Amba Sorisha Khatta ( A sweet sour Mango relish from Odisha )

Cooking time required: 20-25 mins


Ingredients:

• 1 Large green mango (kancha amba)
• 2 sprigs of curry leaves
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/5 tsp turmeric powder 
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds 
• 2 tsp mustard seeds ( use half the quantity if you are not used to the pungency 
• 2 tsp oil ( 2 tsp)
• jaggery / sugar as per taste ( also depends on the sourness of the mango )
• 1/2 tsp pancha-phutana
• 1/4 tsp roasted cumin-chilli powder (jeera-lanka gunda)
• salt to taste

Preparation: Grind the mustard and cumin seeds into a fine paste.

Peel and cut the mango into long pieces.

Cooking: Heat 2 tsp of oil in a pan, add the pancha-phutana and curry leaves. Stir for about 30 secs. Add the mango pieces and stir fry till soft.

Add the mustard-cumin paste along with 3-4 cups water. Add chilli powder, turmeric and salt. Bring to a boil and allow to simmer.

When the water reduces to 2/3rd add sugar and boil for 3-4 mins. Sprinkle jeera-lanka powder and remove from fire.

Serve with non-veg curry or dalma rice.

Note: I usually prepare it with Mansa jholo/Maccha jholo.But it tastes equally good when had with arwa chawal & dalma.

Kadali Manja Raee ( Plantain Stem Curry )

Kadali Manja or banana stem happens to be one of those delicious vegetables that are extremely low in calories and also loaded with fibers. It is highly recommended to those suffering from kidney/gall bladder stones, diabetes, hyper acidity and constipation. For ladies, who are usually prone to infections of the urinary tract, banana stem juice is considered to be an excellent home remedy.

Kadali Manja also happens to feature regularly in most odia meals. In the earlier days, almost every household had a few banana plants growing in their garden. Once the plant bore fruit and the plantain bunch was plucked, the plant was cut down and the tender portion of the stem extracted for consumption. Since, it is only the inner core of the stem that happens to be fit for consumption, the protective outer layers (more like a sheath) need to be discarded.

It is a rather cumbersome process yet the ladies in those days put in that extra bit of effort to ensure good health for the family. Given today's busy lifestyle, I have adapted the original recipe to reduce the cooking time as one cannot take any shortcuts with the prepping process.

Read on for the recipe -

Cooking Time Required: 15-20 mins ( Take it to be 45 mins including preparation )

Ingredients:

• 7-8 inches long Banana Stem
• 1 medium sized tomato
• 2-3 nos green chillis 
• 2 tsp thick mustard paste
• 6-7 nos garlic flakes (crushed)
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• salt to taste
• 2 tsp mustard oil for cooking
• 1 tbsp cut coriander leaves
• 1/2 tsp mustard oil for garnishing

Preparation: This is the most time consuming process. Clean and cut the banana stem into thin circles.

After slicing off one circle, one can feel the fibres when it tries to separate it from the remaining stem. Move you fingers in a circular motion and remove as much of the fibres as you can.

Cut the circles into small pieces. Add salt and turmeric and keep aside for half an hour.

After half an hour, squeeze out all the water from the banana stem pieces using both hands.

Cut the tomato into big chunks while removing the seeds.

Cooking: Take all the ingredients (except coriander leaves) into a pressure cooker. Add 1/4 cup water and close the lid. Cook for 1-2 whistles on medium flame.

Remove and keep aside till the steam escapes. Open lid and add the chopped coriander and 1/2 tsp raw mustard oil.

Note: Cook the banana stem immediately. If not then immerse in a bowl of warm water to which salt and turmeric has been added.

Kadali Bhaja ( Raw banana fry )

Cooking Time Required: 10-15 mins

Ingredients:

• 1-2 Raw bananas
• 2 red chillis 
• 1/5 tsp pancha-phutana 
• 1/5 tsp turmeric
• 2-3 tsp oil 
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp jeera-lanka powder

Preparation: Peel and cut the banana into long strips about 5-6 mm thick. Add salt and turmeric and mix well. Keep aside for 10 mins.



















Cooking: Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan. Add the pancha phutana and red chillis ( broken into pieces ). Add the banana pieces and stir fry for 1-2 mins.

