August, 2018 - Vinaya's Culinary Delights

Mixed Vegetable Stir Fry Recipe

Posted on August 5, 2018October 16, 2020 by vinaya

Stir fries are a wonderful way of staying healthy as very little fat is used ! A variety of vegetables can be used and the seasonings changed to make them taste different each time one makes them. I have not mentioned the exact amount of condiments and spices to be used as they depend on individual preference.

Ingredients :

Equal quantity of the following vegetables :

Green, Red & Yellow Bell peppers
Baby Corn
Onions
Paneer/ Cottage cheese

Spices and condiments used:

Amul butter
Oregano
Chilly flakes
Mixed Herbs
Pepper
Salt
Tomato ketchup

Method :

Pressure cook the baby corn to two whistles. Keep aside. Slice the Bell peppers and onions lengthwise. Chop the baby corn into roundels. Cube the paneer and roast it to a golden brown in some butter. Heat the butter in a pan as per requirement. Drop in the sliced onions and sauté till translucent. Drop in the sliced Bell Peppers, baby corn, paneer, salt, pepper, chilly flakes, Oregano, mixed herbs and toss them on a high flame till they are done but crunchy. Add the roasted Paneer. Drizzle with some tomato ketchup. Mix well and serve immediately.

Giraffes in a Park- Food Art – 1

Posted on August 5, 2018November 11, 2020 by vinaya

Trying my hand at Food Art. Though still a long way to go, decided to post one to celebrate Friendship Day. The Giraffes are made of Radish, their spots, eyes and nose with cloves, Spring onion greens make up the grass and carrot the flowers. Referred to a picture in Google for the idea.

Boiled Peanuts Recipe

Posted on August 4, 2018 by vinaya

Boiled Peanuts can be used in Subzi, Chaat, or even enjoyed on their own. Can be served as a starter with a dash of lime or enjoyed as is. I make use of the fresh ones when they are in season, or use the dried ones. Groundnuts have a high protein content and including them in your diet everyday is essential for the vegetarians. What better way than to have them boiled rather than snack on the fried ones?

Method:

Wash and soak a bowl of peanuts overnight. Pressure cook them with a little salt. Allow them to cool. Serve as is or garnished with freshly chopped onions, tomatoes and coriander leaves and a dash of lime for that added zing!

Simple Thali – 3

Posted on August 4, 2018 by vinaya

Posting a Simple Thali of Garlic Naan and Kashmiri Mixed Vegetable with sliced onions and a wedge of lemon. Indians love to drizzle their gravies with lemon juice and like to bite into a piece of raw onion along with it. The Recipe Links to both the Garlic Naan and the Kashmiri Mixed Vegetable are given below.

Kashmiri Mix Vegetable/ Korma Recipe

Garlic Naan /Flattened Bread Recipe

Garlic Naan /Flattened Bread Recipe

Posted on August 4, 2018August 4, 2018 by vinaya

Naan and Batura are to North India what Poori and Chapati are to the South. Naan is the Indian version of bread and is eaten with a variety of vegetarian or non vegetarian dishes. It can be made with or without the addition of garlic depending on one’s choice. Posting a Garlic Naan today.

Ingredients :

500gms Maida/All Purpose Flour
200 ml milk
1 tsp sugar
Salt
1/2 tsp soda bi carb
2 heaped tsps chopped garlic
1 tsp Black sesame seeds
2 tbsps oil
Coriander leaves chopped fine
Butter

Method :
Pour the milk, sugar, salt and soda bicarb in a broad bowl and mix thoroughly. Drop in the Maida and the oil. Crumble. Add enough water to make a neither too tight nor loose dough. Knead well, cover and keep aside for a minimum of two to three hours. Again knead the dough well for a few minutes. Pinch lemon sized balls of the dough. Dust them with Maida and roll out into oblong shaped Naans. Sprinkle with chopped garlic, coriander leaves and the sesame seeds. Gently roll it one more time with the, rolling pin for the garlic, coriander leaves and sesame seeds to adhere to the dough. Heat a griddle /tava. Apply water over the tava to make the Naan stick to it and immediately place the Naan over it. Roast for a couple of minutes till bubbles appear on the open side of the Naan. Invert the griddle over the flame directly for a few seconds to roast the open side of the Naan. Check to see if the Naan, the garlic and sesame seeds are roasted. Remove the Naan and apply butter. Serve hot with gravy of your choice.

Baingan Ka Bhartha/Roasted Aubergine with Tomatoes Recipe

Posted on August 4, 2018 by vinaya

Baingan Ka Bhartha is an ever popular dish made all over North India. The Aubergine /Brinjal used for making this dish is large and fleshy and with hardly any seeds. Preparations of roasted Aubergine are common throughout India, but the spices added vary depending on the region where they come from. North Indian cuisine does not make use of coconut as the South does, and one finds more of onions, ginger, garlic and tomatoes used in their cuisine. This Baingan Ka Bhartha goes well with Roti or even as a side dish with Rice.

