Indian Vegetarian Recipes
Varan Bhaat Recipe | Varan Recipe | How to make Varan Bhat
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Varan Bhaat recipe for Ganesh Chaturthi. It is an important dish that is made during Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Maharashtra and Goa.
Varan bhaat would read as lentil-rice where varan stands for “lentil curry or stew or dal” and bhaat means “steamed rice”.
There are many variations of making varan bhaat. This recipe is a Maharashtrian recipe of making dal varan which was shared by my friend. In this recipe post I have shown both the method of making varan as well as cooking rice.
I have also shared a Goan style varan bhaat recipe at the end of this post in which coconut is added. So you can take your pick.
While making varan bhaat, I usually cook the dal in a pressure cooker and rice in a pot. But you can use the pot-in-pot method of cooking both dal and rice together. Nowadays I use the Instant pot and cook both the varan and the rice using the pot-in-pot method.
Varan bhaat is served as naivedyam or bhog to Bhagwan Ganesha along with vegetable dishes like sautéed potatoes (batata bhaji) or sautéed green beans (beans bhaji) or snacks like alu vadi, potato fritters (batata bhajji) and sweets like Puran Poli, Patholi, Coconut Ladoo. Not to forget Modak that is Bhagwan Ganesha’s most favorite food.
This recipe is very simple and easy to make and is a tempered version of varan. For the festival, skip onion and garlic and if preparing on regular days, then you can add garlic in the tempering.
Varan goes best with steamed rice topped with some ghee (clarified butter).
How to make varan bhaat
Making varan (dal)
1. Rinse ½ cup arhar dal (tuvar dal or pigeon pea lentils) in the water a couple of times. Add the lentils in a 2 litre pressure cooker.
2. Add ¾ cup chopped tomatoes and ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder.
3. Add 2 cups of water.
4. Season with salt as per taste.
5. Pressure cook dal for 7 to 8 whistles on medium to high flame.
6. When the pressure settles down on its own, open the lid.
7. Mash the dal with a wired whisk or wooden spoon. Add water as required only if the dal looks thick. If adding water, then keep to simmer on low flame till you get the desired consistency, which is neither thick nor thin. Switch off and keep covered.
Tempering for varan recipe
8. Heat 2 tablespoons oil or ghee in a small pan.
9. Add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds first and let them crackle.
10. Then add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds and let them splutter.
11. Add the asafoetida, curry leaves, and green chilies. Fry for a couple of seconds till curry leaves become crisp and then switch off the flame.
12. Pour the whole tempering in the dal.
13. Cover and let the tempering flavors infuse with the dal for about 5 to 6 minutes.
14. Later mix the dal.
15. Add 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves. Mix and then serve with bhaat or steamed rice.
For cooking bhaat (rice)
16. Before you begin with making varan, rinse and soak 1 cup rice in enough water for 20 to 30 minutes.
17. After 20 to 30 minutes, heat 2 cups water + ½ teaspoon salt in a deep pot or pan. Let the water come to a boil. Salt is optional and can be skipped. Depending on the quality of rice, you can add 2 cups water or 2.5 cups water.
18. After the water has come to a boil, lower the flame. Drain all the water from the rice and add to the hot water.
19. Cover pot with a lid and simmer rice on a low to medium-low flame till all the water is absorbed and the rice grains are cooked well and fluffy.
20. In between do check a couple of times. If you feel the water is less and the rice grains are not cooked, then you can add some more water. Then gently mix with a fork. Cover and continue to cook.
21. Once the rice grains are tender and cooked well, fluff rice with a fork.
22. Serve hot steamed rice with dal varan. You can top a bit of ghee on varan while serving.
Varan Bhaat (Maharashtrian Varan Bhaat Recipe)
Maharashtrian varan bhaat recipe – delicious lentil stew or dal made with pigeon pea lentils and served with rice.
(1 CUP = 250 ML)
for making varan recipe
- Rinse the lentils well in water for a couple of times. Then add them in a 2 litre pressure cooker along with chopped tomatoes and turmeric powder.
- Pressure cook the lentils with tomatoes and turmeric powder for 7 to 8 whistles on medium flame.
- When the pressure settles down on its own, open the lid and mash the dal with a wired whisk or wooden spoon. Cover and keep aside.
- If the dal looks thick, then you can add water as required.
- If adding water, then keep to simmer on low flame till you get the desired consistency, which is neither thick nor thin.
