vinaya - Vinaya's Culinary Delights

Instant Raw Mango Pickle

Posted on July 4, 2018 by vinaya

This tangy, spicy and slightly sweet pickle goes well with Rice or Roti. Best made with the Totapuri variety of Mango. The mango should neither be too raw nor ripe. This is one pickle which I keep making often during the Mango season. It is best refrigerated if made in large quantities.

Ingredients :

One large Totapuri Mango weighing around 250 gms
1 tsp sugar
Salt
1 tsp chilly powder
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp Jeera/ Cumin seeds
10 seeds Methi/ Fenugreek
3 sprigs curry leaves

Method :

Wash and chop the mango fine along with the skin. Drop in the chilly, powder, salt and sugar. Mix well. Heat oil in a pan. Add the jeera and methi seeds. After the jeera splutters drop in the curry leaves. Toss and pour the seasoning into the chopped Mango bits. Mix well and store when cool.

Malabar Spinach and Raw Papaya Ambat Recipe

Posted on July 3, 2018 by vinaya

An Ambat is a coconut based gravy preparation which is seasoned with finely chopped onions. It can be made with a variety of vegetables or lentils. Today I have made a traditional one which is a combination of Raw Papaya and Malabar Spinach. It goes well with, Rice, Roti and even with Bread.

Ingredients :

10 tendersticks of Malabar Spinach
15 bite sized pieces of Raw Papaya
3 large onions
1/2 coconut grated
10 roasted red chillies
1 heaped tsp Tamarind paste
Salt
5 tbsps oil
50gms or one large fistful split Pigeon peas

Method :

Wash and chop the Malabar Spinach with its tender stems. Cut the Raw Papaya into bite sized pieces. Slice one and half onion. Boil all the three together in three glasses of water to which salt has been added. Wash and pressure cook the split Pigeon peas. Churn it. Chop the remaining onions fine. Grind the coconut, roasted red chillies and tamarind to a smooth paste. Drop the churned dal and the ground masala into the cooked vegetable mixture. Heat oil in a pan. Drop in the finely chopped onions and roast to a rich brown. Tip in the seasoning into the boiling Ambat. Boil for a couple of minutes. Keep aside for half an hour for the flavours to infuse before serving.

Peach Jam Recipe

Posted on July 3, 2018 by vinaya

Ever since the Plum Jam turned out well, it has inspired me to try my hand at making Jams with other fruits. Since Peaches are in season, made a Jam with those golden yellow beauties. Simple, easy and simply delicious!

Ingredients :

500 gms Peaches
12 tsps sugar

Method :

Pit the Peaches. Chop them roughly and put them in a Microwave safe bowl. Tip in the sugar and allow to stand in the refrigerator for six hours. Remove. Mash the Peaches with the back of a spoon. Set Microwave on Power Cook for eighteen minutes. Remove after every six minutes, mix, and repeat. In eighteen minutes a beautiful, well set jam is ready.

Gulab Jamoon Recipe

Posted on July 2, 2018 by vinaya

Gulab jamoons are a very popular Indian dessert which are not only easy to make, but delicious as well. The original Gulab jamoon calls for milk powder and khoya. Today I have posted a simpler and instant version of the Gulab jamoon. It is simply divine!

Ingredients :

12 slices of Bread
250 ml condensed milk
A large pinch of saffron
1 heaped tsp Cardamom powder
400 gms sugar
500 ml water
Pistachio halved as per requirement
5 tbsps Ghee/clarified butter
15 tbsps refined oil

Method :
Crumble the bread slices. Add the condensed milk and make a soft dough using a gentle hand. Do not knead. Make small balls of the dough. Place a pistachio in the centre of each ball and roll it back into shape gently. Heat the mixture of ghee and oil in a pan. Check the temperature of the oil by dropping a small piece of dough. If it rises up gently, the temperature is just right. Fry six of the balls at a time to a rich golden brown. Finish of with all the balls and keep aside. In a wide mouthed pan tip in the sugar and water. Drop in the strands of Saffron and boil well for about five minutes. Add the Cardamom powder. Stir and tip in all the fried balls into the sugar syrup. A quick boil and it is done. Switch off and keep aside. Serve hot or cold.

Dum Aloo/Baby Potatos in piquant gravy Recipe

Posted on July 1, 2018 by vinaya

Dum Aloo is a popular dish in North India. Baby potatoes are boiled, peeled, roasted or fried and then dunked in an aromatic gravy of onions and curds with selected spices. Best enjoyed with Roti or Naan.

Ingredients :

1/2 kg baby potatoes
4 large onions roughly chopped
2 inch piece of ginger
1heaped teaspoon red chilly powder
1 tsp jeera/ cumin seeds
2 tbsps coriander seeds
5 cloves
2 inch piece of cinnamon
7 pepper corns
3 cardamom
A pinch of haldi/turmeric
Salt
1/2 cup curds
2 tsps Sugar
4 tbsps ghee/clarified butter
5 tbsps oil
Coriander leaves

Method :
Pressure cook the potatoes. Peel, apply salt n deep fry to a golden brown. Grind the onion, ginger, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, red chilly powder, cloves, cinnamon, Cardamom and haldi to a smooth paste. Heat a mixture of 4 tbsps ghee and 5 tbsps oil. Add the masala and roast till the raw smell disappears and the oil leaves at the sides. Add the fried potatoes, sugar and salt and boil well. Add the curd, give one boil and switch off. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Alwathi /Wild Colocassia leaves Curry Recipe

Posted on July 1, 2018 by vinaya

Alwathi is a traditional Konkani preparation made of Wild Colocassia leaves and is specially made on Krishna Janmashtami. Hog plums are usually added to lend tartness to the dish, but if unavailable tamarind can be used. Either peanuts or Corn on cob is added.

