vinaya - Vinaya's Culinary Delights

Onion Upma Recipe

Posted on November 2, 2017November 6, 2017 by vinaya

A variety of Upma can be made out of the humble Rava/sooji /semolina. Posting an onion upma today which is a family favourite.

Ingredients :

250 gms rava/semolina
6 green chillies
2 large onions
A few sprigs coriander leaves
3 tbsps ghee
6 tbsps oil
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp urad dal
600 ml boiling water
Salt
A pinch of haldi /turmeric powder

Method :

Chop the onions fine. Mince the green chillies. Chop coriander leaves fine. Keep aside. Keep water to boil. Heat the ghee and oil mixture. Add the mustard and after it splutters add the urad dal. After the urad dal turns golden, drop in the green chillies and onions., add the salt and roast till the onions turn translucent. Add the Rava and roast for about two to three minutes. Add the haldi and mix well. Pour in the boiling water into the Rava. Mix, cover and cook till done. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot.

Serves four adults.

Gajar Ka Halwa Recipe

Posted on November 1, 2017October 11, 2018 by vinaya

Gajar ka halwa made is a dessert made from carrots is a must in every Indian home during the months of December and January when carrots are in plenty. Cooked in milk and garnished with nuts, it is a rich and delicious dessert.

Ingredients :

2 kgs gajar deskinned and grated.
2 Litres milk
4 tbsps ghee
250 gms sugar or more as per taste
2 tsp Cardamom powder
Cashew, almonds and kishmish as required.

Method :
Boil the Gajar in the milk till all the milk is absorbed. Add the sugar and cook till the halwa starts to leave the sides of the vessel. Add the ghee. Roast the cashew almonds and kishmish in a little ghee. Add it to the halwa along with the Cardamom powder. Mix well and serve hot .

Moong Ghashi Recipe

Posted on November 1, 2017November 13, 2017 by vinaya

Moong or green gram is used widely in Indian cuisine. It can be sprouted and used in salads, gravies and in chaats too. Posting a sprouted Moong in coconut gravy which is also called Mooga ghashi.

Ingredients

125 gms moong sprouted and deskinned
25-30 small cubes of sooran/yam
1/2 of a small coconut
12 roasted red chillies
1 tbsp tamarind paste
Salt
2 tbsps coconut oil
1 tsp mustard
4 sprigs curry leaves

Method:
Boil the sprouted moong and sooran in salted water till done. Roast the dry red chillies in a little oil. Grind the coconut, roasted red chillies and tamarind to a smooth paste and pour it into the boiled moong. Boil for a couple of minutes. Heat 2 tbsps oil. Add a tsp of mustard and after it splutters add 4 sprigs curry leaves and a tsp of grated coconut. Roast for a minute. Add a pinch of haldi. Toss. Drop the seasoning into the boiling ghashi. Switch off, cover and keep aside for the flavours to infuse.

Jalebi Recipe

Posted on November 1, 2017March 17, 2018 by vinaya

Jalebi a sweet which is popular all over India is best enjoyed with some Rabdi or thickened milk. Here I have posted an instant one which I learnt from my friend Kalyani and which one can make and enjoy with or without the Rabdi.

Ingredients :

1 cup maida/ all purpose flour
3 tsp corn flour
2 tsp ghee
2 tsp curd
A pinch of salt
4 drops of yellow or orange colour
1/4th cup water
1 tsp Eno fruit salt
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/2tsp lemon juice.

Method :
Mix maida,cornflour ,ghee ,curd ,salt, water and the food colour thoroughly. Finally add the Eno fruit salt and stir well.
Make a syrup by boiling together 1cup sugar and 1 cup water until 1 string consistency is formed. Add lemon juice.

Heat ghee or oil. Pipe in the jalebis directly into it using an icing bag or jalebi maker. Fry till crisp. Remove, drain, and dip the jalebis in syrup for a minute, remove and place them on a plate.

