Sunday, April 23, 2023

GOAN STYLE VATANA USAL / VATANYACHI USAL / DRIED PEAS CURRY

 

Vatanyachi Usal  is a very simple preparation without onion and garlic. The gravy is coconut based with some roasted spices ground together. Usually Goan Hindus make this on festive days like Diwali, Tulsi Vivah etc etc. along with many other vegetarian dishes. You can relish this with puris or pav bread.(ladi pav)

Ingredients
Dried green or yellow vatanas - 1 cup (soak them overnight)
Salt - to taste
Oil - 2-3 tbsps
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp or more as you like.
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Hing / asafoetida - 2 pinches
Lemon - 1/2 
Coriander leaves - handful

Roast & Grind:
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp
Cinnamon - 1" piece
Cloves - 5
Green cardamoms - 5
Red chilli - 1
Pepper corns - 8-10
Star anise - 1
Ginger - 1" piece
Coconut - 4-5 tbsps 

Method:
1. Soak the vatana over night. 
2. Boil them in a pan with 3 cups of water and little salt. We can use the water for gravy. Avoid using pressure cooker as they become mushy very fast.
3. In a pan dry roast the whole spices first. Remove them.
4. Next roast the coconut and ginger until the colour changes.
5. First grind the dry ingredients and add the coconut and ginger with sufficient water to make a coarser paste. Somewhat like coconut chutney.
6. In a pan heat oil and add the mustard seeds and asafoetida.
7. When they crackle, reduce the flame and add the turmeric and chilli powder. 
8. Now stir in the ground masala paste and saute it. 
9. Add salt and the boiled vatanas. Use the strained water of the vatanas for the gravy. Keep the consistency to your preference. 
10. Simmer on low flame for a minute or two until the masala gets cooked. Squeeze out the lemon juice finally. Add some coriander leaves.
11. Serve with pooris or pav bread. 

Check out the video:




This recipe is for A-Z challenge - Season 2 
Season 1 - We have completed the first season making the recipes alphabetically with ingredients with English names. ( eg. A - Apple, Artichoke, Asparagus ..)
Season 2 - We decided to make the recipes alphabetically with Hindi names. ( A - Anar, Adrak Aloo ... )
This month the Alphabet is V


Recipe List of A-Z Challenge (Season 2)


A - Adraki Aloo  (Baby Potatoes with ginger and spice powders)
B - Begun Bhaja  ( Bengali style fried Brinjals)
C - Chukandar Ke Parathe  (Stuffed Beetroot Parathas)
D - Farali Dahi Chawal ( Barnyard Millet Curd Rice / Samak ke Dahi Chawal )
E - Elaichi Cup Cakes ( Cardamom flavoured cup cakes )
F - False ke Biscuits ( Lemon Currant Cookies )
G - Gud Wale Pohe (Sweet Flattened Rice Flakes with jaggery)
H - Hare Dhaniye ki Sabzi ( Fresh Coriander stir fry )
I - Imli Gosht ( Hyderabadi style tangy Mutton Curry)
J - Jowar ke Phulke (Sorghum Flour Flatbreads)
- Karele ki Bhurji ( Diced Bitter Gourd Stir fry)
L - Lehsun Ka Achar ( Garlic Pickle)
M - Moong Dal with Sarson ka Saag ( Moong dal with Mustard Greens)
N - Neembu Gud ki Shikanji (Indian summer drink with herbs and spices)

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Saturday, April 1, 2023

KIWI SUMMER COOLER

 

Here is the recipe of a quick kiwi summer cooler with just 5 ingredients.
A perfect mocktail for summer, easy to make and so refreshing.

Ingredients: Kiwis - 3 or as required Salt - 1 or 2 pinches Chat masala - 1/2 tsp (or roasted cumin powder) Yogurt - 1 tbsp Honey - 1 tbsp Chilled water - 2 cups or as needed

Method:
1. Peel the kiwis and cut them into pieces.
2. Transfer all the ingredients into a blender jar.
3. Add water as required and blend them.
4. Strain the juice as kiwi has lot of seeds.
5. Check the taste and if kiwi is too sour add some more honey.
6. Garnish the rim of the serving glass with salt and chilli powder mixed together.
7. Pour the juice and enjoy it chilled.

Yield : 2 small servings or 1 large.

Watch the video on YouTube:





About the group:
Shhhhh Cooking Secretly is a monthly challenge in a facebook group where we are paired with a different partner every month. Two secret ingredients are  chosen by each partner for the other one and we prepare any dish with those ingredients based on the selected theme of the month which was - Summer Drinks ( No Fizzy Drinks)
This was suggested by Sasmita Sahoo Samanta.
I am also paired with Preethi Prasad this month. She chose YOGURT & HONEY as my 2 secret ingredients. I made the Kiwi Summer Cooler using them.
I have selected KALA NAMAK & JAL JEERA POWDER  as her secret ingredients.


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