Gota potolo bhaja ( bharwa parwal )

Cooking time Required: 30-35 mins
Cost of Preparation: 34-40 rupees

Ingredients: Potolo ( parwal) ( 6 nos), oil for frying , salt .

For the stuffing : onion ( 2 nos, medium sized ), ginger garlic paste ( 1 tsp), tomato sauce ( 3/4 tsp ), chilli powder ( 1/4 tsp ), kasuri methi ( 1/2 tsp ), fennel seeds ( 1/4 tsp), turmeric ( 1/4 tsp ).

For the batter : cornflour ( 3-4 tbs ), cumin powder ( 1/2 tsp ), chilli powder ( 1/3tsp), coriander powder ( 1/3 tsp ), ginger-garlic paste ( 1/4 tsp ), salt .

Preparation: Peel the potolo. Make a cut on the side and remove the inner seeds.



Cut the onion into fine pieces.

Add salt and turmeric to the potolo and keep aside.

Mix all the ingredients along with a little water to form a thick batter/paste.




Cooking: Heat oil in a pan. Add the fennel seeds. Follow up with the onions. Stir fry for 3-4 mins. Now add the ginger garlic paste and turmeric . Cook till the raw smell of the ginger-garlic goes away.

Add the kasuri methi and chilli powder and cook for 2-3 mins. Add tomato sauce, mix well and remove from the pan after 1-2 mins.

Add some more oil and put in the potolo . Fry lightly till done. It takes about 5-6
mins.Remove from pan.



Stuff the fried onion masala inside the potolo once slightly cooled.



Dip the potolo in the batter and coat all the sides .

Heat oil in a wok. Put the potolo into the hot oil. Fry for 4-5 mins or till done.

Remove from the wok and serve as a starter or as a side dish for the main course.

Dahi Bara (Odisha Dahi Vada)

Cooking Time Required : 20-25 mins
Cost of Preparation: 35-40 rupees

Ingredients: Urad dal ( 1 cup ), green chillis, onion ( 1 small ), curd ( 1 1/2 cup ), cumin powder ( 1/2 tsp ), red chilli powder ( 1/2 tsp ), amchur powder ( 1/3 tsp ) , baking powder ( 1/3 tsp ), semolina ( suji , 1 tbs ), black salt( kala namak ) , salt, oil ( for frying ), coriander leaves (optional ).

Preparation: Soak urad dal for 3-4 hours. Grind into a smooth paste. Add salt and allow to stand overnight.

Cut the chilli, onion and coriander powder into small pieces.


Cooking: Mix the suji and baking powder into the batter.

Take water in a deep vessel. Add 3-4 tsp curd and salt.

Heat the oil in a wok. Make small balls out of the batter and put into the oil. Fry till it turn brown .





















Remove the fried urad balls and add to the curd water.





















Allow to soak for 1-2 hours.

Beat the rest of the curd in a mixing bowl with salt, water, cumin powder, black salt and chilli powder. Keep the consistency thin.

Remove the soaked baras from the curd water and transfer to a plate. Add the beaten curd over it. Sprinkle the onions, green chillis, coriander leaves, cumin and chilli powder over it.

In some places in orissa, roadside vendors sell these watery dahi vadas in a dona ( small cup prepared from leaves ) or in a folded leaf itself. The taste is quite different from the ones served in a restaurent.

Chenna poda ( Cheesecake )

Cooking time Required: 1 hour 20 minutes
Cost of Preparation: 80-90 rupees

Ingredients: Milk ( 2 ltr ), vinegar ( 2 tsp ), suji ( 1 tbs ), sugar ( 1 cup ), milk ( 1/2 cup ), baking powder ( 1/2 tsp ), cardamon ( 2-3 nos ), cashews/almonds ( 1/2 cup ), ghee ( 1 tsp).

