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Showing posts with label Khanti Odia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Khanti Odia. Show all posts

Monday, July 4, 2016

Panasa Manjee Raee ( Jackfruit seeds in a traditional mustard-garlic preparation )

Have had enough of the sweet succulent jackfruit flesh ? Well, then it is right time to embrace yet another produce of the jackfruit tree. Those big white seeds that we tend to throw away are perfectly edible and are considered a delicacy in several parts of the country. In fact, the seeds are carefully harvested, cleaned and dried in the sun to be stored and consumed over the next few months. And having grown up in Odisha, I have eaten quite a few curries and fries that have jackfruit seeds as a ingredient. Apart from the sorisa bhaja, masala bhaja, raee and just the plain roasted ones prepared in a wood fired/coal fired stove, it has a propensity of making it's way into just about every vegetarian dish. No wonder I cannot get it out of my head even if I have practically given up on ripe jackfruits ( for some reason, I find it overpoweringly sweet these days ).

Last weekend on a trip to the HAL market in Bengaluru, I chanced upon a lady selling these yummy seeds. I brought half a kilo and even though it was a Sunday ( obligatory non-vegetarian day in our kitchen ), quickly prepared this delicious curry with about one third of them. Very simple and frugal, one just needs some Badi ( urad dal vadi ) apart from the regular ingredients from one's pantry. While I choose to call it a 'Raee' because of the ingredients used, it is almost dry in consistency and hence often considered as a 'bhaja'.

Read on for the recipe -



















Preparation Time - 25 mins

Ingredients - 

  • 150 gm jackfruit seeds
  • 4-5 urad dal Badi
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 5 garlic cloves
  • 1 dry red chili
  • 1 green chili
  • 2 pinch turmeric powder
  • 3 tsp oil
  • dash of mustard oil for final garnish
  • cilantro for garnishing
  • salt to taste

Preparation - Remove the outer white layer of the jackfruit seeds. Wash them.

Chop each one into small pieces.

Make a fine paste out of the mustard seeds, red chili and garlic. Dilute the paste with 1 cup of water and let it stand undisturbed. 

Cooking - Heat 1 tsp oil in a wok. Add the Badi and fry on low flame to a golden brown. Remove from wok and keep aside.

Add another 2 tsp of oil to the same wok. Add the chopped jackfruit seeds. Stir fry for about 2-3 mins.

Carefully drain the water from the cup containing the mustard paste into the wok. The black residue part should be left behind in the cup. 

Add turmeric and salt to taste. Cook covered till 3/4th done.

Crush the fried badis and add to the wok. Let it cook till all the excess water evaporates.

Finally mix in the mustard oil, chopped green chili and cilantro. Remove from the flame.

Serve it at room temperature with some steamed rice and yellow dal. Enjoy !!






Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Tarana ( A festive recipe for Bada Osa )

Women folk are unusually resourceful. Who else would have thought of coming up with a dish from what can be described as a side-effect of preparing another dish. The other dish that I have mentioned is the Gaja or manda pitha that is prepared for Bada Osa. The 'khali' or cooked batter that remains sticking to the walls of the container is made into a somewhat watery kheer called the 'Tarana'.

While the Tarana is rather thin in consistency, it packs in quite a punch with a combination of flavours like black pepper, green cardamom and bay leaf. As it is cooked twice, once in the form of a khali and another time as a kheer, it is very light and easy to digest.

But it can also be made with fresh arwa pithau too. This takes a little longer to cook but is equally delicious. Read on for the recipe -

















Preparation Time - 20-25 mins

Ingredients -


  • 3 tsp thick rice paste (jeera rice/ gobindobhog rice)
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 1/2 tsp crushed peppercorn
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 green cardamom
  • 1/2 tsp ghee
  • a pinch of salt
  • 3 tsp sugar



Preparation - Wash and soak the rice for 5-6 hours. Grind into a smooth paste.

Cooking - Bring the water to a boil. Add the batter little by little and mix continuously to thicken the mixture.

Cook for 10 mins on a medium flame. Add the milk and season with bay leaf, crushed peppercorn and cardamom.

Boil for another 10 mins. Finally add the salt, sugar and just a drizzle of ghee. Stir a little to dissolve the sugar.

Remove from the flame.

Serve at room temperature. 

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Chuda Crumble with Frozen Yogurt

Dahi Chuda. A mass of beaten rice dunked in yogurt and sweetened with some sugar or jaggery. Like most Odia dishes it is nectar for the tongue, knosh for the stomach and nirvana for the soul. And it comes with the promise of an afterglow. Yep, just like good sex, good food is supposed to give one an afterglow. Nah, I am not referring to that halo kind of thing around your head but the deliciously luminous feeling that lights up within oneself. Medically it has got something to do with release of endorphins. Go google it up if you want to find out more on this stuff!!!

While technically the dish is just supposed to be beaten rice mixed with some curd and sugar, it gets magically metamorphosed in my MIL's hands. Freshly grated coconut, some crumbled ricotta, mashed banana and even some sweetened boondi adds enough character to this dish to give the Bollywood actors a run for their money. But sadly, it lacks the kind of visual appeal that would send one's salivary glands into an overdrive. A common malady when it comes to Odia cuisine.

Hence, I picked on this yummy breakfast favorite for my next makeover. Taking inspiration from a no-bake crumble, I deconstructed the original recipe and served it as a layered treat. The bottom layer is sliced bananas and honey with a hint of cinnamon. The middle layer is beaten rice, ricotta, freshly grated coconut and sugar blended together to give it the appearance of a crumble. And the final icing on the cake or the top layer is frozen yogurt with cardamom.

While I had intended to make it like one of those 'dessert in a jar' kind of presentation, I realized at the last moment that I has already used the jar to store some pickle that I had prepared. Had to settle for a tall glass instead.

