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Aanandinii
16 September 2014, 07:14 PM
Namaskar ji,

I am not much of a cook myself, but my other half, who has been Vegetarian for far longer than I, has been learning to cook Indian cuisine and loves it, (to be honest, we both do :D ). There just is not a whole lot of balance to a western Vege diet, and of what there is, there are several things neither of us enjoys eating - for instance neither of us particularly enjoy Tofu. But Indian cuisine has no lack of variety, flavor and is well balanced to boot, when followed properly (and being mindful to sometimes supplement where needed).

We now have many notebooks full of hand-written recipes, some better than others, but all recipes we enjoy. It's becoming a lot to dig through and is sometimes in a bit of a mess. So, I have begun a secret project to transcribe and catalog these recipes. The end result of the project will be a PDF and also a printed book as an anniversary gift.

But now that I'm going through these I was wondering if others would be interested in a thread to share recipes? For instance, for English speakers there is some small amount of a learning curve in ingredient names and methods that it could be helpful to have in one thread. And if others wanted to share any of their favorite recipes, that would also be fantastic...

Would there be interest in a thread like this?

~Pranam

Viraja
16 September 2014, 07:38 PM
Namaste Aanandinii ji,

In TamilNadu, Mallika Badrinath is a famous Chef and author of many recipe books. I have several of her books in Tamil language. One of my favorite recipes is 'Mushroom Masala' prepared with a generous amount of onions, garlic, mushrooms and coconut. If there is interest, I'll post the recipe.

Thanks & Regards,

Viraja

Eastern Mind
16 September 2014, 07:46 PM
Vannakkam: As a subset of the publishing industry, the cooking section is one of the more competitive. A walk through any large bookstore will show this.

For on-line stuff, I like this site.. https://www.youtube.com/user/Manjulaskitchen and there are several more, each with its on flavor.

So ... Aanandinii, I think it's admirable that you're collecting for personal use, but there is so much out there available for your average reader on-line. You can just name any food, add the word 'recipe' to it and get 20 hits just like that. It's magic, compared to the good old days, of scribbled recipes.

Aum Namasivaya

Aanandinii
16 September 2014, 08:37 PM
Namaskar,

Virajaji, thank you. Sounds like an interesting recipe. :)


For on-line stuff, I like this site.. https://www.youtube.com/user/Manjulaskitchen and there are several more, each with its on flavor.

So ... Aanandinii, I think it's admirable that you're collecting for personal use, but there is so much out there available for your average reader on-line. You can just name any food, add the word 'recipe' to it and get 20 hits just like that. It's magic, compared to the good old days, of scribbled recipes.
Very true, EMji, thank you for your reply. We also love Manjula's Kitchen and have learned a lot at that site. Also Vah Chef at VahRehVah.com. :) Certainly it's far easier to look up and come by information online today. But how many people try new recipes completely blind, with no frame of reference? Not everyone might have the time and desire to dig for new and interesting recipes and learn.

Sharing good recipes tried and enjoyed by others is something different than a library of cookbooks either online or off, and can be helpful to both people new to the cuisine and those just looking to try something different from a region they haven't explored before. There are regional spins on all kind of things, from kichdees to masalas, one may not know the name of to even look up, Particularly if someone is western and in an area where they can't easily try Desi foods or may not know the English names for some ingredients. And there is nothing like an old family recipe if people want to share, like my grandmother's apple pie or our good friend and neighbor's spins on family recipes you will never find on Vah Chef or Manjula's kitchen. Regional recipes written in languages we westerners usually can't access, like Virajaji's Mallika Badrinath Cookbooks in Tamil would be fantastic too, if people want to contribute.

