Kaakarakaya Ulli Kaaram (Bitter-Gourd Spicy Onion Gravy)

Rayalaseeema Special - Kaakaraya Ulli Kaaram
காகரகாய உள்ளி காரம்

This recipe is again from Rayalaseema village recipe being made with Bitter-Gourd especially with Onion and Chilly Powder with no major other ingredients except for tempering.  This would go good with Plain Rice and other Major dishes.  Please try and get us your feedback in the group.

Bitter Gourd - 3 nos (medium long size)
Pyaaz (Onion) - 4 nos (Big size - finely chopped)
Green chilly - 3 to 4 nos
Curry leaves - 2 arcs
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Red Spicy Chilly powder - 1 & half tsp
For tempering - Mustard seeds, urud dal and channa dhal
Salt as required
Oil - 100 to 150 ml
(Oil is more required for this special dish)

Finely chop onions, add salt, turmeric and chilly powder, mix well.  Meanwhile peel outer skin of bitergourd, cut into 3 pieces and remove seeds.  Stuff this onion mixture inside and keep the remaining.

In a non-stick  kadai add more oil 100-150ml, temper mustard seeds, urd and channa dal, add slitted green chillies, add curry leaves and place the stuffed karela in the pan.  Once half cooked, add the remaining onion mixture, add little water, mix well and cover with lid for 10-15 mins until cooked.  Remove lid and mix well and sprinkle water if necessary.  Check salt for taste.  Cover again and cook for 5 mins until Bittergourd is fully cooked.  Your spicy Rayalaseema Special Kaakarakaya Ulli-Karam is ready to serve with any main courses.

Serve with Pride...!! Serve with Joy...!!

Kaakarakaya Pulusu

Ananthapur Special Kaakarakaaya Pulusu
அனந்தப்பூர் ஸ்பெஷல் காகரக்காயா புலுசு

This is a special dish from Ananthapur of Rayalaseema, Andrapradesh. Kaakarakaaya is nothing but our Pagarkkai (Bitter-Gourd), which is a semi gravy recipe. Normally Pulusu would be watery. But the speciality of this Kaakarakaya Pulusu of Ananthapur would be Semi-Gravy, which goes very yummy with boiled rice or as a side dish too. Since this contains Garlic, Ginger and Onion as main ingredients, those who dont like can stay away. I got this recipe from one of my friend from Andhra Pradesh on phone today and just posting it. Will make video and post in due course of time. Meanwhile, please try this special recipe and let us have your feedback.

Ingredients : Cut 4 bitter-gourd into slices, boil in water along with little turmeric and salt, drain it and have a shallow fry in oil and keep ready.

Other ingredients are :- Salt, 2 green chillies, 2 dried red chillies, Oil as required, Ginger-Garlic Paste, Jeera, Chopped coriander leaves, Curry leaves, Turmeric powder and Chily powder 1 tsp each, 1-Tomato, finely chopped, 1/2 inch size Jaggery, Thick tamarind Juice, 4 nos sliced onions (Round shaped) and Masala Paste.

Masala Paste : 1-Onion, 1-Tomato, Cinnamon, Cloves each 2 or 3 pieces, Coriander Powder 2 tsp, Grated Coconut 1/4 cup. Grind all the above with water to a paste and keep ready.

In a kadai, add oil, splutter mustard seeds, jeera, curry leaves, add green chilly, red chilly, Onion and cook well. Once cooked now add Cooked Bitter-gourd and saute well. Add Chilly powder, turmeric powder and mix well and allow to cook. Then add the Masala paste, ginger-garlic paste and saute well, until raw smell goes. Now add the thick squeezed tamarind juice, add required salt and allow to cook for 5 mins in medium flame. Add jaggery, mix well and serve hot.

your Special Ananthapur Kaakarakaya Pulusu is ready...!!!!
Serve with Pride... Serve with Joy...!!!

