Authentic Vegetarian Cuisine
The Thali today is a mix of items prepared for breakfast and lunch. Breakfast was Appam and Stew, and for lunch it is Rice, Rasam, Ridge gourd Peel Chutney, Roast Pathrado, Peaches and Buttermilk. Recipe Link to the same is posted below.
Rice and Split Pigeon peas Pathrado /Colocassia leaves roll Recipe – 1
Copyright © 2018 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.
Spices are some of the natural beauty products that we find in our kitchen. We tend to overlook them, as the commercially packaged ones look more attractive. Today’s post is how we can use these very spices that are found in every kitchen to our advantage.
SAFFRON – soak some saffron in milk and allow it to stand for half an hour. Make a paste and apply it on the face. Wash off after half an hour. It imparts a glow!
SUGAR AND CARDAMOM POWDER– Both work in exfoliation. Take sugar and Aloe Vera Gel and gently massage it on the face. It rids the face of dead skin. Mix Honey and Cardamom powder. Massage it in circular motion all over. This too acts as a good exfoliatior.
CLOVES AND CINNAMON– Add a couple of drops of clove oil to coconut oil and use it as a moisturiser before bath. The same holds good for cinnamon oil too. Both contain anti fungal and anti bacterial properties which help the skin in remaining healthy.
Copyright © 2018 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.
Though Ghee/clarified butter is available today at all the grocery stores, I prefer making mine at home. Nothing can beat the home made one in fragrance and the colour. Enjoy it on Parathas, dosas or even with banana and sugar.
Method :
Wash the home made butter three to four times till the water runs clear. Drain and heat it on a gentle flame, stirring in between to prevent it from overflowing. When it nears completion, a fragrant smell of the ghee emanates, accompanied by the darkening of the milk solids that form the residue. Once it has turned light brown, switch off the gas. The heat of the pan itself ensures that the ghee takes on a beautiful golden brown hue.
Copyright © 2018 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.
For those who are wary of buying the refined and processed Coconut oil in the market, here is an easy way of making it at home. Though dried coconut or Copra is used commercially for the extraction of oil, one can make it at home using mature coconuts.
Ingredients :
Method :
Break the coconuts into two halves. Prise the kernel from the shell using a knife. Cut it into small pieces and tip in as much as the blender can hold. Water too depends upon the size of the blender. Take care to see the water is hot. Grind to a smooth paste. Sieve the paste. Tip the residue back into the blender. Grind again with hot water and sieve it. Take care to see that the coconut milk has been totally extracted. Refrigerate the extract for four hours. The fat will form a hard cake and float on top of the water. Gently remove it and put it in a pan. Heat it on a slow flame stirring once in a while till a brown charred residue forms at the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat and allow to cool for about ten to fifteen minutes. Use a kitchen towel to strain the oil into glass bottles. Three coconuts yield around 750ml of oil.
Copyright © 2018 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.
Apart from its use in a variety of dishes, Coconut milk can also be used to moisturise dry hair and also works wonders for the skin. Coconut is grated, ground to a fine paste with water and the milk extracted. Coconut milk sold in tetra packs or in powdered form can only be used in the preparation of food though they can never live up to the original one.
Ingredients :
Method :
Dehusk the coconut thoroughly. Wash and break it into two halves. Grate and divide the grated coconut into two portions. Tip in one portion into the blender with one glass of water and grind to a fine paste. Sieve the paste or alternatively use a wet muslin cloth to extract the milk. Similarly finish off with the second portion. This forms the first extract. Keep aside. Tip the residue back into the blender. Add two glasses of water and grind. Remove and sieve the paste. Squeeze out all the milk from the residue. This forms the second extract. Vegetables are always cooked in the second extract. After they are done, the first extract is added, boiled just for a minute and put aside for the flavours to infuse.
Beauty tip
If using the Coconut milk for cosmetic purposes, keep five tbsps of the first extract aside in a separate container. This is to be gently massaged on the face and hands and washed off after a couple of hours. The skin feels smooth and soft to touch. Mix the remaining milk of the first extract with the second extract and use it to massage the scalp and hair. Leave it on for a couple of hours and shampoo hair. The result is silky and bouncy hair.
