Earth Day and Puffed rice mixture / Churmuri

April 22 is the earth day.Earth day is a day designed and inspire awareness and appreciation for the earth's environment. Click here to get more details about earth day .
some of the earth day issues are
1.Maintain and keep environment as green ..
2.The Earth's climate changes faster than normal rate due to pollution. Fight against to the pollution.
3.Conserve the world's bio-diversity.diversity is nature gift but it is threatened from human expansion and activities.
4.Support organic or small farm food. because the world rich farmland washes into the sea,so chemical,pesticides and fertilize causes many harms to our drinking water.
5.Recycle and reuse,The garbage dumps are filling quickly,with that goods might have been reused,recycled or composted.
6.We need to protect water,air,land from the pollution.these are essential resource that we cannot live with out .so protect and save them.
okay,,Let's come to my recipe puffed rice mixture(churmuri)

Ingredients :
Puffed rice - 1 cup
Pea nuts -2tsp
Roasted chana dal - 2 tsp
Green chilly - 3 or 4 (chop length wise)
Curry leaves -1 spring
oil-3tsp
salt to taste
For Garnishing :
Tomato  - 1 (small) chopped
Onion  - 1(small) chopped
Mango -1/2 sized chopped
Carrot - 1 grated
Fine Sev-3 tsp
Lemon Juice - 2 tsp
(Can also use cucumber)

Method For mixture:
1.First heat the oil in frying pan.add peanuts and roasted chana dal saute till they turned itno light golden color.then add curry leaves and green chilly.saute for few sec.now add salt mix well.
2.Now add puffed rice to it saute for few mins till puffed turned to crisp.
3.Turn off the flame transfer into airtight container for store longtime.

For Churmuri :
1.Take the puffed rice into plate.
2.Garnish with all garnishing ingredients mix well and serve.

Semiya (vermicelli) pulihora

Ingredients :

semiya / vermicelli - 1 cup
Tamarind pulp / lemon juice - 3or 4 tsp
pea nuts - 1 tsp
chana dal - 1 tsp
green chilly- 2 or 3
red chilly-2
curry leaves - 1spring
turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
hing - 1/4 tsp
oil - 2 tsp
coriander,cumin,mustard seeds-1 tsp
salt to taste
water - 2 or 3 cup

Method :
1.In a bowl add water,salt,turmeric powder bring to boil.then add vermicelli/semiya.cook for 3 to 5 mins.turn off the flame.strain them in a colander run under cold tap water through it to avoid sticking.
2.In a frying pan heat oil add coriander,cumin,mustard when they splutter,add chana dal,pea nuts fry till they turned to light golden color then add green chilly,red chilly,curry leaves saute for few mins add tamarind pulp or lemon juice cook for 3 or 4 mins till it leaves raw smell.
3.now add strained semiya to it mix and saute for few mins.

Step By Step Pix

4.Turn off the flame serve hot.

Sagu Biyyam Murukku / Sago Murukku for ICC

I already made different kinds of murukku.But I never made murukku with sago,this is very new to me.This month Srivalli choose Sagu Biyyam Murukku for Indian Cooking Challenge.I made this murukku for ICC it came out well and they sounds delicious and crispy.She add the curd to this recipe it gives sourness to the murukku,we liked the sour murukku..This is the first time I am participating in ICC event with awesome murukku.Thanks Srivalli  for choosing such a crunchy snack.

Ingredients :
Rice Flour  2 cups
Besan flour  1/2 cup
Fried gram flour - 1/2 cup
(roasted chana dal(putnalu in Telugu) make into fine powder)
Sago - 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Curd - 50 gms (half of half cup)
Chile powder - 1/2 tsp or as per taste

Vegetable oil-50 gm(for dough)

oil for deep fry


Utensil 
Murukku achu /Muruku maker

Method : 
1.Soak the sago in butter milk about 2 to 3 hrs,until the sago become soft.here use enough butter milk to soak else you the sago may burst while making murukku.
2.In a mixing bowl add rice flour,add all the flours together.to this add chilly powder and salt mix well.
3.Heat the 50 gm oil,slowly pour the oil on the top of flour.with a spoon or spatula mix well.
4.now add 50 gm curd and soaked sago to it.mix,knead well. and make soft chapathi dough.
5.Heat the oil for deep fry.
6.In the murukku achu(maker) fill the dough.when oil get ready to fry press down the murukku directly as murukku shape.
7.fry both sides on medium flame till they turned into golden color.Drain them into tissue paper to observe excess oil.

