My Cooking Wonders

From where I came from, Paramannam is one dish that is prepared as offering to God for almost all the festivals and rituals. This is the first dish that is made during gruhapravesam(house warming) as well. It has a divine taste which I am not sure comes from the dish itself or from the devotional feelings towards the God :). I made this divine offering in an instapot and it came out really good. Ingredients 750ml Milk 1 cup water 1 cup rice 2 tbsp Tapioca/sabudhana/saggubiyyam 1 tbsp moong dal 1 cup jaggery finely grated 2 tbsp sugar 2 tbsp raisins handful of cashews 2 tbsp ghee(more if preferred) 2 cardamom pods crushed Turn on the instapot with saute mode on.   Add milk, water and bring it to a boil. Add rice, saggubiyyam and moong dal. Close the lid and t urn off the saute mode. Turn on pressure cooker mode, make sure the whistle in in sealing mode and set the timer to 4 minutes. Once the 4 minutes are up, turn off the instapot and let it sit for 1 ...

Vaangi baath is a rice dish very popular in Karnataka, our neighboring state back in India. The best part of the dish is the masala itself and if you make it fresh from scratch, the dish tastes DELISH!!! There are a lot of versions available on how this dish is made depending on the region you are from. And here is my version... Ingredients 2 cups raw Basmati rice - washed and cooked 1 lb eggplant/brinjal Salt per taste 2 tbsp ghee or butter 1 tbsp oil 3 green chillies slit lengthwise 15 to 20 cashews couple of sprigs of curry leaves 1 tsp lemon juice For Masala 1/2 inch cinnamon 2 cardamom pods 2 cloves 1 tbsp coriander seeds 2 bay leaves 1 small piece of stone flower(dagad phool) 1 small piece star anise 1/4 tsp peppercorns 4 dry red chillies(adjust per you spice level) 2 tbsp poppy seeds(gasagasalu) 2 tbsp sesame seeds 3 tbsp dry coconut powder For Tempering 1/2 tsp mustard seeds 1/2 tsp cumin seeds Method Dry roast the ...

Another day..another instapot recipe😊. Back in the day when I was growing up, anyone throwing a party used to be a rare occasion. And whenever there is a party, one dish they always used to serve is Vegetable pulao with Kurma combination. I used to love that dish and even after all these years that taste just stayed with me. Now a days gatherings/parties have become super common and they rarely are serving veg pulao as there are so many other rice varieties in market today. But to me this one dish is so special and the dish I prepared today brought back all those memories.. It is simple, easy to prepare and so so flavorful... Hope you guys will like this dish as much I did... Ingredients 3 cups basmati rice washed and all the water drained 1 cup Milk or coconut milk 4 cups water 1/2 cup thinly sliced onion 4 green chillies chopped into small pieces(adjust per spice level) 1 1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste 1/2 cup chopped potato pieces 1/2 cup chopped carrot pieces 1...

This is my first recipe using an instapot. I got instapot almost an year ago and finally decided to put it to work :). I was skeptical about it but boy I fell in love just after first use. Going forward I can see myself using instapot a lot.. Give this recipe a try.. Ingredients 2 cups basmati rice 1 cup moong dal 4 1/2 to 5 cups water(depending on how mushy you want you kichidi) 1/2 cup diced Potato cubes 1/4 cup chopped Carrot 1/4 cup chopped French beans or green beans 1/4 cup finely chopped tomato 1/4 cup finely chopped Onion  3 Green chillies slit length-wise Salt per taste 1 tbsp garam masala powder 1 1/2 tbsp red chilli powder(Adjust per spice level) 1 tbsp black peppercorns coarsely crushed 2 tbsp Ginger garlic paste  1 tbsp oil 2 tbsp butter 1 sprig curry leaves handful of coriander leaves Temperings 1 tbsp cumin seeds 20 cashews roughly chopped 3/4 tsp turmeric powder 1/4 tsp black cumin seeds Method Wash and soa...