Ingredients :

500 gms Aubergine
3 onions
3 tomatoes
7 cloves of garlic
2 inch piece of ginger
1 green, chilly
1 heaped tsp Kashmiri Lal Mirch powder
A large pinch of Haldi /turmeric powder
Salt
4 tbsps oil
Coriander leaves

Method :

Wash and pat dry the Aubergine thoroughly. Apply a tsp of oil all over it and roast it over an open flame till the skin is charred. A knife inserted should go in smoothly. Keep aside and allow it to cool. Chop the onions fine. Grate the ginger and garlic. Mince the green chilly. Chop the tomatoes and coriander leaves fine. Remove the charred skin of the Aubergine. Discard it and mash the fleshy portion with a masher. Heat oil. Add the onions, ginger, garlic, green chilly and salt. Roast till the onions are translucent and the raw smell of the ginger garlic is gone. Add the tomatoes and roast till they are mushy. Drop in the turmeric and chilly powders. Toss. Add the mashed Aubergine and cook thoroughly for a few minutes till all the flavours are absorbed. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot.

Kaayi Holige/ Coconut and Jaggery stuffed Roti

Posted on August 1, 2018 by vinaya

Kaayi Holige is popular as a dessert all over Karnataka. Served at religious events where rituals are performed, during weddings and on auspicious ocassions. Served with a generous drizzle of Ghee, every bite of it is absolutely divine!

Ingredients :

125 gms Maida/All Purpose Flour
125 gms Wheat flour
250 gms Jaggery
250 gms Chana dal/Bengal Gram Dal
1/4 of a large coconut
2 tsps Cardamom powder
2tsps of dry ginger powder
4 tbsps of Ghee/clarified butter
A pinch of turmeric

Method :
Mix the flour, turmeric powder, and two tsps of Ghee. Crumble it well. Add enough hot water and bind a soft dough as for chapati. Add the remaining ghee over it and cover and keep aside for two hours.
Pressure cook the chana dal with just enough water to cook it. Churn it well. Make a syrup of the jaggery by dissolving it in one glass of water. When the jaggery has dissolved and tiny bubbles appear at the sides add the grated coconut and boil well. Add the cooked chana dal, dry ginger powder and keep stirring till it forms a mass and leaves the sides of the pan. Add the cardamom powder, mix well and keep aside to cool a bit. Knead the maida and wheat flour dough well Make equal number of balls of both the chana dal and of the dough. Roll out the ball into a circle four inches in diameter. Place the Pooran or Choorna (Cooked Chana Dal and coconut mixture) inside and cover from all sides. Roll out again to the same size as before. Heat a skillet/tava. Dry roast on both the sides over a medium flame. Allow to cool thoroughly before storing. Apply a tsp of Ghee before serving.
This measurement yields 40 Kayi Hollige.

Lemon Rice /Chitranna Recipe

Posted on August 1, 2018 by vinaya

The state of Karnataka in India is known for the variety of Rice preparations. One of the easiest and simplest to make is what is known as Lemon Rice or Chitranna. It is served on all auspicious occasions as well as an in the temples.

Ingredients :

125 gms rice
4 green chillies slit
A small bowl of coconut grated
Half of a large lemon
A pinch of Haldi /Turmeric.
2 tsps Ghee/clarified butter
2 tsps Oil
1 red chilly crushed
2 sprigs curry leaves
1 tsp Mustard
1tsp Urad dal/Black Gram Dal
1 tsp Chana dal/Bengal Gram Dal
3 tbsps Peanuts
Coriander leaves

Method :

Cook rice with a tsp of Ghee and salt. It should be a little firm to touch. Heat ghee and oil. Add the mustard and after it splutters add the urad dal and chana dal. Roast to a golden brown. Drop in the slit green chillies. Toss. Add the crushed red chilly. Drop in the peanuts and toss for a couple of minutes. Add the curry leaves and mix well. Add the rice, turmeric powder, lemon juice and salt. Mix thoroughly and heat well. Garnish with grated coconut and coriander leaves. Serve with a Raita of your choice.

Oil free Sabudana vada Recipe

Posted on August 1, 2018 by vinaya

This is an oil free and healthy version of the Sabudana Vada. Sabudana or Sago Pearl is commonly used in India on the days one fasts. The regular vada is fried. Here I made balls of the dough, but did not flatten them as I would, while frying the Vada. Made use of a non stick Appam pan to roast them. Serve with either a tomato ketchup or green chutney. Recipe Link to the preparation of the Sabudana dough is given below.

Sabudana Vada recipe

Hariyali Aloo/ Potatoes Recipe

Posted on August 1, 2018August 3, 2018 by vinaya

Hariyali in Hindi is Green and Aloo are potatoes, so literally translated it means Green Potatoes. They have been so named because of the green chutney in which they are marinated and which gives them their distinctive colour. These can be served as a starter or hors d’oeuvre. They can also be used as a filling for sandwiches.

Ingredients :

250 gms potatoes
1 small bunch coriander leaves
1 inch piece of ginger
3 tbsps grated coconut
10 cloves of garlic
Juice of one lemon
10 green chillies
Salt
1 tsp of oil

Method :

Deskin and wash the potatoes well. Slice them or cube them as per preference. Keep them immersed in water. Grind together the grated coconut, green chillies, ginger, garlic, lemon juice, coriander leaves and salt to a fine paste. Heat the oil in a pan. Drop in the potatoes and salt. Toss. Sprinkle water, cover and cook till three fourth done. Tip in the ground paste and mix well. Cover and cook on a gentle flame till done.