Chicken Makhan Malai - My 200th post

This is my 200th post and i wanted a special dish to commemorate this milestone. Was thinking of posting an authentic oriya curry/sweet for this post. But later decided to create a new recipe. This dish is my original creation and must say it turned out to be a delight. Named it as Chicken Makhan Malai not becoz its laden with these two fattening ingredients but coz of its melt-in-the-mouth kinda texture !!!!!

Cooking Time Required: 50 mins
Cost of Preparation: 100-120 Rupees

Ingredients:

For the tandoori chicken : medium sized chicken pieces (500 gm), salt, turmeric ( 1/5 tsp) , ginger garlic paste( 1 tsp ), curd ( 1 tbs ), tandoori masala ( 1/2 tsp).

For the gravy: Onion ( 1 large), tomato ( 1 1/ medium sized ), garlic cloves ( 6-7 nos ), ginger garlic ( 1 tsp ), coriander seeds ( 1 tsp ), cinnamon ( 1/2 inch ), cardamon ( 1 no ), kasuri methi ( 1/2 tsp ), oil.

During cooking: turmeric, kashmiri lal mirch ( 2/3 tsp ), garam masala ( 1/4 tsp ),
roasted cumin powder ( 1/3 tsp), butter ( 2 tsp ), cream ( 2 tsp ), capsicum ( 1
medium ), coriander leaves.

Preparation: Marinate the chicken pieces with salt, turmeric, ginger-garlic paste and curd for 2-3 hours. Add the tandoori masala and rub it all over the chicken pieces along with a little oil.

Skewer the chicken pieces and put inside a pre-heated oven. Bake for 20 mins at 200
degrees. Keep turning at intervals. Remove from oven and keep aside.
















Cooking: Heat 3 tsp oil in a wok. Add the chopped onion, tomato, garlic cloves,
coriander seeds, cloves, cinnamon and cardamon. Stir fry till onions turn translucent. Add the kasuri methi and a little salt at this stage .
















Remove from wok and transfer to a mixer jar. Grind into a smooth paste and keep aside.

Heat 1 oil in a wok. Add the turmeric powder followed by onion-tomato paste and stir
fry for 2 mins. Add ginger garlic paste and fry the masala for 5-6 mins.

Add the roasted chicken pieces along with Kashmiri lal mirch powder and cumin powder. Mix well and stir fry for 3-4 mins.

Add 2 1/2 cups water along with salt and bring to a boil. Cover with lid and allow to simmer for 10-15 mins. Add the garam masala, cream and butter along with the capsicum pieces.

Mix well. Cover with lid and cook for 4-5 mins on a low flame.
Remove from fire and garnish with coriander leaves.


Serve hot with Basmati rice/tandoori rotis/rumali rotis.

Spicy Coconut Rice

Cooking Time Required: 10 mins
Cost of Preparation: 20-25 rupees

Ingredients: Cooked Rice (1 1/2 cup), channa dal ( 2 tbs ), fresh coconut pieces ( 1/3 cup ), green chilli ( 1-2 nos ), jeera/cumin powder (2 pinch), coriander powder ( 2 pinch), red chilli powder ( 2 pinch ), pancha phutana ( 1/5 tso), curry leaves ( 1 sprig), salt, oil ( 1 tsp ).

Preparation: Grind the coconut into a fine powder without adding any water and keep
aside.

Cooking: Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan. Add the green chillis, pancha phutana, curry
leaves and saute for 30 secs. Add the channa dal and stir fry for 1-2 mins till it
starts turning reddish/brown.

Add the cooked rice and coconut and sprinkle salt, chilli powder, jeera powder &
coriander powder. Stir fry for 3-4 mins on a low flame.

Eat it hot or pack in a lunch box.

Note: This is one quick and easy to make breakfast/lunch box recipe. Usually i make it a bit more spicy if i have to pack it for lunch.

Instant Sabudana Kheeri

Cooking time required: 5-8 mins
Cost of preparation: 15-20 rupees

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Sabudana/Sagu
• 1 1/2 milk 
• 3 tsp raisins
• 2 tsp cashews 
• 3-4 tsp sugar 
• 1/2 tsp ghee 

Preparation: Soak the sabudana for 2-3 hours.

Cooking: Heat the ghee in a saucepan. Add 1 tsp sugar and allow it to turn brown.

Next add the raisins & cashews. Stir fry till the raisins swell.

Add the milk and soaked sabuadana.

Boil for 5-6 mins while stirring at short intervals as it tends to stick to the bottom of the pan.

Serve hot.

Note: One can also add a little cardamon/saffron for the flavouring.

Sending this recipe to :

Food Blog News

Tomato n Garlic Noodles

Cooking time required: 10-15 mins
Cost of preparation: 15-20 rupees

Ingredients: Maggie Noodles ( 1 packet, Masala/Tomato flavour ), ripe tomatoes ( 2 nos, large ), red chilli powder (1/2 tsp), garlic flakes ( 7-8 nos), onion powder (optional, 1/6 tsp), pepper powder ( 1/5 tsp), oil ( 2 tsp), butter ( 1 tsp ), salt to taste.

Preparation: Cut the tomatoes into small pieces.

Cooking: Heat the oil in a saucepan or any deep vessel.

Add the tomato pieces and sprinkle some salt. Stir fry till it softens. Crush the tomato pieces in the saucepan itself.