Cooking: Boil the milk in a large vessel. When it is in full boil, add the vinegar. Allow the chenna to separate out . Switch off the burner and keep it covered for 2-3 mins.

Gently drain the water. Do not squeeze too hard to remove all the water.

Take a mixing bowl and mash chenna . Add suji, sugar , milk, baking powder and cardamon. Knead all the ingredients into a smooth dough/mixture.

Take a baking tray. Pour the ghee into it. Spread on the bottom and all sides using the fingers.Pour the dough and spread evenly.


















Pre-heat the oven to 160 degrees. Put in the baking tray and bake for 40-50 mins. Insert a knife to check if done. Else repeat for 5-10 mins.

Allow to cool and flip it over.


















Cut into medium sized slices and serve.

Note : To get a caramelized effect on the top, sprinkle 1-2 tablespoon of sugar on the baking tray after applying the ghee. Put into the oven for 5 mins and heat at 200degrees. Remove from oven and allow the sugar to cool slightly before adding the chenna mixture.

The suji proportion in this particular preparation is kept very less and the baking is done at a lower temperature to get a soft and velvety texture . For a more grainy texture ( as is commonly found in the shops ), add the chenna and suji in a 3:1 proportion by volume and bake the chenna poda at 180 degrees.

I read about the caramelization technique from this blog Any one can cook: Chennapoda (Cheese Cake from Orissa). But one can also use powdered jaggery/molasses for the caramelizing effect. The latter gives a much more 'desi' flavor.

Kadai Pitha

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

Ingredients: raw rice, urad dal, pancha phutana, red chilli/green chillis, onion ( 1 small ), finely cut vegetables ( optional, (carrot, beans, cauliflower, potatoes) ), curry leaves, salt, oil ( 2 tsp ).

Preparation: Soak the rice and urad dal in 2:1 proportion. Allow to soak for 8-10 hours. Grind into a smooth paste. Allow to stand overnight.

Cooking: Heat oil in a wok. Add the pancha phutana, curry leaves and chillis. Once the seeds start spluttering, add onions. stir fry till golden and then add vegetables. stir fry till it is cooked.

Add 4-5 spoonfuls of the batter into the wok till it forms a 1-2 cm thick layer in the middle .

Cook on low flame till it is cooked to a lovely reddish brown on one side. It will take 5-6 mins for each side.

Toss over and allow the other side to cook.

Remove from wok and serve with dalma. It can also be served with ghee and sugar.

Ras malai ( cheese balls soaked in milk )

Cooking time Required: 40 minutes
Cost of Preparation: 50-60 rupees

Ingredients: milk ( 1 litre ), lemon ( 1 no , one can also use sour curd for curdling the milk ), maida ( flour , 1-2 tsp ), sugar ( 1/2 cup ), vanilla essence ( few drops ), nuts ( cashews/almonds) for garnishing.


Cooking: Boil half of the milk in a saucepan. Squeeze the lemon over the milk. Allow to boil till the chenna ( cheese/paneer ) separates from the water.

Allow to cool for 5 mins. Strain the water .

Transfer the chenna to a mixing bowl. Add maida .Mix and knead the mixture till it turns into a soft dough . There should be no grains felt when the chenna is rubbed in between the fingers. Make small balls/ medium sized flat circles out of it.




















Heat water and half of the sugar in a wok . Allow to boil. Put in the chenna balls/circles and add 5-6 drops of vanilla essence. Cover with a lid and boil for 10-12 mins.

The balls will rise to the top when they are cooked and again sink to the bottem once they absorb the sugar solution. Remove from the fire and allow to cool.






















Boil the remaining milk in a wok along with the sugar for 10-15 minutes. Allow to thicken slightly .

Allow to cool down. Remove the chenna balls from the sugar solution and add to the thickened milk.

Put into the refrigerator to chill. Garnish with chopped cashews/almonds and serve.






















Tip: One can also use cardamon/rose essence instead of vanilla essence for the flavouring.
Use full cream milk instead of skinned milk for softer and tastier chenna balls.

