Aavada | Perugu Garelu

Perugu Garelu or Aavada is one of the famous dish made for festivals in andhra pradesh which are deep fried urad dal dumplings soaked in yogurt mixture.

Cooking Time 1½ - 2 hours
Serves 4-5 Persons

Kaju Katli | Cashew Burfi

Happy Deepawali to all my readers !!!

Kaju Katli | Cashew Burfi is an indian sweet prepared from cashews, sugar and water. It is a very simple recipe which is my most favorite and very delicious sweet. I make this sweet especially during festivals like Diwali or any special occasions.

Cooking Time 1½ hour
Serves 4-5 Persons

Coconut Burfi | Kobbari Louz

Coconut burfi | Kobbari Louz is a tasty and delicious sweet which is my favorite from my childhood. I learnt this recipe from my mom which is prepared from freshly grated coconut, sugar, milk, elachi, ghee and garnished with cashews.....

Cooking Time 1 - 1½ hour
Serves 12 - 15 Persons

Garelu | Ulli Garelu | Vada

Happy Ganesh Chaturthi to everyone !!!

Garelu | Vada is an andhra dish which is prepared for breakfasts or especially during festivals. Vadas are crispy and crunchy which is in a shape of a donut prepared from the whole black gram lentils. I add onions and green chillies to the prepared batter which is called as Ulli(Onion) Garelu and are served with coconut chutney or sambar.

Cooking Time 1½ - 2 hours
Serves 4-5 Persons

Mamidikaya Pulihora | Mango Rice

I usually prepare this pulihora for the ugadi festival and also in summers which is very simple, delicious and easy to make. My daughter loves all kinds of pulihora - One of which is this mango rice which is made with fresh raw mangoes.

Cooking Time 1 hour
Serves 2-3 Persons

Vermicelli Kheer | Semiya Payasam

Vermicelli Kheer/ Semiya Payasam is yummy, healthy and also delicious payasam which is especially prepared during festivals. Payasam is simple to make and it usually decreases heat in our body when we fevers and colds.

Cooking Time 30 -45 min
Serves 3 - 4 Persons

Pongal | Ven Pongal

Pongal | Ven Pongal (Spicy Pongal) is a popular rice dish in south india which is prepared with rice and moong dal. Usually we have this for breakfasts or evening dinners.

Cooking Time 45 min
Serves 2-3 Persons

Sorakaya Pulusu | Bottlegourd in Tamarind Gravy

Sorakaya / Bottlegourd / Lauki Pulusu is a delicious tamarind based gravy. I prepare this pulusu which tastes little sweet and tangy. Sorakayi pulusu is a nice combination with mudda pappu (thick dal) which comes under a traditional andhra meal usually done during festivals or any pujas.

Cooking Time 30 min
Serves 2 - 3 Persons

Ingredients:

Sorakaya (chopped)	1 med
Onion (chopped)	1 Big
Green Chillies (chopped)	3
Tamarind	1 lemon sized
Red chilli pwd	1 Tsp
Turmeric	⅛ Tsp
Jaggery (Shredded)	½ Tsp
Coriander leaves	For Garnishing
Salt	To Taste

For Seasoning:

Dried Red chillies	2
Garlic (minced)	1 Clove
Urad dal	½ Tsp
Cumin seeds (Jeera)	½  Tsp
Mustard seeds	1 Tsp
Curry Leaves	Few
Oil	2 Tbsp

Process:

• Heat oil in a pan, add red chillies, urad dal, cumin, mustard seeds and curry leaves.
• Now add chopped onions & green chillies and fry them until golden brown color.
• Add the chopped sorakaya pieces, turmeric, red chilli pwd & salt. Cover the pan and cook for 5 min under medium flame.
• Add the juice extracted from tamarind plus some water. Cover and cook until the pieces are soft.
• Add sugar & turn off the heat.
• Serve hot with rice and mudda pappu. (mudda pappu is a great combination)

Sri Rama Navami Special ....

Sri Rama Navami is the celebration of the Birthday of Sri Rama, the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu, who was born for the destruction of the demon king Ravana and years later on the same day Rama married Sita. Sri Rama Navami falls on the ninth day of the Hindu month of Chaitra (Chaitra Masa Suklapaksha Navami).

For the occasion, Hindus are supposed to fast, or restrict themselves to a specific diet. Temples are decorated and readings of the Ramayana take place. Along with Sri Rama, people also worship Sita, Rama's wife; Lakshman, Rama's brother; and Hanuman, an ardent devotee of Ram and the leader of Rama's army in battle.

Hindus normally perform Kalyanotsavam (marriage celebration) with small murtis of Rama and Sita in their houses & in temples by temple priests, and at the end of the day the deity is taken to a procession on the streets. 'Sree Sitarama Kalyana Mahotsav' (wedding) performed in the temple of Bhadrachalam, in Andhra Pradesh is very famous. This day also marks the end of the nine-day utsavam called Chaitra Navaratri or Vasanthothsava (festival of Spring), which starts with Ugadi.