Add 3 1/2 cup water. Add the red chilli powder, pepper powder, onion powder and crushed garlic flakes . Bring to a boil.

Add the broken maggie noodles and the seasoning. Boil for 5 mins and add more salt if required.

Pour into soup bowls ( makes 3 ). Sprinkle a little pepper powder and add a little
butter on top.

Comforting soup is ready.

Note: One can add also finely cut onion pieces instead of onion powder. Add it before the tomato pieces and fry till translucent.

Kora Amba Achara ( Grated Mango chutney )

Cooking time required: 15-20 mins
Cost of preparation: 15-20 rupees

Ingredients: Raw Mango ( use ones that have just started ripening, 2 large ones), red chilli powder (1/2 tsp), turmeric powder ( a pinch), roasted cumin powder (1/4 tsp), pepper/cinnamon powder ( 1/5 tsp), oil ( 2 tsp), jaggery ( 4-5 tbs or according to taste), salt to taste.

Preparation: Wash and peel the mangoes. Grate them and keep aside.

Cooking: Heat 2 tsp oil in a wok. Add the turmeric, chilli powder, grated mangoes and jaggery. If the jaggery is in the forms of lumps ( not powdered ), it will melt with the heat.

The grated mango will leave a lot of water. Allow all the water to evaporate.

Sprinkle the salt, roasted cumin powder and pepper/cinnamon powder . Fry for 3-4
minutes and remove from the pan. Do not make it too fry.

Allow to cool down, then store in a air-tight container and keep in the fridge. It will stay fresh for 4-5 weeks.

Chinguri Cutlet (Prawn fritters)

Cooking Time Required: 10-15 mins
Cost of preparation: 70-80 rupees

Ingredients: large sized prawns ( 8 nos no.), cornflour (3 tsp), besan ( 2 tsp), bread crumbs ( 1 tsp ), cumin powder ( 1/6 tsp ), coriander powder ( 1/6 tsp), oil ( 4 tsp), turmeric ( 2 pinch), chilli powder ( 2 pinch ), lemon juice ( 6-7 drops ), ginger garlic paste ( 1/4 tsp), salt.

Sufficient bread-crumbs for rolling the prawns.

Preparation: Wash and clean the prawns. Make a deep cut through the back(outer side) of the prawns. Open out the prawns and beat then lightly to make a thin layer.

Add salt, turmeric, ginger garlic paste and lemon juice to the flattened prawns. Mix
well and marinate for 30 mins.

Cooking: Heat oil in a pan.

Make a thick paste out of the cornflour, besan, bread crumbs, cumin powder, coriander powder, chilli powder and salt by adding a little amount of water.

Dip each prawn in this paste and roll it over the bread crumbs.

Add to the frying pan. Repeat for each prawn. Cook on both sides till it turns to a brownish color.

Serve hot as a starter.

Idli with coconut-lentil chutney (Oriya Preparation)

Cooking Time Required: 20-25 mins
Cost of preparation: 30-35 rupees

Ingredients:

For Idli: Urad dal ( de-husked, 1 cup ), rice rawa ( 3 cups ).

For Chutney: Coconut pieces( 1 cup ), channa dal( 1/2 cup ), red chilli ( 3 nos ), green chilli ( 2 nos ), curry leaves ( 3-4 sprigs), asafoetida ( 2 pinches ), cumin seeds ( 1/5 tsp), coriander seeds ( 1/5 tsp), tamarind ball ( a tiny one or according to taste), oil ( 3 tsp ), salt to taste.

Preparation: Wash and soak the urad dal for 5 hours. Grind into a smooth paste.

Soak the rawa for about 1-2 hours. Wash and drain completely. Add to the urad dal paste along with salt and keep aside for 3-4 hours. Do not let it become sour.

Cooking: Heat a pan. Add 2 tsp oil followed with the green chilli, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, 2 sprigs curry leaves and green chilli. Add the coconut pieces and channa dal.
















Fry for 5 mins. Transfer to a mixer-grinder and add some water, salt and the tamarind. Grind into a little coarse paste. Transfer to a mixing bowl.

Heat the remaining oil in a pan. Add the broken red chillis, 1 tbs channa dal and curry leaves. At the asafoetida at last and pour the tempering over the contents of mixing bowl.

Delicious chutney is ready.

Bring water to a boil in the idli maker.

Grease the idli plates with a little oil. Pour a the batter into the holes. Put the idli plates inside the idli stand and steam for 12-15 minutes.

Remove the idlis from the idli plates using a spoon or a knife.

Serve the hot idlis with the chutney.


Note: I have reduced the fermentation time to 3-4 hours as the idlis in Orissa are generally made from fresh batter. They do not have the distinct ( not sure if i can call it a little sour ) taste which is found down South.

If one prefers the fluffy idlis from the South, then leave the batter overnight to ferment. Also add abt 1/3 tsp of fenugreek seeds while grinding the urad dal.

