June 25, 2008

Sojjappalu, Dhapalam, Poori, Murukulu, Vellulli Podi from Andhra kitchen

Regional Cuisine of India is celebrating "Andhra Festival Food" in June, here is my Andhra festival thali! Vani of Batasari is hosting the "RCI-Andhra Festival food" this month, an event started by Lakshmi of "Veggie cuisine". We have already celebrated the state of Andhra Pradesh and it's cuisine few month's ago, let's have some Andhra festival food this time! Thanks for hosting Vani! :))

Andhra Festivals and feasts:
Andhra Pradesh is a amalgamation of different religions, cultures and languages and is famous for celebrating festival of every region and religion with equal pomp and
enthusiasm, whether it's traditional Hindu festival or the Muslim festivals or Christmas!
Here are some of the festivals celebrated in Andhra Pradesh
with much joy, feasts and prayers: Deepavali, Holi, Krishnashatmi,,Maha Shivaratri, Vijaya Dashami, , Naga Panchami,Sankranthi, Sri Rama Navami, Ugadi, Vara Lakshmi Vratam, Vinayaka Chavithi, Id-Ul-Fitr, Milad-Un-Nabi, Muharram and Christmas.
Above info is from this site and to learn more about various Festivals and rituals of Andhra Pradesh in detail, click here.


Sojjappalu with ghee, Dhapalam, Pooris, Murukulu, Vellulli (Garlic-chilli) podi from Andhra festival Kitchen:
Here is a festival thali I would love to have on any festival day, may not be the elaborate kind we usually cook for festivals but I loved it! Dhapalam/Dappalam, the book says, is made on special occasion in Andhra and Sojjappalu is a classic Andhra festival sweet. Check my old post on Andhra cuisine to see the book I referred for some of these recipes.
I didn't have a clue about which festival they cook these dishes for as Vani requested us to point out! That book didn't tell me that either but after researching a bit in the internet, came to know that these dishes are cooked as prasadam to celebrate Sri Vara Lakshmi Vratam and also on Sankranthi too.(Thanks sra!)
(Thank you "mere mai baap" (my mommy and daddy!) Google
for this info, without you I am just a big, dumb, non-religious lump in the Universe! OYY! :D)

Pepper or chilli Murukulu:
Murukulu or Chaklis are crispy fried snack which is common to all 4 south Indian states in India. I love them. There are many types of Chaklis you can make using different flour combinations, this is one of them using Besan. Enjoy! :)
You need:
1 cup Chickpea flour/ Besan,
2 cups Rice flour,
2 tsp Cumin seeds crushed,
1 tsp coarsely crushed Pepper corns or red chill flakes,
salt to taste, enough Water to mix,
3 tbsp Sesame seeds,
pinch of Hing.
To make Murukulu:
1. Roast the Besan gently in a pan for a minute or two until warm, cool.
2. Add all the above ingredients and mix with enough water to make a stiff dough.
3. Put it in a Chakli maker in batches, press out Murukulu circles like here on kitchen towel and deep fry them at 375F oil. Drain, cool and store.

Vellulli Podi:
A classic Andhra powder, coarsely pounded or blended together with garlic, chilli pd and other spices is a great tasting condiment on the side for rice or rotis!
You need:
Roast these without oil:
1/2 cup dry coconut, slightly toasted,
4-6 Red chillies or less, toasted,
1 tbsp toasted Coriander seeds,
1 tbsp roasted Sesame seeds,
Enough salt,
1 tbsp grated Jaggary,
3 tbsp chopped Garlic,
2 tsp Tamarind juice or Lemon juice or 1 tsp Tamarind powder.
To make Chilly-Garlic powder:
1. Toast the first four ingredients, cool and add to a blender.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients in the list and blend coarsely.
3. Adjust the spices, cool, bottle it and store in the fridge when cooled.

To make plain flour or wheat flour (atta) Pooris,
click here!

Dhapalam/
Dappalam:
Dhapalam, as the cookbook says, is made on special occasion in Andhra. I had never heard of this dish before. It's a very simple and delicious side dish made with plenty of vegetables and seasoned lightly. I added some south Indian masala pd I had to make it tastier as an option.

You need:
About 6 cups of mixed vegetables of your choice, peeled, chopped into cubes,
(I used a mix of Cauliflower, baby Carrots, 1 Potato, Green Beans, Green bell pepper, Green peas, few Spinach leaves, 2 cups Bottle Gourd cubes, 1 small Eggplant, 1 Tomato)
3 Green chillies,
1/2 tsp good quality Turmeric,
3 tbsp Cilantro,
2 tsp Coriander seeds powder or any south Indian masala pd you have (optional),
2 tsp Tamarind juice,
1 tsp Jaggary or sugar,
2 tsp Rice flour mixed with 2 tbsp of water.
For seasoning:
2 tbsp oil and ghee mixed, or sesame seeds oil,
1/2 tsp Fenugreek seeds,
1 tsp Mustard seeds,
2 red chillies,
few curry leaves,
pinch of Hing/Asafoetida.
To Make it:
1. Cook all the veggies with 2-3 cups of water, turmeric, green chillies gently until cooked thru' but not mashed in a pressure cooker.
2. Open the lid, add salt, jaggary, cilantro, spice powder if you are using,Tamarind, simmer gently for 2 mins.
3. Add rice flour mixture to vegetables and simmer until you get thickish gravy for about 2 mins. Turn off the heat.
4. Heat oil and add all the above ingredients and let it sizzle. Add to the Dhapalam and mix it in. YUMMY! Tastes even better the next day, great with Pooris!


Dhapalam
goes to "Vegetable Of the Week", an event hosted by Pooja from "Creative Pooja" blog. Her choice of vegetable this month is "Bottle Gourd". Here is my contribution to her event, enjoy hosting Pooja!:))

Check this post for more bottle gourd dishes here!


