Kandi Podi / Gun Powder / Andhra Style Paruppu Podi

This is my dad's favorite accompaniment to anything. So much so that each time I visited home from Hyderabad, he would request for this and only this. I try it when we go to Andhra thali restaurants but recently I started craving them and decided to make some.

Andhra Paruppu Podi

What I Used
(Recipe from here)

Toor dal / Tuvaram paruppu /Split gram - 1 cup
Moong dal /Paasi paruppu / Cherupayar Parippu - 1/2 cup
Chana dal / Kadala paruppu / Bengal gram - 1/2 cup
Red chilli powder - 2 tbsp
Black pepper powder - 2 tsp
Hing / Asafoetida / Perungayam - 1/2 tsp
Jeera / Jeerakam - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste

How I Made It:

1. Dry fry all the dals separately until they turn golden brown. Mix well.
2. Add the jeera and hing to the dal mixture when its still hot and keep aside to cool.
3. Once cool, grind to a course/fine powder depending on preference.
4. Add red chilli powder, pepper and salt to the ground mixture and store in an airtight jar.

Serving suggestions:

- With steamed white rice and hot ghee.
- Mix with some curd or oil and serve with dosa.
- Some variations include adding dry fried curry leaves to the powder. I am sure that's yummy as well, I just didn't have enough curry leaves in hand.

This is my entry to the 7th helping of Legume Love Affair being served by Srivalli this time.

Chinese Tempeh Buns

These are a vegan take on pork buns. I really don't associate yeast dough with Chinese cooking, and given my love of all things leavened, I thought it would be fun to try. If you aren't a big fan of tempeh, some shaved seitan. crumbled tofu, or pulsed chickpeas would work as well (I think--I did not try all these variations, but I don't see why they would not work).

INGREDIENTS

Dough

- 4 tbsp sugar

- 1/2 cup warm plain soy milk

- 1/3 cup warm water

- 2 tsp active dry yeast

- 2 to 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

- 1/4 tsp salt

Filling

- 12 dried shitake mushrooms

- 1 tbsp each canola and sesame oil

- 1 clove garlic, minced

- 1 tbsp minced ginger

- 1 pkg of tempeh, grated

- 3 tbsp orange juice

- 2 tbsp sherry

- 2 tbsp ketchup

- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce

- 2 tbsp vegan oyster sauce

- 1 tsp Chinese five spice

- splash of water

- 1 green onion, thinly sliced

- soy milk, for brushing

METHOD

1. Make the dough: Whisk sugar into warm soy milk and water, then whisk in yeast to dissolve. Set aside to proof. Add in enough flour to make a slightly tacky dough. Knead for 3-5 mins, until smooth. Place in a bowl, cover with damp towel, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour.

2. While dough is rising, make the filling. Soak mushrooms in hot water until soft. Thinly slice.

3. Heat oils in a frying pan over medium heat. Saute mushrooms, garlic, and ginger for 3 mins. Increase heat to med-hi, then add grated tempeh and fry 5 mins. Add orange juice and sherry and stir well. Add ketchup, sauces, and five spice and stir well, adding a splash of water if needed. Stir in green onion and remove from heat.

4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

5. Remove dough from bowl and roll into a log. Divide into 12 sections. Keep covered with a damp towel. Take one section and roll into a 4-5 inch circle (with a rolling pin) on a lightly floured surface. Place 1/12 of the filling in the centre, then gather the edges over the filling, pinching the seams together and giving them a twist. Place seam side down on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Cover with damp towel and let rise for 30 mins.

6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush each bun with soy milk and bake for 18-10 mins, or until golden brown.

Cream of Potato and Broccoli Soup

Ah, the news year is here. I am desperately trying to ignore the fact that I have two courses to teach on Monday, starting at 8:30 in the morning. Gack! On the other hand, it is high time the kids stop kicking around the house and get back to school. I am not really one for new year's resolutions, so I think I will just try to keep on keepin' on (as a wise man once said). 2009 promises to bring many new challenges, not the least of which is a 4th addition to our Vegan Family. Yep. 4 kids. Wow, eh? My very own vegan commune. If your kids are like mine, they like broccoli and they like potatoes. Why not put them together in a creamy soup? I keep the skins on for this recipe, but you can peel your potatoes if that is more your style.

INGREDIENTS

- 2 tbsp oil

- 1 large sweet onion, small dice

- 1 stalk celery, minced

- 1 clove garlic, minced

- 4-5 medium red potatoes, skins on, small dice

- 1 cup water, or veggie broth

- 3 cups plain soy milk

- 1 head broccoli, cut into small florets

- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast

- 1/2 cup soy creamer, or coconut milk cream (i.e. place a can of coconut milk in the fridge to let the fat separate from the water)

- salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute onions, celery, and garlic for 5 mins, until softened. Add potatoes and saute for 2 mins.

2. Add water and soy milk to the pot (should cover most of the potatoes--add more if needed). Bring to bubbling, then lower heat, cover, and simmer for 15-20 mins, until potatoes are soft.

3. Remove half of the soup from the pot and blend until smooth. Return to pot along with the broccoli. Return to bubbling, and cook for 5-7 mins, until broccoli is cooked (soft, but not mushy).

4. Add nutritional yeast, creamer, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve with some baguettes. Look at these awesome baguette forms Vegan Mom got me for Christmas!