Juicy Jalebi

Guntur Traditions is wishing you all a very Happy Mother's Day .

 Celebrating this day with warm and juicy Jalebi!!!

Ingredients : 

for batter: 

Maida / all purpose flour - 11/2 cups

Senagapindi / besan - 2tbs

Turmeric powder / yellow food color - pinch (optional)

Baking powder - 1/2 tsp

Curd / plain yogurt - 1/2 cup

Water - 1/2cup (more if needed)

Oil - for deep frying 

For syrup:

Jaggery (chopped)- 11/2 cups

water - 11/4 cup

Elachi powder / rose essence - 1/4 tsp

- Mix maida , turmeric powder and senagapindi in a bowl , add water and yogurt to it and mix well to make a smooth batter . The batter should be  idly batter / pancake batter consistency .

- Close the bowl and put it in warm place like oven / microwave (don't switch on) and let it ferment for 24 hours ( it worth) , if you live in warm place 6 hrs of fermentation is enough . After fermentation , it won't double in size but some bubbles form on top .

- After 24 hours of fermentation , when u ready to make Jalebis , take the batter , add baking powder to it and mix it will .

- To make syrup , take a wide open pan , take jaggery , water and mix it will and bring it a boil ,( if u want to add elachi powder / rose essence add now) and simmer it   for another 5-10 minutes until one string consistency . let it cool until it is worm (not too hot) .

- Take a wide bottom pan and add oil , not more than 1" from the bottom and let it heat on medium flame . 

- can make Jalebis with ketchup battle or ziplock bag .If  you are using ziplock bag , take the batter in a ziplock bag make a tiny hole by cutting the corner with scissors .

                                 

- Check if the oil is hot enough for frying Jalebi by adding a drop of batter to the oil , it should come up slowly but not very fast.

- Start frying the jalebis , take the ketchup bottle or ziplock bag that is filled with batter and carefully sqeeze the batter in the oil my making circles (shape of jalebi) .

- Once they are fried on one side , turn them to the other and let fry completely (fry them until they are crisp on both sides) .

- When they are fried on both sides , take them out of the frying  pan and add to the syrup pan (syrup should be warm , not hot) . let them soak the syrup for 20 secs on each side .

- Now arrange them in soaked jelabis in try and they are ready to enjoy!!!

cheese pelalu / cheese pop corn

not the flavor that I grew with...but recent love!!!!

Ingredients :

corn kernels - 1/4 cup

grated cheese - 1/4 cup 

ghee / clarifies butter - 1 tbs

salt - pinch

- add the ghee in a wide bottom pan and heat in on medium high heat .

- when ghee is hot , add corn kernels .

- now add salt , mix it well .

- wait until they swell little bit (20-30 secs)  , close the pan .

- when they start to pop , start to shake the pan for every 5 secs so that they all pops evenly (keep an eye if not they burn in no time)

- once they stop popping , switch off the stove and add the grated cheese ans mix it well .

chakralu / murukulu / jantikalu

my all time favorite snack!!!

ingredients :
senagapindi / besan :2 cups
biyam pindi / rice flour  : 2 cups
vaamu / ajwain : 1tsp
karam / red chilly powder : 1tsp
salt : 1 1/2tsp
inguva / hing : 1/2 tsp (optional)
turmeric : 1/4 tsp ( just for color , optional)
water -  1 cups + 2 tbs
oil for deep frying

- mix all dry ingredients very well ( senagapindi , biyam pindi , vaamu , karam , salt , inguva , hing , turmeric )

- make soft dough by adding water little at a time .

- select the desired shape of chakralu mold , make log of dough and put it in the chakralu press and press it .

- Now heat oil on deep bottom pan on medium high and  when oil is hot , carefully transfer the pressed chakralu dough to the frying pan .

- When the fried on one side until golden brown color( it may take 5 - 7 minutes), turn them to other side and let them fry until golden brown color ,for not than another 5 minutes( you know when they are done when it stop bubbling or when all the bubbles are gone)

- Now  transfer them to a plate and repeat this process until you are done with all the dough .

- Let them cool for some time and when the are completely cooled  , transfer them to a clean and dry air tight container and they will stay for more than a month .

veg pulao in rice cooker

Ingredients :
rice - 4 cups (rice cups)
carrots - 2
cabbage - small piece
potato - 1 big
onions - 2 medium size
ginger - 1 inch piece
garlic - 4 cloves
green chilly - 1
mint - few stems
cinnamon - 2 mall pieces
cloves - few
cardamom - 2 pods (only seeds)
bay leaf - 2
salt - 3 tsp
oil / ghee - 2tbs
water - 8 cups

- wash peel and chop all the vegetables ( carrots , potato , cabbage , onions , green chilly )

- ground ginger , garlic into rough paste .
- heat oil / ghee in a wide pan on medium low heat , when oil is hot add bay leaf , cinnamon ,        cloves , cardamom seeds and fry until u small all the spices (they burn in no time) .

-  add chopped onions , green chilly and and fry until they turn golden brown

- add ginger garlic paste until it leaves the raw smell

- now add all the chopped vegetables (carrots , potato , cabbage ) , mix them and saute until they are half cooked.

- add chopped mint and mix it and let it cook for few secs until  until nice aroma comes

- add the rice , mix every thing and let it fry until rice looks glossy and shiny .

- transfer the sauteed rice and vegetables mixture to the rice cooker , water , salt and  mix it well

-now cover it and let it cook.

- in middle of cooking , open the lid and mix it so that all the vegetables won't float on top.
- once veg pulao is done , don't open the lid immediately...let it stand for 5-10 minutes .

          veg pulao with tomato egg curry

It goes very well with potoato kurma / chicken curry / gravy / raita

boondi laddu

Welcome new year with boondi laddu!!!

