vinayaprabhu2 - Vinaya's Culinary Delights

Coconut milk and flattened rice payasam.

Posted on June 30, 2025June 30, 2025 by vinayaprabhu2

One of the easiest way to satiate those cravings for a dessert is to make this payasam which is ready in no time. With coconut milk readily available these days, it takes just ten minutes to make it.

Ingredients:

3 tbsps thick poha/ flattened rice

200 ml thick coconut milk

250 ml water

5 cashews halved

10 raisins

1 tsp cardamom powder

Jaggery as per taste

1 tbsp ghee.

Method:

Tip the coconut milk and 250 ml water into a pan. Bring to a boil on a very low flame. Heat the ghee in a pan. Add the cashews and roast to a golden brown. Remove. Add the raisins and roast till they fluff up. Remove and keep aside. Roast the poha in the remaining ghee till it changes colour. Add all the roasted ingredients and jaggery into the boiling coconut milk. Add the cardamom powder and simmer for a couple of minutes. Switch off. Serve hot . You can also refrigerate it and enjoy it cold.

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Narthangai/ Citron pickle.

Posted on June 30, 2025June 30, 2025 by vinayaprabhu2

Citron fruit, also known as Citrus medica, offers a range of health benefits due to its rich content of vitamin C, antioxidants, and fiber. These include boosting the immune system, aiding digestion, potentially lowering blood pressure, and having anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It is slightly bitter in taste which can be offset by adding some lemon juice to it.

Ingredients:

One medium sized Citron

Salt

Turmeric

Chilly powder

Oil

Mustard seeds

Methi seeds

Asafoetida

Juice of lemon.

All the above mentioned ingredients are as per individual preference. There is no set measurement as this pickle is more of a digestive than an accompaniment.

Method:

Wash and wipe dry the Citron. Cut it into bite sized pieces. Add salt and turmeric powder . Mix well. Bottle it and keep shaking the bottle twice a day for about 5 days. On the sixth day add some chilly powder. Heat oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds and after they splutter add the asafoetida and methi seeds. Toss. Pour the seasoning into the pickle. Add lemon juice as per requirement. Mix well. Refrigerate. Use after a couple of days.

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Jamun seed powder.

Posted on June 30, 2025June 30, 2025 by vinayaprabhu2

Jamun seed powder, derived from the dried and ground seeds of the Jamun fruit, offers several potential health benefits. It’s known for its ability to help regulate blood sugar levels, improve digestion, and potentially aid in weight management. Additionally, it may contribute to better heart health and enhanced immunity.

Ingredients:

Seeds of the Jamun fruit

A few sprigs of curry leaves

A few sprigs of moringa leaves.

Method:

Wash the seeds thoroughly. I used the ones left over after making the jam. Allow them to dry thoroughly. If possible try to sun them. Remove the outer cover of the seed. Dry the curry and moringa leaves in the microwave. Grind the jamun seeds, moringa and curry leaves to a fine powder. Store in a dry, airtight jar. Take a spoon of this powder morning and evening.

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Peanut salad.

Posted on June 30, 2025June 30, 2025 by vinayaprabhu2

A healthy and delicious peanut salad which can be served with rice or roti. I prefer to add it to some puffed rice/ kurmura along with some green chutney to snack on when the stomach starts growling.

Ingredients:

100 gms peanuts soaked overnight

1 tomato finely chopped

1 onion finely chopped

1 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves

Juice of half a lemon

A sprinkling of chilly flakes

1 tbsp grated coconut

1 tsp oil of choice

1/4 tsp mustard seeds

1 sprig curry leaves

Salt

Method:

Pressure cook the peanuts with salt till they are soft. Normally ten minutes on a low flame after the first whistle suffices. Allow to cool thoroughly before adding the chopped tomato, onion, coriander leaves , chilly flakes and grated coconut. Heat oil in a pan. Drop in the mustard and after it splutters add the curry leaves. Switch off and pour the seasoning over the peanuts. Drizzle with lemon juice. Mix well and serve.

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Jamun/ Java plum jam.

Posted on June 30, 2025June 30, 2025 by vinayaprabhu2

After the juice and raita here comes a jam. An extremely easy to make one which is ready in just an hour. The time taken is in cooling before one can puree the jamun. The sugar content depends totally on the sweetness of the jamun. Just add as per taste. Here, the jamuns were pretty sweet, so I did not have to add much sugar.

Ingredients:

500 gms Jamun

150 gms sugar

Juice of one lemon.

Method:

Wash and dry the jamuns. Pick out the soft ones which are a little over ripe. Drop them into a pan. Add 250 ml water and bring to a boil. Lower heat and boil for five minutes. Switch off and allow to cool thoroughly. Remove the seeds and tip the pulp into the blender. Blend till smooth. Pour this puree into a non stick pan. Add the sugar and allow to boil covered on a low flame. Add the lemon juice and keep boiling till a drop of the mixture dropped on a plate does not run. Switch off. Cool thoroughly and bottle. Keep refrigerated .

