Horlicks Rava laddu

 
My daughter expects a chocolate cake and mysore pak which she calls as yellow burfi on her birthdays. It has become a sort of tradition in our home that those two items are a part of her birthday celebrations. She celebrated her birthday two days ago and as usual her birthday cake was a chocolate based one. She didn't get to pick her cake this time around and so, thankfully we didn't have to witness a riot of colors. Instead her dad brought a cake decorated with dainty, pink roses which was beautiful.

For a change, instead of Mysore pak, I decided to go with these rava laddu with a twist that I happened to see on a cook show. The chef had sneaked in a dose of horlicks to the rava laddu preparation to make it nutritious and kid friendly. For those uninitiated, horlicks is a nutritional malted milk drink.  I had a bottle of horlicks lying around for months now that was bought on my daughter's whimsy,  which she refused to drink later. These laddus seemed to be a great way to use up some of that horlicks. Don't go overboard while using horlicks in the recipe as it's flavor may get dominant. My daughter enjoyed these laddus better than drinking horlicks. She very rarely eats sweets and this must be her first time tasting laddus. A surprising feat considering that I have made loads of laddus in the past one and half decade and she hadn't bothered even to look at them so far.

Ingredients: (Yield 20 laddus)
2 tbsp. ghee
2 tbsp. raisins
1 cup semolina
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup Horlicks powder
1/4 cup cashew powder
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
Ghee / Milk as needed to shape laddus

Method:
* Toast raisins in ghee, in a saute pan until plump. Transfer them to a wide plate using a slotted spoon.
* Next add semolina to the same ghee in the pan. Continuously stirring, toast it on medium flame  until it starts to change the color, 4 to 5 minutes. Turn off the stove and transfer the semolina to the wide plate (with raisins) to cool.
* When semolina is no longer warm to touch, add sugar, horlicks, cashew powder and cardamom to the semolina plate. Mix well to combine.
* Next add ghee or milk in tbsp. increments to the mixture until it can hold shape when fisted. (About 4 to 6 tbsp. liquid may be needed.) Shape lime sized balls out of the mixture.
* The laddus can be stored in a covered container and can be left on the counter if they are made with ghee since they stay good for few days. However if  not planning to finish them sooner, they can be refrigerated. Where as if milk was used to shape laddus, they need to be refrigerated since they don't store well beyond a day.

This is going to be a part of Blogging marathon #64 under 'Bookmarked Recipes' and check here to find out what other marathoners are cooking today.

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Spicy Refried Beans

Refried beans called as frijoles refritos in Spanish are cooked and mashed beans. The term 'refried' here is a borrowed one from Spanish and it means well fried though the prefix 're' is misleading. Refried beans is a staple dish in Mexican and Latin cuisines and is used in many dishes such as bean burritos, toastada, seven layer dip, nachos and others. Pinto beans, black beans or red (kidney) beans are used to prepare refried beans. If necessary the dry beans are soaked overnight and cooked and then mashed. The bean paste is then fried or baked with onion and garlic using a small amount of fat and seasoned with salt and spices. Epazote, a Mexican herb is also commonly used in the preparation of refried beans. Lard, bacon drippings, butter or oil can be used to cook refried beans though lard is commonly used in Mexico.

Canned beans would be an easier option if you want to cut down the prep time. Just drain the liquid from the can and rinse the beans thoroughly before using. I have used a 15 oz can of red beans here to prepare the refried beans. Usually I prepare a simple, basic version of refried beans but this time, I tried a spicier version bookmarked from food network. This was used to prepare toastada that I posted yesterday.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp. oil / butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Serrano pepper / Chili powder to taste
One 15 oz can of pinto beans, black beans or kidney beans
1/4 cup water / stock
1/2 tsp. cumin powder
Salt to taste
Cracked black pepper to taste

Method:
* Heat oil or butter in a pan and add onion,  garlic and Serrano pepper if using. Saute until onion and garlic slightly brown.
* Drain the liquid from the can and rinse the beans thoroughly. Add the beans, liquid, cumin powder and some chili powder if Serrano pepper was not used. 
* Cook over medium heat,  mashing the beans with a potato masher or the back of a ladle. Take care to not mash the Serrano pepper. 
* The beans can be mashed to a chunky or a smooth puree. Cook until desired consistency is reached, adding more liquid if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the Serrano pepper before serving.