Read on for the recipe -



















Preparation Time - 10 mins ( plus 10 mins standby assuming that the frozen yogurt is readily available )

Ingredients -


  • 1/2 of a ripe banana
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1/2 cup beaten rice/chuda/chivda
  • 2 tbsp oats
  • 2 tbsp ricotta/chenna
  • 2 tbsp freshly grated coconut
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 cup frozen yogurt ( cardamom flavour )


Preparation - Slice the banana and layer it at the bottom of the glass/jar. Drizzle with honey and a pinch of cinnamon.

Take the beaten rice, ricotta, grated coconut and sugar in a blender. Buzz to get a mixture that has the appearance of breadcrumbs. Pour into the glass/jar over the banana slices. Pop into the fridge for about 10 -15 mins.

Finally top it up with the frozen yogurt. Serve immediately.
























Note - Frozen yogurt is quite easy to prepare at home if you have access to good quality yogurt or Greek yogurt and some amount of patience. And best part is that you get it at almost 1/8th the price that you would have to pay outside. Will the sharing my gelatin free frozen yogurt recipe in a day or two.

Monday, May 11, 2015

Raam Rochak Tarkari ( A no onion no garlic dumpling curry from Odisha )

Raam Rochak Tarkari can be described as a 'no onion no garlic version' of the 'Besan tarkari' or Moong Dal dumpling curry which is quite popular in Odisha. This particular version is also offered as prasad to Lord Jaganaath in Baripada's Jaganaath Temple.

Read on for the recipe -






Preparation Time - 40 mins

Ingredients -

for the dumplings -


  • 1 cup split yellow moong dal + 1 handful green moong dal
  • 1/2 tsp red chili powder
  • 1 pinch asafoetida
  • 2 pinch roasted jeera powder
  • salt to taste
  • sufficient oil for deep frying
For the curry -

  • 1 cup diced brinjal
  • 1 cup diced potato
  • 2-3 dry red chilis
  • 1 1/2 inch ginger
  • 1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds
  • 1 inch cinnamon stick
  • 2 nos green cardamom
  • 1/5 tsp turmeric
  • 3-4 tsp oil
  • salt to taste


Preparation - Soak the green moong dal overnight. The split yellow dal can be soaked for 1-2 hours. Wash, drain all water and then grind them together into a coarse paste.

Add salt, roasted cumin powder, chili powder and asafoetida to this paste and mix well.

Grind the red chilis, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cinnamon, cardamom and ginger into a fine paste. Keep this masala (spice) paste aside.

Cooking - Heat suficient oil for deep frying. Add teaspoonfuls of the seasoned moong dal batter into the hot oil and fry till golden brown on all sides. Remove the dumplings from the wok and keep aside.

Similarly, make more dumplings out of the moong dal batter.

Heat 3-4 tsp oil in another wok. Add the ground masala paste and fry till oil separates.

Add the diced potato and brinjal. Fry for 2-3 mins. Then add salt and turmeric. Cover with a lid and cook till the potatoes are 3/4 th done.

Add about 2-3 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and then add the dumplings. Allow the curry to simmer for 4-5 mins.

Remove from the flame and keep aside. Garnish with some fresh cilantro if you like.


















Serve hot with white rice or Dala khichidi.



















Note - It is usually served with 'Dala Khichidi', another Baripada specialty.


Badaa Piaji ( Twice Fried Onion Fritters from Odisha )

'Dahi Bara - Ghuguni - Alu dum' maybe the most iconic street food that defines Cuttack. But another yummy snack comes a close second on the list of must-try's whenever one visits the city which is also famous for the silver filigree artifacts. However it remains little known even within the state. The 'Badaa Piaji', a unique twice fried version of another popular snack 'piaji', is quite crispy and delectable.

Unlike the 'Piaji' which is made from a batter of soaked and ground Bengal gram, the 'badaa piaji' uses Bengal gram flour along with loads of chopped onions in the batter. Read on for the recipe -




Preparation Time - 30 mins

Ingredients -


  • 2/3 cup Bengal gram flour / Besan
  • 2 large onions (finely chopped)
  • 2-3 green chilis (finely chopped)
  • 2 tbsp chopped coriander stems
  • a few curry leaves
  • 1/4 tsp chili powder
  • a pinch of turmeric
  • a pinch of baking soda
  • salt to taste
  • oil for deep frying


Preparation - Take all the ingredients (except oil) in a mixing bowl. Add water in small quantities to make a batter which is about the same consistency as 'Bara' or Vada batter .

Cooking - Heat sufficient oil in a wok. Drop small balls ( about a heaped tablespoon each) of the batter into the hot oil and fry to a light brown shade. Remove and keep aside for about a minute.

Flatten the balls with a heavy object (use a rolling pin) . Do not make then very thin else they may break.

Put them back into the hot oil and fry till brown and crisp.






















Repeat the same process with the remaining batter.

Serve hot with 'Ghuguni' and some sliced onions. DO NOT forget to sprinkle a generous amount of black salt.




Monday, May 4, 2015

Khadaa Tarkari / Amaranthus Stems Curry ( Yet another Rustic treat from Odisha )

'Khadaa Khia' in Odisha refers to the slang for an impoverished person who tries to pass off as belonging to a higher society. The term comes into use as 'khadaa' or the thickened stems of Amaranthus plant are mostly consumed by poor folks who do not have access to other vegetables. The plants require minimal care and grow wild in the mountainous areas where poor folks can forage some for their meals.

But since I have never embraced stereotypes, there is no question of reinforcing them. Hence I was delighted when I first glimpsed this vegetable in Bangalore (Bellandur market to be precise).  The stems can be made into a stir fry, added to curries and sometimes also to 'Kanji' while the leaves can go into a kharada or bhaja. Some folks also make a very delicious preparation with Khada, dried jackfruit seeds and badi.

