After the overwhelming response to our recipe section we have decided to feature tried out, tested and tasted recipes from our home kitchens.Each month we will cover one region of India.In our last issue we had recipes from Andhra that we will have for the month of March. Give us your feedback,your impressions and share your very own recipes at info@lokvani.com

CURRY LEAF POWDER
3 to 4 bunches of curry leaves,(Karepak)
3 tbsp bengal gram,
2 tbsp urad dal,
5-6 red chilis,
½ tsp fenugreek seeds,
1 tsp mustard seeds,
1 tsp cumin seeds,
2 tsp oil to fry,
1 small lime size tamarind
salt to taste

Method
Barring curry leaves and tamarind roast all the ingredients to golden brown in one teaspoon of oil. Keep them aside. In the same pan heat one teaspoon of oil, add tamarind and curry leaves roast just for a while and switch off the flame. Allow it to cool. Grind into a coarse powder the roasted ingredients along with curry leaves, tamarind and salt. It tastes excellent with rice and clarified butter. Curry leaves are known to improve digestion.

PULUSU WITH VEGETABLES

Ingredients
250 gms lady's finger or pumpkin,or eggplant cut and diced
2 tbsp thick tamarind extract
1 onion finely chopped
1 tsp chili powder, ¼ tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste
Seasoning
? 1 tbsp oil 1 tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp fenugreek seeds
½ tsp jeera
a pinch of hing
a few curry leaves
Method
Wash, wipe and cut vegetables into 1" long pieces. Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds,jeera and hing. When they crackle add curry leaves, chopped onions and vegetables. Fry for 10 minutes. Mix, add tamarind pulp, salt, chili and turmeric powder. Add half a cup of water and boil till the contents become thick. Just before removing from fire add 1 tsp of rice flour with a little water and add to the pulusu. This will thicken the liquid. Serve with hot rice.

SPRING ONION PATHOLI

Ingredients
100 gms spring onions/scallions
½ cup green gram and 2 tbsp bengal gram soaked in water for 30-40 min
2-3 red chilis
a pinch of asafetida
salt to taste
2 tbsp oil
½ tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp urad dal
½ jeera

Method
Trim the scallions wash and cut into 1" pieces. Heat oil in a wok and add mustard seeds, urad dal,jeera and hing. Once the seeds crackle add scallions, and fry. Cover the wok and allow to cook on a medium flame for 5-6 minutes. In the mean time drain the gram and make into a coarse paste adding the remaining salt, broken red chilis and asafetida. Add this to the cooking beans and mix. Cover the wok and cook for some more time. Keep stirring to remove all lumps and add a little oil if necessary. Remove the cover and mix well to mash any lumps and cook stirring for few more minutes and switch off the flame. Tastes good with hot rice and clarified butter. As a variation you can steam the coarse paste in the pressure cooker like in idlis and add the cooled mixture to the wok

BOORELU
Ingredients
2 cups rice and one cup urad dal soaked overnight
2 cups moong dal soaked for 2 hours
2 cups jaggery /sugar
1/2 coconut grated
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
Method
Soak rice and dal overnight and drain out the water completely. Make a fine powder of it in a blender. Add a tiny bit of salt and a llitle jaggery to the mixture. Keep aside. Blend the moong dal with a little water as possible into a coarse paste. Steam in cooker as in dhoklas and after cooling powder the cooked paste in the blender to a coarse mixture. Grate 1/2 coconut and set aside. Add one cup of water and the sugar and melt it in a thick-bottomed vessel on low flame. Make syrup to one string consistency (letha paakam) and add the grated coconut and cardamom powder to it. Mix well and add the powdered dal mixture slowly. Remove from fire and when slightly cool make medium size balls. Heat oil in a pan or wok. Dip each ball in the rice and urad dal paste like in Bhajjis and fry till golden brown. They puff slightly. Stored carefully they last for a week and is a delicacy made during most Andhra festivities

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