Step By Step Pix

8.Store them in airtight container.

chitti chegodilu (small rings) with leftover upma

If anyone feel bore to eat left over upma.Try this recipe rather trash the upma.It's a great and crunchy tea time snack. 

Ingredients :

Left Oner Upma - 1 cup
Rice flour- 1 cup
All purpose flour /maida-1 cup
Sesame seeds- 2tsp
Red chilly Powder-2 tsp
Ajwain - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Baking soda - pinch
Water - 1/2 - 3/4 cup(add according to
Salst - to taste
oil deep fry

Method :
1.In a mixing bowl add all the ingredients except oil and water.mix well.
2.In a bowl add water and boil bring to boil.
3.Add boiling water to flour.mix it with a spoon.cool down it.make a soft dough as chapathi dough.
4.Make a small balls out of the dough.make rope by rolling between palms.attach two ends of the rope,make a ring.repeat same for reaming dough.
   If you feel it's time consuming, just make one long rope and cut into small rope.attach both end and make small ring.
5.Deep fry them in heat oil on medium flame.fry till they turned into golden color.Drain them into a tissue.cool down it.

Step By Step Pix

6.keep them in air tight container to store about 1 month.

I am sending this recipe to Daisy Blue's Col-Left over delicacies event.

Onion (ulli) Pakoda / Onion Fritters

Ingredients :
Besan Flour -1cup
Rice Flour - 1/3 cup
Onion - 1 Big
Red chilly powder- 2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp(optional)
Ginger garlic paste- 1 tsp
Cashew nuts or pea nuts - 2 tsp
Baking soda-1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil for deep fry
Method :
1.Cut the onion into length wise and shred them finely.
2.Heat the oil on medium flame.
3.In a mixing bowl add besan flour,rice flour,chilly powder,cumin seeds,salt and baking soda,mix well.Take  2 tsp of hot oil, add to flour and mix.
4.Add shredded onion to the flour,mix well and make thick batter by adding little water.
5.Here  the batter should be thick and hard.other wise the pakodas won't crispy.
6.If the oil ready to fry ,Wet your hand,take small amount of mixture and drop it into oil. Repeat like this for remaining mixture.
7.Deep fry them till they turned light golden color.Then remove from oil and drain into a paper towel.

Step By Step Picture

8.Serve hot with Tomato ketchup or sweet chutney. 

Keep the pakodas in airtight container,to it can store up to 2 to 3 days.

Chegodilu / Chekodilu (Rice Flour Rings)

Ingredients :
Rice flour-1cups
water-3/4 to 1 cup
sesame seeds-4 to 5 tbsp
red chilly powder-2 tsp
ginger garlic paste- 1 tbsp
salt to taste
oil for deep fry

Method :
1.In a bowl add the water and bring it to boil.
2.In another bowl add rice flour,chilly powder,sesame seeds,salt,ginger garlic paste mix well.
3.Add the boiling water to flour.Mix it with a spoon or spatula.cool down it.then knead well and make a soft dough.Taste and test the dough before making and frying chegodi.
4.Heat the oil in wide and heavy bottomed pan on medium flame.
5.Mean time grease your fingers and flat surface.Take a lemon sized dough,with your fingers roll the dough into thick rope.
6.To make a ring joint the ends to of the rope and  press it firmly,other wise the ends separates while frying.Repeat this process to remaining dough. put them on a plate.and cover with a wet cloth so they don't dry.
7. Drop small amount of  the dough in heat oil.If the the dough comes to the top immediately,then that is right temperature to fry.Drop 5 or 6 chegodies at a time.
8.Fry on medium flame and fry till they turned into golden color.Using a slotted laddle remove from the oil onto tissue paper to observe excess oil.

Step by step pictures

9.let it cool.store it in a airtight container.serve with a cup of tea.

Sorakaya Appalu (Patties) / Bottle Gourd Patties

This is the most popular snack / appetizer in Andhra Pradesh.Even some of the Telugu people don't know about this snack.This is my hubby's one of favorite snacks.After my marriage this is the first snack I made for my hubby. Of course he liked it very much.Whenever I invite friends for lunch / dinner,I prepared this patties as appetizer really they like this appalu very much. Making of this patties is also similar to Pappu Chekkalu with some variation,but these patties are not crispy,these are smooth patties.you can also replace bottle gourd with pumpkin(white,yellow).

