JFI For Chillies

August is the Hottest month in JFI food event, the theme being Chillies. This month JFI for Chillies is hosted by Nandita of Saffron Trail.

Hai... Hai .. Mirchi Ooo.. Ooo... Mirchi. Wow its really hot..Wonder Why??? Though the hottest vegetable. Its favorite of many spice and hot lovers. There is something that makes is so tasty and wonderful. This reminds me of variety of mirchi recipe: Red Mirchi pickle, Perugu Mirchi Vadiyum, Mirchi Bajji, Mirchi Ka Salan. This list goes on and on...Would love to know more recipes. Thanks to JFI for making this a Chillies month.

Here are my recipe contribution to the JFI for Chillies.

Mirchi Bajji Long Chiilies or Jalopenos stuffed with tangy stuffing dipped in flour dough and deep fired in oil. Makes a delicious snack.



Mirchi Ka Saalan Authentic Hyderabadi Curry made with whole large green chillies in tangy gravy served with Biryani, Pulao, Rice Or Roti.

Bell Pepper, Capsicum

Food For Thought!!!



Did you know this about Bell Peppers:

Bell Peppers also know as Capsicum, is one of the good sources of Vitamin C and Vitamin A. It is found in different variety of colors: Red, Yellow & Green. The red bell peppers are high in Vitamin C & Vitamin A compared to yellow & green bell peppers. A half cup of serving of red bell peppers contain 95mg of Vitamin C than any fruit!!!

Mirchi Bajji

Fresh, fleshy, hot Chillies fried stuffed with tangy paste and fired in besan flour.



Mmmm Mirchi! Be it any season or any celebration in Hyderabad you see Mirchi Bajji is the common snack or appetizer to start with. It is the best snack for teatime. Hmm yum.... Though it is the hottest vegetable. It is still a favorite of many people. There is some thing about this that makes it so tasty.

Mirchi Bajji is a typical Andhra snack served with coconut chutney or tomato sauce. For 6 Mirchi Bajji we need 6 long Chillies or Jalapeno.

For the stuffing there are 3 types

1. Sesame Seeds & Tamarind Paste: Mix about 5 Tsp of slightly roasted sesame (till) seeds ground to powder with small lime size tamarind soaked in warm water and thick juice removed and salt.
2. Peanut & Tamarind Paste or Amchur Powder: Handful roasted powdered peanut and one small lime size tamarind juice or one tsp amchur powder and salt.
3. Potato & Lime or Lemon juice: one potato and lime juice and salt.

For flour batter: 3 cups besan or channa flour, 1 tsp vamu or ajwain or carrom seeds and jeera seeds, pinch of tumeric and salt.

Dhaniya (corinader) powder and jeera powder to spinkle.

Prepare the stuffing with any of the one variety and keep it as side. Slit Chillies length wise and remove the seeds if it is too hot. Stuff the chillies with the stuffing and keep in ready. Mix the flour, jeera, ajwain, salt and turmeric to a thick paste.

In a wide pan, add oil. When the oil is hot, dip the chiilies in the besan flour and put it in the oil and fry it. when it is half done remove it again cool it for a min and dip it again in the flour and fry it medium heat till golden brown. Sprinkle with some coriander/jeera powder. Serve it with tomato sauce or coconut chutney.

Note: Adjust the salt, tamarind or lime juice to taste. Sometimes the Chillies are hot, remove the seeds completely. Do not slit too long, the stuffed paste might come out of the chillies.

Mirchi Ka Salan!

Fresh, fleshy, long Chillies in a tangy tamarind, peanut & sesame sauce.



Mmmm Mirchi! When its winter in Hyderabad you see Mirchis in red and green colors in abundance. This brings to my mind different variteies of food made with mirchi. Mirchi Bajji, Mirchi ka Salan, Perruku Mirchi Vadiyam, Red Mirchi Pickle this list goes on...Hmm yum.... Though it is the hottest vegetable. It is still a favorite of many people. There is some thing about this that makes it so tasty.

