Banana Blossom Patoli (Ground dal with Banana Blossom)

Soak 1 cup (100 gms) chana dal for 2-4 hours.

Prepare Banana Blossom: Separate the flowerets from the shells. Remove thick fiber from EACH of the floweret. (Stop right here if you cannot identify and remove the thick fiber.) Blend in sour buttermilk in a food processor. (You can stone grind this too.)

Blend:

2 green chilies
1-2 red chilies
1/8 tsp turmeric
a pinch of asafetida
½ tsp salt (to taste)

along with the soaked and washed dal and prepared banana blossom.

Garnish

Heal 3 Tsp oil. When the oil is hot, add the spices in the following order, 10-15 seconds apart:

½ tsp chana dal (Optional)
½ tsp urad dal
½ tsp cumin seeds
2-3 red chilies
2 sprigs curry leaves

Add and sauté the above paste.

Goru Chikkudu Patoli (Ground dal with Indian Green Beans)

Soak 1 cup (100 gms) chana dal for 2-4 hours.

Prepare Goru Chikkudu Kaya – remove tough fiber and cut into small pieces. Cook till it is firm but soft.

Blend:

2 green chilies
1-2 red chilies
1/8 tsp turmeric
a pinch of asafetida
½ tsp salt (to taste)

along with the soaked and washed dal.

Garnish

Heal 3 Tsp oil. When the oil is hot, add the spices in the following order, 10-15 seconds apart:

½ tsp chana dal (Optional)
½ tsp urad dal
½ tsp cumin seeds
2-3 red chilies
2 sprigs curry leaves
1 chopped onion

Add and sauté the above paste.

When the paste is almost cooked, add cooked Goru Chikkudu. Cook for another 5-10 minutes until the vegetables are well mixed and cooked.

Arati Pandu Pulusu Pacchadi (Sweet and Sour Chutney with Banana)

Chop (or squish with a spoon) two ripe bananas.

Add:

½ tsp salt (to taste)
2 Tsp tamarind juice
1 tsp brown sugar (jaggery)
2 green chopped chilies
4 sprigs of chopped coriander

to the pulp and mix well.

Garnish
¼ tsp urad dal
1/8 tsp mustard
1 red chili
pinch of hing
2-3 Tsp chopped onions

Heat 1 tsp oil. When the oil is hot, add the spices in the order listed above, 10-15 seconds apart:

Add the garnish to the pulp.

Optionally shallow fry a couple of gummadi Vadiyams and add.

You can also do the same thing with the banana stem (recipe #9 has directions to prepare doota). Use roasted and powdered sesame seed in place of onions.

These chutneys go very well with Patoli (recipe follows) or dal curries (eg. banana blossom and moong or chana dal).

Vankaya Pulusu Pacchadi (Baked Eggplant Sweet and Sour Chutney)

1 large eggplants

Stove Top on gas burner: Brush vegetable oil and hold directly on the flame until the skin chars and the eggplant is softened. Scoop up the meat from the eggplant into a dish.

Add:

½ tsp salt (to taste)
2 Tsp tamarind juice
1 tsp brown sugar (jaggery)
2 green chopped chilies
4 sprigs of chopped coriander

to the pulp and mix well.

Garnish
¼ tsp urad dal
1/8 tsp mustard
1 red chili
pinch of hing
2-3 Tsp chopped onions

Heat 1 tsp oil. When the oil is hot, add the spices in the order listed above, 10-15 seconds apart:

Add the garnish to the pulp.

Optionally shallow fry a couple of gummadi Vadiyams and add.

This tastes good with “Uppudu Pindi” – next recipe.

Vankaya Banda Pacchadi (Baked Eggplant Chutney)

1 large eggplants

Stove Top on gas burner: Brush vegetable oil and hold directly on the flame until the skin chars and the eggplant is softened. Scoop up the meat from the eggplant into a dish.

Add:

¼ tsp salt (to taste)
1 tsp tamarind juice

to the pulp and mix well.

Garnish
¼ tsp chana dal
¼ tsp urad dal
1/8 tsp cumin
1 red chili
pinch of hing

Heat 1 tsp oil. When the oil is hot, add the spices in the order listed above, 10-15 seconds apart:

Grind the garnish, 2 green chilies, 4 sprigs of coriander and add to the pulp.

Optionally, you sauté an onion and add to the chutney.