It was just a thought that the Vegetarian section of a forum such as HDF, which is a resource for knowledge and discussion, could benefit with a resource for practical cooking and sharing of good food in the midst of conversations about the practical aspects and finer points of Vegetarianism and its practice as a Sanatani. But, I haven't seen such a thread yet - though I only went back three years - so it seemed better to ask. Perhaps there's just not enough interest to sustain such a thread. :)

~Pranam

Viraja
17 September 2014, 07:29 AM
Mushroom Masala:
============

Ingredients:

Button Mushroom - 200 gm
Big Onions - 2
Tomatoes - 3
Salt & sugar - to taste
Green Pepper - 1 big
Oil - for frying

Fry in oil and then grind to paste the following:

Onion - 1
Scraped Coconut - 2 tblspoons
Red Chillies - 8
Pepper - 1/2 tspoon
Cinnamon - 1 small bit
Cloves - 3
Garlic - 7 cloves, peeled
Ginger - 1 inch piece

Method:

1. Wash the mushrooms first in water, then in warm water with Lemon juice, dry.

2. Cut the mushrooms into desired size.

3. Cut onions, tomatoes and Green pepper into lengthy and small pieces.

4. Heat some oil in a pan and fry the onions in it.

5. After onions are fried, add cut Green pepper and fry.

6. Once the Green peppers are well cooked (fried), add the tomatoes and fry until the water dried out.

7. Now add the Mushrooms (chopped) and fry for a little bit.

8. Now add the ground masala and add salt and sugar to taste (the recipe is supposed to be salty).

9. Fry till oil separates out.

10. Add little bit of water and boil the mix until desired consistency is reached.

* * *

Believer
17 September 2014, 09:35 AM
Namaste,

I have tried a version of the following without the tamarind sauce and without any extra spices in the pan mentioned in the following,

http://hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=78844&postcount=27

Sometimes, one has to ease up on the spices in these fancy recipes, else your body becomes one big spice holder. :)

Pranam.

Eastern Mind
17 September 2014, 03:17 PM
Vannakkam Aanandinii et al: I didn't mean to dampen the spirit of this thread. Everything posted looks great.

Here in this house we're incredibly basic cooks. Recipe? What's that?

Aum Namasivaya

Viraja
17 September 2014, 03:33 PM
Namaste,

Honestly I think a section can be dedicated to 'Microwave cooking of Indian Sweets'. :p Not many know of easy means of cooking sweets in Microwave. We typically make a sweet called 'Thirattu Paal' (curdled milk sweet) for Krishna Jayanthi. It can be prepared on normal days too... it tastes delicious! Not many know it can be prepared in mere 8 min. on a microwave using minimal ingredients whereas cooking on stove top, it takes an hour!

I can PM to anyone the microwave procedure, or post it here too!

Thanks & Regards.

Aanandinii
17 September 2014, 08:21 PM
Namaskar ji,


Sometimes, one has to ease up on the spices in these fancy recipes, else your body becomes one big spice holder.
LOL, my palate has always preferred a lot of spice - I surprise people sometimes. My other half, not so much. So we have found that masala and chutney powders added to taste after are sometimes best. I've learned not to overdo it though, as you say. Nothing like masala sweat for the next few days. :p Kind of like the marinara sweat my mother's side of the family can get - first generation Italians.

Thank you so much for the recipe and the link! I never saw that thread, it looks like a similar idea to what I posited and it died out. Is it too old to resurrect? It's only been 2 years...


Vannakkam Aanandinii et al: I didn't mean to dampen the spirit of this thread.
My apologies, EMji, if I made you feel that you did. I don't think you did at all, you made good points that are useful for people to know if they are interested in learning on their own. It looks like you tried to start a similar idea a couple of years ago, which I missed before too. Anyway, it's nearly impossible to dampen my spirit. :D

Sometimes the simplest foods are the best. Would love to hear some of your favorites. =)


Honestly I think a section can be dedicated to 'Microwave cooking of Indian Sweets'. :p Not many know of easy means of cooking sweets in Microwave. We typically make a sweet called 'Thirattu Paal' (curdled milk sweet) for Krishna Jayanthi....
I can PM to anyone the microwave procedure, or post it here too!
Now there's an idea I can really get behind. :D Mmm, sweets... I like Thirattu Paal, I would love to know your recipe!

You make me think of microwave ladoos and dhokla... will need to dig out those recipes. :)

Thanks so much for that masala recipe! We will try it soon.

