vinaya - Vinaya's Culinary Delights

French Beans Garlic Stir Fry Recipe

Posted on June 6, 2018 by vinaya

This French Beans Garlic Stir Fry is a favourite at home. It is simple, delicious and so easy to make. Coconut oil adds flavour to the dish. It goes well with rice as well. I like to have it as a meal by itself!

Ingredients :

250 gms French Beans
25 cloves garlic
4 dry red chillies
Salt
2 tbsps oil

Method :

String the French Beans wash and slit them lengthwise. Chop them into one inch bits. Crush the garlic gently and break the red chillies into bits. Heat oil. Add the garlic and roast to a rich golden brown. Drop in the red chilly bits. Toss. Add the chopped French Beans, salt and half a glass of water. Mix, cover and cook till done. Serve hot.

Tomato and Onion Chutney Recipe

Posted on June 5, 2018 by vinaya

This Tomato and Onion Chutney goes well with almost everything. Roti, Rice, even as a dip for Nachos, spread on Tacos, Neer dosa, or even with vegetable cutlets. You can even experiment trying a variety of spices to suit your palate.

Ingredients :

7 large ripe tomatoes
3 large onions
2 tsps Sambhar powder
1 tsp chilly powder
Salt
Jaggery or sugar
3 tbsps oil
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp coriander leaves.

Method :

Chop the tomatoes, onions and coriander leaves finely . Heat oil in a pan. Add the mustard. After it splutters drop in the onions and roast on a gentle flame till translucent. Add the chilly and Sambhar powder. Toss. Tip in the chopped tomatoes and salt. Stir for a couple of minutes. Add a glass of water and cook till the tomatoes are nice and mushy. Add jaggery or sugar as per taste. Boil well. Switch off. Garnish with the coriander leaves and serve hot or chilled.

String Hoppers /Idiappam/Shenvayi Recipe

Posted on June 3, 2018 by vinaya

String Hoppers or Idiappam are a favourite with the people in the South of India. Each region has its own unique method of making them, and the variety of rice used varies from region to region. It is enjoyed with Stew, Pickle, Chutney or any Curry of choice. Posting an Idiappam the Mangalorean way today.

Ingredients :

1 kg Rice
2 coconuts
Salt

Method :

Wash and soak the rice for four hours. Grate the coconut, taking care to see that you do not grate too close to the shell. The grated coconut should not have a tinge of brown to it. Grind the rice and the coconut to a smooth paste. Add enough water to make it to a thin runny batter. Add salt. Pour it into a pan. Place it on a slow flame, stirring constantly till it thickens and turns into a solid mass. This takes about 15-20minutes. Allow to cool. Pinch pieces of the dough and shape into balls. Steam these balls in a steamer for 15- 20 minutes. Gently place the steaming hot ball in the Idiappam mould and press it onto a plate. Place this on a semi wet cloth. Finish off with the remaining balls placing the pressed Idiappam one beside the other. Cover with another semi wet cloth to keep the Idiappam moist. Serve with Pickle and coconut oil, Stew or even with sweetened Coconut Milk.

Pigeon peas Ghashi Recipe

Posted on June 2, 2018June 3, 2018 by vinaya

With raw jackfruit available in plenty, decided to make a Pigeon peas and Raw jackfruit Ghashi which goes well with Rice, Roti or Bread. Seasoned in coconut oil with mustard and curry leaves, the aroma is enticing!

Ingredients :

200 gms White Pigeon peas
14 bite sized pieces of Raw Jackfruit
1/2 a coconut grated
12 dry red chillies roasted
1 heaped tsp tamarind paste
Salt
2 tbsps Coconut oil
1 heaped tsp mustard
3 sprigs curry leaves

Method :

Wash and soak the Pigeon peas overnight. Pressure cook them with a little salt. Pressure cook the raw jackfruit pieces with salt to one whistle. Tip it into the cooked Pigeon peas. If using canned ones, use the open pot boiling method. Do not pressure cook as they will turn mushy. Grind together the grated coconut, roasted red chillies and tamarind to a smooth paste. Drop it into the cooked Pigeon peas and Raw jackfruit mixture. Adjust salt. Boil well. Heat oil in a pan. Add the mustard and after it splutters add the curry leaves. Toss and drop it into the boiling Ghashi. Keep aside for half an hour for the flavours to infuse.

