Chicken Pakodi

Chicken Pakodi / Pakoda / Pakora (pakodi in Telugu) is one among the most favorite dishes for any non-vegetarian. This is served as an appetizer in almost every Indian restaurant, but you can taste the best chicken pakoda on the road side stalls in India. Of course, this is a versatile snack which is cooked in most Indian homes in their own version. Let us see my version of it:

Panasa Thonalu

Panasa Thonalu is a traditional Andhra festive sweet. These are deep fried dough strips which are then dunked in sugar syrup. Panasa thonalu are similar to sweet shakarpara in taste but the only difference is the shape. This has derived its name due to its shape, which resembles the jack fruit bulb. You can use your creative mind to shape these and give your own name though.

Kobbari-Senagapappu ~ Chana Dal-Coconut

Kobbari-senagapappu is a typical south Indian curry, which goes excellently well with hot steamed rice and rasam. Of course, this curry is a must try with roti as well, you will be amazed to know how well it tastes with a roti. Cooked with split bengal gram / chana dal and grated coconut, this chana dal-coconut curry is a bit drier than the usual dal cooked with greens or other veggies.

Sunnundalu ~ Urad Dal Laddoo

Sunnundalu (sunni-undalu meaning balls made of urad dal / minapappu) is a traditional dessert from the Indian state of Andhra. Its high protein value makes it a divine desert for pregnant women and growing kids. Recently, I had attended a baby shower and had taken these home-made laddoos for would be mom. Believe me, sunnandalu had stood out among all the sweet dishes which were presented to the lady.

For this, the dry roasted urad dal is ground to fine sand like texture and mixed with ground sugar, cardamom powder, ghee, and then shaped into balls. I prefer adding little raw rice to this which reduces the stickiness of the urad dal, and the addition of roasted chana dal enhances the flavor.
So, get ready to indulge in these sweet delicacies.

Chepa Iguru ~ Andhra Fish Curry

Chepa Iguru / Andhra Fish Curry is my home style rustic dish, which often makes our Sunday comfort lunch menu.

Fish, as most of us are aware, is good for health when compared to any other meat. It is a super-food packed with vitamins and minerals, and a major source of omega-3 fatty acids, which is a reason in helping to protect against a range of diseases, from cancer to heart disease, depression to arthritis. This recipe is so versatile that it is perfect for any kind of fish.

This spicy, hot curry goes excellent with piping hot steamed rice.