Pala Chattu Bara (Mushroom chop)

Mushrooms are a delight for vegetarians and people who want to lose weight. While being high in water content, they also happen to pack in a load of anti-inflammatory compounds and vitamins (especially Vitamin D ). One of the best substitutes for red meat, they are also fat-free, cholesterol-free and low in sodium. Little wonder that it finds its place of honor in Chinese medicine.

However a word of caution. Buy organic mushrooms or at least try to find where they are being sourced from as they happen to absorb heavy metals / toxins rather quickly.

'Pala Chattu' or mushrooms that grow naturally on rotting straws happen to be my favorite variety of mushrooms. As my visits to our villages have almost stopped, I do miss these mushrooms. But these days cultivated Pala Chattu is widely available in Orissa. These mushrooms have a distinct red color on the underneath.

While chattu is more commonly consumed as a curry (tarkari) in these parts of Orissa, 'Chattu Bara' or 'Chattu Chop' also happens to be a popular snack option. Read on for the recipe:

Preparation Time - 30 minutes

Ingredients - 500 gm Pala Chattu, 1 large boiled potato, 1 large onion, 3-4 green chillis, 5-6 garlic flakes, 3 tbs chopped coriander leaves, 1 tbs roasted cumin-chilli powder (jeera-lanka gunda), 2 tsp turmeric powder, salt to taste, oil for frying.

Preparation - Take water in a large vessel. Dissolve 1 1/2 tsp turmeric in it. Add the mushrooms and allow to soak for 30 minutes.

Drain off the water and chop into small pieces. Do not throw away stem as it is also edible.

Chop the onion into small pieces. Crush/grate the garlic flakes.

Cooking : Heat 2 tbs of oil in a wok/frying pan. Add the chopped mushroom along with remaining turmeric powder and 1/2 tsp salt, and stir fry on high flame till all the excess water evaporates. Remove and allow to cool down.

Transfer the mushroom to a mixing bowl. Add the boiled potato, chopped onion, green chilli, cumin-chilli powder, coriander leaves, crushed garlic flakes and salt to taste. Mix well.

Pinch some part of the above mixture and shape into flat circles of about 1/2 inch thickness .

Heat a frying pan. Drizzle generously with oil. Place the baras over the pan and cook on both sides to a light brown/deep brown as per preference. Each side takes about 6-7 minutes on a low flame ( preferable ).

Serve with a hot sauce as a starter or have it with white rice as a side dish.

If you do not happen to be lazy like me, you can make/cut it into interesting shapes and roll it in bread crumbs before deep frying them. Makes for a better appearance and crisper baras.

Lau Raee

Today I am back with yet another Lauki recipe. No matter how much I experiment with it, I am not getting over this wonderful vegetable. Subtly flavored and with a high water content, it imbibes the added flavors rather easily. Read on for the recipe:

Preparation Time-20-30 mins

Ingredients - 4 cups chopped lauki, 1 medium sized tomato chopped, 1 medium onion chopped, 1/2 tsp pancha-phutana or mustard seeds, 1 dry red chilli, 1/3 tsp turmeric, salt to taste, 2 tsp oil, 2/3 cup grated coconut.

For the mustard paste: 2 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 5-6 garlic cloves, 1 red chilli.

Preparation: Grind the mustard, cumin and red chilli into coarse powder in dry state .Then add a little water along with garlic flakes and grind again into a fine paste.

Chop the onion and tomato into small pieces.

Cooking: Heat 2 tsp oil in a wok. Add the broken red chilli and mustard seeds.

Add the chopped onion and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the chopped tomato and cook till it softens.

Add the mustard paste along with 2 cups water. Add salt and turmeric, and bring to a boil.

Add the lauki/bottle gourd pieces and cover with  a lid. Cook till the lauki softens. (Do not throw away excess water as this curry tends to be watery.)

Garnish with grated coconut and serve with rice and dal.

Besara ( Vegetables in a light mustard gravy )

Besara is an authentic oriya dish that is light and spicy, all at the same time. It is part of the abhada or the prasad offered to Lord Jaganaath during midday. While the former does not make use of any onion or garlic, I have been generous with garlic in my version.