Check out the idlis made from the same batter after fermenting for 10 hours:

Piaji Tarkari ( Dal Vade ki subzi )

Cooking Time Required: 30-35 mins
Cost of preparation: 35-45 rupees

Ingredients: Piaji ( 8-10 nos), potato ( 1 large ), onion ( 1 medium ), tomato ( 1 large ), garlic flakes ( 3-4 nos ), ginger-garlic paste ( 1 tsp ), cumin seeds ( 1/2 tsp), coriander seeds ( 1 1/2 tsp), chilli powder ( 1/2 tsp), dry red chillis ( 3-4 nos), cardamon ( 2 nos ), bay leaves ( 1-2 nos), cloves ( 2 nos ), cinnamon ( 1 inch long ), fennel seeds ( 1/2 tsp), garam masala ( 2 pinches ), turmeric, salt, oil ( 6-7 tsp ).

Prepartion: Chop the potato into large chunks.

Dry roast the cumin seeds , coriander seeds, 2 whole red chillis, cardamon, cinnamon, and cloves.

Grind the all the whole spices without adding any water . Then add the chopped onion, tomato and garlic flakes along with water and grind into a smooth paste.

Cooking: Heat the oil in a wok. Add the potato pieces along with a pinch of turmeric. Fry for 5 mins, remove from wok and keep aside.

Add the red chillis and bay leaves followed by the ground onion-tomato-masala paste and turmeric, and stir fry for 4-5 mins. The add the ginger garlic paste. Fry till the raw smell goes off ( abt 5 mins). Add the red chilli powder and fried potatoes and stir fry for 2 mins.

Add 3 cups of water along with a little amount of salt. Bring to a boil and allow to simmer for 2-3 mins.

Add the piaji and simmer for another 8-10 mins or till the piaji softens. Do not stir vigourously so the piaji might break.

Serve with rice/roti.

Note: Refer to my earlier post for preparing the piaji :

Piaji ( Split Gram fritters )

Janhi Posta ( Ridge gourd cooked with poppy paste )

Cost of Preparation: 30-35 Rupees
Preparation Time: 10-15 mins

Ingredients: Ridge gourd ( cut into large chunks, 1 1/2 cups ), potato ( cut into thin slices, 1/3 cup ), onion ( 1 small ), red chillis ( 2 nos ), garlic cloves ( 1-2 nos ), poppy seeds ( 1 tsp ), coriander seeds ( 1/5 tsp ), fennel seeds ( 1/5 tsp ), turmeric ( 1 pinch ), oil ( 2-3 tsp), cumin seeds ( a pinch ), salt.

Preparation: Grind the poppy seeds without water to crush them. Add the garlic cloves along with a little water and grind for 5 secs to get into a coarse paste.

Cooking: Heat a pan. Add 1 tsp oil followed by the ridge gourd & potato pieces. Sprinkle some turmeric and stir for 4-5 mins. Remove from pan and keep aside.

Add the remaining oil to the pan. Add the coriander, fennel and cumin seeds along with the broken red chillis. Stir for 30-40 secs.

Add the chopped onion and cook till it turns translucent. Add the poppy seeds paste.
Cook for 2-3 mins. Add the fried ridge gourd and potato pieces along with 1/2 cup water and salt.

Bring to a boil and allow to simmer till all the water evaporates. Remove from pan and serve with white rice .

Note: The sweet taste of ridge gourd and potatoes is enhanced by the use of fennel, coriander & poppy seeds. Tastes heavenly when served with a spicy curry as it offsets the spiciness.

My Blog Turns 1 Today !!!!!

Its' been one whole year since i started this blog. My first post was published on 23rd June 2010. And ever since i have been been showered with lots of love and affection.

I take this opportunity to thanks everyone who has been visiting my blog and encouraging me with their comments. A special Thanks to Ushnish for posting the first comment on my blog.

I would have liked to mention each one of you but the list is getting endless. Also apologize for not be able to post any new recipes today as i am a little short of time.

Please do visit some of my most popular recipes till date if you have the time:

Dalma - dal cooked with vegetables

Chicken curry - oriya preparation

Mansa Kasa (Mutton kasa)

Gupchup - orissa style 'Pani-puri';

Maccha Patua ( Fish cooked in a mustard-garlic paste )

Poee Chenccheda

Badi-Palanga saaga

Gota Bhendi Bhaja ( Stuffed Okra )

Cost of Preparation: 30-35 Rupees
Preparation Time: 10-15 mins

Ingredients: Ladiesfinger/Okra/bhendi ( 8-10 nos ), green chillis ( 2 nos ), garlic
cloves ( 4-5 nos ), mustard seeds ( 1 tsp ), poppy (posta seeds, 1 tsp ), roasted cumin powder ( 1/5 tsp ), turmeric ( 1 pinch ), mustard oil ( 2-3 tsp), dry red chilli ( 2 nos ), salt.

Preparation: Wash the ladies finger and make slits along its length. Cut the green
chillis into small pieces.

Grind the mustard & poppy seeds, and garlic cloves into a smooth paste.

Cooking: Heat a pan. Add 1/2 tsp oil followed by the green chillis and turmeric. Stir for 30 seconds followed by the mustard-poppy-garlic paste and cumin powder.

Cook for 2-3 mins. Remove from pan and keep aside to cool down a bit.

Stuff the paste into the slit ladiesfinger. Keep aside for 10-15 mins.

Heat 1 1/2 oil in a pan. Add the red chillis followed by the ladiesfinger and stir fry for 8-10 mins.

Serve with white rice and dal.

Note: Usually the ladies finger is stuffed with a mustard-garlic paste, which can be a bit too spicy if one is not used to mustard paste. Hence i have added the poppy to reduce the spiciness.

