Guacamole

Ingredients:

2 Avocados
1/2 lime, juiced
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 Jalapeno pepper finely chopped (adjust to spice level)
1/2 cup onion pieces
1 Roma tomato, seeded and diced
2 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 clove garlic, minced
salt to taste

Preparation:  

In a medium bowl, mash together the avocados, lime juice, and salt. Mix in onion, cilantro, tomatoes, pepper and garlic. Stir in cayenne pepper. Refrigerate 1 hour for best flavor, or serve immediately.

Pineapple upside down Cake

Ingredients: 

7 slices canned unsweetened pineapple (20-ounce can)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
7 maraschino cherries or red toothy fruity 3 tbsp
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, softened
6 tablespoons buttermilk

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Have ready a 9x2-inch round cake pan. Drain pineapple and place in one layer on paper towels to absorb the excess juice.
2. Place the 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in the cake pan. Place the pan in the oven until the butter is melted. Tilt to coat all sides with butter.  Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the bottom of the pan.
3. Place one pineapple ring in the center of the pan and arrange six more around it. Place the cherries or red toothy fruity pieces in the center of each ring.
4. In a bowl, whisk together the butter and sugar to that add eggs, 6 tablespoons of buttermilk and vanilla extract.
5. Take another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
6. Now add the flour mixture to butter and sugar mixture mix well and add it on the top of the fruit in the baking pan and spread evenly.
7. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven and tilt the pan in all directions to detach it from the sides of the pan. Let cool for 2 to 3 minutes before unmolding.
8. Invert a serving platter on top of the pan and turn the cake onto the platter. Serve warm or cool.

Tip: If you don't have buttermilk take 2 tbsp of yogurt and add 4 tbsp water mix well and use as buttermilk.

Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients :

White mushrooms/ brown mushrooms  16 ounce (around 30 medium size mushrooms)
cream cheese 1 cup/ 6 0unce
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup bread crumbs
3-4  scallions chopped
3-4  garlic cloves minced
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp black pepper powder
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp parsley fresh/1/4 tsp dried (optional)
1/2 tsp thyme fresh/1/4 tsp dried (optional)
salt

Preparation :

1. Leave the cream cheese at room temperature until it is soft.
2. Remove the stems of the mushrooms and chop them along with garlic and scallions.
3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in pan and add chopped garlic, mushroom stems and scallions, pepper powder and salt and fry for 2 min.
4. Take a bowl and add cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs,  fried mushroom and scallion mixture, chopped parsley and thyme and mix well.
5. Stuff the mushrooms with cheese mixture and bake them in 350 F oven for 20 minutes
6. Serve hot as appetizer.


Tip: If you are using seasoned bread crumbs you can skip parsley and thyme.
       cheese has lot of salt so careful when adding salt

Cauliflower Egg Fry

Ingredients:

Cauliflower  1 ( cut to small pieces)
Onion 1 big Diced
Green chillies 2
Oil 3 Tbsp
Garlic 4 pods crushed
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
cumin seeds 1 tsp
curry leaves 2 strings
turmeric 1/2 tsp
chilli powder
salt
eggs 2

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in the pan and add crushed garlic pods, mustard, cumin, and curry leaves and fry for 1 min until the mustard seeds splutter.
2. To that add chopped onions and green chillies and fry till the onions turn transparent.
3. Then add chopped cauliflower, turmeric and salt and mix well and close with lid and cook on medium heat for 10 min. stir in between.
4. Then add chilli powder according to spice level mix well and cook for 2 min.
5. Add the eggs to the cooked cauliflower mixture mix well and cook for 2 more minutes.
6. Check the seasonings and serve hot with rice or roti.
7. You can skip on eggs if you don't want to add them.

Ridge gourd peel chutney/ Beerakaya tokku pachadi

Ingredients:

skin of 3 large ridge gourds (about 2 cups)
7-8 green chillis
2 cups chopped tomato pieces
4 garlic pods
1cup chopped coriander
3 inch piece of tamarind2 tsps oil
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp jeera seeds
salt as per taste

For seasoning/poppu/tadka:
1/2 tsp mustard and jeera seeds each
1-2 dry red chillis
big pinch asafoetida/inguva/hing
few fresh curry leaves
1 tbsp oil

Preparation:

1. Heat 2 tbsp oil in pan add the green chillis and saute for a 1 min. Add the ridge gourd peels (chop them into small pieces) and fry on medium heat for 4-5 mts.
2. Add the tamarind, tomatoes, garlic, jeera, turmeric, salt and fry till the water from tomatoes evaporates.
3. Then add coriander leaves and  fry for 1 min. let it cool and grind it to coarse chutney, adjust the salt and spice.
4.  Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan, add mustard, jeera seeds and let them pop, add curry leaves and dry red chillis followed by asafoetida and stir fry for a few seconds.
5.  Mix the seasoning to the ground chutney and serve with hot rice or dosa.

