Aloo ke Gutke.

A traditional vegan recipe, Aloo Ke Gutke from the cuisine of Uttarakhand is prepared with mustard oil and a spice powder mix. The potatoes may be pressure cooked or cooked in an open pot. Here I have used vegetable oil and cooked the potatoes al dente.

Ingredients:

4 Potatoes

2 tsps oil

1 tsp Red Chilli powder

1 tsp Coriander Powder

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

2 Dry Red Chillies

A large pinch of Asafoetida

Juice of lemon as per preference

Salt

2 tbsps finely chopped coriander leaves.

Method:

Peel the potatoes and chop them into chunks. Cook them till they are 80 percent done. In a bowl mix coriander powder, red chilli powder and turmeric powder with 2 teaspoons of water. This is to prevent the spice mixture from burning. Heat the oil in a pan. Add the cumin seeds, asafoetida and red chillies. Toss. Add the mixed masala and salt. Toss for about half a minute. Tip in the potatoes and coat well with the masala. Allow the potatoes to cook well in the spices. Once it is done, switch off and garnish with lemon juice and finely chopped coriander leaves.

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Spicy Arbi fry.

Arbi fry is an Indian stir fry made with taro root, also known as colocasia. The arbi is coated in spices and shallow-fried over a medium flame till it is golden and crisp. It is popular both in North and South India. The spices used vary in both the regions.

Ingredients:

500 gms Arbi /taro root boiled, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces

4 tbsps Oil

¼ tsp Carom/ Ajwain seeds

3 tbsps Red chilli powder

1 tsp Cumin/ jeera powder

1 tsp Amchur/ dry mango powder

Salt

Method:

Wash and boil the arbi in a pan for about fifteen minutes. A toothpick pierced into the arbi should go in smoothly. Drain water. Allow to cool. Peel and chop or slice as per preference.
Heat oil in a pan. Add ajwain and when it starts sizzling add
the arbi and roast for a few minutes or until it becomes slightly crisp. The roasting should be on a gentle flame throughout with a quick toss in between. Taro roots are slimy in nature so they have to be roasted until crisp to get rid of the slimy texture.
Add salt, red chilly powder, cumin and Amchur powders. Mix well and cook for a couple of minutes on low heat. Serve hot with rice.

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Shogo Shabril.

Shogo Shabril is simply a filling wrapped in mashed potato or what could also be termed as a stuffed patty. Mince meat is the stuffing preferred for Shogo Shabril. This is the vegetarian version of Tibetan Shogo Shabril with peas and spices.

Ingredients:

3 large potatoes, boiled and mashed

1 cup Bread crumbs

1 cup fresh green peas boiled

1 small onion chopped fine

3 garlic pods, minced

1 inch sized piece of ginger minced

1/4 cup spring onion chopped fine

1/4 teaspoon pepper powder

1/4 teaspoon Sichuan pepper

Salt

Method:

Heat a tbsp of oil and roast the onion, garlic and ginger till the onions turn translucent and the ginger garlic gives out its aroma .
Add peas and season with Sichuan pepper, pepper powder and salt. Mix thoroughly.
Add the chopped spring onions. Mix well. Keep aside.
Knead the mashed potatoes with about half a cup of breadcrumbs and salt into a soft dough.
Take a portion of the potato dough, flatten and place a spoonful of the filling in the centre. Bring the edges of the dough together to form a cylindrical shape. Roll these over breadcrumbs and keep aside.
Deep fry all shapes in hot oil till golden brown on all sides.
Serve Shogo Shabril with tomato ketchup.

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Dum Aloo Benarasi

Dum Aloo is a dish which has many variations and from the one prepared in Punjab to the one in Kashmir or the one in Kolkata all are unique, with ingredients popular in that region being used. The Dum Aloo Benarasi is no way near to a rich Mughlai version. It is a simple take on this well-known dish, which can be easily made as everyday food at home. Pair it with some poori or with some hot steamed rice.

Ingredients:

1/2 kg Baby potatoes boiled and peeled

1 tsp Cumin seeds

7 Green cardamoms

1/2 tsp Fennel seeds

1 tsp Ginger grated

1 tbsp Garlic grated

1 large onion chopped fine

6 medium sized tomatoes finely chopped

1 tsp Kashmiri Red chilli powder

1 tsp Kasoori methi

1tsp Garam masala

1 tsp sugar

2tbsps butter

Coriander leaves chopped fine

Oil to fry the potatoes

2 tbsps oil for seasoning

A few cashews for garnishing.

