Airfryer: Tofu Fry

Drain and absorb the 14 oz of Tofu with some paper towels. Cut into small cubes and put them into a mixing bowl. Cut 1/2 Yellow onion into big pieces and add to the mixing bowl. Add a tsp of Ginger Garlic Paste, Salt to taste, a tsp of Red Chilli Powder, a pinch of Turmeric, a tsp of Cumin Powder, a tsp of Garam Masala Powder, a tsp of Onion Powder, a tsp of Garlic Powder, few chopped Curry Leaves, 2 tsp of Oil and mix well till tofu gets coated.

Preheat the air fryer to 350 F for 5 minutes. Add the coated tofu to the air fryer pan in a single layer and cook for 10 minutes while shaking the pan in between. 

Serve hot.

Airfryer: Sweet Potato Fries with Maple Cinnamon dipping sauce

Preheat the airfryer to 380F.

Wash, peel and cut 2 large Sweet Potatoes into about 1/4-1/2 inch fries. Place the fries in a bowl of cold water for an hour. Drain the fries and dry them with towels. 

Add them to a mixing bowl, add 1 1/2 tbsp of Corn Starch, 2 tsp of Paprika, 2 tsp of Garlic Powder, a tbsp of Olive Oil and Salt to taste. Combine well and spread them out in a single layer in the airfryer basket. Cook for 20-23 minutes, frequently tossing them after every 10 minutes at 380F.

Garnish and Serve.

Sauce - Add 1/4 cup of Sour Cream, 1 1/2 tbsp of Maple Syrup, 1/4 tsp of Cinnamon, Salt to taste in a small mixing bowl and mix well until combined. Serve with the fries.

Airfryer: French Fries

Wash and cut 2 Russet Potatoes into about between 1/4 to 1/2 inch fries. (No need to peel). Add them into a mixing bowl of cold water and let sit for 45 minutes.

Drain the french fried and dry them with towels. Add the dried french fries to a mixing bowl and mix 2 tsp of Olive oil, Salt to taste and Mixed Pepper seasoning (I use readymade 5 pepper seasoning) as needed.  

Preheat the air fryer to 350F. Spread out the fries in a single layer and cook for 15 minutes or until crisp, turning halfway through cooking. Garnish and Serve.

Guacamole

Pit 3 Avacados and coarsely mash into a bowl. Add 1/4th chopped Red Onion, 2 minced Garlic Cloves, 1/2 bunch of chopped Cilantro, 3 finely minced Green Chilies, a large chopped Tomato to the bowl and stir. Add Salt & Pepper as needed, 4-5 shakes of green Tabasco Sauce and squeeze a lime into the bowl. Mix well till incorporated and serve with Tortilla Chips.

Nippattu (Rayalaseema Chekkalu)

Roast 1/4 cup of Peanuts lightly and take in to a small blender jar. Add 1/4 cup of Roasted Gram Dal, 2 tbsp of Dry Shredded Coconut, 1/4 tsp of Cumin Seeds and blend to a coarse powder.

Add the above mixture to a big mixing bowl, a cup of Rice Flour, 1/4 cup of All Purpose Flour, 2 tbsp of Sooji, a tsp of Red Chilli Powder, a tsp of Sesame Seeds, a pinch of Asafoetida, Salt as needed, a tbsp of chopped Curry Leaves, 2 tbsp of Hot Oil and Water as required to form a soft dough.

Make small lemon sized balls with the dough and spread them like discs on a silicon mat. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a deep pan. Deep fry the discs until golden brown. Drain and remove from the oil on to a plate.

Airfryer: Sticky Sesame Cauliflower Wings

Wash, drain and cut a small Cauliflower head into bite sized pieces. Preheat the oven to 450 F and prepare a baking sheet by lining with greased aluminium foil or baking sheet.