Note:
* If not using canned beans, soak the beans in water prior to cooking to fasten the cooking process. Kidney beans may need overnight soaking where as pinto beans and black beans can be soaked for around a couple of hours. 
* Drain the water used to soak and add fresh water to cook. Pressure cooking the beans in water with a ratio of 1:2  would be the fastest and easiest way. If cooking in a suace pan, cook on medium heat, adding water intermittently as needed until the beans soften.

This is going to be a part of Blogging marathon #64 under 'Bookmarked Recipes' and check here to find out what other marathoners are cooking today.

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Mexican Toastada

This vegetarian version toastada was in my 'bookmarked' folder for too long and at last, I got to try them last weekend. A toastada is like an open faced sandwich / taco, but involving fried corn tortillas, refried beans and toppings. There are versions involving fish, chicken and beef too. The refried bean paste goes as the first layer over toastada since it sticks to the shells and holds the other toppings well.
 
If you want to keep the experience of making toastada stress free, go with store bought toastada shells, refried beans and salsa. It cuts down the prep time drastically and one can enjoy toastada in no time. Or if one is feeling adventurous, they can start from scratch including making tortillas at home and frying them. I used the store bought toastada shells and salsa where as I made my own batch of refried beans using red beans. Most of the store bought refried bean cans have lard in them and so watch out, if you are a vegetarian.

Recipe Source: Here
Ingredients:
8 corn toastada shells or corn tortillas
Oil to fry, only if using the tortillas
1.5 cup refried beans 
1/2 cup salsa
1 avocado, peeled and cubed or guacamole as needed
1 small tomato, cubed
Shredded lettuce as needed 
Lemon juice to taste
Salt to taste
4 oz. grated Monterrey Jack, cheddar, or crumbled queso fresco cheese
A handful of chopped cilantro

Method:
* Follow this step only if using tortillas. Pour enough oil in a pan to fry the tortillas and heat it. Drop one tortilla at a time and fry until golden brown on both sides and crisp through out. Remove the tortilla with a slotted spoon or using tongs. Lift the tortilla above the pan so that excess oil drips back into the pan. Place the fried tortillas on paper towels to absorb the excess oil. Or avoid the step and use the store bought shells.
* The original recipe mentions to season the lettuce with salt and vinegar. I combined avocado, tomato, and lettuce and seasoned it with salt and lemon juice instead. 
* Spread a layer of refried bean paste over the toastada. Sprinkle the toppings and cheese over it. Do not load the shell with too much toppings since it becomes hard to eat it without making a mess.


This is going to be a part of Blogging marathon #64 under 'Bookmarked Recipes' and check here to find out what other marathoners are cooking today.

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Detox Vegetable Soup

 
This soup is packed with detoxifying vegetables and beans besides immune boosting spices and herbs with healing properties. The spices / herbs I chose to flavor this soup have been used in India from ages for their medicinal properties in everyday cooking. I used a basic version of garam masala which contain coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cinnamon, clove, black pepper and cardamom which all aid in digestion in one way or another besides adding a great flavor to the soup base.

Ginger is anti inflammatory, aids in digestion, reduces nausea and helps to fight cold while vitamin C rich lemon cleanses your stomach and strengthens immune system. Turmeric and coriander seeds are anti-inflammatory. Cumin aids in digestion and improves immunity. Where as cardamom helps to counteract digestive problems similar to ginger. Cinnamon helps to treat muscle spasms, vomiting, loss of appetite, common cold and even believed to lower blood sugar levels in diabetics. Garlic boosts up the immune system and helps the liver.

