Desserts - Vinaya's Culinary Delights

Zafrani kheer.

Posted on January 10, 2023January 11, 2023 by vinayaprabhu2

Zafran translates to saffron in Urdu and Zafrani kheer is a dish prepared in the Northern states of India. Also called Gullathi, it is rice kheer which is served at weddings in most parts of the North. A fragrant and rich dessert it is also garnished with a variety of chopped dry fruits.

Ingredients:

1 litre full fat milk

1/2 cup khoya

2 tbsps Basmati rice

7 green cardamom

12 cashewnuts

A few strands of saffron

12 tsps sugar powdered

A handful of dried fruits like cashews, pistachio and almonds chopped.

Method:

Soak the saffron in three tablespoons of milk. Keep aside. Also soak the Basmati rice in water for about half an hour. Drain and grind it along with the twelve cashews and cardamom to a fine paste with a little milk. Pour the full fat milk in a heavy bottomed pan and bring to a boil. Keep simmering for about five minutes. Tip in the khoya, the ground paste and the saffron infused milk. Keep simmering, taking care to see that you keep stirring it once every couple of minutes till the rice is cooked. After another four minutes add the chopped dried fruits and powdered sugar. Simmer for another four minutes and switch off at this stage as the kheer turns slightly thick on cooling. Serve the Zafrani kheer hot or cold.

For more vegetarian recipes please join Vegetarian Culinary Delights by Vinaya on Fb.

Churma.

Posted on January 5, 2023January 5, 2023 by vinayaprabhu2

Churma , a traditional Rajasthani dessert which is served alongside Dal baati is prepared by crushing wheat coarsely, binding it into a dough and then either baking it or frying it. It is then powdered and after the powder has cooled powdered sugar and dry fruits are added to it.

Ingredients:

200 gms wheat flour

5 tbsps semolina/rava

12 tbsps ghee/ clarified butter

100 gms powdered sugar

Ghee for frying.

5 tbsps of chopped mixed dry fruits

Milk as required to bind the dough.

Method:

Tip the wheat flour along with the semolina in a large bowl. Mix well and then add 5 tablespoons of ghee into this mixture. Crumble the mixture well, rubbing the ghee into the wheat flour and semolina.

Pour milk in batches in the wheat-semolina mixture and knead it into a medium stiff dough. Cover with a cotton cloth and keep the dough aside.

Divide the dough into small balls.
Take a ball in your hand and press it lightly between your palms to flatten it a bit. Repeat the process to make more such flattened balls.

Heat the ghee in a pan. Deep fry the Churma balls to a rich brown. Drain and place them on a plate.

Allow the Churma balls to cool for about ten minutes.

Grind the Churma balls into a slightly coarse powder.

Add Ghee, powdered sugar and dry fruits of your choice to this mixture. Serve along with Dal baati.

For more vegetarian recipes please join Vegetarian Culinary Delights by Vinaya on Fb.

Moong dal and Lapsi sweet khichdi

Posted on January 2, 2023January 2, 2023 by vinayaprabhu2

Moong dal and Lapsi rava/ green gram dal and Bulgar wheat sweet khichdi is traditionally prepared by the GSB community during the month of Paush/ Pushya. This is an offering made to Lord Vishnu on Vaikuntha Ekadashi or the eleventh day of the bright half of the lunar month.

Ingredients:

125 gms Moong dal

125 gms fine variety of Lapsi rava

6 tbsps grated coconut

300 gms sugar

2 tbsps cardamom powder

6 tbsps ghee

15 Cashewnuts halved

25 kishmish

Three fourth litre boiling water.

Method:

Dry roast the moong dal to a rich golden brown. Keep aside. Dry roast the Lapsi rava too till it gives its aroma. Keep aside. Roast the cashewnuts in a tbsp of ghee to a golden yellow. Add the kishmish and continue to roast till the cashew turns a golden brown and the kishmish fluff up. Keep aside.