In a bowl, whisk 1/2 cup All purpose Flour, 1/2 cup Milk, Salt & Pepper as needed, 1/2 tsp of Garlic Powder, 1/2 tsp of Red Chilli Flakes and make into a smooth batter. Take a cup of Panko Breadcrumbs in a separate bowl. Toss the Cauliflower in the batter and coat them well. Transfer them to the bread crumbs bowl to coat completely and then place them on to the baking sheet giving some space between them. 

Bake for 22 minutes and prepare the Sauce in the meantime.

Sauce - Heat a saucepan with 5 tbsp of Maple Syrup, 3 tbsp of Soy Sauce, 1/2 tsp of Sesame Seeds, 1/4 tsp of Black Pepper, 1/4 tsp of finely minced Ginger. Bring to a boil and add a tsp of Corn starch mixed in a tsp of Water to the saucepan. Whisking frequently, remove from heat and let it cool. 

Toss the baked Cauliflower wings in the sauce and place them back on the baking sheet to bake for another 5 minutes. Remove and garnish with finely chopped Green Onions. Serve hot. 

Nachos with Cauliflower rice

Cauliflower Rice - Heat a tbsp of Oil in a skillet and add 10oz of Cauliflower Rice to it. Sauté for 10 minutes and add 2 tsp of Taco seasoning, a tsp of red chilli powder and Salt as needed. Mix well and remove from heat.

Drain a can of Black Beans and rinse well.

On a Sheet Pan, spread out 8 oz of Tortilla Chips and then layer with the prepared cauliflower rice. On top of that, spread out the beans, finely chopped Onions, red Bell pepper, Jalapeños, Cilantro, Olives, Sweet Corn. 

Drizzle 2 tsp of Hot Sauce over the nachos and layer with enough Mexican cheese blend. Bake at 400F for 10 minutes or until the cheese starts to melt. Remove from oven and drizzle Sour Cream, Salsa and Guacamole. Serve immediately.

Katori Chaat

Bread Pakodi

Batter - Take 3/4 cup of Chick Pea Flour in a bowl. Add 2 1/2 tbsp of Rice Flour, a tsp of Red Chilli Powder, a pinch of Turmeric, 2 tbsp chopped Coriander Leaves, Salt as needed, 1/2 tsp of Ajwain Seeds and Water as needed to make a smooth batter (like dosa batter). 

Oil - Heat a wide pan with Oil, as needed for deep frying.

Bread - Take 6 Slices of Bread and gently cut them into half. Dip them one by one in the batter till fully coated and slip them into the hot Oil kept for deep frying. Do not overcrowd the pan. Gently fry them on both sides and remove and drain them from oil when they are golden brown.

Serve hot with Muri Upma or as a appetizer with mint chutney or tomato sauce.

Onion Samosa

Dough - Take a cup of All Purpose Flour, 2 tbsp of Rice Flour and a cup of Wheat Flour in a bowl. Add Salt to taste and 2 tbsp of Warm Oil to the mixture. Mix well and add required water to the mixture to get to a soft chapathi dough consistency.Make a ball out of the mixture and let it rest aside.

Filling - Heat 2 tbsp of Oil in a pan and saute a thinly sliced Onion, 2 minced Green Chillies until onions turn golden brown. Then add Salt to taste, a tsp of Red Chilli Powder, a tsp of Cumin Powder, a tsp of Chat Masala to the pan and mix well. When the mixture comes together, remove from heat and let it cool.

Binding paste - Add a tsp of All purpose Flour to a tbsp of Water and make paste.

Roll the dough into a thin sheet and cut them into rectangular strips (3 x 6 inches) and cook them on a hot girdle (like Chapati). When cooked, remove them from the girdle and keep aside. Repeat until all the dough is used. 

Take each cooked strip and fold them from one side to hold the filling like a samosa. Put a tbsp of filling in that and close the flap by applying the binding paste. Set aside.

Heat oil in a pan to deep fry the prepared samosas. Once the oil is piping hot, add few of the prepared samosas at a time and fry until brown in color. Remove and drain the samosas onto a plate and serve warm.

