Andhra Gongura Pacchadi | Gongura Pacchadi with Red Chillies | Gongura Chutney Recipe

Gongura is one of my favorite greens and can be used to prepare various recipes like Gongura Pappu, Gongura Pulihora, Talimpu Gongura, Gongura Pulusu Kura, Gongura Pacchadi, Gongura Pickle, etc. We prepare gongura pacchadi in several ways. Gongura pacchadi can be prepared in a pickle style - Gongura Pickle which can be stored upto an year or it can be prepared like the usual other pacchadis which can be mixed with rice.
Gongura Pacchadi can be prepared using red chillies or green chillies and will post the green chilli version sometime soon.Today I am posting a version of Gongura Pacchadi using red chillies, I will post the other version with green chillies some time soon.This pacchadi is to be mixed with hot steamed rice, lots of ghee and chopped raw onions, the taste is simply superb.This pacchadi can be stored upto 10 days in refrigerator.

Check out other pacchadi recipes in my blog here:

• Beerakaya Pottu Pacchadi/Ridgegourd Peel Chutney
• Dosakaya(Andhra Cucumber) Pacchadi
• Chintakaya Pandumirapakaya Pacchadi | Tamarind Redchili Chutney 
• Kobbari(Coconut) Pacchadi for Rice
• Mamidikayi-Kobbari Pacchadi/Mango-Coconut Pacchadi
• Nalleru Pacchadi | Pirandai(Adamant Creeper) Thuvaiyal
• Nellikai Pacchadi | Usirikaya Pacchadi with Red Chillies
• Radish leaves(Mullangi akula) Pacchadi

Gongura Pacchadi Recipe using Red Chillies:
serves 4-5

Prep time: 10 mins | Cooking time: 20 mins | Total time: 30 mins + drying time

Cuisine: Andhra | Category: Pacchadi/Thogayal

Ingredients:

1 bunch Red Sorrel leaves/Gongura

4-5 Red chillies

1 tsp Fenugreek seeds

1 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
1/4 tsp Asafoetida

6-8 Garlic cloves,crushed

Salt to taste

1 tbsp Oil

to temper:

2 tbsp Oil

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

4-5 Garlic cloves

5-6 Curry leaves

1 Red chili,optional

1 Onion, roughly chopped to serve

Method:

• Separate the leaves from the stems and wash the leaves nicely and let the leaves sit in a colander until the water drains off completely.Spread on the kitchen towel and leave it for a day in shade so that the leaves dry a bit.

• Dry roast mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and red chillies separately.Add asafoetida(I used the rock variety) at the end to the hot pan and remove them and let them cool.
• In the same pan add a tbsp of oil and add garlic pods and the dried gongura leaves and fry until the leaves becomes soft.

• Grind the roasted methi-mustard-red chillies and asafoetida mixture to a fine powder and then add the gongura leaves mixture and grind in whipper mode to a coarse paste.Remove the chutney to a bowl.

• Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan for tempering and crackle mustard seeds.Add garlic cloves, red chili and curry leaves and fry until the garlic cloves turn slightly golden brown and add the tempering to the chutney.
• You can mix finely chopped raw onions in the chutney or you can serve separately.

Mix the Chutney with piping hot steamed rice, ghee and raw onions.

Notes:

1. I used a rock variety asafoetida which gives a nice flavor to the chutney.If you do not have use regular asafoetida.
2. This pacchadi can be stored upto ten days in refrigerator if onion is not mixed in the chutney.
3. If we dry the leaves in shade we can store the chutney for long.Also the leaves does not need to be dried completely,it just needs to be dried a bit until the leaves wilt and looses its moisture.

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Corn Vada | Mokkajonna Vadalu | Mokkajonna Garelu

Corn vada (Mokkajonna Vadalu) is a popular snack item in Andhra pradesh, it is even served as a breakfast at few households.I have heard about these vadas from my MIL and she also shared me the recipe once to try.But I somehow kept forgetting to try it and when I got a couple of fresh corns during my shopping last time I wanted to try it and the vadas turned out delicious.One should use aged corns instead or tender and young corns as the tender corns turn to a paste when ground and hence it cannot add texture to the vada.