- Switch off flame and keep covered.
tempering varan
- Heat oil or ghee in a pan.
- Add the mustard seeds first and let them crackle.
- Then add the cumin and crackle them.
- Add the asafoetida, curry leaves and green chilies.
- Fry for a few seconds till the curry leaves become crisp.
- Pour the whole tempering in the dal.
- Cover and let the tempering flavors infuse with the dal for about 5 to 6 minutes.
- Garnish varan bhaat with coriander leaves or stir in the coriander leaves.
- Serve varan bhaat hot with steamed rice.
for making bhaat or steamed rice
- Rinse the rice till the water clears from the starch.
- Soak the rice for 20 to 30 minutes.
- After 20 to 30 minutes, heat 2 cups water + ½ teaspoon salt in a deep pot or pan. Let the water come to a boil. Salt is optional and can be skipped.
- After the water has come to a boil, lower the flame. Drain all the water from the rice and add to the hot water.
- Cover pot with a lid and simmer rice on a low to medium-low flame till all the water is absorbed and the rice grains are cooked well and fluffy.
- In between do check a couple of times. If you feel the water is less and the rice grains are not cooked, then you can add some more water. Then gently mix with a fork. Cover and continue to cook.
- Once the rice grains are tender and cooked well, fluff rice with a fork.
- Serve hot steamed rice with dal varan. You can top a bit of ghee on varan while serving.
- You can also add 1 or 2 tablespoons fresh grated coconut toward the end in this varan recipe.
- If you want you can add some goda masala also in the dal.
- 2 to 3 slightly crushed garlic cloves can be added if making varan for regular days. While tempering, add the garlic along with the curry leaves and green chilies. Fry till garlic turns light golden and then add the tempering in the dal varan.
For pressure cooking rice:
- Pressure cook the rice with 2 cups water for 2 to 3 whistles.
- For separate grains just add 1.5 cups water and pressure cook for 1 to 2 whistles.
- For a more softer texture add 2.5 cups water and pressure cook for 2 to 3 whistles.
Note that the approximate nutrition info is for 1 serving of varan with steamed rice.
Nutrition Facts
Varan Bhaat (Maharashtrian Varan Bhaat Recipe)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 339 Calories from Fat 9
% Daily Value*
Fat 1g2%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 969mg42%
Potassium 265mg8%
Carbohydrates 71g24%
Fiber 7g29%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 11g22%
Vitamin A 802IU16%
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1mg67%
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1mg59%
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 32mg160%
Vitamin B6 1mg50%
Vitamin C 70mg85%
Vitamin E 1mg7%
Vitamin K 7µg7%
Calcium 59mg6%
Vitamin B9 (Folate) 331µg83%
Iron 2mg11%
Magnesium 29mg7%
Phosphorus 95mg10%
Zinc 1mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Goan Style Varan Bhaat with Coconut
This Goan varan bhaat is an important dish that is made during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in the regions of Goa and Konkan. This is a vegan recipe.
This recipe is different from the Maharashtrian Varan recipe posted above and has fresh coconut added in it with minimal spices.
I make this varan bhaat with coconut often and in fact it is one of our comfort food.
The varan bhaat is served in the Naivedyam or bhog we offer to Lord Ganesha along with the other veggies dishes & sweets. This is satvik dal with no onion and garlic added to it.
You can have the varan with some steamed rice or even roti. You can add a bit if ghee on top of the varan while serving. This is one delicious recipe and you must try it.
Goan Varan Bhaat with Coconut
A lentil preparation made with tuvar dal (arhar dal), coconut, some spices and herbs. This Goan style varan bhaat is best served with steamed rice.
(1 CUP = 250 ML)
- Pick, rinse the lentils couple of times in water.
- Pressure cook the lentils till they are soft.
- Mash them with a spoon or ladle. Keep aside.
- Grind the coconut with little water to a smooth paste.
- Add coconut paste to the cooked lentils and mix well.
- Then add cumin powder, turmeric powder & curry leaves and salt. mix again.
- Add water to thin the dal if required.
- Keep the dal on the stove and let it simmer for 10-12 minutes.
- Serve Varan Bhaat with steamed rice and some ghee.
- Instead of combination of moong or arhar dal, you can also add 1 cup of arhar or moong dal instead.
- You can also grind the coconut with cumin seeds and then add to the dal.