Method:

Heat oil in a pan. Add the cumin seeds and after they crackle add the cardamom, fennel seeds, ginger, garlic, onion, tomatoes and chilli powder and mix well. Add some water, mix and cook till tomatoes turn mushy. Heat oil in a pan. Deep-fry the potatoes to a golden brown. Drain on kitchen towel. Blend the tomato mixture till smooth. Strain into another pan and bring to a boil adjusting consistency by adding water as required. Add the fried potatoes and mix well. Add the Kasoori methi, garam masala and sugar and mix well. Add butter, mix well and simmer for a few minutes. Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves and halved cashewnuts.

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Chana Madra.

Madra is a thick curd and legume based curry from the Himachali cuisine. Usually the beans that are added in Madra are chickpeas, kidney beans and black eyed beans. Madra can also be made by adding paneer along with the legume.

Ingredients:


250 gms Kabuli Chana soaked overnight and pressure cooked


12 cashews halved


3 tbsps oil of choice


1/4 teaspoon Asafoetida


3 Cloves


1 inch piece of Cinnamon


1 Black cardamom


5 Peppercorns


1 tsp Cumin seeds


1 Onion chopped


3/4 teaspoon Garam masala powder


1 tbsp Coriander Powder


1/2 tsp Turmeric powder


1 tbsp red chilly powder


Salt


3 Green Chillies slit


2 cups Hung Curd beaten till smooth


1tbsp Rice flour


1 tablespoon Ghee

Method:

Dry grind the black cardamom, peppercorns and cloves coarsely.

Mix rice flour with water and keep it aside. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan. Add a pinch of asafoetida, cumin seeds and cinnamon.

Next, add all the dry ground spices.

Add onion and roast till translucent. Add the garam masala powder and coriander powder.

Add the cooked chickpeas and cashews and mix it well with the masala. Add salt and chilli powder to taste.

Add the slit green chillies and allow it to cook for a couple of minutes.

Lower flame and add the whisked yogurt continuously stirring the chickpeas. Keep stirring the mixture until yogurt mixes well.

Increase the heat slightly and continue stirring till the yoghurt begins to boil. Stirring is important to avoid the yoghurt from curdling.

Add the rice flour paste and ghee and keeping on stirring all the while. Cook it for another 5-6 minutes . It thickens as it cools because of the rice flour added to it.

Serve it hot with rice and a salad.

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Khamiri Roti.

Khamiri Roti is a traditional Indian bread that was a staple during the Mughal era. It is made with whole wheat flour, milk and yeast and is extremely soft and spongy. Yeast is called Khamir and thus the name. Khamiri Roti can be paired with any subzi of your choice or with just a blob of butter.

Ingredients :


1 Tbsp Dry Yeast

1 tsp Sugar

1 tsp salt

1/3 cup Water

2 cups wheat flour

2 tbsp Milk

1 tsp Oil

1 tsp black Sesame seeds

1 tsp Kalonji seeds

2 tbsp finely chopped Coriander leaves.

Method:

Take dry yeast in a bowl, add sugar and warm water to it. Mix well and leave the mixture aside for twenty minutes for it to rise..
Take flour in a large bowl and add the yeast mixture to it. Add salt and milk, mix thoroughly and begin to knead the dough adding a little water at a time. Add oil, knead thoroughly and leave it covered for about two hours. After two hours give a quick knead and roll out into poori sized discs. Sprinkle sesame seeds, kalonji and coriander leaves on these discs and roll it further into desired shape. Heat a tava/ griddle. Place the roti gently on the tava and roast till it turns a golden brown. Flip and roast the other side as well. Brush with butter and serve the Khamiri roti with a dish of your choice.

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Panchmel Dal.

 Panchmel dal, also known as Rajasthani Panchratna Dal is a traditional dal prepared with five varieties of lentils and pulses and is a great accompaniment for baati, rice or Roti. Panch means five and Mel is to mix… So this translates to a mixture of five dals.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup whole Masoor

1/4 cup Chana dal

1/4 cup Arhar dal

1/4 cup whole Black Urad

1/4 cup Moong

2 tablespoons Ghee

1 tsp Cumin seeds

1 Onion chopped fine

4 cloves Garlic chopped fine

1 inch Ginger grated

2 Green Chillies slit

1 Bay leaves


1 Tomato chopped fine

1 inch piece of Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder

1/4 tsp Asafoetida

Juice of one lemon

Salt

For seasoning:

1 tbsp Ghee

1 tsp Cumin seeds

2 Dry Red Chillies broken

Method:

Wash and soak all the dals in water for about three hours.

Heat ghee in a pressure cooker add the cumin seeds and allow it to crackle.

Add the onion, green chillies, ginger and garlic and saute until the onion turns translucent.

Add the bay leaf and cinnamon and saute for a few seconds.
Add the tomatoes, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, hing and saute for about a minute until the tomatoes turn mushy.

Add the soaked dals, salt and add enough water to pressure cook the dal. Pressure cook to one whistle, lower hear and cook for fifteen minutes.

