately spiced)

Salt : As required 

Turmeric: Generous pinch 

Tempering:

Oil: 3 tbsp

Bengal gram: One tsp 

Split Black gram with husk: One tsp

Mustard seeds: One tsp

Cumin seeds: One tsp

Curry leaves: A sprig

Asafoetida: A pinch

Method of preparation:

1. Take 750 gms. Or four nos. of ridge gourd. Peel the skin and check for bitterness. Rinse well with water.

2. Chop the ridge gourd into bite sized pieces and keep aside.

3. Heat kadai, put garlic flakes and dry roast them on low flame. 

4. When they slightly change colour, add red chillies and roast them too.

5. Transfer the roasted garlic flakes and red chillies into a mixer grinder and allow them to cool down.

6. In the same kadai, pour two tbsp of oil for tempering. Put mustard, cumin seeds, Bengal gram and split black gram with husk. When mustard splutter add a pinch of asafoetida and curry leaves. Fry them for few seconds.

7. Transfer  the tempering onto a plate without oil. This tempering is added at the end of the preparation to retain its crunchiness.

8. Now in the same kadai, add chopped ridge gourd pieces. 

9. Now add turmeric and required amount of salt too. 

10. Mix thoroughly, keep the lid and cook on slow flame. 

11. Stir the ridge gourd pieces at regular intervals and again keep the lid. 

12. Take 70 gms or three fourth cup of telaga pindi and add this to three fourth cooked pieces. 

13. Mix thoroughly and continue to cook for three more minutes. 

14. Meanwhile grind garlic flakes and red chillies into coarse powder.

15. Add this also to the ride gourd pieces and mix well. 

16. Now add remaining one tbsp of oil and mix thoroughly. 

17. Cook again on low flame for 3-5 minutes. Switch off the flame and add the tempering now. 
18. Mix thoroughly. Now the beerakaya telaga pindi kura is ready to serve. 
19. Transfer the beerakaya telaga pindi kura into a Serving bowl and serve hot with steamed rice.

Note:

I’ve prepared potlakaya telaga pindi kura. The recipe is same as above except using the vegetable potlakaya/snake gourd. Before adding telaga pindi cook or fry the potlakaya and proceed the same.

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Pulagam/Steamed Rice With Yellow Gram

Pulagam

Pulagam is no tempered version of ven Pongal. As ven Pongal is for Tamilians, pulagam is for Telugu people. Pulagam is prepared as one of the naivedhyams to God especially for Varalakshmi pooja. Pulagam is very good for health and this is served to girls for five days who just entered into puberty. It is easy to digest and light in stomach. Pulagam is prepared with rice and moong dal/yellow gram. Pulagam is cooked like steamed rice only. Here I present healthy and traditional recipe pulagam which can be served along with any curry or sambar topped with ghee. Njoy Cooking, Serving n Savoring!

Author: Akshayakumbham 

Course: Main dish

Cuisine: Andhra, India 

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

Rice(Sona masoori variety): One small cup

Moong dal/yellow gram: One fourth of small cup 

Water: 3.5 cups(Small) 

Turmeric: A pinch 

Salt: As required 

Ghee: Half tsp or as required.

Method of preparation:

1. Take one small cup of rice and one fourth cup of yellow gram/moong dal in a vessel. 

2. Rinse well with water once and add three and half cups of water. Add a pinch of turmeric into it.

3. Steam the rice and moong dal in a pressure cooker for five whistles. Allow the pressure to settle down on its own. 

4. Open the lid of the pressure cooker. 

5. Add required amount of salt and drizzle little ghee and mix thoroughly. 

6. Now the simple and humble pulagam recipe is ready to offer as naivedhyam  to God. It can be served along with any South Indian accompaniment like steamed rice.

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Atukula Payasam/Riceflakes Kheer

Atukula payasam

Atukula payasam is super easy traditional recipe which can be prepared in a jiffy.  Hot milk is poured onto the rice flakes.  Crushed cardamom powder and organic jaggery powder are added to the rice flakes and milk mixture. Mix thoroughly till the jaggery dissolves completely. Cashews, almonds and raisins are roasted in little ghee and added to the payasam. Here I present delicious atukula payasam which can be offered as naivedhyam to God during pooja rituals. Njoy Cooking, Serving n Savoring!

Author: Akshayakumbham 

Course: Sweets 

Cuisine: South Indian 

Servings: 2

Ingredients: 

Thick Rice flakes/atukulu/poha: One small cup

Milk: Two and half small cups

Organic jaggery: 4-5 tsp

Cardamom pods: 3/4 nos. 

