Jamun/ Java plum dip.

This Jamun dip is a refreshing and  tongue tickling one that can be used as a dip or as an accompaniment along with anything that one prefers it with. It is extremely easy to make and is absolutely delicious.

Ingredients:

15 ripe Jamuns

2 garlic cloves

2 green chillies

A pinch of cumin powder

A pinch of pepper powder

5 tbsps hung curds

1 tsp sugar

Salt

Method:

Pit the Jamuns and drop the pulp into a blender. Add the garlic, sugar, salt, green chillies, pepper and cumin powder and the hung curds. Blend well. Chill and serve.

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Imli Pyaz Chutney.

The Imli pyaz chutney is a lip smacking tangy and sweet chutney which is served with Amritsari chole kulche or even as a dip with pakora. You can add finely chopped onions or spring onions as per preference. .

Ingredients:

A small ball of tamarind soaked for two hours

3 tbsps sugar

1 heaped tsp chilly powder

1 tsp roasted cumin seeds powdered

Salt

2 onions finely chopped

1 green chilly

1 tbsp of coriander leaves

A pinch of black salt.

Method:

Crush the soaked tamarind well and pass it through a sieve. It should yield about half a cup of tamarind puree. Pulse the green chilly and coriander leaves and tip it along with the sugar, salt, roasted cumin powder, black salt and chilly powder into the tamarind puree. Mix thoroughly till the sugar dissolves. Add finely chopped onions and mix well. Serve.

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Ivygourd Chutney.

The best way of utilising Ivygourd which have ripened,  is to use them up in making this chutney. The chutney goes well with Roti, rice and so also with bread.

Ingredients:

10 ripe Ivygourd

Half of a small coconut

10 roasted Byadgi chillies

A marble sized piece of tamarind

A tsp of jaggery

A kidney bean sized piece of Asafoetida

Salt

1 tsp coconut oil.

Method:

Chop the Ivygourd and cook it till done. Allow to cool thoroughly. Blend the coconut, roasted red chillies, tamarind, jaggery, salt and asafoetida  to a smooth paste. Tip it into a bowl. Drizzle with coconut oil. Mix well and serve.

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Sonth.

Sonth is a date,  tamarind and jaggery chutney spiced with ginger powder, roasted cumin and red chilly powder. It is served as a dip with a variety of snacks. Those who love their Pani poori without the spice, use Sonth.

Ingredients:

A tennis ball sized amount of tamarind

10 dates, deseeded and boiled

Jaggery as per taste

1 tbsp roasted cumin powder

1 tbsp ginger powder

1 tsp chilly powder

Salt.

Method:

Soak the ball of tamarind in hot water and extract the pulp. Add the jaggery, salt and spices and tip it into a pan. Grind the boiled dates to a smooth paste and add it to. Boil this mixture till it acquired a semi solid consistency. Allow to cool thoroughly. Store in an airtight tight bottle..

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Horsegram Chutney powder.

This dry horsegram chutney powder is popular in my home town of South Canara. Horsegram is packed with nutrition, hence would be served with rice gruel/ Kanji/ Hanji anna to children. It can also be enjoyed with Dal and rice.

Ingredients:

200 gms horsegram

12 Byadgi chillies

Half of a copra

1 tbsp coriander seeds

1 tbsp urad dal

A marble sized ball of tamarind

Salt.

Method:

Dry roast the horsegram on a low flame till it changes colour and gives out its aroma. Roast the dry chillies in a little coconut oil till crisp. Allow it to cool. Slice the copra into slivers. Dry roast the coriander seeds and urad dal separately till they give out their aroma. Dry grind the roasted horsegram, Byadgi chillies, coriander seeds, urad dal, copra, tamarind and salt on pulse mode to  a semi coarse powder. Store in an airtight container.

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Green chilly dip.

This fragrant, spicy and delicious green chilly dip goes extremely well with String hoppers/ Shenvayi/ Idiappam, and with idli. This is a traditional Dip or what is called Tarne mirsange Uddak in my mother tongue Konkani.

Ingredients:

7 green medium spicy variety of chillies

A kidney bean sized pieces of asafoetida

Salt

1 tbsp coconut oil

Water as required.