Read on for my favorite preparation with 'Khadaa' -



















Preparation Time - 20 mins ( plus 10-15 mins for cleaning and chopping )

Ingredients -
  • 2 cups tender khadaa /amaranthus stems
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin ( peeled and chopped into small pieces )
  • 1/2 cup ridge gourd ( peeled and chopped into small pieces )
  • 1/4 cup potato ( peeled and chopped into small pieces )
  • 1 medium sized onion (roughly chopped)
  • 1-2 garlic flakes (slightly crushed)
  • 1-2 dry red chilis
  • 1/5 tsp turmeric
  • 1/5 tsp jeera powder
  • 1/2 tsp pancha phutana
  • 2-3 tsp oil
  • salt to taste


Preparation -  The khadaa  needs to be soaked in water for 1/2 hour and then washed 2-3 times with fresh water to dislodge any sand/mud sticking to them. Chop into 2 inch pieces and peel them .





















Cooking - Heat oil in a wok. Add the broken chili and pancha phutana. Once they start spluttering, add the chopped onion. Fry till they start turning red around the edges. Add the garlic and allow it to turn golden (but not brown).

Add the khadaa and other veggies at this point. Fry on medium flame for 3-5 mins.

Add about 1 1/2 cup water, salt, turmeric and jeera powder. Cover and cook till the all the vegetables are soft. If excess water remains, turn up heat for 2 mins.

Remove from the wok and serve hot with white rice.




Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Chenna Gajja

Unlike the Pahala Rasgulla, whose fame has breached the frontiers of the state, another sweet from the same region remains little known even within Odisha. The Chenna Gajja or fried version of the Ragulla is equally delicious but very different from the latter in taste and texture.

If you have ever been to Pahala, then you might have seen these rust brown beauties arranged in a lovely stacked fashion in front of the numerous shop that also sell the rasgulla. Since the ragullas are busy swimming in large cauldrons hidden from the public view, it is the Chenna gajja that actually catches the eye of every passerby.

Read on for the recipe -



















Preparation Time - 40-45 mins

Ingredients -


  • 1/2 liter whole milk
  • 1 tbsp semolina ( though I use very little just enough for binding )
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 2 pinch cardamom powder
  • 1 1/2 tbsp vinegar
  • Oil,for deep frying

Preparation -Bring the milk to boil on a medium flame in a thick bottomed vessel. Once it gets to a rolling boil, keep on the flame for another 2-3 minute.

Dilute the vinegar with 1/2 cup water.

Remove from flame and keep aside for 4-5 minutes. Add the diluted vinegar to one corner of the vessel till the milk shows signs of curdling. Using a spatula, mix the contents of the vessel thoroughly till the greenish water (whey) and milk solids (chenna) get completely separated. ( You might not need to add the entire cup of citric acid but use sufficient amount needed to split the milk )

Place a thin cloth on a metal strainer ( Do not use  plastic as the mixture is still very hot at this point ). Pour the contents of the vessel over it. Wash the chenna under running water for 2 minutes to remove all traces of citric acid. Bundle/gather the corners of the cloth and squeeze out all the water but do not squeeze too hard.
Hang it for 1 hour.

Remove the cloth and place the chenna on your sanitised kitchen counter / chopping board. Start kneading it with the heel of your palms. Then gather the chenna into a ball and start kneading again. Do this for 10 minutes.

Sprinkle the suji and powdered cardamom over the kitchen counter. Work them into the dough. Knead till you can no longer feel the graininess of the suji. The dough will start looking like an orange peel by this time with a dimpled appearance ( reminded me of cellulite which such (and also on the kneading surface).

Divide the dough into 7-8 portion. Shape each portion like a rectangle.


















Heat oil for deep frying a wok. Gently put the pieces into the hot oil and fry to a golden color on both the sides. Remove and keep on a paper towel to absorb excess oil.



















Take the sugar in a saucepan. Add 1/2 cup water and bring to a boil. Let it boil for 7 mins or till it takes on a thick consistency. This syrup will be quite thicker than the Pahala rasgulla syrup.

Remove from the flame and put the fried chenna gajja in the syrup. Let it be immersed for 1 hour or till the syrup feels just warm to touch.

Serve immedaitely.







Note - For a thicker and more crusty coating on sugar, allow the sugar syrup to become still thicker. Put in the chenna gajja for 1-2 mins, remove and allow it to dry outside for the sugar layer to form.




Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Kolotho Dalma (Coastal Odisha Special)

In Coastal Odisha, if you happen to cook any lentil with vegetables, you end up with a dish that is suffixed with a 'dalma'. So, when I decided to add some veggies to my regular horsegram dal recipe (a western odisha version and my personal favorite), I had to peddle it as 'dalma' to please my husband who is rather fond of this particular category. While there are different versions of the recipe favored by different households, I have used the recipe provided by my mother in law who prefers to ditch the 'ambula' or dried mango / tamarind in favor of an overload of country tomatoes.

It is a very healthy and delicious recipe that provides a good dose of protein and fiber in one go. A word of gentle caution though. Since it is a winter recipe that is used to keep the body warm in the chilly weather, it is best to avoid consuming the lentil frequently during the summer months. However, one can continue to drink the water that is obtained by soaking the lentils overnight as it is perceived to be a cure for kidney and gall bladder stones.

Read on for the recipe -





Preparation Time - 20-25 mins

Ingredients -

  • 2/3 cup kolotho/horse gram (lightly roasted & broken)
  • 1/4 cup baigana/eggplant (cubed)
  • 1/4 cup saru/taro (cut into roundels)
  • 1/4 cup pumpkin (cubed)
  • 1/4 cup green papaya (cubed)
  • 1 drumstick ( cut into 2 inch pieces )
  • 1 small potato (cubed)
  • 2-3 big ripe tomatoes (roughly chopped)
  • 1/2 tsp pancha phutana (mix of fenugreek, cumin, mustard, nigella & fennel seeds)
  • 4-5 garlic flakes
  • 3-4 dry red chilis
  • 5-6 curry leaves
  • 3 tsp rice bran oil
  • 1/3 turmeric
  • salt to taste

Cooking - Wash and cook the kolotho in a pressure cooker with 2 cups water, salt and turmeric. Allow for 2-3 whistles. Remove from flame and allow steam to escape.

