Lovely Lentils - Vinaya's Culinary Delights

Rajma/ Kidney beans Saarupkari.

Posted on September 21, 2025September 21, 2025 by vinayaprabhu2

A variety of preparations are made with Rajma all over India. Mangaloreans are particularly fond of a preparation called Saarupkari which is served over rice. It is cooked rajma seasoned with garlic in a soup like consistency .. it can be served as a soup as well.

Ingredients:

125 gms Rajma washed and soaked overnight

15 garlic cloves crushed

4 dried red chillies broken into two

1 tsp tamarind paste

2 tbsps oil

Salt.

Method:

Pressure cook the rajma along with salt till it is soft and slightly mushy. Add the tamarind paste, adjust consists adding more water if required… Bring to a roaring boil. Lower heat and keep simmering. Heat oil in a pan. Drop in the crushed garlic and roast to a golden brown. Add the red chilly pieces and toss for a few seconds. Drop in the seasoning into the boiling Rajma. Allow to simmer for a couple of minutes. Switch off and keep aside for fifteen minutes to allow the flavours to infuse before serving.

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Seemebadnekai/ Chayote squash Sambhar.

Posted on September 9, 2025September 9, 2025 by vinayaprabhu2

Chayote squash also known as Chow chow, Seemebadnekai or Qalb Alouzah is a vegetable used in a variety of recipes from a simple stir- fry, a Sambhar or even as fritters. Here is a Sambhar today which can be served over rice or as an accompaniment to Idli and Dosa. .

Ingredients:

250 gms Chow chow peeled and chopped into bite sized pieces

2 large onions sliced

100 gms Arhar dal pressure cooked

1 heaped tbsp tamarind paste

2 tbsps Sambhar powder

Salt

2 tbsps Ghee

1 tbsp oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

2 sprigs curry leaves

A pinch of hing/ asafoetida.

Method:

Drop the chow chow pieces into a pan. Add two glasses of water and salt. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and when half cooked add the Sambhar powder. Cook till done. Add the cooked dal, tamarind paste and adjust salt. Boil for a few minutes till the flavours are infused. Heat the Ghee and oil mixture in a pan. Add the mustard seeds and asafoetida. After the mustard seeds splutter add the curry leaves and sliced onions. Roast till translucent. Drop the seasoning into the boiling Sambhar. Switch off and serve.

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Chana Madra.

Posted on January 23, 2023January 23, 2023 by vinayaprabhu2

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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Hara Dhaniya Choliya

Posted on January 3, 2023January 3, 2023 by vinayaprabhu2

Choliya is raw gram/ Hara chana which is available during the winter months. Hara Dhaniya Choliya is a preparation from the state of Haryana and goes well with both rice or roti.

Ingredients:

250 grams choliya

1 large onion finely chopped

1 large tomato finely chopped

1 inch Cinnamon

2 tsps Coriander powder

1 tsp red chilly powder

1 teaspoon Garam masala

2 tbsps Ghee/ clarified butter

3 tbsps Coriander leaves finely chopped

Salt

To grind to a paste:

2 inch piece of ginger

5 – 6 cloves of garlic

1 green chilly

A small bunch of coriander leaves

1 inch Cinnamon

3 Cloves

Method:

Pressure cook the choliya in enough water to three whistles. Grind the ingredients mentioned under ‘grind to a paste’. Keep aside.

Heat the ghee in a pan. Add the cinnamon and finely chopped onions . Saute till it becomes translucent.

Add the ground spice paste and saute until the raw smell of the ginger-garlic goes away.

Add the finely chopped tomatoes and cook until it turns soft and mushy.

Now add the spice powders one by one…. coriander, red chilly and garam masala powder and cook until the whole mixture comes together and the oil starts separating.

Add the boiled cholia, two cups of water and season with salt and simmer for 10 minutes.

Garnish with coriander leaves and switch off the flame. Serve hot with rice or roti.

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Vattunu Kolmbo /Sambhar Recipe

Posted on May 25, 2020 by vinayaprabhu2

Vattunu refers to ground in Konkani. This Sambhar is prepared with freshly ground spices. Usually Sambhar powder which is made and stored is used while making a Sambhar but this freshly ground one has a unique fragrance.

Ingredients :

150 gms/3/4 Cup of Arhar Dal pressure cooked and churned

Vegetables of your choice. Here I have used

15 French Beans cut into one inch sized pieces

1 small Carrot cut lengthwise into one inch sized pieces

1 large Onion sliced

1 potato cubed

1 tomato quartered

2 tbsps grated coconut

2 tbsps Coriander seeds

1 tsp Jeera/Cumin seeds

12 pepper corns

1 tsp Chana Dal

1 tsp Urad Dal

15 seeds of Methi /Fenugreek

10 Byadgi chillies roasted in a little oil

A Gram sized piece of Hing /Asafoetida powdered

1 level tbsp Tamarind paste

3 sprigs of curry leaves

2 tbsps Ghee /Clarified Butter

1 tbsp Oil

1 tsp Mustard seeds

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Salt

Method:

Heat oil in a pan. Add all the vegetables except the, tomato and roast for a couple of minutes . Drop in the tomatoes and roast for another couple of minutes. In another pan dry roast the Chana Dal, Urad dal, Coriander seeds, Cumin seeds, Pepper corns, Methi seeds till they give out an aroma. Drop in the grated coconut and a sprig of Curry leaves. Toss and keep aside. After it has cooled, grind the mixture of roasted coconut and roasted spices along with the roasted red chillies to a fine paste. Tip it into the sauteed vegetables. Add the cooked and churned Dal, tamarind paste and salt. Adjust the consistency by adding enough water. Allow to simmer for about five minutes. Heat the Ghee in a pan. Drop in the mustard seeds and after it splutters add the Hing and two sprigs of curry leaves. Toss. Drop the seasoning into the boiling Sambhar. Switch off. Garnish with coriander leaves. Cover and keep aside for fifteen minutes for the flavours to infuse before serving.

