Tomato Bhendi Hendua

Hendua or the dried form of bamboo shoots ( also known as Karadi in Odisha) is one of the lesser known ingredients from Western Odisha. While it has a sharp and quite distinctive smell, it lends a note of tanginess along with a delectable flavour when added to any dish. Since it offers a gustatory sensation quite unlike anything else, you either love it or hate it, but you cannot simply choose to ignore it. This dish was cooked by a dear friend's mother at my request. A big thanks for sharing it with me.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 15-20 mins

Ingredients -

• 3 large tomatoes
• 5-6 nos ladies finger or okra
• 3-4 green chillis
• 3 tsp mustard paste
• 1/4 tsp panch phutana
• 1 tbsp hendua
• 2-3 pinch turmeric
• 3 tsp oil
• salt to taste

Preparation - Chop the tomato into small pieces. Cut the okra into small pieces along its cross-section.

Cooking - Heat the oil in a wok. Add the pancha phutana and the slit green chilis.
Once the chilis start to brown, add the hendua and fry for 1-2 mins.

Add the chopped okra and fry lightly for 2-3 mins.

Finally add the chopped tomatoes along with the mustard paste, turmeric and chili. Allow it to cook till the tomatoes have softened completely and any raw smell/taste has gone off.

Serve it with white rice.

Karadi Achara ( Bamboo shoot pickle )

Cost of Preparation: 30-40 rupees

Ingredients: Bamboo shoots ( cut into thin long strips, tightly packed into a 200 ml
cup ), lemon juice ( 3-4 tsp ), green chillis ( 5-6 nos ), turmeric ( 1/5 tsp ), salt to taste, mustard oil ( 6 tsp ), fenugreek powder ( 2 pinch ), cumin powder ( 2 pinch ).

Preparation: Dry the fresh bamboo shoots in the sun for 2-3 days. Transfer to a mixing bowl, add the salt, turmeric and lemon juice and mix well.

Transfer to a glass bottle. Keep aside for 5-6 days to soften, preferably in the sun.

After the bamboo shoots become very tender, add the mustard oil along with the powdered masalas. Mix well.

Keep in a airtight bottle.