vinaya - Vinaya's Culinary Delights

Onion Uthappa Recipe

Posted on October 16, 2017November 18, 2020 by vinaya

Uthappa or Oothappam is a fermented pancake of rice and urad dal. Sprinkled with onion and coriander leaves and spiced with green chillies and ginger it can be enjoyed with chutney, Sambhar or even home made butter.

Ingredients:

250 gms urad dal
600 gms rice
Salt.
4 onions
18 green chillies
3 inch piece of ginger
Coriander leaves.
Ghee/clarified butter or oil for roasting.

Method :

Wash and soak both rice and urad dal separately for 5 hours. Grind the urad dal in the wet grinder non stop for half an hour adding water at regular intervals. Grind the rice in the mixer to a rava like consistency.
Mix both the urad and rice batters, add salt and allow to ferment overnight or for 10 -12 hours.

Grind the ginger and green chillies coarsely and add to the batter. Mix well. Chop the onions and coriander leaves fine. Pour a ladleful of batter on a hot tava/skillet and sprinkle the onions and chopped coriander leaves over it. Drizzle with oil or Ghee and roast on both sides.

Note:

The proportion of urad dal and rice is if you are using the wet grinder to grind the urad dal. If using the mixer the proportion is 250 gms of urad dal and 400 gms of rice.

Kaju katli/Cashewnut Burfi Recipe

Posted on October 16, 2017November 4, 2020 by vinaya

Kaju Katli or Cashewnut Burfi is one of the most loved Indian sweets. Rich and delicious, it is the most preferred sweet on any occasion.

Ingredients :

250 gms of cashew
150 gms of sugar
7 tbsps of water
2 tbsps of ghee
A pinch of saffron

Method:
Powder the cashewnuts finely. Heat the water and sugar in a thick bottomed pan. When the sugar has dissolved add the cashewnut powder and saffron and keep stirring till the whole mixture starts coming together. Add the ghee and remove the whole lump onto a plate. Allow to cool till you can handle it. Knead it well and place the lump on a greased plate. Place a butter paper over the lump and flatten it with a rolling pin to desired thickness say about 5 mm. ( I prefer mine thick) Remove the butter paper and allow the rolled Kaju katli mixture to cool thoroughly. Once it has cooled, cut the kaju katli into square or diamond shapes. Store in an air tight container.

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Ajwain Water Recipe

Posted on October 16, 2017November 13, 2017 by vinaya

Ajwain or Carom seeds are a good digestive and used widely in Indian cooking. Expecting and lactating mothers are also given ajwain water to prevent flatulence and feeling of fullness.

Ingredients:

1tsp ajwain
1 litre of water
A pinch of salt

Method :

Boil a tsp of ajwain in 1 litre of water. Reduce it to 750 ml. Add a pinch of salt. Strain and serve.

Spicy Phenori Recipe

Posted on October 15, 2017November 13, 2017 by vinaya

Spicy Phenori is a crunchy munchy snack which goes by other names too depending on the region where it comes from. Thin chapatis are rolled out of a dough to which spice is added. The thinner the chapati, the crisper the Phenori.

Ingredients :

250 gms all purpose flour/maida
8 green chillies
5sprigs of curry leaves
A Rajma sized piece of hing /asafoetida
Salt
2 tsps oil
Slurry of 2 tbsp oil and 1tbsp of maida.

Method :

Grind the green chillies and asafoetida to a smooth paste. Tip it into a vessel. Chop the curry leaves fine and add them too. Add the oil, flour and salt and crumble it well. Add enough water to bind a stiff dough. Keep it aside for about half an hour. Make 10 balls out of the dough. Roll out five of them as thinly as possible. Place a chapati on the board. Apply the slurry thinly all over the chapati and place another chapati on top, a little away from the edge of the first chapati. Continue applying the slurry and placing the chapati in the same manner. After placing the fifth one, roll it tightly into a log and cut into pellets. Dust the pellets with maida and roll them out gently. Finish of thus with the remaining dough. Heat oil, and deep fry the Phenori on a slow flame to a crisp and rich golden brown.

Rajma Chawal Recipe

Posted on October 15, 2017November 13, 2017 by vinaya

Rajma Chawal is a complete meal by itself and teamed with a raw salad or Kachumber is sheer bliss!! A North Indian delicacy it’s rich creamy texture is a delight!

Ingredients:

250 gms rajma
3 large onions chopped fine
3 tomatoes chopped
5 flakes garlic
2 inch piece ginger
1 tbsp Everest Tikhalal chilly powder
2 tsps coriander powder
1 tsp Everest garam masala
A pinch of turmeric
Salt
1 tsp jeera
2 tbsps ghee
3 tbsps oil.
Coriander leaves.

Method :
Wash and soak the rajma overnight. Pressure cook and keep aside.
Heat oil n ghee mixture. Add the jeera and after it splutters add the chopped onion and ginger garlic which has been ground to a paste. Roast till the raw smell goes off and the onions are translucent . Add the garam masala, coriander powder, turmeric and roast for a minute. Add the chilly powder , toss and add the tomatoes. Roast till mushy. Add the cooked rajma, and salt and boil well so that all the flavours are infused. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Note: The recipe for Chawal is Jeera Rice included in the category ‘Variety of Rice preparations’ in this website.