My first offering then is a Vah Chef recipe for Pineapple Kadi. This has become a staple for us, it's simple and is great over rice. It uses Coconut Milk instead of Cow's Milk or Curd, but make sure you get a good brand because thinner oilier brands don't work well in this recipe.

The original recipe is Here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVXggzy0BBw).

Ingredients:
1 tbsp Besan atta (chickpea flour)
4-5 number Cloves
2 cup Coconut milk
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1 springs Curry leaves
pinch Fenugreek seeds
1 tsp Green chillies, crushed
pinch Hing (asafoetida)
1/4 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tbsp Oil
1/2 cup Pineapple, cut into small pieces
1/2 tsp Red chilli powder
0 Salt to taste
pinch Sugar
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
Water as needed

Method:
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and when it gets hot enough, add mustard seeds. When they start crackling, add cumin seeds, cloves, pinch of fenugreek seeds, few curry leaves and crushed green chillies.

Saut� and add pineapple pieces and mix. Add pinch of hing, turmeric powder and red chilli powder. Add little water and cook the pineapple pieces for about 2 minutes. Add salt to taste and sugar (if you are adding 1 tsp of salt then add 2 tsp of sugar).

Add 2 cups of coconut milk and bring to a boil.

Add 1 tbsp of besan atta (chickpea flour) in little water and add this to the coconut milk mixture little by little stirring continuously until it slightly thickens - or thickens to your taste.

After cooking for about 1 or 2 minutes, the mixture will thicken. The consistency should be that of a kadi or soup. It should not be too thick.

Be sure to fish out the cloves before your serve! There are few things that can ruin a good meal faster than biting down on a whole clove. The only thing I can think of that's worse is biting a cooked cardamom pod.

We have not tried it as a pina colada as the video jokes. =)

~Pranam

Viraja
18 September 2014, 03:38 PM
Now there's an idea I can really get behind. :D Mmm, sweets... I like Thirattu Paal, I would love to know your recipe!


Microwave Thirattu Paal:
==================

Ingredients:

1 can (14 oz) Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 tbsp Curd (Plain yoghurt - should be kinda sour)
1 tbsp Ghee

Preparation:

1. In a heavy corning vessel or microwavable container, dump the can full of condensed milk.

2. Add the curd and Ghee to the condensed milk. Mix well.

3. Microwave on high for 2 min. Take out and mix well.

4. Continue microwaving for a duration of 2 min followed by a gap, during which time it should be taken out and stirred/mixed well.

5. After doing this process 3 or 4 times (for a total of 6 - 8 min), the mixture would have turned quite brownish and very thick it can be almost rolled into a rough ball. Will not stick to the pan anymore.

6. Stop cooking. Take out, chill if preferred and serve.

* * *

Aanandinii
09 November 2014, 05:36 PM
Namaskar Viraja ji,

Wow! Thank you so much, I've used this recipe a couple of times now, including bringing for prasad, and it's fantastic! I wish I could give you +1000. :D

I'm sorry I haven't posted more yet, I've needed to concentrate more on completing gift projects than posting, so have been offline a lot. I will post more when more are complete and I have some more free time. In the meantime, if anyone has recipes they would like to share, please do. They needn't be Indian cuisine. :)

~Pranam

Ram11
09 November 2014, 08:17 PM
Namaste Ji,

In the Thirattu Paal reciple,how to make condensed sweet milk at home?

I would like to try the mushroom reciple but I can't.:(I can count the number of times I had mushroom,once when my school friend got it for his lunch I tasted it and another two or three more times outside.Every time I go the supermarket I feel tempted to buy it but my orthodox mother refuses to cook it.
:dunno:

smaranam
09 November 2014, 09:34 PM
Dear Mushroom-priya VaishNavs

Mushroom grows in the dark, and thereby has a tAmasic quality to it, so somebody here said their Mom was orthodox for not cooking mushroom, but really she is being sAttvic-scientific thinking what is good for you.