Biryani can be made in gazillion ways but back home the most traditional way is cooking it DUM style. The marinated meat and parboiled rice are sealed in pan and cooked by steam on a very low flame. Making biryani this way is a long process but biryani made this way is so flavorful that at end all the effort is well worth it. Making quick biryani might be satisfying but cooking it the dum way is more special and the flavours are really soul satisfying..Give it a try and please keep in mind that sometimes it might take couple of tries to get it right :). Ingredients For Fried Onions: 1 big Onions  sliced lengthwise 10 to 12 tbsp Oil For Chicken Marination: 600 grams Chicken 12 Green Chillies Slit lengthwise Mint Leaves fistful chopped Coriander Leaves fistful Chopped 4 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste 1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper 1/2 tsp Black Cumin 1 1/2 tsp Red Chili Powder(adjust for spice level - I used 2 tsp as my family likes it spicy)...

Yet another of mom's recipes. Egg drumstick curry is a spicy and tangy tomato gravy curry which mom used to make all the time while we were kids. Back then I am not a big fan of eggs and having drumsticks in the curry used to make my life easy. Now it is a different story - I love eggs and having drumsticks in the curry is a bonus :). This curry is like a party in your mouth with different flavors complementing each other..Give it a try.. Ingredients 6 hard boiled eggs 8 to 10 2 inch drumstick pieces 1 1/2 cup finely chopped onion 1 cup finely chopped tomato 1 tsp ginger garlic paste half lemon sized tamarind soaked in water 1 tsp red chilli powder Salt per taste 1/2 tsp Garam masala powder A sprig of curry leaves 2 tbsp oil 1/4 tsp Sugar couple pinches of turmeric Tempering 1/4 tsp Cumin seeds 1/4 tsp Mustard seeds couple of pinches of asafoetida 1/4 tsp Chana dal Method Extract the juice from the tamarind adding 2 cups of water and set aside. Make sli...

Country chicken is not your ordinary chicken. This is either 'you die for it' or 'do not even want to touch it' kind of dish. I most definitely will fall into the first category.. I love love love this dish. Growing up mom used to make this dish during Sankranti(Pongal) season and BOY OH BOY, it use to taste divine with Garelu. The best part of this dish is that we cook the chicken with skin on and trust me, it tastes the best that way. Now a days country chicken is available throughout the year and I do not have to wait for a particular season to eat it :). Here is my version of this yummy yummy recipe(actually version of my mom's recipe little bit improvised by me).  Ingredients 2 lbs country chicken 1/2 cup finely chopped onions 1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder(adjust per spice level) 3 tbsp ginger garlic paste 2 to 3 tsp garam masala powder Salt per taste Water 2 cups(adjust per the tenderness of the chicken) 1 tsp Turmeric 3 tbsp oil 3 tbs...

In our home, I am a big fan of pulao where as my husband loves his biryani... Pulao is a one dish wonder which is definitely not biryani! Pulao is prepared with less spices. Pulao is made using absorption method - no parboiled rice, no layering, can be made faster and everything is cooked together in one pot. Going out to restaurants, I get frustrated sometimes as I order pulao and I end up getting biryani instead which is why I make it at home the way I like it :)....Here is one of my chicken pulao recipes(Yes..I make different kind of pulaos depending on my mood of the day).. Give it a try.. Ingredients 2 cups Basmati Rice 1 lb Boneless skinless Chicken 10 whole Cashews 1 medium sized onion cut into chunks for paste(4 tbsp thick brown Onion Paste made from this onion) 2 tbsp thick yogurt 2 tbsp oil 4 tbsp ghee 6 to 8 Shallots or small onions 6 Green Chillies(Adjust per spice level) 3 tbsp Green Chilli Paste (adjust per spice level)(Grind around 25 to 30 green chillies ...

Today's recipe is a spur of the moment recipe. I have some ingredients that are left over on hand from some other recipe. Half can of coconut milk, handfuls of mint and coriander leaves that need to be used or I have to throw them away which gave me an idea for this recipe. To my surprise this curry did turn out really rich, creamy and yummy!!! A really simple, nothing fancy, fast recipe which can be made in a jiffy. Give it a try and see for yourselves!! Ingredients 2 lbs boneless Chicken 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste 1/2 cup onion paste 1 cup coconut milk Salt per taste 1 tsp red chili powder(adjust per spice level) 1/2 tsp garam masala powder 1 tbsp ghee or oil 1/2 tsp cumin seeds 1/2 tsp turmeric powder handful of mint leaves handful of coriander leaves + 1 tbsp for garnish Method Clean and cut the chicken into bite size pieces. Set aside. Heat oil in a pan. Add in cumin seeds and let them splutter. Add in mint and coriander leaves and let them splutter as wel...

