September, 2017 - Vinaya's Culinary Delights

Ven Pongal Recipe

Posted on September 13, 2017November 14, 2017 by vinaya

Two types of Pongal are prepared during Sankranthi. Posting a Ven pongal or spicy rice preparation which is a one pot meal. It is accompanied either by a chutney or with curd. I prefer mine with store bought Onion pakoda.

Ingredients :

200 gms rice
200 gms moong dal
1 tsp pepper corns
1 tbsp jeera
5tbsps ghee/clarified butter
3 sprigs curry leaves
A pinch of haldi /turmeric
Salt
2tbsps of ghee to drizzle when done.

Method :
Wash the moong dal and rice. Heat the ghee. Add the jeera and pepper corns. After they splutter add 3 sprigs of curry leaves. Toss. Add the washed moong dal, rice salt, haldi and water enough to cook it. Cook till done. Drizzle with more ghee and serve hot.

Bisibele Bhath Recipe

Posted on September 13, 2017June 27, 2018 by vinaya

Bisibele bhath a one pot meal of rice, Dal and vegetables is a Karnataka specialty. It is served along with potato wafer or spicy Boondi.

Ingredients:

125 gms rice
125 gms toor dal
A fistful of peanuts
One large carrot chopped
Peas and beans equal quantities as that of carrot
3 tbsps coriander seeds
1 tbsp chana dal
1 tbsp urad dal
2 inch piece of dalchini
5 Marat moggu
15 pepper corns
5 lavang
15 tbsps of coconut grated.
A pinch of haldi
Byadgi and Guntur chillies roasted(as per spice level)
2 tbsps tamarind paste
7 tbsps ghee
7 sprigs curry leaves

Method :
Pressure cook the Dal with the peanuts. Cook the rice and keep aside. Chop the vegetables and boil them with a little salt till done. Dry roast all the ingredients till you get a good aroma. Dry roast the coconut separately till it turns a rich brown. Grind the roasted ingredients, coconut, roasted red chillies and tamarind to a smooth paste. Add it to the cooked dal, peanuts and rice. Add salt, the cooked vegetables, ground masala and the curry leaves. Boil well. Add the ghee. Mix well and serve. ( you can add more ghee if required)

Puliogare Recipe

Posted on September 13, 2017November 14, 2017 by vinaya

Puliogare literally means tamarind rice. Served as a prasad in the temples of South India, it is sweet, spicy and tangy all rolled into one.

Ingredients :

250gms rice cooked and ready
Lemon sized ball of tamarind
5 tsps jaggery
2tbsps Coriander seeds/ dhania
1/2 tsp fenugreek/ methi
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp cumin seeds/ jeera
1tsp sesame/ til
2 tbsps gram dal/ chana dal
8 dry red chillies
4 tbsps groundnuts
A pinch of asafoetida /hing
A pinch of turmeric /haldi.

Method :
Roast all the ingredients except groundnuts and powder them. Place the tamarind in hot water and extract the pulp. Boil the jaggery and tamarind pulp. Add the powdered masala, and salt and boil for a couple of mnts. Mix it with the rice. Heat 4 tbsps oil. Add a tsp of mustard and after it splutters add the curry leaves and groundnuts. Do not over roast them. Add the rice and mix well. Heat till done.

Dalithoy Recipe

Posted on September 13, 2017August 30, 2018 by vinaya

A meal without Dal is unimaginable in India. Rice, rotis, Phulkas and some of the other rice items are invariably accompanied by a Dal. Posting a dal common in the Konkani households.

Ingredients :

250gms Toor dal/Split Pigeon peas
5 green chillies slit
1 dry red chilly broken
3 sprigs curry leaves
Hing/asafoetida
Salt

Method :
Wash and pressure cook the dal to four whistles. Churn it and add the slit green chillies, hing and salt. Boil well. Heat 2 tbsps ghee. Add a tsp of mustard and after it splutters add the broken red chilly and a pinch of hing powder to it. Add the curry leaves. Toss and drop into the boiling dal. Switch off and allow the flavours to infuse for a few minutes before serving.

Sambar Powder Recipe

Posted on September 13, 2017June 17, 2018 by vinaya

Idlis and dosas are unimaginable without a steaming hot Sambar accompanying them. Sharing in here my mother’s recipe for Sambar.

Ingredients :

2 cups coriander seeds
2 cups spicy Madras or Guntur chilly
2 cups Bedgi chilly
1/4 cup chana dal
1/4 cup urad dal
1/4 cup jeera
1/4 cup methi
50 pepper corns
A marble sized piece of hing
1 tsp haldi.

