Category: Salads

This black grapes raita is not just a cooler, but also a meal by itself. I prefer using the black grapes instead of the green ones as they are slightly tart and give that zing to the dish. You can add masala of your choice, but I prefer mine without them.

Ingredients:

Black grapes

1 bowl of thick curds/ yoghurt

3 tsps powdered sugar

Salt

A sprinkle of chaat masala

Coriander leaves to garnish.

Method:

Drop salt, chaat masala and sugar into the curds and whisk it well. Chop the coriander leaves fine and add them. Whisk again.. Drop in the grapes either halved or whole. Serve chilled.

Copyright © 2024 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.

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

Bottle gourd is known by names such as Lauki, Doodhi and Sorekaya in various parts of India. A variety of dishes like curries, stir fries, halva , fritters and raita are made from it. Posting a raita today which goes well with Roti or rice.

Ingredients:

A small bottle gourd

1 bowl of thick yoghurt

1 green chilly

A sprinkling of cumin and pepper powder

1 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves

Salt.

For tempering:

1 tbsp oil / ghee

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 red chilly

1 sprig curry leaves.

Method:

Select a bottle gourd which is tender, so that there are no seeds inside. Peel it.  Wash thoroughly and either grate or chop into tiny pieces. Cook it with salt in enough water. Drain. The drained water can be used to bind the dough for Roti. Allow the bottle gourd to cool down thoroughly. Whip the yoghurt with salt and the finely minced green chilly. Drop in the cooked bottle gourd. Heat oil or ghee in a pan. Add in the mustard and cumin seeds. After they crackle add the red chilly. Toss and add the curry leaves. Stir and pour the seasoning into the yoghurt. Sprinkle with cumin and pepper powder. Garnish with coriander leaves and chill before serving.

Copyright © 2024 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.

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

Cabbage Sambharo from the Gujarati cuisine is basically a salad served as an accompaniment to Roti or Dal rice. Cabbage is diced into strips and quickly sauteed in a few spices. This is to retain the crunch of the vegetable.

Ingredients:

250 gms tender cabbage

2 green chillies slit

1 sprig curry leaves

1 tbsp oil

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

A pinch of turmeric powder

Juice of half a lemon

2 tbsps finely chopped coriander leaves

Salt.

Method:

Slice the cabbage into strips. Heat oil in a pan. Drop in the mustard seeds and after they splutter add the cumin seeds. Tip in the green chillies and curry leaves. Toss. Add the turmeric powder and salt. Toss. Add the cabbage, mix well and then cover and cook for five minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves and lemon juice. Serve hot.

Copyright © 2024 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.

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

This is an ideal meal for weight watchers and for those who want a fill in for the 3 pm hunger pangs. Skip the mayonnaise or add just a teaspoon if you are calorie conscious… Generally a Coleslaw is prepared with cabbage and spring onions. I had some red bell pepper and a piece of purple cabbage as well. Used them up in this salad.

Ingredients:

One small head of tender cabbage sliced thinly

Onions sliced thinly

1 medium sized cup low fat yoghurt

2 heaped tbsps mayonnaise

A pinch of salt and sugar

Freshly ground pepper.

Method:

Wash and slice both the cabbage and onions thinly. Tip the yoghurt, mayonnaise, sugar, salt and pepper into a bowl. Whisk until smooth and creamy. Pour it over the cabbage and onion mixture. Mix well and serve immediately.

Copyright © 2024 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.

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

A healthy, no calories salad which not just takes care of those hunger pangs but also is absolutely delicious. I love it with the vinaigrette dressing the most though the thousand island too tastes absolutely divine!

Ingredients:

Green and purple cabbage, red, green and yellow peppers, salt, pepper and dressing of choice.

I have not mentioned the amount of each of the vegetables used as it depends purely on individual choice.

Method:

Slice the cabbage and bell peppers into long strips. Tip it into a bowl. Top it with salt, pepper and a dressing of choice. Mix thoroughly and serve immediately..

Copyright © 2024 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.