Sojjappalu:
Sojjappalu is similar to Obbattu with dal filling we make in Karnataka. Filling for Sojjapplau is made of Rawa Kesari, just like Karnataka Kesari Bhath, but thick enough to make balls. It is stuffed in sweet dough, patted to circles and cooked. Delicious!:))

I am sending Sojjappalu to Mythreyee' from "Paajaka" who is hosting a "Sweet Series-Sweet Rotis" event. Enjoy Myth!:)

For filling you need:

2 tbsp Ghee or more if you like,
1 cup Rawa/Semolina, finer the texture the better,
Pinch of salt,
1/2 cup sugar or more if you like it sweeter,
1 tsp Cardamom powder,
1/4 tsp Saffron mixed with 1/4 cup milk,
keep some more milk ready as needed to make a solid mixture.
Roasted, finely chopped Cashews and Raisins are optional, I didn't add them to keep the wrap from tearing.
To make it:
1. Heat ghee in a non-stick pan. Add chopped nuts and raisins if you are using, then Semolina and fry stirring constantly to avoid burning the rawa.
2. When you get a golden hue or smell the roasted aroma, turn the heat down a bit and add salt and sugar, mix well.
3. Keep mixing until the sugar dissolves, take off the heat, add cardamom pd, mix. Now add 1/4 cup saffron mixed milk, mix well.
4. Place it again on the heat and stir until you get big lump of Semolina, should be able to makes balls. Add a tbsp of milk at a time only if the mixture is dry and crumbly but not too much. Cover and cook on low heat until it looks like lump.
5. Let it cool and then divide into golf ball sized rounds. Keep aside.
To make the dough:
1. Mix and knead 1 1/2 cups of plain flour or wheat flour or mix of both, pinch of salt, 1 tbsp powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp Cardamom pd and enough milk or water to make a stiff dough like poori dough.
2.Cover and let it rest for 1 hour. Divide into the same amount as Semolina balls you have made already.
To make Sojjappalu:
1. Roll one dough ball in to 3" circle, place one Semolina ball and cover with dough all over the sweet filling. (Just like making Aloo Paratha)
2. Press a little to make it flat, and roll or pat with your hand until it's about 3-4" circle. It's okay if little filling comes out, you can always patch it up. Repeat with others.
3. Instead of deep frying in ghee as the book says, cook on a griddle with bit oil or ghee brushed until golden both sides.
4. Cool and serve with a tsp Ghee on top. Perfect traditional dessert to enjoy!:)


One more look!


Enjoy and hope you make some of these!

**************************************************************************************************

"Thank you Meera" dishes this week!

I was in her blog two weeks ago and saw few delicious Malvani dishes. I casually mentioned to her that I would love the recipe for Malvani powder. Next thing you know, sweet girl that she is, sent me a package with Goda Masala, Malvani masala and Kolhapuri Masala!
I thought I would choose and cook few dishes from her blog with the masalas she sent me. Each one of them were delicious, specially loved Malvani Tomato Saar and spicy Misal. I made some Pakodas for Misal as they served in Belgaum and loved it. Thank you for everything, including the "inspiration award" Meera!:))

My thanks to Delhi Belle, Sireesha, Cham, Madhavi, Roma, JZ, EC, Hetal, Latha N, Veggie Platter and Happy Cook for their awards given to me as well!

Meera's package, Kolhapuri Tambda Rassa, Misal and Malvani Tomatochi Amti/Saar.
Click on these above titles to go to Meera's blog and for the recipes. Enjoy!:))

Okay dear friends, have a wonderful week and weekend too! I have two more weeks/posts to go here before the vacation! YAY! :)

166 comments:

Raaga said...

Lovely spread... :-) I have to ask Sachin what I can make :-)

kamala said...

Great Andhra feast Ashaji.I feel hungry on seeing ur plate.Harish is enjoying the class.He gets inspired and wants to do AP exams as early as possible.

FH said...

Thank you Raaga, it was yummy. Dhapalam is very new to me too, loved it!:))

Kamala, thanks.
APs start in 9th grade beginning with 1 or 2 subjects and by 11th grade, he can do atleast 6 to 7.They are tough, college level text books. They will be recommended by teachers in high school, no rush!:)

Pavani said...

Delicious spread there Asha.. Made me to think of home and festivals. I feel so far from home now.. Its been years that I had any of these.. I need to ask my MIL to make something for the event. Have a great rest of the week.

Siri said...

:Clap: :Clap: Ashaji, U have no idea how ecstatic I feel with this post. Lovely array of authentic Andhra dishes! I wasn't aware of RCI announcement! 'Dhapalam' is my fav of all.. ofcourse.. vellulli podi and murukulu too!!!

Have a great vacation Ashaji,
Hugs,
Siri

@the_whisk_affair said...

oh asha, the spread looks awesome!! the pics taken on that platter has a foodie halo to it, its irresistible!! :-) i adore u, u are awesome, u manage to make something for every event!!! :-)

Bhags said...

I think u r the first one to post for this RCI....as always :)

Lovely spread, most of the things are new to me.....will have to google

FH said...

Pavani, thanks friend. I never heard of Dhapalam before, was so tasty. Glad I made these too. Have a great weekend!:))

Siri, garlic is so spicy!!YUM!:D
I loved the thali, love Andhra food, specially vegetarian dishes.Loved them!:)
I reminded Vani to announce last week! I needed to cook for RCI whic I love and send it before I go off blogging!:D

JZ, we should have a mutual admiration club!! Hahaha!
Thank you so much. I am not that good at photography but I try to do my best anyway!:))
Enjoy the veg thali.

Sia said...

that is one long list of goodies... my eyes pop out whenever i come to ur blog and i am really serious abt it:) what a lovely spread ashakka... its been quite soem time since i took part in RCI. so this month its andhra festival food. let me see if i can participate.

sra said...

Hi Asha, I can add to some of the info here. Dappalam (more phonetic a spelling) is usually made for Sankranthi. It's traditionally a combination of country/watery vegetables like drumstick, eggplant and naturally sweet vegetables like yam, sweet potato and red pumpkin. Some people add a ladle of cooked toor dal in the end. The end result is sweet and sour, from the veggies, jaggery and tamarind.
You have me salivating for some now!

