These are some old vegetarian recipes of coastal Andhra districts. They might not have been forgotten 100%. But I see them very rare:
1. Dibba Rotti: This is how my mother and grandmother used to make it. Make a dry semolina of rice and whole black gram dal in 1:1 proportion (this can be made in large quantities and stored). Soak this semolina in enough water for half an hour before making. Add salt, asafoetida(hing), jeera(cumin seeds) and green chilli-ginger paste.
The batter should be of idli batter consistency. Add two to three table spoons of oil in a shallow and thick kadai(pan). After the oil is heated pour the batter(enough for twelve idlis). Lower the flame. Place one small stainless steel bowl inverted, in the batter(this makes the cooking even). When the bottom turns reddish brown, put off the flame. This process will take about 25-30 minutes. Cut into pieces and serve. My mother used to keep a live charcoal on the lid, so that it bakes evenly. The best accompaniment for this is honey.
2. Poli Rotti (in some other districts it is also called ‘aviri kudumu): Soak black gram dal, without husk for two hours. Grind it into fine paste adding very little water. Add enough salt.
Take a wide mouthed vessel and pour clean water into it (half filled). Tie a neat cloth to the vessel as shown in the picture below. Take batter about five-six idlis quantity and pour it on the cloth and cover it. Put the vessel on low flame and steam it until back of a spoon comes clean out from it(without any batter sticking to it). Poli rotti is now ready. Best accompaniment for this is coconut chutney.
3. Pindi pulihora: This looks like the picture shown below. Recipe is same as pulihora but instead of rice, rice semolina is used. For diabetics, this may be prepared with wheat semolina or any millet semolina. The recipe can be found on internet if you google ‘pindi pulihora’.
4.Uppudu Pindi: This is made with rice semolina and moong dal (green gram dal). The recipe is available on internet.
5. Palakayalu: These are small marble sized round balls made with rice flour. The recipe is available on internet. But you should be very careful while making them as there is a chance of them bursting.
6. Gulabi Puvvulu: They are made with refined flour. Recipe for this is available online. A special instrument is used for making them. This the one used for making gulabi puvvulu.
Final product look like this:
7. Chandra Kantalu: Made with moong dal(green gram dal). This sweet is usually made during festivals. Recipe is given on internet.
8. Arati davva/Arati duta kura: This vegetable preparation is made with tender stem of banana tree. Some skill is required to cut the stem into small pieces, as there is lot of ‘thread’ in this stem. Caution: Apply oil to your hand before cutting. Otherwise the hand will become too sticky and black for few days. Recipe for this item is given on internet.
9. Arati Puvvu Kura: This item is made with banana flower. This is high in fibre and rich source for iron. But preparation takes a long time. Detailed recipe is given on internet.
10. Junnu: This item is made with colostrum milk of a cow. This colostrums milk is sold in the streets in Visakhapatnam in the night after 9p.m. That is after the calf had enough milk for the day and goes to sleep. Equal amounts of normal milk and colostrums milk are added. Enough sugar, cardamom power and black pepper powder are add and then steamed. Can be steamed in a pressure cooker without the weight. Recipe is available on internet. Instead of sugar, jaggery or sugarfree can be added.
11. Sweet potatoes in jaggery syrup: My mother would make this item when we were kids. The recipe is available online.
12. Pheni (also called madatha peni): Remember Maya Bazar song “Vivaha bhojanambu”?. In that song Ghatotkacha mentions this item. The recipe is available on internet.
13. Popu majjiga: (Seasoned salted buttermilk): This is a good accompaniment for dal rice. This is usually made with leftover buttermilk, or if you don’t have time for making rasam. Recipe is given on internet.
14. Cintha Kaya Pachchadi (chutney made with raw green tamarind): This a good source for vitamin C. Recipe is available on internet.
Edit: Added two more items:
14. Thati rotti: Made from palm fruit pulp. It is a sweet item. The recipe is given in the internet.
16. Kanda Attu: Made from Yam and rice flour. Recipe is available on internet.
From comment section I read that many people know ‘Dibba Rotti’. But dibba rotti is different from ‘utappam’ or ‘pongaram’. People call the utappam as dibba rotti but dibba rotti is different. See my recipe.
Image courtsy: Google and my photo gallery.
Thanks for Reading
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