Goru Chikkudukaya Kura

This particular vegetable comes under the category of really easy to make! 🙂

Ingredients:
1/4 kg goru chikkudukaya (Cluster beans)
1/2 fresh coconut, desiccated
1 tsp salt
a pinch of turmeric
1/2 tsp chilli powder

Tadka
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1tsp urad dal
1 red chilli

Method:

• Scrape the goru chikkudukaya and break them into pieces, while removing as much of the ‘strings’ on the side as possible.
• In a wok, heat the beans, water to submerge the goru chikkudukayas pieces, salt and turmeric. You may also cook this in a pressure cooker.
• Place a lid on the wok, and cook till all water dries up.
• Gently check if the goru chikkudukaya pieces are done.
• Once all water has dried up, add chilli powder and cook on open flame for 5 minutes.
• Take off the gas, and prepare tadka.
• Once the tadka starts popping, add to the vegetable, and put the vegetable back to cook for a couple of minutes. This will help the vegetable to absorb the minimal oil from the tadka.
• Add the desiccated coconut and cook for 5 minutes or till the coconut dries and coats the goru chikkudukaya pieces.

Serve hot with rice or chapati.

Nuvvu(la) Laddu

This is yet another sweet that my sis-in-law made and sent across to Bangalore. The recipe seems to be really simple; I just need to implement it!! 😉

This sweet is a speciality of Andhra Pradesh, and is filled with good health. Nuvvulu (sesame seeds) are a very good source of calcium. So in case of lactose allergy, you can consider having sesame seeds. Also, the recipe requires jaggery, which is also is filled with health benefits.

Ingredients:
1/4 kg White nuvvulu (til/sesame seeds)
1/4 kg  jaggery
Additional ingredients: choice between groundnuts (lightly roasted), cashew nuts, or dry coconut

Method:

• Sift the white nuvvulu to clear all dust/stone particles.
• Lightly roast the seeds till it changes colour to brown. This needs to be carefully done, as a slight delay is turning off the flame would mean the seeds will get over-done.
• Set aside to cool.
• Chop or pound the jaggery into a fine powder.
• Take a choice of additional ingredient (roasted groundnuts, dry desiccated coconut or cashew nut)
• Coarsely grind all the ingredients together. This would mean 1/2 twists of the “Whip” button on your mixer-grinder.
• Take out from the mixer, and set aside for 5 mins.
• Make into small balls.

This sweet can be preserved at room temperature, and lasts upto 1 week without refrigeration.