Add half cup of water And cover with a lid. Allow to cook till 10 min or till the banana is done.



















Uncover and add the remaining oil on the sides of the pan . Stir lightly.

Allow the bananas to turn slightly reddish/brown .
Remove from pan,  sprinkle the jeera lanka powder all over the bananas and serve hot.

Kadali Bhanda Raee ( Banana flowers cooked in mustard paste )

Cooking Time Required: 15-20 mins


Ingredients:

• 1 no Kadali Bhanda/ banana flowers bunch
• 1 small potato
• 1 small tomato ( optional )
• 5-6 garlic flakes
• 2 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 green chilli
• 1 dry red chili
• 1 tsp mustard oil
• 1/5 tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• salt to taste

Preparation: Preparing the banana flowers is a time consuming and messy affair. It might just seem to be a daunting task for first timers.

Here is the list of steps that one needs to follow :

1. Rub a little bit of oil on your palms and fingers. This is to prevent blackening caused due to the sticky juice of the flowers.

2. Keep a bowl of water with salt and turmeric at hand.

3. Remove the outer hard dark pink/crimson-colored bracts. These are not edible.















4. Now remove the bunch of yellowish pink flowers just under the hard layers. Remove the thin long stamen (with a thick head) and a hard petal-like layer (tepal) from each flower. These two parts are not edible.

5. Cut up the flower into small pieces and immediately dunk it into the turmeric water. This prevents the flowers from darkening due to oxidation.

6. Repeat the process for each layer. After the first 5-6 layers, the flowers will be closed. Hold each bunch in one hand and rub your palm over the top part to open up the flowers. Now it will be easier to remove the stamen and the tepal.

7. The flowers will keep getting smaller in size. Once it reaches a length of 1.5 inch, one need not remove any of the parts. These can be chopped and added to turmeric water.

8. Boil the flowers along with the salt and turmeric water for about 3-4 mins. Drain and wash under running water to get rid of the bitterness. ( It is preferable to taste the flowers at this stage. If it still tastes too bitter for one's palate, it should be discarded ).


Cooking: Heat 3 tsp oil in a wok. Drain and squeeze the banana flowers and add to the wok. Stir fry for 5 mins. Remove from wok and transfer to a pressure cooker.

Cut the rest of the vegetables into small pieces and add to the pressure cooker.

Grind the dry red chili, mustard seeds, and half of the garlic flakes into a smooth paste. Add to the pressure cooker along with 1/4 cup of water.

Add the green chilies ( slit into 2 ), remaining garlic flakes, mustard oil, salt, and a pinch of turmeric.

Mix the contents of the pressure cooker and close the lid. Put on stove and allow to cook for 2 whistles.

Allow the steam to escape. Open the lid and check if there for excess water remaining. If so, put it back on the stove and cook on a high flame with the lid open to evaporate the water.

Serve with rice.

Note: This curry tastes best when cold and it is even better the next day. Most of the curries prepared with mustard and garlic taste best when served cold.

Makara Chaula

Preparation Time Required: 15-20 mins

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Raw rice (though any arua chaula will do, Sita bhoga is preferable)
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup freshly grated coconut
• 1/3 cup small sugarcane pieces
• 1-2 ripe banana
• sugar to taste
• 1/2 tsp pepper powder
• 1/4 cup cottage cheese (Chenna)
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 1/2 cup chopped fruits of your choice 

Preparation: Soak the rice overnight. Wash and drain. Spread on a plate and allow to dry at room temperature for 2-3 hours.

Grind into a coarse powder and transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients except for the banana and mix well. Peel and crush the banana. Add to the mixing bowl and mix.

Consume within a day if kept outside the refrigerator. Can be refrigerated for 2-3 days.

Note: The ingredients listed above are traditionally used in Makara chaula. Some other popular ingredients are jaggery, sweet potato (peeled and grated) and jicama (sakara/chini aloo in Odia) ( also peeled and grated ).

Makara Chaula is prepared during the Makara Sankranti festival in Orissa. The rice used is preferably from the fresh harvest. There are slight variations in the ingredients depending on the regions.