Allow the pressure to release naturally. Once the pressure has released, check if the dals are cooked . When pressed between fingers it should mash easily.

Add the lemon juice and the coriander leaves and transfer the Rajasthani Panchmel Dal to a bowl.

Heat ghee in a pan . Add the cumin seeds and red chillies and toss it for a few seconds. Season the Rajasthani Panchmel Dal and serve along with rice, roti or baati.

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Aloo Tikki.

Aloo tikki is a golden fried-potato patty that is stuffed either with peas or dal and served with a variety of spicy chutneys and sometimes chickpeas or just a potato patty that has spices added to it before being fried to a crisp.

Ingredients:

9 potatoes pressure cooked

5 green chillies

2 inch piece of ginger grated

5 cloves of garlic

3 tbsps finely chopped coriander leaves

Salt

Bread crumbs

Oil to roast the tikkis.

Method:

Peel the boiled potatoes and grate them. Make a paste of the green chillies, ginger and garlic.

To the grated potatoes add the ginger, garlic, green chilly paste, finely chopped coriander leaves and salt. Mix everything really well and knead it. Shape into tikkis, roll them into bread crumbs and keep them aside.

Heat a tava/ griddle. Drizzle some oil on it and spread it evenly. Now place as many tikkis as possible on the pan. Drizzle them with oil. Let the tikkis roast till they get golden brown in color. Then flip and roast the other side as well. Transfer the tikkis to a plate and serve hot with tamarind and mint chutney.

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Sheermal.

Kashmir famous for its scenic beauty and the variety of dried fruits is also a food lover’s paradise.

Amidst the love for the famous ultimate banquet wazwan, the Kashmiris also have a special place in their heart for bakery items. . Kashmiri cuisine also known as “Kashur Kyon” in the native language has a heavy influence from the Central Asian and Persian cuisine. The custom of having these breads for breakfast and dinner was adapted from them. In the local language, Tsot is a bread which is enjoyed with fresh apricot jam.. Out of the many, most sought out are the Katlamas, Sheermal, Lavas, Tsot and Tsotchovru. These are either had for breakfast tea or had as snack.

Ingredients:

250 ml Warm milk

2 tsps Sugar

1 tsp Saffron

300 gms Maida

1/2 tsp yeast

1/2 tsp Salt

100 gms melted Ghee

Dried fruits of choice slivered to garnish the Sheermal

1 tsp Ghee to apply on each Sheermal.

Method:

Dissolve saffron in a quarter cup of milk . Keep it aside. Dissolve the sugar and yeast in the remaining milk. Allow the yeast to rise for about five minutes. Tip the flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk sugar mixture, two teaspoons of saffron milk, and the melted ghee.
Start mixing gently and knead to make a soft dough.
Cover with a damp kitchen towel and set aside for about an hour. In colder climates you would need to rest it for about two hours or till the dough doubles in size.
Divide the dough into eight equal-sized portions. Shape them into balls.
Cover with a damp kitchen towel for a further fifteen minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease a baking tray or line with parchment paper.
Working with one ball at a time, roll it out into a disc about 5 inches in diameter. These should be rolled thick .
Place the discs on the prepared tray and bake for 5 minutes. Take the tray out, brush the flatbreads with saffron-infused milk. Immediately return to the oven for another 7 minutes or until the breads are golden and done.
Smear with ghee as soon as you take them out of the oven, top it with the slivered dried fruits and serve warm.

Alternatively, you may roast the Sheermal on a tava/ griddle as I have. Roast it till the side turns light golden yellow. Flip. Roast the other side as well. Brush both sides with the saffron milk and roast to a golden brown.

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Urad Dal ke Pakode

Urad dal ke pakode is a tasty treat made on all auspicious occasions – marriages, birthdays, Mundan, and also during Diwali. It is also made as an offering to the Gods. Urad is considered an auspicious grain in Uttarakhand. Therefore a celebration is never complete without these delicious urad dal pakodas. On days when it is not used as an offering, finely chopped onions and coriander leaves are added. Posting the traditional one today.

Ingredients:

250 gms Urad dal/ split black gram


1 tsp coarsely crushed seeds


6 green chillies chopped fine


1 tsp garam masala


Sesame seeds (optional)


Salt


Oil to fry the pakoda

Method:

Wash and soak the Urad dal for five hours. Drain and grind the dal in a wet grinder or in the mixer to a smooth and fluffy batter. Tip into a bowl. Add the finely chopped chillies, coarsely crushed cumin seeds, garam masala and salt. Mix thoroughly.
Heat oil in a pan. Drop in tiny portions of the batter into the hot oil and deep fry them to a deep golden yellow. Transfer them on to a paper towel. Serve with chutney or tomato ketchup.

Note: if using the sesame seeds, balls of the batter have to be dropped into sesame seeds and then fried.

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