Also i have skipped ambula in favour of tamarind as the latter adds a lovely color to the dish. This is one recipe which my South Indian friends would really enjoy (Most of them find the Oriya vegetarian fare stuff a little bland). Read on:

Preparation Time - 20 mins

Ingredients - 1 cup diced pumpkin, 1 cup diced eggplant, 1 cup sliced potato, 1/2 cup diced pointed gourd,1/2 cup chopped okra, 2 medium sized tomatoes, 4 slit green chillis, 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, 4 tsp oil, salt to taste, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 2 dried mangoes slices ( ambula ) or 1 tsp tamarind paste.

For the mustard paste - 2 tsp mustard seeds, 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, 7 garlic flakes, 1 red chilli.

Preparation - Dry grind the mustard seeds, cumin seeds and dry red chilli. Add the garlic flakes and a little water at a time. Grind into a smooth paste.

Add 1/2 cup of water and allow to stand.

Soak the ambula in 1/2 cup water . Or if using tamarind paste dilute it with 1/2 cup water.

Cooking - Heat 3 tsp of oil in a wok. Add the chopped okra and fry on a high flame for 2-3 mins. Add pumpkin, potato, eggplant and pointed gourd. Fry on medium to high flame for 3 minutes. Remove from wok and keep aside.

Add 1 tsp of oil to the wok and add the tomatoes. Fry for 2-3 minutes till soft. Remove and keep aside.

Add 4-5 cups of water to the wok. Add the mustard paste ( drain the cup slowly into the wok so that the sediments settle down in the bottom of the wok. This removes the bitterness of the mustard seeds. ), salt and turmeric.

Bring the water to a boil and then add the fried vegetables. Once the vegetables are almost done, add the fried tomatoes. Boil for 8-10 minutes or till veggies are a little mushy.

Add the ambula/tamarind and slit green chillis. Boil for 3-4 minutes.

Remove from wok and serve hot with white rice . ( Garnish with coriander leaves/fried boris if desired )

Fish Egg-Sesame Fritters ( Maccha Bihana Bara )

'Maccha Manjee' or fish eggs ( roe ) are a seasonal delicacy and much relished by many Oriya folks. The eggs are usually present in a thin membrane like sac or pouch, which needs to be removed before cooking. It usually takes minimal seasoning and very less effort to prepare them. But one needs to be very cautious while buying them as they can often lead to food poisoning. Never buy fish eggs unless you believe that it has been freshly removed from the fish. Seeing is believing, that is the thumb rule to be followed.

My husband happens to be very fond of these. Today being a Saturday, he religiously made a trip to the nearest Bengali fish stall to shop for 'Maccha manjee' and purposely chose a fish which had eggs in it ( u need to press the belly of the fish and if it yields a bit, then u have got it ). Some people avoid such fish as eggs tend to make the fish less firm. But such argument will not hold water if you are crazy about the stuff.

After getting his prized catch home, he cleaned and seasoned it with much excitement . H decided to experiment ( Surprise : O ) with his much loved recipe. I guess the unopened packet of sesame seeds kept on the kitchen counter was bothering him too much ( well..i am hoarding too much stuff these days thanks to my blogging ). But the sesame added a new and interesting flavor to these fritters and we all enjoyed it.

Read on for the recipe:

Preparation Time - 10-15 mins

Ingredients - Fish eggs ( 200 gm ), white sesame seeds ( 4 tsp ), chilli flakes ( 1 tsp ), 1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp besan, 1 tsp corn flour/rice flour, salt to taste, oil for deep frying.

Preparation- Carefully remove the sac from the fish eggs. Mash them and wash thoroughly with water. Add all the remaining ingredients except for oil.

Allow to marinate for 10 mins.

Cooking - Heat oil in a wok. Take spoonfuls of the above mixture and drop carefully into the oil. ( Be cautious as it the oil may splutter )

Fry on both sides to a deep brown color.

Remove and keep on paper towel to absorb excess oil.

Serve hot as a side dish with rice or as a snack.

Drumstick kadhi ( Sajana Chuein kanji )

There used to be a patch of 'Khada Saga' (Amaranth) growing in our vegetable garden during my childhood days. They are perennial plants and one can harvest and eat the leaves and tender stems throughout the year. Once cut, the leaves and stems grow back in a fortnight. But during the summer months, the foliage reduces, the plants shoot up in height and start flowering. It is now time to cut and remove the main stems called 'Khada'. These make a wonderful 'kanjee', a lightly flavoured sour soup and an appetizing raee with badi and saru (colocasia).