I used some cooked mung beans as well to the soup for protein. Mung beans is rich in protein and fiber besides with antioxidant properties. It is one of the recommended detoxifying legumes which aids in digestion preventing bloating and gas. There are in fact khichdi detox diets, based on rice and mung dal. It should not come across as a surprise to Indians, considering that khichdi is recommended there for people recovering from stomach upsets since it is easy to digest besides being nutritious. Use homemade stock or water for the base.
 

Ingredients: 
1 tsp. olive oil (optional)
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1" piece of ginger, peeled and grated
1 small onion, finely chopped
3.5 to 4 cups of water / vegetable stock
2 cups of chopped veggies, (I added broccoli, cauliflower, celery, carrots, beans, & tomato)
A handful of cooked mung beans
1 tsp. cumin powder
1/2 tsp. garam masala
1/8 tsp. turmeric powder
Salt if needed
Lemon juice to taste
Cilantro to garnish

Method:
* Heat oil and add garlic and ginger. Saute for few seconds until they brown and add onion. Fry until translucent. Skip the sauteeing part if not using oil.
* Add cumin powder, garam masala and turmeric. Saute for few seconds.
* Then add vegetables (except broccoli and cauliflower) and water / stock to the pan and cook until the vegetables are half done. Add broccoli and cauliflower now and continue cooking until desired consistency is reached. Add the cooked mung beans at the final stages of cooking.
* Add salt if needed and stir. Garnish with cilantro and squeeze lemon juice before serving. 


This is going to be a part of Blogging marathon #64 under 'detox recipes' and check here to find out what other marathoners are cooking today.

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Ginger Lemon Detox Drink

I was surprised to notice that a lot of food ingredients that are allowed in a detox diet are commonly used in Indian kitchens regularly, especially the spices that aid in digestion and kick start the metabolism. This detox drink for instance, consists of two powerful detoxing ingredients, ginger and lemon which are commonly found in most kitchens. 

I made this drink on my husband's request without realizing at that moment that it is detoxifying. Ginger is anti inflammatory and effective in relieving digestive problems.Whereas lemon water is believed to be a natural diuretic which helps in detoxifying the body. And besides the citrus fruit is high in vitamin C content. Start your day healthy with a glass of this ginger lemon drink or refrigerate and drink through out the day.
 
Ingredients:
2.5 to 3 cups of water
2 inch piece of ginger
1/2 lemon

Method:
* Peel the ginger and either grate it or cut into small pieces.
* Bring together ginger and water to a boil. Or water can be boiled and poured over the ginger and allowed to sit for few minutes.  
* Squeeze the lemon juice or add the lemon slices to the ginger water. Let it sit for a couple of minutes if slices were added.
* Filter out the ginger pieces and lemon slices. 
* Enjoy the drink warm or cold. (My husband loved it with a pinch of salt and black pepper addition.)


This is going to be a part of Blogging marathon #64 under 'detox recipes' and check here to find out what other marathoners are cooking today.

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Detox Berry Shake

 

I picked 'detox diet' as the theme for this marathon more than a month ago but honestly, all I had known at that time was the random stuff I heard now and then on health shows. Diets ranging from juice based ones, apple cider vinegar to weird ones where charcoal is used. I am not an expert on the subject and had to go through several articles and posts online to get the gist of the 'detox diet' idea. I have been a vegetarian all my life and I try to eat balanced meals and stay away from junk food as much as possible. That is the only dietary plan I have been following so far in my life. I did not follow any detox plan this week too but surprisingly I realized that the detox meals can be well balanced ones without compromising on taste or flavors.