Open the lid and add the vegetables (except tomatoes) before closing it once again. Cook for 1 whistle on high flame. Remove from flame and keep aside till steam escapes.

Heat 2 tsp oil in a pan. Add the chopped tomatoes, sprinkle a little salt and cook till they become mushy. Add the tomatoes to the contents of the pressure cooker. Put the cooker back on the flame. Adjust the consistency of the dalma by adding some hot water if required.

Heat the remaining oil in a tempering pan. Add the pancha phutana, broken red chilis and curry leaves. Allow it to splutter before pouring it over the dalma.

Serve hot with some white rice and a light stir fry.





















Click here for other recipes with horse gram.

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Janhi-Chingudi Sukhua Tarkari (Ridge gourd-shrimp curry)

It is no secret that I love mixing veg and no-veg ingredients in my recipes. Maybe it has got something to do with my Odia roots. But I suspect that laziness plays a good part in it. Since cooking veg and non-veg separately calls for more effort and simply skipping one just does not sound/feel right, one has to choose the middle path of mixing and matching the ingredients from both core groups. I keep trying out recipes from different parts of the state/country. Poee chingudi, chingudi dalma,chicken saagwala,  maccha mahura, maccha chencheda, sukhua-bilati baigana poda, the list is a long one.

This recipe however is indigenous to Western Odisha. Most village folks prefer to add fresh shrimp caught straight from the neighborhood pond/river. But when the water dries up during the summers, the sun dried/smoked version of shrimp makes for a good substitute.

Read on for the recipe -



















Preparation Time - 15 mins

Ingredients -


  • 3 cups ridge gourd (cubed)
  • 1 cup dried shrimp
  • 1 medium sized onion (roughly chopped)
  • 3-4 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 tsp pancha phutana
  • 1-2 dry red chili
  • 2 tsp big mustard seeds
  • 2 pinch turmeric
  • 3 tsp oil
  • salt to taste


Preparation - Wash and soak the dry shrimp for 1/2 hour.

Grind the mustard seeds, garlic pods and 1 red chili into a fine paste. Dissolve it in 2/3 cup water.

Cooking - Heat the oil in a wok. Add the broken chili and pancha phutana. Once it gets spluttering, add
the onion. Fry till translucent.

Add the shrimp and fry for 2 minutes before adding the ridge gourd cubes to it. Fry for 2-3 minutes.

Add the water in which mustard paste has been dissolved, taking care to discard the solid bits that have settled in the bottom of the cup.

Add salt and turmeric. Cover with a lid and cook on medium flame till the ridge gourd is done. Increase the flame a bit if there is a lot of water remaining. This curry should have a semi dry consistency.

Remove from the wok.

Serve with white rice.


Monday, October 13, 2014

Budha Kakudi Khatta

Recently we were invited to a kid's birthday party. My husband and my mother in law also accompanied us to the event. Once the candles were blown out and the b'day song sung enthusiastically by everyone present, the hosts cut up the cake and served it to all. I had to help my little one finish off his piece first. And all the while he insisted on holding the spoon and eating it by himself. As I started to pick up my plate, he showed an interest in devouring my piece too. I just about managed to taste a tiny morsel as he eagerly demolished it. If you are wondering why I am narrating this incident, it is just to show how a mother makes sacrifices, whether small or big, every single day of her life. Happy Mothers Day to all mothers who are reading this. Because every day is special for a mother.

Coming back to the recipe. 'Budha kakharu' or ripened cucumber is one of the ingredients that go into the making of  'Dwitibahana ghanta'. But rarely is it made into a dish by itself. However, as the 'Kartika Somabar' staple 'Oou' is not available in Bangalore, I decided to make a sweet-savoury preparation with the available vegetables. The ripe yellow melons ( which are not exactly same as 'budha kakudi' which we get in Odisha but taste somewhat similar) caught my attention and I decided to give them a try. Read on for the recipe -








Preparation Time - 20-25 mins

Ingredients -

  • 1 Budha kakudi (melon)
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 2 dry red chillis
  • 1 tsp tamarind paste
  • 3-4 tbsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1/3 tsp chilli powder
  • 1/2 tsp roasted cumin-chilli powder
  • 1/4 tsp pancha phutana
  • 3 tsp cooking oil
  • freshly grated coconut for garnishing
  • salt to taste


Preparation - Peel the budha kakudi and cut into medium sized cubes.

Grind the mustard and cumin seeds into a smooth paste.

Cooking - Heat the oil in a wok. Add the pancha phutana and broken red chilli. Allow to splutter.

Add the budha kakudi cubes to the wok. Sprinkle some salt and fry for a while till it starts turning a bit mushy. Add the mustard-cumin paste and fry for 1 minute. Add 2 cups of water along with salt, turmeric and chilli powder. Cover with a lid and allow to cook on medium flame for 10 minutes. (Keep checking in between and add more water if required )

Add the sugar and tamarind paste. Simmer for 5-6 mins.

Finally add the grated coconut and roasted cumin-chilli powder. Mix in and remove from the flame.

Serve with arwa bhata (rice) and dalma (dal cooked with veggies).

















Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Maccha Mahura

Mahura. Ghanta. Chencheda. Fish cooked with a medley of vegetables but known by different names by people from various parts of Odisha. Phew...it can get quite confusing at times. While Ghanta is usually vegetarian with loads of sprouts and fresh coconut ( Ex - Ghanta made on Dwitibahana Osa ), Chencheda is usually made by combining some kind of leafy vegetable with the fish ( Ex- Poi (malabar spinach) Chencheda or Bandha kobi Chencheda ). Even for Mahura, it can be either Niramish (no onion-no garlic, ex - Mahura besara prasad from Puri temple) or amish ( Chingudi mahura or maccha mahura ). Hence, there is no wrong or right categorization but yes the spices are different.