Ingredients :

21 Wild Colocassia leaves
2 corn cobs
1 Coconut grated
1 tbsp tamarind paste
10 roasted red chillies
2 inch piece of ginger
2 green chillies
4 tbsps Coconut oil
2 heaped tsps mustard
6 sprigs Curry leaves
Salt

Method :
Devein the Colocassia leaves. Wash them thoroughly. Chop them roughly. Cut the corn cobs into ten pieces. Pressure cook the chopped leaves and corn cobs in three glasses of water with a little salt to four whistles. Slit the green chillies. Grate the ginger. Grind the coconut, roasted red chillies and tamarind to a smooth paste. Once the pressure has been released, drop the ground masala, ginger and green chillies into the cooked mixture. Boil well. Heat the oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds and after it splutters drop in the curry leaves. Tip the seasoning into the Alwathi. Keep aside for fifteen minutes for the flavours to infuse before serving.

Plum Jam Recipe

Posted on June 30, 2018July 3, 2018 by vinaya

Luscious Plums are in season and I just couldn’t resist myself from making a Jam. No long procedures of boiling it or standing watch over it. As I was trying out a Plum jam for the first time, made do with a small quantity. Easy, simple and tasty!

Ingredients :

250 gms Plums
6 tsps sugar

Method :

Pit the plums into a microwave bowl. Drop in the sugar and allow to stand for about 6 hours in the fridge till the sugar melts. Gently mash the plums with the back of a spoon. Set the Microwave on Power Cook for six minutes. After three minutes, remove, mix and microwave again for another three minutes. Set aside for a while to cool before bottling.

Urad and Rava/ Black gram and Semolina Idli Recipe

Posted on June 29, 2018 by vinaya

The same batter which was used for making Urad and Rava Appo can be used to make Idli. As Idli is steamed, it is easy to digest and the only oil that is used is what is used to grease the Idli moulds. It is served with Chutney and Sambhar or either of the two. Recipe Link to both the Chutney and the Sambhar are given below.

Ingredients :

250 gms Urad Dal
500 gms Rava
16 green chillies
2 inch piece of ginger
Kidney bean sized piece of Hing /asafoetida
10 sprigs curry leaves
Salt
Oil to grease the Idli moulds.

Method :

Wash and soak the Urad Dal for four hours. Grind it in the wet grinder non stop for half an hour adding a little water at a time to a smooth batter of dropping consistency. Tip the Rava into a bowl. Add two glasses of water to it and mix it thoroughly. Drop it into the ground batter. Grind the green chillies, ginger and Hing to a coarse paste. Add it to the Urad Rava batter along with finely chopped curry leaves and salt. Mix thoroughly. Grease the Idli moulds with oil. Place them in a steamer which has been kept boiling. Steam for ten minutes. A knife inserted in the Idli should come out clean. That shows that the Idlis are done. Remove from steamer and allow to cool for five minutes. Unmould them. Serve with Chutney and Sambhar.

Mixed Vegetable Sambar Recipe

Coconut Chutney Recipe – 1

Urad and Rava Appo/Black gram and Semolina Appo Recipe

Posted on June 29, 2018 by vinaya

Urad and Rava ‘Appo’ as it is called is the batter of these two ingredients to which spices of choice are added and then roasted in a pan called ‘Appam chetti’ which is specially meant to roast them. Recipe Link to the Chutney and Sambhar given below.

Ingredients :

250 gms Urad Dal
500 gms Rava
16 green chillies
2 inch piece of ginger
Kidney bean size piece of Hing/ asafoetida
10 sprigs of curry leaves
Salt

Method :

Wash and soak the urad dal for four hours. Grind it in the wet grinder non stop for half an hour adding a little water at a time to a smooth batter which is of dropping consistency. Remove into a vessel. Tip the Rava into a bowl. Pour two glasses of water into it and mix it. Add it to the ground batter. Make a coarse paste of green chillies, ginger and Hing. Drop it into the batter. Chop the curry leaves fine and add them to the batter along with salt. Mix well. Heat the Appam pan. Pour a little oil into the troughs followed by the batter. Cover the pan and roast on a gentle flame till it leaves the sides of the pan. Flip and roast on the other side too. Remove, and serve with Chutney and Sambhar.

Coconut Chutney Recipe – 2

Carrot, Potato and Onion Sambhar Recipe

Mango Delight Recipe

Posted on June 27, 2018 by vinaya

This preparation is a take off on the Mango curry. It is made as the mango season ends and the tiny mangoes which are used for the curry are not available. Today I have used the huge Rajapuri variety of mango to make this dish.

Ingredients :

1 Kg Rajapuri Mango
100 gms jaggery
6 tsps sugar
Salt
1 tbsp tamarind paste
7 green chillies
2 dry red chillies
5 tbsps Coconut oil
1 tbsp mustard
1 heaped tsp urad dal/ black gram dal
1/4 tsp Methi/ Fenugreek
A kidney bean sized piece of Hing/asafoetida
7 sprigs curry leaves.

Method :

Wash and deskin the mangoes. Keep the peel aside. Cut the mangoes into bite sized pieces. Place the peel in a bowl and pour a glass of water into it. Rub the peel to extract the mango pulp adhering to it. Repeat it twice or thrice. Drop in the jaggery salt, green chillies and sugar into the extract and boil well. Drop the chopped mango bits into it and boil for a minute. Heat oil in a pan. Drop in the mustard. After it splutters add the urad dal and methi seeds. When the urad dal turns golden brown tip in the hing, dry red chilly and curry leaves. Toss and drop in the seasoning into the boiling curry. Switch off and keep aside for about half an hour for the flavours to infuse before serving.