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Jamun/ Java plum raita.

Posted on June 26, 2025June 26, 2025 by vinayaprabhu2

When you have Jamun on hand, make the most of it. After gorging on them, made a juice, some popsicles and now it’s a raita. A simple no fuss raita which can be had as a meal by itself.

Ingredients:

15 jamun sliced

250 ml curds

1 green chilly finely chopped

Salt

A pinch of roasted cumin seed powder.

Method:

Tip the sliced jamun, curds and roasted cumin seeds powder into a bowl. Crush the finely chopped green chilly with salt and add it to the raita. Mix well and serve chilled.

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Masoor dal and rice Dosa.

Posted on June 25, 2025June 25, 2025 by vinayaprabhu2

Masoor dal has numerous health benefits due to its rich nutrient profile. It’s a good source of protein, fiber, and various vitamins and minerals, contributing to heart health, improved digestion, blood sugar regulation, and more. Posting a dosa today which turns out extremely crisp.

Ingredients:

200 gms Masoor dal

100 gms rice

2 tbsps urad dal

1 tsp methi seeds

Salt

Oil for roasting the dosa.

Method:

Wash and soak the Masoor dal and urad dal together. Soak the rice and the methi seeds separately. All the ingredients should be soaked for about four hours. Grind the masoor dal and urad dal in the wet grinder using a little water at a time for about twenty minutes till it is fluffy. Add the rice and methi seeds and continue grinding till the batter turns smooth. I usually grind the rice and methi in the mixer and add it to the masoor dal batter after the masoor dal batter has fluffed up, grinding it for another ten minutes so that both the batters get incorporated well. Tip the batter into a vessel, add salt, mix well , cover and allow to ferment for ten hours.

Before making the dosas, give the batter a good stir. Pour a ladleful of the batter on the hot tava/ skillet and spread it in concentric circles till it covers the entire tava. Drizzle with oil or ghee. Allow it to roast to a golden brown. Flip and roast on the other side only if required. Serve hot with chutney or potato bhaji.

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Drumstick soup.

Posted on June 24, 2025June 24, 2025 by vinayaprabhu2

Our ancestors knew the benefits of Moringa/ Drumstick and used it in a variety of preparations. The leaves, flowers or the vegetable itself was included once a week in one’s diet. Today, having realised it’s value, moringa powder is packaged and sold as a nutrient. No packaged food can ever replace the nutritive value of the original. Here is a soup that can be seasoned as per choice. Today, I have used finely chopped garlic and onion as seasoning.

Ingredients:

300 gms Drumsticks

1 tbsp pepper powder

15 cloves of garlic finely chopped

2 medium sized onions finely chopped

Salt

2 tbsps butter.

Method:

Cut the drumsticks into long pieces and pressure cook in 250 ml of water to three whistles. After it has cooled, open the drumsticks and remove the pulp. Blend it in the mixer and tip it into a pan. Add water to the drumstick residue and crush to extract the pulp adhering to it. Repeat the process twice. Pour this water into the blended pulp. Add salt and pepper and transfer it to the stove. Bring to a boil. Heat the butter in a pan. Add the garlic and roast to a golden brown. Drop in the onions and roast till translucent. Drop this seasoning into the boiling soup. Simmer for a couple of minutes to allow the flavours to infuse. Switch off. Serve with a blob of butter.

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Jamun/ Java plum popsicle.

Posted on June 24, 2025June 24, 2025 by vinayaprabhu2

A healthy Jamun popsicle to enjoy during the season. I have used no sugar while preparing it. You may do so if you wish to.

Ingredients:

500 gms Jamun

2 tbsps lime juice

600 ml water

Sugar only if required

Pinch of salt

1 tsp Chaat masala

Black salt for garnish.

Method:

Remove the flesh of the jamoon with your fingers. Tip it into a blender along with sugar. Blend to a smooth paste with water just enough to blend it thoroughly. Pour it into a bowl. Add the water, salt, chaat masala and lemon juice and after mixing thoroughly strain it. Pour it into moulds of desired shape . Insert icecream sticks in place. Freeze it overnight. To unmould just hold it under running water. Demould, sprinkle with a little black salt and enjoy.

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Nashpati/ pears salad.

Posted on June 23, 2025June 23, 2025 by vinayaprabhu2

A friend had given me some farm fresh pears… Some were ripe, and the others semi ripe. After enjoying the ripe ones and stewing some, prepared a salad of the ones remaining.

2 semi ripe pears

A handful of pomegranate seeds

1 tbsp sesame seeds dry roasted to a golden brown

1/2 tsp chilly flakes

1/2 tsp chaat masala

1 tbsp jaggery powder

Lemon juice as required

1 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves.

Salt

Method:

Chop the pears into bite sized chunks. Add all the above mentioned ingredients and toss well. Serve chilled.

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