Bottle Gourd Chutney (Sorakaya Pachadi - Andhra / Telangana Cuisine)

 

         Bottle Gourd Chutney or Sorakaya Pachadi in the local Telugu lingo is a very delicious chutney that is full of flavors. Thinly sliced bottle gourd is sautéed along with garlic, green chilies and a handful of coriander leaves. It is then coarsely ground and tempered with mustard seeds, urad dal, asafoetida and curry leaves. Roasted sesame, roasted peanuts and fresh grated coconut can also be added for enhanced flavor. 

         

           This simple and easy to prepare Pachadi is best relished with hot steamed rice-ghee combo, with chapatis, as a spread on toasts / parathas, with any South Indian breakfast like idli, dosa, vada, and finally as a dip along with some vegetable crudités or chips. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare my version of this amazing chutney

• 1 medium size bottle gourd
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 5-6 garlic, chopped
• 2-3 green chilies, chopped
• 1 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• handful of coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp. lime juice

Tempering - 

• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 dry red chili
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 tsp. urad dal

          Peel the bottle gourd and slice them. Soak in water to prevent from discoloration. 

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Add the chopped garlic and green chilies. Sauté till light brown.

          Now add the sliced bottle gourd, salt to taste, turmeric powder and roasted coriander powder. 

          Mix everything well and cook, covered till it is tender. Sprinkle water at times if needed.

          Add the chopped coriander leaves and continue to sauté for a minute. Switch off the flame and keep aside to cool down. Then blend coarsely in a mixer grinder. 

          Tempering - Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds, dry red chilies, curry leaves, urad dal and asafoetida. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Then add the coarsely ground paste and stir fry for 4-5 minutes. 

          When done, switch off the flame and add lime juice. Serve with hot steamed rice, paratha or chapatti. 

Peel the bottle gourd & slice them. Soak in water to prevent it from discoloration. 

       Heat oil in a pan  temper with cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds. 

                Add the chopped garlic & green chilies. Sauté till light brown.

Add the sliced bottle gourd, salt to taste, turmeric powder & roasted coriander powder. 

Mix everything well & cook, covered, till it is tender. Sprinkle water at times if needed.

Add the chopped coriander leaves & continue to sauté for a minute. Switch off the flame && keep aside to cool down. Then blend coarsely in a mixer grinder. 

Tempering - Heat oil in a pan & temper with mustard seeds, dry red chilies, curry leaves, urad dal & asafoetida. Sauté for a few seconds.

Then add the coarsely ground paste & stir fry for 4-5 minutes. When done, switch off the flame & add lime juice. 

                  Serve with hot steamed rice, paratha or chapatti. 

Chamagadda Pulusu (Colocasia / Arbi / Taro Root Curry - Andhra / Telangana Cuisine)

 

          Chamagadda Pulusu is an authentic and a very popular Andhra / Telangana recipe of Colocasia / Taro Root cooked in a spicy and tangy gravy. This classic regional dish is worth a try and it makes for a perfect side dish. You can adjust the chilies and the tamarind according to your preference. A little bit of jaggery is sometimes added to balance the taste. However, I skipped it.

          This dish is simply divine and so comforting. It is a very simple recipe, but tastes yummy and goes well with rice and some ghee drizzled on the top for a nice comfort meal. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this regional delicacy.

• 500 gms. Colocasia / Arbi
• 2-3 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds 
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp. fenugreek seeds
• 1 tsp. urad dal
• 1 tbsp. chana dal
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3-4 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2-3 green chilies, slit
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1 tsp. tamarind paste mixed with 1/2 cup water
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Pressure cook the arbi in enough water for 2 whistles. When it is cool enough to handle, peel and cut into cubes. Keep aside. 

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, urad dal and chana dal. Sauté till it stops spluttering.

         Now add the onion, garlic, green chilies and curry leaves. Sauté till light brown. 

         Add the chopped tomato and all the dry spices (except salt). Mix well and stir fry for a minute.

         Then add the tamarind water, followed by the boiled arvi and salt. Combine everything well. 

          Add 1 cup water and simmer on a low flame for 4-5 minutes or till the gravy thickens. 

          Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with steamed rice with a drizzle of some ghee.

Pressure cook the Colocasia in enough water for 2 whistles. When it is cool enough to handle, peel & cut into cubes. Keep aside. 

Heat oil in a pan & temper with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, urad dal and chana dal. Sauté till it stops spluttering.

Now add the onion, garlic, green chilies & curry leaves. Sauté till light brown. 

Add the chopped tomato & all the dry spices (except salt). Mix well & stir fry for a minute.

                 Then add the tamarind water, 

              followed by the boiled arbi and salt. Combine everything well. 

Add 1 cup water & simmer on a low flame for 4-5 minutes or till the gravy thickens. 

                    Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

                 Serve with steamed rice with a drizzle of some ghee.

Vankaya Pachi Pulusu (Roasted Eggplant & Tamarind Rasam - Andhra style)

 

           Vankaya Pachi Pulusu, a traditional dish from Andhra and Telangana is an uncooked version of rasam prepared with roasted eggplant. Vankaya refers to eggplant / brinjal, Pachi means raw and Pulusu is soup. It is a South Indian version of baingan ka bharta in a semi-liquid form. This tangy stew is prepared with tamarind extract containing chopped onion, green chilies and coriander leaves. A small amount of jaggery or sugar can be added to balance the flavour. 

