March 2020 – Vinaya's Culinary Delights

Kokki Recipe

Posted on March 27, 2020April 27, 2020 by vinayaprabhu2

Kokki is a Sindhi preparation which I learnt from a good friend. . Like the Parathas famous in the North and the Theplas of Gujarat, Kokki is served either as a snack or as a meal by itself. It is accompanied by curds and a pickle, though I like to eat mine as is. Thankyou Anita Radha Menghani for this lovely recipe. Ingredients : 250 gms Wheat flour 1 large onion finely chopped 3 green chillies minced 1/2 tsp Pepper powder 1/4 tsp chilly powder 1/2 tsp Jeera/Cumin powder 1 tsp Amchur/ Dry Mango powder 2 heaped tbsps finely chopped coriander leaves 3 tbsps oil Salt Water to bind the dough Method : Drop the finely chopped onions, green chillies and coriander leaves into a bowl. Add the salt, pepper, Jeera and chilly powders. Mix and add the wheat flour. Keep aside for about fifteen minutes. The onions release water. Crumble the flour well and drop in the oil. Mix well. Add a little water at a time to make a soft dough. Roll out into six inch diameter roundels. Heat a tava/griddle. Place the rolled Kokki over it and drizzle with oil or ghee on both sides. Roast one side to a golden yellow. Flip and roast the other side too. Serve with Curds and pickle. Copyright © 2020 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.

Thali Meal – 88

Posted on March 25, 2020April 27, 2020 by vinayaprabhu2

Sharing a Thali today of Rice, Dalithoy, Ivygourd and Tender Cashew Upkari, Double Beans Hummana, Idli, Chutney, Mixed vegetable Pickle, Yam Fritters, Madgane and Masala Buttermilk. The recipe links to all the items are given below.

Recipe to make the perfect Rice

Dalithoy Recipe

Ivygourd and Tender Cashew Stir Fry Recipe

Double Beans Hummana

Idli Recipe

Coconut Chutney Recipe – 1

Mixed Vegetable Pickle Recipe

Yam fritters Recipe

Madgane/Manganem/ Bengal Gram Paysam Recipe

Masala Buttermilk Recipe

Thali Meal – 87

Posted on March 24, 2020April 27, 2020 by vinayaprabhu2

Sharing a Thali today of Rice, Rasam, French Beans Tallasani, Aloo Raita, All mix Crunchy Balls and All purpose Chutney. The recipe links to all the items are given below.

Recipe to make the perfect Rice

Rasam Recipe

French Beans Tallasani – 2 Recipe

Aloo/Potato Raita Recipe

All Mix Crunchy Balls Recipe

All purpose Chutney, Recipe

All Mix Crunchy Balls Recipe

Posted on March 23, 2020November 6, 2020 by vinayaprabhu2

These Crunchy Balls were a mix of everything that was remaining. I had a little left over cooked rice, a couple of boiled potatoes, three slices of bread and some Chickpea flour. I wanted to finish it off and thus decided to mix everything and turn them into a snack. You can enjoy it plain or with a Ketchup or Mint chutney. I enjoyed it with some Chipotle Dip.

Ingredients :

One bowl of cooked rice

2 Boiled potatoes

4 tbsps Besan/Chickpea flour

4 slices of Bread

6 green chillies

2 inch piece of ginger

7 garlic cloves

2 tbsps finely chopped coriander leaves

Juice of half a lemon

1 tsp Jeera/Cumin

Salt

Oil to fry the Crunchy Balls

Method:

Dip the bread slices into water. Squeeze out all the water and crumble them in a bowl. Mash the boiled potatoes and cooked rice and tip it into the crumbled bread. Make a coarse paste of green chillies, ginger and garlic. Drop it along with the finely chopped coriander leaves, salt and the jeera into the bread rice and potato mixture. Add salt, Besan and lemon juice. Mix thoroughly. Make balls of the mixture and keep aside. Heat oil in a pan. Fry them four at a time on a medium flame till nice and crisp. You may fry them to a slightly dark brown or to a golden brown as shown in the picture. Both taste equally good. Serve with chutney, ketchup or a dip.

For more vegetarian recipes please join Vegetarian Culinary Delights by Vinaya on Fb.

Aloo/Potato Raita Recipe

Posted on March 23, 2020April 27, 2020 by vinayaprabhu2

An absolutely delicious and easy to make Raita. Goes well with Biryani, Pulao, Dal rice or even with Rotis. Children simply love it. Serve chilled. Ingredients : 1 large boiled Potato, deskinned and cubed into bite sized pieces 1 medium sized tomato chopped fine 1 small onion minced 1 green chilly finely chopped 1 tbsp finely chopped Coriander leaves 250 ml thick curds 3 tsps sugar 1 tsp roasted Jeera/Cumin powder 1/2 tsp Pepper powder 1 tsp Chaat Masala A large pinch of Chilly powder Salt Method: Take the curd in a bowl and whisk it to a smooth consistency. Crush the green chilly well and drop it along with the sugar, salt, chaat masala, pepper, red chilly and cumin powders into the curds. Mix thoroughly. Tip in the chopped boiled potatoes finely chopped tomatoes, onions and coriander leaves into the curd. Mix thoroughly. Refrigerate for a few minutes before serving. Copyright © 2020 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.

French Beans Tallasani – 2 Recipe

Posted on March 23, 2020 by vinayaprabhu2

Tender and fresh French Beans were turned into what the Konkani community call a Tallasani. A Tallasani is a vegetable seasoned with garlic and dry red chillies or chilly powder. This preparation goes well with Dal rice or Roti.