Traditionally, only the head and tail of a fish like Rohu/Bhakura is used in this recipe but one can also make it with the other parts. IMO, given the demands of a fast moving world, one needs to adapt rather than end up in the league of dinosaurs. And that requirement will dictate the future of most traditional recipes. So fret not.

Read on for the recipe -



















Preparation Time - 30 mins

Ingredients -

2 pieces of Bhakura/Rohu fish ( I used a tail and a fillet )
1/2 cup chopped eggplant
1/2 cup chopped pumpkin
1/2 cup cauliflower florets
1 small potato
1/2 of a green banana
1 medium sized tomato
1 small onion
4-5 garlic cloves
1 inch ginger
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp fennel
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1-2 dry red chilli
1 large bay leaf
2-3 cloves
8-10 peppercorns
1 inch cinnamon stick
1 green cardamom
1/4 tsp turmeric
oil (as per requirement)
salt to taste


Preparation - Marinate the fish with salt and a pinch of turmeric.

Grind the onion, garlic and ginger into a coarse paste. Chop the tomato into small pieces.


Cooking - All the vegetables (except tomato) should be chopped into similar sized cubes. Clean and transfer them to a cooker with 1/4 cup water. Add a pinch of turmeric and salt. Cook on high flame for 2 whistles.

Set aside for allowing steam to escape. Drain excess water and keep aside.

Dry roast the coriander, cumin, chili, bay leaf, peppercorn, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom till fragrant. Remove and allow to cool down. Grind into a fine powder.

Heat 2-3 tsp oil in wok. Add the fish and fry for 6-7 minutes. Remove and keep aside.
In the same wok, add some more oil. Add the onion-garlic-ginger paste and fry till raw smell goes away.

Add the fried fish to the wok. Slightly crush it and fry for 3-4 minutes.

Add the chopped tomatoes and sprinkle a little salt. Allow to soften a bit. Add the boiled vegetables at this stage. Turn up the flame and fry for 3 minutes.

Finally add half of the powdered masala along with some water for cooking the vegetables. Cover with a lid and simmer on low flame for 8-10 mins.

Once done, add the remaining masala and remove from the flame.

Serve hot with white rice or rotis.
























Note - Grinding the onions along with the ginger and garlic makes the curry rich. If you want to keep it light, chop onions in medium sizes pieces and fry to a golden before adding the ginger garlic paste. Proceed as above.

One can even skip the onions if one wishes to as it is the 'mahura' spices that bring this dish together.

Friday, March 28, 2014

Mansa Jholo / Mutton Curry (Traditional/Old Method)

Imagine a village situated on the foothills of a densely forested mountain. Along the dusty winding path that goes up the mountain, one can spot butterflies flitting from flower to flower. If one is lucky, then they can spot a rabbit/deer hiding somewhere in the bushes. With the entire forest blossoming during the spring-summer season, the scent of this place is intoxicating. And the view from the top simply exhilarating. The lush green fields that lie in the bottom of the forest have now turned yellow/brown. Most of the crops have been harvested and people are waiting for the rains to sow another lot. An almost dry river with small pools of water and lots of exposed sand flows near the village.

In the center of the village, elders sit around a 'Baula' tree on a raised chaupal. They are discussing about the wild elephants that ransacked the crops during last winter. Someone chips in and says something about a 'Heta bagha' or wolf who stole a hen/lamb last night. People discuss all sort of problems and try to fix a match at the same time. Nothing interesting enough for a ten year old.

Moving on the 'Khanja', a row/block to houses build in such a manner that they seem to be a single entity. They house the members of a erstwhile 'zamindar' household, its a huge joint family. A big 'agana' or courtyard where the ladies of the house have gathered after finishing their daily chores. They are busy oiling and combing each others hair. Someone opens a 'paan-daani' and offers a betel leaf ( its only a betel leaf with a little 'chuna'(pickling lime or food grade lime) brushed onto it...not a proper paan) to everyone. For the more seasoned folks, there is 'Gudakhu', a type of tobacco on offer. Big vessels known as 'Handas' lie abandoned in a corner. Sometime not too long back, all these ladies used to cook together in a single kitchen that fed about 50-60 members spanning multiple generations. The curious ten year old fiddles with these vessels, raises some funny questions and listens to these ladies for an answer. One particularly alert lady catches the youngster biting into yet another 'ambula' and shakes her head. 'Peta katiba', she says yet again. Not enough to deter a youngster on a summer visit to her village with her grandmother.

Fast forward 20 years. A posh apartment in Bangalore. A nuclear family. A wave of nostalgia grips the now grown-up youngster as she reminiscences about those long forgotten carefree days. Her grandmother is no more but those memories must live on.

Read on for the recipe:





Preparation Time - 1 hour 20 mins

Ingredients -


250 gm mutton
1 medium sized potato
1 large onion + 1/2 of a medium onion ( the chopped onion should be equal in volume to the mutton pieces )
1 1/2 tbsp coarse garlic paste
1 1/2 tbsp coarsely chopped ginger
3-4 dry red chillis
1 big cardamom
1 bay leaf
2 2" cinnamon sticks
1/4 tsp turmeric
salt to taste
6 tsp mustard oil + 1 tsp for the marination

Preparation - Wash the mutton pieces and drain away all the water. Add salt, turmeric and 1 tsp mustard oil. Mix well and keep aside.

Cut the onions into medium sized pieces. Crush lightly using a mortar and pestle. Keep aside.

Also crush the ginger and garlic in the same way but just a little more fine.

Cut the potatoes into big chunks.

Cooking - Heat the oil in a pressure cooker.

Add the potatoes and fry till golden brown. Remove and keep aside.

Add the red chillis followed by the cardamom, bay leaf and cinnamon sticks to the hot oil. Fry till they turn fragrant.

