Month: August 2018

Double Beans Hummana

Posted on by vinaya

Double Beans are my favourite as they lend the necessary texture and sweetness to a dish. The Hummanna or coconut based gravy made of Double Beans is a delight! Goes well with Rice, Neer Dosa or even with Bread. The fragrance of Asafoetida and Coconut oil is divine!

Ingredients :

  • 100 gms Double Beans
  • One large potato cubed into tiny pieces
  • Half of a large coconut grated
  • 12 roasted dry red chillies
  • 1 tbsp tamarind paste
  • 2 tbsps coconut oil
  • 1 tsp Hing/asafoetida
  • Salt

Method :
Soak the Double Beans for eight hours. Pressure cook to one whistle and then cook for ten minutes on a slow flame with little salt. Switch off. Cook the potatoes with a little salt separately. Grind the coconut, roasted red chillies and tamarind to a smooth paste. Add it to the cooked double beans and potato. Boil well. Drizzle with Hing. Switch off and add coconut oil.

Copyright © 2018 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.

Roasted Gram and Copra Ladoo Recipe

Posted on by vinaya

I made these Ladoos after I was left with a lot of Powdered Panchakkajeya. Just added some warm Ghee to the mixture and rolled them into Ladoos. Recipe Link to the Powdered Panchakkajeya is given below.

Powdered Panchakkajeya Recipe

Just add 4 tbsps of warm Ghee/clarified butter to the ingredients mentioned in the recipe link given above and shape the mixture into Ladoos.

Copyright © 2018 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.

Ivygourd Subzi Recipe

Posted on by vinaya

This is a typical Gujarati Subzi which makes use of their traditional Masala. I got to learn quite a few dishes from my Gujarati neighbour who would send some over knowing my passion for cooking. Posting a simple yet delicious Ivygourd Subzi which goes well with both Roti or Rice.

Ingredients :

  • 250 gms Ivygourd
  • 1 large Potato
  • 2 tbsps Dhania/ Coriander Powder
  • 1 tsp Jeera /Cumin powder
  • 1 heaped tsp Chilly powder
  • 1/3 tsp Haldi /Turmeric powder
  • Salt
  • 2 tbsps oil
  • 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
  • 1/2 tsp Jeera/Cumin seeds
  • Coriander leaves for garnish

Method :

Wash and snip the ends of the Ivygourd. Slice lengthwise. Deskin and wash the potato. Slice it lengthwise too. Heat oil in a pan. Add the mustard and jeera. After they splutter add the chopped Ivygourd and potato. Drop in the chilly, turmeric, coriander, jeera powders and salt. Add a glass of water, cover and cook over a slow flame till done. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Copyright © 2018 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.

Rajgira Ladoos/Amaranth Grain/Lhaye Pitya Undo Recipe

Posted on by vinaya

Another of the Ladoos that the GSB community of Karnataka prepares to celebrate Krishna Janmashtami, the birthday of Lord Krishna is the Amaranth Grain Ladoo. I have fond memories of my mother distributing these Ladoos to all the neighbourhood children who eagerly used to look forward to them.

Ingredients :

  • 1/2 kg Lhaye/ Rajgira/Amaranth Grain
  • 1/2 kg Chiki jaggery/jaggery used to make peanut brittle
  • 1/4 kg Besan/Split Bengal Gram flour
  • 2tsps Cardamom powder.
  • A fistful of black Til/ Sesame seeds
  • 2tbsps hot Ghee/clarified butter
  • Ghee for frying

Method :
Add the hot ghee to the besan. Adding a little water at a time prepare a stiff dough. Keep aside for ten minutes. Put into a sev mould. Heat ghee in a pan. Make thick sev (karo) by directly pressing it into the hot ghee. Fry till crisp. Remove and drain. Dry roast the Til till it splutters. Take the jaggery in a thick bottomed pan. Add a glass of water to it. Boil till it thickens. Drop a small droplet of jaggery into a little water. If it comes together as a hard pellet switch of the gas. Add the Lhaye, karo, roasted til and the cardamom powder. Mix thoroughly Apply ghee on your palms and make ladoos immediately.

Copyright © 2018 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.

Powdered Panchakkajeya Recipe

Posted on by vinaya

The regular Panchakkajeya is made of a mixture of coconut, jaggery, roasted Moong Dal/ Split Green Gram and Chana Dal/Split Bengal Gram. The powdered one is an instant one and is equally tasty as it makes use of Copra or dry coconut. Usually made during the month of Shravan as an offering to the Sun God and holy Tulsi (Basil) it is also made during Ganesh Chaturthi. The convenience of parceling it to members of the family who could not participate in the rituals or festival cannot be denied .

Ingredients :

  • 200 gms Roasted Bengal Gram Dal /Hurakadle/Daalia
  • 100 gms Dry Coconut /Copra
  • 2 tbsps black Sesame seeds
  • 11 tsps sugar

  • 2 tsps Cardamom powder

    Method :

    Dry roast the roasted Bengal Gram Dal for a few minutes till it gives its aroma. Alternatively you can microwave it for a couple of minutes. Allow to cool thoroughly. Dry roast the sesame seeds till they splutter. Make a fine powder of the dry coconut and sugar. Add the cooled roasted Bengal Gram Dal and the Cardamom powder and powder the ingredients. Tip it into a container and add the roasted sesame seeds. Mix thoroughly and store in an airtight container. You can add more copra instead of gram dal if you like the nutty flavour of the copra. The colour too changes accordingly. Looks more white.