Doodh Cola - from the streets of Kolkata

Cost of Preparation: 20-25 Rupees
Preparation Time: 5-10 mins

Ingredients: Chilled Thums up ( 300 ml), chilled milk ( 250 ml ), sugar ( 3 tsp ),
icecubes ( 5-6 nos ).
For serving: Small sized ( 150 ml ) glasses ( 5-6 nos ).

Preparation: Add the ice-cubes to the mixer jar. Churn for 30-40 seconds to get crushed ice.

Add milk and powdered sugar. Churn for 1 minute.

Pour the chilled thums-up and churn for 1-2 minute to get rid of the carbon dioxide.

Pour into glasses & serve immediately.

Piaji ( Split Gram fritters/ Dal Vada )

Cooking Time Required: 15-20 mins
Cost of Preparation: 30-35 rupees

Ingredients: Channa dal (split gram, 1 cup ), green chillis ( 4 nos ), onion ( 1 no., medium ), curry leaves ( 2 sprigs ), ginger garlic paste ( 1 tsp ), cumin powder ( 1/4 tsp ), coriander powder ( 1/4 tsp ), baking powder ( 1/3 tsp ), salt to taste.

Preparation: Soak the channa dal for 5-6 hours. Wash and grind into a thick & coarse paste along with a little water.

Add the finely chopped green chillis, onions and curry leaves, along with the remaining spices and baking powder. Add salt to taste and keep aside for 15 mins.















Cooking: Heat oil in a wok for deep frying.

Shape the paste into balls and put into the hot oil. Cook on both sides to a slight reddish color.

Serve hot with ghuguni.

Note: Piaji Ghuguni is an ideal tea time snack in most Odiya homes and it tastes heavenly when combined with a cup of hot tea during the rains .

Another way of eating this is turning it into a yummy Piaji Chaat -

Kankadaa Tarkari (Odia style Crab Curry)

Cooking Time Required: 30-35 mins
Cost of preparation: 120-150 rupees

Ingredients: Crabs ( 1 Kg.), onions ( 1 large ), potato ( 1 large ), coriander seeds ( 1 tsp ), cumin seeds ( 1/2 tsp), finely chopped garlic pods ( 1 tbs ), red chilli powder ( 1/3 nos ), ginger-garlic paste ( 1 tbs ), tomato ( 2 medium ), green chillis ( 4-5 nos ), turmeric ( 1/3 tsp), cinnamon ( 1 inch long ), small cardamon ( 2 nos), clove ( 3 nos ), mustard oil ( 7 tsp ), chopped coriander leaves ( 2 tbs ), salt.

Preparation: Clean the crabs. Add 1 tsp mustard oil, 2 chopped green chillis, turmeric and salt. Allow to marinate for 15-20 mins.
































Cooking: Put a wok on the stove and put 3 tsp oil in it . When the oil starts smoking, add the marinated crab meat . Stir fry for 8-10 mins on a medium to high flame. Remove from the wok and keep aside.

Stir fry the potato pieces in the same wok for 5 mins and keep aside.

Cook the onion and tomatoes in a pressure cooker for 2-3 whistles. Drain the excess
water and keep aside (Use this water for the final cooking.). Crush the onions and
tomatoes into a paste.

Dry roast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cinnamon, cardamon and cloves for 30-40
seconds. Grind into a fine powder.

Heat a wok. Add the remaining oil. Add the onion and tomato paste along with a little salt. Stir fry for 5 mins on a medium flame.Add the ginger garlic paste and cook on a medium flame for 5-6 mins.

Add the powdered masala along with chilli powder, chopped green chillis and garlic. Put the fried crab & potato and stir fry for another 3 mins.
































Add 3 cups of hot water. Bring to a boil . Cover with a lid and allow to simmer for 10 mins. Sprinkle the chopped coriander leaves and remove from stove. Crab curry is ready to eat.

Serve with rice .

Note: This is a low calorie version of my earlier post on 'Kankada Jholo'. I have reduced the amount of oil and made subtle changes in the spices used in the earlier preparation.

Sapuri Khatta

Cooking time required: 15-20 mins
Cost of preparation: 15-20 rupees

Ingredients: 4-5 slices of ripe pineapple (1 no), curry leaves( 2 sprigs), red chilli (1-2 nos), turmeric powder (1/5 tsp), cumin seeds (1/5 tsp), mustard seeds ( 1/5 tsp), fennel seeds ( 1/5 tsp ), fenugreek seeds ( 1 pinch), oil ( 2 tsp), sugar ( 6-7 tsp), asafoetida ( 1/6 tsp), jeera-lanka powder ( 1/5 tsp ), thick tamarind juice ( 1- 2 tsp), salt to taste.

Preparation: Cut each slice of pineapple into 5-6 pieces.

Cooking: Heat 1 tsp oil in a wok. Add the turmeric, broken red chillis, mustard, fenugreek, cumin & fennel seeds. Add the pineapples pieces and sprinkle salt. Fry for 6-7 minutes till it softens.

Add about 1 1/2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Cover with a lid and allow to simmer for 7-8 mins. Add the tamarind juice at this stage and boil for 2-3 mins.

Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan. Add asafoetida & curry leaves. Fry for 30 secs and pour over the contents of the wok. Sprinkle the jeera-lanka powder and boil for a minute.