The special dish prepared for this festival is called Panakam, a mixture of new jaggery, cardamom, black pepper powder and water. On this occasion, we prepare panakam & chalimidi vadapappu as naivedyam.

Preparation of Panakam:


Ingredients:

Water	2-3 Cups
Ginger (grated)	1 Tsp
Jaggery (grated)	2-3 Tbsp
Peppercorns (crushed)	1/2 Tsp
Elachi (Cardamon pwd)	1/4 Tsp

Process:

• Mix the grated jaggery & ginger in water. Keep it 1/2 an hour for dissolving.
• Filter the water and add cardamom pwd, crushed peppercorns and mix well. Serve it at room temperature.

Ugadi Subhakankshalu !!!

శ్రీ నందన నామ ఉగాది శుభాకాంక్షలు !!!

Ugadi is celebrated in the Southern states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh and in the South-Western state of Maharashtra as Gudi Padwa.

Ugadi marks the beginning of the Telugu New Year. It also brings happiness with the onset of Vasanth Ruthu (Spring). Ugadi name has been changed from Yugaaadi means the aadi(beginning) of new(Kali)Yuga.

According to Hindu myths, Lord Brahma created the earth and set days, nights, dates, weeks, fortnights, months, seasons, and years to count the time. Ugadi marks the beginning of a new Hindu lunar calendar with a change in the moon's orbit. Yugadi falls on Chaitra Shudhdha Paadyami or the first day of the bright half of the Hindu month of Chaitra. It is a day when mantras are chanted and predictions made for the new year.

The Telugu people celebrate the festival by performing the puja and savouring the Ugadi pachadi, a specific mixture of - Neem Buds/Flowers for bitterness, Raw Mango for tang, Tamarind Juice for sourness, Chilli powder for heat, Jaggery for sweetness, Pinch of Salt for saltiness. This mixture with all six tastes or shadaruchulu, called "Ugadi Pachadi" which symbolizes the fact that life is a mixture of different experiences (sadness, happiness, anger, fear, disgust, surprise), which should be accepted together and with equanimity. A delicious lunch comprising of Garellu, Mamidikaya Pulihora, Bobbatlu, Payasam(Kheer), Mamidikaya Pappu etc. follows.

How to prepare Ugadi Pachadi:
Cooking Time 20 min
Serves 2 - 3 Persons

Ingredients:

Raw mango pieces	1/2 cup
Neem flowers	1 tsp
Jaggery (grated)	1/2 - 1 tbsp
Tamarind Juice	1 cup
Banana pieces	1/2
Red chilli pwd	As Needed
Salt	To Taste

Photo: Ugadi Pachadi, Mamidikaya Pulihora, Semiya Payasam, Coconut, Bananas, Sugarcane

Process:

• Mix all the ingredients in a bowl to make the Ugadi pachadi.

Note:  Soak 1 lemon sized Tamarind in 1 cup water to prepare tamarind juice.

Chakra Pongali | Sweet Pongal

Happy Sankrathi/Pongal to all my readers, friends and family !!!

Chakra Pongali  is a traditional sweet from south india made especially for the festivals and pujas. Sweet Pongal is prepared from rice, moong dal , jaggery and garnished with cashews and raisins which is very delicious and simple to prepare.

Cooking Time 45 - 60 min
Serves 3 - 4 Persons

Dry Fruits and Nuts Laddoo | Dry Fruits and Nuts Laddu

Dry Fruits and Nuts laddoo | Dry Fruits and Nuts laddu is very healthy for woman after delivery. Laddoo is prepared with urad dal, almonds, walnuts, cashews, raisins and anjeer. Have this laddoo a day in the morning with a glass of milk. Its also very healthy and good for children.

Wishing all my readers, my family and my friends : 

A Very Happy & Prosperous Diwali !!!!!!!

Cooking Time 1½ hour

Makes 25 - 30 Count

Ravva Kesari | Sooji Ka Halwa

Krishnashtami is a Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Lord Sri Krishna.  Krishnashtami is also known as Janmashtami, Gokulashtami, Srikrishna Jayanti or Ashtami Rohini. His birth occurred on the Ashtami tithi (eighth day) in the krishna paksha during the Sravana month (August - September). This year(2011) the festival will be celebrated on 22nd August in North India and on 21st August in South Indian states.

Celebrating Krishnashtami with this special prasadam : Ravva Keasari Ravva Keasari is a easiest sweet and its my all-time favorite. Its a popular sweet in india made in different versions.  Some make with milk and some people make with water. Mine is the second version. Many times this sweet is offered as prasadam in the temples.