A slight hint of sweetness from the corn with the freshness from the herbs and crunchy onion bits made the vadas taste delicious.The preparation process of these vadas is very much similar as the masala vadas but is made with major portion of corn.I have used chana dal as a binding agent but one can use even the besan flour and rice flour for the binding.I have prepared it like masala vada but one can even make these vadas with the hole like how we do for medu vada.These vadas are very tasty,try these vadas for the coming Sankranti festival.

Check out few vada recipes in my blog:

• Alasandula(Lobia) Vada, Masala Vada/Chana dal Vada
• Mixed Dal Ambode(Vada), Medu Wada/Garelu
• Maddur Vada
• Mosaru Ambode/Dahi Dal Vada, Perugu Aavdalu | Mosaru Vade

Corn Vada | Mokkajonna Vadalu Recipe:

Yields:12-15 Vadas | Author: Prathibha Garre

Prep time:10 mins | Cooking time:20 mins | Total time:30 mins

Cuisine:Andhra | Category:Snacks

Ingredients:

1 big Corn or 2 cups Corn Kernels

1/3 cup Chana dal 

1 Onion,finely chopped

3-4 Green Chillies

3/4" Ginger,chopped

2-3 tbsp Coriander leaves.chopped

2 tbsp Mint leaves, chopped

a sprig of Curry leaves,roughly torn

Salt to taste

Method:

• Soak Chana dal for an hour and keep it ready.
• Cut the corn from the edges using a sharp knife as shown in the picture or you can even remove the corn kernels carefeully but it is time consuming.Reserve 1/4 cup cut corn or kernels.

• Grind soaked chana dal, green chillies,salt and ginger once until it is mixed.Do not grind for long.

• Now add cut corn(reserve 1/4 cup corn for later use) and grind to a very coarse paste.
• Keep it in the refrigerator for half an hour.
• Heat oil in a deep kadai over medium flame.

• Add finely chopped onions, coriander leaves, mint leaves, curry leaves, reserved corn kernels and mix well.
• Grease a milk cover(or zip lock cover) and keep it ready.Also keep a bowl of water handy to dip in your fingers in between.

• Dip your fingers in water and take a small lemon sized ball of the mixture and pat it on the greased cover and slowly remove the patty(vada) from the paper and drop into the oil carefully.Repeat the process and fry 3-4 vadas at a time.You can even put a hole in the vada like how we do for medu wada.

• Deep fry those vadas over medium flame until they turn golden brown and drain them on the kitchen napkin.

Serve them hot with Nimmakaya Karam or Allam Avakay.

Notes:

1. You can add besan flour and rice flour instead of chana dal in the recipe.In that case add the flours to the corn mixture along with onions, just before frying.
2. Add onions just before frying as it will leave water and make the batter thin.If the batter becomes thin add a tbsp of rice flour to the batter and mix well.
3. You can add 1 tsp cumin seeds or saunf while grinding the vadas for extra flavor.
4. You can avoid adding onions during festivals,still it tastes good.
5. Do not use very tender corn for making vadas , slightly matured corns are better for vadas.The tender corns turns to a paste and does not add texture to the vada, hence it is not prefered.
6. If you do not find them you can use frozen corn/sweet corn for making them.Increase the quantity of green chillies if you are using sweet corn.

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Pineapple Kesari | Pineapple Sheera Recipe | Pineapple Kesaribath Recipe

Happy New Year to all my friends, family and the readers of my blog!!
I would like to start the new year with a sweet post in my blog and hence sharing a simple and delicious Pineapple Kesari recipe to start the new year on a sweet note.
In south India,Pineapple Kesaribath is one of the most commonly served sweet for breakfast in many of the occasions like marriage of family functions.Apart from Pineapple Kesaribath , Kasi halwa is again a popular sweet which is served during breakfast. Also the liberal usage of ghee and vanaspati gives the kesari a melt in mouth texture but one can alter the amount when prepared at home for a healthy variation.