Add the onions, ginger and garlic. Fry them on low flame till they turn quite red in color. (This is a sign that the onions have started turning sweet due to the caramelization process)

Next add the mutton pieces. Fry them till they stop oozing water. You do not have to stir continuously. Keep the lid on the cooker without completely closing it. Stir once every few minutes. This process takes a long time so keep patience ( grab a snack/drink something if all that heavenly smell is making you hungry ).

Once you see that the mutton pieces start leaving oil ( a sure sign that the water had dried up ), add 1 1/2 - 2 cups of boiling water along with the fried potato pieces. Adjust salt. Close the lid and cook for 2-3 whistles. Remove from flame.

Allow steam to escape before opening lid. Check if the mutton is done. Else add another half cup water and cook for another 1-2 whistles.




Serve hot with rice/rotis.


















Note - If you do not want to use pressure cooker, use a thick bottomed copper vessel for best results. Also add a few pieces of raw papaya to expedite the cooking process.

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Dahi Bara - Ghuguni - Alu dum (Cuttack Style)

'Dahibara-Ghuguni-Aludum' is probably the most popular street food in Odisha after the ubiquitous Gupchup. Actually the two belong to different regions of the State, the Gupchup being a specialty in the Western parts while the former is more popular around the State capital. During my childhood years in Rourkela, we never saw this delicacy being sold on the streets. Visiting relatives from Bhubaneshwar would sometimes mention this and we would wonder why curries like alu dum and ghuguni need to be paired with dahi vadas. But as most of them had very high regards for the yummy 'Gupchup', we never bothered to find out.

It was only after I finished college  (or maybe sometime in the final year) that these cycle-wallahs with their big pots of dahibara and smaller pots of ghuguni/alu dum began to make their presence felt in my hometown. I have to admit that I was quite skeptical about it in those days. And maybe that's the reason I am not so nostalgic about it. My husband in comparison is completely nuts about it. He can have it for breakfast, lunch and also dinner. Nowadays you can find it in every nook and corner of Odisha and everyone keeps raving about it ( I guess the internet wave is behind its popularity to quite an extent. Check out FB.) . The potato crisis in recent times which had the cost of 'Gupchup' heading North came as another boon for this road side delicacy. With an affordable price tag starting at Rupees 5 per plate even the poor could afford it. An added advantage is that it packs in quite a good quantity for the price.

So, here is a very delayed post on Odisha's cult favorite( A big thanks to hubby for pointing out that it had been missing ). Schedule it on a weekend as this is quite an elaborate process. In order to save time, I would suggest doubling the quantity of masala being prepared for the alu dum and removing half of it before adding the potatoes. This masala can be used for preparing the ghuguni.

Read on for the recipe:


















Preparation Time - 1 hour 30 mins

Ingredients -

For the Dahibara

  •  1 cup Urad dal
  •  1-2 green chillis (chopped),
  •  1 1/2 cup curd (slightly sour preferably)
  •  1/2 roasted cumin powder
  •  1/3 red chilli powder
  •  a pinch of baking powder
  •  1 tbsp semolina
  •  1/5 tsp black salt( kala namak )
  •  salt to taste
  •  oil ( for frying )
  •  For tempering -
  •  few curry leaves
  •  1-2 dry red chillis
  •  2 pinch asafoetida
  •  few mustard-cumin seeds


For the Alu Dum

  •  12-15 baby potatoes or 1 big potato
  •  3 tsp grated onion
  •  1/2 tsp Ginger garlic paste
  •  4-5 cloves
  •  1 small bay leaf
  •  1 green cardamom
  •  1/5 tsp cumin seeds
  •  1 tbsp yogurt
  •  1/2 tsp red chilli powder
  •  1/3 tsp coriander powder
  •  1/5 tsp garam masala (optional)
  •  1 1/2 tbsp


For the Ghuguni

  •   1 1/2 cup Yellow peas
  •   1 medium sized potato
  •   1 small tomato
  •   1 medium sized onion
  •   1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
  •   1 tsp cumin seeds
  •   1/3 tsp cumin powder
  •   1/3 tsp coriander powder
  •   1/2 tsp chilli powder
  •   1/5 tsp garam masala powder
  •   1 bay leaf
  •   2 tsp oil
  •   1-2 tsp chopped coriander stems
  •   1/3 tsp turmeric powder
  •   a pinch of baking powder (optional)
  •   salt to taste


For sprinkling on top:


  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 1/2 bunch coriander leaves, finely chopped
  • 5-6 green chillis, finely chopped
  • 1 cup thin sev
  • kala namak
  • jeera lanka gunda (roasted cumin-chili powder)



Preparation -
For the Bara: Soak urad dal for 3-4 hours. Grind into a smooth paste. Add salt and allow to stand for 5-6 hours.Take the batter in a mixing bowl. Mix in the suji and baking powder into the batter. Whip it lightly to incorporate some air into the mix.

Add a little portion of the curd ( approx 2 tsp )to some warm water in a mixing bowl. Add a little salt and mix well.

For the Ghuguni: Soak the yellow peas overnight.
Cut the onion and tomato into small pieces. Peel the potato and cut into small sized cubes.

Cooking -

For the bara: Heat oil in a wok for frying baras. Take a spoonful of the batter and carefully add to the hot oil. Do this 6-7 times per batch. Fry on all sides till it turns brown . Remove the fried vadas and add to the curd water prepared earlier. Allow the vadas to rest in the warm mixture for 1/2 hour.

Meanwhile, take the remaining curd in another bowl. Add salt, black salt, chilli powder, roasted cumin powder and chopped green chillis to it and beat gently to break any lumps. Add 2 1/2 cups water( you can add more if you like a thinner consistency ). Transfer the soaked baras into this curd mixture.

Heat 1 tsp oil in tempering pan. Add mustard seeds, broken red chilli, curry leaves and assfoetida. Pour this tempering over the dahi-baras. Keep aside for 3-4 hours.


For the ghuguni: Wash and put the soaked yellow peas in a cooker along with chopped potato, salt and turmeric powder. Cook for 2 whistles. Remove and keep aside to cool.