Since i havn't been able to source and khada outside Orissa, i turned to using drumsticks for this kanjee. Though the taste is quite different, i quite enjoyed this new recipe.

Preparation Time - 15 mins

Ingredients - 2-3 drumsticks ( chopped in 2" or 3" pieces ), 1/2 cup sour yogurt, 1 tsp besan, 1-2 red chilli, 1 sprig curry leaf, 1/3 tsp mustard seeds, 2 tsp oil, salt to taste, pinch of asafoetida, pinch of turmeric.

Preparation - Lightly beat the yogurt. Add besan and salt and dilute with 1 1/2 cup water.

Cooking - Boil the drumstick with a little salt and turmeric till tender. Drain all the water and keep aside.

Heat the oil in a wok. Add the broken red chilli and mustard seeds followed by the curry leaves and asafoetida. Add the boiled drumstick and fry for 30 seconds.

Reduce the flame and add the besan-yogurt mixture slowly while stirring continuously. Stir for 2-3 minutes and bring to boil. Allow to simmer for 3 minutes.

Serve hot with white rice.

Note - one can also add a touch of mustard garlic paste to the kanjee/kadhi. It gives a wonderful flavor.

Poee Raee

This is my 300th post and such a special occasion is the right time to get the spotlight back on Orissa. When i first started writing this blog my sole objective was to showcase the cuisine and food habits of Orissa. My initial posts do bear a testimony to that. But since we all inhabit a cosmopolitan world, my latter posts were influenced by the varied cuisine that i came in contact with.

'Raee' or vegetables cooked in a light mustard gravy is a signature dish of Orissa. While some people add cumin along with the mustard, garlic may or may not be added depending on the day(vrat/osa bara). Usually vegetables  like raw banana, colocasia and brinjal are added to this preparation but i have skipped those due to a food allergy in the family.

Preparation Time-20-30 mins

Ingredients - 4 cups chopped poee, 1 cup pumpkin cubes, 1/2 cup ridge gourd cubes, 1/2 cup potato cubes, 1 medium sized tomato chopped, 2-3 garlic flakes, 1 small onion chopped, 1/2 tsp pancha-phutana or mustard seeds, 1 dry red chilli, 1/3 tsp turmeric, salt to taste, 4 tsp oil.

For the mustard paste: 1 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 5-6 garlic cloves, 1 red chilli.

Preparation: Grind the mustard, cumin and red chilli into coarse powder in dry state .Then add a little water along with garlic flakes and grind again into a fine paste.

Cooking: Heat 1-2 tsp oil in a wok. Add the chopped poee and stir fry on high flame till excess water evaporates. Remove and keep aside.

Add the remaining oil to the wok. Add the broken red chilli and pancha-phutana/mustard. When it starts spluttering, add the crushed garlic flakes and onion. Stir fry for 1 minute.

Add the mustard paste along with a little water and stir fry for 1-2 minutes. Add 2-3 cups of water and bring to a boil. Add all the vegetables and cook with lid covered till they soften.

Add the fried poee to the wok and cook for another 3-4 minutes.

Serve hot with white rice.

Santula

Santula is one of the most popular vegetable dishes of Orissa. It is essentially a mixed vegetable preparation minus the spice which makes it easy to digest. Highly recommended for high blood pressure, hypertension, diabetes, constipation, ulcer and postpartum patients, it is full of nutrients and dietary fiber. It is also popular as pani(water)-santula and khira-( milk )santula.

It is also consumed on vrat/osa bara days. The onion and garlic is replaced by jeera-lanka powder and ghee is used instead of oil for the tempering. I find it to be the best way to use/cook all the leftover/excess veggis from the week and hence one can usually find it on the Friday dinner menu at my home. But for best results( read taste) prepare with fresh vegetables.

Preparation Time - 20-25 mins

Ingredients - chopped pumpkin ( 2 cups ), chopped green papaya ( 1 cup ), chopped string beans ( 1 cup ), chopped ridge gourd ( 1 cup ), green peas ( 1 cup ), boiled kabuli chana ( 1 -2 cups ), chopped spinach or any green leaves ( 1 1/2  cup), chopped raw banana ( 1 cup ), chopped potato ( 1 cup ), finely chopped onion ( 1 no., small ), garlic flakes ( 6-7 nos ), dry red chilli ( 2 nos ), salt to taste, oil ( 3 tsp ), turmeric ( 1/4 tsp ), pancha phutana ( 1/3 tsp, optional ), chopped coriander for garnish.