Laavanya said...

Asha.. what a treat that is.. all these are just too tempting. Will you be sure to let me know when your neighbours put their home on sale?? :)

Sunshinemom said...

Wow! Some energy you have! Lovely treats:)

EC said...

As I was on a break, I missed out the RCI announcement. But your post for RCI:Andhra comes as a no surprise for me...you manage to impress each time..even googling out info is no small job and you do it every time...Specially loved the sojjappalu..was thinking of making sooji appam (as we call it)sometime, it looks to be the same

J said...

Love the murukkus and rava kesari stuffed rotis.. what a cool idea!

Cham said...

I feel that i landed in Andra for a moment :) What a feast other than murrukulu and podi, i never had anything. Lovely spread :)

Anonymous said...

Hi there !!!

What are those dishes next to meera's packges.

Where can I find the receipe for those

Sia said...

ashakka,
i did chk ur 'foodie's hope' blog and did leave comment long bk :( :( :( he he he he... hw can i forget that its wednesday;)

Sia said...

LOL... what r we doing... chatting by leaving comments... ha ha aha.... never happened something like this before

ranji said...

What a delicious and inviting andhra platter asha!!!it must have been a marathon for u in the kitchen :)...u r too good..u always come up with jhatak matak dishes all the time ...hats off to u..:D

FH said...

Sia, I loved this thali, although I wasn't sure Pooris are made on festival days. I get scared whenever I post festival food here, I am not very well educated in that area!:))

sra, you save me every time girl. To tell you the truth, I was thinking of mailing you until I found some info on which festival these are cooked.
Adding dal sounds great, I hadn't even heard of Dappalam before!
Thank you sweetie, I will add your info too just in case, don't want to get negative comments from Andhrites!:)

Hahaha! Laavanya, lot of homes are for sale here girl.Most people live beyond their means and then can't pay the mortgage and run!
Thank you, enjoy!:))

Vanamala Hebbar said...

In kannada sajappa right!!! so many dishes asha.....neemmane ge ne ootake barthini mhadyana:D

FH said...

Thanks SSM. I love this RCI event and learn so much from it. Festival food scars me though, unfamiliar territory for me, I do not want to say wrong things up there!:))

EC, that's true. Sometimes info we get in the internet is not right too, so you have read everything out there to compare and then decide what to say here!:D
Sooji Appam sounds great, post it!I loved this Sojjappalu, Obattu with Kesari Bhath!:))

Isn't it J? I loved it. Great idea to stuff one sweet into another sweet to make a whole another dessert!:D

Dhapalam was so new to me Cham! So simple and delicious. Rice flour mix gives it a nice gravy. Try it!:)

Hi Anon, click on the titles you see on top of the collage. I have listed all 3 and linked which will take you right up to her posts for the recipes. Enjoy!:))

Meera said...

What a fantastic spread. Also, thanks for letting me know about Andhra-festival food. I have one entry ready to go!!
Thanks so much for liking my masalas. Thanks for your kind words. Enjoy. You indeed are an inspiration and a great friend.
With hugs, Meera

Anonymous said...

Yummmmm! That's some spread, Thank you for sharing the recipes Asha. I sometiems feel so proud for all the things India has to offer.

FH said...

I know Sia! :D
I went straight to your blog,then came here, saw you, went back toyou again and came back here!! It's like Marathon running this morning, I need a drink now! :P

LOL! Ranji, this particular Jhatak Matak thali was soul satisfying than fancy, loved it. Being a south Indian, I don't know so much about so many things, it's amazing!:P

Mala, get on the plane, you will be here by 12pm but wait! These are made last week! :D
Sooji appaane alva Kannadalli, nanage gottiralilla iduvaregu!Hahaha!

lakshmi said...

you are super fast i say. :)

Sailaja said...

Oh my god. U r a great cook. Great pictures. I love every item in your blog. We used to make sojjappalu at our place. Thanks for reminding old days with your Andhra plate with mouth watering recipes.

Anonymous said...

thts an awesome plate of goodies!

FH said...

Meera, thanks. I can't wait to see all the Andhra food now including your's.
I just had your Tomato Amti for lunch! Thanks for the masalas, they are really authentic. We have Konkan RCI coming too in few months too!:)

Sands, I agree! It's a fascinating country with so many diversity we can't even imagine. Nice to know all these thru' events!:)

I was armed and ready to shoot for Andhra festival Lakshmi. I even reminded her to announce RCI!;P

Oh, I was more than happy to taste these Sailaja, makes me proud to be an Indian too! We have such a great cuisine in every part of India!:)
Loved the Sojjappalu, easier than making our own Obbattu from K'taka!:)

Unknown said...

Delicious spread Asha...Sojjappalu..sounds interesting.Send these for Sweet series event..

Srivalli said...

Asha...you are just fabulous!...imagine making all those!..my god!...:)..

Zak said...

nice snacks !

honestly u shud do something about ur layout ! its too difficult to figure out what is where ! to make it simple edit ur layout and make sure tht u list only one post in the initial blog page ! it makes it easier to comment !

Zak said...

am i the only guy commenting here :-O

FH said...

Thanks Scribles, it was a great meal. Felt like I was in Andhra!:)

Oh yes! I didn't think of that event, thanks Mahesh. Sojjappalu was yummy, didn't know we could fill Kesari bhath in there. Learn new things everyday!:))

Sri, that was a Sunday lunch for us, it was fabulous and fun to make!:))
I can eat Chaklis any time of the day, not a problem! Hahaha!

Recipeswap said...

That Sojjappalu has got me drooling all over the place.I usually get the 3 pm craving for something sweet and today its going to be baddd after seeing the Sojjappalu.

Aparna Balasubramanian said...

You're at it again, Asha. Have to admire your cooking (of course) and your energy.
Me, I'm happy if I've made it here before the 50th comment.:)
I love the way you seem to manage everything.
I've never heard of Dappalam either, but I'm realising that there is a whole lot more that I haven't heard of! :D

Richa said...