Moth Beans / Chenna Masala Gravy

Moth Beans / Chenna Masala Gravy
Posted by : Krithiga Sathya Narayanan
Posted on : 15/06/2017

Moth beans / thattai payaru ( small size) -1/2 cup
Brown Chenna-1/2 cup
Onion-1
Tomato-3
Ginger
Garlic-4
Red chilly powder 
Turmeric powder 
Dhaniya powder
Mango powder 
Chenna Masala powder 
Whole garam masala 
Cumin seeds 
Green chilly-1

Preparation Method.
1. Soak moth bean and Chenna overnight. Cook for 6 whistles. 
2. In a kadai, add oil and ghee. Add cumin seeds, bay leaf, cardamom, Cloves, cinnamon sticks. 
3. Grind onion, green chilly, garlic and ginger. Add this paste. 
4. Cook till raw smell goes. 
5. Add tomato purée. Add salt. Add all powders. Let the oil comes out. Then add cooked Chenna and beans. Add enough water. Let it cook for 10 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves..!

Millets Adai

Traditional Siruthaniya Adai (Millets Adai). 

This is one of the best food which our grannies had to sustain good health. The main reason for having these millets into our food is as follows.

Kezhviragu & Kambu : reduces cholesterol

Kudhiravaali : Controls heart diseases

Kezhviragu : Rich in fiber & controls sugar

Saamai : maintains good Spinal chord

Varagu : Reduces weight & Stress remover.

Millets (Siruthaaniya) Adai : 

Soak 200gms of Kambu, Kezhviragu, Solam, Kollu, pasi-payaru, Kudiravaali, Saamai, varagu and Urud dhal and 5 tsp of Kondakadalai for 8 hours. Grind along with Ginger, Garlic, Salt and Red chilly. No fermentation is required. Mix fresh drumstick leaves to the batter and make Adai. (You can mix finely chopped onions to the batter if you wish for further taste). Serve hot with spicy red / green chutney.

Especially kids will love this combinatin of food and make them hale and healthy. This is best for aged person to maintain their good health. Twice a week would defenitely change your health sustainable. Try and get us your feed back.

Alu Wadi (Pathra)

Recipe : Alu wadi (Pathra)

Posted by : Annapoorani Ganesan

Posted on : 06/06/2017

Ingredients

Colocasia leaves(Arbi ka pathha) 10

Jaggery 1 tab sp

Tamarind Pulp 2 tab sp

Red Chilli powder 2 tsp

Haldi powder 1 tsp

Khuskhus 1 tsp

Coriander powder 2 tsp

Sesame seeds 1 tsp

Jeera 1 tsp

Besan 2 cups

Salt to taste.(app 2tsp)

Method  :  Wash the leaves and pat them dry. Remove the stems and trim the veins which are a little thick. (Use rolling pin to flatten).  This makes its easier to roll them.  First dry fry the besan in a pan into aroma comes.  After cooling,  Take a bowl, add tamarind water haldi powder, chilli powder, daniya powder, garam masala powder, jeera powder,jaggery,salt and besan and mix. If it is too runny add a little more besan, the consistency should not be runny.  

Take a leaf. Place is on a plain surface such that the darker side is downwards and the lighter side is upwards also the narrow tip should face towards you. Now apply a thin layer of the mixture evenly. Place another leaf in the same way but this time the narrow tip should be in the opposite direction. Repeat for 4 to 5 leaves.

Now fold from left up to middle then from right up to middle. Apply the paste on all folded portion.  Now Roll tightly from top to bottom and keep aside. If you feel its unrolling tie a string around it so that the roll doesn't unfold.  Grease the plate of the steamer. Put the roll in a cooker and steam for 20 to 30 mins. Roll them in khuskhus and let them cool. (You can keep in refrigerator) remove and cut into rolls.  Heat oil in a pan,add jeera and sesame seeds.  Add the rolls and shallo fry till crisp.   (Also you can deep fry.)

Special Potato Masala

Special Urulaikizhangu Masala.

Boil 2 big potatoes, peel skin, add pinch of turmeric powder, chilly powder to taste, chopped coriander leaves, 1/2 tsp of Garam masala Powder mash with hand and keep ready.

