Plantain or Banana inner stem ( Arati Doota) curry.

 Ingredients:

Chopped doota (stem) after removing the fiber- 1 cup 

Chana dal - 1/3 cup

Diced onions- 1/2 cup

Grated fresh coconut- 1/3 cup

Finely chopped green chilies- 1Tbsp

Finely chopped ginger- 1Tbsp

Curry leaves- few

Dry red chilies-2

Mustard seeds-1tsp

Urad dal- 1Tbsp

Cumin seeds-1tsp

Salt - 1tsp or to taste

Oil- 2Tbsp

Turmeric-1/4 tsp

Method:

First boil the chopped banana stem by adding little salt and turmeric for 5 minutes, drain the water and keep the cooked stem aside. Cook the Chana dal also for 10 minutes simultaneously in a separate pot, while stem is cooking. Dal can be cooked, but still should be firm drain the water and set aside. Once both are ready, heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, wait until they splatter add dry red chilies, Chana dal, urad dal, cumin seeds, curry leaves, fry until dals turn brown. Add green chilies, ginger and chopped onion, fry until onions clarify. Add cooked dal, banana stem, remaining salt and grated coconut and mix well, cover the pan and cook on low heat for 7-8 minutes, until all the flavors blend together. Check the salt adjust if needed. Serve hot with Rice

Diabetic friendly vegetable Idli w/ Moong dal and millets.

Ingredients:

Moong dal - 2 cups ( soak for 2 hours)

Millets -1/2 cup (soak for 2 hours)

Finely diced carrots- 1/3 cup 

Finely diced onions- 1/3 cup

Finely chopped spinach-1/3 cup

Finely diced ginger -1 Tbsp

Finely diced green chilies-1Tbsp

Finely diced snap beans-1/3 cup

Grated fresh coconut-2Tbsp (optional)

Chopped cilantro- 1/3 cup

Curry leaves - few

Oil-1Tbsp

Mustard seeds- 1tsp

Cumin seeds-1tsp

Hing (Asafoetida)-1/4 tsp

Salt- 1 tsp or to taste.

Eno salt -1/2 tsp.

Method:

First heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds. When they are splattering, add cumin seeds, curry leaves, hing, green chilies, ginger and all the diced vegetables except cilantro. Add little salt and cover the pan, cook for 5-7 minutes in medium low heat. Meanwhile grind coarsely, soaked moong dal and millets using very little water, transfer to the bowl ( make sure not to grind like a fine paste). Let it cool the vegetable mixer for 2-3 minutes, add all the cooked vegetables and cilantro to the moong dal and millet bowl, mix well and add remaining salt and check the taste. At this time if you are not planning to use all of it, take the amount needed add Eno salt and mix gently and prepare Idlis. Steaming time is 12-15 minutes. Serve them with ginger pickle, or any chutney.

With the same dough one can make Uthappam, Gunta Pongadalu also. If you add roasted sesame seeds and little more separate seasoning in the bottom of the pan, and pour the same dough mixture, cover and cook for 15 minutes in medium heat, one can make like Handvo.

Pineapple Gojju

                                                                              

Ingredients:

2” diced Pineapple pieces-2 cups  

Sesame seeds- 2Tbsp

Dry red chilies (Byadagi or Kashmiri chilies)-3

Dry red pepper (Regular)-1or 2

Fenugreek (Methi) seeds- 1tsp

Urad dal- 11/2 Tbsp

Dry coconut-1/2 cup

Tamarind pulp - 1 Tbsp

Jaggery powder - 1Tbs

Salt-1 tsp. or to taste

For Seasoning:

Urad dal- 1.5 tsp

Mustard seeds- 1tsp

Cumin seeds-1/2 tsp

Dry red chilies-2

Hing (Asafoetida) - 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves- few

Oil- 2Tbsp

Method:

First heat some water in a sauce pan add pineapple pieces cook for 5-7 minutes. While pineapple is cooking, heat the small pan roast sesame seeds until they get brown, set aside. Roast methi seeds, urad dal, dry chilies, coconut and few curry leaves. Let all the spices including sesame seeds cool down and transfer to the blender add 1/2 cup of water and grind into a smooth paste. 

Add joggery powder, tamarind pulp and the above paste to the cooked pineapple, mix everything well.  