Detoxification or detox in short is nothing but a form of body cleansing. This approach is followed to get rid of the supposedly  accumulated 'toxins' from the body which may affect an individual's health in the short or long term. The general idea here being that the food we consume in the modern world is filled with contaminants such as food colors, pesticides, flavor enhancers, preservatives and such which are all nothing but unwanted chemicals. The detox diets which are special dietary plans claim to have detoxifying effects on our body and would aid in getting rid of these toxins. Fasting, dieting, avoiding specific foods and colon cleansing are some of the methods approached in detox diet plans. While the medical experts state that cleansing the body is unnecessary as our bodies are capable of doing the job perfectly. (source:wiki and others)

The recipes I picked for this week's theme rely on the idea of aiming towards the consumption of specific foods that are beneficial to body and avoiding certain ones. I am just giving a list from a vegetarian point of view. The detox plans which follow this idea generally avoid gluten, dairy, eggs, fats like butter & mayonnaise, sweeteners (like sugar, honey, maple syrup),  processed foods, caffeine, chocolate, soy products, alcohol, and such. Much emphasis is given to fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains that are non gluten (like brown rice, quinoa, millets), legumes, healthy nuts and oils. I created recipes based on what foods were allowed in the plan.

My recipe today falls under the liquid cleanse which is the simplest form of cleansing and provides the body with nutrients. Liquid cleanses usually involve consuming water, fresh (organic) fruit / vegetable juices, pureed soups, smoothies, and such. This shake can be included as part of the detox plan or can be enjoyed anytime. The berries are rich in antioxidants while mango and banana are rich in fiber. The fruits I picked were sweeter and I froze them in advance.

Ingredients: (Yield 2 servings)
1 cup strawberries
1/2 cup blackberries
1/2 cup mango cubes
1/4 cup pineapple cubes
1 small banana
2 tbsp. flax seeds
Coconut water or unsweetened almond milk as needed
(Using organic fruits would be better if following detox diet because of the pesticides.)

Method:
Blend everything to desired consistency and serve.



This is going to be a part of Blogging marathon #64 under 'detox recipes' and check here to find out what other marathoners are cooking today.

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Fresh Pineapple Juice

Fresh pineapple juice used to be a regular evening snack in our home, while growing up. Honestly speaking, I began eating pineapple in fruit form only after my husband came into my life. Thanks to my mother, everyone in my side of the family need a blender to consume pineapple. We were so used to the juice concept that we never thought of enjoying the fruit on it's own. My mother loves pineapple juice and that may be the reason why she chose to go the juice route. Or when I think about it now, it might have been because the fruit was not guaranteed to be on the sweeter side always and probably my mother thought that the juice would be consumed by everyone without complaints. Besides, I have noticed that the fruit available in India makes sometimes our tongues itchy.
 
The fruit available in the local U.S. markets is mostly sweeter and I enjoy the pineapple slices now with a slight sprinkle of salt and red chilli powder / pepper powder. Today, I thought of preparing the juice after a long time and realized that it would also fit my '3 ingredients' themed recipe for the day. And so here it is, the fresh pineapple juice that is quick and easy to prepare, considering that one has the prepared pineapple pieces handy. Otherwise, pineapple needs to peeled and prepared. This refreshing juice makes a perfect drink for hot, summer days.

 

Ingredients: (2 to 3 servings)
1&1/2 cups pineapple cubes
Sugar to taste (I drink it without adding sugar.)
A few pinches of freshly cracked black pepper (optional)

Method:
* Blend pineapple adding about 1&1/2 to 2 cups of cold water and sugar. Taste and adjust the sugar if needed.
* Add ice cubes if needed and sprinkle black pepper powder in juice glasses. (I froze the fruit for few hours so that I didn't have to add ice cubes to the juice.)


This is going to be a part of Blogging marathon #64 under the theme 'Recipes using three ingredients' and check here to find out what other marathoners are cooking today.

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Banana - Nutella Sandwich

 

This post would not have seen the light if not for the rainy and cloudy days we had for the past week. Cooking for this week's theme as planned earlier did not make any sense as there wasn't enough light to capture the images. This sandwich post from my drafts folder came to my rescue though it was not a part of my initial plan. 