Ingredients :

senagapindi  / Gram flour - 2cups

 sugar - 2 cups + 2tbs

 water - 4 cups (2+2)
salt - pinch

 cardamom seeds - 1 tsp

edible  camphor -  pinch(optional)

 cashew nuts - 2 tbsp

 raisins - 2 tbsp

Ghee /clarified butter - 2 tbsp 

oil for deep frying

make smooth batter by mixing 2 cups of senagapindi with 2 cups water , salt (it should look like dosa batter or honey consistency) and leave it a side of 10 minutes .

Mean while take a wide pan to  prepare sugar syrup by  adding 2 cups of sugar and 2 cups of water . bring it to boil and on high heat . once it start to boil , reduce the flame to medium low and simmer it until syrup gets to 1 string consistency. check for the sugar consistency as shown in the pic .

Now  heat oil in a heavy bottom  pan on medium heat, once the oil is hot ... place the boondi ladle on top of the frying pan(little hight)  ladle should not touch the oil ,with  a small cup and pour batter slowly in to the boondi  ladle so that the batter drips in the hot oil by forming tiny little rounds(boondi).

stir them so that wont stick to each other fry them until  boondi gets  golden color .

 once they are done , take them to a clean and dry  bowl .

 repeat the same process by taking 1 small  cup of batter at a time for the rest of the batter.
now take all the 2tbs of sugar , add cardamom seeds , edible camphor and ground it to fine powder .

take another  small pan and add the ghee to it and fry cashew nuts and raisins and they turn golden brown color .

Now add this sugar powder to the the sugar syrup and mix it well . check if the syrup if hot , if not reheat it until syrup gets hot(boodi absorbs syrup very well when syrup is hot).

now add fried boondi , fried cashew nuts and raisins to the syrup and mix it well and take it off from the heat and  cool by stirring once in a while so syrup is absorbed by boondi evenly .

once the mixture is worm enough to touch , start making laddu by taking fist full of soaked boondi and press it between 2 hands by making it in round shape(almost ).should be little quick here...if the mixture gets cool , syrup from crystals and can't make laddu with it .

Once they are cooled store them in a clean airtight container , they will be good for up to 2 weeks(if they last!!)

comming back!!

Hi there,
Had a baby and took long break by knowing I'll be back!!!
Now I came to know  how much effort it takes to publish one post , it starts with capturing the pics and edit them , writing the script...kudos to all the bloggers who are doing  it like  service(expecting nothing) by spreading their knowledge , education , skills , passion...last but not least , here is my special thanks to all the busy moms who have very limited time  and  manage to express themselves through blogging .
This is new me but with same old passion for cooking .
It is beautiful that Iam comming back on new year's day and  I wish all my fellow bloggers a very happy Ugadi .

veg dum biryani

Enjoy holi with colorful veg dum biryani!!!

Ingredients :

rice - 3cups
potatos - 3-4
carrots - 3
peas - 1cup
onion - 1 big
green chillies - 6
ginger garlic paste - 2tbs
curd - 1/2cup
garam masala - 11/2tbs (divided)
red chilly powder  - 1/2tsp
turmeric - 1/2tsp
salt - 3tsp(divided)
cinnamon stisk - 1"piece
cloves - 6
star anise - 1 whole
orange food colour  - 1/4tsp
coriander leaves / cilantro - few springs
mint - few sprigs
oil - 5 -6 tbs

              (These are  very old  potato , so some buds are going on top  . I don't know whether they are edible or not so I removed buds and used the potatos)

Pre preperation  :

• Finely slice onions and saute until brown color   (takes about 3tbs of oil) .

• Chop potatos and carrots in to bite size cutes and saute them saperately until they leaves it rew smell(takes about 1tbs of oil each)

• Saute peas until 2 minutes (about 1 tbs of oil)

• In small bowl , take curd and add garam masala (1tbs) , salt , red chilly powder , turmeric , ginger garlic paste and mix well  . Add this curd mixture to the sautes veggies and marrinate for 30 minutes .

• Mean while take water in big pot and bring it to boil . When water is boiling add salt(2tsp) , cinnamon stick , cloves , star anise  and rice and stirr well and let it cook until rice is 80%cooked .
• Once rice is cooked , drain off the rice in a colinder .

• Chop coriander leaves , mint leaves and slit green chilles .
• divide sauted onions , chopped coriande , mint leaves , slit green chillies in to 3 parts .

For dum :

• Preheat oven on 425 f .
• In a oven safe tray , spread the marinated veggies as bottom layer (spread it evenly) .

• On top of veggies , sprinkle 1/3 of the onions , mint and coriander leaves , split green chilles .

• now spread half of the cooked rice on top of  it .(spread evenly) and sprinkle pinch of garam masala on top .

• Again sprinkle another 1/3rd of the mint , coriander leaves , onions , green chilles on the rice .

• Take another half of the rice and spread it evenly .
• take remaining onions , mint , coriander leaves , split green chillies and sprinkle over top of the rice .
• If you are using color , disolve the colour in 2tbs of water and sprinkle over the top of rice .

• Now cover the tray with foil and put it in oven and bake it  for 20 minutes .

• After 20 minutes , carefully  take it out from the oven and mix  the rice and veggies until they all are mixed well and cover it and bake it again for 10 minutes .

• Now biryani is done .

Serve  steaming hot veg biryani with chicken curry  / kurma /gravy and raita

Veg bum biryani with onion tomato gravy and raita .

NOTE :

      - can use any oyher veggies like cauliflowe , bell peppers , cabbage , brocalini ....

      - I used dried peas . if using so soak them for 5 hrs and boil until cooked and use .

      - Use spices according to your taste .

      - Can use saffron instead of colour . Just soask in warm water / milk for 15 minutes before using .