Chuda Ghasa

Some people are born privileged while others take it as a privilege to be able to stay alive ! And somewhere between these two extremities, lies a mass of humanity that takes refuge in religion.

Nowhere is this more apparent than in the Ratha Jatra / Bahuda celebrations that take place every year in Odisha. It is a riot of colors, cacophony of sounds, medley of emotions and melting pot of humanity as the Lord undertakes his annual journey. The mood of the crowd can only be described as sheer madness. Nothing else even comes close.

These clicks are an attempt to capture the mood of the Bahuda celebrations during which Chuda Ghasa is used as an offering. While it must be quite apparent to most of you that I am not a big fan of mood photography, I do want to learn it. More like adding a skill to the resume just because it helps you stay on your toes.

Coming back to the photos, the flowers and the leaves reflect the colors of the Nandighosa, Taladhwaja and Devadalana. The coconut is symbolic of the devotees breaking coconuts to fulfill their wishes. And the smoke depicts the aalati and dhoopa that adds a mysterious appeal to the whole atmosphere. I did miss the sound element which is also an important part of this festival, Maybe will get to work on it another day.

Read on -

Preparation Time : 20 mins


Ingredients:

• 2 cups beaten Chuda / Beaten rice / Chivda
• 1 cup finely grated coconut
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 4-5 tsp sugar
• a tiny bit of food-grade camphor
• a pinch of green cardamom powder
• a few slices of coconut

Preparation: Grind the chuda in a mixer-grinder to a coarse consistency. Transfer to a plate/ flat surface. Add the sugar and ghee.

Now comes the tough part. Rub the mixture between the fingers so that it forms a texture that resembles breadcrumbs. The ghee and sugar should get mixed evenly .



















Add the grated coconut, cardamom powder and the powdered camphor. . Sprinkle a few drops of water. Mix thoroughly .

It should not feel too dry. One can add more ghee if that is the case. Or some chopped cucumber/banana slices will also do the trick.

Consume within a day or two as the moisture content of the grated coconut makes it soggy.

Note:- Chuda ghasa is a an important part of the prasad prepared during Ganesh Puja / Saraswati puja.

Chuda ghasa is also served as a breakfast/snack item. Chuda ghasa - Buta Dalma is very popular in Puri district of Orissa.

Usually the camhor is added when it is to be used for prasad. Else one can add powdered cardamon/black pepper ( golmaricha) instead of camphor.

Poee Chenccheda

'Poee Chenchedda' or Malabar spinach cooked with assorted vegetables and fish head is quite a delicacy. This Odia dish is low on spices and depends on the medley of the starkly different ingredients for a unique taste experience. Interestingly, for people who do not consume non-veg, malabar spinach is considered as 'amisha' or 'non-veg'. While I am not sure about the reason behind this classification, I do love this curry even without the addition of the fish head.

Cooking Time Required : 40 mins

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Pumpkin cubes
• 2-3 parval/potola/pointed gourd 
• 1/4 cup brinjal cubes 
• 100 gm Malabar spinach/poee
• 1 medium sized potato
• 1/2 cup ridge gourd cubes
• 1 medium sized tomato
• 1/2 inch ginger
• 8-9 pods garlic
• 1 medium onion 
• 1 inch cinnamon stick
• 2 green cardamom
• 1-2 cloves
• cumin seeds ( 1/3 tsp), 
• red chilli ( 2-3 nos)
• turmeric (1/5 tsp)
• 1 large fish head (Bhakura maccha munda)
• 4-5 tsp oil
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• salt to taste

Preparation: Wash the vegetable and cut into large sized pieces. Keep aside

Marinate the fish with salt and turmeric for about 5 minutes.

Grind the onion, garlic, ginger, 1-2 red chilis, cardamon, cloves and cinnamon into a thick paste.

Cut the tomato into small pieces . Remove the tomato seeds.

Cooking: Heat oil in a large wok. Add the fish and fry till it turns reddish. Remove from wok and keep aside.

Add the red chillis and cumin seeds. Allow to splutter and then add masala the paste and cook till the raw smell goes away. Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 mins.

Add all the vegetables except the poee leaves. Allow the vegetables to be half-cooked and then add the poee leaves. Cook for another 5 minutes and then add the crushed fish head. Cover with a lid and cook for 5-6 minutes till the fish mixes thoroughly with the vegetables and the water disappears.