-------
The most frequently micowave-cooked Indian dish for me is Idli.
Gits instant Idli. mix with oil and water, and pour into greased microwavable idli-pArta. Cook for 4 minutes per pAtra (dish with 4 idli moulds), so 8 mins for 8 idlis, 1 min per idli. I also make idli in a lightly greased ramekin. Perfect.
---




ॐ सह नाववतु ।
सह नौ भुनक्तु ।
सह वीर्यं करवावहै ।
तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै ।
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥
Om Saha Nau-Avatu |
Saha Nau Bhunaktu |
Saha Viiryam Karavaavahai |
Tejasvi Nau-Adhiitam-Astu Maa Vidvissaavahai |
Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih ||

Meaning:
1: Om, May HE (Brahman) Protect us Both (the Teacher and the Student),
2: May HE Nourish us Both,
3: May we Work Together with Energy and Vigour,
4: May our Study be Enlightening and not give rise to Hostility,
5: Om, Peace, Peace, Peace.
http://greenmesg.org/mantras_slokas/vedas-om_sahana_vavatu.php

Aanandinii
10 November 2014, 06:12 AM
Namaste Smaranam,

Thanks so much for the clarification. Is this also the reasoning behind certain root vegetables and root spices being considered un-satvik? Thank you as well for the links to more threads. :) I had seem one of them before, but both of the threads are too old to have been revived by forum rules so I thought it best to start a new one.

I didn't know you could make idli in the microwave! Wow, it seems like anything can be made in one. We usually just make idli in a pot with steam plates, and we also use the Gits mix, it's our favorite and it always comes out good. We've tried to make our own batter but we can't ever get them to come out right.


In the Thirattu Paal reciple,how to make condensed sweet milk at home?Namaste Ram, here in the US we simply buy it at the store in 14oz cans, thus the amount in the recipe. You should be able to buy it in India too, I think. But it's not difficult to make at home, just time consuming. The stuff sold is a bit more involved than this, but in essence "condensed milk" is the same thing as evaporated milk - milk slow-boiled down to remove the water until it's thick. Condensed milk is different because it has a little more water and a lot of sugar, making a kind of milk syrup. You can find many recipes for making it online, but if you want to make Thirattu Paal and can't buy condensed milk, you may as well stick to making the sweet directly instead of making more work for yourself.

~Pranam-s

Viraja
10 November 2014, 07:47 AM
Namaskar Viraja ji,

Wow! Thank you so much, I've used this recipe a couple of times now, including bringing for prasad, and it's fantastic! I wish I could give you +1000. :D
~Pranam

Dear Aanandinii,

I'm glad you liked the recipe. I feel happy someone could use this little recipe to advantage, as it is really so easy to prepare it! :)

Regards,

Viraja

Viraja
10 November 2014, 07:48 AM
Namaste Ji,

In the Thirattu Paal reciple,how to make condensed sweet milk at home?

I would like to try the mushroom reciple but I can't.:(I can count the number of times I had mushroom,once when my school friend got it for his lunch I tasted it and another two or three more times outside.Every time I go the supermarket I feel tempted to buy it but my orthodox mother refuses to cook it.
:dunno:

Ram,

What are you talking about? Condensed milk is available everywhere in India, is it not? I remember getting it from Aavin stores that sell icecream...

Ram11
10 November 2014, 08:29 AM
Dear Mushroom-priya VaishNavs

Mushroom grows in the dark, and thereby has a tAmasic quality to it, so somebody here said their Mom was orthodox for not cooking mushroom, but really she is being sAttvic-scientific thinking what is good for you.



Namaste Ji,

I sometimes suffer from a disease called Bhojana priyavatvam,so sometimes my jihva is deluded.After you said about tamastic food I realized that my mother is right and it is me who is heterodox sometimes.:o

P.S. I might have been an elephant in one my past lives?Effect of those vasanas on the appetite?

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2196/2377428666_12b29957d1.jpg

Ram11
10 November 2014, 08:38 AM
Ram,

What are you talking about? Condensed milk is available everywhere in India, is it not? I remember getting it from Aavin stores that sell icecream...