Ras malai consists of sugary, cream to yellow-colored balls (or flattened balls) of paneer soaked in malai (clotted cream) flavored with cardamom.It originated in what is now coastal Orissa (source Wiki).

In some places in orissa the small chenna balls soaked in thickened milk are also called 'Kheer sagar'.

Khatta Meetha papaya

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

Ingredients: Raw Papaya ( 1 no, small ), lime ( 1 no, medium), sugar ( 5-6 tbs ), oil ( 1 tsp ).

Cooking: Peel the papaya and cut into very thin slices .

Heat a wok. Add 1 tsp oil. Add the papaya pieces.

Stir for 1-2 mins. Add the sugar over the papaya pieces and allow it to melt.

Add 1 cup water. Bring to a boil on a low flame. Allow to simmer till most of the water evaporates and a thick sugary syrup is formed. This take about 5-6 mins.

Do not allow the papaya to turn to soft.

Squeeze the lime over the papaya and sugar syrup. Remove from fire.

Allow to cool. Serve as a low calorie dessert.

It can also be served with aruwa rice and muga dalma especially during the Kartika Somavar and Margasira guruvar, which are considered to be very pious days in every Oriya household.

Apple Tart

Cooking Time Required : 30-35 mins
Cost of preparation: 80-90 rupees

Ingredients: Bread slices ( 6 nos, large ), apple ( 2 nos ), milk ( 1 cup ), sugar ( 4-5 tsp, powdered ), cinnamon powder ( 1 tsp ), ghee/ cooking butter ( 3 tsp ), almonds ( 1/2 cup, finely cut).

Preparation: Toast the bread slices in a oven/microwave for 10 minutes. Grind in a grinder to get bread crumbs.

Cut the apples into small pieces. Keep aside a few which need to be cut into very small pieces.

Cooking: Heat a pan. Add 1/2 tsp ghee . Add the apple slices and stir fry for 2-3 mins. Add 1 tsp sugar powder and the cinnamon powder. Mix well and remove from pan after 1-2 mins.

Mix the bread crumbs, milk, sugar and ghee into a thick paste/dough. Divide into two halves.

Grease a baking dish. Spread one half of the dough on the bottom of the pan. Put the cooked apple pieces over it in an even layer.

Mix the nuts and remaining apple pieces with the other half of the dough. Spread it over the apple layer. Glaze with ghee/cooking butter.

Pre-heat the oven for 5 mins to 180 degrees. Put the baking tray inside and bake for 12-15 mins.

Capsicum Masala

Cooking time Required: 20-25 mins
Cost of Preparation: 34-40 rupees

Ingredients: Capsicum ( 3 nos, large), garlic ( 6-7 nos ), cumin seeds ( 3/4 tsp ), mustard seeds ( 2 tsp ), fenugreek powder ( 1/2 tsp ), pancha phutana ( 1/3 tsp), red chillis ( 3-4 nos, whole ), oil( 4-5 tsp ), salt , turmeric ( 1/4 tsp ).

Preparation: Cut the capsicum into even sized pieces. Remove the seeds.

Grind the mustard, cumin and garlic pods into a fine paste.


Cooking: Heat the oil in a wok. Add the red chillis and the pancha-phutana. When the seeds start spluttering, add the fenugreek powder. Follow immediately with the capsicum pieces.

Stir fry the capsicum till the vegetable juices dry up.

Add the cumin-mustard-garlic paste , salt and turmeric along with half a cup of water. Allow to cook till the paste forms a layer around the vegetables and the oil separates out.

Serve with rice or rotis.

