Andhra Pulao (Mixed Veg Rice Dish)

2 cups of basmati rice(wash & soak in water for half an hour and drain)
3/4 cup chopped french beans
1 cup cubed potatoes
1 cup cubed carrots
1 cup cauliflower florets
1 cup sliced onions
1/2 cup green peas
3 green chillis slit lengthwise
2 tbsp chopped mint leaves(pudina)
2 tbsp coriander leaves (chopped)
2 tsp ginger garlic paste
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp shahjeera
6 cloves
2" cinnamon stick
5-6 cardamoms
2 marathi mogga
2 aniseeds stars (annaspuvvuv,badai)
2 bay leaves (biryani aaku,tej patta)
pinch of mace
1/4 tsp garam masala powder
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp ghee
oil for deep frying onions
salt

Heat the oil and ghee together in a thick bottomed vessel.Add cumin and shahjeera and let them splutter.
Add all the whole garam masala ingredients and fry for 10 seconds.
Now add all the vegetable and green chillis except onions.Cover and cook till three fourth cooked.
Now add the ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute.
Add the rice and fry for 2 minutes.Then add the mint leaves and 1 tbsp coriander leaves.
Add 4 cups of water and cover and cook till three fourth done.
Now heat a tawa and place the rice vessel with lid on the tawa and let it cook on slow fire until done.(Dum)
Deep fry the onions in a vessel till dark brown.Remove and garnish the rice with fried onions and coriander leaves.You can add fried cashewnuts also.

This is a very light mixed veg rice dish which is not too rich and very easy to make.Not at all spicy as we are adding whole garam masala and only 3-4 green chillis.Those who like a lot of spice can add more green chillis.

Kaakara Kaayi Pulusu (Bitter Gourd Gravy Curry)

3 medium sized ridge gourds
1 big onion sliced
2 green chillis slit lengthwise
3 tbsps thick tamarind paste
10-12 cloves garlic
2" ginger chopped
10-12 curry leaves
3/4th tsp chilli pwd
1 tsp dhania pwd
1/2 tsp jeera pwd
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp sugar
salt
oil

Peel and deseed the ridge gourd i.e scoop out the seeds with a spoon and cut into 2" pieces.
Boil these pieces in 2 cups of water and salt till three fourth cooked.Drain.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and fry the boiled ridge gourd pieces for 5-7 minutes.Remove from fire and keep aside.
In the same pan add 1 tbsp oil and add the onions,garlic and ginger and fry till transparent.Cool and grind to a coarse paste.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in the pan add curry leaves,green chillis and the coarse onion paste.Fry for 2 minutes.
Add dhania pwd,jeera pwd,chilli pwd,turmeric and sugar.Mix well.
Add the fried ridge gourd pieces and tamarind paste and mix well.Add 3 cups of water and let the ridge gourds cook well till you get a gravy consistency(pulusu consistency).
Adjust salt and garnish with coriander leaves.

Therapautic Properties of Bitter gourd/Bitter Melon/Kaakara Kaayi

I find that bitter gourd is the least preferred vegetable among many. But its therapautic properties should be taken advantage of and if cooked in right manner bitter gourd is really tasty. Its highly recommended for diabetics.

Bitter gourd contains vitamin A, B1, B2, and C. It also contains minerals like calcium, phosphorous, iron, copper and potassium. From the ayurvedic perspective, bitter gourd is excellent for balancing Kapha. It helps purify blood tissue, enhances digestion, and stimulates the liver.

Young immature bitter gourds are the best for cooking.The skin is bright green in color, the flesh inside is white, and the seeds are small and tender. Its advisable not to use mature bitter gourds and dont eat bitter gourd if you are pregnant or nursing.

To prepare bitter gourd for cooking, wash thoroughly, then cut into half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with a spoon and discard. Cut or slice as called for in your recipe, and blanch for 3-4 minutes in boiling water to which a little salt has been added. Drain.

I prepare bitter gourd dishes regularly.Today's recipe is a tangy bitter gourd gravy curry (in andhra we call it kaakara kaayi pulusu),the recipe of which I am posting today.Try it.