SLURRRRRRRRRP :) that thali has my name written all over it, dont' ya think ;)
i need to try meera's tomato saar, was wondering what to make with the masala :)
Enjoy.........

Swati said...

Wow..such a mouthwatering spread Asha..The murukkus look awesome..What a fab cook you are!!

FH said...

Hi Mahathma, thank you!:)
There is only one month's worth of posts ie 4 posts which shows up on the front of the blog on the top below that clock, right?
I post just one on every Wednesday here,so shouldn't be hard to find the latest but will see what I can do!
There are 3-4 more guys come here occasionally too, but mostly girls!:D

Neema, it's so easy. Make thick Kesari bhath, fill and roll it in the sweetish chapati dough, it's ready!:))

Aparna, thanks. How do we miss all these Dappalam like dishes ever, it's all Andhra bloggers' fault!:D This is my first time trying too, so yummy!Hope you try!:)

Richa, coming your way, catch!;D
I don't have Malvani masala recipe but you could Google get a few off of the Internet. It tastes really good, I have only a tbsp left to enjoy!:))

Thank you Swati. Murukku is my fave too, can eat anytime including breakfast!:D

Hetal said...

Check out my blog for a sweet surprise

Sreelu said...

Asha, wow sojjappalu are my favorite, looks so delicious.
Nice spread

FH said...

Will do in a minute Hetal, thank you!:))

Thank you Sreelu. I am so glad that Andhra bloggers are liking this thali. I wasn't so sure Pooris were mad on festivals. I loved Sojjapplau as well!:))

Mythreyee said...

I am so happy I learnt a new recipe - Sojjappalu. Looks so delicious. Thank you and thank you for sending in your entry to the sweet series.

Anonymous said...

Hi Asha!!!

clicked those links, I could not relate to teh picture and the picture from the click. I can not amke out whatis what.

indosungod said...

That was a nice tutorial on the festival foods and why they are cooked. I love the Sojjappalu, can't resist that one and ofcourse the spread you have is just awesome.

Ramya's Mane Adige said...

elaborate and beautiful spread, Ashakka!!! I never have the patience to make such an elaborate meal... ever!!! :(
and btw, we make something similar to sojjappalu, in karnataka too... we call it Sajjappa!! been thinking of posting that recipe since a long time... will do it soon!!

Pooja said...

This is sure a wonderful entry from you dear Asha :) .
Dhapalam - name itself is very new to me. all the dishes i loved, no non-veg dishes this time too , more glad to see that. I can try it all :D.
I am also a non-religious person. Certain thing i hate sometimes coz people do it just blindly at any cost. I am just a person who seeks science base and then my comfort and to do anything :D.

and yeah.. Google is indeed "mai-Baap " for us foodies atleast ;) ha ha ha...

FH said...

You are welcome Myth, glad I could send you another. Enjoy!:))

Anon, leave your name next time girl!:D
Let's see. Next to the package on top, is Chicken dish (Kolhapuri Kombda Rassa),
below on the left, dish with Sev on it, is Misal and red sauce with Cilantro on top is Tomato saar/Amti! Did you get it now? :D

Thank you Indo. It's a learning process for me too, loved the sweet dish and Dappalam. Hope you try!!:)

Ramya, that's what I heard too, Sajjappa is the same as Sojjappalu! Post your's too, I loved eating these wit tuppa!:)
Your Badanekai palya was yummy(linked it in the last post), thanks for that too!:)

Kalai said...

Absolutely gorgeous spread, Ashakka!! I love the idea of making kesari stuffed rotis. Sounds simply divine!

Zak said...

very nice now :-)

ms said...

lovely spread asha. Sooji appam sounds really yum.I had no idea that RCI Andhra pradesh had been declared. Cool!

FH said...

Pooja, it was harder for me to find which festival they cook these than cooking the whole thali!:D
But each one is very tasty, felt like I as feasting, try Sojjappalu and Dhapalam, very good dishes.
I am not total Nasthik but just do my own way, more like you!:))
Google is more than Mai Baap now! HeHe!

Kalai, it was amazingly tasty, just like eating Obbattu but with Kesari Bhath!:)
I will check my mail ASAP. I don't check it everyday, glad you told me.

Thank you Mahathma. I think it was the photo, smaller ones look lot better I think. I am still looking for a nice background color without changing too much. Blogger has limited colors!:))

ms, I keep track of everything so I don't miss RCI posts, I even chase after them just in case they forget to announce! :D
Enjoy the sweet, it's great!:)

Unknown said...

Asha ji u are too fast..You such a a great person in making a great spread with diff indian cuisine..

Uma said...

wow, so many andhra dishes in one plate! You're awesome Asha! Thanks for reminding me so many festival dishes. I am also going on vacation to east coast tomorrow and be back by 1st week of august.

Shilpa said...

Lovely spread Asha. Especially I like those chaklis(murukkus). I absolutely love them but too lazy to make them (down on cooking these days).

pnoasnidtiinvie said...

Good god! I just feel like reaching into the screen and eating them!

Every individual dish deserves to be a separate post in itself :) thanks for this mouthwatering platter!

sunita said...

Asha,your thali is a sure treat :-)

FH said...

DV, I had it ready even before she announced RCI!:D

Uma, enjoy the East coast. It's lot cooler now, it rained for 3 days here. It will be beautiful. Have fun, I will see you in August!:)

Shilpa, it's just the heat,I feel the same way, don't feel like cooking but I have to anyway to feed 2 kids!:)
Sojjappalu is really yummy, hope you try!

Thank you A&N. At a my blog, you always get multiples in one post!:D
Enjoy, we certainly loved these!:))

Thank you Sunita. Trying to wrap up things, 2 more posts, I am outta here!:D

Rajitha said...

how delicious..how delicious..how delicious..does that spread look. I am drooling here...and seriously...i love the posts u do for RCI...there is a massive plate with tons of food there..killing the rest of us thru the drool effect...

FH said...