Paneer wali Maggie

Cooking Time Required: 15-20 mins
Cost of preparation: 40-25 rupees

Ingredients: Maggie ( 2 packets ), Paneer ( 100 gms), green peas ( 1 cup ), onion ( 2 nos, medium ), cornflour ( 2 tbs ), ginger garlic paste ( 1 tsp ), cumin powder ( 1/3 tsp ), chilli powder ( 1 tsp ), tomato sauce ( 2-3 tbs ), coriander leaves ( 2 tbs, finely cut) oil, turmeric ( 1/2 tsp ), salt.

Preparation: Cut the paneer into small cubes. Boil water in a saucepan along with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp turmeric . Add the paneer cubes and boil for 6-7 mins till they become very soft. Drain the water and keep paneer aside to cool.

Cut the onion into thin slices.Grate one-half of an onion .

Mix the cornflour, ginger-garlic paste, cumin powder, chilli powder (1/3 tsp), onion paste and salt along with a little water into a thick paste.

Cooking: Heat oil in a wok for frying the paneer cubes. Coat the paneer cubes with the cornflour paste and put into the oil. Fry till golden brown on both sides. Remove and keep aside on blotting paper to absorb excess oil.

Boil 4-5 cups water in a saucepan. Break each maggie into 4 pieces and put into the pan.

Boil for a minute and remove from fire when it is still firm. Wash for 2 minutes under running water. Keep aside to drain away any excess water.

Heat a large sized frying pan. Pour 3-4 tsp oil. Add the onions and green peas. stir fry till the onions turn golden/pink. Add the maggie in small batches and stir fry for about 5 mins.

Add the fried paneer cubes. Sprinkle the maggie masala all over the maggie. Allow to fry for 1-2 mins. Add the sauce and stir gently to mix it in.

Remove from pan and garnish with raw onion rings and coriander leaves.

Tomato Besara poda ( Tomatoes cooked in mustard garlic sauce )

Cooking Time Required : 10-15 mins
Cost of preparation: 10-12 rupees

Ingredients: Tomato ( 2 nos, large ), garlic pods ( 5-6 nos ), onion ( 1 medium ), green chilli ( 2 nos ), finely cut coriander leaves ( 2 tbs ), mustard seeds ( 1 tsp ), mustard oil ( 1 tsp ), salt.

Cooking: Grind half of the garlic pods along with the mustard seeds into a smooth paste.

Cut the onion, tomatoes and green chillis into large pieces. Put all the ingredients in a wok along with 1-2 cups of water and mix well.

Put on the stove and allow to cook on low to medium flame for 10 mins. Garnish with finely minced coriander leaves.

Serve with plain rice.

Kobi Santula

Cooking time required: 25 mins
Cost of preparation: 30-35 rupees

Ingredients: cauliflower ( 1 no, medium ), tomato ( 1 large ), onion ( 2 nos, medium ), green chilli ( 1 no ), red chilli powder ( 1 tsp ), ginger garlic paste ( 1 tsp ), turmeric (1/4 tsp), salt, oil ( 4-5 tsp ), pancha phutana ( 1/2 tsp), garam masala ( 1/3 tsp , optional ).

Preparation: Dice the cauliflower into large sized florets . Cut the onion into thin long slices. Cut the tomato into long slices along its length and remove the seeds.

Cooking: Heat a pan . Add 3 tsp oil. Add the cauliflower florets along with salt and turmeric. Stir fry for 10 mins on medium to high flame or till the florets are almost cooked. Remove from pan and keep aside.

Heat a wok. Pour the remaining oil into it. Add the pancha phutana and green chilli followed by the onions. Stir fry till the onions turn golden. Add the ginger garlic paste and cook for 3-4 mins till the raw smell goes off. Add the fried cauliflower florets and the tomato slices. Sprinkle red chilli powder and a little salt. Cover with a lid and cook till the tomatoes soften and mix with the rest of the ingredients.Take care that the cauliflower is not overcooked.

Add the garam masala and mix well. Remove from the stove. Serve with rice, rotis or parathas.

Note: One may puree the tomato instead of adding the slices. This also helps reduce the cooking time.