Ridge gourd milk curry/ Beerakaya palu koora

Ingredients:

 Ridge gourd / beerakaya  3 (peel the skin and chop)

Onions 1 chopped

1 tsp each mustard, cumin seeds and urad dal

Curry leaves few

2 green chillies 

4 garlic flakes (mashed)

Milk 3/4 cup

1/4 tea spoon turmeric powder

1 tsp salt (as per taste)

1 tsp chilli powder

2 tbsp oil

                             

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a pan.  Add mustard, cumin and urad dal.  When mustard starts spluttering and urad dal changes color add onions, green chillies, curry leaves and garlic flakes. 

2.  Fry until the onions become transparent. Add chopped ridge gourd salt and turmeric stir and close with lid and let it cook on medium flame for 8-10 min.

3. Stir the curry in between, once the ridge gourd pieces get transparent and all the water gets evaporated add chilli power and cook it for 2 minutes.

4. Add milk to the curry and cook it till the curry thickens for 2-3 min

5. Serve hot with roti or rice.

                  

Karela Fry (Kakarakaya vepudu)

Ingredients:

Bitter gourd - 6 nos(medium sized)

channa daal - 1 tbsp

Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves - a few leaves

Dried red chillies - 4 nos 

Turmeric powder - a pinch

Garlic clove - 6

Raw coconut pieces/grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Salt and chilli powder - according to taste
oil - for deep frying


Preparation:

1. Slice the bitter gourd into thin round circles. Add salt and turmeric powder to the bitter gourd and let it sit for 15-30 minutes. Squeeze and remove the juice from the bitter gourd.

2. Heat oil in a pan and add bitter gourd pieces to the pan and deep fry them until they turn little brown.

3.  Grind coconut, garlic cloves and 1 tsp chilli powder to fine powder.

4. Take another pan and add 2 tbsp oil and add channa daal, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, broken dry red chillies, and curry leaves and fry them for a minute.

5. To that add the powder of coconut, garlic and chilli powder and fry for 3-4 minutes on low until the raw smell of the garlic is gone.

6. Finally add the fried bitter gourd pieces and mix well and check the salt and chillie powder according to your taste. Fry for 3-5 minutes and serve hot with rice

Poornam boorelu

Ingredients:

1 cups chana dal
1 cups jaggery
1/4 spoon cardamom powder
1 cup rice
1/2 cup urad dal
Oil for deep fry
Salt

Preparation:

1.  Wash and soak rice and urad dal in water for about 3-4 hrs.

2.  Grind rice and urad dal to smooth paste adding sufficient water. It should be ground to thick dosa batter consistency. Add salt and set aside for 4-5 hours.

3. Soak chana dal for about half an hour. Pressure cook dal in 1 cup of water till 2 whistles.

4. Heat a kadhai, add cooked dal, jaggery, elaichi powder and on medium heat keep stirring till the dal turns thick enough to make a ball. 

5. Allow the paste to cool. Grease your hands with oil or ghee and roll the paste to small lemon size balls.

6. Heat oil in a deep pan. Dip each ball into the batter, so that it evenly gets coated. Drop them gently into oil and fry them till golden brown.

7. Remove from oil, drain on a kitchen paper to remove any excess oil and serve.

Plantain fry/ Aratikaya vepudu

 

Ingredients :

2 plantains (peeled and cut into pieces)
1 onion chopped
4 tbsp oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 dry red chillies
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 cup coconut pieces/ coconut powder
5 garlic cloves
1 tsp coriander seeds/ coriander powder
1 tsp chilli powder
salt


Preparation :

1. Heat oil in a pan add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, dry red chillies and curry leaves then add onions saute for 2 min
2. Now add plantain piece, turmeric and salt mix well cover and cook on a low flame until plantain pieces become soft. Grind coconut, garlic, coriander and chilli powder to fine powder.
3. Sprinkle masala powder mix well and saute for 2 to 3 min. Finally check for seasoning and serve hot.