Cooking: Heat 2 tsp oil in a wok. Add all the vegetables and green leaves along with salt and turmeric.

Cover with a heavy lid and cook till vegetables soften. Stir at regular intervals to avoid sticking to the bottom of the wok.

Heat the remaining oil in a tempering pan. Add the red chilli and pancha-phutana.

Follow with the onions and cook till translucent. Finally add the crushed garlic flakes. Fry for 5-10 seconds and then pour over the cooked vegetables. Garnish with coriander and remove from the flame.

Serve hot with rotis/paratha.

Chingudi-kakharu majee chadchadi ( shrimp-pumpkin seeds fry )

Oriya preparations are essentially simple. The frugal use of ingredients defy the astonishing recipes conjured by many a home cooks. This shrimp recipe is a very good example of their culinary prowess. Pumpkin seeds are loaded with zinc but they are usually thrown away by people. Some do use the dried seeds in badis but when combined with shrimps, it adds a new dimension to a otherwise plain old chinguri bhaja (fried shrimp). Here is the recipe:

Preparation Time - 10 mins

Ingredients - small fresh / dried shrimps ( 1 cup ), pumpkin seeds ( with the skin ) (1/2 cup), dry red chilli/chilli flakes ( to taste), green chilli ( 1 no ) garlic flakes ( 3-4 nos ), oil ( 1-2 tsp ), salt ( to taste ).

Preparation - Wash and clean fresh shrimps. Or if using dry ones wash and soak for 10 mins.

Remove the seeds from the pumpkin and wash to remove any flesh/fibres sticking to them. Dry under the fan or in the sunlight for 1-2 hours.

Slit the garlic flakes and green chilli into long pieces.

Cooking - Heat oil in a wok. Add the shrimp along with the chilli flakes and fry till crisp.

Add the pumpkin seeds and fry for another 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and green chilli, mix them and remove from flame.

Serve with Pakhala or white rice.

Note : Transfer to a food processor and buzz it for 1 sec into a coarse powder. This works very well when combined with pakhala.

Omlette do pyaza

'Sunday ho ya Monday, roz khayen ande', exhorted Dara Singh in one of the most memorable telly adverts of all times. And it has been my mantra ever since. Fried, poached, scrambled, boiled or curried, I relish eggs in any form. Easy to prepare and good to eat, they fit into every budget. When the 'Rs 12' meal controversy erupted in recent times, I could think of no better non-vegetarian option than '1 bowl of rice + 1 egg curry + one/half papad', sold on a marginal profit ofcourse.

Studies have indicated that people having eggs for breakfast experience less cravings for fried/junk food later in the day. Fortified eggs being sold these days also pack in Omega acids/iron/calcium and other nutrients which are our daily requirement. With low cholestrol and diabetic friendly eggs also available, everyone can enjoy them without any guilt.

Today, I will be sharing one of my lazy recipes, the yummy 'Omlette do pyaza'. I chose to call it Omlette do pyaza instead of Anda do pyaza as do pyaza is generally prepared with boiled eggs.

Preparation Time: 10 mins

Ingredients: egg ( 1 no.), onion ( 1 medium), green chilli ( 1 no ), chopped coriander ( 1 tbs ), finely chopped garlic/ginger ( 1/2 tsp), tomato puree ( 1 tbs )/Maggie bhuna masala ( 1/2 tsp ), garam masala ( 1 pinch, optional), oil ( 2 tsp), salt to taste.

Preparation: Chop the onion into chunks. Slit, de-seed and cut chilli into thin long strips.

Break egg into a bowl, add a pinch of salt and beat for 1 min.

Cooking: Heat 1/2 tsp oil in a pan. Add the egg and cook on both sides till done. Remove from pan and cut into small pieces.

Heat the remaining oil in the pan. Add chopped onion and fry till translucent. Add the tomato puree/Maggie bhuna masala and cook for 1-2 mins along with few tbs of water.

Toss in the omlette pieces. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Finally add the ginger/garlic and garam masala, and mix togather.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with white rice or rotis.