Method:

Tip in the green chillies, Asafoetida and a quarter glass of water into the blender. Grind to a smooth paste. Strain. Add salt and half a glass of water. Drizzle with coconut oil. Serve.

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Hari mirch/ Green chilly chutney

This green chillies chutney can be served with parathas, kebabs or even with parathas. With the tang of raw mangoes , tomato and lemon juice, this chutney is absolutely a must try. My friend dear Debjani Banerjee generously shared her recipe with me.

Ingredients:

1/2 of a small raw mango

1 medium tomato

Juice of half a lemon

A small bunch of coriander leaves

Green chillies as per preference

Salt

1 tsp oil.

Method:

Tip in the raw mango, tomato, green chillies, coriander leaves and lemon juice into the blender along with salt. Grind to a smooth paste. Drop it into a bottle, and mix in the oil. Store in the refrigerator and use as required.

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Hasi mensinkayi khara/ green chilly dry chutney.

Hasi mensinkayi refers to green chillies in Kannada. Khara is spice. Here is a dry flavorful green chilly chutney which is used with traditional North Karnataka dishes like Jowar Bhakri, Akki rotti or even used to flavour a vegetable.

Ingredients:

15 green chillies chopped

100 grams roasted peanuts

1 tsp cumin seeds

15 cloves of garlic

A small bunch of coriander leaves

Salt

A tsp of powdered jaggery

A marble sized piece of tamarind

200 gms oil.

Method:

Heat oil in a pan. Add the chopped green chillies, garlic and cumin seeds and roast till the garlic and green chillies change colour. Allow the mixture to cool. Tip in the roasted peanuts, the cooled mixture, tamarind, jaggery, salt and coriander leaves into a blender and grind to a coarse paste. The oil released by the groundnuts and the oil that was used facilitates grinding the mixture which can be shaped into a ball. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Shelf life is a week to ten days.

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Gooseberry/ Amla chutney – 2

This is the second variety of Amla chutney or gozzu as the Konkani speaking community calls it. The first variety had raw garlic added to it. Here, the number of garlic cloves added are more and they are roasted in ghee. This chutney can be served with any kind of dosa or also slathered on bread.

Ingredients:

10 tbsps grated coconut

3 brined gooseberries

10 garlic cloves

1 tsp ghee

7 roasted red chillies

Salt.

Method:

Wash the brined gooseberries and pit them. Heat the ghee in a pan and roast the garlic to a rich brown. Tip it into the blender along with the grated coconut, roasted red chillies, gooseberry and salt. Grind to a smooth paste adding very little water. Do remember to be careful with salt as the brined gooseberries already contain it. Best eaten fresh.

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Donne Mensinkayi/ Capsicum Gojju.

I have already posted a Bell pepper curry popular in North Karnataka. Here is another. Called Gojju or Menskai in the local parlance, the Gojju is normally mixed with rice or also served as a side dish with Jolada rotti or chapati. Various other vegetables too can be substituted for Bell pepper. The most popular is the one made with pines.

Ingredients:

2 medium sized Bell peppers cut into bits.

4 tsps white sesame

1 tsp black sesame

6 tbsps grated coconut

5 roasted Byadgi chillies

4 roasted Guntur chillies

1 heaped tbsp tamarind paste

6 tbsps jaggery powder or a small piece of jaggery

1 tbsp black gram/ urad dal

1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds

A kidney bean sized piece of asafoetida

A pinch of turmeric powder

Salt

4 tbsps coconut oil.

For the tempering:

1 tbsp oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 dry red chilly

2 sprigs curry leaves.

Method:

Dry roast the sesame seeds till they splutter and turn a golden brown. Roast the chillies in a tbsp of oil. Remove. Add the urad dal, fenugreek seeds and asafoetida. Roast till the urad dal turns light brown in colour. Remove from flame and allow to cool. Grind the roasted items, coconut and roasted sesame seeds to a fine paste with enough water. Heat two tbsps oil in a pan. Drop in the chopped Bell pepper, turmeric and salt. Saute for a couple of minutes. Add the tamarind paste and jaggery. Add a glass of water and bring to a boil. Simmer till the bell pepper is seventy five percent done. Pour in the ground paste , cover and cook till done. Heat one tbsp oil. Add the mustard. After it splitters add the dry red chilly and curry leaves. Pour the seasoning into the Gojju. Mix well and serve hot.

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