It is raining outside and my palette is expecting something spicy to cope with the rainy weather. I am too tired to make snacks so decided to make some fry curry that works for both chapati(for me) and rice (for hubby dear)..    That is when the raw plantains that I bought over the weekend caught my eye. Raw plantains are one of the versatile vegetables that can be transformed into gazillion recipes. So, I made simple raw plantain fry(called as aratikaya vepudu in my native language). There are many versions of plantain fry recipes which I make and this is one of them. Give it a try while I enjoy my yummy plantain fry.... Ingredients 3 Plantains 5 Green chillies chopped real fine 1/4 Red chili powder(adjust per your spice levels) 8 Garlic pods skinned and chopped real fine Salt per taste 2 tbsp Oil  1 tbsp Ghee 1/2 cup  chopped  Onion  Coriander leaves for garnish 5 or 6 curry leaves 1/4 tsp turmeri c Tempering 1 tbsp chana dal 1/...

During Summer months, ridge gourd cooked in milk gravy is an often made curry in our house. We tend to make it atleast once a week as this is pretty much one of my hubby dear's favorite curry. After eating the same curry for 3 to 4 months already, my taste buds started protesting and I have to think of a different recipe that can be made with ridge gourd.  This is one such recipe I tried and hubby dear is very reluctant to taste this at first. Once he tasted it, he went for second and third servings which made me super happy. Give it a try and I can say that you will not be disappointed.. Ingredients 1 Beerakaya/Ridge gourd 1/2 tomato finely chopped 1/2 cup onion finely chopped 1/4 tsp ginger garlic paste 2 tbsp Grated coconut or dried coconut powder Red chilli pwd per taste 1 cup Water Couple of pinches Garam masala Juice of half lemon Salt per taste 2 tbsp  Ghee 1 tbsp Oil 1 tsp mustard seeds 1/2 tsp cumin seeds For Paste 1 tbsp Sesame seeds 1/4 cu...

Hubby dear wanted to eat kebabs and I am feeling little lazy that day... so kind of went ahead and made this version of kebabs with very few ingredients and to my surprise they turned out pretty tasty... I just used regular ingredients we use in Indian meat dishes and at times simple and easy is definitely better :) Ingredients 250 grams boneless Chicken Cooking oil as required 3 to 4 skewers depending on length of the skewer(If using wooden skewers, soak in water before hand for 3o minutes) For Marination 3 tbsp thick yogurt(preferably greek yogurt) 1 to 1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder(adjust depending on the spice level) 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste(adjust per spice level) 1 tsp garam masala Salt per taste 1 tbsp lemon juice Method Clean and wash the chicken properly. Cut it into thin strips . Keep it aside. Next, add the marination ingredients in the chicken and mix it properly. Keep it in the fridge for about an hour. Preheat the oven to 400F. Ta...

If you are looking for something healthy or lighter version, no offense...you can just stop here and look for other recipes(hey..the name says it all....it is Paneer, BUTTER and whole lot of other good creamy stuff). I have never came across a restaurant in USA that does not serve Paneer butter masala. This mouth watering gravy is like heaven to your taste buds with right amount of spiciness, creaminess and little sweetness. Here is my version of this awesome goodness..Give it a try :) Word of caution: This recipe looks little lengthy and takes time but trust me, it is all more than worth it at the end.. Ingredients 800 grams(around 2 lbs) Paneer sliced into bite sized cubes 2 big onions grind to paste(around 4 1/2 to 5 cups of onion paste) 3 tbsp ginger garlic paste 8 large tomatoes blanched(check notes below), skin removed and made to fine puree(around 4 cups of puree) 24 whole cashews 2 tsp poppy seeds/gasagasalu(optional) 4 bay leaves 2 cups milk(I highl...