Ghee: One tsp

Crushed cashews, almonds n raisins: One tbsp 

Method of preparation:

1. Take small cup of rice flakes and transfer into a bowl.

2. Pour hot boiled milk(one and half cups) onto the rice flakes. Also add jaggery powder and mix thoroughly. 

3. Heat kadai and pour ghee into it. Crush cashews n almonds in a mortar pestle. Roast broken cashews, almonds and raisins in ghee. 

4. Transfer the roasted dry fruits onto the atukula payasam. Mix thoroughly and allow to soak for 15 minutes. Add crushed cardamom pods too.

5. Now the tasty atukula payasam is ready to offer to God as naivedhyam. 

Tip: 

1. I’ve used thick rice flakes/poha to prepare the recipe. I’ve not cooked the rice flakes to retain their texture, instead if you want soft texture rice flakes can be cooked for three minutes in milk before adding jaggery. Thin rice flakes can also be added. After adding hot milk they turn soft and mushy.
2. Sugar also can be added instead of jaggery. 

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Sorakaya Sarvapindi/Rice Flour Rotti with bottle gourd

Sorakaya sarvapindi 

Sorakaya Sarvapindi is traditional breakfast/snack recipe of Telangana state, India. This is highly nutritious and also a very tasty breakfast to start the day. Usually sarvapindi/rice flour roti is prepared with either onion or bottle gourd. Rice flour rotti with onions is prepared almost in South India with regional names and preparations(Andhra – Biyyapu pindi rotte, Telangana- Sarvapindi, Tamilnadu – Arisi rotti, Karnataka – Akki roti). Today I’ve prepared sarvapindi/rice flour rotti with grated bottle gourd and rice flour as main ingredients. Required amount of rice flour, roasted peanuts, roasted sesame seeds, soaked Bengal gram, chopped green chillies, curry leaves are  added to grated bottle gourd along with required amount of salt. Dough is prepared with all the ingredients and rotti is made directly onto the kadai. Rotti is roasted drizzling oil on both sides. Here I present Sorakaya Sarvapindi which is served with ginger chutney. Njoy Cooking, Serving n Savoring!

Author: Akshayakumbham 

Course: Breakfast 

Cuisine: Telangana 

Servings: 1/2

Ingredients:

Bottle gourd: Small piece or one cup grated bottle gourd 

Rice flour: One cup

Roasted peanuts: One tbsp 

Bengal gram: One tbsp 

Sesame seeds: 2 tsp

Green chillies: 1 no.

Curry leaves: A sprig

Groundnut oil: 1 1/2 tsp.

Method of preparation:

1. Soak one tbsp of Bengal gram in enough water for thirty minutes.

2. Take small piece or one fourth of bottle gourd. Peel the skin of it. Rinse well with water and remove the seeds. Grate the bottle gourd piece onto a plate.

3. Bottle gourd is a watery vegetable, it releases lot of water. Squeeze grated bottle gourd thoroughly to drain the excess water completely and keep in a broad vessel which is convenient for mixing the dough.

4. Heat kadai and roast one tbsp of peanuts in it. 

5. Transfer them onto a plate and remove the skin. 

6. Now roast sesame seeds till nice aroma comes. 

7. Now add one cup of rice flour, roasted peanuts, roasted sesame seeds, soaked Bengal gram, finely chopped green chilli, chopped curry leaves and required amount of salt too to the grated bottle gourd. Do not add any water. 

8. Mix all the ingredients thoroughly to form dough for making rotti.

9. Take a kadai season well with oil and spread the dough to make rotti shape evenly. Make three or four holes to roast uniformly. Drizzle groundnut oil along the edges of the rotti. Keep the lid and cook on low flame. 

10. After 3/4 minutes check the doneness on one side. If it’s done flip the other side and repeat the same. Switch off the flame. 

11. Now the super sorakaya sarvapindi is ready to serve. Enjoy the hot sorakaya sarvapindi with spicy ginger chutney or with any pickle.

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Tiranga[Tricolour] Burfi/Maida Cake

Tiranga burfi

Tiranga burfi is called as maida cake(South Indian). I’ve made tricolour burfi to celebrate the 72nd Independence Day. Tricolour burfi is prepared with just three ingredients maida/all purpose flour, sugar and ghee. This is my mom’s recipe, but my mom used to prepare with Dalda(Sometimes). Maida flour is sautéed in ghee for few minutes. Sugar solution is prepared with sugar and water. Roasted maida is added to the sugar solution stirring continuously. The maida mixture is transferred into three bowls equally. Orange and green colours are added to the two bowls and mixed thoroughly. Now they are spread onto a greased tray with parchment paper and allowed to set completely. The prepared tricoloured cake is cut into required shape and size. Here I present Independence Day special Tiranga burfi to relish with family and friends. Njoy Cooking, Serving n Savoring!