I am not a fan of Kesaribath but I love the taste of Pineapple Kesari as the fruit adds a nice and unique flavor to the kesari.  If you like to experiment more fruit flavours for Sheera you can try Mango Sheera, Chikoo Sheera, Apple Sheera or mixed fruit(apple, pineapple,grapes).All of the above varieties tastes great in its own way but for me I would say that the Pineapple sheera is best among all.Next time if you have guests over do give this halwa a try.I am sure your guests would love it.

Check out few easy halwa/kesari recipes here.

• Carrot Halwa | Gajar ka Halwa
• Carrot-Beetroot Halwa using Condensed milk
• Kasi halwa
• Lauki(Bottlegourd) Halwa
• Mango Sheera | Mango Sooji Halwa 
• Semiya Kesari 

Pineapple Kesaribath | Pineapple Sheera Recipe:

Serves 2-3

Prep time: 5 mins | Cooking time: 25 mins | Total time: 30 mins

Cuisine: Indian | Category: Sweets/Desserts

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Sooji/Rawa

1/2 cup + 2tbsp Sugar

1/2 cup fresh Pineapple pieces,chopped

1/4 cup Ghee

1 1/2 cups + 1/2 cup Water 

2 tbsp Raisins

8-10 Cashew nut, halves

12-15 Saffron strands

1 tbsp Milk

1/4 tsp Cardamom powder, optional

Method:

• Heat 3 tbsp ghee in a kadai and fry cashewnut halves until slight brown in color and remove with a slotted soon.Add raisins and fry until they become plumpy and remove them to the plate.

• Meanwhile boil Pineapple pieces in 1/2 cup of water until it is completely cooked and the water is almost evaporated.It takes 8-10 mins.Add sugar to it and cook until the sugar melts.Do not cook for long.

• Soak saffron in a tbsp of warm milk.Rub saffron through your fingers before adding which enhances the color of saffron.
• In the same ghee as the dry fruits roasted add sooji and roast on medium flame until you get nice fragrance by stirring it constantly.

• Boil 1 1/2 cups of water in a vessel and keep it ready.
• Add boiling water to the roasted sooji mixture and keep stirring continuously while adding the water and cook it for 4-5 mins until the sooji is cooked.

• Add cooked pineapple and soaked saffron to the cooked sooji mixture and stir it nicely and cook it for 5 mins.

• Add fried cashewnuts, raisins, cardamom powder and 1 tbsp of ghee and mix it nicely.

Serve it hot/warm or at room temperature

Notes:

1. You can reduce ghee to 2 tbsp but the texture of halwa is soft if the mentioned quantity is added.
2. I usually cook pineapple first along with sugar which makes the pineapple pieces sweet and enhances the taste of the halwa.
3. You can add pineapple essence if you are preparing it in large quantity.For small quantity it is not needed.
4. You can use even the tinned pineapple pieces, in that case you don't need to boil the pineapple.Add pineapple pieces and sugar after sooji is being cooked.You can even use the syrup of the pineapple and needs to adjust the sugar quantity based on that.
5. I do not use food colors and hence added good quality saffron which gives a nice natural yellow color to the halwa. If you want you can add a pinch of yellow color.
6. You can use other variety of mixed fruits like apple,pineapple and grapes and follow the same process for Fruit Halwa.
7. Halwa tends to become thick once it cools down.Microwave it before serving for softer version. If you want a loose textured halwa for longer time you can add 2 tbsp odourless oil or vanaspati along with ghee in the recipe which helps in retaining the soft texture of the halwa.
8. If you want the kesari more sweeter increase the amount of sugar to 3/4 cup, but for us it is rightly sweetened with this measurement.

Technorati Tags: pineapple kesaribath recipe ,pineapple sheera, pineapple kesari, fruit kesari, south indian style kesaribath, sweets recipes, easy sweets recipes