Sweet Corn Sundal / Sweet Corn Guggillu

Happy Dussera to all my friends and family. During these navaratri we pray all the 9 avataras of goddess Durga. We keep Bommala kovulu (Kolu ) and make various varieties of food including Sundals.

Sundal, also called as guggillu in telugu is prepared during navaratri to offer to goddess Durga. It is usually prepared with lentils and legumes like peanuts, channa, black eyed peas and also can be prepared with Sweet corn, rajma etc.

Sweet corn sundal is a very easy and super tasty sundal and this is kid's most favourite among all sundals. You can make it cutting the kernels from fresh corn and can also use frozen corn.

2 cups of Sweet Corn (Frozen)

3 tablespoons Grated Coconut

1/2 Carrot (Optional)

1 teaspoon Lemon Juice (Optional)

Salt as needed

2 teaspoons Oil

1/2 teaspoon Mustard

1 Green chilli

1 Sprig Curry Leaves

1. If you have fresh corn, boil corn in water 10 min and then cut the kernel. If you are using frozen corn, boil corn kernel for 5 mins. Remove the excess water and keep it aside. Cut green chilli into thin circles. Cut carrot into small pieces. 

2. Heat a pan with oil, add mustard seeds, when they splutter, add green chilli, curry leaves and carrot, saute for a min. Add boiled corn, mix and fry for 2 mins.

3. Now add salt and grated coconut, saute for a min. Finally add lemon juice.

4. That's it Sweet corn sundal is ready.  



  

Pineapple Juice

As the temperatures are rising and need for juices is increasing, I started making fresh juices again at home. Fresh juices after a very hectic , hot day brings back our energy levels and these are so easy to make. Pineapple juice is a rich of nutrients among all the fruits. It provides many health benefits too. Cutting pineapple is the only tedious thing.

 

 

(Makes 4 Glasses)

One Big Pineapple

5-6  teaspoons Sugar

3-4  cups Water

1. Cut the leaf top of the pineapple. Remove or remove the skin with a sharp knife. Cut the pineapple into small pieces discarding the core. Put these pieces in a blender / juicer. Add 3 teaspoons of sugar and 2 cups of water.

2. Blend this for 5 mins. Strain this and discard the pulp. Pineapple juice is now ready. You can have it now or can dilute it more by adding 1-2 cups of water and 2-3 teaspoon. Mix it well and serve.


3. Pineapple juice on a hot summer day is very refreshing.  

Vankaya Kottimeera Karam Koora / Brinjal Coriander Curry

 

Another aromatic curry from Andhra's cuisine with andhra's favourite brinjal. This very easy to make curry is can be stuffed or made like a curry cutting brinjal into pieces. But we always like to make brinjal curries with whole brinjal (Gutti) like Gutti Vankaya Koora. 

Loads of coriander, very tempting and very aromatic curry. If you have not tried it yet, give it a try, you will sure love it. I will keep posting more and more brinjal curries as I am big fan of Brinjal and I am from andhra. :)

 

 

20 Small Brinjals

1 Big bunch of Coriander

4-5 Green Chillies

1 inch ginger piece

1/4 teaspoon Salt

1 teaspoon Tamarind Pulp (Optional)

3-4 teaspoon Oil

1. Clean and cut Brinjal into four pieces but not till the end as shown in picture. Keep them in water until use. Remove coriander stems and clean the leaves thoroughly. Grind green chilli and ginger to a paste.

2.  Add coriander and salt. Grind again to a smooth paste. Don't add water. 

3. Heat a pan with Oil. Take brinjal out of water. Place 1/2 teaspoon of coriander paste in it and then place this in the pan. Do the same thing for all brinjals and then mix it gently. Fry them till the colour changes and brinjal becomes soft. Mix it every 5 mins. so that it doesn't burn at the bottom. If it is more time for the brinjal to become soft place a plate with water on it for 5 mins. You can add tamarind pulp now. We never liked this curry tamarind pulp, so I don't add it. Tastes good even without that.


4. Eat this with Rice or Roti.

Easy Ice Lollies / Popsicles

What's the best thing you would love to have on a hot summer day than a Ice Lolly. 

Temperatures are raising here and we have entered into summer from winter with just few days of spring. So the heat is really unbearable now. My kids are asking me for cooldrinks, ice creams, ice lollies..Even at their tuck shop the demand for the ice lollies is increasing. Looking at these I thought why not make these at home. Home made Ice lollies are healthier, cheaper and you can make these with your own choice of flavours may be two or three flavours in one Ice lolly. It is fun to make these at home with kids.

Though I made these with cooldrink I don't recommend taking toomuch of cooldrinks. Once in a while its ok. The procedure is very easy . Many of us have don't it as a kid. I used to pour cooldrink in a stainless steel glass and freeze it. :) It tastes like the one we get in India with crushed ice.

My son has already placed an order for Coke Ice Lolly for next time.

Ice Lolly Moulds

Any Cooldrink

1. Pour cooldrink in ice lollu mould. Remember not to fill it to the top as liquid raises its volume when it is frozen. Freeze them. Take them out after 3-4 hours. Ice lollies are ready. 

2. If you are not able to remove these from moulds. Keep them under hot water for 1-2 minutes.

Usiri Avakaya / Usiravakaya / Amla Pickle / Gooseberry Pickle

Pickles are our all time favourites. I bring many pickles from India mostly mango pickles. When these pickle get over I will make some pickles with some fresh vegetables like carrot, cauliflower. 

Gooseberry has a special tangy taste and the people who like that taste just love this pickle. hen I saw Gooseberries here tried Gooseberry pickle for the first time and took snaps immediately. Pickle thickens and the gosseberry becomes soft after a day. 

Lemon juice can be added to this to enhance the taste.  Have this with curd rice.

20 Gooseberries

1 teaspoon Fenugreek Seeds

2 + 1 teaspoon Mustard Seeds

3/4 cup Red Chilli Powder

1/2 cup Salt

1 1/4 cup Oil

1/4 cup Lemon Juice

1. Clean Gooseberry and wipe the water with a kitchen towel. Leave them in a dry kitchen towel to dry for 1-2 hours. Dry roast fenugreek seeds and mustard separately till they splatter. Grind that into a fine powder.


2. Heat a heavy bottomed pan with 1/4 cup of oil add gooseberries, cook them for 15- 20 mins. You can see the change in colour of gooseberries Transfer this in to a bowl, add salt, red chilli powder, fenugreek and mustard powder.

3. Heat the pan again, add mustard seeds and let splatter . Add this to gooseberries.

4. Now heat the pan again with 1 cup oil and add with oil on top of gooseberries . Add 1/4 cup of Lemon juice. 

5. Enjoy this with Curd Rice.