Banana - Nutella sandwich is a mundane recipe to many folks, especially food bloggers but I wanted to record it on my blog anyway and so, here it is. The bread and the fruit have remained constant in this simple sandwich over the years in my home, though the spread used has changed from plain butter to nut butters to Nutella. The sweet chocolate-nut spread provides a yummy base for this fruit sandwich and definitely has a universal appeal unless one is staying away from the sugary spread for any reason. As the title suggests, it involves three ingredients, the bread, banana and Nutella spread and makes a quick and easy breakfast option or a lunchbox idea for kids.

I don't have the patience either to sit and make nut butters at home or bake the bread regularly even though I own a bread maker. I buy them from stores like many and so, is considering bread as one ingredient and Nutella as another though they individually are made using many ingredients. 

Ingredients:
Bread slices of your choice (I used wholewheat-honey bread.) 
Sweet chocolate-hazelnut spread / Nutella (Or any nut butter)
Banana, sliced into thin circles 

Method:
* Toast the bread slices and trim the edges, if particular about it.
* Spread the nutella on one side of the toasted slices.
* Arrange banana slices on the nutella side of a toasted bread slice. Cover it with another bread slice, with nutella side facing down.
* Repeat the steps with the remaining bread slices.

This is going to be a part of Blogging marathon #64 under the theme 'Recipes using three ingredients' and check here to find out what other marathoners are cooking today.

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Paalatakulu / Sweetened Milk Poha

I was on a tight time schedule for the past two weeks to even ponder about recipes and my post today is an apt one when stuck in similar situations. Or when one is looking for a quick snack / breakfast option in the rush hours. I am supposed to post recipes that feature only three ingredients, as part of the blogging marathon theme this week. After giving the theme a little thought, I realized that I didn't really need to go around scouring for interesting recipes over the web. There are a number of everyday recipes that are regular in my kitchen which involve only three ingredients like this paalatakulu for instance.

Paalatakulu is basically beaten rice flakes dunked in sweetened milk and probably a familiar one in many south Indian homes. This used to be a quick snack, we children would prepare on our own whenever we felt hungry in the evenings. It was way long before I became acquainted with the breakfast cereals of the Western world. The steps of preparation are pretty basic and so simple that I was wondering whether a recipe is really needed for this. Some leftover boiled milk after coffee / tea preparations is commonly found over the kitchen counters in Indian homes. That milk, beaten rice flakes and sugar are mixed and allowed to sit for few minutes before eating it.

Ingredients for a serving:
1/2 cup thick variety beaten rice flakes
3/4 to 1 cup warm milk or boiled and cooled milk
Sugar to taste

Method:
* Rinse the beaten rice flakes using water and drain. This step is optional.
* Add sugar to milk and dissolve it. This step is also optional.
* Add the beaten rice flakes to the milk and let it sit until the rice flakes soften.
(The variety of beaten rice flakes I get locally take about 2 to 3 minutes to soften. The variety available in India take longer time.)
* Stir the mixture and serve immediately.


This is going to be a part of Blogging marathon #64 under the theme '3 ingredients' based dishes' and check here to find out what other marathoners are cooking today.

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Whole Wheat, Banana and Honey Muffins

Usually I look forward to new baking ideas when I end up with overly ripened bananas. Finishing the last few bananas becomes a daunting task each time I buy them. Especially when the others at home straight off refuse to eat the final ones. However I have no problem in selling them when masked in the form of baking.

This time around, I got to make banana muffins that are healthier and eggless. The staple ingredients of a muffin recipe are replaced here by more healthier and wholesome substitutes. Whole wheat flour and oats replace the flour while the white sugar is replaced by honey / maple syrup. Bananas can easily substitute for the egg in the recipe while healthy olive oil would be a great alternative for the butter.
 
However the resulting muffins were not dense as I thought they would be. They were soft and fluffy. They make a great breakfast / brunch idea or a snack.