Remove from stove and serve it with rice/puris.

Note: If the pineapple is a little raw, cook the slices in a pressure cooker for 2-3
whistles before frying.

Saru Chakuli

The Raja celebrations have come to an end and i still had some of the batter sitting in the fridge. After gorging on all sorts of stuffed pithas, i felt like making something light.

The first thing which came to my mind was the 'Saru Chakuli' or thin pancakes. However the batter was prepared for Buddha Chakuli( thick pancakes ) which has a higher proportion of black lentil. So, i decided to convert it into Saru chakuli batter (which has black lentil & rice in 1:2 proportion ) by adding a portion of whole wheat flour which also made it healthier.

The chakulis turned out to be delicious. Here's the recipe:

Cost of Preparation: 15-20 Rupees
Cooking Time Required: 10-15 mins

Ingredients: Urad dal ( 1/3 cup ), rice ( 1/3 cup ), whole wheat atta ( 1/2 cup ), ripe banana ( 1 no, small ), salt to taste, sugar ( 1 tsp ), oil for cooking.

Preparation: Soak the urad dal for 4-5 hours.

Wash and soak the broken rice for 10 mins. Drain all the water and ground into a fine powder.

Ground the urad dal with the rice flour and banana to get a smooth paste. Add wheat
flour, salt to taste and 1 tsp sugar , mix well and keep aside for 1-2 hours.

Cooking: Heat a non-stick pan. Take sufficient batter and spread into a layer about 3-4 mm thick. Sprinkle some oil on the sides.

Allow to cook on one side and then turn it over. Let it cook on the other side. Will
take about 4-5 minutes for a single chakuli.

Serve with milk or kheer.

Celebrating Raja Day 3 : (with) Buddha Chakuli

Cooking Time Required: 10-15 mins
Cost of preparation: 20-25 rupees

Ingredients: Urad dal ( dehusked, 1 cup ), broken basmati rice ( 1 cup ), ripe banana ( 1 no ), freshly grated coconut ( 1 cup ), chenna or ricotta cheese ( 1 cup ), sugar ( 6 tsp ), cardamon ( 3-4 nos ), peppercorn ( 6-7 nos ), salt, baking powder ( 1 pinch, not required if given 3-4 hours to ferment ), raisins ( 1/3 cup ), ghee.

Preparation: Soak the urad dal for 4-5 hours.

Wash and soak the broken rice for 10 mins. Drain all the water and ground into a fine powder.

Ground the urad dal with the rice flour, banana, 2 cardamons & the peppercorns to get a smooth paste. Add salt to taste and 1 tsp sugar , mix well and keep aside. Add the baking powder if you do not have time to ferment the batter.

Mash the chenna with 2 tsp sugar and cardamon powder ( 1 no ).

Cooking: Heat 1 tsp ghee on a pan. Add the raisins and fry till they swell up. Add the sugar ( 3 tsp ) & coconut at this stage. Fry for 5 min and sprinkle some cardamom powder ( 1 no ). Remove from the pan.

Heat 1/2 of ghee on the pan. Spread a layer of batter. Sprinkle the mashed chenna all over the pitha. Spread another layer of batter over it. Sprinkle the fried coconut over the batter. Top it with a final layer of batter.

Cover with a lid and cook on a low flame.















Turn it over to the other side when one side is done and cook it on both sides to a reddish color.















Serve it hot.

Celebrating Raja Day 2 : (with) Pura dia Idli

Cooking Time Required: 15-20 mins
Cost of preparation: 25-30 rupees

Ingredients: Urad dal ( de-husked, 1 cup ), rice rawa ( 3 cups ), coconut ( 1 no ),
powdered jaggery ( 4-5 tsp ), cardamon ( 3 nos ), ghee ( 1 tbs ), salt to taste.

Preparation: Wash and soak the urad dal for 5 hours. Grind into a smooth paste.

Soak the rawa for about 1-2 hours. Wash and drain completely. Add to the urad dal paste along with salt and keep aside for 6-7 hours. Do not let it become sour.

Grate the coconut and keep aside.

Cooking: Heat a pan. Add ghee followed with the jaggery and allow it to melt.

Add the grated coconut and stir fry for 5-6 mins. Sprinkle the powdered cardamon and mix well. Remove from the stove.

Grease the idli plates with a little oil. Pour a little batter into the holes. Add the coconut filling followed with more batter to cover it.

Put the idli plates inside the idli stand and steam for 12 minutes.

Remove the idlis and serve with ghee and sugar / Ghuguni / Chutney.

Celebrating Raja Day 1 : (with) Janta Poda Pitha

Raja Sankranti ( or Swing festival) or "Mithuna Sankranti" is the first day of the month of 'Asadha' from which the season of rains starts. It augurs the start of the rains which brings joy to the farmers.The first day is called "Pahili Raja" , second is "Raja" (Raja Sankranti) and third is "Basi Raja" or "Raja basi" (Basumati Snana). It is more popularly celebrated in the Coastal districts of Orissa.

As per the popular legend, all three days of the festival are considered to be the
menstruating period of Mother Earth. During this festival all agricultural operations remain suspended. It is a festival mainly for the unmarried girls. They observe all the restrictions prescribed for a menstruating woman as in olden times. They take a oil-bath on the first day and wear new clothes. For the rest 2 days bathing or combing the hair is a taboo. Married women also observe the same rules for Raja during the first year of their marriage.