In a heavy bottom kadai, add oil, splutter mustard seed, add urud dal, channa dal, finely chopped onion, green chilly and chopped curry leaves and saute will until golden brown in medium flame. Now add seasame seeds and Saunf (Sombu) and mix well. Now add the mased & mixed potatoes to it. No water to be added. Saute well until cooked. and serve hot in the Leaves. 

This Special Urulukizhangu Masala served in Nagappattinam Mittai Kadai in South mada Street, Madurai.

Andhra Tomato Pappu

Andhra Tomato Pappu....

Tonight's Dinner special with Dosa.

theesukondi....!!!!

Andhra Tomato Pappu : A simple authentic recipe from interior andhra pradesh not of our brahmins. But a cusine that goes very well with steamed rice, roti, chappati, etc.

Pressure cook 1 cup of Tur dhal, strain water, mash it and keep aside. In a kadai, add oil, splutter mustard seeds, cumin seeds, crushed garlic pods (5-6 nos), 2 slitted green chillies, 3 red chillies, and sliced onion one by one and saute until golden brown. Add tomato and mashed dhal, mix well, sprinkle turmeric powder, salt and mix well. Add 1 cup of strained dhal water, add curry leaves, mix well and keep in medium flamed covered with lid for next 3 - 4 minutes. Once cooked remove, garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves and serve hot. Your special Andhra Tomato Pappu is ready. A very easy, simple and tasty recipe.

Bangaladumpa Iguru

Today's 06/06/2017 special recipe is from interior Andhra Pradesh again. When I was studying in Rajahmundry during 1980, (37 years back), my mom used to do this Bangaladumpa Iguru (Potato Curry) on a regular basis. Yesterday while talking to one of my telugu student, I immediately got into mind and asked daughters, who told to prepare today, so that they can have for morning and afternoon lunch. Here is the recipe for authentic / special Bangaladumpa Iguru.

Potatoes - 3 (cut into cubes)

Onions - 4 (cut lengthwise)

Green chillies - 5 (slit lengthwise)

Curry leaves - 2 sprigs 

Coriander leaves - 3 sprigs (chopped finely)

Bay leaves - 4 

Cloves - 3 (lavangalu)

Dalchini - a small stick

Chilly powder - 1 tb sp

Turmeric powder - 1 t sp

Salt to taste

Oil - 2 tb sps

1 cups of water

In a kadai add oil, saute cloves, dalchini, bayleaves, green chillies, onion and curry leaves. Once onion is golden brown, add cubed / diced potatos, sprinkle turmeric and chilly powder and cover with lid and let it cook in medium flame for 2 to 3 mins. Remove lid, add 1 cup of water and bring to full boil until potatoes are cooked. This should reach a semi solid state like gravy. Once finished, remove and garnish with coriander leaves and serve with steamed rice, roti or chappathi. Your special Bangaladumpa Iguru is ready.

Kalyana Rasam

KALYANA RASAM Recipe with Powder

Posted by : Swaminatha Sharma

Posted on : 04/04/2017

Today I am to post the secret of making typical Kalyana Rasam. During my cooking days with my Chef during 1992, I learnt this recipe. The main secret of flavour / aroma lies with the making of the Typical Kalyana Rasam, which is given below. (i Never revealed this secret till now to my wife or my daughter who is pursuing Chef course)...

The secret of Kalyana Rasam Powder lies with the ingredients which we grind. Here is the perfect measurement of Kalayana rasam powder... 

கடலைப் பருப்பு - அரை கப் | channa Dal - 1/2 cup

தனியா - 1 கப் | Dhaniya - 1 cup

மிளகாய் வற்றல் - 2 | Red chilly - 2 nos

மிளகு, சீரகம், - 1 ஸ்பூன் | Pepper & Jeera - 1 spoon

மஞ்சள் தூள், பெருங்காயம் - 1 ஸ்பூன் | Turmeric powder & Asafoetida - 1 tsp

This is the ratio for grinding the Rasam Powder... This has to dry roasted in a kadai and allowed to cool and powdered in mixie and kept ready.

