Dappalam

Andhra is famous for its pulusu,be it chapala pulusu or any other pulusu.Dappalam is a mixture of many veggies cooked in tamarind gravy and is very famous in andhra.Sometimes besan or channa dal is added to get the thickness in the pulusu.

My elder sister is married into a typical Andhra family from Vijayawada and she cooks this dappalam very often.I love this with plain rice or hyderbadi bagara rice (not a weird combination though).This is my sister recipe....

Ingredients:-

Soorakaya/Kadhu/Bottle Gourd 1 cup (big pieces)

Brinjal 2 chopped into thick pieces

Drum stick 2

Tomatoes 2

Lady finger 4 chopped into big pieces

Green chillies 2 sliced

Channa dal 4 tbsp (soaked for 3-4 hours)

Tamarind small lemon sized

Jaggery a small piece

Mint leaves few

Coriander leaves few

Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste

Seasoning

Mustard seeds few

Hing little

Curry leaves few

Oil 2-3 tbsp

Method:-

Soak channa dal for 3-4 hours and pressure cook until soft.Mash it and keep aside.

In a deep pan take oil and add all the seasoning.When they spultter add all the veggies and green chillies,mint leaves,coriander.

Add salt and turmeric powder.Mix well.Cover and cook for 7-8 minutes.Now the veggies will become soft.

Remove pulp from tamarind and add it to the veggies.Also add jaggery.

Add 2 glass of water.Let it come to boil.

Then add the mashed channa dal,cook until the veggies are soft (say for another 5-6 minutes).

Serve hot with rice and vadiyalu or else serve like i do with bagara rice.

Nellore Kodi Pulusu (Chicken cooked in tamarind gravy)

This recipe i jotted down long back from a newspaper and tried it many times.The combination of chicken and tamarind is excellent and this curry is from a place called nellore in Andhra pradesh and is quite famous there.

Ingredients:-

Chicken 1 kg

Onion chopped 1

Tomato 1 (chopped into 4 pcs)

Turmeric 1/2 tsp

Juice of half lemon

Salt as per taste

Wash chicken.Add all the above ingredients.Mix well.Pour one glass of water and cook.Once the chicken is soft and there is still some water remaining switch of the stove and keep aside.

Make a fine paste of the following ingredients:-

Fresh coconut 1 tbsp

Ginger garlic paste 1 tbsp

Coriander powder 1 tsp

Garam masala 1/2 tsp

For seasoning

Onion 1 chopped

Green chillies silted 2

Cloves 2

Cinnamon 1'' 2pcs

Cardamom 2

Curd 1 tbsp

Tamarind small lemon size (extract juice from tamarind)

Method:-

Take oil in a pan,heat it and add cinnamon,cloves and cardamom.Once they crackle add onions and fry till brown in colour.Add green chillies and fry.

Add masala paste and fry till oil comes out.

Add curd and saute of 2-3 minutes.

Then add tamarind juice and let it boil for another 3-4 minutes.

Now pour in the boiled chicken along with water.

Cook on high flame for 10 minutes and then on low flame till it thickens into a gravy.

Serve hot with rice/dosa/parathas.

Chapala pulusu (fish in tamarind gravy)

Cooking chapala pulusu is art.One will get mastered to that art by cooking it frequently.I can't match my mom's chapala pulusu.The first time i made when i was newly married,it was a big disaster.But i didnt get discouraged,i kept on trying it and now after 7 years i can say i can cook good chapala pulusu but not like my mom's.My mom's sister is no more,but i still remember her chapala pulusu taste,even my mom can't match hers.

Ingredients:-

Fish 1 (big)

Onions 2

Green chillies 3

Tomatoes 2

Tamarind 1 (lemon size)

Rai 1/4tsp

Menthi 1/4tbsp

Zeera 1/2 tbsp

Ginger garlic paste 11/2 tbsp

Red chilly powder 1 tbsp

Fresh coconut grated 1/4 cup

Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp

Vinegar 2 tbsp

Curry leaves few

Coriander leaves few

Oil 3-4 tbsp

Salt as per taste

Seasoning:-

Rai few

Zeera few

Curry leaves

Method:-

1. Dry roast rai,menthi and zeera. (I usually do if before and store it)


2. Marinate fish pieces with salt,vinegar and ginger garlic paste for 1 hour.


3. Make fine paste of coconut, one onion ,roasted rai,menthi and zeera.


4. Heat oil add the seasoning.When they splutter add onions and green chillies.Saute till onions are pink in colour.


5. Then add coconut paste,fry till the raw smell goes and oil comes out.


6. Add fish pieces.Saute very gently so that the pieces doesnt break.


7. Cover and cook for 3-4min.


8. Add tamarind pulp,turmeric powder and red chilly powder.Add little water


9. Once the fish is half done add tomatoes (big pieces).


10. Don't stir much as the peices will break


11. Cook till the gravy thickens.

I always prefer fresh water fish.I usually make this curry with rohu fish.But m-law will make this with any fish.This curry is best eaten the next day.When i make this curry my hubby dear keeps it for next day to eat with dosa.

Bobbaralu Pulusu (Black eyed peas in tamarind sauce)

Ingredients:-

Black eyed peas 2 cups

Onions 2

Tomatoes 2

Green Chillies 2

Tamarind 1 small size of lemon

Coconut 1/2 grated

Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp

Red chilli powder 1/2 tsp

Rai 1/4 tbsp

Menthi 1/4 tbsp

Zeera 1/4 tbsp

Curry leaves few

Oil 4 tbsp

Salt as per taste

Method:-

1. Soak black eyed peas over night and pressure cook maybe just 2-4 whistle,should not be over cooked


2. Dry roast half of rai,menthi and zeera.Add grated coconut and 1 onion and make a smooth paste


3. Heat oil in a deep pan,add rai,curry leaves,onions and green chillies.Saute till onions are pink in colour


4. Add the above paste,salt,haldi and red chilli powder and saute till the paste leaves sides of the pan.


5. Remove tamarind extract and add it to the paste.


6. Bring it to boil and add the boiled peas.Let it cook for 2-3 minutes


7. Add tomatoes and cook till the pulusu is thick enough.

Tamarind can be adjusted as per taste.I took more because my hubby likes.Usually my mom does this with very less tamarind,but my m-law uses the quantity i mentioned as they eat much tamarind.