Cream Cheese stuffed Sweet Peppers

Peppers - Preheat the oven to 350F. Wash and dry 12-16 Mini Sweet Peppers. Then, cut them into half, length wise and de-seed. Line the peppers on a baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes. Take them out and increase the temperature to 400F.

Filling - Soften 8 oz of Cream Cheese in a bowl. To it, add 1/2 cup of grated Cheddar Cheese, 2 thinly sliced Green Onions, 1/4 tsp of Garlic Powder or minced tsp of Fresh Garlic, Salt and Pepper to taste, and your choice of 1 1/2 tsp of Horseradish sauce or any flavor of Ranch. Mix well. 

Divide the filling evenly amongst the peppers without over mounding them. Bake the stuffed peppers by evenly placing them on the backing sheet for 8 minutes. Then turn of the broiler to get the tops crispy and brown.

Saggubiyyam Vada (Sago Fritters)

Prep - Soak a cup of Saggubiyyam/Sabhdhana/Tapioca in enough water for 3 hours. Drain off all the water and let it rest for few minutes. Boil 2 Potatoes, peel and mash and keep aside. Roast 1/2 cup of Peanuts, crush them and keep aside.

Mix - In a large bowl, take the soaked Saggubiyyam, peanuts and mashed potatoes and knead well. Additionally, add ½ tsp Ginger paste, 1 tsp of Cumin Seeds, 1 minced Green Chilli, 2 tbsp Coriander Leaves, 3 -4 Curry Leaves and ½ tsp of Salt and mix well with your hand to form dough. Prepare a small vada sized pieces with the dough.

Airfry the vadas @350F for 20 mins or in ponganalu pan or deep fry until light brown.

Serve hot with ketchup or as-is.

Lemon Chicken

Marinate the 500 gms bite sized boneless Chicken pieces with 2 tbsp of Lemon Juice, a tbsp of Ginger Garlic paste, a pinch of Turneric Powder, Salt to taste, a tsp Red Chilli Powder, 1½ tbsp Oil and set aside for about 1:15 hours.

Heat ½ tbsp of Oil in a pan and sauté a tbsp of minced Ginger, ½ tbsp minced Garlic till golden brown. Add a medium finely chopped Onion, 3 slit Green Chillies and sauté till pink. Add the marinated chicken and sauté until the chicken is half cooked. Add a tsp of Garam Masala Powder, A pinch of sugar and stir for 2 -3 minutes. Add ½ tbsp of soya sauce and cook till the chicken is soft and tender. Add finely chopped handful of Mint leaves and fry till the chicken is well cooked and is dry . Chicken should just be moist but not with dripping sauces. Cook to evaporate any excess moisture. Serve hot.

Sour Cream Onion Biscuits

Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

In a large bowl, take ½ cup of Butter, chilled and cut into pieces. Add  2½ tsp of baking powder, ½ tsp of baking soda, ½ tsp of Salt, a tbsp of Sugar and rub with your fingertips until mixture resembles very coarse sand. Add 2 cups of All Purpose Flour, a cup of Sour Cream and   ½ cup chopped green onion, knead until dough is moistened, then turn out on to a lightly floured surface and lightly knead until the ball comes together smoothly. 

Press dough out until it is ½ inch thick. Use a 2½ - 3 inch round cookie/biscuit cutter to cut rounds, and then place on baking sheet. Dough can be gathered and rerolled once. Bake for 20-24 minutes, until tops of biscuits are golden and sides are puffed and firm. Cool on a wire rack before serving. Makes about 10 biscuits.

Butter Corn

Remove the kernels from 2 fresh Corns using the knife by running it in the line. Add Salt to taste and required Water to it and pressure cook for 3-4 whistles until the corn becomes slightly soft, alternatively you can cook it in microwave for 6-7 minutes. Once the pressure subsides, drain the excess water and when it is still hot, add a tbsp of Butter to it and mix well. Add freshly ground ¼ tsp of Pepper Powder,½ tsp of Chaat Masala, Salt as required and a juice of a Lemon; mix well. Serve hot.