Ingredients :

250 gms French Beans

1 tbsp Coconut oil or oil of choice

1 tsp Chilly powder

15 cloves of garlic lightly crushed

Salt

Method :

String the French Beans, wash well and chop into one inch sized pieces. Heat oil in a pan. Drop in the crushed garlic and saute till it turns golden brown. Drop in the French Beans, chilly powder and salt and saute well for a couple of minutes. Add a quarter cup of water, cover and cook till done.

Cauliflower and Potato Pakora Recipe

Posted on March 19, 2020 by vinayaprabhu2

This is another variety of Cauliflower and Potato Pakora that is absolutely delicious. It can be had as a snack or as a side dish with Dal and Rice.

Ingredients :

300 gms Cauliflower broken into florets

2 small potatoes deskinned and sliced thinly

200 gms Besan/Chick pea flour

2 tbsps rice flour

5 green chillies made into a paste

1/2 tsp Jeera/Cumin seeds

1/tsp Hing/Asafoetida

1/4 tsp Chilly powder

A large pinch of Haldi/Turmeric powder

2 tbsps finely chopped coriander leaves

Salt

Oil to fry the Pakora

Method:

Wash the Cauliflower florets and sliced potato thoroughly. Dry and keep aside. Tip the Besan, rice flour, green chilly paste, chilly powder, Haldi, Jeera, Hing, Coriander leaves and salt in a bowl. Mix thoroughly. Add enough water to make a thick batter which easily coats the vegetables. Heat oil in a pan. Dip the vegetables one by one into the batter and drop them into the hot oil. Fry on a gentle flame till golden brown and crisp. Remove and place on tissue paper. Serve hot as is or with a mint chutney.

Caramelized Banana Recipe

Posted on March 18, 2020 by vinayaprabhu2

Nendrapalam or the Kerala Bananas are usually used to prepare this dish. I tried it with the usual Elaichi Bananas that I had. It has turned out delicious! An easy and quick dessert that can be made when having unexpected guests.

Ingredients :

2 Elaichi Bananas

5 tbsps sugar

2 tsps Ghee/ clarified butter

2 tbsps water

A pinch of Elaichi/cardamom powder

A few cashews or almonds roasted in Ghee.

Method:

Peel the bananas and slice them lengthwise into two. Place them in a pan and drizzle Ghee over them. Roast to a golden brown. Take the sugar in a pan. Keep stirring it over a gentle flame till it melts and turns into a deep golden brown. Add the cardamom powder and water to thin it down. Switch off and pour it over the roasted Bananas. Garnish with roasted cashews or almonds.

Fresh Rajma/Kidney Beans Bendhi Recipe

Posted on March 16, 2020 by vinayaprabhu2

It is a real delight when one can lay one’s hands on fresh lentils. The curry is more flavourful than the version of it’s dried one. Today I have posted a traditional Konkani preparation using fresh Rajma/Kidney Beans which is seaaoned with garlic and where Chinese potato is used to enhance the taste of the Bendhi.

Ingredients :

250 gms fresh Rajma (shelled)

25 tiny Kooka/ Chinese potato

Half of a coconut grated

6 roasted Byadgi chillies

4 roasted Guntur chillies

1 tsp Tamarind paste

2 tbsps of Coconut oil or oil of choice

15 garlic cloves gently crushed

Salt

Method:

Soak the fresh Rajma overnight. Pressure cook with salt to one whistle, lower heat and cook for five minutes. Keep aside. Wash the Chinese potato well. Pressure cook it for three whistles. Switch off. Allow to cool. Deskin the potatoes. Grind together the grated coconut, roasted red chillies and tamarind to a smooth paste. Tip the cooked Rajma, the Chinese potatoes and the masala into a vessel. Add water as required to make a gravy of pouring consistency. Boil well. Adjust salt. Heat oil in a pan. Drop in the crushed garlic and roast to a rich brown. Drop it into the boiling Bendhi. Boil for a couple of minutes, switch off, cover and allow to stand for fifteen minutes for the flavours to infuse before serving. Goes well with both Rice and Rotis.

Bimbla/ Tree Sorrell Sweet and Tangy Pickle

Posted on March 11, 2020 by vinayaprabhu2

The Tree Sorrell is a tart fruit available in the Southern parts of India. It is used in place of tamarind which is popular as a souring agent in most South Indian dishes. A variety of pickles too are made from this fruit which has a high content of Vitamin C. Posting a sweet and tangy pickle today which goes well with Rotis, Parathas and even Dal Rice.

Ingredients :

500 gms Tree Sorrell

3 Cups sugar

1 heaped tbsp salt or more as required depending upon the tartness of the fruit.

1/2 tsp Haldi/ Turmeric powder

1 tsp Methi/Fenugreek seeds

1 tbsp Mustard

4 tsps Everest Tikhalal Chilly powder

1/4 tsp Hing/Asafoetida crystals powdered

5 tbsps Oil of choice

Method:

Wash the Tree Sorrell and dry them thoroughly. Chop roughly and liquidise in the blender. I got 5 cups of juice. Pour the juice in a microwave safe bowl. Add the sugar, salt and Turmeric powder and power cook it for twenty minutes. Heat oil in a pan. Add the mustard. After it splutters drop in the Methi seeds and the Hing. Toss. Add the chilly powder, and immediately pour in the Tree Sorrell mixture, so that the chilly powder doesn’t burn. Allow to boil well for about five minutes. Cool thoroughly and bottle. Alternatively the whole process can be carried out on an open flame instead of microwaving it. I find microwaving much easier as one doesnt need to stand watch over it.