Coconut and Date Burfi Recipe

Posted on October 15, 2017November 13, 2017 by vinaya

Added a few dates to the traditional coconut burfi to give it a more creamy texture.

Ingredients :

3 heaped cups coconut grated
7 dates
5 cups sugar
1/2 glass milk
1 heaped tsp Cardamom powder
A large pinch of saffron
3 tbsps ghee
Roasted cashews (optional)

Method :
Deseed the dates. Grind them with the milk. Tip the ground mixture into a pan along with the saffron, sugar and grated coconut and keep stirring on a low flame till it leaves the side of the vessel. Add the ghee and keep stirring for a couple of minutes., add the Cardamom powder and pour the mixture into a greased plate. Allow it to cool for about 15 mnts and then cut into desired shape. Garnish with roasted cashews.

Khushka Recipe

Posted on October 14, 2017November 13, 2017 by vinaya

An aromatic one pot meal, Khushka is a family favourite. Teamed with a mixed vegetable raita, it is sheer bliss!!

Ingredients :

300 gms Basmathi rice
5 onions roughly chopped
A bunch of coriander leaves
2 inch piece of ginger
7 flakes garlic
15 green chillies

Grind the above to a smooth paste.

To be powdered

2 tbsps dhania/ coriander seeds
1 tsp jeera/ cumin
1 tsp badi shep/ fennel
10 pepper corns
7 cloves/ lavang
2 inch piece dalchini/ cinnamon
2 elaichi/cardamom

Other ingredients :

2 carrots peeled n chopped
3 potatoes peeled and cubed
150 gms peas
4 tomatoes chopped
12 cashewnuts halved

Method :
Cook the rice with a tsp of ghee and salt. Cook the vegetables in salted water. Heat 5 tbsps ghee and 7 tbsps oil. Add the ground masala and the powders and roast till the raw flavour goes away. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook till mushy. Add the boiled vegetables, salt and cook for a couple of mnts. Add the cooked rice and mix well. Roast the cashewnuts in a tsp of ghee. Heat the Khushka and garnish with roasted cashew nuts.

Navy Beans Saung Recipe

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

Navy beans/ Poona Val / Tingalavro is one of my favourite lentils because it tastes good in all the variety of dishes that can be made from it. Posting a navy beans saung today which goes well with rice, bhakri, roti and even with dosas.

Ingredients :

125 gms navy beans
1 large potato cubed
2 onions minced
1 tbsp coriander seeds
5 Byadgi and 4 Guntur chillies roasted
1 tbsp tamarind paste
4 tbsps Parachute coconut oil
Salt

Method :
Soak the navy beans overnight and pressure cook with the potato till done. Grind the coriander seeds, roasted red chillies and tamarind to a smooth paste. Heat 4 tbsps oil. Add the onions and roast on a high flame till half of them remain translucent and the others turn brown. Add the ground paste, cooked navy beans and potato and boil well.

Bhakarwadi Recipe

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

Bhakarwadi is a popular Maharashtrian delicacy. Though a little time consuming, the end result is really worth it.

Ingredients :

For the dough
2 cups Maida/ All purpose flour
2 tbsp Besan/gram flour
Salt
2 tbsp Oil
1 tsp Ajvain (carom seeds)

For the filling
1 tbsp Besan/gram flour
1 tsp Sesame seeds and Poppy seeds
1 tsp Ginger paste
1 tsp Garlic paste
3 tsp Red chili powder
2 tsp Powdered Sugar
1 tsp Garam masala
1 tsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Suanf/fennel
1 tbsp Grated dried coconut
3 to 4 tbsp Nylon Sev
salt to taste

Method:
Mix the all purpose flour and the gram flour in a bowl. Add salt and Ajwain. Heat 2 tbsp Oil and add it to the flour mixture. Add water and knead a hard consistency dough. Cover the dough and let it rest for 15-20 minutes.
Dry roast sesame seeds and poppy seeds. Heat 1 tbsp oil, add coconut, ginger garlic paste, red chili powder, gram flour, sugar, coriander powder and nylon sev. Saute for a couple of minutes. Let the mixture cool down.
Once the filling is ready, divide the dough into 3 to 4 equal balls. Roll one dough ball into thin round shaped Roti. Spread 2 tbsp of the mixture evenly and start rolling from one side. Roll it tightly. Cut into 1 inch pieces. Heat oil . Deep fry them till golden brown in color.

Paneer Stir Fry Recipe

Posted on October 12, 2017November 13, 2017 by vinaya

A very healthy paneer/cottage cheese stir fry with crunchy bell peppers and a dash of herbs.

Ingredients :

200 gms Paneer cubed
2 onions sliced
A quarter each of green, yellow and red bell peppers
Chilly flakes
10 flakes of garlic finely chopped
Salt
Sprinkling of oregano, pepper and lime juice.
1 heaped tbsp Amul butter
Juice of one lemon

Method :
Heat a tbsp of butter. Drop in the garlic and onions and roast till translucent. Add the Paneer and the chilly flakes. Roast till the Paneer turns golden brown. Drop in the bell peppers, oregano, salt and pepper. Toss. They should retain their crunch. Drizzle with lime juice and serve hot.