Mixed Dal Masala Vada

Soak ½ cup of Chana dal, ½ cup of Toor dal, ½ cup of Moong dal, ½ cup of Urad dal in water in a bowl for 3-4 hrs. Drain the excess water and grind the dals to a coarse paste in whipper mode. Do not grind to a smooth paste and don’t add water. Add finely chopped 5-6 Green Chillies, a tsp of minced Ginger, finely chopped Onion, ¼ cup of finely chopped Coriander Leaves, a tsp of Curry Leaves, 2 tbsp of finely chopped Mint Leaves and mix well with the ground dal mixture.

Heat a cup of Oil in a pan for deep frying the vadas. Add a pinch of Baking Soda to the mixture and mix well. Wet your hands and take a small lemon size mixture and flatten it with hands and deep fry until golden brown in color over medium heat. Serve them hot with chutney/tomato sauce.

Notes: If your batter is very wet add a tbsp of rice flour to it and mix well and make vadas.

Alasandula Sundal (Alasandula Guggillu) 2

Soak a cup of Alasandulu/ Black eyed-peas/Lobia overnight in water. Pressure cook them with a pinch of Salt until 3-4 whistles (it should hold its shape and should not become mushy). Drain the cooked lobia and set aside.

Heat a tsp of Oil in a pan, crackle ½ tsp of Mustard Seeds, a tbsp of Chana Dal, a tsp of Urad Dal until they turn golden brown. Add 2-3 broken Red Chillies, few Curry Leaves, a pinch of Asafoetida and saute for another minute. Add the cooked and drained lobia and stir fry slowly for few minutes. Add Salt as needed, 2-3 tbsp of Grated Coconut and mix well.  Remove from heat and add a tsp of Lemon Juice and mix well. Serve hot/warm/cold.

Channa Dal Masala Vada

Channa Dal - Soak 1½ cups of Channa Dal in water overnight.

Batter - Drain the water from the dal and grind to a coarse paste without adding water. Add 6-7 finely Green Chillies, a large chopped Onion, 2 tbsp of chopped Corriander Leaves, 2 tbsp of chopped Mint Leaves, few chopped Curry Leaves, an inch of minced Ginger, Salt to taste and run the mixie once to mix.

Vada - Take a lemon sixed ball of batter and pat into a round shape on a greased palm. Slide it into the hot oil to deep fry till golden in color. Repeat till all the batter is done. Serve hot with green chutney/coconut chutney or tomato sauce.

Barbecued Asparagus

Toss together a pound of Asparagus, a tbsp of Olive Oil, ½ tsp of Salt, ¼ tsp of Pepper, making sure asparagus is well coated with salt and olive oil. Place on the grill and allow cooking for at least 5 minutes, turning occasionally.

Murgh Tikka Kebabs

Take 500gms of washed and diced boneless Chicken in a bowl along with ½ cup of Yogurt, ¼ tsp of Turmeric Powder, ½ tsp of Red Chilli Powder, ½ tsp of Garam Masala Powder, a tbsp of Ginger Garlic Paste, a tsp of roasted Cumin Powder, a tsp of roasted Coriander Powder, 2 tbsp of Lemon Juice, a tsp of Salt, a tsp of Ajwain Seeds and a tbsp of finely chopped Coriander Leaves. Mix well and marinate for 1 hour to overnight in refrigerator.
Thread 4-5 pieces of chicken onto each skewer and grill on medium heat, 350°F on a grill rack placed on an aluminium foil lined baking tray; for 6-8 minutes, turning frequently and basting with Oil, as needed.

Once done, remove the chicken skewers from the pan and place in a platter. Cover and let rest for 2-3 minutes once off the heat. Remove the chicken from the skewers and serve hot with lemon wedges.