January, 2023 - Vinaya's Culinary Delights

Rajasthani kadhi.

Posted on January 29, 2023January 29, 2023 by vinayaprabhu2

Rajasthani Kadhi is a yoghurt based preparation of the state of Rajasthan and is generally served over rice or is eaten with Phulka. It is usually accompanied by a side dish. A spicy and flavourful preparation, it is specially made during the winter season.

Ingredients:

For seasoning:

1 tbsp Ghee

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/4 tsp Methi Seeds

1/4 tsp Asafoetida

2 Dry Red Chillies

2 sprig Curry leaves.

Ingredients for Kadhi:

2 tbsps Besan/ gram flour

250 ml curds/ yoghurt

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/4 tsp Red Chilli powder

3 cups of water

5 cloves Garlic grated

3 Green Chillies minced

Salt.

Method:

Tip in the yogurt and Besan in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Add water and continue to whisk till it blends well and there are no lumps. Add the red chilli and turmeric powders. Mix thoroughly. Pour this mixture into a pan over a gentle flame. Keep whisking continuously and bring the kadhi to a boil After a few minutes of boiling add garlic and green chillies. Mix well and allow to simmer for fifteen minutes. Keep stirring the kadhi as it is boiling to prevent curdling. Heat ghee in a pan and drop in the cumin seeds. After they crackle add the fenugreek seeds. Once they change colour add asafoetida and the dry red chillies. Toss and add the curry leaves. Pour this seasoning into the boiling Rajasthani kadhi and continue to simmer for five minutes. Serve kadhi with rice.

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Besan Parathas.

Posted on January 29, 2023January 29, 2023 by vinayaprabhu2

Besan paratha is an Indian flatbread prepared with Besan as the main flour. A little whole-wheat flour is also used. Parathas are the staple of North Indians and Besan or gram flour being high in protein, makes for a super healthy breakfast.

Ingredients for the dough:

250 gms besan/ gram flour

100 gms whole wheat flour

1 medium onion finely chopped

2 green chillies minced

5 garlic cloves grated fine

A small bunch of coriander leaves finely chopped

1/2 tsp red chilly powder

1/2 tsp ajwain

1 tsp kasuri methi

1/2 tsp amchur

1 tbsp oil

Salt

Water as required.

Method:

Tip all the ingredients except water in a bowl. Mix until well combined. Now add water little by little and mix until a sticky dough is formed. Grease your hands with a teaspoon of oil and knead the dough well. Cover with a damp cloth and let it rest for ten to fifteen minutes.
Knead it lightly again. Divide into as many portions as you would prefer. Take one portion and roll it into a ball. Dust it with dry flour. Roll it out into a medium-thick paratha. Grease a preheated tava/ griddle with a little oil or ghee and place the paratha on it. Drizzle with oil or ghee and let it roast for a few seconds. Flip it over and let the other side roast as well. Keep flipping the paratha frequently and cook until it is crisp and golden on both sides. Prepare the other parathas similarly. Serve the parathas with mango pickle and curds/ yoghurt.

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Skyu

Posted on January 29, 2023January 29, 2023 by vinayaprabhu2

Skyu is a soupy one pot pasta dish popular in Ladakhi villages and it makes for a filling meal. It is hand made flour pasta cooked with local herbs, spices and seasonal vegetables. At times meat is also added to the dish. This soupy delicacy can be served along with Momos and is mostly enjoyed during the winters.

Ingredients for the pasta:

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 tablespoon oil

Water for kneading the dough

Pinch of salt

Ingredients for the gravy:

1/2 cup carrot chopped into cubes

1/2 cup green peas

1 potato cut into cubes

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp oil

1 tsp ginger grated

Bubs of the green onions

A handful of spring onion greens

A pinch of Garam masala

1 tomato chopped fine

1/2 tsp black pepper powder

2 green chillies slit

2 cups water

1 cup coconut milk/ Regular milk

Method:

Tip the flour in a bowl add salt, oil and water. Knead a soft dough.
Pinch make small thumb size pieces of the dough and shape the pasta by pressing your thumb into it. Heat a pan with the mixture of oil and butter. Add in onions and the green onions. Toss for a couple of minutes.
Add ginger, green chillies and the vegetables. Saute for a few seconds. Drop in the tomatoes and cook till they turn mushy. Add water, garam masala, pepper powder and salt. Allow it to boil on a gentle flame for five minutes. Add the pasta, cover and cook for ten minutes. The pasta begins floating on the surface when it is done. Pour in coconut milk or regular milk. Simmer till a soupy consistency is reached. Serve Skyu hot.