Swing are put up on Mango & Banyan trees at different places in the villages and cities. These days one can see the swings being put up in different clubs or colonies in BBSR or cuttack. 'Poda pitha' is the main delicacy prepared during Raja . Other varieties of pithas are also prepared and distributed among relatives and friends.

This year Raja is being celebrated from 14th to 16th June. Please do visit this space for a new pitha recipe everyday.

Here goes my delicacy for day 1 :

Janta Poda pitha

Cooking Time Required: 1 hour
Cost of Preparation: 60-70 Rupees


Ingredients: Broken Basmati rice ( 1 1/2 cups ), 1/2 cup thinly sliced coconut, milk ( 3 cups ), water ( 1 cup ),
pepper powder ( 1/5 tsp ), cardamon powder ( 1/4 tsp ), sugar ( 4-5 tsp ), salt ( 1/4 tsp ).

For the pura : Coconut ( finely grated, 1 no ), fresh chenna ( 1 cup ), sugar ( 3 tsp ), raisins ( 1/2 cup ), ghee ( 1 tsp ).

Preparation: Soak the rice for 10-15 mins. Wash and drain all the water ( Use a
colander, do not dry under the fan or the sun ). Put in a grinder and grind into a fine powder.

Grate the coconut.

Cooking: Bring the milk and water to boil. Add salt, sugar, cardamon and pepper powder. Add the rice flour in small batches and mix continuously so that no lumps are formed. Finally add the coconut slices.

Stir the mixture on a low flame for about 10 minutes till it takes on a softer
consistency than the dough used for making rotis . Switch off the flame at this stage.
















Allow the dough to cool down a few degrees till it is tolerable. Rub ghee all over your hands and knead the still warm dough for 5 mins to make it smoother.

Heat a pan. Add ghee followed by the raisins and stir fry for 1 minute. Add grated
coconut and sugar at this stage. Fry for 5-6 minutes and remove from the stove.
















Line a baking tray with foil. Spread a little ghee on the foil and add a layer of the dough about 1.5 cm thick. Spread a layer of the pura or coconut stuffing over it ( 0.5 cm thick ). Cover it with another layer of the dough ( 1 cm thick ). Spread about 1/3 tsp of ghee over it.
















Pre-heat the oven to 170 degrees. Put in the baking tray and bake at a temperature of 150 degrees for 40 minutes. Do not overdo it as the pitha should remain soft and should not harden .















Remove from the oven and allow to cool down for 1 hour.

Serve with kheer or alu dum/ghuguni/dalma. ( The poda pitha is not overly sweet and
hence it goes well with the curries.)

Note: The rice flour should be used within 2-3 days.

Anda Jholo ( Eggs in coconut gravy )

Cooking Time Required: 25-30 mins
Cost of preparation: 35-45 rupees

Ingredients: Eggs (4 nos), potatoes ( 1 large ), onions (1 large), tomato (1large),cumin seeds (1/2 tsp), coriander seeds(1 1/2 tsp), fennel seeds ( 1/2 tsp ), ginger-garlic paste (1 1/2 tsp ), red chilli ( 2 nos ), cinnamon ( 1 inch long ), tomato ( 1 large ), turmeric ( 1/3 tsp), cloves (2-3 nos ), small cardamon ( 2-3 nos), bay leaves ( 1 no), oil ( 4-5 tsp ), freshly grated coconut (3 tbs, optional), chopped coriander leaves ( 3 tbs ), kashmiri chilli powder ( 1/4 tsp ), salt.

Preparation: Take a pan of water. Add the eggs along with a 1 tsp vinegar (keeps the
eggs from cracking during boiling) and boil for 8-10 mins. Remove from fire and allow to cool.Break open and remove the shell. Put slits along the sides of the eggs.

Grind the coconut and coriander separately and keep aside.

Cut the potaoes into long pieces.

Cooking: Dry roast the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, red chillis,
cinnamon, bay leaf, cloves and cardamon on a pan for a minute.

Grind into a fine powder in a mixer, and the chopped onion at this stage and grind into a paste along with a little water.

Heat 2 tsp of oil in a wok. Add a pinch of turmeric powder and follow with the potatoes and eggs. Fry for 3-4 mins and remove from the wok.















Add 2 more tsp of oil. Add the ground masala paste along with a little salt and fry for 4-5 mins. Add the ginger garlic paste and fry for till the masala is cooked. Add some water if required to cook the masala.

Add the chopped tomato and cook till it softens. Add 2-3 cups of water ( as per the
quantity of gravy required ) along with salt to taste and bring it to a boil. Add the fried eggs and potatoes. Cover with a lid and boil for 5 mins.

Add the coriander and coconut paste and boil for 3-4 mins. Srinkle coriander leaves and remove from fire.

Serve hot with rice or rotis.

Note: Use of coconut in curries and gravies is usually restricted to the coastal
districts of Orissa. In other ares poppy seeds or watermelon seeds are used as a
substitute in these curries.