Now bring to boil Tamarind juice along with turmeric and Kal-Uppu (Salt). Once boiled, add cooked / mashed Tur dal, add chopped 1 no tomato and bring to full boil again. Once everything is cooked, add the grinded powder and mix well and add adjust salt to taste and Water to its consistency.... Ellam kan thittam thaan.... Once starts to boil, switch off, temper with Mustard seed and Curry leaves and garnish with more chopped coriander leaves. Your yummy / special Kalyana Rasam is ready to serve with steamed Rice.

500th Post

#Happy_Moments

#happymoments #aaharamrocks #Party_Time #Celebrations

Dearest Aaharians, In a short period of time, our Aaharam website has reached 500 posts with recipes / cuisines from various members of aaharam Group. This was possible only with your immense contribution to the group, to sustain our traditional dishes and other variety of cuisines from various parts of our country, to our followers.

This is the time to express my special thanks whole-heartedly to all of you Aaharians, right from the inception of the group to till date, my ex-admins, ex-friends, and all the present admins. We have reached a milestone on our website today 05/05/2017, reaching 500 posts and hope to reach further with more cuisines / recipes with a traditional touch to sustain for ever. Let me also try to assure that in near future you would have lot of video recipes which would be very easy too.

May I request you all at this juncture to pour in your ideas, suggestions, etc as to how to take it further heights....!!!

With namaskarams to all elders and Aaseervathams to youngers in this group.

I remain - Swaminatha Sharma with Malathi Swaminathan

Paneer Masala

Recipe : Typical Paneer Masala
Posted by : Swaminatha Sharma
Posted on 14/09/2016

Finely chop 2 tomatos and 2 onions. Keep ready the panneer to cubes of required sizes (Pref 1/2 inch size would be tasty). In a wok, add 2 tablespoon of oil, saute onion and tomato and bring to mashed form. Add ginger-garlic paste to your spicy level. Add turmeric, Kashmiri / Warangal chilly powder, dhaniya and jeera powder and saute in high flame. Sprinkle water to need. Now time to add chopped Panneer and 1 tablespoon of Thick curd and 50 ml of Milk. Add salt to required taste and mix well in high flame. Check the consistency to suit your level. Remove and garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with Roti / Pulka / Naan / Pulav....

Raajbog

A lovely sweet from rich Bengali Cuisine made with Panner.....RAJBHOG....with Dryfruits filling .
RAJBHOG 
Posted by : Lakshmi Vasanth
Posted on : 26/04/2017

Ingredients : Full cream milk - ½ litre , Vinegar / Lemon juice -2 tbsp, Sugar -2 cups,Water 5 cups,
Cardamom powder – 1tsp, Rose water – 2 tsp( optional) Maida – 1tblsp, Yellow colour, Dry Fruits- ¼ cup
Method : Pour the milk in a pan and allow to boil. Once the milk is boiled switch off the flame and allow to cool for 5 mins then add vinegar / lemon into it. Mix well.You can see the whey separate .Stain this in a muslin cloth. Give a wash as the vinegar smell needs to go and hang it so that water is drained. After 1 hour, the paneer will look a little crumbly.
In a blender take 1 tblsp of sugar and make a powder with cardamon . Now add the paneer to this mixture and give a nice blend
Remove the Panner from the blender and mend it for 3-5 mins with yellow colour to get a pliable dough. Make small balls and stuff the dry fruits in it and roll them without any holes in it
Take a wide pan add 2 cups of sugar and 4 cups of water put cardamom pieces, Rose water, yelow colour and bring to boil now slowly add the Panner balls and close with a lid and keep the flame in high for 8 mins and then lower the flame and cook for 15 mins Juicy Rajbhog is ready.....allow to cool .
Keep it in the fridge and serve after 8 hrs . The Rajbhog will be soft and juicy.

