Methi Daliya Pulao

Day 5 of the Daliya challenge !! So, finally we have reached the last day and I am feeling quite exhilarated. I can see a visible difference and I am keen to take up this challenge next week too ( coz it is tough to keep temptation at bay during the weekends ).

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 15 mins

Ingredients -

• 1/3 cup daliya
• 1/2 cup methi leaves (tightly packed)
• 1 small onion
• 1 small potato
• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
• a pinch of fennel seeds
• a pinch of coriander powder
• 1-2 tbsp tomato puree (optional)
• a pinch of garam masala
• 1-2 green chili
• 1 tsp oil
• salt to taste

Preparation - Wash and drain the fenugreek leaves to remove excess water. Roughly chop it up. 

Wash and peel the potato. Chop into small bits.

Dry roast the daliya to a light brown and till it gives off a fragrance.

Cooking -  Heat the oil in a pressure cooker. Add the green chili along with cumin and fennel seeds.

Once they stop spluttering, add the onion. Fry till translucent.

Add the fenugreek leaves and potato pieces and fry for 2 mins. Add the coriander powder and garam masala. Fry for 1 min.

Add the washed daliya along with 1 cup water and salt to taste. Cook for 3-4 whistles.

Keep aside till steam escapes. Open the lid and give a gentle mix.

Serve hot with raita.

Naturally beautiful !!!

Beautiful and flawless skin is something that everyone aspires for, gender being no bar. This concern is usually highlighted during the teenage years when one is more prone to pimples. But nevertheless people of all ages want to possess radiant skin that is free from any kind of imperfections. And a regular skin care regimen is the only way to achieve this goal.

I am all for a skin routine that focuses on natural products and especially Ayurveda. Unlike chemical based formulations that may show instant results but are detrimental to the skin in the long run, cosmetics that rely on the goodness of Ayurveda improve the skin health and appearance over a period of use. And this conclusion is based on the reasoning that while most of the chemical based cosmetic brands promote their product as clinically tested or approved, they would have been in existence for a few years only. But Ayurveda is based on the centuries old wisdom of our predecessors and hence definitely more reliable.

Even when I am not using Ayurvedic products, I rely on simple home remedies to keep my skin clean and glowing. If nothing else, it turns out to be very economical and effective. Some of the common remedies that I use are -

1. Cleanser - Homemade besan or chickpeas mixed with turmeric and a few drops of yogurt is a very good cleanser that one can make at home. One can use this along with water boiled with neem leaves which can be splashed onto a face a few times in a day. Both turmeric and neem have proven anti-bacterial properties that keeps the imperfections at bay.

2. Scrub - Oatmeal mixed with a few drops of milk and almond meal works wonders as a scrub. This scrub also lightens the skin if used regularly. For a bull body scrub, mix 3 tbsp granulated sugar with 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp honey. This scrub is also effective on stubborn areas like the knees, elbows and ankles.

3. Moisturizer - Aloe vera gel is one of the most potent moisturizers that I have come across. Apply a thin layer on clean face at night and wake to a beautifully soft and nourished skin in the morning. And it has absolutely no side effects. I also keep a small tub of the gel in the fridge that I like to apply onto the skin after a period of sun exposure. It immediately soothes the skin and one feels very refreshed.

4. De-tan - Freshly squeezed tomato juice is very effective in treating sunburn and tanning.

5. Instant brightening face pack - There are days when we all need that extra glow on our face. Mix 1 tablespoon honey with a few drops of lemon juice. Apply all over the face and leave it to dry. Wash off with lots of water. This instantly gives a clean and clear skin that is a few shades lighter .

Hope you like the skincare tips using all natural products !!


This post is written for VICOO Turmeric Cream . Check their wow video -

Welcoming Raja Festival 2015 !!!

Raja or the advent of monsoon is a big festival in Odisha. This year it is being celebrated from 14th to 16th of June. It is time to don the chef's hat and indulge in making some of Odisha's glorious 'Pithas'. Apart from the regulation Poda pitha, karara and chunchipatra pitha, there are lots of delectable pithas that one can sample from. Check below -

Check out the recipes HERE.

Mango Daliya ( with a wicked hint of Chilis )

Day 4 of the daliya challenge. I am feeling great and the bloating has also reduced after I substituted the cracked wheat dishes for rice and dal. The 30 mins brisk walking/cycling/climbing stairs is also helping me feeling active and energetic.