Mirchi ka salan is a typical hyderabadi curry served with hyderabadi biryani. This a authentic recipe can be served and goes well with any Biryani, Vegetable Pulao and Roti.

It is made with 6 long Chillies or Jalapeno, half cup of roasted peanuts, about 3 tsp of sesame (till) seeds, half onion fried in oil, 3 inch size of fresh or dry coconut, small lime size tamarind soaked in warm water and juice removed, one tbs jaggery, one Tsp Ginger Garlic Paste, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1 Tsp Dhaniya (corinader) powder, 1/2 tsp of roasted methi/jeera powder. For Tadka/Popu: 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, jeera seeds, about 10 curry leaves, 1/2 cup oil.

Grind peanuts, sesame seeds, coconut, onion, ginger garlic to a fine paste. Slit Chillies length wise and remove the seeds if it is too hot.

In a wide pan, add oil. When the oil is warm, put the tadka/poppu. When it starts to spluter, carefully put the slit Chillies, and cover it with a lid. When the Chillies are half cooked, add the paste along with tamarind juice, turmeric, dhaniya (corinader) powder and salt . Let it boil for about 5 mins. Now add the methi jeera powder and boil it another 5 minutes. Add water if necessary while boiling. Cook it till the gravy is thick. Serve it with Biryani, Rice, Roti or Naan.

Note: Adjust the salt, tamarind juice to taste. Sometimes chillies might not be very hot you can add chilli powder but try to avoid it as much as you can. If the Chillies are hot, do not slit too long this might release too much heat into the gravy. It also gets shred while cooking if slit too long.

Rava Laddu

Laddu made from Rava, also know as Semolina or Sooji. This is a simple, easy and fast sweet recipe.



Ingredients needed are: Semolina (Rava/Sooji):2 cups, Grated coconut:1 cup, Ghee:3/4 cup, Sugar:2 cups, Milk:1/4 cup, Cashews(halved):20, Raisins:20 Cardamom (powdered finely):4

Begin to heat 3 tbsp of ghee in a nonstick pan. Fry cashews and raisins separately in ghee and keep them aside. Add rava and stir till the rava is light brown.Allow it to cool till in is warm to hold the mix. Mix Rava, dessicated coconut, sugar, cardamom and raisins. Make small balls by pouring ghee slowly.When the consistency is little loose, make balls off it.Place one cashew/raisin to each ball.The balls will become firm when kept for 15 min.Sprinkle milk over the mix when the balls break and only if needed.

Chandrakala Sweet

This is a milk based rich syrupy sweet. Made with a lot of kova, nuts & raisins.



Ingredients for this sweet are: 3 cups maida (all-purpose flour), 2 cups khova, 2 cups sugar, 10g raisins, 10g cashew nuts, 10 gms almonds, 10 gms pista, 6g cardamoms
1/2 stick butter, Oil for frying, Pinch of salt

Start to mix the flour with butter, salt, lukewarm water and make smooth dough. Knead it well for 5 minutes. The dough should be little tight, Just like poori dough. Keep aside for 15 minutes.
For the stuffing: Mix the khova, sugar powder, chopped nuts, rasinis and cardamom powder. Keep it aside.
Make the sugar syrup: Boil 2 cup sugar with 1 cups of water. The syrup should be thick consistent. To check this, remove with a spoon and it should form a string.
Now, Roll the dough to small circle pooris. Fill it with stuffing over it. Fold the edges using water into half (semicircle). Press gently in corners or roll the corners inwards to pack it. Make sure that the stuffing is compley packed so that it does not come out in the oil while frying.
Deep fry the stuffed pooris. Fry these until golden color in oil. Soak the fried pooris in the sugar syrup for 2 minutes. Remove them and serve them cold.

Palak/Spinach Pappu

Fresh leaves of spinach cooked with dal.



INGREDIENTS:
1 bunch of fresh spinach/palak leaves cleaned, chopped and washed.
1 cup toor dal.
6 green chillis medium size.
1/4 teaspoon turmeric.
small lime size of TAMARIND.