Recipe idea: Here
Ingredients: (Yield 8 medium sized muffins)
3 tbsp. olive oil / coconut oil
1/4 cup honey / maple syrup
2 tbsp.  milk of choice
2 large bananas / 1 cup mashed banana
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon 
3/4 cup + 2 tbsp. whole wheat flour 
2 tbsp.old fashioned oats + plus more for sprinkling on top
3 tbsp. nuts / dried fruits / chocolate chips (I used walnuts and raisins.)
1 tsp. raw sugar for sprinkling on top (optional)

Method:
* Preheat the oven to 325 deg F. Grease a muffin tin or line the muffin cups. 
* In a large bowl, beat the oil and honey / maple syrup with a whisk. Mix in the mashed bananas and milk, followed by baking soda, vanilla extract, salt and cinnamon.
* Add wheat flour and oats to the bowl and mix until combined.
* Fold in the nuts / the other add-ons of your preference.
* Divide the batter into muffin cups equally, filling up to 2/3rds of each cup. Sprinkle the tops of muffins with oats, followed by a light sprinkling of sugar.
* Bake muffins for 23 - 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean.
* Allow them to cool on a cooling rack before loosening from the muffin tin. 
 
This is going to be a part of Blogging marathon #64 under the theme 'Wheat based Dishes' and check here to find out what other marathoners are cooking today.
 
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Cracked Wheat Idli (Fermented Version)

I tried these cracked wheat idlis from Kalyani's place recently and we loved the new variation. I usually prepare the instant version and this one caught my attention because it is prepared along the similar lines as the traditional ones. However these are more filling and healthier over the regular rice idlis. We felt a side dish like sambhar would suit these idlis more than the chutney.

Ingredients:
2 cups fine cracked wheat *
1 cup black gram / urad dal
1 tsp. fenugreek seeds
Salt to taste
Ghee / oil to grease the idli moulds 
For tempering:
1 tsp. oil,  1 tsp. mustard seeds, 1 tsp. black gram, Few curry leaves
* (I used 1 cup fine cracked wheat and 1 cup coarser variety. I ground the coarser variety with the black gram.)

Method:
* Soak black gram, fenugreek seeds about 3 to 4 hours. Also soak fine cracked wheat in water separately. 
* Drain the soaked water. Grind black gram, fenugreek seeds, and half of cracked wheat to a fine, thick batter adding water only as much as needed. Add the remaining cracked wheat and salt to the ground batter and pulse a few times to combine.
* Allow the batter to ferment overnight. 
* Next morning, heat oil for tempering and add mustard seeds, black gram and curry leaves. When mustard seeds start to pop, turn off the stove and add this tempering to the fermented batter. Mix well.
* Grease the idli moulds and pour the batter into moulds. Prepare the steamer and steam until done, for about 20 minutes.
* Serve with sambhar / chutney.


This is going to be a part of Blogging marathon #64 under the theme 'Wheat based Dishes' and check here to find out what other marathoners are cooking today.

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Spicy Koki

Another new day and new month of blogging marathon starts and I am here with wheat based dishes this week. I had earlier tried Vaishali's basic version of Koki, a flat bread from Sindhi community. Today's one is a spicy version I happened to watch on Sanjeev Kapoor's show a while ago. These koki make an interesting and flavorful variation to regular rotis. They can be served with a side dish of your choice and the combo together makes a great meal. These koki may look a little rustic because of the not so smooth edges, courtesy of the minced onions and spices in the dough. However the kokis were on a softer side and I enjoyed them.

Ingredients:(Yield 6)
1 cup wheat flour
1 tsp semolina
2 tsp. toasted chickpea flour /besan
1/2 tsp carom seeds / ajwain
2 tsp. kasuri methi / dried fenugreek green leaves
Salt to taste
1 tbsp. coriander seeds
1 tsp. cumin seeds
2 tbsp. finely minced onion
1 tbsp cilantro chopped
3 tbsp. melted ghee / oil
Ghee / Oil to make kokis

Method
* Toast cumin seeds and coriander seeds separately on low flame, until they start to turn a few shades darker. Remove the flame and slightly crush them using a mortar and pestle. There is no need powder them. 
* Lightly crush kasuri methi between your palms and keep it aside. 
* Add all the ingredients to a bowl and mix well to combine. Add water in slow increments and make a soft, pliable dough. (I added about 6 to 7 tbsp. water.).
* Rest the dough for about 10 minutes. (I rested it for about an hour or more.)
 