Eggplant and Drumstick Sambhar Recipe

Posted on May 25, 2020 by vinayaprabhu2

This is another variety of Sambhar which is popular down South. The combination of Eggplant / Brinjal and Drumstick impsrts a unique flavour to the Sambhar. Best enjoyed with steaming hot rice with a dollop of Ghee.

Ingredients :

200 gms tiny variety of Eggplant halved

1 Drumstick cut into two inch long pieces

1 potato, cubed

2 medium sized onions sliced

2 tbsps Sambhar Masala

150 gms Arhar /Toor Dal pressure cooked

1 level tbsp tamarind paste

Salt

2 tbsps Ghee/Clarified Butter

1 tsp Mustard seeds

A large pinch of Hing /Asafoetida

2 sprigs Curry leaves

Method:

Drop the Potato and onion into a pan. Add three cups of water, and when three fourth done add the eggplant, drumstick, Sambhar powder and salt. When almost done add the cooked and churned Dal. Drop in the tamarind paste and boil well. Heat the Ghee in a pan. Drop in the mustard. After it splutters add the Hing, toss and tip in the curry leaves. Drop the seasoning into the boiling Sambhar. Switch off and keep aside for fifteen minutes before serving.

Note:

The recipe for Sambhar powder is given under the Spice Powder section of this blog.

Horse Gram Saaru /Soup Recipe

Posted on December 9, 2018 by vinaya

Horse Gram also known as Kulith, Kollu or Kulthi is a highly nutritious Lentil grown in the Indian subcontinent. A variety of dishes can be made from it, but the most delicious is the soup or the Saaru which is made by draining the water of the cooked Horse Gram.

Ingredients :

200 gms Horse Gram
2 Byadgi or Kashmiri chillies broken into bits
15 flakes Garlic crushed
2 tbsps Ghee /clarified butter
Salt
1/4 tsp Tamarind paste

Method :

Wash and pressure cook the Horse gram in a litre of water. After one whistle allow to cook for 15 mnts. Once the cooker has cooled down drain the water into a pan. Take a ladeful of the Horse gram, mash it well and drop it into the drained water. Add the salt and tamarind paste and boil well. Heat Ghee in a pan. Drop in the crushed garlic and roast it to a rich brown. Tip in the red chilly bits and toss for a minute. Drop the seasoning into the boiling Saaru. Simmer gently for five minutes. The Saaru can be served as is on the Rice or strained and served as a soup.

Chana /Black Chickpeas Saar Recipe

Posted on September 4, 2018 by vinaya

The water drained from the Chana/ Black Chickpeas after it is pressure cooked is seasoned either with Garlic or with mustard and curry leaves. Akin to a soup, it can be had as is or served over hot rice. I prefer mine seasoned in home made Ghee with Garlic and dry red chillies. You can use the Black Chickpeas to make a variety of dishes.

Ingredients :

250 gms Chana /Black Chickpeas
1.5 litres of water
Salt
2 tbsps Ghee /clarified butter
10 flakes of garlic
4 dry red chillies

Method :
Wash and soak the Chana for eight hours. Pressure cook to a whistle, lower heat and allow it to simmer gently for half an hour in 1.5 litres of water with a little salt. After the pressure cooker has cooled down, drain the water into a vessel and adjust salt. Boil well. Crush the garlic gently and break the dry red chillies into bits. Heat the Ghee in a pan. Add the garlic and, roast to a rich golden brown. Drop in the chilly bits. Toss. Pour the seasoning into the boiling Chana Saar. Simmer for two minutes. Switch off and keep aside for ten minutes to allow the flavours to infuse before serving.

Chana /Black Chickpeas Stir Fry Recipe

Posted on September 2, 2018 by vinaya

This is traditionally prepared in South India on auspicious ocassions. No onion or garlic is used as it is not considered Sattvik, hence cannot be offered to the Lord. Seasoned in coconut oil with a simple seasoning, it has its own unique taste.

Ingredients :

250 gms Chana/Chickpeas
6 green chillies
1 dry red chilly
Salt
3 sprigs curry leaves
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard
1/4 tsp Hing/asafoetida
4 tbsps grated coconut

Method :
Soak the chickpeas for 8 hours. Pressure cook them with salt. Chop the green chillies and the dry red chilly. Heat oil in a pan. Add the mustard and after it splutters add the green chillies, red chilly, curry leaves and hing. Toss. Drop in the cooked chickpeas. Boil well till all the water is evaporated. Garnish with grated coconut.

Chana Stir fry Recipe

Posted on June 18, 2018 by vinaya

Chana or Black Bengal Gram is a versatile lentil. A variety of dishes can be made from it. Though a Chana Stir Fry can be made in a number of ways, my favourite one is with sautéed onions. I like it with a dash of lemon and a sprinkling of coriander leaves.

Ingredients :

200 gms Chana/Black Bengal Gram
2 large onions
5 green chillies
Juice of half a lemon
3 tbsps grated coconut
3 tbsps oil
1 tsp mustard
2 sprigs curry leaves
A pinch of Haldi /turmeric
Salt.
Coriander leaves

Method :

Wash and soak the Chana for eight hours. Pressure cook it with salt. Chop onions and green chillies fine. Heat oil. Drop in the mustard and after it splutters add the green chillies, Curry leaves and onions. Roast till translucent. Add the Haldi. Toss. Drop in the boiled Chana. Adjust salt. Cook till all the water is absorbed. Tip in the coconut and mix. Heat well. Switch off. Drizzle with lemon juice and garnish with coriander leaves.