Bombay Sandwich Recipe

Posted on June 2, 2018 by vinaya

One of my all time favourite is the Bombay Sandwich replete with a variety of vegetables and slathered with a generous amount of Amul Butter and All purpose Chutney the recipe link to which is posted below. I have toasted the bread slightly as I like my sandwich a little crisp.

Ingredients :

1 loaf bread
3 potatoes
2 Beetroot
3 tomatoes
1 cucumber
2 onions
Amul butter
All purpose chutney
Everest Chat Masala

Method :

Pressure cook potatoes and Beetroot. Peel and slice them thinly. Slice the tomatoes, cucumber and onion too. Apply butter on two slices of bread followed by the All purpose Chutney. Arrange a layer of cucumber on one of the slices of bread, followed by a layer of tomato, potato, Beetroot and onion. Sprinkle chaat masala, and cover it with the other slice. Press down firmly and cut into desired shape. Serve with tomato ketchup.

All purpose Chutney, Recipe

Vangyache Bharith/ Roasted Eggplant Mash Recipe

Posted on May 30, 2018May 30, 2018 by vinaya

This recipe calls for Eggplant to be roasted gently on a direct flame, till the skin is charred and the insides of the Eggplant nice and mushy. This preparation is made all over India, but the spices used vary depending on the region where it is made. Posting a Vangyache Bharith from the state of Goa.

Ingredients :

250 gms Large sized Eggplant
2 green chillies
1 large onion
1inch piece ginger
3 tbsps grated coconut
1tsp tamarind paste
Coriander leaves
Salt
Oil

Method :

Wash and pat dry the Eggplant. Smear it with oil and roast it on an open flame, turning it repeatedly till the entire skin gets charred. Allow it to cool. Peel it and discard the charred skin. Mash it well. Coarsely grind ginger, green chillies, tamarind paste and salt. Tip it into the mash. Chop onions fine and add them too. Mix thoroughly. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Vangi Bhath/ One pot meal of Rice and Aubergine /Brinjal Recipe

Posted on May 30, 2018 by vinaya

This is a one pot meal where Brinjal is the vegetable of choice. Usually made with the long green variety of Brinjals available during the season, it can also be made with the regular ones too.

Ingredients:

Vangi Bhath Powder:

2 tbsps Coriander seeds
1 tsp Jeera/Cumin seeds
4 tbsps Urad dal/Black gram dal
4 tbsps Chana dal/Bengal Gram Dal
1 inch piece of Cinnamon
4 Cloves
1 tsp Khuskhus/Poppy seeds
1 tbsp Copra/Dry coconut grated
12 Dry red chillies roasted in a little oil.

Method :
Dry roast all the above ingredients except the chillies till they change colour. Powder them and store in an air tight container.

Ingredients :

250 gms rice cooked and ready( should be firm)
2 green brinjals(the long variety) chopped into bite sized pieces
1 tbsp tamarind paste
A pinch of hing/asafoetida
A pinch of haldi/turmeric
1 broken red chilly
2 slit green chillies
5 sprigs curry leaves
3 tbsps Vangi bhath powder
A handful of peanuts
A pinch of jaggery
Salt
4 tbsps oil
1tsp mustard
1tsp Urad Dal/black gram dal
1 tsp Chana Dal / Bengal Gram Dal

Method :
Heat oil in a pan. . Add a tsp of mustard and after it splutters add a tsp of urad dal and a tsp of chana dal. When they turn golden, add the peanuts, and roast till they change colour. Add the hing, slit green chillies, red chilly and the curry leaves. Toss and add the haldi, immediately followed by the brinjal and salt. Cook till the brinjal are tender. Add the vangi bhath powder, tamarind paste and the jaggery. Mix well. Add the cooked and ready rice and adjust salt. Serve with Raita.

Flattened Rice and Chickpea delicacy Recipe

Posted on May 29, 2018September 17, 2018 by vinaya

Anybody travelling to Mangalore in India cannot miss out on this authentic delicacy of Poha/ flattened rice served with Chana/ chickpeas and Sev. Also known as Poha Chutney and Chana Upkari by the locals, it is served garnished with Sev. The link to the recipes to both Sev and Sambhar powder are given below.