For Tadka/Poppu:
3 teaspoons oil.
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin/jeera
1 teaspoon urad dal
1/4 teaspoon methi seeds
4 red chillis
1/2 medium onion chopped
6 curry leaves
2 garlic pods minced OR a pinch of hing

DIRECTIONS TO COOK:
* Cook dal and fresh spinach/palak leaves, green chillis medium size, teaspoon turmeric in a pressure cooker or put it to boil.

* Wait till dal cools down. In a warm water soak some tamarind.

*Untill then in a kadai or pan prepare for the tadaka/poppu.

*Add the poppu/tadka and tamarind juice to dal and simmer it for to a boil.

*Serve with hot rice or roti.

Dahi Vada

Methu vada made with Urad Dal soaked in thick yogurt with seasoning.



We would need 1 cup Urad dal, 1/2 tsp mustard & jeera, 2 whole red chillis, 1 green chills chopped, 4 curry leaves, 1/4 tsp minced ginger, pinch of red chilli powder, cumin & coriander pwd, Asafodita (hing),2 Tbs of Cilantro/Coriander leaves to garnish. 3 cups of yogurt. Oil to fry. Salt to taste.

Soak the urad dal in water for 5 hrs or overnight. Wash & drain the water. Grind it to a thick paste with some salt. In a pan heat the oil. When the oil is warm,on a wet cloth place little dough and make round balls with a hole in the center. Put it in the oil and fry till golden brown.

In a blender, blend the yogurt to a thick consistency. Add water if necessary. Soak the Fried vada for an hour.

In a small pan, put 3 tsp of oil and put the mustard & jeera, whole red chillis. When it splutters add chopped green chills, curry leaves, minced ginger, Asafodita (hing). Add this to the soaked vada in yogurt. Garnish with cilantro & sprinkle it witha pinch of red chilli, cumin & coriander powder. Serve it cold.

Methu Vada

Crisp Savory Vada made with Urad Dal.



We would need 1 cup Urad dal, Salt to taste. We can make three varieties of vada. 1)Plain vada with salt. 2) With Onion & Green Chillis. For this we need 1/2 Onion finely chopped. 2 green chills chopped, 1/4 tsp minced ginger, 2 Tbs of Cilantro/Coriander leaves.3) Plain vada with salt and pepper. For this you will need 1 tsp of peppercorns. Oil to fry vada.

Soak the urad dal in water for 5 hrs or overnight. Wash & drain the water. Grind it to a thick paste with some salt. If you are making it with pepper add peppercorns just before you want to remove it and grind it once. If you are making with onion & chillis. After you grind the dal. Add the dough to the chopped onion, green chillis, ginger, cilantro & coriander and mix it well.

In a pan heat the oil. When the oil is warm,on a wet cloth place little dough and make round balls with a hole in the center. Put it in the oil and fry till golden brown. Serve hot vada with coconut chutney or ginger chutney or Sambar.

Karela Fry - Bitter Gourd

Bitter.... Hmm. Some wonder how can a vegetable that is bitter be so delicious to eat.
Yep. It is yum...



Bittergourd is commonly know as karela in India or kakar kayya in Telugu. It just reminds me of my childhood. My mom used to force me to eat it and I secretly use to trash it. I did not realize the importance of this bitter vegetable and relish it during my childhood. Now it is one of my favorite recipes and a favorite curry at my home.

Bitter gourd is good for diabetic people. Bitter gourd has 'plantinsulin' a natural hypoglycaemic or insulin, that is simple to human insulin, which has been found valuable in lowering the blood and urine sugar levels.