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

A delicious and cooling Raita from the Kumaoni region. The punch lies in the freshly grounded mustard seeds, a hint of garlic and the aroma of coriander leaves.

Ingredients:

1 bowl of Curds/ yoghurt

1 small cucumber grated

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp roasted cumin powder

1 tsp mustard Seeds

2 tsps finely chopped coriander leaves

2 cloves of garlic

1 finely chopped green chilly

Salt.

Method:

Crush mustard seeds, garlic and green chilly in a mortar and pestle to a smooth paste. Whisk the curds well and tip the paste into it. Add salt and turmeric powder and mix well. Drop in the grated cucumber and coriander leaves. Mix and refrigerate. Serve chilled.

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

Copyright © 2023 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.

Muji chetin or radish raita from the Kashmiri cuisine is served with a Modur pulao or even with rice and Rogan Josh. The slight sharpness of the radish is toned down in the sweetness of curd . It is a very simple but delicious raita.

Ingredients:

1 tender radish

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 cup thick yogurt

2 green chillies minced

A pinch of pepper

Salt .

Method:

Wash and peel the radish. Grate it and set it aside. Tip the cumin seeds into a pan and lightly toast them until fragrant. Crush the seeds coarsely. In a medium sized bowl mix together the grated radish, yoghurt, coarsely crushed cumin seeds, pepper, minced chillies and salt. Refrigerate.. Allow the flavours to infuse for about an hour. Serve chilled.

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

Copyright © 2023 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.

This crunchy sweet and tangy salad of slivered cucumber, carrot and raw mango goes well with rice, roti or can be even enjoyed as is. I prefer mine rolled inside a roti as it makes for a healthy meal.

Ingredients:

1 large carrot

1 large cucumber

1 small raw mango

Juice of half a lime

Salt

A pinch of sugar

Pepper powder if required.

Method:

Wash and peel the carrot, cucumber and raw mango. Either slice it into thin long juliennes or sliver them as I have, with a peeler. Tip everything in a bowl and sprinkle with sugar and lemon juice. Mix and refrigerate. Season with salt just before serving.

Note: do not add salt before hand as the salad oozes water and turns limp.

Copyright © 2022 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.

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

This is the traditional beetroot raita made in South Indian households… Also called a Pachadi. The difference in the North Indian and South Indian raitas is that the South Indian ones are always seasoned. The North Indians prefer it plain. You can find the plain one that I had posted earlier in the ‘Salad’ section of this website.

Ingredients:

1 medium sized beetroot peeled and grated

250 ml thick curds

1 green chilly chopped fine

1 inch piece of ginger grated fine

2 tbsps Ghee/ clarified butter

1tsp mustard seeds

1tsp urad dal/ split black gram

1 sprig curry leaves

1dry red chilly broken into half

1tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves

Salt.

Method:

Saute the grated beetroot in one tsp ghee for a minute. Remove from flame and tip it into a plate. Allow to cool thoroughly. Whisk the curds well and add a little water to thin it down a bit. Add the grated ginger, finely chopped green chilly and salt and mix thoroughly. Heat the remaining one tsp ghee in a pan. Drop in the mustard seeds and after they crackle add the urad dal. Once the urad dal turns golden brown add the broken red chilly. Toss and add the curry leaves. Saute and immediately pour the seasoning into the curds. Add the cooled beetroot and mix well. Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves. Serve chilled.

Copyright © 2022 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.

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

Here is a cooling and delicious raita flavoured with mint and a hint of garlic which goes extremely well with Biryani and Pulao. You can even serve it as a dip with kebabs and tandoori items.

Ingredients:

One bowl/ 200 gms of thick set curds

One small cucumber finely chopped

3 sprigs of mint

3 tbsps Coriander leaves

1 large clove of garlic

1 green chilly

Salt

A few drops of lemon juice

Method:

Whisk the thick set curd well. Add salt and keep aside. Grind the garlic, chilly, mint and coriander leaves to a fine paste with three tablespoons of curds. Drop it into the curd. Add the chopped cucumber and lemon juice. Mix well. Serve chilled.

Copyright © 2022 by Vinaya Prabhu. All rights reserved.

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