Vinaya's Culinary Delights

Lesu/ flatbread from the Uttarakhand cuisine.

Posted on March 1, 2023March 1, 2023 by vinayaprabhu2

Lesu is a flat bread from the Uttarakhand cuisine which uses Ragi flour as a stuffing. The outer dough is made of wheat flour and after being stuffed with Ragi dough it is roasted just as one does a paratha. It is served drizzled with ghee. I preferred to serve it with a spicy tomato chutney.

Ingredients:

250 gms wheat flour

100 gms ragi flour

A large pinch of Carom seeds

Salt.

Method:

Tip the ragi flour, salt and carom seeds into a bowl. Add water little by little and knead into a smooth dough. Keep aside. Tip the wheat flour and a little salt into a bowl. Adding hot water knead into a dough as for chapati. Add a tsp of oil and knead well. Keep aside to rest for about fifteen minutes. Pinch equal balls of the wheat and ragi dough. Roll out the wheat dough to the size of a small poori and place a ball of ragi dough on it. Cover the ragi ball from all sides with the wheat dough and roll out a six to seven inch sized disc. Similarly finish off with the rest of the dough. Heat a tava/ skillet. Place the Lesu on it. Drizzle with ghee or oil and roast till done. Flip. Roast the other side as well. Serve Lesu hot with ghee or with a subzi or chutney of your choice.

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Snake gourd/ Chichinda subzi.

Posted on February 27, 2023February 27, 2023 by vinayaprabhu2

Snake gourd/ padwal/ Chichinda is not a remarkable vegetable, save its unique shape and size. It tastes bland and does not have a distinct flavour. Here is a Uttar Pradesh style snake gourd subzi which goes well with both Roti or rice.

Ingredients:

1 medium sized Snake gourd

2 large onions chopped

3 tbsps oil

1 tsp Cumin seeds

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

1 tsp Red chilli powder
1 tbsp coriander powder

Salt

4 tbsps finely chopped Coriander leaves .

Method:

Wash and deseed the snake gourd / Padwal / Chinchinda. Chop into round slices. Heat oil in a pan. Add the cumin seeds and after they splutter add the finely chopped onion and saute till transparent.
Add salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and coriander powder. Saute for a minute. Add the sliced snake gourd.
Mix well. Cover and cook on a gentle flame for a few minutes. Sprinkle some water to cook if needed.
After the snake gourd is cooked switch off the flame. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with rice and chapati.

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Kada Prasad .

Posted on February 24, 2023February 24, 2023 by vinayaprabhu2

Kada Prasad is the offering at all the Gurudwaras all over India. The Sikh community holds ‘Langar’ or free food for anyone wishing to partake food at the Gurudwara. A rich and fragrant offering of wheat flour roasted in Ghee is prepared and distributed to all the devotees. The term Kada comes from the huge Kadhai in which it is prepared. Kada in Punjabi means to scrape. Scraping the sides of the Kadhai to roast the flour resulted in the offering being named Kada Prasad.

Ingredients:

Equal quantities of

Ghee/ clarified butter

Wheat flour

Sugar

Water

Method:

Pour the ghee into a pan. Add the wheat flour and keep roasting it on a gentle flame till it turns golden brown and fragrant. Add boiling water into it and allow it to cook for a minute. Add the sugar and keep stirring till the entire mixture comes together. Remove and serve .

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Dal, baati, churma.

Posted on February 19, 2023February 19, 2023 by vinayaprabhu2

Dal, baati, churma is a traditional recipe from Rajasthan. The Baatis are made from whole wheat flour, semolina and ghee with the addition of ajwain that adds to the delicious flavour of the baati. Traditionally baked in a tandoor, baati can now be baked in the regular oven or even in an Appe pan. Panchmel dal is served over the crushed baati with a generous drizzling of ghee and churma is served alongside. Posting the links to the dal and churma which have been posted separately in this website.

https://vinayasculinarydelights.com/panchmel-dal/

https://vinayasculinarydelights.com/churma/

Ingredients:

250 gms Whole Wheat Flour

125 gms Semolina/ rava

1/2 cup Ghee

1 tsp Carom seeds/ajwain

1/2 tsp baking soda

Salt

Water to bind the dough.

Method:

Tip all the ingredients in a bowl and mix until well combined. Add water a little at a time to make a smooth yet stiff dough. Leave the baati dough aside for 20 minutes so it rests and becomes fluffy with the baking soda that was added.

Knead the dough once again for a few minutes.

Divide the dough into large lemon size portions . Mark them with a cross cross gently with a knife. This is to allow the baati to crack open when baking. Preheat the oven to 180 C and bake the baati in the oven for about 20 to 30 minutes until browned on both sides.

