August, 2018 - Vinaya's Culinary Delights

Mint Pulao Recipe

Posted on August 11, 2018 by vinaya

This Mint Pulao is so fragrant, that it will leave you asking for more! Fresh home grown mint, freshly plucked chillies definitely makes a difference! Serve it with a Mixed Vegetable Raita or with Papad. Absolutely divine!

Ingredients :

200 gms Basmathi rice
One small bunch of Mint
9 green Chillies
1inch piece of Ginger
7 cloves of Garlic
2 onions
2 one inch sticks of Cinnamon
5 Cloves
5 Cardamom
10 Cashewnuts halved
Salt
5 tbsps oil
1tbsp Ghee/clarified butter
500ml boiling water.

Method :

Wash and soak the Basmathi rice for half an hour. Drain well and keep aside. Grind to a fine paste the mint, ginger, garlic and, green chillies. Chop onions fine. Heat the ghee oil mixture. Drop in the whole masalas of Cardamom, Cinnamon and Cloves. Toss. Add the halved Cashew nuts and the onions. Roast till the onions turn translucent. Drop in the ground paste, cover and cook till the raw smell of the ginger garlic is gone. Add the boiling water, salt and the Basmathi rice. After the water has started boiling, cover and cook for ten minutes. Open lid, mix thoroughly and again cover and cook for another ten minutes or till all the water has been absorbed. Serve hot with Raita of your choice.

Sweet potato Poori Recipe

Posted on August 11, 2018 by vinaya

Sweet Potato Pooris are a healthier option to their potato counterpart. Sweet potatoes are known for their low Glycemic index hence can be consumed by diabetics. They can also be chopped into fingers and microwaved to make cheat fries. Posting a delicious Poori today.

Ingredients :

200 gms Sweet potato
9 green chillies
5 garlic cloves
1 inch piece of ginger
1/3 tsp Haldi /Turmeric powder
1tsp Dhania/Coriander powder
1/2 tsp Jeera/Cumin powder
Salt
1 tbsp oil
Coriander leaves
Wheat flour as required
Oil for frying the Poori

Method :

Pressure cook the sweet potatoes and peel them. Mash them well with a masher. Grind the green chillies, ginger and garlic to a smooth paste. Tip it into the sweet potato mash. Add the coriander, cumin, turmeric powders and salt. Add finely chopped coriander leaves. Mix well. Add wheat flour as required to make a stiff dough. Add oil and knead well. Pinch small balls of this dough and roll out into three inch diameter circles which are neither too thick nor thin. Heat oil in a pan. Fry the poori till they turn golden brown on both sides. Serve as is or with chutney of your choice.

Carrot Salad Recipe

Posted on August 11, 2018 by vinaya

Grated Carrot, Coconut and a sprinkling of Coriander leaves make up this healthy Raw Salad which incidentally are colours of the Indian Tricolour. 🇮🇳

Ingredients :

1 carrot
1 small bowl of grated coconut
Coriander leaves
Juice of half a lemon
A pinch of salt
A pinch of sugar

Method :

Deskin the carrots. Grate them. Chop the coriander leaves fine. Mix the grated carrot, coconut, coriander leaves, sugar and salt. Drizzle with lemon juice and serve immediately.

Food Art-3

Posted on August 11, 2018August 11, 2018 by vinaya

Celebrating Indian Independence with the three colours of our revered Tricolour – Saffron, White and Green. A bouquet of Carrots, Spring onion, and spring onion greens to denote it. Happy Independence Day to all my brothers and sisters. Jai Hind!

Food Art-2

Posted on August 11, 2018August 14, 2018 by vinaya

Indian Independence Day through the eyes of a child.

As I was trying to make a variety of dishes in Tricolour to celebrate our Independence Day, the sweet memories of childhood came flooding back! In school we drew pictures of children holding the Tricolour and releasing Balloons in the sky. Thought, why not present this in the form of food art, just to keep the child in me alive!

Spring onions, Carrot, spring Onion greens, Radish and mustard went into making children celebrating the Indian Independence Day. 🇮🇳

Thali Meal – 19

Posted on August 11, 2018 by vinaya

A mixed Thali with Methi Parathas Bhavnagari Green chillies, Rice, Dal, Farmyard Beans, Carrot and Potato stir fry, Garlic Chutney, Raw Mango Thokku and Buttermilk.