Rajithaaaaaa, let me revive you girl, don't want any patients around this blog! ;D
Looks great, isn't it? Dappalam and sweet were the stars there!:))

Vani said...

Lovely platter, Ash! We make something called Sajjappa, which are deep fried. Sajjappalu sounds just like that! Dhapalam sounds very interesting too. Nice work, Ash. Love your enthusiasm and just the sheer amount of recipes you post each week - amazing!

Anonymous said...

Hello Asha,
The spread looks delicious.so are u going to india for the vacation.

shalini

TBC said...

Lovely spread for the festival edition of RCI, Asha. This reminds me of Sharmi of Neivedyam...wonder why her blog is silent now...

deepsat said...

another beautiful spread. never heard of dhapalam!! wow!!

have a nice weekend asha!!

;-))

Amrutha Ragavan said...

Ah, What can I say? Such a delicious spread. I am hungry just looking at it!

Shionge said...

I love muruku which is what we call here but I noticed you wrote murukulu ;)

I also remembered those made by friend's Moms they were so delicious as compared to those sell in the Indian shops so yah..I missed them :D

Unknown said...

nice spread..loved the sweet roti especially..

Unknown said...

Asha,I was lost and don;t know where to start.Excellent spread and nice to know about different cusines.I loved the sojjappalu and murukulu.

Kalva said...

Wow awesome... So much to digets in one post... great sumptuos dishes dear!!!

amna said...

i have been meaning to make puran polis for a while now. its hard to get good jaggery here! lovely lovely spread, as usual :)

KonkaniBlogger said...

Lovely Andhra festival food Asha!! I love Andhra style food a lot, was familiar only with the Nagarjuna, Nandini restaurants in B'lore, but after coming here, have had more of the simpler home- cooked meals and their cuisine is just excellent!! Lovely spread..Love the dishes you have made frm Meera's too. Am lucky to get those powders from her too, so will be trying soon :)..

Anonymous said...

Dear Ashaji,

I have been visiting your blog and reading about all the recipes that you put up since the past few months. It surely is a very colourful and lovely blog.

Since you post only once a week now, I make sure to visit your blog on Thursdays to see what you have been cooking. I like the way you are always enthusiastic and encouraging to other bloggers as well..

Take care and best wishes,
Priya Arun

Keshi said...

aww r ya making all those tasty Murukkus just for my bday? :):)

Keshi.

notyet100 said...

platter looks yummy,...i love andhra food specially biryani,,,,nd gongura pickle tooo

notyet100 said...

platter looks yummy,...i love andhra food specially biryani,,,,nd gongura pickle tooo

Prajusha said...

wow..wht a lovely spread of andhra dishes..
For garlic, we also say vellulli in malayalam..
Btw,Mouthwatering Pics:)i always wonder how u manage to prepare all these wonderful dishes for every event.

Lakshmi said...

Lovely spread Ashakka. Looks likeVarahamahalakshmi vrata has come well in advance :D absolutely delicious dishes..

Divya Kudua said...

Oh Ashakka...what a lovely thali!!the chaklis look crunchy and yummy!!got to try that garlic powder-hubby's gonna love that!!the sweet puri with kesari bhath filling topped with butter is simply out of the world...;-)kudos to you for coming up with such a great thali for RCI!!great great entry ashakka,left me drooling!!

SMN said...

Ashakka lovely spread.. looks nice hv a gret vaccasion hv lot of fun and miss u..

delhibelle said...

How in the world do you manage to make sooo.. many things and make each so perfectly ?

Jayashree said...

Delicious platter.....dappalam sounds like a nice combination of different flavours.

FH said...

Vani, this sweet is supposed to be deep fried in ghee too but I didn't think it's necessary. Just brushing some ghee on top and pan cooking is great. I have heard of Sajjppa too, it's same except name is Telugu. Enjoy. It feels good every time I see M in your profile photo!:))

Shalini, thanks. We haven't been to India since 1992 girl! Got to take care of the citizenship thing here first before we visit! Details are coming in 2 weeks about the vacation!:)

tbs, I was thinking the same thing. Sharmi would cook double the amount of me for every RCI, loved her RCI K thali too. Don't know why the silence but probably busy, don't want to probe too much!:)

Hi Satish, me too! First time with Dhapalam, beautiful simple dish. There are so many we don't know about Indian cuisine, it's amazing.
Have a wonderful weekend!:))

FH said...

Thank you Amrutha, I enjoyed cooking these too. Simple festival meal but soul satisfying!:))

Shi, Murukku in Tamil, Chakli in Kannada, Murukulu in Telugu and they are names for the same snack, depending on which state you live! Isn't India complex and beautiful!:D
I love then too.

Sowmya, sweet roti is like two in one dessert, was wonderful with ghee!:))

Pearl, many dishes I cook from other states are unfamiliar to me. It's so much fun to learn! Dessert was great, hope you try those!:))

FH said...

Thank you Kalva. This is how I used to blog for every post last year! Now do multi dishes only for RCI posts! ;D

Nagu, Obbattu we make in Karnataka is very different than Sojjappalu, I wanted to make that too one day. This was yummy too. Jaggary gives it a nice authentic flavor, I agree!:)

Maya, I rememeber a Andhra restaurant in B'lore called Amaravati on Brigade. Food used to be so spicy and yummy, don't know they still have it!:)
Loved Meera's dishes, enjoy the powders. I will miss it when the supply of pds are over!:D

Priya Arun, thank you so much for your encouraging words. Many times I think of making this blog private because some websites are stealing my photos claiming to be their own and benefiting from it but readers like you will be left out and I try not to make it private. Enjoy my blogs, good to see your comment. Hugs to you! :))

FH said...