Make sure to keep turning the baatis around, until they have browned from all the sides.

Once the baatis are golden brown in colour from all sides, remove them from the oven.

Alternatively you can use an Appe pan and roast the baati in it on a very gentle flame flipping them over and over again till they are well done. A generous drizzling of ghee is required to keep them moist and evenly roasted.

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Methi Chaman.

Posted on February 15, 2023February 15, 2023 by vinayaprabhu2

Methi Chaman is a delicious gravy based dish from the Kashmiri cuisine. Methi is Fenugreek and Chaman in Kashmiri is paneer/ cottage cheese. Paneer is cooked in a puree of fenugreek and Palak/ spinach leaves and spices. It is served with rice or any Kashmiri flat bread.

Ingredients:

1 tsp Fennel seeds

1tsp Coriander seeds

1 tsp dry ginger powder

1 inch piece of cinnamon

4 cloves

2 cardamom pods

400 gms malai paneer cubed

A small bunch of methi leaves

A small bunch of Palak

1tsp Kashmiri red chilly powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp garam masala

A large pinch of Hing/ asafoetida

2 tsps sugar

1/2 teaspoon Shahjeera

2 tbsps Ghee/ clarified butter

15 cashewnuts

Salt

Water as required.

Method:

Tip the fennel seeds, coriander seeds, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, dry ginger powder in the blender jar and grind it into a fine powder. Keep it aside.

Bring a cup of water to boil. Add the methi and spinach leaves and cook them till they wilt. Immediately transfer them into ice cold water. Allow them to soak for about two minutes. Drain the water and transfer the methi and palak leaves into a blender jar, and blend them to a smooth puree. Keep it aside. Blend cashewnuts to a smooth paste with just enough water to blend them. Keep aside.

Heat ghee in a pan. Add the Shahjeera and after it crackles add the powdered spice mix and toss for a few seconds on a very gentle flame taking care to see that the spices don’t burn. Immediately add the methi- palak puree and about a cup of water. Bring to a boil and simmer for about five minutes. Add salt, sugar, chilly and turmeric powders, Hing and garam masala. Allow to simmer for a couple of minutes. Drop in the cubed paneer, cashew paste and mix thoroughly. Check for salt. Allow the Methi Chaman to gently boil for a couple of minutes. Adjust consistency by adding water as per preference. Serve Methi Chaman hot with rice or Roti.

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Vrat ki kadhi.

Posted on February 14, 2023February 14, 2023 by vinayaprabhu2

Vrat ki kadhi is an easy to prepare kadhi which is served with Vrat ke Chawal or barnyard millet. Popular during Navratri, this kadhi chawal is prepared in most North Indian homes when women fast. Besan which is normally used for making a kadhi is not used. It is replaced with flour made from amaranth/ rajgira or water chestnut/ singhada.

Ingredients :

For the potato pakoda:

3 potatoes pressure cooked, peeled and mashed or grated

1 tbsp roasted peanut powder

2 green chillies minced

1 inch piece of ginger grated

Rock salt

1/2 cup singhade ka aata

Oil to fry the pakoda.

For the Kadhi:

1 cup curds

1/2 cup singhade ka aata

2 tbsps ghee

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 green chillies finely chopped

1 inch piece of ginger grated

2 sprigs curry leaves

Salt

A pinch of sugar

Water as required.

Method:

Tip the grated potatoes, green chillies, ginger, singhade ka aata and salt in a bowl. Mix well and knead to a smooth dough. Pinch balls of the mixture and shape them as per your preference. Heat oil in a pan. Drop in about four of the balls at a time and fry them on a medium flame to a golden brown colour. Drain and keep aside. Take the curd and singhade ka aata in a bowl. Add enough water to make it of a pouring consistency. Add salt and sugar. Keep aside. Heat a pan. Add two tablespoons of ghee and add the cumin seeds. After they splutter add the finely chopped green chillies and ginger. Toss. Add the curry leaves. Toss and slowly pour in the curd mixture. Keep stirring all the while to prevent the mixture from sticking to the pan. Bring it to a boil. Allow the mixture to simmer till the singhade ka aata gets cooked. Drop in the fried potato pakoda and keep aside for a few minutes for the potato to absorb the flavours. Serve hot with Vrat ke Chawal.

Wash and soak the Barnyard millet for about fifteen minutes. Drain. Tip it into boiling water and simmer till it is cooked. Drain and keep aside.

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Tein Tein/ Ladakhi buckwheat pancakes.