Add 2 - 21/2 cups water, salt and cook on medium heat for 10 minutes. While gojju is cooking prepare the seasoning. Heat oil in a small seasoning pan add mustard seeds, when they splatter add dry red chilies, urad dal, cumin seeds, hing and curry leaves. When seasoning is well

roasted and ready add this to the

 gojju, adjust the consistency and salt cook for another 5 more minutes. Serve hot with rice or Roti.

Almond, Pistachio Laddu

 Ingredients:

Dry roasted whole Almonds-2cups

Pistachios-1/2 cup

Dates-15

Powdered Joggery-3/4cup

Dry roasted coconut-1/2 cup

Roasted sesame seeds-1/8 cup

Cardamoms- 5-6

Ghee-1Tbsp

Method:

Add 1/3 amount of almonds at a time in a blender make a course ground. Same way grind pistachios, dates, cardamoms, coconut and jaggery also. Mix thoroughly everything by adding roasted sesame seeds and ghee. Make small lemon size balls. Can be stored at room temperature for 2 weeks. Yields around 30 Laddus.

Mamidi Allam ( Mango ginger) pickle

  Ingredients:

Peeled and Diced Mango Ginger-300gr.

Joggery or brown sugar- 150 gr.

Tamarind pulp -150 gr.

Chili powder ( not extra hot) 150 gr. 

Roasted fenugreek powder-1.5 tsp.

Sesame oil - 2Tbsp

Garlic cloves - 6

Salt- 2.5-3 Tbsp or to taste.

For seasoning:

Sesame oil - 1cup

Mustard seeds -1.5 tsp

Urad dal - 1.5 tsp

Garlic cloves-5

Hing( Asafoetida) -1/2 tsp.

Dry red chilies - 5

Curry leaves- few

Method: 

First heat 2 Tbsp oil in a pan and add diced mango ginger, sauté for 2-3 minutes and add garlic cloves also add fry little and set aside until cool down and grind little, add tamarind pulp, salt, chili powder fenugreek powder, and jaggery grind altogether into a course paste. Heat the oil for seasoning, add mustard seeds when they started splattering add urad dal, dry red chilies, garlic cloves, hing and curry leaves. After seasoning is ready add the ground paste to that, turn off the heat, mix well and let the pickle cool down to the room temperature. This is the time one should be doing the adjustments with salt and chili powder for their individual taste. Leave it in room temperature for 2-3 days, later transfer to the clean glass bottle and keep in the refrigerator. This pickle can be stored in the refrigerator for 6 months.

Fresh turmeric root pickle

 

Ingredients:

Grated or finely diced turmeric root- 250 gr.

Grated or finely diced ginger - 100 gr.

Salt -3tsp and adjust to the taste later

Red chili powder-2:Tbsp

Mustard powder-1.5Tbsp

Roasted fenugreek powder-1.5 tsp

Mustard oil - 1cup

Hing ( Asafoetida)- 1/2tsp.

Lime Juice- 3/4 cup

Method:

Heat mustard oil in a pot. Turn off the stove and let the oil cool down for a minute. Add all the powdered ingredients one by one. First add fenugreek powder, mustard powder, chili powder, hing and salt, mix well and add the grated turmeric and ginger. Again mix well to incorporate with all the spices. Add the lime juice at the end mix well and store in a clean glass bottle. Leave the prepared pickle 2-3 days in a room temperature.This pickle can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 months.

Lemon Pickle

Ingredients:

Diced  Lemons- 7cups

Salt - 3/4 cup
Red chili powder-3/4cup (not extra hot)
Roasted methi powder- 2-3Tbsp
Turmeric-1Tbs
Oil- 1 1/4 cup
Mustard seeds- 1Tbs
Hing (Asafoetida)-1tsp

Method:
In a large bowl cut each lemon into 8-10 pieces depending on the size of lemon, and squeeze the juice lightly, add salt and turmeric, mix well, cover it and set aside for 3days. Mix the pieces in between every day.
Fourth day lemon pieces will look little wilted. Add chili powder, methi powder and mix well. Once all the spices incorporate well, prepare the seasoning.
Heat oil in a pot, add mustard seeds, when they splatter add the hing and let it cool and add to the pickle. Mix well and transfer to the clean bottle. Make sure to cover the pickle top with oil. Allow 2-3 days out side at room temperature to absorb all the flavors, later store in refrigerator.