Poha Cutlets Recipe

Posted on October 31, 2017November 12, 2017 by vinaya

Poha or beaten rice cutlets are an easy to make evening snack. They can be made by adding either a couple of slices of bread or potato to bind them. Enjoy them with some green chutney or with tomato ketchup.

Ingredients :

250 gms gms poha
2 potatoes
6 green chillies
1tsp jeera/cumin
1tbsp kasuri methi/dried fenugreek leaves
1 tsp sugar
Salt
Juice of one lemon
Coriander leaves
A pinch of haldi/turmeric powder
Oil for deep frying

Method :

Wash and drain the poha. Pressure cook the potatoes, peel and mash them. Grind the green chillies, jeera and sugar coarsely and add it to the mashed potatoes. Chop the coriander leaves fine. Tip in the lemon juice,
Coriander leaves, kasuri methi, salt and the drained poha into the mashed potato. Mix well. Shape into cutlets. Heat oil in a pan. Drop the cutlets four at a time into the oil. Deep fry till crisp and golden brown. Serve with green chutney.

Makes 15 medium sized cutlets.

Mushti Dosa Recipe

Posted on October 29, 2017November 12, 2017 by vinaya

Mushti literally means a fistful. Mushti dosa is made by adding a fistful of urad dal to rice to make it fluffy and porous. Enjoy it with chutney or pickle.

Ingredients:

250 gms rice
50 gms urad dal
1/4 of a coconut
A large fistful of poha/flattened rice
1/2 tsp methi/fenugreek seeds
Salt

Method :

Wash and soak the rice, urad dal and methi for 4 hours. Grind the grated coconut and Poha to a fine paste. Add the rice, urad dal and methi and grind to a smooth batter. Add salt, mix and allow the batter to ferment for 8 hours. Mix well and pour a ladleful of batter on a hot tava/skillet. Drizzle with oil, cover and cook over a low flame only on one side. Serve with chutney. Recipe for chutney can be found under the category of Chutneys.

This measurement yields 28 dosas.

Methi Leaves Pakoda Recipe

Posted on October 28, 2017November 12, 2017 by vinaya

Methi leaves/ Fenugreek leaves have that distinct aroma when fried. They are used to make zhunka, in subzi, Dal and also dried and used as a garnish in North Indian dishes. Posting a Methi leaves Pakoda today which can be served as an appetizer or as a side dish with rice and dal.

Ingredients :

250 gms Chana dal (Bengal gram dal)
A small bunch of methi leaves
A few sprigs of coriander leaves
9 green chillies
4 medium sized onions
2 inch piece of ginger
7 flakes of garlic
Salt
3 tbsps rice flour
Oil for frying

Method :

Wash and soak the Chana dal for four hours. Drain and grind to a coarse mixture in batches without water. Do not grind it all at once as it turns into a paste. Remove in a bowl. Chop the onions, methi leaves and coriander leaves very fine and add them to the chana dal mixture. Grind the chillies, ginger and garlic coarsely and tip it into the mixture. Finally add salt and mix thoroughly. Keep it aside for five minutes. The onions release water. Mix well and add the rice flour. Make small balls of the mixture. Pat them into roundels. Heat oil. Slip in five of the pakoras at a time and fry to a deep golden brown. These pakoras need no accompaniment.

Makes 27 pakoras.

Poha Usli Recipe

Posted on October 25, 2017November 12, 2017 by vinaya

Poha usli is a cousin of Aloo poha and Kande Poha, the difference being it is made sans onions. The addition of hing /asafoetida makes it fragrant and the garnish of coconut is simply delish.

