GOJJINA PUDI

Usually when people make special gojju, for example, gojjus of kittale sippe, bende kai, pineapple etc., they prepare the masala pudi separately. Otherwise they use just saarina pudi. I don't like to use sarina pudi and many times I am lazy to prepare fresh masala, especially when I have no time or when I am in a hurry. But everyone at home likes gojju. So I thought, why not prepare gojjina pudi also just like we prepare huli pudi, saarina pudi, etc.

Yes, from past few years, there is always a gojjina pudi jar along with all other pudis in my kitchen shelf. This is really very convenient. I don' like to spend much time in the kitchen, but I want tasty things. This attitude has given rise to many innovations.

You take:

coriander seeds 1 cup
Byadagi chillies 3 cups
Oil 1 teaspoon
Gram dal 2 tablespoons
Menthya seeds 1 teaspoon
Cumin 1 tablespoon
Ellu (til) 2 tablespoons
Dry coconut grated 1 cup

Procedure:

Dry roast coriander seeds, gram dal and cumin to a golden brown colour. Roast menthya and Ellu till they start sputtering and take out immediately or else they get burnt very soon.

Dry roast coconut on a slow fire till crisp. You can even just leave it in a hot kadai after turning off the flame. Keep stirring so that it doesnt get burnt in case the kadai is too hot.

Cool it to room temperature and grind the ingredients (except cry coconut) to a coarse powder. Add coconut and grind again.

Store in air tight jar. It is a good idea to store this in a fridge to prevent it from becoming stale since unlike huli pudi, sarina pudi this is rarely used and so may last longer.

HULI PUDI

All these recipes of puDis are my mother's and I have been following this ever since I started cooking. Many people say they don't like cinnamon in huLi puDi. But those who say so also have enjoyed my huLi a lot. Actually it does give a special flavour to the dish.

Many people do not add dry coconut to the masala saying that the coconut has a tendency to get stale  fast and hence the huLi puDi doesn't last long. But the fact is that the dry coconut should be really dry. It should not have any moisture content in it. That is why we have to roast it in a pan, or microwave for one to two minutes till it becomes crisp. We have to take care that it doesn't get over roasted. So, here goes the recipe.

Ingredients:

Coriander seeds                            1 cup
Red chilies                                    3 cups (Byadagi) 2 cups (if Guntur)
Oil for roasting                             2 teaspoons
Gram dal                                       2 tablespoons
Cinnamon                                     10 gms
Cloves                                           2
Menthya/Methi seeds                   1 teaspoon
Dry coconut, grated                      1 cup (grated)

Procedure:

Dry roast gram dal till golden brown along with cinnamon and clove and keep aside.

Dry roast coriander seeds and menthya seeds separately till golden brown.

Put oil in kadai and roast red chillies till they sound dry and light.

Roast grated dry coconut taking care that it doesn't get burnt, as it has tendency to get over roasted with even a little excess heat.

Run all the ingredients except dry coconut in a mixture, to a fine powder. Then add dry coconut and run the mixer again.

Store the powder in air tight jar.

SAARINA PUDI

This recipe is actually for the Karnataka style saaru . Very easy to make.

Ingredients:

Coriander seeds 1 cup
Red chillies 3 cups (Byadagi variety)
Black pepper 2 teaspoons
Jeera 4 teaspoons
Menthya (Fenugreek ) 2 teaspoons
Mustard seeds 2 teaspoons
Oil 2 teaspoons
Ingu 1/2 teaspoon (This I think is my own)
Curry leaves about 20(dried)

Procedure:

Dry roast separately on a low flame coriander seeds and menthya to a golden brown colour. Roast black pepper and also mustard seeds separately till they start sputtering. Transfer all to a bowl.

Add oil and fry red chillies till they sound dry and light.

Allow all the ingredients to cool to a room temperature. Grind to a fine powder along with ingu and curry leaves. Some times I roast curry leaves in half a teaspoon of pure ghee, crush with hands and mix it with the powder. This I do specially if I have to send it to you, Poo, since good flavoured curry leaves are not available where you live.

Store in air tight jar. Will remain good for more than 2 to 3 months.

BHATH PUDI

Though this is a masala used to make mixed vegetable bhath, can also be used for sabzis which go with rotis or chapatis also. Poo recently announced that it is an amazing masala powder, just when the stock on my kitchen shelf was over and I was about to prepare it. So I decided to post this recipe first and then the recipes for all the main `puDis' one by one. (Don't worry Shru and Poo, I will supply this to you as long as I can) ;)

One good thing about this masala is that you can prepare the bhath very frequently without the fear of getting bored with the same taste. That is because, different combinations of vegetables give you different flavours for the bhath. So with the same masala, you can make bhath with different flavours!!

The recipe for mixed vegetable bhath, I will post later. So here is just how you make this masala.

Ingredients:

Gram dal 1/2 cup
Urd dal 1/2 cup
Coriander seeds 1 tablespoon
cinnamon sticks about 10 gms
Red chillies 5-6 if it is Byadagi vereity, less if Guntur variety (cut into 1"pieces)
Cloves 4-5
Cardamom 5 -6 grains
Dry coconut grated, 1/2 cup
Oil 2 teaspoons.

Procedure:

Dry roast in a thick kadai and on a low flame gram dal along with cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. Transfer to a bowl. Similarly roast urd dal, coriander seeds till golden brown and add to the bowl.

Now add oil to the kadai and roast red chillies, also on a low flame till you get a feel through the sound that it is dry and light. Transfer to the same bowl.

Roast dry coconut powder taking care that it does not get burnt, for it has a tendency to get burnt even with little excess of heat. Transfer this to a separate bowl.

Allow all to cool to a room temperature. Except dry coconut run all the other ingredients in a mixer to a coarse powder. Add coconut and run it again.

Store in an airtight container. This will stay good for about two to three months.