Chenna tarkari ( cottage cheese balls in a savoury gravy )

Travelling on a long stretch of road between Oltapur and Pahala on a late Sunday afternoon, our car is overtaken by an auto crammed with passengers inside and at least a dozen bundles of white cloth hanging outside. The watery fluid leaking from those bundles catches my attention and I throw a curious look at the husband. 'Freshly made chenna being transported to Pahala and Bhubaneshwar' comes the reply.

I had been in a dreamy state till now, capturing the sights of a setting Sun playing peekaboo among the trees, and lush fields swaying in the winds. Occasionally jolted out of my reverie by stray cattle blocking our way or scores of urchins asking for money ('chanda' as we call it in Odia) to build a temple/celebrate Durga Puja, the ride had been uneventful till that point.

In no time at all, we came across several autos, bicycles, rickety old mopeds (Luna/TVS), and even a swanky bike or two carrying these leaky bundles with the fluid leaving a trail on the dusty roads. In a few hours' time, the contents of these bundles would be processed and displayed as a mouth-watering array of sweets (chenna poda, chenna gaja, rasagulla, chenna jilapi, rasmalai, raj-bhog, etc ) on the shelves of a Ganguram/Atmaram/Capital sweets. Or maybe they will find their way into one of the many quaint-looking shops that dot Pahala and will be turned into the most melt-in-the-mouth type of Rasagola ever invented. One needs to visit these places in Orissa to experience the magic of making 'chenna' sweets.

More on the sweet stuff another time. Today I am sharing a savoury recipe made out of fresh home-made chenna. Chenna tarkari is the Odia cousin of the Paneer curry but with a unique texture and flavour of its own.

Update - The deep fried chenna balls are easily available in the sweet shops of Bhubaneswar these days.

Preparation time - 40-50 mins

Ingredients - 

• 1 litre whole milk 
• 1/2 cup sour curd  
• 2 heaped tsp maida
• 1 large tomato pureed
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• salt to taste
• oil for shallow/deep frying.

Spices 

• 1 medium-sized onion(finely chopped) 
• 1 1/2 tsp freshly made ginger garlic paste
• 2 green cardamon
• 2 cloves
• 2 inch long cinnamon stick
• 1-2 bay leaf 
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder

Preparation -

To prepare chenna - Bring milk to a boil. Add the sour curd and wait for a few minutes till the milk solids separate from whey. The whey should have a clear appearance at this point. If not add more curd and boil for another 5 mins.

Once all the solids separate, strain the chenna using a fine cloth or even a strainer with very fine mesh. Allow to stand for sometime till excess water is drained.

Take the chenna in a vessel/mixing bowl and add the maida. Crumble and knead the chenna to remove lumps and it just comes togather into a soft dough ( takes abt 5-6 mins, do not overdo the kneading ). Pinch small lumps out of the dough and shape into balls. These balls can either be shallow fried or deep fried.

Cooking: Heat sufficient oil in a wok. Put one ball into the wok and test if it holds together. If yes, add the remaining balls into the wok and fry them to a brown color on medium heat. (If it starts to crumble/break, add a little more maida to the chenna dough and knead for another 2-3 mins.)

Once the balls are fried, keep them aside and drain the excess oil from the wok.

Put the whole spices into the remaining oil in the wok and stir fry for 30 seconds. Add the chopped onion and saute on low flame till light brown ( abt 6-7 mins to allow the sugar in the onion to start caramelizing ). At this stage add the sugar and allow it to melt. Once the sugar melts, it gives a deep brown color to the onion. Sprinkle the soy sauce at this point.

Add ginger garlic paste and stir fry for 2-3 minutes till its raw smell goes away. Pour in the tomato puree and cook for another 2 minutes.

Now add turmeric, chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and salt. Roast the masalas for 1-2 mins.

Add about 1 1/2 - 2 cups of water and bring to boil. Allow water to reduce to 2/3rd.

Put in the fried chenna balls and simmer on medium flame for 2 minutes. Cover with lid and switch off the flame. Allow to stand for 5-10 minutes.

Notes- 

1. One can also use lemon juice/citric acid to prepare the chenna but using sour curd gives it a better flavour. Also the chenna turns out softer.

2. One can also make a paste out of all the ingredients mentioned under spices and add it at once instead of doing it in steps.

3. There is a no onion - no garlic version of this recipe which uses a different masala paste and some amount of milk for added creaminess. 