Poha Chutney :

Ingredients :

1/2 a coconut grated
2 tsps Sambhar powder
Salt
6 tsps sugar or jaggery as per preference
1/4 tsp tamarind paste.
2 tsps oil
1 tsp mustard
4 sprigs curry leaves
Poha /Flattened Rice as per requirement

Method :
Add the Sambhar powder, salt, sugar and tamarind paste to the grated coconut. Mix well. Heat oil in a pan. Drop in the mustard. After it splutters add the curry leaves. Toss and tip it into the coconut masala. Sprinkle a little water to keep it a little moist. Keep aside.
Take three tbsps of the Masala and add two fistfuls of the Poha as to keep it soft yet firm. Mix thoroughly. You can add more masala as per requirement.

Note: Mix together the Poha and the Masala only as much as is required as it has to be served immediately. The Poha turns soggy if allowed to stand for a long time.

Chana upkari :

Ingredients :

250 gms Chana/Chickpeas
6 green chillies
1 dry red chilly
Salt
3 sprigs curry leaves
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard
1/4 tsp Hing/asafoetida
4 tbsps grated coconut

Method :
Soak the chickpeas for 8 hours. Pressure cook them with salt. Chop the green chillies and the dry red chilly. Heat oil in a pan. Add the mustard and after it splutters add the green chillies, red chilly, curry leaves and hing. Toss. Drop in the cooked chickpeas. Boil well till all the water is evaporated. Garnish with grated coconut.

To serve:
Serve the poha, chana upkari and sev together. It can also be piled one on top of another and served.

Sev Recipe

Sambar Powder Recipe

Instant Raw Mango Pickle /Pachadi Recipe

Posted on May 28, 2018 by vinaya

When Raw mangoes are in season this is one dish that is made frequently in most Konkani households. It is a good accompaniment to Rice, Roti or even the various Dosas. Tangy and spicy, the aroma of asafoetida and coconut oil will leave you asking for more.

Ingredients :

250 gms Raw Mango
1 heaped tsp chilly powder
1 level tsp Hing/asafoetida
2 heaped tbsps Coconut oil
Salt

Method :

Wash and chop the raw mango fine keeping the skin intact. Add the salt, chilly powder, hing and coconut oil. Mix well. Keep aside for about fifteen minutes for the flavours to infuse. Chilly powder can be adjusted according to individual preference.

Crisp Dosa/Crepe Recipe

Posted on May 28, 2018 by vinaya

You will fall in love with this Crisp Dosa which can be served with potato Bhaji, chutney, Sambhar or even with either of them. I like to eat mine as is, as the fragrance of ghee used for roasting the dosa makes it very flavourful.

Ingredients :

200 gms Urad Dal/Black gram dal
50 gms Arhar dal/ split Pigeon peas
500 gms Rice
1 tbsp Methi/Fenugreek
Salt
Ghee/clarified butter for roasting.

Method :

Wash and soak the Urad dal, Arhar dal, Rice and Methi for four hours. Grind to a smooth batter non stop in the wet grinder adding a little water at a time for half an hour. The batter should be of pouring consistency. Neither too thick nor runny. Tip it into a vessel. Add salt, mix well and allow to ferment for 10-12 hours. Mix the batter thoroughly before you start making the Dosa. Heat a tava/griddle. Pour a ladleful of batter and spread it in concentric circles till the batter, covers the entire griddle. Drizzle with a tsp of ghee. Roast the dosa to a rich golden brown. Flip. Roast on the other side too. Serve hot with chutney and Sambhar, the recipes of which can be found on this website.

Potato Bhaji

Ingredients :

6 potatoes
4 onions
7 green chillies
1 inch piece ginger
2 tomatoes
2 tbsps Coriander leaves 5 tbsps oil.
1 tsp Jeera/Cumin seeds
A pinch of turmeric.
Salt.

Method :
Pressure cook the potatoes, deskin and chop them. Slice the onions. Grate the ginger. Slit the green chillies. Chop the tomatoes and coriander leaves fine. Keep aside.
Heat oil. Add jeera and after it splutters add the onions, ginger and green chillies together. Roast with salt till transparent. Add a pinch of turmeric and then the tomatoes and roast for 3-4 mnts. Add the potatoes, and add about 1/4 glass of water to cook the mixture. Once the Bhaji is semi dry switch off. Garnish wd coriander leaves.

Coconut Chutney Recipe – 2

Mixed Vegetable Sambar Recipe

Note: If using the blender or mixer to grind the batter, decrease the proportion of rice to 250gms as the batter ground in the mixer does not increase in volume as when ground in the wet grinder.