Namaste Viraja Ji,

Yes,it is available here.Ayyoh!But haven't you heard the recent news that 70% of milk in India is fake/adulterated or made using dangerous chemical powders.Also,cows are injected with some banned hormones to force them to produce milk.

In our house,we are all lacto-vegetarians and milk is the most important source of protein for us.But we decided to gradually reduce consumption of processed milk products and instead use locally supplied milk.So,I was wondering if there was an alternative way to make condensed milk instead of buying a packaged can.

KasparHauser
11 November 2014, 01:05 PM
Made delicious tarka dal this evening. Previous attempts failed, mainly because I was too impatient and didn't cook the lentils for long enough, or soak beforehand. This time I brought it to a boil and then let it simmer for two or so hours and added a teaspoon of cream for richness. I also made separate spicy oil with onions and then stirred it through afterwards. Served with rice, mango chutney, cucumbers & tomato.

Aanandinii
14 November 2014, 01:46 PM
Namaste Ram,

Also,cows are injected with some banned hormones to force them to produce milk... ...we decided to gradually reduce consumption of processed milk products and instead use locally supplied milk.So,I was wondering if there was an alternative way to make condensed milk instead of buying a packaged can.This is a big problem here too, perhaps bigger as this culture has almost no respect for food animals or cows. Hormones, nasty and inhumane treatment, chemicals, antibiotics, experiments and probably something you might never consider - what we feed them. We recently started buying milk products and butter from local dairy farms with good practices when it comes to keeping cows and who still keep them when their milk slows. It doesn't take much in the region I live to find good local sources, and though it can cost a little more it's also fresher. Strangely though, grass-fed butter smells like steak when clarified to ghee... it's a little discomfiting.

Our neighbors asked about it and we mentioned we made sure they were also primarily grass fed with only grain supplement in winter, thinking they would like to know that. They were surprised and asked what else you would feed a cow. What else indeed. Factory farming is a true nightmare. :( But don't just do this with your dairy, do it with all your produce if you can. The food is in general more nutrient rich when not mass-produced - at least here in the US that's the case, and again in the US it's really important to support local farmers as they are slowly disappearing under the pressures of large industry growers.


Made delicious tarka dal this evening. Previous attempts failed, mainly because I was too impatient and didn't cook the lentils for long enough, or soak beforehand. This time I brought it to a boil and then let it simmer for two or so hours and added a teaspoon of cream for richness. I also made separate spicy oil with onions and then stirred it through afterwards. Served with rice, mango chutney, cucumbers & tomato.Namaste KasparHauser,
It sounds like you need a pressure cooker. :) Cuts WAY down on the cook time, I don't know what we did before we got one.

That meal also sounds fantastic! Tarka Dal, eh? Is the recipe online or from a book?

~Pranam-s

KasparHauser
15 November 2014, 09:24 AM
Hi there Aanandinii,

Yes, I sure do need a pressure cooker. I had one last year but it was cheap and broke early on - you get what you pay for!

The recipe I followed was this one - http://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/restaurant-style-dal-tadka/ - I was missing one or two ingredients (and skipped the charcoal bit) but it turned out really well.

Viraja
08 February 2015, 05:06 PM
Hi Aanandinii,

You should try the recipe for Chana Masala from this site: http://www.veganricha.com/2011/10/chana-masalachole-chickpea-curry-vegan.html. I recently tried it and it came out pretty good.

mandyscotty
23 February 2016, 12:30 AM
Dear Aanandinii,
I am a vegetarian also according to nutritional analysis (http://www.creative-proteomics.com/application/nutritional-analysis-service.htm). And I love to collect all kinds of vegetarian recipes. I always cook Chinese cuisine and I love it so much. Here I want to share this recipe with you.

http://thewoksoflife.com/category/recipes/vegetarian/

I hope you can use it well.

SuryaVedanta754
17 October 2021, 03:53 AM
if you scroll down the page, this site has about 500 Vegan, Indian recipes...

https://ivu.org/recipes/