4. For making the 'no onion no garlic' masala paste - 

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp coriander

1/4 tsp fennel 

1 tbsp melon seeds

1 tbsp poppy seeds 

2 green cardamom

1 inch long cinnamon stick

1 inch long ginger

1 dry red chili 

Soak everything in warm water for 2 hours. Grind into a medium fine paste. 

Bandha Kobi Muga dali tarkari ( cabbage-moong dal curry )

Preparation time: 15-20 mins

Ingredients: Cabbage ( 1 no., medium sized ), muga dali/moong dal ( 1/2 cup ), ginger ( 1/2 inch, juliennes ), cinnamon powder ( 1/4 tsp ), coriander powder ( 1 tsp ), red chilli powder ( 1 tsp ), ghee/oil ( 2 tsp ), turmeric ( 1/4 tsp), salt to taste.

Preparation: Chop the cabbage into small pieces.

Dry roast the muga dali till it gives off a faint smell.

Cooking: Transfer the muga dali along with 1 cup water, salt and turmeric into a pressure cooker and cook for 1 whistle.

Heat the oil in a wok. Add the turmeric and red chilli powder masalas followed by the ginger juliennes and fry for 1 minute. Add the chopped cabbage and fry for sometime till it starts releasing water. Add the cooked muga dali at this stage and mix well.

Transfer the wok contents into a presure cooker and cook on medium flame for 1 whistle. Remove and serve hot with rice/rotis.

Note: This recipe can be had on Osa bara/ Vrats as it does not contain onion and garlic. For added flavour garnish with freshly grated coconut and coriander leaves before serving.

zucchini raita ( zucchini yogurt salad )

Preparation Time: 10 mins

Ingredients: zucchini ( 1 no), curd/yogurt ( 1 cup ), green chilli ( 1 no ), mint ( 5-6 leaves), salt to taste, 1 tsp oil for frying the zucchini.

Preparation: Take the curd in a mixing bowl and beat it till smooth.
Chop the zucchini into small pieces.

Cooking: Heat the oil in a wok. Add the zucchini and stir fry for 3 minutes. Remove and allow to cool down.
Transfer the zucchini, green chilli and mint leaves into a food processor and grind into a coarse paste. Remove and add it to the mixing bowl containing the curd.
Add salt to the above and mix well.

Serve chilled.

( Unable to post the pics due to browser problem )

Bhendi (Dahi) kanji (Bhindi kadhi)

A super light and easy to prepare dish for those days when one is feeling lazy or the stomach cries out for some rest. This one does not compromise on taste though !! Best when prepared with day old curd, the original recipe (my Mom's) does not call for the use of a thickening agent like besan. Rather it is something I added to give some texture and more taste to the gravy.

It goes very well with plain white rice and maybe some papad to go with it !!  I prefer to have it with rotis too though few folks do not like the kadhi-roti combination. Read on for the recipe -

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Chopped okra/bhindi 
• 100 ml curd
• 1 1/2 tsp besan/gramflour
• 1-2 dry red chilli 
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 2 garlic cloves 
• 2 pinch asafoetida/hing ( 2 pinch )
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds 
• 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
• salt to taste
• 2 pinch turmeric 
• 3 tsp oil

Preparation: Mix the curd with the besan in a bowl. Add about 3 cups of water and salt to taste. Mix well.

Cooking: Heat 2 tsp oil in a wok. Add the okra along with salt and turmeric. Fry till the okra is just cooked and still a little crunchy.

Lower the flame and sprinkle a few drops of water to cool the wok. Now add the besan-curd mixture slowly and stir continuously for 3-4 minutes. Increase the flame amd bring to a boil.

Heat the remaining oil in another pan. Add broken red chilli, fenugreek seeds and mustard seeds followed by the crushed garlic flakes.

Once the seeds start to splutter, add the asafoetida and curry leaves and remove from flame.

Pour the tempering mixture over the contents of the wok. Switch off the flame and cover with a lid to retain the aroma.

Serve hot/cold with white rice.

Suji Nadia Ladoo ( Semolina coconut ladoos )

Preparation time: 30 mins

Ingredients: 1 medium sized coconut ( grated ), 1 1/2 cups bombay rawa/suji, ghee ( 2-3 tbs ), sugar ( 1 1/4 cup ), water ( 1 cup ), cardamom powder ( 1/5 tsp ), dry fruits ( 1/3 cup, optional ).