Ingredients :

250 gms thick poha/flattened rice
6 tsps sugar
Salt
A generous drizzle of hing/asafoetida
5 sprigs curry leaves
6 green chiillies
1 dry red chilly
3tbsps ghee
3 tbsps oil
1 tsp mustard
1/4 of a large coconut for garnish

Method :

Wash the poha and drain it immediately. Squeeze out all the water and place it in a bowl. Add the sugar, salt and hing. Chop the green chillies fine. Heat the ghee and oil mixture. Add the mustard. After it crackles add the green chillies, dry red chilly and the curry leaves. Toss. Add the poha and heat well. Garnish with grated coconut. Serve immediately.

Serves 3 adults.

Undiyu Recipe

Posted on October 25, 2017November 12, 2017 by vinaya

Undiyu is a traditional Gujarati dish which is made during the winter months because of the availability of the seasonal vegetables that go into making this flavourful dish. Kebabs of fenugreek leaves called Methi muthiya added to it enhance the flavour, and the aroma of fresh garlic leaves is divine!

Ingredients for the Methi muthiya:

1 bunch methi leaves
1/2 kg wheat flour
7 tbsps besan/gram flour
4 tsps oil
8 green chillies
5 cloves garlic
2 inch piece ginger
2 tsp til/sesame
1 level tsp ajwain/Carom seeds
1 tsp chilly powder
3 tsps dhania/coriander powder
1 tsp jeera/cumin powder
5 tsps sugar
Coriander leaves
Salt.

Method :

Grind the ginger, green chillies and garlic to a smooth paste. Take it in a bowl and add finely chopped methi leaves, chopped coriander leaves, and all the remaining masalas , sugar, salt, til, ajwain and the oil. Add the besan and wheat flour. Bind a dough as you would for pooris. Make into desired shape and deep fry.
You can eat them as they are or use it while making subzi.

Ingredients for the Undiyu:
Equal amounts of the following vegetables.

This is of 100 gms each
Peas
Tiny brinjals
Sweet potato
Flat beans/surti papdi
Potato
Raw banana
Methi muthiyas
1/4 of a coconut grated
A bunch of coriander leaves chopped
3 tbsps dhania/coriander powder
2 tsps jeera/cumin powder
1 tsp chilly powder
1/4 tsp haldi
6 green chillies
2 inch piece of ginger
10 flakes of garlic/ fresh garlic with leaves
1 tsp ajwain/carom seeds
2 tsps til/ sesame
2tsps sugar
Juice of one lemon

Chop the sweet potato, raw Banana and potatoes into large pieces. Chop the brinjal and flat beans into half. Grind the green chillies, ginger and the garlic coarsely. Chop the garlic leaves fine.
Heat 5 tbsps oil in a pressure cooker. Add the ajwain followed by til. After they splutter add the vegetables, methi muthias, grated coconut, chopped coriander leaves, all the masalas, salt, sugar, lemon juice the ground paste and pour in one small glass of boiling water into it. Pressure cook for two whistles. Allow the vegetables to cook in the pressure. Remove the pressure only when the cooker has cooled down. Serve hot with rotis.

Idli Upma Recipe

Posted on October 25, 2017November 12, 2017 by vinaya

Leftover Idli is usually turned into an upma the next morning. Idli is crumbled, seasoned and garnished with coconut. The key ingredient that adds to the taste is the generous drizzle of hing/asafoetida and coconut oil.

Ingredients :

24 idlis
12 green chillies minced
2 dry red chillies
5 sprigs curry leaves
A generous drizzle of hing water
Salt
Grated coconut
2 tbsps ghee/clarified butter
4 tbsps coconut oil
1tsp mustard
1tsp urad dal

Method :
Crumble the idli. Add salt and hing water to it. Mix well. Heat a mixture of 2 tbsps ghee and 4 tbsps of oil. Add a tsp of mustard and after it splutters add a tsp of urad dal. After it turns golden brown add the green and red chillies. Toss. Add the curry leaves. Drop in the crumbled idli, mix and heat well. Garnish with coconut.

Serves 6 adults

Note :The recipe for idli is given in the catagory of Breakfast eats of this website.