Keshi, Sojjappalu and Murukkus for your wonderful birthday, enjoy sweetie. Big momma Bear hug and a kiss to you!:))

Hi N, I have Gongura pickle too, so spicy! I love Telugu food, veg and non-veg!:)
Do you know Gongura is also called Hemp! Haha! :O

Prajusha, we say Bellulli in Kannada!! All Dravidian languages are related, so close but yet so far!:D
I love RCI, I plan the thali way in advance since we already know what's coming next!:))

LG, I don't know what they cook for which festival, so cooked all these but panicking since I didn't know what festival!! Thanks God for Google and sra!:D
I loved this thali.I didn't know they make poori on the festival day too, my both grandmothers never made them for any hubba at all!:)

Swati Raman Garg said...

from where do u get the energy akka... i mean everytime u come up with something surprisingly new... and good loking and and and... uff... hats off..toooooo good

FH said...

Divya, garlic pd is HOT!:D
Sojjappalu was really tasty, I loved it, I have never made this before.Glad you liked the thali, it's not hard to make, only chakli takes time. Enjoy!:))

Hi Sushma, I still have 2 weeks for vacation but looking forward to it though. We need a break, this time it would a fun vacation, different from the usual!:)
Enjoy thali, Dhapalam is yummy!:))

DB, don't know about perfect but I did enjoy cooking these dishes. It's fun to become a Telugu woman for a while!:D
RCI is FUN FUN FUN!!!HeeHee!

Jaya, just rice flour mix to make the gravy in the original recipe with loads of veggies and it tastes so good even though I added a bit of masala pd. Great dish, such a beautiful name too. Enjoy!:))

ST said...

Asha.. what a treat that is..So many andhra dishes in one plate all these are just too tempting.the plate is very inviting.......

FH said...

Swati, if you want to learn, there is a life time of material in this World and I love to learn! We enjoyed eating these, so yummy. Next is Goa!:)
Hope everything went well for you there, good luck to you sweetie!:)

Sireesha, it was a pleasure to dig in to Telangana veg dishes, so tasty!:)
Enjoy.

Daily Meals said...

Every thing looks delicious Asha!

FH said...

Thank you Vijaya, glad you liked the thali. We certainly enjoyed it!:))

Priya said...

So yummy and delicious Asha. I have always tried Idli podi but nothing comes really good. Do u have any recipe?

Priyanka said...

As usual a lavish spread. One of my closest friend's is from andhra and she used to get the murukulu iin her lunch box during school days...just loved it.

Beyond Curries said...

I learn so many new things in each and every post of yours Ashaji. Dhappalam is new to me too, inspite of being a telugu person myself. Lovely feast.

FH said...

Priya,thanks!:)
I haven't posted idli pudi at all here but do make chutney pudi at home. I searched in The YUM blog, got this. She posts very traditional yummy recipes, do try and see if you like it!

http://theyumblog.wordpress.com/
2007/07/07/mulagai-podi/

Hi Priyanka, thank you. Glad you liked the thali. Yes, Murukulu or chaklis are ever popular and well liked by all of us. Hope you try this version, it's tasty!:))

Thank you Madhu!
I think Dhapalam belongs to certain areas in AP and not a very well known dish. sra knew it but most Telugu people don't know it. I loved the dish, so simple and delicious. Hope you try too!:))

Jyothi said...

Wow! what a wonderful thali asha ji! Nicely spreaded one. Thanks for sharing dear.

Mallika said...

And thanks to you, we are far more educated too! Where are you off to? We are going to Morocco for five days next week. Just like you, Can't wait!!

Anonymous said...

Oh... do not get angry on me Asha. I found your site is interseting so I asked few question. I am sorry if i bother you much

--boy

bee said...

ok, slow down you ate all these things in one meal? so not fair.

i am too terrified to make a murukku. that's what shops are for.

FH said...

Thank you Jyothi, I try my best!:))

Mallika, not as exotic as Morocco but to Smoky mountain in the next state.Lucky girl you get to see the World, and I have just visited few Europoean countries only because I used to live in UK. Form here, everything is complicated, VISA and all. Enjoy, I will be back in September again!!:))

BOY?! :D
No, I am NOT angry at all, just rolled my eyes when I wrote you the reply! Hahaha!!
Enjoy and ask questions, not a problem.Looks like you are new to blogs, right? Use that arrow and hover on the links I give there and click. It will take you there to the original recipes!:)

Hi Bee, where were you? Hope you didn't have flu or something, just busy! I missed your monkey face! ;D
Scared of Murukkus? Why? Hot oil or too much work or must be both!:D
Yeah, I buy them most of the time too, just too lazy to fry but sometimes when I get nice and easy recipe like this, I will make some at home.
Good to see you. Aroma is temporarily closed for business now! Enjoy your weekend. So glad Bri fundraiser went well!:)

Mansi said...

very new recipes on today's menu Asha! thanks for all the extra info too!:)

FH said...

Hi Mansi, thali looks great, doesn't it? few of them were new to me too, enjoyed then both! One coming for you next week. Have a great weekend!:))

Anamika:The Sugarcrafter said...

Hi asha
posting after along spell..well not that long..sigh !!....well loved your display of andhra cuisine...as usual..got something to add on my menu.

FH said...

Hi Anamica, hope you are doing well there, take your time!:))
This thali makes a great Sunday lunch, hope you try, enjoy the weekend! :))

Namratha said...

Sojjappalu are one of my favourites, I used to pester granny all the time to make these..absolutely delicious!

Devi Priya said...

Wow! Delicious spread Asha!

Madhavi said...

WOW Asha di, what a treat. Great Andhra feast, looks divine, awesome, very tempting :)))

Jaya M said...

WoW! Dhapalam and sojjappalu looks so yum.Lot of work but I am sure it taste so good .Lovely spread of Andhra Cuisine.
hugs and smiles
jaya

Deepthi Shankar said...

What a lovely spread .. looks really awesome .. thanks for sharing :)

notyet100 said...

thanks for visitin,.baby is he...his name is advay...:-)

FH said...

Thank you Namratha. I loved it too but didn't know about this sweet, other than regular Obbatu!:)

Devi Priya, thanks! We certainly enjoyed the thali!:))

Thanks Madhavi. It was great to know so many new dishes, was yum!:)

FH said...

