Bhojan Universe

Bhojan means a meal in Sanskrit – a historical language; that nourishes the body, mind and soul. Universe encompasses of everything. BhojanUniverse site encompasses of everything that relates to food that nourishes body, mind and soul.

We are looking forward to sharing many of vegetarian recipes on this site and hoping to build a happy and healthy community.

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A very popular evening snack on a chilly winter evening. These are made in a special skillet. The original well seasoned iron skillet is best however these days we can find a non-stick version.There are several variations on this is made. Here is my version. Hope you enjoy as we do….

Ingredients

• 1 cup Rice
• ½ cup Urad dal or Black gram dal
• 2 tbsps Soaked Channa dal
• Onions
• Green chillies
• Cilantro

Directions

• Soak the rice and urad dhal for few hours.
• Grind them into smooth batter with using just enough water.
• Ferment it overnight for a nice sour taste
• Add finely chopped green chillies, cilantro, soaked chana dal, cumin and salt to the batter and mix thoroughly.
• Serve hot using peanut, tomato or coconut chutney.

This is a great way to have your family enjoy the Bell Peppers….

Ingredients

• Bell Peppers – red, orange, yellow,green – 1 each ( Cut into Long Pieces)
• Mustard – 1 1/2  tsp
• Cumin – 1 tsp
• Fenugreek Seeds(Methi) – 1/2 tsp
• Dried Red Chili – 4-5
• Black Gram (Urad dal) – 2 tsp
• Asafetodia (Hing)
• Coriander – 1/4 bunch
• Tamrind Paste – 1 1/2 – 2 tsp (as desired)
• salt  – 1 tsp
• Oil – 2-3 tsp

Directions

• Heat oil in a pan.
• Fry Mustard, jeera,methi, hing, Red mirchi, Urad Dal  (like tadka). Once done, take it out into a container and allow it cool.
• Use the same pan and fry Bellpeppers until well roasted.
• Blend the Tadka, Roasted Peppers, Tamrind paste, salt,coriander leaves all together.
• Enjoy with Rice, Roti, Idli or Dosa.

Yogurt rice or Curd rice…. as one may say a combination of white rice and curd…. its true but can be variated in several ways, here is my variation of this simple delicacy of South India (prolly north too?? ).

Ingredients

• 2 cups Soft cooked white rice (sona masoori or basmati can be used)
• 1 cup Yogurt or homemade Curd
• 1 cup Milk
• Salt as desired
• 1/2 inch Ginger
• 1/2 of small Mango
• 1/4 inch of finely grated Carrot
• a few black grapes
• a few seeds of Pomegranate
• Cilantro for Garnishing
• 2 spicy Green Chillies
• For seasoning I use Mustard seeds, Cumin seeds, Cashew nuts and Red chillies

Directions

• In a large mixing bowl, add cooled down white rice and mash till its soft, the soft the better it absorbs the flavors
• Add salt, green chillies, yogurt and milk and mix well to form a very thin consistency.
• Set aside for 15 minutes.
• Heat oil and prepare the seasoning by adding mustard, cumin seeds, cashew nuts, curry leaves and red chillies.
• Add the seasoning to the rice mixture and mix well.
• Garnish by adding the resting of the ingredients – Ginger, Carrot, Grapes, Pomegranate seeds, Cilantro.
• Mix very gently and set aside in the fridge until served.
• Serve with any spicy pickle or tomato chutney.

I ate this chutney at one of my aunt’s place and loved it…..The flavor is very unique and the color is blissful! This is easily prepared by roasting red bell peppers, garlic and dried red chillies and by blending them including peanuts, jaggery and tamarind juice. I made this at one of my potluck dinners and it was hit….Here is the detailed recipe. Hope you enjoy it as much we do in our family and friends.

Ingredients

• 3 Red bell peppers
• 5 Red chillies
• 5 Garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup Roasted Peanuts
• 1 tbsp Tamarind paste or juice from tamarind
• Salt as desired

Directions

• Heat oil is a heavy bottomed pan.
• Add garlic, red bell peppers, salt and red chillies.
• Let is cook till all the ingredients are soft.
• Set aside for it to cool down.
• Blend the roasted peanuts to coarse powder.
• Blend the cool down pepper mixture, peanut powder and tamarind paste.
• Don’t add water unless its needed. The pepper contains water and that should be self sufficient.
• Season with mustard seeds, curry leaves, fenugreek seeds and red chillies.
• Enjoy with some plain white rice or even Dosa or Idli.