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Akhrot chutney Ladakhi style.

Posted on January 28, 2023January 28, 2023 by vinayaprabhu2

The walnut grown in Ladakh is one of the finest walnuts of the world. Each walnut is handpicked and then the kernel is separated from the outer shell. Walnut is known as Akhrot in most Indian states. Posting a Ladakhi style walnut chutney which goes well with Tein tein ( buckwheat crepe) and as a dip with any bread.

Ingredients:

A handful of walnuts

A bunch of spring onion greens chopped roughly

Salt.

Method:

Tip the above ingredients into a blender and blend them to a smooth paste without adding any water. Your walnut chutney is ready.

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Kaddu ka khatta/ tangy pumpkin curry.

Posted on January 28, 2023January 28, 2023 by vinayaprabhu2

Kaddu ka khatta is a sweet and sour pumpkin curry made with tamarind, jaggery and variety of spices . It is served as a side dish with hot steamed rice. It is also enjoyed with a fermented wheat roti unique to the Himachali cuisine. This preparation does not use onions, ginger, garlic and tomatoes.

Ingredients:

500 grams Pumpkin cut into cubes

2tbsps tamarind paste

4 tbsps oil

4 tbsps powdered Jaggery or sugar

2 tsps Cumin seeds

2 tsps Coriander seeds

2 tsps Kashmiri red chilli powder

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds

2 Bay leaves

1 inch piece of cinnamon

1 Black cardamom

2 dry red chillies

Salt

3tbsps finely chopped coriander leaves.

Method:

Wash and peel the pumpkin. Scoop out the fibers and seeds. Here I have not peeled the pumpkin because it was very tender. Cut into cubes about two inches in size. Do not chop them into small pieces.
Make a coarse powder of the fenugreek and coriander seeds. Keep aside.
Heat the oil in a pan.
Add the bay leaves, cinnamon, dry red chillies and black cardamom. Sauté till bay leaves change color.
Add the cumin seeds crushed fenugreek and coriander seeds. When they begin to splutter immediately add the diced pumpkin cubes. Stir fry on high heat for two to three minutes.

Tip in the tumeric, red chilli powder and salt. Mix gently taking care to coat all the pumpkin pieces and cook for about five minutes on a gentle flame.
Add the powdered jaggery or sugar. Mix well, cover and cook on low heat stirring occasionally till the pumpkin is tender and holds its shape.
Add the tamarind paste, stir carefully as the pumpkin will start to break easily at this point. Add a quarter cup of water, cover and allow it to come to a boil. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Keep aside for about fifteen minutes for the flavours to infuse.

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Jaisalmeri Kala chana.

Posted on January 28, 2023January 28, 2023 by vinayaprabhu2

Jaisalmeri kala chana is a traditional Rajasthani dish where black chickpeas are cooked in yogurt-based gravy. It is served with rice, papad and pickle.

Ingredients:

100 gms Kala Chana (Brown Chickpeas) soaked overnight and pressure cooked.

1 cup Curds

2 tbsps Besan/ gram flour

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

1 tsp Coriander Powder

1/4 tsp Red Chilli powder

1/2 tsp Garam masala

Salt

Ingredients for the seasoning:

1/4 tsp Cumin seeds

1 Green Chilli chopped fine

1 tsp Ghee/ clarified butter

Method:

Tip into a large pan the Besan, curds, two cups of water, salt, turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder and whisk it well till it forms a smooth paste without lumps.

Place the pan on medium heat and bring this mixture to a boil.

While the mixture is boiling, keep stirring it continuously, so it becomes smooth and creamy Continue to stir till it begins to thicken and the mixture is smooth.

At this stage add the kala chana into the mixture.

Simmer for a while. The more you simmer, the tastier the preparation.

Heat ghee in a pan. Add cumin seeds and once they begin to crackle add the green chillies. Toss and pour it on top of the Jaisalmeri kala chana. Serve hot with rice, papad and pickle. .

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Mahni – Raw mango sweet and sour chutney.

Posted on January 28, 2023January 28, 2023 by vinayaprabhu2

Coming from the hills of Himachal Pradesh, Mahni is a delicious semi liquid sweet and sour curry made with raw mangoes that you can enjoy with plain rice. It is usually prepared during special occasions.