Paneer Lollipop

Recipe : Paneer Lollipop
Posted by : Krithiga Sathya Narayanan
Posted on : 26/04/2017

Ingredients
Paneer-1cup ( shredded)
Potatoes-4 ( boiled and shredded)
Green chilly paste-1tea spoon
Ginger paste-1 spoon
Garlic paste-1 spoon
Turmeric powder-1/2 tea spoon
Red chilly powder-1 spoon
Dry mango powder-1 tea spoon
Garam masala powder-1 tea spoon
Coriander leaves-few
Bread crumbs-1/2 cup
Corn flour -2 spoon
Oil - to fry
Salt- to taste

Italian mixed herbs-1 tea spoon
1. In a bowl mix shredded paneer, potato, all dry powders, salt, ginger, garlic and green chilly paste. Add chopped coriander leaves. Add salt. Mix well.
2. Mix corn flour, a pinch of salt, mixed herbs and little water. Mix well without lumps. Keep watery.
3. Take paneer mixture and do like lemon size balls. Dip them gently in the corn mix and coat them well on the bread crumbs.
4. Do the rest of them and keep these balls in the fridge for one hour.
5. After one hour, fry them in a medium heat oil. Once it comes to golden brown color,remove them.
6. Insert a toothpick and serve with ketchup or green chutney.

Note: potatoes should be steamed well. No water content should be there. The mixture must be refrigerated before frying. Or else it will separate from the oil. You may use paniyaram pan to consume less oil.

Mango Kalakand

Recipe : Mango Kalakand
Posted by : Mahalakshmi Shankar
Posted on : 26/04/2017

Ingredients : paneer 250 gms, condensed milk 200 gms ( half tin), mango puree 2/3 cup, pista cut lengthwise 2 TSP, cardamom optional
Method: Add mango puree in a non stick kadai , keep flame in a medium, stir for two minutes now add grated paneer and condensed milk stir till it thickens, for ten to fifteen mins now pour in greased tin add cardamom powder and decorate with pistas and keep for 2 to 3 hours to cool. Now cut into pieces and serve

Carrot & Paneer Momos

Recipe : Carrot and Paneer Momos
Posted by : Veena Subramanyam
Posted on : 26/04/2017

Ingredients
For the stuffing :
Grated Paneer - 1/4 th cup
Chopped pistachios - 2 tbsp
Chopped garlic and ginger - 1 tsp
Chopped green chillies - 1
Boiled corns - 1 tbsp
Salt
Mix all the ingredients and keep aside.
Outer covering :
Carrot paste - 3 tbsp
Besan - 2 tbsp
Maida - 1/4 th cup
Salt
Butter
1. Mix all the ingredients to form a dough. I did not add any extra water as carrots have enough water.   2. Roll them into small rotis and stuff the Paneer mixture and shape them.
Assembly : 1. Steam the Momos for 15 minutes and serve with the sauce.

Paneer Kofta Curry

Recipe : Paneer Kofta Curry
Posted by : Gayathiri Balasubramanian
Posted on 26/04/2017

Kofta is a Middle Eastern and South Asian dumpling. The word kofta is derived from Persian kūfta: In Persian, کوفتن (kuftan) means “to beat” or “to grind” or dumpling.  Koftas in South Asian cuisine are normally cooked in a spicy curry . The vegetarian variety like lauki kofta, shahi aloo kofta, malaai kofta are popular in India.
Ingredients:
For the seasoning :
Oil : 2 tsp
Cumin seeds : 1 tsp
For the koftas:
Mixed veggies- 2 cups ( I used Carrots, beans, green peas and potato )
Paneer grated - 1 cup
Green chilli - 1
Cashew nut - 4
Coriander leaves- few finely chopped .
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Red Chilli powder - 2 tsp
Cumin powder - 2tsp
Corn flour - 1 tsp
Salt - as needed
For frying kofta:
Oil
Corn flour for rolling the koftas and frying
For the Gravy :
Oil- 2 tsp
Onion - 1
Tomato - 3
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Cumin powder- 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Red Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Salt - as per needed .
Optional for garnishing :
Cashew nuts - roughly grinded
Fresh cream - 2 tsp
Method of preparation:  For kofta:   Pressure cook the veggies.  In a mixing bowl take the cooked veggies, grated paneer, chopped cashew nuts, coriander leaves finely chopped , green chilli finely chopped, corn flour, salt, cumin powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder and make them small balls.  Dip them in corn flour and fry them in oil.   Koftas are ready.