For folks who like the crispiness of the fish head, add the crushed pieces just before switching off the flame.

Serve hot with steamed rice.

The 'without fish head' version for vegetarian folks -

Note: Do not add any extra water. The vegetables need to be cooked in their own juices.

Meetha Suji (Suji ka Halwa)

Meetha Suji. I kind of grew up eating this version of 'Suji halwa' as it is popularly known in most parts of the country . Seasoned with bay leaves and just the right amount of ghee, it was the answer to every Odia kid's 4 o' clock hunger pangs. 

Cooking Time Required : 10-15 minutes

Ingredients -

• 1 cup Suji/semolina
• 4-5 tsp sugar 
• 1/4 cup ghee
• dry fruits (raisins and cashews, i skipped as my kid does not like )
• 2-3 nos bay leaves
• 1 pinch salt

Cooking: Heat a pan. Put 1 tsp of ghee on it. Add the suji and stir periodically till it darkens a few shades(light brown). Remove from fire and keep aside. Fry the cashews and keep aside.

Pour 2 cups of water into a deep vessel (kadai) and put on the stove. Bring to a boil. Add the roasted suji and mix it continuously to prevent lumps formation. When the suji starts solidifying, add the sugar, cardamon and ghee. Mix it till the sugar almost dissolves, add the cashews and raisins, and remove from the stove. Keep it covered for 5 mins. Serve it hot.

An old of mine with lots of added raisins and cashews :) :) !!

Badi Jholo ( A Frugal delight from Odisha )

In a country of 631 million women, how is it possible to have just one ideal of beauty ? The Dove advertisement rightly challenges the concept of the fair skinned and dove eyed beauty that has been ingrained into our psyche for generation. In the face of such diversity, it makes much more sense to celebrate our uniqueness instead of looking for stereotypes.

The same applies to our cuisine as well. Somewhere in between the opulent excess of the North Indian cuisine (again a misnomer) and the fearsome spices of the Southern states, there are many unacknowledged cuisines that need to be explored. And one of them is the cuisine of Odisha. Odia cuisine revels in it's frugality and simplicity. And this curry is yet another example of both traits.

Badi Jholo is a rather simple dish which consists of Urad dal vadis cooked in a thin gravy of mustard and garlic. The right amount of chilis and just a hint of acidity is what makes this dish click. And for that reason it was usually prepared when one was convalescing from a fever or cold. Along with the 'Kanji', it is considered to be a sure-shot remedy for bitter taste buds. My grandmother used to call it 'Badi Phulaa' because once we put the fried Badi in the gravy, it tends to soak up the water and doubles up in volume. 'Phulaa' literally means 'to swell up'. Quite an interesting name for a recipe, isn't it ?

While it tastes best when prepared with the 'Kakharu Badi' or urad dal badis made with ash gourd extract, the regular badis will also do. Read on for the recipe -

Cooking time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

• 10-12 Urad dal Vadi/Badi (the pumpkin(pani kakharu) variety)
• 3-4 nos green chillies
• 1 dry red chili
• 4 tsp mustard seeds
• 7-8 garlic cloves
• 4 tsp mustard oil
• pinch of turmeric
• salt to taste
• 1 piece of ambula (dried green mango)

Pre-cooking: Keep aside 2 garlic pods and 1/4 tsp mustard seeds. Grind the rest into a fine paste along with the dry red chili.

Pure Nostalgia - Coconut shell bowl to keep the ground spices

Slightly crush the garlic pods and the green chillies.

Preparation: Heat 2 tsp oil in a pan. Fry the Badi till it becomes slightly golden and keep aside.

Add 2 tsp oil to a kadai (deep vessel). When it starts smoking, reduce the flame. add the mustard seeds, pounded garlic pods and green chillies.

Once the seeds start spluttering, add 1/2 cup water to the kadai. This cools down the temp and prevents the mustard paste from curdling.

Now add the mustard paste and another 2 cups water. Boil for about 6-7 mins.

Add the fried Badi and the ambula. Simmer for another 2 mins.

Take off the fire and let it stand for a while. Serve at room temperature.