Chicken Biryani

Ingredients :

• 3 Tbsp oil
• 2 Tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
• 4 cloves
• 2 (1 inch) Cinnamon
• 2 green Cardamoms
• 3 Bay leaves
• 2 green Chilies (chopped)
• 10-15 Cashews
• 2 Tsp Ginger Garlic paste 
• 1 big Onion sliced
• 1 pound/ 1/2 kg Chicken 
• 1 Tsp red Chili powder (to taste)
• 1/2 Tsp Turmeric powder
•  salt to taste
• 1 Tsp Cumin Coriander powder
• 2 Tsp biryani masala
• 2 cups of fresh mint leaves (chopped)
  
• 2 cups of fresh green Coriander (chopped)
• 1 cup fried onions
• 1/2 cup yogurt
• 2 cups Basmati Rice (washed and soaked in water for at least half an hour)
• 2 Tsp oil
• 1/4 Tsp Caraway seeds (shahi jeera/black cumin seeds)
• 1/4 cup of milk
• a few strands of Saffron (kesar) 

Procedure :

1. Heat oil and ghee in a deep pan, add the bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon and green cardamoms. When they crackle, add the cashews, ginger garlic and chilies. Saute for a minute and add the chopped onion and fry for 2 minutes. Now add the Chicken cook on a medium high heat till all the water dries up. To that add turmeric, salt, chilli powder, cumin coriander powder, biryani masala, 1/3 fried onions, 1 cup mint leaves, and 1 cup coriander leaves. Add 1/2 cup yogurt mix well and adjust the seasoning and switch off the flame.

2. Boil the soaked rice with 1/4 tsp of Shahi jeera (caraway seeds) 2 tbs oil and some salt. The rice should absorb the salt otherwise the biryani will be tasteless. Cook the rice until 3/4 cooked do not over boil the rice. Now strain the rice and spread it out on a flat tray or surface, so that it cools faster. Soak the saffron in 1/4 cup milk.

3.  Use a heavy bottom pan with a lid. First spread some ghee at the bottom of the pan. First layer chicken, second a layer of rice now sprinkle a generous handful of chopped coriander mint and fried onions. Repeat the layers with rice being the top most layer. Sprinkle the leftover onions, mint and coriander leaves.

4. Pour the saffron milk on the top using a spoon, evenly covering the whole area. Once all layers are set cover with lid and place this pan on top of a cast iron tawa (on which chapatis are made) or another heavy bottom pan in order to prevent the bottom layer from getting burnt cook on very low flame for 40 minutes.

5. If you have oven pre heat the oven to 350°F place biryani in the oven for 30 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes and enjoy the biryani.

Ariselu

Ingredients :

Raw rice- 4 Cups
Jaggery- 2 1/2 Cup
Cardamom powder- 1/4 tsp
khus khus /Poppy seeds - 2 tsp
Sesame seeds -2 tsp
Water -1 cup
Ghee/butter - 1 tsp
Oil for deep frying


Procedure :
 
1. Wash and Soak the rice in water overnight.. Drain the rice and spread it on a clean cloth in a shady area. It should not be fully dry but should still have some wetness in the rice. Grind the rice and sieve it to a fine powder.

2. Cut the jaggery into small pieces or grate it. Add 1 cup of water in a thick bottom pan and add the jaggery to it. Cook on medium flame and When the jaggery melts completely filter it in a strainer to get rid of the dirt. Keep stirring the filtered jaggery in low heat. The consistency here is very very important. Check the consistency by pouring a drop of syrup in a cup of water. The syrup should not melt in water and when touched by finger it should roll into a soft ball. It should not be hard.

3. Immediately switch off the stove and add cardamom powder, ghee, sesame seeds and khus khus /poppy seeds. Stir well and add the rice flour to it little by little . Mix well so that no lumps are formed.

4. Heat oil in a pan, divide the dough into lemon size balls and place the balls in a plastic sheet and using little oil shape it to form small patties or  round puris. Deep fry in hot oil on low heat  until golden brown on both sides. Once done remove from the oil place between two ladles and press them immediately. (usually when frying Ariselu they absorbs oil so when you remove from the oil you have to press them and remove the extra oil). Remove the oil completely and drain on a kitchen towel.