Copyright © 2018 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.

Sakkare Phovu /Sweet Flattened Rice Recipe

Posted on by vinaya

Sakkare Phovu is Flattened Rice flavoured with Sugar and Cardamom. There is also another recipe of Sweet Flattened Rice in this website but therein the flattened rice is sweetened with Jaggery. This is a quick and easy recipe which is made during rituals as an offering to the deity.

Ingredients :

  • 7tsps sugar
  • 5 cardamoms
  • 1/4 of a large coconut grated
  • 3 large fistfuls of Flattened rice.

Method :

Powder the Cardamom and sugar together. Add it to the grated coconut. Sprinkle with two tablespoons of water and mix thoroughly. Add the flattened rice and mix well.

Copyright © 2018 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.

Sheera Recipe

Posted on by vinaya

Sheera is an all time favourite dessert prepared all over India. Known by different names like Sheera, Rava Kesari and Meetha Rava, it is a common offering at temples or on festive days. The trick to get a perfect Sheera is to roast the Rava/Semolina in Ghee well. Dry fruits are optional though they do enhance the taste of the dish.

Ingredients :

  • 125 gms Rava/Semolina
  • 10 cashewnuts halved
  • 25 kishmish
  • 125 gms sugar
  • 100gms Ghee/ clarified butter
  • 600 ml boiling water
  • 1 tsp Cardamom powder
  • A large pinch of Saffron

Method :

Grind the saffron in a little water to a smooth paste and keep aside. In a tbsp of Ghee roast the cashewnuts and raisins to a golden brown. Keep the water to boil. Heat half of the Ghee mentioned above and roast the Rava in it till it turns a rich golden brown and emits a sweet fragrance. Drop the boiling water into the roasted Rava carefully, stirring all the while. Add the ground saffron. Cover and cook till rava is done. Add the sugar. The mixture turns a little watery. Keep stirring it till it starts absorbing the water. Add the remaining ghee at this time and mix thoroughly. Retain a few of the roasted cashews and kishmish for garnish and tip in the remaining into the sheera along with the Cardamom powder. Switch off the gas. Tip the Sheera into a pre greased plate. Allow to cool thoroughly. Cut into squares or diamond shaped pieces. Alternatively you can use a small bowl to make individual servings and garnish them with the roasted dry fruits.

Copyright © 2018 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.

Panchakkajeya Recipe

Posted on by vinaya

Panchakkajeya literally translated means mixture of five items. This is an offering made to the Lord by the GSB community of Karnataka in India. Chana Dal/Bengal Gram Dal and Moong Dal/Green Gram Dal is roasted and ground coarsely to make this preparation. Traditionally whole Chana/ Bengal Gram was roasted and deskinned and then powdered coarsely. Some people also mix Amaranth (Rajgira/Lhayi) to it.

Ingredients :

  • 1/2kg Jaggery
  • 2 small Coconuts grated
  • 150gms Chana dal/Bengal Gram Dal
  • 150 gms Moong dal/Green Gram Dal
  • 1 tsp Cardamom powder.
  • 1fistful Til/sesame seeds

Method :
Dry roast the chana dal and the moong dal separately to a rich golden brown and powder it to a Rava/semolina like consistency. Dry roast the til too till it splutters. All the roasting must be done on a gentle flame and by stirring constantly.
Place jaggery in a pan. Add one glass of water and boil till all the jaggery is dissolved and tiny bubbles appear at the sides. Add the grated coconut and boil well for a couple of minutes and switch off. Add the chana dal and moong dal powder, roasted til n the elaichi powder. Mix well.

Copyright © 2018 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.

Spring Onion Pitla Recipe

Posted on by vinaya

Pitla is a popular Maharashtrian dish which is usually eaten with Jowar Bhakri. A truly rustic recipe and one which can be made using vegetables of one’s choice. The main ingredient in here is Besan/Bengal Gram Flour which adds texture to the dish. I have used Spring Onions today as I had just harvested a couple of fresh bunches.

Ingredients :

  • 2 bunches of spring onions (each bunch had four)
  • 2 onions
  • 4 tbsps Besan/ Bengal Gram Flour
  • 5 green chillies
  • 7 Garlic cloves
  • Juice of one lemon
  • A small bunch of Coriander leaves
  • 3 tbsps oil
  • 1 tsp Mustard seeds
  • 1 tsp Jeera/Cumin seeds
  • A large pinch of Hing/asafoetida
  • 2 sprigs curry leaves
  • 1/3 tsp Haldi /Turmeric powder
  • Salt

Method :

Seive the Besan and make a paste of it in 250ml water. Chop the spring onions and onions fine. Make a coarse paste of four green chillies and the garlic. Slit the remaining chilly into two. Heat oil. Add the mustard. After it splutters add the jeera. Drop in the Hing, toss and add the slit chilly and curry leaves. Toss. Drop in the onions and the garlic green chilly paste. Roast till the onions turn translucent and the raw smell of the garlic is gone. Drop in the Haldi. Toss for half a minute. Add 500ml of water and salt. Allow it to boil well. Slowly pour in the Besan paste in a stream with one hand, taking care to keep mixing it with the other to prevent formation of lumps in the Pitla. Keep stirring briskly till it starts boiling once again. Cover and cook for five minutes on a very gentle flame. Drizzle with lemon juice. Boil once. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with Roti or Rice.

Copyright © 2018 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.