Heat oil in a deep vessel. When it starts smoking, add the cumin seeds and bay leaf. Wait till it splutters, and then add onion pieces and chopped coriander stems. Fry the onion for about 2-3 mins and then add ginger-garlic paste. Cook till raw smell goes away.

Add the tomatoes, salt and turmeric powder. Fry for about 5 mins or till the tomatoes turn mushy. Add the cumin powder, coriander powder and chilli powder. Stir fry for 2 mins and then add the boiled peas. Fry on Medium High for 3-4 minutes.

Add 2 cups hot water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 8-10 minutes on Low flame. Add the garam masala, mix well and remove from flame.


For the Alu Dum: Wash and cook the potatoes for 1-2 whistles . Allow steam to escape before opening lid. Peel the potatoes and cut into two.

Heat the oil in wok. Add the potatoes and fry for a few minute till they turn light brown. Remove and keep aside.

Add the cumin seeds, bay leaves, cardamom and cloves and fry for 20 seconds. Add the grated onion along with the GG paste. Fry till raw smell goes away. 

Add all the powdered masalas and fry for 1 minute. Add curd and fry till oil separates. Add the potatoes and fry along with masala for 1-2 minutes. Add 1 cup boiling water and bring to boil.

Simmer on low for 6-7 minutes before removing from flame. 





The toppings:






Getting your act together. Its showtime.

Place a few baras (4-5 nos) on a plate along with some of the watery curd. Pour about 5-6 tbsp ghuguni over it followed by 3-4 tbsp alu dum.

Sprinkle finely chopped onion, coriander leaves, green chillis, kala namak, jeera-lanka powder and crispy sev on the chat.


















The final product :

















What are you waiting for ????????????? Dig IN!!!!!

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

PhulKobi-Rohi Macchar Jholo ( Cauliflower & Fish Curry )

A yummy medley of fish and vegetables, this curry was born out of necessity. While typical oriya curries like Muhura and Chenchedda liberally incorporate vegetables in a non-vegetarian preparation, the individual identity of each ingredient is somewhat lost. A slight variation of the typical 'Masala dia Maccha Jholo', one can add cauliflower/pointed gourd/okra/eggplant to enhance its flavor. Read on for the recipe:



















Preparation Time - 30-40 mins

Ingredients - 4 pieces of Rohu/Bhakura/Mirkali fish, 2 cups of cauliflower florets, 2 medium sized potatoes, 2 ripe tomatoes, 1 tsp turmeric, 1/4 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 2 pinch cinnamon powder, salt to taste, 8 tbs oil.
For the masala paste - 1 large onion, 2/3 inch ginger, 7-8 garlic flakes, 1-2 dry red chilli.

Preparation - Marinate the fish with salt and turmeric. Cut the potato into long pieces.
Grind all the ingredients for the masala paste till smooth.
Grind the tomatoes into a puree.

Cooking - Heat a tawa/frying pan. Add 2 tbs oil.
Add the fish pieces and fry on both sides till light brown.

Heat 4 tbs of oil in a wok. Add the cauliflower florets and potato pieces along with salt and turmeric.
Stir fry till semi cooked. Remove from the wok and keep aside.

Add more oil into the wok if needed. Add the masala paste and fry till raw smell goes off.

Add chilli powder, turmeric and cumin powder. Stir fry for 1-2 mins. Add the tomato puree and fry till it starts to leave oil.

Add the fried cauliflower and potatoes. Mix with the masala paste and fry for another 4-5 minutes.

Add 3 cups of boiling water. Bring to boil and simmer for 2 minutes.

Add the fish pieces and cook covered for 10-12 minutes. Sprinkle the cinnamon powder and switch off the flame/heat source.

Serve hot with rice/rotis.


Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Maccha Besara Jholo (Its' Chadaa Khai Today)

Well......while the Panchuka period officially got over by Sunday (Kartika Purnima), the succeeding days of Monday and Tuesday had many people putting their 'Chadaa Khai' plans on hold. Hence the majority of us who had forsaken non-vegetarian items for the Kartika month (or atleast the Panchuka period ) will be eating out to our heart's content today.

Here is the 'Maccha Besara' that my mom made for Chadaa Khai. However if you are not particularly budget conscious ( and i really mean it as the prices of Non-veg goes through the roof during Chadaa Khai in Orissa ), I would recommend the  mouth-watering Kancha Illisi Tarkari, or the very delicious Mansa Kasa (though you can also opt for Mutton Rogan Josh if you like light gravies). For the Chicken lovers, there is the Classic chicken curry or the Chicken Kasa waiting to be sampled.


















It's my special dish for today. Needless to say Mom's cooking is always special (more so if you are staying away from her). Get the recipe below:

Preparation Time : 20 mins

Ingredients :

  • 4-5 pieces Rohu fish 
  • 1 large potato 
  • 2 medium sized tomato 
  • 1 small onion
  • 1-2 green chillis
  • 4-5 tsp mustard oil
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • salt to taste
  • 1 small piece of dry mango (ambula)


For the mustard paste :

  • 2 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 5-6 garlic flakes
  • 1 dry red chilli


Preparation: Add salt and 1/4 tsp turmeric to the fish pieces. Allow to marinate for 10 minutes.

Dry grind mustard, cumin and red chilli. Add the garlic flakes and a little water. Grind into a smooth paste.

Chop tomato and onion into small pieces and keep aside. Peel and cut the potato into chunks.

Cooking: Heat a non-stick tawa or skillet. Drizzle with 3 tsp oil. Add the marinated fish pieces and cook on both sides till light brown. Remove from tawa and keep aside.

Heat the remaining oil in a wok. Add the potatoes. Fry till light brown, then remove and keep aside.

Add the chopped onion and green chilli . Saute till the onions turn translucent.

Add chopped tomatoes and sprinkle a little salt on them. Keep covered for 1-2 minutes till they turn a little soft.

