V8 TOMATO CHARU

                                             This is a simple charu/rasam made instantly in less than 15mins, using the V8 vegetable juice. Making tomato charu with regular boiled tomatoes is a lengthy process and consumes nearly an hour in preparation and cooking but this rasam is quick and easy for hungry and busy couples. Taste this and you will be not able to make out a difference between a regular tomato charu or this charu.

INGREDIENTS:

V8 Vegetable Juice---------------------1 can(5.5oz/163ml)
Water--------------------------------------2 cups
Onion--------------------------------------1/2 medium one chopped
Jalapeños----------------------------------3 sliced
Tamarind extract-------------------------1/2 tsp
Garlic--------------------------------------2 cloves crushed and chopped
Cumin,Mustard seeds-------------------1/2 tsp each
Curry leaves,Coriander leaves--------as required
Pepper powder---------------------------1/4tsp
Red chillies-------------------------------2
Turmeric----------------------------------a pinch
Oil------------------------------------------2tbsp

DIRECTIONS:

1.Pour a can of V8 Juice, 2cups water, Salt ,1/2 tsp tamarind extract and mix well. Adjust the salt or tamarind extract according to your taste. 

2.Heat oil in a sauce pan and add garlic. Once garlic is lightly fried temper it with mustard seeds, cumin seeds ,red chillies and curry leaves.

3.Add turmeric powder, chopped Onions, sliced Jalapeños,pepper powder  and a very little bit of salt and fry for about 4-6mins till onions are soft and done.

4. Add V8 juice-Water prepared in step1 to cooked onions and bring the whole thing to a boil on med-low flame for about 10-12mins.

5. Add cilantro, turn of the heat and and serve hot with rice. 

OKRA/BENDAKAYA KARAM PETTINA KURA

This is a very regular curry I make with Okra besides the Okra Fry with green chillies. This gives a little bit of Red chilli-Garlic flavor to the Okra. Back home ,this Red Chilli-Garlic-cumin-salt combination when roasted and ground coarsely gives a very unique flavor that can be eaten as it is with hot steaming rice and melted ghee. Another great combination is adding peanuts to above powder combination to make authentic "Palli Podi", which is an other Andhra delicacy.


INGREDIENTS:

Bendakaya/Okra----------25-30 fresh
Onion-----------------------1/2 finely chopped
Oil---------------------------3 tbsp
Cumin+Mustard-----------1/2tsp each
Curry leaves----------------few

Dry Roast and Grind coarsely:

Channa Dal----------------3 tbsp
Urad Dal-------------------3 tbsp
Cumin seeds---------------1tsp
Coriander seeds-----------3 tbsp
Red Chillies---------------20-25 dried ones( for spice lovers)
Garlic-----------------------3 

DIRECTIONS:

1.Wash the Okra and let it dry throughly before cutting into 1/2" pieces.

2. Take a wide bottomed vessel.Fry cumin,mustard seeds,curry leaves in oil and then add onions,1/4tsp turmeric. 

3.Fry till onions cooked soft and add the okra, and fry on med-high heat for 10-12mins and add salt.

4.Fry for 3-5 more mins until 3/4th cooked and then add the coarsely ground powder and mix.

5.Let it cook with lid closed and flame reduced to med-low for 8-10 more mins until okra is completely cooked and soft.

JEERA RICE

                    One of the simplest flavorful rice recipes that can be made in minutes ,without much effort on a relaxed weekend or a big gathering. It can go along with most of the homemade Curries or Sambar or Rasam or anything that pleases you. Can be made in a regular rice cooker or over stove. But i prefer cooking it in a rice cooker as its a fool-proof method to get nice soft rice without having to worry about boiling or burning. 



INGREDIENTS:

Rice--------------------------------1 cup
Shah Jeera/Cumin seeds--------1 tbsp
Ghee/oil---------------------------2 tbsp
Onion------------------------------1 sliced finely
Coriander leaves-----------------chopped to garnish
Cashews---------------------------1 tbsp chopped coarsely(optional)
Cloves-----------------------------2
Cinnamon stick------------------1/2" stick
Cardamom------------------------2

DIRECTIONS:

1.Heat ghee. Add Shah Jeera, cloves,cinnamon,cardamom and fry for few seconds without burning.

2. Add Cashews, fry till nice light brown then add sliced onions and fry for couple of minutes until soft with about 1/2 tsp salt.

3.Transfer this fry mixture, chopped coriander leaves into 10-15mins soaked rice and mix.

4.Cook in electric rice cooker with  1-1/2 to 2 cups of water depending on the rice variety used(basmati or long grain or sona masoori).

DOSAKAYA/CUCUMBER CHUTNEY

INGREDIENTS:

Dosakai/Yellow Indian Cucumber------1  
Sesame seeds-------------------------------1/3 cup roasted
Jalapeños------------------------------------3-4 slightly fried(for spice)
Garlic----------------------------------------3 cloves slightly fried
Tamarind extract---------------------------1tsp

For Popu/Tempering:
Oil--------------------------------------------2tbsp
Urad dal------------------------------------- 1tsp 
Channa dal----------------------------------1tsp
Cumin Seeds--------------------------------1/2 tsp
Mustard Seeds------------------------------1/2 tsp

Turmeric------------------------------------1/4tsp

Curry leaves--------------------------------few

Red chillies----------------------------------2-3
Hing/Asfoetida------------------------------small pinch


DIRECTIONS:

1.Peel the skin of the Dosakai/Cucumber , wash and cut into  two halves .

2.Remove the seeds and set aside to be ground along with sesame seeds to a paste.

3.Grind roasted sesame seeds initially to a smooth paste then add the cucumber seeds, fried jalapeños,fried garlic cloves ,tamarind extract and grind to a treally smooth paste adding little water.

4.Add the cucumber pieces to the ground paste, add salt as per taste and mix well.

5.Heat oil in a pan and fry all the 'For Popu/tempering'  ingredients one by one in the same order till nicely fried.

 

6.Turn off and mix the tempered oil with the cucumber and sesame mix until nicely combined.

7.Serve hot with rice.