After the savory dishes I wanted something a bit sweet.  Hence this really simple daliya pudding with mango and just a hint of chili. Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 20 mins

Ingredients -

• 1/3 cup daliya
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp honey
• 2 tsp finely chopped ripe mango
• 3-4 tbsp ripe mango chunks 
• 1/2 of a red chili
• mint for garnishing

Preparation  - Dry roast the daliya or cracked wheat till it gives off a sweet smell.

Slit and deseed the red chili. Chop it up into very fine pieces.

Cooking - Cook the daliya with 1 1/4 cup water in a pressure cooker for 3-4 whistles. Keep aside till steam escapes.

Pour 1/2 cup milk into the same pressure cooker and put it back on the flame. Let it simmer for 3-4 mins.

Transfer it to a mixing bowl. Add the honey, chopped red chili and the finely chopped mango. Mix.

Pour into the serving dish. Garnish with mango chunks and mint.

Serve immediately or chill for 10 mins before serving.

Daliya Salsa Salad

Day 3 !! Still sticking to the Daliya challenge. So, made this interesting salad for lunch. With boiled daliya and loads of veggies, it becomes a tasty one-pot meal that is easy to prepare and refreshingly light.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 15 mins

Ingredients -

• 1/2 cup daliya
• 1-2 tomatoes
• 1 small cucumber
• 1/4 cup shredded lettuce
• 1-2 green chilis
• 1 tsp chopped cilantro
• 1 tsp chopped mint 
• 1/2 tsp EVOO
• 2 pinch ground pepper
• salt to taste

Preparation - Dry roast the daliya or cracked wheat till it gives off a sweet smell.

Chop all the vegetables and chilis into small bits.

Cooking - Cook the daliya with 1 1/2 cup water, turmeric and salt in a pressure cooker for 3-4 whistles. Keep aside till steam escapes.

Transfer it to a mixing bowl. Allow to cool down completely. Throw in the chopped veggies and the rest of the ingredients. Toss well.

Serve immediately.

Pesto Daliya Upma

Yes, I am on a 5 day 'Daliya' challenge this week. And it calls for trying out a new recipe each time that is simple and low on calories. This is a really easy and tasty recipe that I created using some boiled daliya, homemade pesto sauce, lime juice and a bit of tempering.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 20 mins

Ingredients -

• 1/2 cup daliya
• 2 tsp pesto sauce
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1/5 tsp mustard seeds
• a pinch of asafoetida
• 1 dry red chili
• 1/2 tsp oil
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp lime juice

Preparation - Dry roast the daliya or cracked wheat till it gives off a sweet smell.

Cooking - Cook the daliya with 1 cup water and salt in a pressure cooker for 3-4 whistles. Keep aside till steam escapes. Transfer to a mixing bowl.

Heat the oil in a wok. Add the mustard seeds followed by the asafoetida, curry leaves and dry red chili.

Pour this tempering over the cooked daliya. Add pesto sauce and lime juice. Mix well.

Serve immediately.

Tomato Daliya

An easy daliya recipe to help one lose weight while eating healthy and starving oneself. Tried substituting cracked wheat for rice in the Andhra Tomato rice recipe. This one can be adapted to suit those kiddie tastebuds by skipping/reducing the quantity of chillis used and adding a tiny bit of sugar.

The proportion of water can be varied to give it a porridge or fluffy consistency. Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 20 mins

Ingredients -

• 1/2 cup daliya
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1/5 tsp mustard seeds
• a pinch of asafoetida
• a pinch of turmeric
• 1-2 green chilis
• 2-3 garlic flakes
• 1/2 tsp oil
• 2 tsp roasted peanuts
• salt to taste

Preparation - Dry roast the daliya or cracked wheat till it gives off a sweet smell.

Cooking - Cook the daliya with 1 1/2 cup water, turmeric and salt in a pressure cooker for 3-4 whistles.

Heat the oil in a wok. Add the mustard seeds folowed by the asafoetida, curry leaves, green chilis and peanuts.
Once the peanuts are done popping, add the garlic and fry to golden .

Add the chopped tomatoes and sprinkle a little salt over them. Cook till mushy.

Add the cooked daliya and mix in. Stir for 2 mins.

Remove from the flame and garnish with fresh cilantro.

Serve hot.

Note - I had some already roasted and crushed peanuts which I added at the end to retain their crunch.

Weekly Snapshot (31/05/2015 - 06/06/2015)

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Top 5 recipes for this week -

• Dahi Bara-Ghuguni - Aludum
• Jaamfal ki subzi
• Mudhi Mansa
• Pasta al Pesto ( Vegan recipe with curry leaves )
• Gupchup (Odisha style Panipuri)

Latest on Oriyarasoi

This has been a pretty relaxed week with nothing much going. Have been in a relaxed mood and spending time with family is a priority. 

