Tomato Rice

Ingredients :

Basmathi Rice (1 Cup)
Tomatoes ( 2-3 )
Green Chillies (2-3)
Onion ( 1/2 )
Mustard seeds (1/4 tsp)
Cumin seeds (1/4 tsp)
Turmeric (1/2 tsp)
Oil - 2 tsp
Curry Leaves (4-5)
Cloves (2-3)
Cardamom (2-3)
Cinnamon Stick (1/2 inch)
Bay leaves (1-2)

Cashew nuts (5-6)
Salt to taste
Cilantro to garnish

Preparation :

• Cook the Rice with 1:11/2 ratio of water and keep it aside.
• Take a pan add Oil , cumin seeds, mustard seeds,cloves,cardamom,cinnamon stick,
  bay leaves,curry leaves , cashew nuts fry for 2 mins
• Then add Onions, Green chillies fry them for a min.
• Add turmeric and salt to taste then add tomatoes and cook for 3-4 mins.
• Now add the cooked rice and mix it well,garnish with cilantro and serve hot.

Sweet Potato Halwa

Ingredients:

Sweet Potato ( 1 Big )
Milk ( 1 cup )
Sugar ( 1 cup )
Cashew nuts (7-8)
Ghee ( 2 tbsps )

Preparation:

• Peal and Grate the sweet potato and keep it aside.
• Heat 2tbsp ghee in a frying pan and add grated sweet potato to it and fry for 3-5 mins,stir continuously so that bottom is not burnt.
• Add Milk to it and boil till thick, stir occasionally.
• Once it starts thickening, stir continuously.Add sugar and cook till it thickens.
• In a separate pan add 1tsp ghee and fry the cashew nuts till they are golden brown.
• Add cashew nuts to the mixture stir on low heat for 2-3 mins.
• Let it cool down,Sweet potato Halwa is ready to serve.

Bathukamma ( Telangana Festival ) 2010

Batukamma is a spring festival celebrated by the Hindu women of Telangana region in Andhra Pradesh, India.
This festival falls in the months of September/October and concludes two days before Dussera.

Batukamma is a beautiful flower stack, arranged with seasonal flowers, in seven concentric layers like a cone.
As Bathukamma is festival of flowers they use only those flowers which does not harm any vegetation.

Batuku in Telugu means live/life, and Amma means mother, hence Batukamma, is celebrated for the glory of Gauri goddess - the patron Goddess of womanhood.




In the evening, women dress up in traditional sarees wear jewellery and gather in large numbers with their batukammas in nearby temple or lake,place them in the middle and dance around them,synchronizing steps and claps,Singing soul stirring batukamma folk songs.They play kolattam .(kolattam is played with two sticks in their hands and play along with the song to syncronize)

Batukammas are taken to a lake or a pond and spend some more time singing and dancing and are set afloat in the water .

As it is 9 days festival they prepare 9 different varieties on each day and last day of bathukamma.
Listed are few items which we prepare for Saddulu Bathukamma
Pulihora (Tamarind rice),Karapu annam (Red Chilly Rice),Perugu annam(Curd Rice),Nuvvu annam(Sesame seeds Rice),Kobbari annam(Coconut Rice)
Pindi Muddalu (Rice flour ladoo),Nuvvu undalu(Sesame seeds ladoo),Palli undalu (Peanuts ladoo),Suniundalu (Urad dal ladoo)
Minapa undalu(Moong dal ladoo),Sattu pindi (Corn with jaggery),Cucumber.

Nuvvu annam (Sesame Rice)

Ingredients:

Cooked Rice (1 cup)
Sesame seeds (3-4 tbsp)
Urad dal ( 1 tsp )
Green chilies ( 2-3)
Mustard Seeds(1/2 tsp)
Cumin seeds (1/2 tsp)
Peanuts (1/2 cup)
Salt to taste
Red Chillies ( 2 )
Oil ( 2 tsp)
Curry leaves (5-6)

Preparation:

• Dry roast the sesame seeds for 2 mins,Grind it to fine powder.
• Mix the sesame powder and salt with the rice and keep it aside.
• Take a pan add 2 tsp oil , cumin seeds , Mustard seeds, urad dal ,Red chillies,Curry leaves,Green chillies, peanuts and fry for 2 mins. Then add rice and fry for 2-3 mins.

Curd(Yogurt) Rice

Ingredients:
Rice (1 cup)
Curd(Yogurt) ( 1 cup)
Milk (1 cup)
Mustard seeds ( 1/4 tsp)
Red chillies(2)
Green chillies(2)
Moong dal ( 1/2 tsp )
Urad dal ( 1/2 tsp )
Cashew nuts ( 4-5)
Salt to taste
Cooking Oil ( 1 tsp)

Curry leaves (4-5)

Preparation :

• Cook 1 cup of rice in 3 cups of water.
• Let the rice cool down then add yogurt ,milk and salt to taste and make it as a loose paste.
• Take a pan add 1tsp of oil then add Mustard seeds,Green chillies,Red chillies, Moong dal,Urad dal, curry leaves and Cashew nuts cook it for 2 mins.
• Add the tempering to rice and its ready to serve.
  