Nutrition Facts
Goan Varan Bhaat with Coconut
Amount Per Serving (4 g)
Calories 0
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Indian Vegetarian Recipes
Corn and spinach sandwich
Corn and spinach sandwich, Spinach corn sandwich- No onion no garlic sandwich recipe with full video and step-by-step pictures.
Sandwich comes super handy when we run out of idli dosa batter. My family loves sandwiches, and I have posted many recipes in Jeyashris kitchen. This one is a no onion no garlic sandwich recipe made using the winning combo of spinach and corn, also I have added capsicum to enhance the taste.
You can make this easy sandwich recipe, with the ingredients available at home. As we are not using onion or garlic, chopping reduces significantly. The filling is like a thicker version of the white sauce we make for pasta. If you want to add garlic you can add while sauting the corn and making the sauce too.
Corn and spinach sandwich can be served for breakfast, packed for kid’s lunch box, or served as an evening snack. Even you can make this for a quick weeknight dinner along with a soup.
Also check out our collection of No onion no garlic recipes.
Corn spinach sandwich recipe
Ingredients
- 8 slices bread
- ½ cup frozen sweet corn
- ½ cup spinach finely chopped
- 3 tbsp capsicum finely chopped
- Salt as needed
- Red chili flakes to taste
- ½ tsp pepper powder
- Oregano flakes to taste
- 2 tsp maida or jowar flour
- 3 tsp butter + butter to toast the sandwich
- ½ cup milk use raw milk or boiled and cooled milk
- ¼ cup grated cheese mozarella cheese
Instructions
-
In a pan add 1 tsp of butter and add the frozen corn. If using fresh corn, cook this well and then take out the corn kernels and then add.
-
Saute for a minute and add add ½ cup finely chopped spinach
-
Saute for a minute and add salt.
-
Now add 3 tbsp of finely chopped capsicum
-
Saute for a minute.
-
Add red chili flakes, pepper powder, oregano flakes and mix well.
-
Keep this aside.
-
Add 1 tsp butter to the pan and add 2 tsp plain flour |maida. You can add jowar flour also.
-
Saute in low flame for a minute.
-
Now add ½ cup milk, you can add raw milk or boiled and cooled milk. Oat milk can also be added.
-
Mix well without lumps
-
Let this thicken, cook on a low flame.
-
Now add the corn spinach mixture.
-
Mix well and switch off
-
Add ¼ cup grated cheese
-
Filling is ready for the sandwich.
-
Add butter on a tawa and place a bread on it.
-
Spread the corn cheese mixture.
-
Cover with another slice.
-
Cook on both sides
-
Take out, cut and serve.
Video
Notes
1. Instead of oregano and red chili flakes you can add finely chopped green chili and chaat masala.
2. You can skip the step of adding the maida white sauce too. Just cook the corn and spinach and add the grated cheese and go ahead.
3. No onion no garlic Corn spinach sandwich is a perfect breakfast or evening snack
- In a pan add 1 tsp of butter and add the frozen corn. If using fresh corn, cook this well and then take out the corn kernels and then add.
- Saute for a minute and add ½ cup finely chopped spinach
- Saute for a minute and add salt.
- Now add 3 tbsp of finely chopped capsicum
- Saute for a minute.
- Add red chili flakes, pepper powder, oregano flakes and mix well.
- Keep this aside.
- Add 1 tsp butter to the pan and add 2 tsp plain flour |maida. You can add jowar flour also.
- Saute in low flame for a minute.
- Now add ½ cup milk, you can add raw milk or boiled and cooled milk. Oat milk can also be added.
- Mix well without lumps.
- Let this thicken, and cook on a low flame.
- Now add the corn spinach mixture.
- Mix well and switch off.
- Add ¼ cup grated cheese and mix well
- The filling is ready for the sandwich.
- Add butter on a tawa and place a bread on it.
- Spread the corn cheese mixture.
- Cover with another slice.
- Cook on both sides.
- Take out, cut and serve.
- Notes:
- Instead of oregano and red chili flakes you can add finely chopped green chili and chaat masala too.
- You can skip the step of adding the maida white sauce too. Just cook the corn and spinach and add the grated cheese and go ahead.
- No onion no garlic Corn spinach sandwich is a perfect breakfast or evening snack.
The post Corn and spinach sandwich appeared first on Jeyashri’s Kitchen.
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