Pasta Al Pesto ( Vegan version with Curry leaves )

Pasta laden with humongous amount of cheese may not be the right fit for the sweltering hot Indian summers. Hence I had to come up with a relatively easy cheese free pasta recipe that did not require working in front of the stove for long duration.

I picked up the regular pesto recipe, gave it a very indian twist with curry leaves, roasted red chilis , urad dal, asafoetida and canola oil and ended up with this winner. Yeah, this is a taste recipe with a very tangible South Indian flavour.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 15 mins

Ingredients -

• 1 cup pasta ( I used a mix of different shapes )
• handful of curry leaves
• 2 dry red chili ( I used Byadgi variety that has mild heat)
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp urad dal
• 1 tbsp charoli seeds
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp oil
• 1 tsp lime juice
• pinch of asfoetida

Preparation - Boil water in a large saucepan. Once the bubbles start coming, salt it.

Wait for water to come to a rolling boil before you add the paste. This way they wont stick to each other.

While the paste is cooking, heat the oil in a small skillet. Add the red chili, asafoetida and urad dal. Once the dal turns brown, add the charoli nuts and roast for 30 seconds.

Transfer the contents of the skillet into a grinder jar. Add the washed curry leaves, garlic cloves and salt. Buzz into a coarse meal.

Keep checking on your pasta . Once it gets to the al-dente stage, remove from flame and drain off the pasta water while saving about 1/2 cup of it for thinning the sauce.

Take the pasta in a pasta bowl or wide dish, add the pesto, 2-3 tsp of the past water and the lime juice.

Toss everything together.

Serve immediately.

For more such vegan pasta recipes click here, here, here,, here and here. 

Jaamfal ki subzi ( Jain guava curry )

This one is a very simple yet delicious recipe that I learnt from a Jain friend and former neighbour. Just the ripe guavas cooked with minimal spices and a sweet note added at the end, and you have a nice side dish that goes well with rotis. I can even have some just by itself. Just make sure that you pick some really good fruit that has lot of flesh and less of the irksome seeds.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 15 mins

Ingredients -

• 2 big ripe guavas
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp black pepper powder
• a pinch of garam masala (optional)
• 2 pinch coriander powder
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp oil or ghee
• salt to taste
• cilantro for the garnish

Preparation - Peel and chop the ripe guava into chunks.

Cooking - Heat oil in a wok. Add the red chili powder and coriander powder. Toss in the guava cubes after 10 seconds.

Stir fry for about 10 mins.

Sprinkle sugar, black pepper powder and salt. Mix and cover with lid for 2-3 mins.

Remove from the flame. 

Garnish with cilantro and serve with rotis.

Mudhi Mansa ( Puffed Rice with Mutton Gravy - A Baripada Special)

For me, 'Mudhi Mansa' evokes those childhood memories of eagerly awaiting for the pressure cooker to be emptied of the mutton curry (jholo). My mom would then put in a bowl of mudhi inside the pressure cooker and use it to scarpe off the gravy that remained clinging on the walls. This mudhi would then be garnished with some chopped onions and green chillis. Finally it would be presented to the ever hungry kids who had been eyeing the entire process with fidgety impatience. The entire bowl would be emptied within 5 mins with almost an mini war taking place for that last handful. That kind of sums up my memories about it. Now if you have been thinking about so much fanfare over what should technically be a leftover, let me educate you that 'mutton' is almost a revered ingredient in any Odia household and every bit of it is treated with the respect that it commands.

But moving on to Baripada, it is not just considered a leftover but an entire recipe that is part and parcel of the culinary heritage of the district. And you have to beleive this because no wedding menu is considered complete without it.

Here is the recipe for Mudhi mutton -

Ingredients -

• 3-4 cups puffed rice
• 1/3 cup mutton gravy/jholo ( just warm, not too hot or cold )
• 2-4 pieces of mutton (from same curry)
• 1-2 small pieces of mutton fat or charbi (also from the same curry)
• 1/2 of a small onion ( chopped into thin pieces )
• 2 green chilis (finely chopped)
• 2 tsp chopped coriander
• 1 small tomato (finely chopped)
• 1/4 th of a small cucumber (chopped into thin long pieces)
• 1 tsp mustard oil
• pinch of salt (optional)

Preparation - Take everything into a mixing bowl. Toss together and serve immediately.


Click here for the recipe of mutton jholo .