Thotakura with chana dal_amaranth leaves

Thotakura/amaranth leaves is a great nutritious green leafy vegetable,which is rich in iron.thotakura pappu,thotakura pulusu kura,vepudu are the common varieties prepared with amaranth leaves,my way of cooking thotakura with chana dal is different variety&nutritious dish prepared with stalks of thotakura(dont throw away stalks) .its simple & healthy dish can have it with rice,roti.





Ingredients:
1lb-Thotakura/amaranth stalks
1/4 cup - chana dal
2-greenchillies
1-chopped onion
1/2 tsp garam masala
1tsp curry powder(can check in my blog)
2tsp oil
salt per taste
1 tsp-cumin,mustard seeds
1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 pinch turmeric

Directions:
clean and finely chop thotakura stalks,clean chana dal and soak for 15 min in water.
Now heat the pan add oil,cumin,mustard seeds,let it temper,now add turmeric,ginger garlic paste ,saute it add onion,green chilli,saute it for 2 min,till onions get brown color.Add chana dal,let it cook for 1 min in oil.
At this point add salt,garam masala,curry leaves.close the pan with lid for 5 min in lower flame.
Add thotakura leaves and mix all the ingredients well,cook it till chnadal,thotakura r cooked,it takes 10 min.
stir occasionally in between.turn off stove & serve with roti/rice.

Very healthy for every one.

Rajma Masala

Rasma recipe/Red kidney beans masala is very famous Dish of North Indians.Red kidney beans are rich in protein,they are very healthy&nutritious for kids.
Rasma masala is prepared with red kidney beans as main ingredients.




Ingredients:

1 cups - Red kidney beans
1 tsp - Red chilli powder
1 tsp - garam masala
1 chopped - onion
2 chopped - green chillies
1 tsp - cumin seeds
2 tsp - oil/butter
1 tsp - gingergarlic paste
1 tsp - amchur powder
coriander leaves
salt as per taste
1/4 tsp - turmeric
1 chopped tomato
1/4 cup cream/milk

Directions:
SOAK red kidney beans in water for 3 hrs ,wash with water & pressure cook kidney beans by adding 3 cups water,salt.
Heat a pan,add oil,cumin seeds,onions,fry onions for 2 min,then add ginger garlic paste,turmeric.
Add green chilli,tomatoes let it cook for 2 min,then add garam masala,red chilli powder,add cooked kidney beans with water(dont drain water).
Let it cook for 5 min add amchur powder,mix it well let it cook for 10 min in low flame.
check the taste,can add salt for ur taste,now add cream(whole milk).mix it well.

Serve hot with roti/puri

Saggubiyam semiya payasam/Kheer

Saggubiyam payasam is thecommon and yummy,yummy on going dessert from our grand parents time to till our time, as a prasadam on every festivel/celebration to god in every south indian families.its very easy dessert prepared with milk,sugar/jaggery as main ingredients.



Ingredients:

whole milk-5cups
saggubiyyam(sabudana)-1/4 cup
semiya(vermicelli)-1/4 cup
sugar-1/2 cup
cardomon powder-1 pinch
ghee-1tsp
cashewnuts,raisins-few

Directions

Heat a pan in low flame add ghee fry nuts,raisins till they r brown color,remove it to a bowl,now add vermicelli fry it and keep it aside.
WASH SABUDANA twice,throw away water soak it for 1 hr(if sabudana is very small size no need to soak),i prepared with smaller one.
Take a nonstick pan add sabudana with 2 cups of water cook till it is transparent or soft,keep stirring in between so that sabudana dont stick to pan.turn
Add milk to sabudana let it boil now add vermicelli & keep stirring till vermicelli turns soft or it is done.turn off the flame.
Now add sugar/jaggery for kids prefer jaggery(ITS RICH IN IRON),cardomon powder.
mix it well.
Add the fried nuts to payasam & mix it

Take payasam in a bowl offer it to GOD then u can have it either hot or cold

Idly

The basic,simple,easiest,healthy food/breakfast in India is idly.I think every women knows how to prepare idly in home,this is my process of preparing idli recipe,i often prepare for Breakfast.