Add the roasted moongdal to the boiling water and cook till eighty percent done. Add the lapsi rava and continue to cook till it turns soft and fluffy. Add sugar and continue to boil the mixture .. Keep stirring once every few minutes to ensure that it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Once the mixture starts coming together add the ghee, grated coconut, cardamom powder, roasted Cashewnuts and kishmish and mix thoroughly. Pour it into a greased plate and allow to cool thoroughly. Cut into desired shape and serve garnished with slices of banana.

Note: The entire process of dry roasting the moong dal and rava , so also of the mixture once it starts boiling should be done on a very gentle flame. At no point should the flame be kept high.

For more vegetarian recipes please join Vegetarian Culinary Delights by Vinaya on Fb.

Wheat flour and jaggery Malpua

Posted on September 29, 2022September 29, 2022 by vinayaprabhu2

The recipe of this delicious wheat flour malpua was shared by my friend Pinky Deshpande. Malpuas are generally made of Maida/APF and sugar.. This is a healthier version using wheat flour and jaggery.

Ingredients for the batter:

1 cup wheat Flour

1 cup Semolina

2 Tbsps Curds

2 tbsps fennel seeds

1 tsp Cardamom powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1+1/4 cup milk

Ghee to fry the malpuas

Method:

Batter:

Take a bowl and tip in the wheat flour, Sooji, Baking Soda, Cardamom powder, Fennel Seeds and Curds. Mix well. Add milk a little at a time and make a smooth batter without any lumps. Keep it aside for around fifteen minutes for the sooji to absorb the milk and curds.

Jaggery syrup:

1+1/4 cup jaggery powder

1+1/4 cup water

A few strands of saffron

5 drops of lemon juice

1tsp cardamom powder

Method:

Tip the Jaggery powder and water into a pan. Boil it for 10 minutes on a gentle flame. Add the lemon juice, saffron and the cardamom powder and keep stirring till it reaches a one string consistency. Remove from the flame and keep it aside.
Add lemon juice, saffron and cardamom powder and keep stirring till it reaches a one string consistency… Remove from flame and keep aside .
Take a wide pan and pour about five tbsps of Ghee.
Pour a spoonful of batter in it. See that the batter poured is slightly at a distance. You can fry around four malpuas at a time. Fry until the malpuas turn golden brown on both sides. Remove them and place them on a plate.
Allow the malpuas to cool a bit before dropping them into the jaggery syrup. Keep them in the syrup for about three minutes. Remove, place them on a plate and serve garnished with slivered pistachio and almonds.

For more vegetarian recipes please join Vegetarian Culinary Delights by Vinaya on Fb.

Uluva Kanji

Posted on September 18, 2022September 18, 2022 by vinayaprabhu2

Uluva Kanji or gruel made from Matta rice and Fenugreek seeds is a Keralite delicacy.. Matta rice is brown coloured unpolished rice which has many health benefits… it has a low glycemic index as well so recommended for diabetics. This Kanji is specially made during the Karkada maasa or the month when the epic Ramayana is read in Keralite households. Coconut milk and cardamom powder make this preparation truly delightful!

Ingredients:

60 gms/ 6 tbsps of Matta rice

2tsps Fenugreek seeds

Jaggery depending on individual preference

Coconut milk extracted from half of a large coconut/ 250 ml tin

1tsp cardamom powder

Method:

Wash and soak the rice and Fenugreek seeds for three hours. Pressure cook to four whistles. After the pressure is released, add jaggery and bring to a boil. Tip in the coconut milk and cardamom powder. Mix thoroughly and heat. Do not bring to a boil once the coconut milk is added. Serve immediately.

For more vegetarian recipes please join Vegetarian Culinary Delights by Vinaya on Fb.

Onion / Pyaz Paratha

Posted on July 8, 2022July 8, 2022 by vinayaprabhu2

Paratha is the most preferred breakfast of the North Indians. These parathas can be made with a variety of fillings depending upon family preference. The most popular ones are with a filling of potato. Today posting a paratha which is stuffed with finely sliced onions. Parathas are normally served with curd and pickle or with a raita.