Sojjapplau is bit of work Jaya, got to make filling but as you can see, they are so delcious!:))
Dhapalam was grand, loved it!:)

You are welcome VP, glad you liked it. It was a yummy thali!:)

Priyanka, oops!:D
I thought about whether the baby is a boy or girl, they all look the same when they are babies. He is cute, nice name too!:))

Lisa Johnson said...

The Sojjappalu looks so good! It's a really nice entry to the Sweet Series Event. I'll be looking for that roundup! I haven't entered a food event in so long! Hopefully soon. ; )

A_and_N said...

Hi Asha, we have started our own food blog and were wondering if we could add your blog to our blog roll?

FH said...

Hi Anali, any sweet pancakes will do, I am sure you can whip up a great one for the event!:)
Sojjappalu is yummy treat, very traditional. Enjoy the weekend!:))

Of course you can A&N, more the merrier!:)
I checked your blog y'day or tried to anyway, it didn't allow me to get in, will check again later!:))

A_and_N said...

Oh I'm sorry to hear that. The link is:
http://reluctantchefs.blogspot.com/
thanks a lot for stopping by :)

FH said...

Loved the Kodubales in there N, beautiful, will try today!:))

Zak said...

asha ji ! tell me how to make bisibillabath ! send ur recipe to sajeeve@gmail.com

Sum Raj said...

delicious and inviting thali....my granny used to make murukku...missing her a lot..

Archy said...

Chakkli Looks so nice and perfect need to try this..
Lovely spread of Andhra dishes Asha !! Nice plate for lunch.. feel like having it :) !!

FH said...

Hi Mahathma, I already have posted a Bisi bele Bhath dish, I will give you the URL instead!:))

Suma, I think there are hunreds odf recipes for Murukkus, huh? I make about 4 kinds of them. Besan chakli is the easiest to make than rice and Urad. Enjoy!:))

Archy, I made these for Sunday lunch, enjoyed it. Chakli is easy, do try and adjust the spices to your taste!:))

ranji said...

hi asha!!!regarding ur query...i think it is not necessary to add okras in jambalaya like in gumbos which is a necessity...or am i wrong?since u have had an authentic new orleans jambalaya plz let me know..i would really like to know...the one u ate had okras???

With so many event deadlines comming up i had to shift the posting dates of ur chutney i made..i will post it along with lavash and chicken curry next week..making lavash this weekend..i hope it satisfies my cravings for korri rotti :)..have a gr8 weeknd asha

Hetal said...

So many wonderful Andhra dishes at one place,great....

Anonymous said...

I am drooling over your festive platter!

I have something for you on my site.

FH said...

Ranji, Okras are not necessary for Jambalaya but they throw some there too. For Gumbo it's a must, slimy thickening stuff!:D
Your Jambalaya is perfect, don't worry about it. Yeah, take your time to post whenever, no problem. There are so many events, when I come back I will choose a few events every month, not worth the stress!:))
Lavash is crispy, might work to replace the crunch but it's delicate because of the plain flour. enjoy!:)

Thank you Hetal. Hope you try some of these. Have a great weekend!:))

Thank you Roma. I will check it out ASAP!:))

Jamie said...

Asha, what a post! The festival food looks wonderful! I read in your profile that one of your favorite books is India: A History. Is that the one by John Keay? I am reading that one right now!

Also, I wanted to ask where abouts in North Carolina you reside. My husband and I are moving to Charlotte , NC at the end of July.

Cham said...

U ve an inspirational award Asha waiting... I am Happy to pass it to You :) Hugs to You....
Cham.

Susan said...

What a bounty, Asha! You are sure going out with a bang before your break. Those murukulu look like carved bracelets. I wonder if you can bake them rather than fry...

FH said...

Jamie, yes. That's the book from Keay, I love it, read it long time ago!:)
So good to hear that you are moving to NC, you will love Charlotte. I can't tell you where exactly I am here for safety reasons right now but I can tell you that we are about 100miles from Charlotte(will talk to you later).
We drive there once in 3 mnts or so just to go to Woodland's! Enjoy, it's a beautiful city!:))

Cham, thank you so much.I will check out. Thanks for the easy biscuits recipe!:))

Susan, I still got 2 weeks to go, waiting for the time to pass quickly!:D
Chaklis/Murukulu cannot be baked unfortunately. Flours and not much leavening in the recipe is not suitable for baking, got to fry! Try once Susan, you will love the crunch!:)

Sagari said...

delecious andhra recipes ashaji

FH said...

Hi Sagari, so good to you. Thank you, we loved it!:)

Rachel said...

Fabulous as always!!!

FH said...

Thank you Rachel, thali was yummy!:)

Illatharasi said...

Great thali...... all recipes look good. But I love pooris the most ;)

krystyna said...

Hi Asha,
I love your enthusiasm and passion, and your big talent. You are professional at your work.

I wonder how you know when I put my new post. You are always my first visitor and I'm sooo happy.
Thank you so much!
Have a great time!

FH said...

Hey, you are my kinda girl Illatharasi, love Pooris too!:D

Hi Krystyna, good to see you, thanks for your kind words!:))
My blog roll pops up whenever there is a new post, so I will catch up with you quickly!:D

Madhavi said...

Hello Asha di, I have something for u, check out my blog :)))

Mansi said...

the paratha looks awesome! I am so tempted to eat it right now gal!:)

FH said...

Thank you Madhavi, I will right away!:))

Hi Mansi, isn't that sweet paratha looks great? It was so yummy to eat too, specially with a dollop of ghee on top. Hope you try!:)

Mandira said...

great feast thali Asha, looks incredibly delicious :)

FH said...

Thank you Mandira. Veg thalis are the best, I tell ya!:))

MR said...

WOW !!
EXCEELENT SPREAD
ALREADY DROOLING !!!

Dee said...

Wow Ashakka, reminded me of mom and home. Dappalam is indeed special and a no hassle side.... Sojjappalu.. its years since I even took a look at them... Now I want to go to India asap

Shah cooks said...

your plate looks delicious. have fun on your vacation and hope to see ur blog after that, all sparkling and rejuvenated.

Shivapriya said...