Author: Akshayakumbham 

Course: Sweets/Desserts 

Cuisine: South Indian 

Servings: 15-20

Ingredients:

All purpose flour/maida: 1 cup 

Sugar: 3/4 th – 1 cup(Adjust according to your preference)

Ghee: 1 tbsp 

Vanilla essence: Few drops(Optional)

Orange food colour: A pinch

Green food colour: A pinch 

Method of preparation:

1. Heat kadai and pour one tbsp of ghee. Now add one cup of maida flour into it.  

2. Mix thoroughly and roast till raw smell goes away. 

3. Meanwhile heat another kadai, take one cup of sugar and 3/4 th cup of water. Bring it to boil and boil furthermore for two minutes.

4. Now  add maida flour to the boiling sugar solution without forming any lumps. Mix thoroughly. 

6. Stir the mixture at frequent intervals.

7. Now add Few drops of vanilla essence and mix well. 

8. Switch off the flame, When the mixture leaves the sides of the kadai. Transfer the mixture into three different bowls. The mixture should be little flowing consistency. Once it comes to normal temperature it sets to burfi texture. Now take one pinch of orange and green food colours in two separate bowls and add little water into it. Now add orange in one bowl and green colour in another bowl. 

9. Mix thoroughly. 
10. Spread parchment paper into a pan or plate. Grease with little ghee onto the parchment paper evenly. Now first transfer the orange colour maida mixture onto the parchment paper and spread evenly with spatula. 

11. Wait for few minutes and spread white colour maida mixture onto the orange layer and allow it to settle for two minutes.

12. Now pour the green colour mixture on top of the white colour mixture and spread evenly. 

13. Allow the entire mixture to come down to normal temperature and set completely. Turn the mould upside down and remove the parchment. Trim the edges and use them to make lollipops. 

14. Cut them into small bite size pieces. Now soft and yummy tiranga burfi is ready to celebrate the occasion. 

15. I’ve rolled Few  of them using skewers and served as lollipops. 

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Sambar Rice

Sambar rice

Sambar rice is simple, quick and flavoursome one pot meal even the beginners can prepare it very easily. I’ve used potatoes, drumsticks, beans, onions and tomatoes which are readily available at home.  Tempering is done with mustard, cumin and fenugreek seeds in oil. Chopped onion pieces are sautéed in oil and remaining chopped veggies are also added. Rice and toor dal are soaked in water. Soaked rice and toor dal are added to the sautéed vegetables. Required amount of water and spices are added to the entire mixture. They are steamed in a pressure cooker for 5/6 whistles and later required amount of salt and tamarind extract are added. Here I present delicious  sambar rice which can be served on any busy day. Njoy Cooking, Serving n Savoring!

Author: Akshayakumbham 

Course: Rice 

Cuisine: South Indian 

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

Rice: 1 1/4 cup

Toor dal/red gram/pigeon peas: 3/4 th cup

Onion: 1 no. Big

Tomatoes: 1 no. Big

Potatoes: 1  no. Big

Drumsticks: 2 nos.

Beans: 50 gms. Or 10-15 nos.

Tamarind: lemon sized

Homemade Sambar Powder: 2 tsp(Click on the link for detailed recipe)

MTR bisibele bath powder: 1 tsp(Optional)

Green chillies: 1/2 nos.

 Salt: As required 

Water: 5 -5 1/2 cups(Approximately)

Tempering:

Oil: 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds: 1 tsp

Fenugreek seeds: Few

Cumin seeds: 1 tsp 

Asafoetida: A pinch

Boondi mixture: 1/2 tbsp(Optional)

Method of preparation:

1. Take required quantities of vegetables and rinse well with water. Chop them into bite sized pieces and keep aside.

2. Meanwhile take 1 1/4 th cup of rice and 3/4 th cup of toor dal in a vessel. Rinse once with water and soak them in enough water. Soak tamarind in enough water.

3. Heat small pressure cooker(3l capacity) and pour one tbsp of oil. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds.

4. When mustard splutter add a pinch of asafoetida and chopped onion. Add a pinch of salt too. 

5. Sauté them on low flame. When onion pieces become translucent add turmeric, green chillies and drumstick pieces. Mix well and sauté again.

6. Now add remaining chopped veggies  and sauté on low flame for 3/4 minutes. 

7. Now add chopped tomatoes, homemade sambar powder and MTR bisibele bath powder too. Mix well and sauté for a minute. 

8. Now add soaked rice, toor dal with water. Also add required amount of salt. 

9. Keep the lid and pressure cook for 5/6 whistles on high flame. Allow the pressure to completely cool down to normal temperature. 