Dissolve the mustard paste in 1/2 cup water. Drain into the wok slowly while taking care to leave any solid residue in the cup. Add another 1 1/2 cups of water.

Bring to a boil. Add the fried potato and fish pieces. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder and add more salt if needed. Cook covered till the potatoes are done. Add the dry mango and simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Mash 2-3 pieces of potatoes into the gravy if you need a thicker version.

Drizzle a little mustard oil (about  1/2 tsp) over the gravy if you like the raw smell of mustard oil. Switch off the flame.

Serve hot with white rice.

















Thursday, October 24, 2013

Aau (Oou) Khatta

Ouu or Dillenia indica is an exotic looking fruit that is found in Asia ( Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh). Even in India it grows only in the states of Orissa, Bengal, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Assam. It bears fruit in the winter months.

Oou khatta is a very integral part of the Habisa ( Kartika Masa Sombar ) meals. It is added to the Habisa dalma and also made into a khatta ( sweet-sour gravy ). This fruit is said to possess medicinal properties and is touted to be good for diabetics. It is rich in phytochemicals and has anti-inflammatory benefits.




















Preparation Time - 30-35 mins

Ingredients - 1 Oou/Aau (elephant apple), 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp mustard seeds, 2 dry red chillis, salt to taste, 1 cup sugar, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1/3 tsp chilli powder, 1/2 tsp roasted cumin-chilli powder, 1 tsp pancha phutana, 3 tsp cooking oil, coriander/freshly grated coconut for garnishing.

Preparation - Pull away and cut the green petals of the oou ( Need to be careful during this as the liquid that oozes out is quite slippery ). Peel the outer skin and cut into long strips about 1 cm wide. Use a pestle or small stone to slightly crush the pieces.

Grind the mustard and cumin seeds into a smooth paste.

Cooking - Boil 3-4 cups of water with salt and turmeric. Add the crushed Oou pieces to this and boil for 5 mins. Drain off all the water and keep aside. (This takes care of the bitterness/astringency if any )

Heat the oil in a wok. Add the pancha phutana and broken red chilli. Allow to splutter.

Add the boiled Oou pieces to the wok and fry for 3-4 minutes. Add the mustard-cumin paste and fry for 1 minute. Add 2 cups of water along with salt, turmeric and chilli powder. Cover with a lid and allow to cook on medium flame for 10-15 minutes. ( Keep checking in between and add more water if required )

Add the sugar and cumin-chilli powder. Cook till the sugar dissolves into the gravy.

Garnish with grated coconut/coriander leaves. Serve with Arwa bhata - Dalma or Bhata - Mutton Curry.












Sunday, October 20, 2013

Habisa Dalma ( Kartika Masa Special Dalma )

Kartika Masa is perhaps the holiest month in the Hindu Calendar. Fasting on the Mondays of this month has a special significance as mentioned in the Puranas. Most people in Orissa give up non vegetarian items (and also onions and garlic in some cases) for the entire month. If not for the entire month, atleast the last five days or 'Panchuka' as it is called in oriya is strictly abided by many.

Womenfolk usually keep a fast and eat once a day on the Mondays of Kartika masa. Their meals consist of arwa anna, habisa dalma and aau khatta. This is a special kind of Dalma that is prepared without turmeric and the moong dal that is to be used is not roasted as usual. Only a few vegetables are sanctioned for this recipe. As 'Habisa' was primarily observed by widows in the earlier times, certain restrictions are imposed on the diet. But now a days quite a few married women observe the fasts and even a few rare men have started following these customs.

This changing profile of the devotees following Habisa has brought about a lot of change in the way this dalma is now prepared. Now people have also started adding turmeric and various vegetables. In fact some married women have this superstitious belief that turmeric should be added for making the dalma auspicious. Defying the very reason why widows are forced to skip adding turmeric. Personally, I don't buy any of this logic. Moreover I can't even use vegetables like Taro and yam as I have developed an allergy to these .

So, I will be sticking to the recipe that my MIL follows ( BTW i have added a pinch of turmeric as my son is a little picky ). Read on:


















Preparation Time - 15 mins

Ingredients -


  • 1 1/2 cups split moong dal
  • 1/2 cup saru/arbi/colocassia
  • 1/2 cup kancha kadali/raw banana
  • 1/2 cup mati alu/yam
  • 1/2 cup amrutabhanda/raw papaya ( Not used in authentic one )
  • 1/2 cup mula/radish (optional) ( Not used in authentic one )
  • 1 cup kakharu/pumpkin ( Not used in authentic one )
  • 1-2 pieces of aau (slightly crushed)
  • 2-3 whole red chillis ( Not used in authentic one )
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds ( Not used in authentic one )
  • 1 tsp jeera-lanka gunda ( roasted and powdered cumin seeds and dry red chilli )
  • 1 bay leaf
  • salt to taste
  • 2 tsp ghee
  • 1 tsp crushed ginger
  • grated coconut for garnishing


















Cooking - Heat the ghee in a pressure cooker. Add broken red chillis, cumin seeds and bay leaf. Fry for 20 seconds. (Skip the above step if you want to keep it really authentic. But it tastes much better this way. The logic behind this step is that Habisa dalma shud not be tempered hence some people add these tempering ingredients while cooking itself. Crazy logic rite ? But when has religion n logic ever gone together !)

Wash and transfer the dal along with 4 cups of water to the pressure cooker. Wash and add all the vegetables to it. Add the bay leaf too if you are skipping the tempering. Close lid and cook for 1-2 whistles.

Remove from flame and allow steam to escape before opening the lid. Add the crushed ginger, jeera-lanka gunda and grated coconut.

Serve with arwa anna (raw rice) and Oou Khatta / sagaa bhajja.


















This is offered as prasad to Dhabaleshwara ( Lord Shiva ) by the devotees before consumption.



















This above pic is a earlier one . I have used quite a few vegetables in this one and have also used a bit of tempering !!








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