Cooking: Heat 1 tbs ghee on a pan. Add the suji and roast for 3-4 minutes on medium heat. Remove from pan when it reaches a light brown colour ( khova colour ).
Add another tbs of ghee to the pan. Now add the grated coconut and roast for 3-4 minutes on medium heat. Remove from pan and keep aside.

Dissolve the sugar in the water and bring to boil in a wok. Let it boil till the sugar reaches a stringy consistency. ( Test this by taking a little of the liquid, cool it to a tolerable temperature and keep a drop of it between the thumb and forefinger. When you try to separate the fingers, a fine thread of the liquid appears )

Add the cardamom powder and coconut to the sugar syrup. Reduce the flame and mix it for 2 mins. Now add the suji in small batches and stir rigourously to mix all the ingredients. Remove from the flame once the mixture thickens enough to form balls/laddoos ( ideally its better to do it a little before it becomes this thick so the mixture further solidifies on cooling ) .

Keep aside till the temperature drops a few notches and it becomes tolerable to work with your fingers.

Spread a nice amount of ghee on your palm and fingers. Take a little amount of the mixture and gently shape into laddoo.

Spread a little ghee on your hands after every 2-3 laddoos as it prevents the mixture from sticking to your fingers. Makes 20 medium sized laddoos.

Store in a airtight container when completely cool. Keeps fresh for 1 week.

Note: Adding more ghee while roasting the semolina adds to the flavour.

Biri Chop ( Urad dal bonda )

Preparation time: 30-40 mins

Ingredients:
For the outer layer - 1 small cup chopa chada biri ( dehusked black lentil ), 2-3 tsp semolina, 5-6 crushed peppercorns, a pinch of baking powder, chopped green chillis, salt to taste, oil for deep frying.

For the stuffing - 2-3 medium sized potatoes ( boiled and peeled ), 1 tsp grated garlic, 1 tsp grated ginger, 1 medium sized onion ( finely chopped ), mustard and cumin seeds for tempering, 1/2 tsp chilli powder, 1/5 tsp turmeric, 2-3 tsp chopped coriander leaves, fried peanuts/boiled yellow peas/green peas, 2-3 tbs chopped coconut pieces, 3-4 tsp oil, salt to taste.

Preparation: Wash and soak the biri for 3-4 hours. Grind into a smooth thick paste in a mixer/grinder and keep aside for 3-4 hours to allow fermentation.

Just before frying, add the remaining ingredients to the batter and mix well. Add water if required to get the correct consistency. On dipping the balls, the batter should form a layer of 1-2 mm thickness.

Cooking: Heat 3-4 tsp oil in a wok. Add mustard-cumin seeds when the oil starts smoking. Follow with chopped onion and the grated ginger and garlic. Fry for 4-5 mins till the raw smell goes away.

Add the mashed potato along with chilli powder, salt and turmeric. Fry for 2-3 mins. Now add the fried peanuts/boiled peas, coconut pieces and chopped coriander. Fry for 1-2 mins. Remove from heat and keep aside till it is bearable to touch.

Make small balls out of the above.

Heat another deep vessel/wok with sufficient oil for deep frying. When the oil just starts to smoke, lower the heat.

Dip the potato balls in the batter and add to the wok few at a time. Fry on all sides to a medium brown colour.

Serve hot with ghuguni/chutney/ketchup.

      

Muga dali dai kakharu saaga ( pumpkin leaves preparation )

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

Ingredients: Pumpkin leaves and tender stems (250 gms), drumstick leaves ( optional, a fistful ), moong dal ( 1 cup), red chillis ( 2-3 nos ), pancha phutana ( 1/3 tsp), garlic pods ( 3-4 nos), oil ( 2-3 tsp), salt.

Cooking: Dry roast the moong dal till it gives off its distinctive smell . Transfer to a pressure cooker and add 1.5 cups water along with a bit of salt. Allow to cook for 5 mins or till the dal is 3/4th cooked. It should not become mashy. Drain excess water and keep aside.

Heat a wok. Add the oil. When it starts smoking, add the pancha phutana and red chillis. Crush and add the garlic pods. Fry till the garlic pods turn golden.

Add the finely chopped pumpkin leaves and stem and stir for 10 minutes. Add the drumstick leaves along with the cooked moong dal and salt, and allow to cook till any excess water evaporates.