My version of shrimp/Prawn curry from my native place popularly known as royyala vepudu. This recipe brings back so many wonderful memories. This being one of my favorite foods and me being a very picky eater growing up, my mom used to give me more of this curry than my brother. Once I grew up, I was told if you leave your favorite food item in the name of god, your wish will come true. My wish came true and I gave up shrimp because this is hands down, the one food I love the most. Been 13 years I gave up Shrimp but still make the curry for hubby dear because this happens to be his favorite too.  Ingredients 3 cups finely chopped Onion Salt per taste(around 3 tsp) 1 tsp Turmeric  2 tsp Coriander powder 6 Green Chillies slit length wise 1 tsp Cumin seeds  3 tsp Ginger garlic 3 to 4 tsp Red chilli powder depending on your spice level 1 tsp Garam masala 3 tbsp Oil 3 tbsp ghee 10 to 15 pieces cashews Handful of Curry leaves, coriander leav...

Boiled peanut chat is a spicy, tangy, delicious, lip smacking Indian street style food. This is one versatile dish that can be served as a snack or appetizer or salad or just as side dish for drinks. Being away from these are the kind of foods I miss a lot and I try to recreate them at home. Preparing this chat is super easy and always makes me feel nostalgic. Give the recipe a try and I bet you will be hooked... Ingredients 1 cup raw Peanuts(already shelled peanuts) 4 tbsp grated Carrot 1/4 cup finely chopped Onion 1/4 cup finely chopped Tomato 2 tbsp finely chopped Mint 4 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves Juice of 1 lemon(Use extra lemon if you like it tangier) 2 Green chilies finely chopped Salt per taste Method Soak peanuts in water for about an hour. Pressure cook peanuts with little salt and water for upto two whistles. Once the pressure is off, open the lid and drain all the water. Let the peanuts cool.  Add in all the ingredients and give i...

Masala vada.... This is a popular South Indian snack traditionally made of chana dal(split bengal gram). Well, I am kinda gal who had a tad bit of rebel streak in her and sometimes(I say sometimes but my mom might not agree) like to go against the rules. So, I went a non-traditional route and made my vadas with mixed dals and lots of mint and coriander leaves. I luv luv luv mint flavor. This recipe I am sharing today is inspired by mom's with twists of my own. The speciality of masala vada is that they have deliciously crunchy exterior and even more delicious soft interior, just like me ja ja ja ja. Enjoy! Ingredients 4 Green Chillies chopped finely 3/4 cup finely chopped Onion pinch of baking powder 1/2 tbsp cumin seeds 1/2 cup Besan/Chickpea flour(use as needed only if batter is runny or watery just to tighten up the batter) Coriander Leaves and Mint leaves finely chopped( I love mint and coriander leaves and so used 1/2 to 3/4th cup chopped of each leaves. Adjust per...

Today's special is Mom's mutton curry with few of my additions. I have tasted so many mutton recipes but hands down, by far my mom's curry is the best.. This specific curry is finger licking good and lip smacking tasty..The paste made out of nuts add that extra richness and taste to this curry. YUM YUM YUM!!!! The make or break for a perfect Andhra mutton curry is to cook the mutton till it is tender but the pieces should stay in tact without falling off...If you can figure out that exact balance you are a pro at making mutton curry andhra style!!  Ingredients Oil 3 tbsp Ghee 2 tbsp Onion chopped 1/4 cup(Do not need much because gravy comes from nuts powder) Gg paste 1/2 tbsp Salt 2 tsp(Per taste) Red Chilli powder 1 to 1 1/2 heaped tsp depending on spice level 1 cup water 1 tsp garam masala Coriander leaves for garnish Marination Mutton 1kg Salt 1 tsp Red Chilli Powder 1 heaped tsp Ginger garlic paste 1 tbsp Garam masala 1/2 tsp Lemon juice 1/2 l...

It is weekend and my brother's family came over. We are playing cards around 6 in the evening and all of a sudden hubby dear says "Pasi(that is his nick name for me), can you make chicken kebabs that you made couple weeks ago?". My response is "Why not?? Go get some chicken and I will have the marinade ready by the time you guys get back".... That is the story behind this recipe :)..... Hubby dear always have this food cravings on a whim and he should be really glad and thanking god because I love to cook(well..most of the times :) ) ... The great thing about these kebabs is that you do not need too many hours marination for them to taste better. Everyone loved the chicken which we ate for dinner along with some corn. Ingredients 3 lemons Oil or cooking spray  Couple of pinches of chat masala 1 big onion chopped lengthwise 6 to 8 skewers depending on length of the skewer(If using wooden skewers, soak in water before hand for 3o minutes) Ma...