5. Let them cool and store in a air tight container they last for a month. Delicious ariselu are ready.

Onion pakodas

Ingredients :

Gram flour (Besan) 1/2 cup

Rice flour 1/4 cup

Baking soda big pinch

Onion chopped lengthwise 1 1/2 cup

Finely chopped green chillies 2

Coriander leaves 1/4 cup

Salt as per taste

Oil to frying

Preparation :
 
1. Take a pan and heat oil for frying pakodas.
2. Take a bowl and mix all the Ingredients with little water so that the onions are coated with the flours.
3. Put the onion batter here and there and fry the pakodas to golden brown and serve hot.

Potato fry

Ingredients :

4 potatoes
1 big onion thinly sliced
3 green chillies sliced
1/2 tsp channa dal
1/2 tsp urad dal
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 dry red chillies pieced
2 strings curry leaves
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala
salt to taste
3 tbsp oil
coriander leaves for garnish


Preparation :

1. Boil the potatoes peel the skin and dice to pieces.
2. Take a pan heat the oil and add channa dal, urad dal, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, red chilli pieces, and curry leaves and fry for 1/2 minute.
3. To that add green chilli pieces, and onion pieces and fry till they turn transparent and add ginger garlic paste and cook for a minute.
4. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, boiled potato pieces, salt, garam masala powder and fry for 5 minutes mixing well.
5. Finally check for taste, garnish with coriander leaves and serve.

Bhindi Masala

Ingredients :

1 pound okra/bhindi/ladyfinger (cut to 1/2 inch pieces)
1 big onion chopped
3 totatoes chopped
1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 bay leaves
1 inch cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
1/4 spoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
oil for shallow frying bhindi
salt to taste
coriander leaves


Preparation :


1. Take a nonstick pan heat the oil and fry the bhindi pieces( sprinkle some salt) until they are 70 percent cooked.
2. In another pan take 3 teaspoons oil and add cinnamon piece, cumin seeds and bay leaf.
3.when they splatter add onion pieces and fry till they are transparent about 3 min then add ginger garlic paste and fry for 15 sec.
4. To that add tomato pieces, turmeric and salt and cook on medium until they are soft.
5. Now add chilli powder, garam masala and fried bhindi pieces mix well and cook for 3-5 minutes until the oil separates out.
6. Finally check for taste and garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with roti or rice.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients :

2 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 Jalapeno pepper chopped
1 bay leaf
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced carrots
1/2  teaspoon dried thyme
4 ounces egg noodles
1 quart chicken stock
11/2 cups cooked chicken
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper according to taste

Preparation :

1. Place a soup pot over medium heat and coat with the oil. 

2. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, thyme, pepper and bay leaf. Cook and stir for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables are softened but not browned. 

3. Pour in the chicken stock and bring it to a boil. Add the noodles and simmer for 5 minutes until tender. 

4. Add the chicken, and continue to simmer for another couple of minutes; season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.

chicken Tortilla soup

Ingredients :

2 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Jalapeno pepper chopped
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup whole corn kernels
1 cup cooked black or white beans
1/2  teaspoon dried oregano
1 (14 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
4 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces
crushed tortilla chips
sliced avocado
chopped green spring onions

Preparation :

1. In a medium stock pot, heat oil over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic in oil until soft. Stir in celery, pepper and carrot and cook for 3-4 minutes. 
2. Then add tomatoes, dried oregano, broth. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. 
3. Stir in corn, beans, cilantro, and chicken. Simmer for 10 minutes. 
4. Ladle soup into individual serving bowls, and top with crushed tortilla chips, avocado slices, cheese, and chopped green onion and serve with corn bread on side.

Microwave Milk Peda

Ingredients:

Milk powder 2 cups
Sweetened Condensed milk 14 0z can
unsalted Butter 1stick/ 4 0z

Procedure:

1. Take a big microwave safe bowl and melt the butter for 1-2 minutes.
2. To that add condensed milk and milk powder and combine well and microwave the mixture for 2 minutes.
3. Remove it out and mix well and put it in microwave for 1 more minutes. mix it and repeat for 1 more minute.
4. Mix well and let it cool then role it to a small balls and decorate with kaju, almond or pistachios.

