Cook's Hideout: Vadiyalu
Showing posts with label Vadiyalu. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vadiyalu. Show all posts

April 24, 2014

Rajasthan -- Lunch Thali

Blogging Marathon# 39 - Indian States: Day 24
State: Rajasthan
Dish: Rajasthani Lunch Thali
Today we are going to the 'Land of Kings or Land of Kingdoms', Rajasthan, previously known as Rajputana. It is India's largest state by area and is located on the north western side of India. The main geographic features of Rajasthan are the Thar desert and the Aravalli Range. The northwestern region of Rajasthan is generally sandy and dry because of the Thar desert. The Aravalli range and the lands east and southeast of the range are generally more fertile and better watered.
When I think of Rajasthan, I think of the beautiful forts, palaces, colorful outfits and the colorful outfits. Like the many states I mentioned, my dad went to Rajasthan too for work years ago and brought us back lot of beautiful dress materials (for salwar kameez) and bed sheets. I still have a couple of dresses that I don't wear often, but kept them for the memories and colors -- the one you see in the background is from way back when :-)
Cuisine: Rajasthani cuisine is very rich much like its culture. It is a splendid array of colorful, spicy and unique dishes. The Rajasthani platter is a gastronomic delight and if you have been to a Rajasthani restaurant you will know the amount of food they serve and the number of dishes/ courses they have -- that is one belt bursting feast indeed.
Rajasthani cooking is influenced by the availability of ingredients in this arid region and the lifestyle of its inhabitants. Food that lasts for several days and that can be eaten without heating is preferred. Scarcity of water and green vegetables have all had their effects on the cooking.
Specialties: Churma, Gujia, Ghevar, Dal, Baati, Kachori etc.
Rajasthani Lunch Thali

December 29, 2013

Thotakoora Wadiyala Kura (Amaranth Leaves Curry with Sundried Lentil wafers)

This is a super simple curry that I made couple of months ago after I harvested a bunch of amaranth leaves from my container garden. I asked my mom what to cook with the greens and she gave me this recipe that she saw on one of the Telugu cooking shows.
Thotakoora Wadiyala Kura (Amaranth Leaves Curry with Sundried Lentil wafers)
Once all the ingredients are prepped and ready to go, this dish gets done in literally minutes. Amaranth/ thotakura doesn't take long to cook, about 4~5 minutes max. Other greens like spinach, swiss chard or even kale can be used, cooking times will have to be adjusted accordingly.

September 27, 2013

Wadiyala Pulusu (Sun dried Lentil Crispies Stew)

Blogging Marathon# 32: Letter W
Theme: A-Z Vegetarian Dishes of Andhra Pradesh
Dish: Wadiyala/ Vadiyala Pulusu (Sun dried Lentil Crispies Stew)
In Telugu, there is only one letter with the sound 'va', so for the letters V & W I didn't know how to choose the dishes. After thinking of all the appropriate words starting with w and the sound 'va' in Telugu, I decided to change the word Vadiyalu into Wadiyalu and made this lipsmacking pulusu/ stew.
This recipe is again courtesy of my mom. Every household has the tradition of making (w)vadiyalu or sun dried lentil crisps every year. My mom usually keeps me stocked up with fresh ones every time we visit India.
Wadiyala Pulusu (Sun dried Lentil Crispies Stew)
Today's pulusu uses (v)wadiyalu almost like a vegetable. Usually pulusus/ stews are made with a assortment of veggies, but here vadiyalu give this dish the texture and taste. This dish tastes great with some steamed rice with a dollop of ghee and a curry -- such a filling and comforting meal.

LinkWithin

Related Posts Widget for Blogs by LinkWithin
Blogging tips