Ingredients:

500 gms wheat flour

2 large onions sliced fine

1 tbsp Kashmiri Lal chilly powder

1tbsp Coriander powder

1tsp Cumin powder

1tbsp Amchur/ raw mango powder

1tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves

A pinch of garam masala

A level tsp carom seeds/ ajwain rubbed lightly between the palms.

Salt

3 tsps oil.

Method:

Take the wheat flour in a bowl. Add required amount of salt and the carom seeds. Mix well. Add hot water a little at a time and bind into a soft dough. Add the oil and keep kneading for another ten minutes. This helps in forming the gluten. Cover and keep aside for half an hour. In the meanwhile slice the onions fine. Add the chilly, coriander, cumin, garam masala, raw mango powders and mix well. Add the finely chopped coriander leaves. Mix, cover and keep aside. Salt is to be added only when you are ready to make the parathas or else the onions will release water making the filling soggy.

After the dough has rested for half an hour, knead it again for a couple of minutes and pinch balls out of it. I usually make 12 parathas out of the proportion mentioned. Add salt to the onions. Mix. Divide into 12 portions. Take a ball of dough and roll it out into a circle of three inch diameter. Place the filling in the centre, bring the sides of the dough together taking care to see that the filling is covered from all sides. Similarly finish off with the remaining balls. Dust the stuffed ball with flour and roll out to a thick six inch diameter sized paratha. Finish off similarly with the remaining balls. Heat a skillet/ tava. Place a paratha on the heated tava and dry roast both sides of the Paratha till you see bubbles appearing on the surface. Brush with ghee/ clarified butter and roast till it turns a rich golden brown on both sides. Serve topped with a blob of butter with curd, raita or even pickle.

For more vegetarian recipes please join Vegetarian Culinary Delights by Vinaya on Fb.

Divine Dosa

Posted on November 20, 2021November 20, 2021 by vinayaprabhu2

Like the story of Goldilocks where she found the right size of the chair, bowl of porridge and the bed, this Dosa too is just right for those who love crisp or others who love soft dosas. Spread extremely thin it turns out super crisp and a beautiful golden orangish brown and when spread thick turns out fluffy and porous. There are dosas and dosas, but this particular combination is a winner.

Ingredients:

500 gms Masoor Dal

250 gms rice

150 gms Urad dal

1 heaped tsp Methi seeds

Salt

Oil to roast the dosa.

Method:

Wash and soak the urad and masoor dal together in a container. Wash and soak the rice and methi seeds together in another container. The dals and rice have to be soaked for about five hours. First grind the urad and masoor dal together in the wet grinder for half an hour adding enough water as required to get a smooth and fluffy batter. In the meanwhile grind the rice and methi seeds together in the mixer to a fine batter. Drop this batter into the wet grinder and continue grinding for another five minutes till the dals and rice have blended well. Pour the batter into a large container. Add salt and mix well. Allow to ferment for ten to twelve hours.

Mix the batter thoroughly and pour a ladleful on a hot griddle/ tava. Spread it thinly in concentric circles over the tava, drizzle with a teaspoon of oil or ghee. Reduce flame and allow to roast to a golden brown. This dosa does not need to be roasted on the other side as it gets roasted well since its spread thin. Fold and serve with chutney or potato bhaji.

You can also make thick fluffy ones by pouring a ladleful of batter on a hot tava, drizzling with ghee or oil and spreading it to required thickness. Cover and cook over a medium flame. This too need not be flipped and roasted .. it gets cooked to perfection.

The above measurement when measured in cups reads to two cups of masoor dal, one cup of rice and three fourth cup of urad dal.

For more vegetarian recipes please join Vegetarian Culinary Delights by Vinaya on Fb.

Tutti fruiti cake

Posted on July 2, 2021 by vinayaprabhu2

A simple Tutti fruiti cake which is ready in just an hour. Fragrant, easy to make and a must try for beginners and those who prefer baking without eggs.