* Divide the dough into 6 portions and roll them into smooth balls. Work one portion at a time and roll out the ball into a circle of about 4 - 5 inches diameter. Dust the work surface with wheat flour if needed or grease the dough ball, to facilitate easy rolling.
* Toast the rolled out circle on a heated griddle / flat pan, on medium flame. Drizzle 1/2 tsp. oil around the edges and cook until brown spots appear on both sides, flipping intermittently once or twice.
* Repeat the steps with the remaining dough balls.
* Serve them with your choice of side dish.


This is going to be a part of Blogging marathon #64 under the theme 'Wheat based Dishes' and check here to find out what other marathoners are cooking today.

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A - Z Andhra Recipes Recap

A bunch of us, food bloggers are part of a monthly blogging marathon group, where we blog each month on preset themes. This April one was a mega marathon (meaning we blog the whole month excepting Sundays), with a tag name 'Journey through the Cuisines'. Each participant had the choice to pick a cuisine / cuisines and blog about that particular food, going in an alphabetical series. I obviously picked my home state of Andhra Pradesh, which lies on southeastern coastal belt of India.

And today, I am here with the round up of that series, where those A - Z recipes can be accessed in one place. It seems like yesterday when I sat down racking my brains to compile a list of recipes that I wanted to showcase during this marathon. My main goal was to focus on recipes that were traditional and unique to the region as much as possible. Besides, I wanted to present home style vegetarian dishes, that are a norm in Brahmin households through out the region. A lot of thinking, rethinking happened behind the scenes. A lot of recipes were scratched off the list and some cooked dishes didn't appear on the blog to give place to more interesting ones or were replaced by recipes which were unique to the region. Overall, it was a fun experience to cook and present the dishes in an alphabetical order though sometimes I had to get creative to nail the difficult alphabets.  

It was my humble attempt to show my readers, a tiny glimpse of one of the finest cuisines of India. Hopefully my readers enjoy this series as much I did planning, preparing and presenting them. People who are acquainted with the region / cuisine may be wondering about not seeing some of the popular regional food in my series. Gutti vankaya koora, gongura pachadi, sunnundalu for instance. I have been blogging for almost ten years now and most of the popular dishes have been already posted on my blog. Please check my recipe index if interested. Also as part of the plan, I could compile a complete list of ingredients from the pantry and produce categories and recipes, under each alphabet. I am hoping that it benefits other regional populace or those who are interested to learn more about Andhra food. 

Here is a quick recap of my A - Z Andhra vegetarian recipe series.  Click on the recipe names to access the recipes.

A for Alasanda Vada (RayalaSeema)

B for Bellam Garelu (Coastal)

C for Chiyali

 

D for Dondakaaya Kaarapu Kaaya

 

E for Endu Kobbari Podi

 

F for Fine Biscuits (Hyderabad)

 

G for Gongura - Mamidikaya Pappu

 

H for Halwa Holigalu

 

I for Idli Karam Podi

 

J for Janthikalu

K for Kobbari Koora

 

L for Lauzu

 

M for Matikkaaya Kaaram Koora (RayalaSeema)

N for Nimmakaaya Kaaram

O for Ottotti (Rayalaseema)

 

P for Perugu Vadalu 

Q for Qubani ka Meetha (Hyderabad)

 

R for Ragi Sangati (Rayalaseema)

S for Satyanarayana Vrata Prasadam (Coastal)

 

T for Theepi Dibba Rotte (Coastal)

 

U for Usirikaaya Pulihora 

 

V for Vankaya Kothimira Karam Koora 

 

W for Wadiyala Pulusu

 

X for Xtra Spicy Hot Andhra Aavakaaya 

Y for Yerra Gummadikaaya Pulusu

 

Z for Zucchini Theeya Pappu

 
An InLinkz Link-up

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