Odisha Style Dal Tadka

For folks residing in Odisha, Dal Tadka is not the usual thickened yellow dal with a heavenly tempering as it is for the rest of the country. Rather it is a wonderful medley of lentils ( mostly with skin ) that is cooked with onions, ginger garlic, spices and an abundance of tomatoes. While for me the egg bhurji that goes on top is the crowning glory (pun intended!!), some dhabas directly break the eggs on top of the boiling dal ensuring that it gets poached in that divine gravy. I also prefer to cook the lentils till they are tender but somewhat retain their shapes while my husband likes it gloriously mashed together. So, I end up mashing his portion after I have removed mine from the wok. Tasty and high of fiber and proteins, this one is a regular in my kitchen !!

Read on for the recipe -

Cooking Time Required: 30-35 mins
Cost of preparation: 40-50 rupees

Ingredients: Urad dal ( 1/2 cup ), whole green moong ( 1/2 cup ), channa ( 1/2 cup ), rajma ( 1/4 cup), onion ( 1 medium ), tomato ( 2 large ), ginger-garlic paste ( 1 1/2 tsp ), green chillis ( 2 nos ), cumin seeds ( 1 tsp), garam masala ( 2 pinches ), maggie magic cubes ( 2 nos ),turmeric, salt, oil ( 3 tsp ), egg ( 1 - 2 nos), butter( 1 tsp ).

Preparation: Soak the pulses overnite.

Chop the onion, green chillis and tomatoes into small pieces.

Cooking: Wash and transfer the pulses to a pressure cooker. Add salt and turmeric and just sufficient water to cover the pulses. Cook for 3-4 whistles or till the pulses are a little overdone.

Heat oil in a wok. Add the cumin and green chilli . Once the seeds crackle, add onions and fry till they turn translucent. Add ginger-garlic paste and cook till the onions are brown.

Add chopped tomatoes and cook till soft. Add the boiled pulses at this stage and cook for 5 mins.

Add the garam masala and crushed maggie cubes. Mix well, cover with a lid and remove from the fire.

Heat a little oil in another pan. Add the beaten eggs and scramble them .

Sprinkle the egg bhurji over the Tadka dal and add a tsp of butter.

Serve hot with rotis or naan or Kerala paratha.




















Note: Special Tadka masala is sold in Orissa and it adds a very good flavour to the dish. As i could not get my hands on it here, i used the garam masala and maggie cubes which tastes equally good.

One can also add yellow peas and whole masoor dal to this dish.

Atta Chakuli with Oats

Atta chakuli or pancakes made with wheat flour are a popular breakfast recipe in Odisha. Varying from savory and spicy to the sweet ones flavored with fennel, they are easy to prepare and quite filling too.

Cooking Time Required: 10-15 mins
Cost of preparation: 30-40 rupees

Ingredients: Whole wheat flour ( 1 cup ), oats flour ( 1 cup ), curry leaves ( 1 sprig , optional ), onion ( 1 small ), green chilli ( 2 nos ), salt, oil ( 1 tsp per chakuli if cooked on a non-stick tawa).

Preparation: Mix the whole wheat flour, oats flour, salt along with sufficient water into a smooth paste ( consistency should be same as that of dosa batter ).

Chop the onion and garlic into small pieces.

Cooking: Heat the dosa tawa. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp of oil. Add a pinch of pancha-phutana followed by the green chillis, onions and curry leaves.

Stir fry for 40-50 secs. Pour half of the wheat-oats batter into the pan and rotate the pan to spread it. Sprinkle a few drops on oil on the sides.

Cook on both sides for about 3-4 minutes each.

Serve hot .

Note: For People who like it sweet, skip the onion, green chilli, curry leaves and pancha-phutana . Instead add milk and sugar while making the batter for atta chakuli. Cook the chakuli using a little ghee instead of oil.

Oriya to English Translations of Popular Ingredients

Popular Spices:

Ada - Ginger
Charu manji- Charoli / Chironji
Aamba Ada - Mango ginger

Anasi phula - Star Anise

Annapurna patra - Pandan leaves  
Sorisha - Mustard
Posto - Poppy seeds
Pana mahuri - Fennel
Jeera - Cumin
Lanka - Chilli
Methi - fenugreek
Kala Jeera - Nigella
Khajuri -Dates
Badam- Almonds
Dhaniya - Coriander
Dhaniya patra - Coriander leaves
Teja Patra - Bay leaf
Dalchini - Cinnamon
Aleicha/Elaichi - Cardamon
Labanga - Cloves
Hingu/Hengu - Asafoetida
Soothi - Dry Ginger
Jai Phala - Nutmeg
Jaeetri/Javitri - Mace
Juani- Carom (Ajwain)
Haladi - Turmeric
Kala Maricha - Peppercorns
Rasi - Sesame
Juani - Carom seeds
Ambula - Dry Mango slices ( prepared by salting and sun-drying raw mangoes )
Nadia Kora - Shredded Coconut
Rasuna - Garlic
Tentuli - Tamarind
Luna - Salt
Bhrusunga Patra - curry leaves
Karpura - Camphor
Chinabadam - Peanuts

Popular Vegetable:

Aau - Elephant apple
Ambada - Indian olive
Bhendi - Ladies Finger
Simba - Flat beans, Lima beans
Guanra  - Cluster beans
Panasa - Jack fruit
Baigana - Brinjal/Aubergine
Lau - Bottle gourd