Now here is a simple and easy recipe that I created it on my own. Take about 5 to 6 bitter gourd. Peel the skin of the karela. Slit the ends little one side in one directions and opposite side the other direction. Wash it and drain the water. Take some water, add some butter milk or yougurt and salt. Boil the karels in this water till it is cooked. Drain the water and remove eacess water by slightly pressing it. keep it asside. In a bowl add about 1 Tbs of ginger garlic paste, red chilli powder and salt, 1 tsp of amchur powder and garam masala powder. Adjust the chillis pwd, salt, garam masala and amchur pwd according to your taste. Mix it well and add the karelas to this and rub the seasoning onto and into the karelas. Now you have a option to bake it of fry it in oil. For baking just spray some oil and bake it at 350 for 15 mins or till it cooked, golden brown and cripy. Now to fry it. Add some oil in a wide pan till it forms a crust and is golden brown.
Serve it with rice and dal.

Thuti Akku kura Curry

This is one of my favorite leafy vegetable. I was excited and surprised to see it in the Chinese store. It is used in most eastern and southern Asian cuisines. Typically it has a Long hollow stems, long broad leaf. It is grown in water. It is also know as water spinach, in Chinese On Choy, Ong Choy and in Telugu (India) Thuti Akkukura.



This is a very simple and easy to cook. Separate the leaves and tender stems from the stems. Wash the leaves and drain the water. Chop the leaves.
Ingredients to cook: One onion finely chopped, 6 Tbs oil, about 8 red chillis, 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, cumin/jeera seeds/ urad dal. 1/4 tsp turmeric, Salt to taste. Optional to add some whole garlic pods.
In a wide pan add the oil, when it is warm add the seasoning. When it splutters, add the chopped onions and garlic and turmeric.Fry till it is golden brown in color. Now add the chopped leaves. Add a little salt, Mix it well. Close the lid for couple of minutes. The leaves get cooked and reduce it to half of the quantity. When the leaves are completely cook and if there is some water left, remove the lid and keep it open. Adjust the taste. Let it fry for sometime. Serve with rice or roti.

Roohafza Lime Juice

Summer Time!! Juice Time!!!



Roohafza is one of my favorite drink. During summer, Mom used to often make this drink for us in our childhood. Roohafza is a blend of citrus fruits, rose petal and herbal cooling ingredients in sugar syrup. This is made following the Unani medicine princples. It is also called the rose syrup. This can be used over toping for ice cream, over dessert or can be added to plain cold water as a natural herbal cool drink. This is a common and famous drink in Hyderabad.



Take a glass, add about 1/4 cup of roohafza syrup, To this squeeze half lime/lemon juice and add water. Stir it till the syrup dissolves in water. Adjust the sugar and lime level. If you need some more sugar syrup you can add it. Now it is ready to drink.

Note: You can substitute sugar with this "Roohafza" flavored rose sugar syrup to any drink.

Salad- Tomato, Cucumber, Onion

Ingredients:
1 finely chopped Tomato
1 finely chopped Cucumber
1/2 finely chopped Onion
1 table spoon finely chopped Coriander to granish
salt to taste
sprinkle some pepper

Preparation:
Mix all the above chopped vegetable ingredients in a blow. Sprinkle some salt and pepper and garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve it as a salad.

Beans Curry with Coconut

This is one of the easiest vegetable to cook. For a pound of fresh beans we need one medium onion finely chopped, for tadka/poppu: 5 tsp oil, half tsp of mustard seeds, jeera (cumin) seeds, 8 curry leaves, a pinch of turmeric and hing or asafoetida, 1/4 tsp methi seeds (optional), for garnish: 2 inch fresh coconut of 1 Tbs dry grated coconut and chopped cilantro/coriander leaves. Salt to taste.



Wash and finely chop the beans. In a wide pan, put some oil, when it is warm put the tadka. When it starts to splutter add onions, curry leaves, turmeric and salt and hing fry till golden brown. Now add the cut beans, mix it well and cover it with lid and cook in medium flame for 15 mins. When the beans are cooked add the grated coconut and fry it for some time. Garnish it with coriander and serve it with Rice or Chapathi.
Note: If you want it a little spicy and hot, you can add a small piece of grated ginger and few green chillies. If using fresh coconut, coarse grind ginger and green chillies along with fresh coconut.

Sprouts - Moth Dal

This is the Indian Moth Dal Or Brown Pessarulu. This is high in protin and folic acid contant and is very nutritious.