         

               You can enjoy this yummy and comforting Eggplant Rasam with hot steamed rice and accompanied with papad or fryums. This easy to assemble dish comes in handy when you are on the lookout for something quick to prepare. Unlike the regular rasam, this pulusu is somewhat light and watery. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this nutritious regional delicacy.

• 1 large eggplant
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 2-3 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp. tamarind paste mixed with 1 & 1/2 cups water
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder

Tempering - 

• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seed
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp. fenugreek seeds
• 1 dry red chili
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1/2 tsp. urad dal
• 3-4 garlic, chopped / crushed

           Apply some oil on the eggplant and make 2 slits lengthwise. On an open flame roast the eggplant till well charred. When cool, peel the skin off and mash well. 

          Add the onion, green chilies, coriander leaves, turmeric powder and salt. Mash well with your hands for a couple of minutes to release the flavour.

          (Alternatively, it can be pounded in a mortar and pestle or pulse it in a mixer grinder). 

          Add the tamarind water and mix well. Check for seasoning. 

          For the tempering - Heat oil in a pan and temper with all the mentioned ingredients. Sauté for a few seconds or till the garlic turns slightly brown in colour.  

           Pour this tempering over the prepared Vankaya Pachi Pulusu. Give it a mix and enjoy with hot steamed rice. 

                      Apply some oil on the eggplant & make 2 slits lengthwise. On an open

                      flame roast the eggplant till well charred. 

                                   After it cools down, peel the skin off and mash well. 

                         Add onion, green chilies, coriander leaves, turmeric powder & salt. 

                       Mash well with your hands for a couple of minutes to release the flavour.

                                 Add the tamarind water & mix well. Check for seasoning. 

                         Heat oil in a pan & temper with all the mentioned ingredients. Sauté 

                         for a few seconds or till the garlic turns slightly brown in colour.  

                                Pour this tempering over the prepared Vankaya Pachi Pulusu. 

                          Give it a mix & enjoy with hot steamed rice for a nice comfort meal. 

Kaddu Ka Dalcha with Chana Dal (Bottle Gourd cooked with Bengal Gram Lentil - Hyderabadi style)

 

              Kaddu Ka Dlacha is a traditional Hyderabadi Vegetarian cuisine where Bottle gourd (Lauki) is cooked with chana dal (Bengal Gram), called "Kaddu Ka Dalcha". Kaddu means bottlegourd in the local lingo. Though there are many versions to it, it is generally cooked in the same way as Mutton Dalcha minus mutton, eggplants and potatoes.

         

                Kaddu Ka Dalcha is also cooked sometimes with tuvar dal (pigeon pea lentil). Garnish with onion rings and coriander leaves and serve with steamed rice, Bagara rice, plain biryani, naan or tandoori roti. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this traditional lentil recipe. 

• 1/2 cup chana dal (Bengal Gram), soaked for an hour
• 1 med. size bottle gourd, cubed
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 red chilies
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 4-5 cloves
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. roasted coriander-cumin powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tbsp. red chili powder
• salt to taste
• 2 green chilies, slit
• 1 tsp. tamarind paste mixed with 1/2 cup water
• 1 tbsp. ghee 
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 dry red chili 
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• onion rings & coriander leaves to garnish

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with bay leaves, dry red chilies, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves and cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add onion and stir fry till light brown. Add ginger-garlic paste and all the dry spices mixed with some water. Sauté till the oil separates from the sides of the pan.

          Add the tomatoes and sauté till well mashed. Now add the chopped bottle gourd, green chilies and the soaked chana dal. Sauté for 2 minutes.

          Add 1 & 1/2 cups water and pressure cook for 4-5 whistles. Add the tamarind water and simmer for 2-3 minutes on low flame. Transfer to a serving dish.

          Heat the ghee in a pan and temper with dry red chilies and mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, add the curry leaves and switch off the flame. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Pour this tempering over the prepared Kaddu Ka Dalcha. Garnish with onion rings and coriander leaves. Serve hot with plain Biryani, bagara rice, naan, tandoori roti or steamed rice.

                        Heat oil & temper with bay leaves, dry red chilies, cinnamon, cloves 

                        cardamoms and cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds.

                                  Add onion and stir fry till light brown. 

                        Add ginger-garlic paste &all the dry spices mixed with some water.

                        Sauté till the oil separates from the sides of the pan.

                                  Add the tomatoes.

                                  Sauté till well mashed.

                           Add chopped bottle gourd, green chilies & the soaked chana dal. 

                           Sauté for 2 minutes.

                                 Add 1 & 1/2 cups water and pressure cook for 4-5 whistles.

                          Add the tamarind water and simmer for 2-3 minutes on low flame. 

                          Transfer to a serving dish.

  

                       Heat the ghee & temper with dry red chilies & mustard seeds. After it 

                        stops spluttering, add the curry leaves & switch off the flame.  

                                  Pour this tempering over the prepared Kaddu Ka Dalcha. 

                        Garnish with onion rings & coriander leaves. Serve hot with plain 

                        Biryani, naan, tandoori roti or steamed rice.