So what do you do when a gallon of milk breaks down ?  I would typically trash it, but today i decided to use all of it. I made it into yummy Paneer Bhurji with soft phulkas. I used the whey or water to mix dough for phulkas and the paneer or cheese to make the Bhurji or curry…

Ingredients

• 1/4 pound of crumbled fresh paneer
• 1 tbsp Garlic Ginger paste
• 1 medium Onion, chopped finely
• 4 medium Tomatoes, chopped finely
• 1-2 Green Chillies, finely chopped
• ¼ tsp Garam Masala powder
• ½ tsp Chilli Powder
• ½ tsp Cumin/jeera
• salt as desired
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• freshly chopped cilantro for garnish

Directions

• Finely chop onions, tomatoes and green chillies.
• Take large sauté pan, heat oil, add cumin/jeera and fry for a minute.
• Add ginger garlic paster, chopped onion and green chilles, add little salt and cook till the onions are golden brown.
• Add chopped tomatoes and let it cook till soft.
• Add  garam masala and chilli powder. .
• Add paneer and to the onion-tomato mixture. Keep stirring continuously till all the flavours are blended together.
• Let it cook for 5 minutes.
• Garnish with cilantro and enjoy with rotis or phulkas.

Dear family, friends and readers –

Yugadi Shubhakankshalu and Happy Gudi Padwa!

Best wishes for a wonderful and successful year to you and your family

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup Rice
• 1 Lemon
• 1 tbsp peatnuts
• 1 tbsp Blackgram
• 1 tbsp Bengalgram
• 3 Green chillies
• 3 Red chillies
• 1 tbsp Cashewnuts
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds
• 1 tsp Asafoetida
• 3 tbsp Ghee
• coriander leaves for garnish

Directions

• Cook rice and allow it to cool. Season the spices in oil till roasted well.
• When rice cools down mix the seasoned spices and juice from the lemon.
• Garnish with coriander leaves.

Ok! Before you think that there is a spelling error in the title…i want to say read as its spelled…thats it !! its the Telugu way of saying Tomato Soup….LOL

As a kid i loved this chaaru, used to cherish the taste of the sour and tangy tomatoes with a hint of spice and sugar… Today being a slow Friday, made a Pachi Koora and Tamato Chaaru with Brown Rice for Lunch…Very rarely i get cook a full lunch on a weekday…Hope you all experience the joy of these tastes!

Ingredients

• 6 Roma Tomatoes
• 1 tsp Tamarind paste
• 5 cloves of Garlic
• Green Chillies
• Small Onion
• Coriander seeds
• Cumin seeds
• Cilantro
• Curry leaves
• Salt as desired

Directions

• Chop tomatoes into big pieces, add water, tamarind paste and boil till they become soft
• Add salt and turmeric . Let it cool aside.
• Grind to form a liquidy paste.
• Fry green chillies, onion, garlic, coriander and cumin seeds.
• Grind them to a fine paste.
• Heat oil in a vessel,  add mustard seeds, cumin, asafoetida and curry leaves as seasoning.
• Now add the liquid, ground paste and let it boil.
• Garnish with coriander and enjoy as a soup or chaaru.

This curry is very unique and very healthy as one may say. Pachi means raw in Telugu and koora is curry, basically this is raw curry(not cooked). This can be enjoyed with rice, roti, bread or just as a salad.

Ingredients

• 1 cup, shredded cabbage
• 1 cup, finely grated carrot
• 1 tablespoon, lemon juice
• 1 tbsp finely chopped green chillies
• Salt as desired
• Cilantro for garnish

Directions

• Mix cabbage and carrot in a bowl
• Sprinkle salt and lemon juice and let it stand for few minutes
• Now add the green chilles and coconut
• Gently combine
• Garnish with cliantro and enjoy !