Ingredients:

1 Cup moth dal. Soak the dal in water over night. In the morning, Drain the water and tie the sprouts in a cloth. Put the tied sprouts on a strainer and sprinkle some water and keep it moist and wet. Leave it for 3 days till it sprouts. Then remove it in a dish and cook it.

To Cook:

1/2 tea spoon mustard seeds.
1/2 tea spoon Jeera / Cumin.
1/2 tea spoon udath dal.
2 red chillis
5 curry leaves.
1 tea spoon oil.
Salt to taste

Method
* In a pan put one tea spoon oil.
* When it is warm put all the above popu/tadka ingredients. Little it splutter. then Add the sprouted moth dal to it. and mix it.
* Cover it with lid for some time. Till it is just cooked. For about 5 mins.
* Fry it for a couple more minutes and remove it from flame. Garnish it with some chopped coriander/cilantro.
* Serve it hot as a snack or as a side dish or salad.

Fish Pulusu

Fish cooked in tamarind juice and spices. Authentic Andhra fish /Chappala pulusu.

We can prepare this dish with the following types of fish: Tilapia, Milk fish, Cat Fish, Makarel, Bass.

Ingredients:

1 fish descaled, cut into 6 pieces & cleaned.

1 medium onion

1 medium tomato

1 Table spoon Ginger Garlic Paste

2 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 tsp turmeric

1 table spoon roasted methi(Fenugreek) & jeera (Cumin) powder

lemon size tamarind soaked in warm water

10 leaves of curry leaves

Salt to taste.

Coriander/Cilantro leaves to garnish.

For Tadka/ Poppu:

1/4 cup oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon jeera/cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoon methi/fenugreek seeds

Direction:

* Take a wide pan to cook this fish. Put oil in the pan. when it gets warm put the Tadka/ Poppu with mustard seeds, jeera/cumin seeds, methi/fenugreek seeds.

* Cut half the onion and chop it finely. and the other half coarse grind it. Put this to the above oil add curry leaves and fry it till it is golden brown.

* To this add turmeric, chili powder, ginger garlic paste, salt. fry it for a minute. then add the chopped tomatoes. Put the lid and let it cook for sometime till it becomes soft. Don't add any water. Mix it for sometime.

* Then place the fish piece and cover it with the above paste over each piece. Pu the lid and let it cook for some time till it looses all the fish water.

*Then remove the juice from the soaked tamarind and add it in the fish.

* Check for the taste. Adjust chili powder & salt , tamarind according to your taste.

* Roast some methi & jeera seeds. and powder it.

* When it boils enough add one spoon of the roasted jeera & methi powder.

* Garnish with cilantro leaves.

* Serve with hot rice or chapathi.

Bambino Samiya Upma

Bambino samiya simple and fast and easy.



Bambino Samiya Upma:
Preparation time: 15mins
Cooking time: 15 min

INGREDIENTS:
2 Cups Samiya
3 cups Water
1/2 Onion
Mince a small piece of ginger
Some chopped cilantro/coriander leaves

For Poppu/Tadka:
5 tsp oil
4 Red Chillies
3 green chillis Slit in the center
6 Curry Leaves
1tps mustard seed
1/2 tps cumin seeds
1/2 tps urad dal
Salt to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1)Heat a pan and add 3tsp oil. Add the samiya and fry it till it is golden brown. keep it aside.

2) Chop onions & ginger, slit green chilies and keep it aside alog with the tadka/poppu ingredients. In a vessel boil some water along with salt and keep it aside.

3) In a pan, Put some oil and add the poppu ingredients. Let it sputter and now add onion, curry leaves, ginger, gree chilies. Fry till golden brown.

4) Add the fried Samiya to the pan and mix it well and then add the bolied salt water to it. Cover it with lid and Let it cook for 5 mins.

5) Garnish with cilanteo/coriander leaves. Its ready to serve with some pickle/chutney.

Beerakaya Curry with Milk

Beerakaya (Ridge Gourd) cooked with milk.



