December, 2021 - Vinaya's Culinary Delights

Ashgourd Sasam

Posted on December 9, 2021December 9, 2021 by vinayaprabhu2

Ashgourd/ Bhopla/ Budakumbalkayi or Kuvvale as it is called in my mother tongue Konkani is widely used in the South of India in a variety of dishes. Posting a Kuvvale Sasam today which is very popular with the GSB community. This is a medium spicy preparation as Ashgourd on it’s own has no flavour. A tap of raw mustard is added while grinding the masala to impart flavour.

Ingredients:

300 gms Ashgourd de skinned and cut into cubes

1/2 of a small coconut grated

7 Byadgi chillies roasted in a little oil

1/2 tsp tamarind paste

3/4 tsp mustard while grinding

1 level tsp rice flour

1 tbsp coconut oil

1 tsp mustard

2 sprigs curry leaves

Salt

Method:

Cook the ashgourd pieces in two glasses of water with salt. Grind the coconut, roasted red chillies, tamarind, rice flour and mustard to a smooth paste with enough water. Pour the ground masala into the cooked ashgourd. Adjust consistency by adding enough water. It should be neither thick nor runny. Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. After they crackle add the curry leaves. Toss and pour the seasoning into the boiling Ashgourd Sasam. Switch off, cover and keep aside for about fifteen minutes for the flavours to infuse.

Note: you may skip the rice flour on auspicious days when rice is avoided. It is basically added to lend texture to the dish. Instead, increase the quantity of coconut used.

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Toasted sandwich -2

Posted on December 6, 2021December 6, 2021 by vinayaprabhu2

This has to be one of the best toast sandwiches that I snacked on as it was lovingly prepared by my son for me. I was pleasantly surprised when he offered me a perfectly toasted sandwich with a grin saying that I better say it’s good.

I had boiled potatoes to make a stew.. he sliced them, chopped some capsicum, a dash of chaat masala, a cheese single and sandwiched them all between two buttered slices of bread with a generous slathering of All purpose chutney. Toasted it to perfection. I couldn’t have done better!

All purpose Chutney, Recipe

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Barnyard millet and pulses dosa.

Posted on December 2, 2021June 10, 2022 by vinayaprabhu2

This is a diabetic friendly dosa which I had been wanting to try out since a long time. The addition of pulses makes it protein rich and millets are a good source of potassium. This dosa turns out super crisp if spread thin though there are onions added and fluffy and porous if spread thick. Best enjoyed with fresh home made butter as spices are already added to the batter.

Ingredients:

1 cup Varai/ Sama/ Barnyard millet

1/4 cup masoor dal

1/4 cup toor/ arhar dal

1/4 cup chana dal

1/4 cup urad dal/

1/4 of a small coconut grated

7 dry red chillies

7 green chillies

2 large onions finely chopped

1 tbsp jeera/ cumin seeds

A kidney bean sized piece of Hing/ asafoetida

A small bunch of coriander leaves finely chopped

2 inch piece of ginger grated fine

5 sprigs of curry leaves finely chopped

Salt

Oil to roast the dosa.

Method:

Wash and soak the Barnyard millet and all the dals together for four hours. Grind to a semolina like consistency along with the asafoetida, dry red and green chillies and coconut either in the wet grinder or mixer. Remove into a vessel. Add the whole jeera, grated ginger, chopped onions, coriander leaves, curry leaves and salt. The batter should be slightly thicker than pouring consistency. Mix thoroughly and keep aside for an hour. You can also prepare the batter the night before and refrigerate it if you are planning to make the dosa for breakfast.

Heat a griddle/ tava. Pour a ladleful of batter and spread it in concentric circles as thin as required. Drizzle with a teaspoon of oil. Roast on a medium flame to a golden brown. Flip and roast on the other side as well. Serve hot with butter.

This measurement makes 18 dosas.

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