Pindi Muddalu

Preparation:
Rice 2 cups
Sugar 1 cup
Peanuts 1/2 cup
Ghee 2tbsp
Cardamom 2-3

Preparation:

• Dry roast the rice for 2-3 mins,Keep it aside and sprinkle few water drops on the roasted rice.
• Dry roast the peanuts and keep them aside
• Grind the rice till it is fine powder,keep it aside.
• Grind the Sugar till it is fine powder,keep it aside.
• Grind peanuts till it is fine powder,keep it aside.
• Mix all the powders ,cardamom and ghee grind them for a min.
• Take the mixture and make small balls out of it.If needed add extra ghee and sugar.

Palli Muddalu (Peanuts Ladoo)

Ingredients:
Peanuts 2 cup
Sugar 1 cup

Preparation:

• Dry roast the peanuts and keep them aside.
• Grind the Sugar till it is fine powder,keep it aside.
• Grind peanuts till it is fine powder,keep it aside.
• Mix all the powders and grind them for a min.
• Take the mixture and make small balls out of it. If needed add extra sugar.

Pesaru Undalu (Moong dal Ladoo)

Ingredients:
Moong dal 2 cup
Sugar 1 cup
Ghee 2 tbsp
cardamom 2-3

Preparation:

• Dry roast the Moong dal and keep it aside .
• Grind the Sugar till it is fine powder,keep it aside.
• Grind Moong dal till it is fine powder,keep it aside.
• Mix all the powders, 2tbsp ghee,cardamom and grind them for a min.
• Take the mixture and make small balls out of it.If needed add extra ghee and sugar.

Nuvvu Undalu (Sesame Seeds Ladoo)

Ingredients:
Sesame Seeds 1 cup
Sugar 1/2 cup
Ghee 1tsp

Preparation:

• Dry roast the sesame seeds and keep them aside
• Grind the Sugar till it is fine powder,keep it aside.
• Grind sesame seeds till it is fine powder,keep it aside.
• Mix both the powders, 1tsp ghee and grind them for a min.
• Take the mixture and make small balls out of it.If needed add extra ghee and sugar.

Sunni Undalu (Urad dal Ladoo)

Ingredients:
Urad dal 2 cup
Sugar 1 cup
Ghee 2 tbsp
cardamom 2-3

Preparation:

• Dry roast Urad dal and keep it aside.
• Grind the Sugar till it is fine powder,keep it aside.
• Grind urad dal till it is fine powder,keep it aside.
• Mix all the powders, 2tbsp ghee,cardamom and grind them for a min.
• Take the mixture and make small balls out of it.If needed add extra ghee and sugar.

Ridge gourd Skin Chutney (Birakaya pottu Pacchadi)

Ingredients:
Birakaya Pottu (Ridge gourd Skin) ( 2 Big )
Urad dal ( 2 tsp )
Green chilies ( 5-6 )
Mustard Seeds(1/2 tsp)
Cumin seeds (1/2 tsp)
Peanuts (1/2 cup)
Ginger ( 1 inch stick)
Garlic ( 2-3 Cloves )
Coriander seeds ( 1 tsp)
Tamarind ( Lemon size )
Salt to taste
Turmeric ( 1/4 tsp)
Red Chillies ( 2 )
Oil ( 2 tbsp)
Cilantro to garnish

Preparation:

• Take a pan add 2 tsps Oil when the oil is hot add 1 tsp urad dal,Coriander seeds,Green chillies,peanuts ,ginger stick,Chopped garlic and Tamarind.
• Fry for 2 mins and keep them a side.
• In the same pan add 2 tsp Oil and Ridge gourd skin fry for 5 mins.Add salt and grind them all together.
• Take a pan add 1 tsp oil , cumin seeds , Mustard seeds,1 tsp urad dal ,Turmeric, Red chillies and cilantro.
• Add the tempering to the chutney,mix it well and serve with white rice.
  

Chicken Quesadilla

Ingredients:
Tortilla ( 2 )
Sliced Onion ( 1 )
Sliced Green Peppers ( 1 )
Grilled Chicken ( 1/2 cup ) or Chicken Nuggets (4-5)
Shredded cheese ( 1 cup )
Cooking oil ( 1 tsp )
Sour Cream ( 2 tsp )
Pico di gallo ( 1 cup)

Salt to taste

Stove Top:

• Take a pan add 1 tsp oil and fry the vegetables for 2-3 mins add salt to taste and keep it aside.
• Cook the chicken nuggets in microwave as per the directions given on the packet.
• Make thin pieces of cooked nuggets.
• Place the tortilla and spread the Onions,Green peppers,Chicken pieces and cheese over the top.
• Cover with the other tortilla and cook on the pan for 2 mins on both sides until the cheese is melted and both the tortillas are locked.
• Cut them into pieces using pizza cutter and serve with Sour cream and Pico di gallo.

Grill:

• Switch On the Grill,the coal should be red and hot.
• Grill the vegetables and chicken and keep them aside.
• Place the tortilla on aluminum foil and spread the Onions,Green peppers,Chicken pieces ,salt and cheese over the top.
• Cover with the other tortilla and wrap with aluminum foil.
• Place on the grill and cook for 2-3 mins until the cheese is melted.
• Cut them into pieces using pizza cutter and serve with Sour cream and Pico di gallo.