Posted on February 7, 2023February 7, 2023 by vinayaprabhu2

Buckwheat flour also known as Kuttu ka aata is used to prepare this snack Tein tein by the people of Ladakh. Generally an egg is added to hold the batter together. Vegetarians like me substitute it with a tablespoon of maida/ all purpose flour. Tein tein is served with a walnut chutney or with an apricot preserve.

Ingredients:

250 gms Kuttu ka aata

2 tbsps Maida

Salt

1 tsp caraway seeds/ Shahi jeera

Butter

Water.

Method:

Tip the Kuttu ka aata, salt, maida and caraway seeds into a bowl. Add enough water to make a runny batter. Mix thoroughly and keep aside for ten minutes for the gluten from the maida to release. Heat a tava/ griddle. Pour a ladleful of batter on the tava and spread till you cover the tava. Drop a blob of butter on it and cook the Tein tein on a really gentle flame for about half a minute till it is roasted. Flip and roast the other side as well. Serve hot with apricot preserve or with a walnut chutney. Recipe link to the walnut chutney given below.

https://vinayasculinarydelights.com/akhrot-chutney-ladakhi-style/

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Tomul tchot.

Posted on February 7, 2023February 7, 2023 by vinayaprabhu2

Tomul Chhot is an easy to prepare Kashmiri snack with rice flour and carom seeds. It is generally served with Noon chai and walnuts. Tomul refers to husked rice in Kashmiri.

Ingredients:

250 gms Rice flour

1/4 tsp ajwain/ carom seeds

Salt

2 tbsps Ghee/ clarified butter

Warm water to bind the dough.

Method:

Tip the rice flour, salt and carom seeds in a bowl . Add ghee and rub it into the flour.
Knead the flour with hot water to a lump free batter of pouring consistency. Mix well. Heat a tava/ griddle. Pour a ladleful of batter and spread it in concentric circles. Cover and cook for a couple of minutes or till you see the sides leaving the tava. Remove and serve with Noon chai and walnuts.

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Besan Mirch.

Posted on February 6, 2023February 23, 2023 by vinayaprabhu2

Besan Mirch is a Rajasthani delicacy made by roasting green chilies in a spiced Besan mixture. The green chilies lose some of their bite when roasted and the tangy and spicy flavors get infused with them..

For those who love spices, Besan Ki Mirchi is not just appetizing but also enhances the flavour of food. Roasted besan along with spices give this dish a very unique texture & flavour hence this dish goes well with both Roti and Dal rice.

Ingredients:

12 Medium Sized Bhavnagari Chillies

200 gms Besan/ gram flour

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp Fennel seeds

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp Amchur

Salt

2 tbsps oil.

Method:

Wash and dice the green chilies into pieces as per preference. I prefer to keep them slightly large. Roast Besan in a pan till it begins to give out its aroma and turns a golden brown. Keep aside. Heat the oil in a pan. Add the mustard, cumin and fennel seeds and after they splutter add the turmeric and Amchur powders. Immediately add the chillies and salt and roast till they wilt. Tip in the Besan and mix thoroughly. Allow the Besan ki Mirch to absorb all the flavours for a few minutes. Switch off and serve.

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Mooli ki kadhi.

Posted on February 6, 2023February 6, 2023 by vinayaprabhu2

Mooli is radish and Mooli ki kadhi refers to radish in a yoghurt based gravy. In the Kumaoni dialect, Mooli ki kadhi is called Mooli ki jholi. Jholi translates to Kadhi. The consistency of Kumaoni jholi is thinner compared to the kadhi made in Punjab and Rajasthan. It is served over hot rice.

Ingredients:

1 medium sized radish, peeled and cut into batons

1 Cup curd/ yoghurt

3 tbsps Besan/ gram flour

1 teaspoon red chilli powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tbsp oil

1 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves.

Salt

Ingredients for seasoning:

2 tbsps Ghee/ clarified butter

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 dry red chilies broken

1/2 tsp Fenugreek seeds

A pinch of Asafoetida

Method:

Tip the gram flour, yoghurt and a cup of water into a bowl. Whisk it well until it is lump free. Add the turmeric and red chilly powder. Mix well and keep aside. Heat oil in a pan. Add the chopped radish and cook till the radish turns translucent. Add the yoghurt and gram flour mixture and mix it well. Add salt and allow the kadhi to come to a roaring boil. Reduce heat and allow the kadhi to simmer for about fifteen minutes. Once it starts thickening heat ghee in a pan. Add the cumin seeds. Once they splutter add the asafoetida, fenugreek seeds and the broken red chillies. Toss and pour the seasoning over the simmering kadhi. Turn off heat, garnish with coriander leaves cover and allow the flavours to infuse for about fifteen minutes before serving.

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