Gutti Vankaya Kura / Stuffed Brinjal Curry - Andhra Style

This recipe is my entry to the event "Shhh!!! Cooking Secretly" challenge conducted by Mayuri Patel of Mayuri's Jikoni.   For the month of September, I have paired with Priya Suresh of "priyaeasyntastyrecipes" and the ingredient given by her is Brinjal and Peanuts.

This month we planned to try Andhra Cuisine with the given Ingredients.  So thought of trying a gravy using brinjal / eggpalnt.    When I discussed this with my friend Monisha, she taught me a recipe which turn into a  great hit in our house.  Thank you Monisha for the lip smacking recipe.

This Andhra style brinjal gravy is easy to make and also  spicy, tangy and nutty in taste.    It goes well with rice and chapathi.

Try and give your feedback!

Dum Ka Chicken / Hyderabadi Dum Ka Murgh

Dum ka Murgh / Chicken is a very aromatic and also a popular hyderabadi special recipe; prepared using chicken, many aromatic spices, cashews / almonds paste, curd and fried onions; slow cooked in "Dum Style".

I have adapted this recipe from the famous chef Vahrehvah. This gravy is easy to cook and so delicious with the mild sour taste of yogurt.

This suits well with any flavored rice or with any Indian flat bread.

Do try this and give your feedback.

Ingredients:

Chicken - 800 grams to 1 kg (cleaned and cut)
Curd - 1 cup, well beaten
Onion - 2 (sliced lengthwise)
Green chilli - 5 to 6 ( chopped into small pieces)
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Shah jeera - ½ tsp 
Turmeric powder - ½ tsp 
Kashmiri red chili powder - 1 to 1½ tsp 
Corriander powder - 1 tbsp 
Cumin powder - ½ tsp 
Cinnamon - 2 to 3 pieces
Cloves - 5 to 6
Cardamom - 3 to 4
Mint leaves - 2 tbsp(chopped)
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp(chopped) 
Oil - 2 to 3 tbsp
Whole wheat or atta dough - to seal the pan

To Grind:
Cashew nuts or Almonds - ¼ cup

Methi Dhal / Dal (Fenugreek Leaves with Lentils)

This is a simple and healthy lentil / dhal preparation with the goodness of fenugreek leaves; suits well with steamed rice, chapathi or roti.

Ingredients:

Toor dhal / Pigeon peas  / thuvaram paruppu – ½ cup
Methi (Fenugreek )leaves – 2 small  bunch

Tomato - 1(medium sized)
Onion - 1 Medium sized)
Green chilli - 3
Tamarind - one small  goose berry size
Salt - to taste

For Seasoning:

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Cumin seeds - ½ tsp
Urad dhal – ¾ tsp
Red chillies - 2 

Crushed garlic - 3
Curry leaves – 1 sprig
Oil – 1 tbsp

Directions:

Wash methi leaves (pick only the leaves removing the roots & stems) and keep aside.

Soak the tamarind in nearly ½ cup of water.  After sometime squeeze and extract the juice; keep it aside. 

Pressure cook dhal with chopped onion, chopped tomato, turmeric powder and green chilli with 1½ cup of water.

Allow to cook for 3 whistles or till dhal becomes soft.

Once the pressure releases, add methi leaves, tamarind extract and salt.

Give it a mix and allow to cook for 5 minutes in medium flame.

Meanwhile heat oil in a separate pan, season with all the ingredients given under "For Seasoning" one by one. 

Once it splutters, pour over the dhal mixture and mash it with the ladle till well combined.

Remove from the stove and serve hot .

Note:

You may add the juice of ½ lemon after removing dhal from the stove, if you want to avoid tamarind.

Gongura Mutton / Chicken With Red Sorrel Leaves

Here is a popular and also traditional spicy mutton recipe from Andhra cuisine!

Gongura or Red Sorrel leaves is known by various names like the ambadi in Marathi, pulicha keerai in Tamil, Pitwaa in Hindi, Pandi / Pundi in Kannada. It is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals. Try and relish! 

Ingredients:

Mutton - ½ kg (cleaned and cut into pieces)
Gongura leaves - 3 cups
Onion - 2 (finely chopped)
Tomato - 1(finely chopped)
Green chillies - 2
Ginger garlic paste - 1½ tbsp
Red chilli powder - 1½ tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Garam masala powder -½ tsp

Salt - To taste 

For seasoning:

Cinnamon - 1" piece
Clove - 2
Cardamom - 1
Fennel seeds - ½ tsp
Oil - 1 to 2 tbsp

Directions:

Wash the Gongura leaves (pick only the leaves removing the roots & stems) and keep aside.

Pressure cook mutton, adding 2 tsp ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder and salt along with 1 to 2 cups of water, till it becomes soft.

Heat oil in a kadai and season with cinnamon, cloves and cardamom; after it splutters, add the onions. 

Saute till the colour changes and then add the remaining ginger garlic paste, tomato, green chillies and salt. Saute till tomato becomes soft. 

Then add the gongura leaves, red chilli powder, coriander powder and saute for 2 to 3 minutes.

After that add the cooked mutton along with the water in that and mix well. Adjust the salt according to your taste.

Close the lid and allow it to cook till masala blends well with the mutton (add water if necessary).

Once the mutton mixture becomes thick in consistency and oil separates, add garam masala powder and mix well. 

Remove pan from the stove and serve hot with steamed rice or with any Indian flat breads.

Note:

Adjust the spice and water level according to the consistency / taste you like.

I am sending this recipe to Rafeeda and anu's page for South Indian cooking event.