Long back I posted dappalam/mukala pulusu recipe check out. I usually use besan for binding as it give much better taste compared to rice flour and we love eating it with plain dal and vadiyalu. my mom makes delicious velluli podi . everythin looks great.

Bharathy said...

Here comes another fabulous post from the blogger Queen!!!Love all!!!

EC said...

I have a small gift for u on my blog

FH said...

Glad you liked the thali mr, we did too!:))

Dee, you are the second person after sra who knew about Dappalam! Wonder how others don't know about it. So glad thali reminded you of home, that means I did well for RCI! Hugs!:)

Shaheen, I hope so too, getting mentally and physically tired these days, got to have a vacation and blog break sooner the better!:D
You too enjoy India, safe flight and have fun. Looking forward to all the yummy dishes you bring from home!:))

FH said...

SP, I will check out your blog today, I am excited! I had never heard of this dish at all, it was delcious.Vellulli podi was yummy and spicy!:D

Thank you Bharathy. Glad to see you blogging again, it's my turn to take a break now!:D
Enjoy, good to see you back here.

Hi EC, will be there ASAP, thanks!:)

J said...

Asha, answered your question in my blog. And now can i have some murukkus please? :) I'm lazy to fry them, though I love shaping them up, it's fun.

FH said...

HeHe! That's true J. Love eating Murukkus but it's so hot to stand in front of the stove and fry them. Enjoy looking!:)

Latha Narasimhan said...

Other than picles and pachadis(chutneys) I have'nt found much difference in Andhra recipes! We prepare sojji appams for ceremonies!
Telugu is such a sweet language and all the names sound so good!
Sending you a mail, may be by tomorrow! :) There is a lot to write you see! :D

Amrutha Ragavan said...

Thanks for your comment Asha! Cabbage soup is pretty healthy too :). I admire you for blogging so many dishes in one go! Cheers

FH said...

That's true Latha, most South Indian dishes are common to all of us, just call them with different names sometimes with slightly different recipes!:)
I haven;t checked my mail since last week, will check tomorrow. We have been working on the wallpaper in the dining room today, so exhausting!:P

Soup is healthy Amrutha and cabbage is available year round easily!:)
Thanks you, RCI event is special to me, that's why the thali!:))

Suma Gandlur said...

Wow Asha, That's a tasty spread. Did not have any idea about this event.
One of my aunts makes sojjappalu for varalakshmi vratam as you mentioned. I love them. They are delicious. Aren't they?
Though I have heard the term dhappalam plenty of times, my mom never prepared it. Your recipe reminded me about pachchipulusu which is similar to your recipe. We use only onions instead of the veggies.
& Where are you headed to?

FH said...

Suma, thanks for telling me that these are Prasadam for Varalakhmi Vratam, I was little scared just in case I was wrong!:)
Dhapalam was really simple and tasty. Just with onions, I can imagine the taste, yum, will try.
We are going to Smoky mountain in Tennessee in 2 weeks, can't wait. Never stayed in the mountain chalets before, little scared of bugs!:D

Sig said...

I come to know of all events from you Asha... :)
RCI Andhra, and no non-veg dish? :) The spread looks lovely btw...

Deepak Gopi said...

I have heard that andra foods are the most delicious among south Indian ones.
I have recently gone to Madurai and rameshwaram.
Convey my congrats to Trisha.
Good day Tc

ranji said...

hey asha i just dropped by tosay i made ur lavash.It really satisfies my cravings for kori rotti..U were right lavash is a gr8 substitute for the crispy rice rotti.It was a heavenly combo with m'lore chicken curry.Lovedddd it sooo yummm ..cant wait to post it..maybe tomo.
I had slight problem while making the dough..i had to use extra 2 cups to get the dough consistency!!!Everything else was purrrrrrrrfect:)..Thannku so much..hugs!!:)

Purnima said...

Wow..the entire platter looks yum..HDYM(hw do u manage)?????? I can never stop asking n drooling over the dishes u prepare!

FH said...

Sig, most of the Hindu festival dishes are vegetarian, so the veg thali this time!;D
RCI Hyderabad is coming up in Dec, you will see non-veg here since Mona of Zaika won't mind meaty ones!:)

I will Deepak, thank you. Yes, Andhra has great cuisine and very spicy too, enjoy there lucky guy, we have to cook if we want to eat here, no such restaurants nearby!
Good to see you btw!:))

Yippee! Ranji, I am glad you liked it. It's best eaten immediately after baked or same day!:)
2 cups more flour? I am surprised but sometimes what kind of flour we use makes a difference. As long as you get a dough to roll out, it's okay to use more flour. I usually use Bread flour for most of my breads, which needs lot less water than plain flour!:))
They are not as crispy as Korri rotti but not bad with chicken,huh? Glad you tried it. Enjoy and thanks for feedback.Hugs!:)

FH said...

Hi Purni, I am so surprised and happy to see you here! Are you commenting from India? Kewl!!:D
On Sundays, I make something special for us, one day in a week we all sit and eat together. So, this thali is just one of them,no problem!;D
Chutney pudi and Chaklis can be made earlier, Sajjappa took a little time though! Good to see you, have fun there. TAKE PHOTOS OF ALL THE YUMMIES YOUR MOM MAKES THERE FOR US!!:))

Myvegfare said...

hi,
i love andhra food, my hubby likes bellulli so i keep looking for this poondu podis and try them at home to get better taste must try this one looks yummy,dhapalam seems very easy and must try dish looks it goes well with puri or chapati thanks

FH said...

Jayasri, Dhapalam was new to me too, tatsed great. I love Andhra food although I am a Kannadiga. Glad you found me, try these and enjoy. Thanks for your comment! :))

Suparna said...

hey asha,
superb recipes ondakinta ondu really nice loved ur presentation. I'd love to try sajjappalu. you make the procedure look so neat and the end results of ur cooking looks awesome :)
TC

FH said...

Thanks Suparna! :)

Sojjappalu is like Obbattu with rave, really tastes good with just some Tuppa on top. You can make a few during festivals!