South Indian Cuisine - Vinaya's Culinary Delights

Cauliflower Stir fry Recipe

Posted on December 20, 2017 by vinaya

One of the easiest and simplest of stir fries, the Cauliflower stir fry, fragrant with the seasoning of coconut oil and coriander leaves can be turned into a subzi too by adding a couple of finely chopped green chillies. The taste of the vegetable is brought to the fore due to the lack of any masalas which are normally added to a subzi.

Ingredients :

500 gms Cauliflower
3 green chillies minced
Coriander leaves
1 tbsp Parachute Coconut oil
1 tsp mustard
Salt

Method :

Slice the Cauliflower into tiny florets. Wash thoroughly. Heat oil. Add the tsp of mustard and after it splutters add the chopped green chillies. Sauté for a few seconds. Drop in the Cauliflower, salt and a little water to cook the vegetable. Cover and cook over a high flame till done.

Pineapple, Mango and Grape Sasam Recipe

Posted on December 20, 2017 by vinaya

A Konkani delight, the Pineapple, Mango and Grape Sasam or Avnas Ambya Sasam is a cold preparation. Sweet and piquant at the same time it is traditionally served at all Konkani weddings. I was fortunate to find mangoes during this season and with pineapple and grapes available a plenty seized the opportunity to make this delicious dish.

Ingredients :

One cup Pineapple pieces
One cup Mango pieces
15 grapes
1/2 of a small coconut grated
2 roasted red chillies
1/2 tsp mustard
Jaggery as per requirement
Salt

Method:

Chop the pineapple into bite sized pieces. Boil them in salted water till they are cooked. Allow to cool thoroughly. Refrigerate. Chop the mango too into the same sized pieces as the pineapple. Add required amount of jaggery and salt. Mix well. Refrigerate along with the grapes and pineapple. Grind the coconut, roasted red chillies and the mustard to a semi coarse paste. Tip it into the bowl containing the mixed fruits. Serve chilled.

Biscuit Rotti Recipe

Posted on December 19, 2017 by vinaya

The name is very deceptive as Biscuit Rotti is a far cry from anything Biscuit. It is a typically Mangalorean preparation and can be relished with or without a chutney. My mother in law made one of the best Biscuit Rotti and I am really happy that it has turned out exactly how she made it!!

Ingredients :

250 gms Maida/All purpose flour
50 gms rice flour
A pinch of chilly powder
1 tbsp oil
100 gms urad dal/ black gram dal
6 green chillies
A pea sized piece of hing/asafoetida powdered fine
2 sprigs curry leaves
1 tsp mustard
2 tbsps Parachute Coconut oil
2 tbsps grated coconut
Salt
Oil for frying the Biscuit Rotti

Method :

Wash and soak the urad dal for two hours. Drain and grind to a coarse paste. Chop the green chillies and curry leaves fine. Heat the oil and drop in a tsp of mustard and after it splutters add the chopped chilly bits, hing and curry leaves. Toss. Add the ground urad dal, coconut and salt. Heat on a gentle flame for a few minutes. Keep aside. This forms the filling.

Mix the Maida, rice flour, chilly powder, salt and oil. Bind a dough as for pooris that is neither too hard nor soft. Pinch balls of the dough and make around 21 balls. Roll out the balls into a two inch diameter disc. Place the filling in the centre of the disc and bring all the ends of the dough together. Flatten it and roll it out into a neither too thick nor too thin poori of 3 inch diameter. Make around five such rottis at a time. Heat oil. Gently slide in the rotti and deep fry to a crisp golden brown. Serve with chutney.

Note:

The recipe for the chutney can be found in the Chutney catagory of this website.

Ashgourd Curry/ Majjige Huli Recipe

Posted on December 17, 2017 by vinaya

Majjige Huli which is very popular all over Karnataka is also called Morcolmb in Tamilnadu and Dhavi takka Randayi in Mangalore. It can be made either with Ashgourd, Brinjal or with Ladiesfinger too. In Kerala, Yam is the vegetable of choice. The basic gravy with coconut remains the same,though the seasoning may vary depending on the region where it is made.

Ingredients :

500 gms Ashgourd
1/2 coconut grated
6 green chillies slit
1/2 tsp Jeera/Cumin
A pinch of turmeric powder
Salt
250 ml slightly sour buttermilk

For the seasoning:

2 tbsps Coconut oil
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp Jeera/cumin
3 sprigs curry leaves

Method :

Wash and deskin the Ashgourd. Chop it into bite sized pieces. Pressure cook to one whistle with a glass of water, slit green chillies and salt. Grind the coconut and half tsp jeera to a smooth paste. Pour it into the cooked Ashgourd. Add the buttermilk and boil the Majjige Huli well. Heat the oil. Add, a tsp of mustard and after it splutters add the Cumin seeds. Toss. Add the curry leaves, mix and pour the seasoning into the Majjige Huli. Serve with Rice.

Hyacinth Beans Coconut Based Gravy Recipe

Posted on December 15, 2017December 15, 2017 by vinaya

This is a typical Mangalorean style recipe which we call ‘Humman’. Potatoes, Navy beans or any lentils of choice can be used. Here I have used sprouted Hyacinth Beans/Val. The non vegetarians can replace it with Prawns. Best served with Rice.