Copyright © 2018 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.
Best known as a curative as well as a prophylactic, Neem oil works well with scars, can be used to get rid of dandruff and also to sport a blemish free skin as it is has anti bacterial and anti fungal properties. Skin glows and hair grows with regular use.
Ingredients :
Method :
Wash the neem leaves and dry them thoroughly.
Boil them in the coconut oil till they turn crisp and form a sediment. Allow to cool. Add the turmeric powder and store in an airtight container.
Copyright © 2018 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.
A Thali Meal is comfort food for most Indians, as it includes the variety of their staple diet. Each community has their own unique Thali. Today it is Rice, Dalithoy, Ivygourd Bhuthi, Onion Vodi, Cabbage kismuri, Tender Mango Pickle, Potato-Capsicum stir fry, Buttermilk and Grapes.
Copyright © 2018 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.
This is Pathrado or Colocassia leaves Roll made with Moong or Green Gram. A delicacy with the Konkani community of Mangalore, it is eaten drizzled with Coconut oil or with a Coconut Ghashi. It is simply mouth watering!
Ingredients :
Method :
Devein the Colocassia leaves using a gentle hand, as they tear easily. Wash and wipe dry. Keep aside. Wash and soak the Moong overnight. Grind the coconut, roasted red chillies, hing and tamarind to a smooth paste using just enough water to facilitate grinding. Using this paste grind the moong in small batches to a semi coarse consistency. Add water while grinding only if necessary as the batter should be thick. Tip this ground Moong and coconut batter into a vessel. Add salt and mix thoroughly. Place a large Colocassia leaf on the table top with its underneath facing upwards. The base of the leaf should be towards you and the tip pointing upwards. Apply the batter on it. Place a leaf slightly smaller than the first one on it. Apply the batter on the second leaf too. Place the third leaf and follow it up with the batter again. Fold both the ends of the leaf towards the centre. They stay put as they get stuck to the batter. Now fold both the sides of the leaf and bring them to the centre. Lastly fold the tip and bring this too towards the centre. This way you have all the ends folded. Now tightly roll the leaves from the bottom to the top till they form a log. Keep aside. Finish off with the remaining leaves. Place the rolls in a steamer and steam them for half an hour. A knife inserted in the roll should come out clean. This shows that the Pathrado is cooked. Switch off. Allow to cool a little. Remove from the steamer, cut into pieces and serve drizzled with Coconut oil.
Copyright © 2018 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.
Varan Bhath is comfort food for Goans and Maharashtians , just as a Sambhar is to a South Indian or a Kadhi Chawal to a North Indian. No onion or garlic is used in the preparation as it one of the items that is offered to Lord Ganesha during Ganesh Chaturthi. Varan is served over hot rice with a dollop of ghee.
Ingredients :
Method :
Wash and pressure cook Toor dal and Moong Dal together. Churn it well. Grind the coconut and Haldi to a smooth paste. Add the paste to the mashed Dal. Add salt as required along with two glasses of water. The consistency of Varan should neither be too thick nor thin. Slit the green chillies. Heat Ghee. Drop in the mustard and after it splutters add the jeera. Toss. Tip in the slit green chillies and curry leaves. Toss and pour the seasoning into the boiling Varan. Keep aside for a few minutes for the flavours to infuse.
Copyright © 2018 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.
I love Bread in any form, sandwiches being my favourite. I had some fresh Molgapudi, so decided to make these open sandwiches using it to spice them up. Recipe link to the Molgapudi given at the end of the recipe.
Ingredients :
Method :
Chop the Tomato, Onion and Coriander leaves fine. Retain half of the coriander leaves and the Molgapudi. . To the chopped tomatoes and onions add the remaining half of the coriander leaves and Molgapudi. Mix well and microwave for a minute. Keep aside. Butter the slices of bread on both sides and toast them well on one side. Flip. Pile the tomato, onion mixture on the toasted side and sprinkle the remaining Molgapudi and coriander leaves. Roast on a gentle flame till crisp and done. Serve with tomato ketchup.
Copyright © 2018 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.
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