Uggaani

Uggaani

Uggaani is otherwise called Borugula Upma. Borugulu or maramaralu or puffed rice, whatever the name is, this is definitely a super easy snack for those kids home hungry from school in the evening. Enjoy!!

Ingredients:

Borugulu/maramaraalu/puffed rice - 1/2 lb
Onion - 1 large
Tomato - 1 small
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Green chillies - 4 or to taste
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Fried chana / putnala pappu - 2 tbsp
Coriander leaves - few sprigs
Oil - 3 tsp
Salt - to taste

Method:

1. Rinse the borugulu very well with water just like you would rinse the rice. Soak them in clean water for 10 minutes so that any dirt left would settle to the bottom of the bowl.
2. Put a wide pan on a medium flame. Add oil to it.
3. Add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Allow them to splutter.
4. Add the sliced onion and saute till the onion is translucent.  
5. Add in the curry leaves.
6. Now add the green chillies and the diced tomato. Saute till the oil separates.
7. Add salt and the turmeric powder. Mix well.
8. Now squeeze out the water from the borugulu and add it to the onion mixture.
9. Blend the fried chana / putnala pappu into a coarse powder.
10. Add this powder to the borugulu. Mix well. 
11. Add freshly chopped coriander leaves.
12. Serve hot.

Tasty Tips:

1. Take utmost care while washing the puffed rice. When you soak the puffed rice in water, they tend to float. Wash well while squeezing them with your hand and separate the ones that float on top in the water. Do not try to drain the water through a sieve. 
2. Fried chana powder is optional. This dish tastes just as good without this too. 
3. Make sure you do not blend the fried chana into a fine powder.

Kaaram Appaalu

Kaaram Appaalu

Appaalu is a traditional Telangana snack usually made during festive season. It is also called 'Chekkalu' in Andhra. Though this dish has many names, it is a simple and savory version of rice crackers. These are so good that you cannot just stop with one or two. Enjoy!!

Ingredients:
Rice flour - 4 cups
Chana flour (besan) - 1/2 cup
Chana dal - 1/4 cup
Crushed peanuts - 1/2 cup

Sesame seeds - 2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 3 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Oil - 3 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Oil - for deep frying
Water - to make the dough

Method:

1. Soak the raw chana dal in water for half-an-hour.
2. In a large bowl, take the rice flour, chana flour(besan). Mix them well.
3. To this add the red chilli powder, salt, cumin seeds, sesame seeds, chopped curry leaves, soaked chana dal and the crushed peanuts. Mix well crushing with your fingers till all the peanuts and the chana dal is coated with the dry flour.
4. Now heat the 3 tbsp oil till its warm  enough. Add this oil to the above flour mixture. Mix all the ingredients well. Be careful the oil you added in is hot. Try mixing it with a spoon if its too hot for you. The goal here is that the flour should soak up all the oil. The mixture now looks like a pastry crust, dry but the flour still comes together when pressed between two fingers.
5. Now heat some water in a microwave for 2 minutes. Add this water to the above mixture slowly as you keep mixing it with a spoon. When mixed well the dough should be of a chapati dough consistency. 
6. Cover it with a damp cloth and let the dough rest for 20 minutes.
7. In a kadhai, heat the oil to deep fry the appaalu.
8. Take a small golf-ball size dough, while pressing between your palms, make it into round disc. 
9. In a small bowl take some oil. Dip this disc in some oil. 
10. To make the pooris you need a Poori-press (refer to the picture below)  
    

    

    Tortilla Press
    

11. Place a plastic sheet inside the poori-press to avoid the dough from sticking to the poori press. Apply some oil to this sheet as well. 
12. Place the dough disc inside the poori-press and press it till its thin poori like shape.
    

    

    Tortilla press
    

13. Don't worry if the poori tears, press it with your fingers to cover any imperfections. 
14. Deep fry it in the oil on a low flame till golden brown and crispy.

Tasty tip:

1. Appaalu goes excellent with a hot cup of Indian tea. One crunchy bite into this appaalu and a sip of hot tea is a tea lovers delight.
2. Poori press is sold as 'Tortilla Press' in US.  I bought mine at Target for $15.

Egg Puff

Egg puff

Egg puff is such an easy snack that you can whip up in no time. It makes a perfect party appetizer too. Enjoy!!


Ingredients:
Puff pastry sheet - 1
Boiled Eggs - 4
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Chaat Masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Crushed pepper - 1/2 tsp

 Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F.
2. Boil the eggs and keep aside to cool.
3. Thaw the puff pastry sheets for half-an-hour.
4. Dust the counter-top lightly with flour. Dust the pastry sheet with flour. Using a rolling-pin roll it to 1/4" thick.
5. Cut the sheet into 9 squares. 
6. Shell the eggs and cut them into slices.
7. Place 4 to 5 slices of egg on one side of a puff pastry square. Sprinkle the chaat masala, chilli powder, pepper powder and salt on the egg slices. 
8. Cover the eggs with the other end of the sheet. Using a fork press the edges.
9. Prepare the rest similarly.
10. Bake it at 400 F for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
11. Serve hot with tomato ketchup.

Tasty Tip:
For the puff pastry sheets I use the brand 'Pepperidge farm'. You can find this product in any grocery store in the freezer section.

This recipe yields 9 egg puffs.

Egg puff

Bread Pizza

Bread Pizza

This dish was born when a hungry toddler was whining and bread was the only edible thing lying around. Apparently, my daughter is not a big fan of peanut butter or jam. She loves plain cheese, I combined cheese and bread with some veggies for a picky eater. The best part is its healthy and is ready in no time. Enjoy !!

Ingredients:
Bread slices - 3
Cheese - 1/2 cup
Chopped Veggies - 1/2 cup
Marinara sauce - 3 tbsp

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F.
2. Take the bread slices, spread a tablespoon of marinara sauce on each slice. Top it with your favorite veggies. Top the veggies with shredded mozzarella cheese.
3. Bake it for 2 to 3 minutes or until the cheese melts.
4. Serve hot.

Tasty tip:
You can use any cheese you want but mozzarella cheese melts beautifully.

For marinara sauce, I use the brand Prego.

Bread Pizza