Ingredients:

2 medium sized raw mangoes

1/2 cup sugar

1 medium onion chopped fine

4 tbsps mint

2 green chillies

1 inch ginger

1 tsp roasted cumin powder

A large pinch of red chilli powder

1 tbsp coriander leaves finely chopped

Salt.

Method:

Wash and pressure cook the raw mangoes to one whistle.
Once cool remove the pulp in a bowl and mash it to a smooth paste with a masher. Do not use a blender to mash the pulp. Blend the mint leaves, ginger and green chillies with the sugar and salt on pulse mode in the mixer. Alternatively you can use a mortar and pestle. Tip it into the chutney. Add the onions, coriander leaves, red chilly and cumin powder. Adjust consistency by adding water to make a semi liquid chutney. Mix thoroughly. Refrigerate. This chutney is served chilled. .

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Himachali dry mango chutney.

Posted on January 28, 2023January 28, 2023 by vinayaprabhu2

This recipe is made with Aam papad which is sun dried jelly made out of mango pulp mixed with concentrated sugar solution.

Traditional Aam Papad is sweet, although it is available in different varieties. The sour variety of mangoes too is used to make Aam papad. This sour variety is preferred while making chutney . Aam papad can be preserved for months as it has sugar as a preservative.

Ingredients:

1 cup Aam Papad /Sun Dried Mango Jelly

3 sprigs of Mint leaves

1/2 cup Coriander leaves

3 Green chillies

1 tbsp powdered jaggery or sugar

Salt

Hot water .

Method:

Soak the dry raw mango pieces in boiling hot water just enough to cover them, for fifteen to twenty minutes so that they become soft and tender.

When it has cooled, tip the raw mango pieces, mint leaves, coriander leaves, green chillies, jaggery, salt and the water in which the mango pieces were soaked and blend them to a fine paste. Check for salt and Jaggery. Add more if required. Serve the chutney with rice or Paratha.

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Tangthur

Posted on January 28, 2023January 28, 2023 by vinayaprabhu2

This recipe comes from the Ladakh region of North India. The staple food of Ladakh is barley and wheat which is consumed during the winter months. Rice which earlier used to be a luxury item is now part of the Ladakhi diet and is consumed during the summer months. Tangthur is made of buttermilk or yoghurt added with some green vegetables for taste. It is usually served with Paba a porridge made of roasted barley flour for breakfast during summer… It can be served with rice as well.

Ingredients:

250 ml thick yoghurt

A small bunch of mustard greens

A small bunch of chives or the greens of spring onion

Salt

1 tbsp mustard oil or ghee

Method:

Wash and boil the mustard leaves till they are soft. Drain and chop. Keep aside. Whisk the yoghurt and add 250 ml water to it. Add salt and the chopped mustard greens. Heat the oil or ghee in a pan. Drop in the chives or finely chopped spring onion greens and roast for a couple of minutes. Drop it into the yoghurt. Mix thoroughly and serve with Paba or rice.

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Gahat ka Shorba.

Posted on January 27, 2023January 27, 2023 by vinayaprabhu2

The traditional food of Himachal Pradesh, Gahat ka Shorba is a delicious soup made with Himachal’s native Gahat grains or what is known as Horsegram/ Kulith. It is flavoured with garlic and garnished with coriander leaves.
Horsegram is rich in antioxidants and high in protein and calcium. Enjoy this Pahadi version of the soup.

Ingredients:

250 gms Horsegram, washed and pressure cooked in enough water till mushy.

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

A large pinch of asafoetida

3 tbsps coriander leaves

1/4 tsp cumin seeds

1 medium sized onion chopped

1/2 tsp coriander seeds

1 tbsp garlic chopped

10 garlic cloves roughly crushed

2 inch piece of ginger grated

1 large tomato chopped

Salt

2 tbsps Ghee

Method:

Tip the cooked Horsegram in a pan and allow it to cool. Heat one tablespoon ghee in a pan. Add mustard and after it splutters add the cumin and coriander seeds, ginger, garlic, and onion. Roast till transparent. Add the asafoetida and when it starts releasing flavour, add the roughly chopped tomato and coriander leaves. Toss for a minute, remove and keep aside to cool. Blend the cooked Horsegram and the seasoning to a fine puree. Add enough water to bring it to a soupy consistency and strain it. Bring it to a boil and add salt as required. Heat the remaining tablespoon of Ghee and add the crushed garlic cloves. Roast till they turn golden brown. Tip this seasoning into the boiling soup and simmer for a couple of minutes. Switch off and garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.

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