Dudka - Sponge gourd
Kalara - Bitter gourd
Kankada - Spine gourd
Potolo - Pointed gourd
Bandha Kobi - Cabbage
Phula Kobi - Cauliflower
Ganthi Kobi - knol knol /kohlrabi( Ganth kobi in Hindi )
Amruta Bhanda - Papaya
Kakharu - Pumpkin
Pani Kakharu - Ash gourd
Janhi - Ridge gourd
Saru - Colocasia
Karamanga - Star fruit
Chattu - Mushroom

Bantala Kadali - Plantain
Kadali Bhanda - Banana Flowers
Kadali Manja - Banana Stem
Poee - Malabar spinach
Sapuaa - Striped gourd/ Snake gourd
Khada saaga - Amaranthus
Piaja Sandha - Onion flower
Kaintha - Wood Apple (Limonia Acidissima)
Moola - Radish
Mati Aloo/Khamba Aloo/ Desi Aloo - Greater Yam

Olua - Lesser Yam
Jhudunga (barabatti) - Long beans
Chuein/ Sajana - Drumstick

Sajana Sagaw - Moringa
Bilati Baigana - Tomato
Kakharu Dunka - Pumpkin shoots
Kandamula/Sakara Kanda - Sweet Potato
Kunduree - Ivy Gourd
Karadi - Bamboo shoots
Kakudi - Cucumber
Gaja Muga - Sprouted green gram
Kakharu Phula - Pumpkin flowers
Khada - Stems of a mature Amaranthus plant
Poee - Malabar Spinach

Palua kanda - Arrowroot tubers

Pasaruni Patra - Stink vine

Panasa Manji - Jackfruit seeds 

Non-Vegetarian Items:

Anda - Egg
Maccha - Fish
Maccha munda - Fish head
Maccha lanja - Fish tail
Maccha Bihana ( manjee ) - Fish eggs
Chuna Maccha - Smelt Fish/Anchovies
Chingudi - Prawns
Kankada - Crab
Khasi/Cheli Mansa - Mutton
Kukuda Mansa - Chicken
Sukhua - Smoked or dried Fish/Prawns
Kalija - Liver
Charbi - Mutton Fat


Pulses & Lentils/Grains

Muga Dali - Moong Dal/ Split Green gram
Channa Dali - Split Bengal gram
Kabuli channa - Chick peas
Biri dali - Urad Dal/ Black Lentil
Harada dali - Pigeon Peas

Kandula - Local Pigeon peas
Buta dali - Yellow peas

Rumha/Jhunga Dal - Cowpeas
Kolotha - Horse gram
Masura Dali - Red lentil

Dhana - Paddy

Chaula - Rice

Usuna Chaula - Parboiled rice

Arua Chaula - Raw rice

Khudaw - Broken rice grains with some of the husk 
Chuda - Beaten rice
Mudhi - Puffed rice

Khaee - Popped rice

Huduma/Chaula bhaja - A kind of fried rice grains 
Mandiya- Ragi or Millet
Palua - Arrowroot

Gangei - Pearl millet

Kodaw - Kodo millet

Popular Fruits

Amba - Mango
Aata - Custard Apple
Angur - Grapes
Amrutabhanda - Papaya
Bedana - Pomegranate
Seu - Apple
Kadali - Banana
Karamanga - Starfruit
Naspati - Pear
Panasa - Jackfruit
Pijuli - Guava
Tarabuja - Watermelon
Tala saja - Palm
Licchu - Lychee
Koli - Berries
Sapuri - Pineapple
Kamala - Orange

Chini Alu - Jicama

Potolo Rasa

Potolo Rasa or pointed gourd cooked in a thick coconut based gravy is considered to be a treat by most Odia people. More popular in the coastal belt that includes a lot of coconut in their cuisine, it is rich, mildly spiced and has a hint of sweetness. On days when non-veg is banished from the Odia homes and yet guests turn up, this dish turns out to be a life savior.

Cooking Time Required: 30-35 mins

Ingredients:

• 8-10 nos Potolo (Parwal/pointed gourd)
• 1 large potato
• 1 medium sized onion
• 1 large tomato
• 1/2 cup grated onion
• 1 1/2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp poppy seeds
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds 
• 1 tsp coriander seeds 
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 2-3 dry red chillis
• 2 green cardamon
• 2 nos bay leaves
• 3 cloves
• 1 inch cinnamon
• 2 tsp kasuri methi
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
• 2 pinch garam masala
• 6-7 tsp oil
• 1/5 tsp turmeric
• salt to taste

Prepartion: Peel and cut all the parwal into two halves. Chop the potato into large
chunks.

Grind the onion, tomato, grated coconut, poppy seeds, cumin, coriander, whole red chillis and all the whole spices into a smooth paste.

Soak the kasuri methi in 1/3 cup warm water.

Cooking: Heat 3-4 tsp oil in a wok. Sprinkle turmeric powder and then add the parwal & potatoes and fry for 10-12 mins.

Remove from wok and keep aside.

Add the remaining oil to the wok and add the red chilli powder and fennel seeds. Add the masala paste along with ginger garlic paste and cook for 5-6 mins.

Add the fried vegetables along with salt and mix well. Sprinkle the kasuri methi. Stir fry for 2-3 mins. Pour 2 cups of boiling water and allow to simmer on low flame for 5-6mins.

Sprinkle garam masala and remove from fire.

Allow to stand for 5 mins. Serve hot with rice/rotis.

Note: The original recipe does not use Kasuri Methi.