Ingredients :

250 gms sprouted Hyacinth Beans
1 potato deskinned and cubed
Half of a large coconut grated
12 roasted red chillies
1 tbsp tamarind paste
Salt
A pea sized piece of Hing/asafoetida
3 tbsps Parachute coconut oil

Method :

Cook the sprouted Hyacinth Beans along with the potato in salted water. Grind the coconut, asafoetida, roasted red chillies and tamarind to a smooth paste. Pour it into the cooked Beans, and potato mixture. Boil well and drizzle with Coconut oil.

Instant Bread Uthappa

Posted on December 14, 2017 by vinaya

A quick and easy snack if bored of eating sandwiches. Use the bread to make instant Uthappa which can be enjoyed with chutney, sambhar or with butter.

Ingredients :

8 slices of bread
250 gms semolina
100 gms rice flour
2 glasses of sour buttermilk
8 green chillies
1 carrot
1 inch piece of ginger
2 onions
Coriander leaves
Salt
Oil for roasting the Uthappa

Method :

Remove the crust and crumble the slices of bread. Add the semolina, rice flour and butter milk. Allow to rest for 15 minutes. Grind it to a smooth batter. Grate the carrots, crush the ginger and green chillies coarsely and add it to the batter along with salt. Mix thoroughly. Chop the onions and coriander leaves fine. Keep aside. Heat the tava/ skillet. Pour a ladleful of batter on the hot tava. Do not spread. It has to be as thick as, a pancake. Sprinkle the coriander leaves and finely chopped onions. Drizzle a tsp of oil. Cover and cook till it is roasted. Flip. Drizzle oil and roast the other side too. Serve hot with accompaniment of your choice.

Note:

The recipes for chutney and sambhar can be found under the category Chutneys and Pulsating Pulses of this website.

Banana Shikran Recipe

Posted on December 13, 2017December 13, 2017 by vinaya

Banana Shikran is traditionally served with Chapati/Poli. In Karnataka it is offered as Naivedya in temples. It was probably the brain child of a very ingenious mother to see that her children got their daily intake of fruit and milk or by a housewife who had excess bananas and milk offered during a Pooja in the temple on her hands.

Ingredients :

3 elaichi or the small variety of Banana
250 ml milk
2 tsps sugar
2 Cardamom crushed fine
2 tbsps grated coconut

Method :

Peel and slice the bananas thinly. Add the grated coconut, sugar and Cardamom powder to the milk. Mix and drop in the sliced banana. Refrigerate a while before serving.

Lady’sfinger or Okra Sagllein Recipe – 1

Posted on December 10, 2017September 19, 2018 by vinaya

Lady’sfinger Sagllein or Bhenda Sagllein is a traditional Konkani preparation which goes well with Roti or Dal rice. A variety of vegetables like cabbage, potato or even French beans can be used with the Masala that has been used today for making the Ladyfinger sagllein.

Ingredients :

16 tender Ladyfinger
3 onions
2 sprigs curry leaves
1/2 of a small coconut
10 roasted dry red chillies (or as per spice level)
1 heaped tsp tamarind paste
1 heaped tbsp coriander seeds
10 seeds methi/ fenugreek
I tsp mustard
Salt
3 tbsps Coconut oil

Method :

Slice the onions. Wash, pat dry and snip the ends of the Okra. Chop into one inch size pieces. Keep aside.

Heat a tsp of oil. Add the coriander seeds and the Methi and roast to a rich golden brown. Grind it along with, the coconut, roasted red chillies and tamarind to a smooth paste.

Heat the coconut oil. Add a tsp of mustard and after it splutters add the curry leaves. Toss. Drop in the sliced onions, Okra and salt and roast till the onions are translucent. Add the ground coconut masala and a small glass of water. Boil well for a couple of minutes. Keep aside for half an hour for the flavours to infuse.

Cauliflower and Potato stir fry Recipe

Posted on December 9, 2017December 9, 2017 by vinaya

A simple stir fry which is an utter delight with both Dal rice or Roti. This one is a personal favourite. Fresh Cauliflower which gets cooked in minutes combined with the all time favourite potato and garnished with coriander leaves is so delicious without the addition of too many masalas.

Ingredients :

1/2 kg Cauliflower
2 potatoes
1 tsp chilly powder
A large pinch of turmeric powder
Salt
1 tsp mustard
2 tbsps oil
Coriander leaves

Method :

Wash and chop the cauliflower and potatoes into thin long slices. Heat oil. Add a tsp of mustard and after it splutters add the cauliflower and potato. Drop in the salt and chilly powder and turmeric powder . Mix thoroughly and, sprinkle a little water. Cover and cook till done. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Yam fritters Recipe

Posted on December 7, 2017December 7, 2017 by vinaya

Try out these wonderful fritters made from Yam/ Sooran . Melt in the mouth and so delicious that you will keep asking for more. Pieces of Yam are boiled in salted water, marinated and then fried which gives them their awesome texture.

Ingredients :

1/2 kg Yam
Chilly powder
Salt
Hing/asafoetida
Besan/Chickpea flour
Rice flour
Oil for frying

Method :

Deskin the yam and wash it throughly. Chop it into bite sized pieces and boil it in salted water till three fourth done. Drain the water and sprinkle chilly powder and hing. Allow to stand for half an hour. Mix Besan and rice flour in the proportion of 2:1. Dust the pieces in this mixture. Heat oil in a pan. Deep fry the pieces to a golden brown and crisp.