For gravy :  Saute onion in pan with oil and after it turns golden add the ginger garlic paste and let the raw smell go.  Add the tomato and let it turn mushy.  Then add the Cumin powder, red chilli powder and coriander powder and Turmeric powder.  In a mixie , grind them to a good paste with salt.  In a kadai add oil , cumin seeds and the above grinded paste for few minutes
And add 1 cup of water, cream and roughly grinded cashew nut and bring to boil.  Add the koftas gently and turn off the gas.  If you are serving late then later add the koftas and bring it boil.  Add the koftas only at the time of serving. Else we find them breaking .

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Tori Tomato Sabji

Recipe : Tori (Peerkangai) Tamatar Sabji
Posted by : Anuradha Srinivasan
Posted on 28/04/2017

I took 4 Toris .. 2 Tomatoes ..cut into small pcs... 4-5 green chillies. (slit into half). For tampering .. Refined Oil .. Jeera - 1 spoon
Spices .. Red chilli Powder-Salt-Dhania Powder. (No turmeric powder used) ... its optional ..

In a Kadai -- add oil --Jeera -- when it becomes brown - add tomatoes & green chillies .. after frying for a while add Peerkankangai pieces .. fry it in less fire till it is done -- add spices .. keep it for 2 minutes and switch off the gas.

Kesari Panneer

Recipe : Kesari Panneer
Posted by : Kavitha Umesh
Posted on : 26/04/2017

Quantity for 2:
In half glass water, cook 1 large sliced onion, 2 large tomatoes, 2 kashmiri Chilli, 8 pieces kaju. Cook till mushy.
Puree the mixture and sieve it. U will get thick smooth gravy.
Put saffron strands in 1/2 cup warm milk and keep it.
Fry paneer small cubes/ medium cubes
In a pan, take oil+butter. Saute jeera, 2 cloves, 1 Bay leaf, 2 Elaichi, 1 stick cinnamon.
Add chopped onions (1large). Fry.
Add 1tsp* only ginger-garlic paste. Fry.
Add 1tsp each:: turmeric pwd, kashmiri chilli pwd, homemade roasted and powdered dhanajeera pwd.
Add the paneer. Coat it with these masalas. 2 mins.
Add the gravy, 1 tsp honey, saffron milk. Cook till all blends well
Add more milk for thinner consistency.
Last add salt . Mix. Kasuri methi and kothmir.
Tadaa!!!

Walnut Halwa

Recipe : Walnut Halwa..! 
Posted by : Krithiga Sathya Narayanan
Posted on : 27/04/2017

Came out super yummy. No one can guess whether it's made out of nuts. It's a very easy recipe.  Dedicated to our admins 😊was thinking what to do to share my happiness. Here I got a quick recipe for a visual treat..!!   Swaminatha Sharma Sowjanya Suraj Bharathwaj Sairam Raji Venkatesan Ravi Ramamoorthy and Meera Venkat ji..!

Walnut-1cup
Sugar-1/2cup
Milk-1cup
Saffron- few
Cardamom-3 pounded
Ghee-1/4th cup

1. Coarsely grind the walnut.
2. In a kadai add 2 spoon ghee. Fry the walnut till it changes light brown color.
3.In an another pan, add milk, saffron and cardamom. Let it comes to boil.
4. Once walnut changes its color, pour this hot milk. Keep medium flame. Once it cooks for 3 to 4 minutes, add sugar.
5. When it mixes well, add remaining ghee. It will take 6 to 10 minutes. Once ghee comes out from the pan, Switch off the stove.Yummy walnut halwa ready.
Note: coarsely grind the walnut. For healthier version, you may add jaggery instead of sugar.