Ingredients :
Tender Bottle Gourd - 1 medium sized
Rice Flour - 3 to 4 cups(add according to bottle gourd)
Green chilly - 8 to 10
or
Red chilly powder - 3 to 4 tbsp
Sesame seeds - 5 to 6 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 spring
Spring Onion - few(optional)
Coriander leaves -few
Salt to taste
Oil for deep fry
Method :
First remove bottle gourd peel and grate the gourd.Grind the green chillies(with out stem) into fine paste.chop the curry leaves,coriander leaves,spring onion.

In wide bowl add rice flour,grated gourd,here add rice flour according to the bottle gourd moisture,add chopped leaves,chilly paste,salt.

mix well.

make a soft dough.If the bottle gourd is tender then no need of water to make dough beacause the tender gourd has lot of water.

make lemon sized balls out of dough.Grease one polythin paper and fingers, press the ball on the paper into round pattie shape with fingers. make a hole in center(making of hole is optional).

Heat the oil in a deep pan drop the pattie into heat oil fry for both sides of pattie like poori on medium flame.

drain them in a tissue paper.

you can also fry this patties on chapathi frying pan like chapathi.

serve hot with curd or butter.it can be store upto 2 days.

Besan Sev

Sev is one of the famous snacks.Sev can be used to garnish(topping) in many chaat items and also upma,..Sev also tastes good with tea/coffee at evening time.

Ingredients :
Besan / Chick Pea Flour - 1 cup
Red chily powder-1 tsp
Ajwain powder-1/4 tsp(optional)
Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
Heat Oil / melted butter - 2 tsp
Water - 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Oil for deep fry
Method :
In a bowl add all the ingredients except water then mix well.

Now add water slowly

 Make a soft dough.

Now  in a thick bottomed pan heat the oil in medium flame.In murukku maker choose small hole mold.

Put the dough in murukku maker.

When oil heats,hold the maker,with other hand turning the handle to fall dough like noodles and  slowly move the maker into circular motion on the top of hot oil.

fry both side sev till it turned into light golden color and become crisp.

slowly remove from the oil

Take it into tissue paper.

Cool down it and break it into pieces.

keep it in a airtight container about 3 to 4 weeks.

Mullu murukulu/crispy spiral snack-2

This another version of mullu murukulu
Ingredients:
Rice flour-2 cups
Roasted chana dal(putnalu)-3/4 cup
ajwain/oma-1 tsp
sesame seeds-1/4 cup
red chilly powder-3 tsp
salt to taste
water-2 cups

  Method :
  First grind the roasted chana dal ,make fine powder.combine rice flour and 1 cup roasted chana dal powder.then add remaining ingredients except water mix well.then boil the water add to the flout mix it with a spoon.cool down it.make a soft dough.then put the dough in muruku maker and press it and deep fry them in heat oil.Get step by step instructions from Here.

Sakinalu

Sakinalu / chakinalu made during Sankranthi Festival.This is made by only Telangana People.In every home this is the common snack at the Sankrathi festival.
Ingredients:
Rice - 6 cups
Sesame seeds(nuvvulu)-1/2 cup
ajwain (oma)-2 tsp
salt - 3 tsp
oil for deep fry
Method:
Soak the rice in water about 4 to 5 hrs.drain the water completely.dry the rice in a cotton cloth about 2 hrs.
                                       

In a grinder grind the rice into fine powder. In India usually the powder made in a mill.Here(in US) don't have this facility.so I used mixie to make this powder. sift the powder to separate the fine powder.to this add sesame seeds,ajwain,salt.

add few water to make soft dough.The dough like little bit thinner than chapathi dough.take small amount of dough make a round shape on a cloth by rolling the dough with fingers.making of sakinalu is shown in below video. 

 

repeat this process to remaining dough.let them to dry about 1 hr.

heat the oil in a skillet.with a flat shape spoon,Take the sakinalu.drop it into oil

 other wise carefully transfer the sakinalu  onto flat surface use any plate.so u can directly drop 3 or 4 at a time.

 slowly drop them in oil with.deep fry them till they turned into light golden color.

 sakinalu ....are ready to eat.store them in a airtight container,can store up to 1month.