Farm Yard Beans, Carrot and Potato Stir Fry Recipe

Raw Mango Thokku – 2

Dali Recipe

Methi Paratha and Boondi Raita Recipe

Bhavnagari Chilly Pickle Recipe

Garlic Chutney Recipe

Farm Yard Beans, Carrot and Potato Stir Fry Recipe

Posted on August 11, 2018 by vinaya

As children we named this particular Stir Fry as Flag Upkari because it has the hues of the Indian Tricolour. Most of the Stir fries or Upkari as we call it use minimal oil and spices, thus keeping the flavours of the vegetables intact. There have been times when I made a meal of it as its not only healthy but filling too!

Ingredients :

150 gms Farm Yard Beans
150 gms Carrot
1 very large potato
1 tbsp Coconut oil (Or oil of choice)
1 tsp mustard
2 dry red chillies broken into bits
Salt

Method :

String the Farm Yard Beans. Deskin the carrot and potato. Wash all the vegetables thoroughly and chop them lengthwise. Heat oil in a pan. Add the mustard and after it splutters add the broken red chilly bits. Toss. Add the chopped vegetables, salt and half a glass (125) ml of water. Cover and cook till done. Serve hot with Rice, Roti or as a meal by itself.

Fried Yam Kismuri – 2

Posted on August 10, 2018 by vinaya

This is yet another type of fried Yam Kismuri that is made, the difference being that the coconut is ground here along with other condiments. It goes well with Rice or Rotis. Easy to prepare as the Yam can be fried and kept ready before hand!

Ingredients :

250 gms Yam
1/4 of a large coconut grated
9 roasted red chillies
2 tbsps coriander seeds
1tsp Tamarind paste
1 inch piece of ginger
1 large onion chopped fine
1 green chilly
Salt
2 tsps Coconut oil
Oil for frying the Yam.

Method :

Deskin and wash the Yam well. Chop into extremely small pieces as shown in the picture above. Apply salt and keep aside for ten minutes so that it releases water. . Heat the oil in a pan. Squeeze out all the water from the Yam. Fry it in batches till crisp. Drain on absorbent paper and keep aside. Chop onions, fine. Grate the ginger. Chop the chilly fine and crush with a little salt. Grind the coconut, roasted red chillies, coriander seeds, tamarind and ginger to a semi coarse paste with a little water. Tip it into a bowl. Add the chopped onions, crushed green chilly, coconut oil and the fried Yam pieces. Mix well. Allow the Kismuri to stand for half an hour before serving in order to allow the Yam to absorb moisture from the Masala.

Fried Yam Kismuri – 1

Posted on August 10, 2018September 5, 2018 by vinaya

Fried Yam, Bitter gourd and Okra are three of the items that are a must have when having live in guests. They come in handy in making a variety of dishes. One can use fried Yam in making Koota, two varieties of Kismuri and a pickle too. Posting a simple Yam Kismuri today which goes well with Rice and Dal.

Ingredients :

250 gms Yam
Onions
Coconut
2 tsps Coconut oil
3 green chillies
Salt
Oil for frying the Yam.

Method :

Deskin the Yam and wash it thoroughly. Chop it into extremely tiny pieces as shown in the above picture. Apply some salt and keep aside for ten minutes. You will notice that it releases water. Heat oil in a pan. Squeeze out the Yam and fry it in batches till crisp. Remove and drain on a kitchen towel. Chop onions the same quantity as the fried Yam. So also the grated coconut. Mince the green chillies. Crush them with a little salt. Mix the grated coconut, chopped onions, crushed green chillies, fried Yam and coconut oil. Mix thoroughly. Serve after half an hour as the Yam pieces require awhile to absorb the moisture of the onions and coconut. Goes well with hot rice or even with Roti.

Thali Meal – 18

Posted on August 10, 2018 by vinaya

Fresh French Beans which I just could not resist buying and which turned into a stir fry, Teasel Gourd which is in season and made into a tongue tickling subzi, Farm fresh Radish sent over by a friend went into a Sambhar and all ended up together in my Thali today. Fried some Papad and served Tender Mango Pickle along with Curds and Rice.

French Beans, Potato, Garlic Stir Fry Recipe

Teasel gourd/Kantola Subzi Recipe

Radish Sambhar Recipe

Tender Mango Pickle Recipe