10. Open the lid of the pressure cooker and transfer the mixture into a pan. 

11. Extract tamarind water and add this to the rice mixture. Mix thoroughly. 

12. Check for salt and cook the entire mixture on low flame for five minutes. Switch off the flame. 

13. Now the piping hot sambar rice is ready to serve. Transfer the sambar rice into a Serving bowl and drizzle required amount of boondi mixture on top of the sambar rice.

14. We can also relish sambar rice with any poriyal/stir fry along with curd rice. 

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Kobbari Louz/Coconut Jaggery Laddoo

Kobbari louz 

Kobbari louz/laskora is a traditional recipe prepared in South India. The recipe is very healthy n tasty with rich source of iron. Grated fresh coconut and organic jaggery powder are mixed and sautéed on low flame adding Half tsp of ghee and crushed cardamom powder. The sautéed mixture is made into medium sized balls and garnished with cashews. Here I present authentic recipe kobbari louz to relish anytime. Njoy Cooking, Serving n Savoring!

Author: Akshayakumbham 

Course: Desserts/Sweets

Cuisine: South Indian 

Servings: 10

Ingredients:

Fresh grated coconut: 1 cup heaped 

Organic jaggery powder: Half cup

Ghee: Half tsp 

Cardamom pods: 4 nos.

Cashews: 7/8 nos. for garnishing(Optional)

Method of preparation:

1. Take one cup of fresh grated coconut(Using one coconut) and half cup of jaggery.  Organic jaggery powder doesn’t contain impurities so we can directly use the Jaggery powder.

2. Heat kadai, put coconut and jaggery together.

3. Mix thoroughly and sauté on low flame. 

4. Crush 4 cardamom pods in a mortar pestle.

5. Add ghee and crushed cardamom powder into the coconut jaggery mixture. 

6. Mix thoroughly and continue to sauté till it leaves the sides of the kadai. It takes approximately 15 minutes.

7. Allow it to completely cool down to normal temperature. Now make it into medium sized balls. 

8. Transfer the prepared coconut balls into a Serving plate. Now They can be served right away. 

9. Now the kobbari louz/laskora is ready and Garnish each laddoo with cashew and enjoy.

Tip:

kobbari louz can be used as stuffing for making coconut bobbatlu/sweet roti/puran poli and also kobbari poornam  boorelu.

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Pineapple Halwa

Pineapple halwa

Pineapple halwa – Just melts in mouth with mesmerizing flavour. Pineapple halwa is prepared with pineapple pulp, sugar and corn flour adding cardamom powder and saffron strands. Pineapple pulp is sautéed on low flame and sugar is added. The mixture is cooked on low flame adding ghee in batches. Saffron milk and corn flour paste are also added. The pineapple mixture is cooked and cut into required size and shapes. Here I present delicious pineapple halwa to relish during special occasions. Njoy Cooking, Serving n Savoring!

Author: Akshayakumbham 

Course: Sweets/Desserts 

Cuisine: Indian

Servings: 10-15

Ingredients:

Pineapple: 1 no.

Sugar: Half cup(Adjust accordingly less or more)

Cardamom pods: 3 nos.

Saffron strands: Few or 15-20 nos.

(Approximately)

Ghee: 3 tsp

Corn flour: 4 tbsp

Milk: 2 tbsp

Method of preparation:

1. Take one pineapple and peel the skin of it. 

2. Take one fistful of rock salt and rub all the sides of pineapple with it. This process reduces the astringent taste of the pineapple. Now roughly chop the pineapple.

3. Take a mixer grinder and put the chopped pineapple pieces. Blend them into a smooth pulp without adding any water. Keep some for garnishing.

4. Heat nonstick pan and pour the pineapple pulp into it. Mix well and cook on low flame.

5. Meanwhile soak few saffron strands in two tbsp of hot milk.

6. Now add half cup of sugar into the pineapple pulp. Mix thoroughly and continue to cook on low flame.

7. Add crushed cardamom pods into the mixture and mix well. Also add one tsp of ghee into it.

8. Now add corn flour to the saffron milk and mix thoroughly without forming lumps.

9. Now stir continuously and pour the corn flour mixture 

10. Mix thoroughly and stir continuously for one minute. 

11. Now add two tsp of ghee and mix well.

12. Cook the entire mixture on low flame till it leaves the sides of the pan. It will take minimum 15-20 minutes. Now the pineapple halwa is ready.

13. Grease a plate with little ghee. Now transfer the pineapple mixture onto the greased plate. Spread the mixture uniformly with spatula. Sprinkle broken cashews onto the pineapple halwa and slightly press them with ladle. Make impressions with knife to get required size and shape.

14. Once it comes into normal temperature, slice them.

15. Now the delicious pineapple halwa is ready to serve.

 

Tip:

Transfer the pineapple  halwa into an airtight container. It stays good for one week if refrigerated.

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