Vendakai pachadi - My Mom's style

Vendakai pachadi is my dad's favourite. My mom used to make it quite different than other pachadi. Most of us are familiar with bhindi masala, vendakai poriyal, bhindhi fry. This pachadi is so simple to make and can be used as main dish instead of sambar. It could be served with hot steam rice and rice papad.

Preparation time : 10 mins
Cooking time: 15 mins
Serves : 2 nos

Ingredients:

Bhindi - 5 nos
Tomato - 2 nos (medium size, finely chopped)
Onion - 1 (large, finely chopped)
Curry leaves - few
Mustard - 1 teaspoon
Urad dal - 1 teaspoon(split)
Gingelly oil - 1 1/2 tablespoon
Sambar powder - 1 teaspoon
Coriander powder -1 teaspoon (optional)
Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Salt - to taste
Tamarind - small gooseberry size
Toor dal - 1 tablespoon
Coconut - 1/2 cup (grated)
Hing - 1 pinch

Method:

1. Wash and dry lady'sfinger. Cut them into fine pieces.



2. Wash and soak toor dal for 10 mins.
3. Extract tamarind pulp and keep it aside.
4. Grind grated coconut in mixer by adding little water to make it thick paste.
4. Heat oil in pressure pan, add mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves, hing and onion.



5. Saute onion until it turns translucent colour, add tomato, half of required salt, turmeric powder and saute well until tomato is half cooked.



6. Add chopped lady'sfinger and saute it for a min.



7. Finally add toor dal, tamarind juice, water, salt and sambar powder. Mix well and check for spice, salt and tanginess.



8. Pressure cook for 7 to 8 whistle and switch off the flame.
9. Once pressure goes off,  open the lid and smash the gravy. Add coconut paste and mix well.
10. Again pressure cook the mixture for 3 whistle.

Yummy vendakai pachadi is ready to be served.

Garnish with fresh curry leaves and serve vendakai pachadi with hot steam rice and papad.

Tips:

1. Instead of ladysfinger, broad beans can be used.
2. Ladysfinger should be only 5 nos for 1 onion and 2 tomato ratio.
3. Since toor dal is cooked in tamarind juice, it takes time to get cooked. 

Mango Dal/ Andhra pappu/ Mamidikaya pappu recipe

I have more Andhra friends starting from my college life and I just love to eat their food. I still remember I just ate food for an hour in my close friend (Maduri's) home at Kalahasthi, my mother was astonished to see me eating more than what I consume in my home. I love to taste different food, my friend mom had made lot of varieties for me when I visited her home. I think in my life that is the first time I ate huge amount of food with lot varieties.

Mamidikaya pappu is one of the Andhra's traditional dish. It is so simple to make and mostly made in raw mango season. It's slightly tangy in taste and one of the andhra pappu variety. Similarly toor dal/ moong dal can be used as per our wish. It is simply served with Hot steam rice and avakaai pickle.

Ingredients :

Toor dal - 1/2 cup
Raw Mango chopped - 1/2 cup
Water -1 1/4 cup
Green chilli - 1 or 2  (Slit)
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Hing - 3/4 teaspoon
Salt - to taste

For seasoning:

Ghee - 1 tablespoon
Mustard - 1/2 teaspoon
Urad dal - 1/4 teaspoon (split)
Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Red chilli - 1 no
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Garlic cloves - 2 (Crushed)
Ginger - 1 inch(Finely chopped, optional )

Method:

1. Wash and soak toor dal for 15 mins.
2. Wash and cut mango into small pieces, discard the seed.
3. Pressure cook toor dal, chopped mango, green chilli, hing, turmeric powder and water for 3-4 whistle.
4. Once pressure goes off, mash dal to smooth consistency by adding required salt,
5. Heat ghee in a small pan, add mustard seeds, urad dal, cumin seeds, and crushed garlic. When they begin to sizzle add fresh curry leaves and red chilli. Finally add a pinch of hing to hot ghee, which adds additional flavor. Switch off the flame.
6. Add this seasoning to paapu. Mix well and serve it with hot steam rice and papad.

Tips:

1. While seasoning, after switching off flame, red chilli powder can be added around 1/2 teaspoon. This will add little spice to mamidikaya pappu. This step is optional.
2. Adding crushed garlic to hot ghee, will add additional flavor to pappu.