Pulihora (Tamarind Rice)

Ingredients:

50 g Tamarind (big lemon size ball)
1/2 cup chana dal
3 Green chillies slit

3 cups of cooked White Rice

For tadka/talimpu

3 tbsp oil

2 tbsp Groundnuts

1 tbsp chana dal

1 tbsp urad dal

1 tsp Mustard

1 tsp Cumin

1 chopped green chilli

2 Red Chillies

3 Curry leaf stalks

2 pinches Asoeftida

1/2 tsp turmeric 

Salt to Taste

Procedure :

1. soak 1/2 cup chana dal in water for 20 min.

2. microwave tamarind with 1/2 cup of water for 1 minute and when it is cool extract thick pulp.

3. Take a sauce pan and cook the tamarind pulp, soaked chana dal and slit green chillies with some salt to a thick paste and let it cool.

4. Take a pan and heat the oil when the oil is hot add ground nuts and fry for 1/2 min and then  add chana dal and fry for 1/2 min on medium flame.

5. To that add urad dal,  mustard, cumin seeds, red chillies, green chilli, curry leaves, hing, turmeric and fry for 1/2 minute on low heat. Take care not to burn the tadka.

6. Take the cooked rice and add salt and mix well and to that add the tadka/ talimpu and combine well.

7. Finally add the tamarind paste desired to your taste and combine well. You can store the left over tamarind paste in refrigerator for 2-3 weeks.

8. Serve the pulihora with yogurt on side

Shrimp Biryani

Ingredients :

1. 1/2 lb Prawn. Marinate in 1 spoon turmeric powder and 1/2 spoon salt.

2. Wash 2 cups of Basmati Rice and soak in water for 15 mins.

3. 2 to 3 green chillies

4. 1 tsp fennel seeds

5. 10 garlic pods

6.  1 1/2 inch ginger

7. 1 inch cinnamon

8. 3 to 4 cloves

9. 1 star anise

10. 1 tsp coriander seeds

11.  1/2 tsp cumin seeds

12. 2 onions cut length wise

13. 1 tomato chopped

14. Chop some mint and coriander

15. 1 cup Coconut milk. ( grind 1/4 medium sized coconut)

16. 1 tsp chilli powder 

17. salt

Preparation :

 

1. Grind green chillies, ginger, garlic, fennel seeds, cinnamon, cloves, coriander seeds, cumin seeds and anise to paste with some water and keep it aside.

2. In medium flame place the heavy bottom pan, heat 1 tbsp of ghee/butter + 2 tbsp of oil.

3. Fry 2 to 3 biryani/bay leafs, then add onions in the pan. Turn the flame high and fry till golden brown.

4. Add the chopped tomato and 1/2 tsp salt (this helps tomatoes to get soften quickly).

5. Then add the ground paste and cook for a minute.

6. Add Prawns, 1 tsp chilli powder  and cook for 2-3 min on medium flame.

7. Add Soaked rice and mint leaves and fry for a minute

8. Now add 1 cup coconut milk, 2 cups of water and 1 tsp salt mix well and check for seasoning. Close the pan and cook for 5 min on medium flame.

9. Add 1 tsp of lemon juice on top and garnish with coriander leaves.

10. Close the pan and cook on low flame for 5 minutes and serve hot.

Gutti Vankaya Kura ( Indian egg plant curry)

Ingredients :

10 purple colored small Brinjals
1 big onions  finely chopped
Tamarind small lime size ball
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
curry leaves
2 tsp Ginger-Garlic paste
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Paprika
Salt to taste
2 Tbsp Vegetable oil
oil for frying

Masala Paste :

2 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp ground nuts
1 tbsp chana dal
3  Dry red chillies
Few curry leaves
1/2 cup coconut Pieces 


Preparation :

1. Soak tamarind in 1 cup of water extract pulp and keep aside.
2. Dry roast chana dal, ground nuts, sesame seeds, red chillies, and curry leaves and cool them.
3. Grind the roasted ingredients along with coconut by adding some water to a thick paste.
4. By keeping stem intact slit the brinjals and deep fry them until they are 3/4 cooked. Once fried they look like this.

5. Take another pan and add 2 tbsp oil and add mustard seeds once they splutter add curry leaves and chopped onions and fry till they are golden brown.
6. To that add ginger garlic paste and fry for a 30 seconds and add salt, turmeric, and masala paste and combine well and cook for 5 minutes.
7. Then add the extracted tamarind pulp and paprika mix well and add fried brinjals and cook for 5-10 minutes ( until brinjals are fully cooked).
8. Finally adjust the seasoning and serve hot.