U can also use Idlimix(in stores) to prepare instant idly.get idly rava from grocery store for this process.



Ingredients:

2cups-Idli rava(bansi idli rava)
1 tsp_fenugreek seeds
1 cup-urad dal
salt to taste

Directions:
Take a bowl Soak urad dal,fenu greek seeds in the water,in other bowl soak idli rava in water for 5 hrs.wast these two items till u get clean water from them.

Now grind or blend urad dal by adding required quantity of water,till it becomes soft batter.it takes 5 min to blend.
Take idly rava,squeeze out water from rava by pressing with hand,add this rava to urad dal batter.make sure water is completly squeezed out from entire rava.
Now add salt to the batter,mix it well.cover and keep aside for over night or 6 hrs
undisturbed ferment.
Before u prepare idly mix the batter well,check the salt,take the idly mould, apply oil/ghee/water with the fingers to the moulds.
pour the batter to moulds using hand or scoop and steam in the rice cooker for 25 min or till its done(u hear the sound).
u can check by inserting fork or toothpick ,if tooth pick comes clean idlys are done

Serve hot with chutney,sambhar,karam podi

Beerakaya Curry with milk - Ridge Gourd curry

Beerakaya or Ridge Gourd is a vegetable used to prepare number of dishes like beerakaya pappu,beerakaya pachadi,vepudu and with eggs.
Beerakaya curry is very simple,fast,quick to make and tasty when Ridge gourd is cooked with milk.this recipe goes well with roti or rice.




Ingredients:

1 tbsp oil

½ tsp mustard seeds

5-6 crushed garlic cloves

8-10 curry leaves

1 large onion finely chopped

2-3 green chillis slit length wise

3 ridge gourds peeled and chopped into small pieces

1 tsp red chilli pwd

¼ tsp turmeric

¼ tsp coriander pwd

salt to taste

2 cups water

1 small cup milk

chopped coriander leaves for garnish

1 Pre-heat oil in a cooking vessel. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add the crushed garlic cloves and curry leaves and stir fry for a few seconds.
2 Add the chopped onions and green chillis and sauté till the onions turn pink. Add the chopped ridge gourd pieces, combine and cook on medium heat for 5 mts.
3 Reduce heat and cover with lid and cook further for another 7-8 mts. Add red chilli pwd, turmeric pwd, coriander pwd and salt and combine.
4 Add the water, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover with lid and cook till all the water evaporates.
5 Lastly, on medium flame, slowly add the milk to the curry, while stirring continuously for 3-4 mts or till you get the desired curry consistency. Constantly stir otherwise the milk will curdle.
6 Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve with hot rotis or steamed white rice.

Upma Recipe(Sooji upma)

In south India , Upma is usually taken during breakfast. It is a simple and tasty dish made using Sooji/Semolina. sooji Rava Upma made using less oil is very nutritious & healthy and ideal for people on diet. Wheat Rava Upma also fills your stomach very well.






Ingredients:

Roasted sooji Rava - 1 cup
Ginger - 1 inch (chopped fine)
Water - 3 cups
Coriander - 1/2 cup (chopped fine)
Onions - 1/4 cup (chooped fine)
Green chillies - 5
Curry leaves - 5
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tbsp
Cashews or Peanuts-(optional)
tomato - 1(chopped)
ghee - 3tsp
lemon juice - 2tsp


Method:

Take a pan add 1 tsp ghee,add rava roast it lightly

1.Heat about 3 tbsp of oil/ghee in a pan and add cashew or Peanuts, mustard seeds, cumin seeds. When mustard seeds begin to splutter add urad dal, curry leaves, onions and ginger.
2.After a few seconds add chillies and chopped tomato.
Let it fry for a min or two.
3.Then add water and bring to boil.
4.Now add salt according to your taste, reduce heat and add roasted rava gradually to the boiling water.
Mix thoroughly and take care to not let the rava form into lumps.
On reduced heat, cover cook for a few mins and once upma is done serve hot.
add some lemonjuice