Ingredients:

1 cup Curds

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 and 1/4 cup Maida/ APF

1 and 1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tbsp Vanilla essence

1/2 cup Vegetable oil

A handful of tutti fruiti

Ghee or oil to grease the tin

Method:

In a bowl take 1 cup curds. Whisk it to ensure that there are no lumps.
Sieve the powdered sugar into it and mix till it dissolves.
Add the baking powder and baking soda and mix well. It will turn frothy and will bubble up. Keep it aside for 5-7 minutes.
Add the vanilla essence and the vegetable oil. Mix through till the oil gets well incorporated.
Now add the maida/ all purpose flour and mix.
Add the tutti fruiti and mix gently.
Transfer it to a baking tin lined with parchment/ butter paper or just grease the tin with ghee and sprinkle a little maida over it. Bake at 180 degrees for 30-40 mins in microwave on convection + microwave mode. You can also bake it in a pressure cooker without the pressure. Just tip in table salt into the pressure cook and allow to heat well. Place a steel ring or trivet on the salt and place the baking tin on it. Cover and bake for 45 minutes.
A toothpick inserted into the cake should come out clean. If not bake for another ten minutes.
De mould once it comes to room temperature and serve.

For more vegetarian recipes please join Vegetarian Culinary Delights by Vinaya on Fb.

Gulab jamoon, Gajar ka Halva and Rabadi recipe

Posted on April 2, 2021 by vinayaprabhu2

This three combo dessert was prepared to celebrate the first anniversary of my Fb page Vegetarian Culinary delights by Vinaya. A traditional North Indian dessert, it can be prepared beforehand and served either individually or as a combination. I have never been a fan of serving Gulab jamoon or Gajar ka Halva with Vanilla ice cream. This was very popular a few years ago. The icecream just takes away the richness of these two traditional dishes. I decided to prepare a Rabadi to pour over the Gajar ka Halva . A scoop of this decadence with a bite of Gulab jamoon is sheer heaven! I have posted the recipes to both the Gulab jamoon and Gajar ka Halva earlier, so sharing the recipe link to the same.

Gulab Jamoon Recipe

Gajar Ka Halwa Recipe

Ingredients to make the Rabadi

1.5 litres of milk

100 gms sugar

Slivers of Pistachio and Almonds ( optional)

Method:

Pour the milk into either a non stick or heavy bottomed pan. Bring to a boil and simmer it on a gentle flame till it is reduced to half the quantity. Take care to see that you keep stirring the milk every few minutes so that it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Add the sugar and keep simmering it till it reduces further. Keep pushing the cream/ malai that forms on top of the Rabadi to the sides of the pan. The procedure is complete when the milk reduces to exactly one fourth of the original quantity. You are left with around 300- 325 ml of thick, condensed milk. Scrape the cream back into the milk, cover and allow the mixture to cool. Refrigerate. Serve the Rabadi topped with slivers of almonds or Pistachio with either Gajar ka Halva or even Jalebi.

For more vegetarian recipes please join Vegetarian Culinary Delights by Vinaya on Fb.

Home made icecream

Posted on March 28, 2021March 28, 2021 by vinayaprabhu2

A simple, easy to make icecream which is ready in no time. You can use flavour and fruits accordingly of your choice. Here I have used the good old vanilla essence as I wanted to use a variety of fruits.

Ingredients:

1 litre full fat milk

2 tbsps corn flour

12 tsps sugar

1/4 tsp vanilla essence

Method:

Dissolve the corn flour in a quarter cup of milk. Stir well to ensure there are no lumps. Keep aside. Bring the milk to a boil. Add sugar, stir and simmer on a gentle flame for five minutes. Add the corn flour mixture and keep stirring for about five minutes. Add the vanilla essence and mix well. Switch off and allow to cool thoroughly. Pour it into any tray or mould and place it in the freezer compartment. After five hours, remove and blitz it once in the mixer. Pour it back into the tray and freeze. Ice cream gets set in two hours. Serve with fruits of your choice.

For more vegetarian recipes please join Vegetarian Culinary Delights by Vinaya on Fb.