Method:
Dry roast all the above SEPARATELY except the chiliies.
Urad dal and chana dal till they are a rich golden yellow.
Methi seeds till they change colour and start giving out their aroma
Jeera and pepper till they splutter.
Both the chillies are to be roasted with a little oil till they are crisp.
Hing till it starts giving out its aroma.
Haldi is not to be roasted. Just add it to the freshly roasted ingredients when they are hot and mix well. Powder, sieve and store.

French Beans Stir Fry Recipe

Posted on September 13, 2017November 14, 2017 by vinaya

Tender French Beans chopped fine and stir fried with or without potato is delicious either way. Here I have posted one without the addition of potato.

Ingredients :

250 gms French beans
1tsp Parachute coconut oil
3 green chillies chopped fine
Salt
Grated coconut

Method :

Chop the French beans . Heat oil, add a spoonful of mustard and after it crackles add the chillies. Toss, add the beans, salt and toss well. Add a little water to cook it. Gets cooked within minutes. Garnish with grated coconut.

Ridge Gourd And Potato Stir Fry Recipe

Posted on September 13, 2017November 14, 2017 by vinaya

This is one stir fry which can be enjoyed as a soup as well, if it is diluted. It is light on the stomach and filling as well. I can make a meal of it!

Ingredients :

250 gms Ridgegourd
1 potato
3 green chillies chopped fine
Hing/asafoetida
Salt
1tsp Parachute coconut oil or oil of choice
1 tsp mustard

Method:

Scrape the ridges. Deskin the ridge gourd. You can use the peel to make a chutney which has been posted elsewhere in this blog. Chop the Ridge Gourd into tiny pieces. Peel the potato. Slice it fine. Heat oil. Add a tsp of mustard and after it splutters add the green chillies. Sauté till they lose their colour. Drop in the Ridge Gourd and potato. Add a little water and salt. Cook till done. Drizzle with hing and enjoy it with rice. You can also enjoy it as a soup by diluting it with water. Just sprinkle a little extra salt and boil well.

Farmyard Beans Stir Fry Recipe

Posted on September 13, 2017November 14, 2017 by vinaya

Farmyard beans, runner beans or Chawli used in this stir fry.

Ingredients :

250 gms chawli
1tsp Parachute coconut oil
2 dry red chillies broken
Salt
Grated coconut

Method :

Chop the chawli. Heat oil, add a spoonful of mustard and after it crackles add the dry red chillies. Toss, add the chawli, salt and toss well. Add a little water to cook it. Gets cooked within minutes. Garnish with grated coconut.

Okra Stir Fry Recipe

Posted on September 13, 2017November 14, 2017 by vinaya

I love all my vegetables sautéd in a few drops of oil and a seasoning of mustard and broken red chillies. The flavour of the vegetable remains intact and is not masked by the masalas which are added. The Konkani community call such stir fries as upkari and a meal is incomplete without one.

Ingredients:

750gms okra/ bhindi
1tsp Parachute coconut oil
2dry red chillies broken
Salt

Method :

Chop the bhindi. Heat oil, add a spoonful of mustard and after it crackles add the dry red chillies. Toss, add the bhindi, salt and toss well. Cover it with a plate with water in it. Gets steam cooked within minutes.

Oriental Stir Fry Recipe

Posted on September 13, 2017November 14, 2017 by vinaya

As mentioned earlier, Chinese cuisine has been adapted to suit the Indian palate. Chilly flakes, pepper and coriander leaves are added which make it flavourful and appetizing.

Ingredients : A bowl each of the following ingredients :

Red bell pepper
Green bell pepper
Yellow bell pepper
Baby corn
Onion
Carrot
Paneer

Other ingredients:

A few sprigs of coriander leaves
1tsp pepper powder
1tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp vinegar
1tbsp Amul butter
Salt
7 garlic cloves minced

Method: Chop the baby corn into roundels and cook them. Keep them aside. Slice the bell peppers, onion and carrot lengthwise. Cube the Paneer and shallow roast it with a little butter. Keep it aside. Heat the butter and add the chopped garlic. Roast for a couple of minutes and then add the onions. Keep tossing on a high flame till translucent. Add the bell peppers, carrot, boiled baby corn, salt, pepper and soy sauce. Keep tossing till the vegetables are done yet crunchy. Lastly add the vinegar and the coriander leaves. Switch off and serve immediately.