BEERAKAYA KORA:
Preparation time: 15mins
Cooking time: 15 min

INGREDIENTS:
3 to 4 fresh beerakaya
some chopped cilantro/coriander leaves
1 cup milk
For Poppu/Tadka:
6 Red Chillies
6 Curry Leaves
1tps mustard seed
1/2 tps cumin seeds
1/2 tps urad dal
Pinch of Turmeric
Salt to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1)Wash and Peel the beerakaya. Chop the beerakaya into cubes.

2)Chop onions. Keep the ingredients aside.

3)In a pan, put popu with the above ingredients. Red Chillies, mustard seed, cumin seeds, urad dal. Let it splutter for a sec. then add onions and curry leaves, let it fry till they are golden brown. Then add, pinch of turmeric and salt to taste. Mix it well. Add the chopped beerakaya and mix it well. Add the milk.

4)Then cover it for a few mins. Then cook it with out the lid for some time.

5)Garnish with some chopped cilantro/coriander leaves. It’s ready to serve with warm rice or roti. It’s mild spicy and yummy.

Karam Roti

Crispy & Spicy Snack Rotis.



This is a tea time snack or can be made for breakfast. This is also one of my favorite recipes from my Grandmother. It’s very easy and fast to prepare.

Cooking Time:30 mins
Preparation Time: 15 mins

INGREDIENTS:
Besan or Chana Dal Powder: 1 Cup
Idli Rava: ½ Cup
Onion: ½ finely chopped
Green Chilies: 3 finely chopped
Cilantro/Coriander leaves: 4 stems finely chopped
Ginger Garlic Paste: ½ tsp each
Cumin Seeds: ½ tsp
Red chill pwd: 1 tsp
Turmeric pwd: ½ tsp
Salt to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1) In a bowl, add all the ingredients Besan or Chana Dal Pwd, Idli Rava, Onion, Green Chilies, Coriander leaves, Ginger Garlic Paste, Cumin Seeds, Red chill pwd, Turmeric pwd & salt.

2) Make a batter. Add some water and mix it well. Keep it aside and let it soak for a few mins.

3) Heat a pan or tava. Grease it with a little oil.

4) When the tava or pan is hot enough pour the batter and spread it.

5) When it gets a little brow flip it just put a little oil and fry it on the other side. Cut it into 4 pieces so that it gets cooked inside and is crispy.

6) Serve it hot and with some chutney.

Beerakaya Thoku Pachadi

Spicy pachadi/chutney made with fresh beerakaya (Ridge Gourd) Peel(Skin). This is my grandma's recipe. This is prepared only*** with the fresh beerakaya Peel (skin). The skin of beeraya has a nutritionus value.





Cooking time: 15 Mins
Preparation time:15 Mins

INGREDIENTS:

Fresh Beerakaya: 3 long medium size
Red Chillies:6-8
Dhaniya/Corriander Seeds: 1 Tbsp
Tamarind: small lemon size
Garlic: 2 small pods

For Poopu/Tadka:
oil 3 tsp
redchiilis 3
mustard seeds 1tsp
urad dal 1tsp
karveypakku (curry leaves) 4-5
hing a pinch

DIRECTIONS:

1.Wash and Clean the beerakaya (Ridge Gourd).Peel the skin and keep it aside.

2. In a pan/kadai add abt 4tsps of oil. When the oil gets warm fry the red chills and keep it aside. Then add the beerakaya peel and fry it till its gets cooked.

3. Let it cool down for sometime. Soak some tamrind and keep it aside.

4. Grind the redchiils, dhaniya seeds & garlic. Then add the cooked beerakaya peel, soaked tamarind & salt to this powder and grind it and makes a paste.

5. In a pan, put some poopu/tadka with some oil, redchiilis, mustard seeds, urad dal, karveypakku (curry leaves), hing. Then add this paste to it and just fry it for 5 mins or till it is mixed well.

6. Its ready to serve with warm rice or rotis. It's spicy, tangy and tasty.