Note- Keep stirring and separating the leaves so that they do not get bunched up during the cooking.

Pani Kakharu Sakkara ( Ash gourd in sweet sour gravy )

Cooking Time Required: 25-30 mins
Cost of preparation: 30-40 rupees

Ingredients: Chopped pani kakharu ( ash gourd ) ( 2 cup ), powdered jaggery ( 1 cup ),
tamarind paste ( 2-3 tsp), pancha phutana ( 1/2 tsp ), chilli powder ( 1/5 tsp ), oil (
2 tsp ), dry red chilli ( 2 nos ), asafoetida ( 1 pinch ), curry leaves , turmeric (
1/5 tsp ), salt ( to taste).

Preparation: Peel and cut the ash gourd into cubes.

Cooking: Boil 4 cups of water in a wok. Add powdered jaggery, tamarind paste, salt,
turmeric and chilli powder. Add the ash gourd cubes and boil for 15-20 mins till they
turn tender. The water should have reduced by half by this time else turn the flame
high to reduce excess water.

Heat the oil in a pan. Add dry red chilli, pancha phutana, asafoetida and curry leaves.
Once the seeds start crackling, pour the entire mix over the wok contents. Boil for 1-2 mins.

Serve cold with rice and dalma/dal/curry.

Ash gourd is available in Hyderabad at Hypercity, Inorbit Mall or in the local Rythu bazaars.

Gota Kalara Bhaja

Cooking Time Required: 15-20 mins
Cost of Preparation: 60-65 Rupees

Ingredients: Bitter gourd/kalara ( 6 nos., small to medium sized ), cooking oil ( 4 tsp ), salt ( to taste), turmeric ( 1/6 tsp ), red chilli ( 1-2 nos ), garlic pods ( 5 nos ), mustard seeds ( 3 tsp ), cumin seeds ( 1 tsp ), onion ( 1 no., medium sized).

Preparation: Make a fine paste of the mustard, cumin, garlic and red chilli.

Finely chop/ coarsely grate the onion.

Make slits along the length of the bitter gourd and put them in a pressure cooker. Add salt and turmeric along with 1 cup water. Cook on high flame for 4-5 mins.

Remove from flame and allow to cool down. Remove the seeds .

Cooking: Heat 1 tsp oil in a wok. Add the onion and stir fry for 3-4 mins. Follow with the paste and  fry all ingredients for another 3 mins. Add a little amount of salt and mix well.

Remove from fire and allow to cool down.

Stuff the bitter gourds with the above prepared paste.

Heat oil in a wok. Add the bitter gourds 2-3 at a time. Cook covered for 7-8 mins or till done.

Serve hot with white rice/rotis.

Chinguri Checcha ( Mashed Prawns )

Cost of Preparation: 80-90 Rupees


Cooking Time Required: 10-15 mins



Ingredients: Prawns ( 250 gms ), Garlic pods (7-8 nos ), onion ( 1 no., small ), green chilli ( 1 no ), mustard oil ( 1 tsp ), turmeric ( 1/5 tsp), salt to taste, oil for cooking.


Preparation: Wash and clean the prawns. Do not remove the shell. Add salt and turmeric and mix well.


Cooking: Heat a pan. Add 2-3 tsp oil.

Add the prawns and fry them on medium flame for 5-6 mins.

Allow to cool down a bit and remove the shells.

Transfer to a grinder jar along with the onion pieces, garlic pods, green chilli and a pinch of salt. Grind into a coarse paste. Add the mustard oil to this paste and mix well.

Serve along with white rice.

Besara dia Matti Alu Bhaja ( Suran fries )

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


Ingredients: Matti Alu/ Suran ( 200 gm ), cooking oil ( 7-8 tsp ), salt ( to taste), turmeric ( 1/3 tsp ), soaked rice ( 2-3 tsp), mustard seeds ( 3 tsp ), green chilli ( 1-2 nos ).

Preparation: Grind the mustard seeds with the green chilli into a fine paste.

Grind the rice separately into a thin watery paste. Add a pinch of salt to this paste.

Cut the suran into 1/2 cm thick pieces. Wash throughly.

Cooking: Take the suran pieces in a wok. Add the mustard seed paste along with salt and turmeric. Pour just enough water to cover the pieces.

Cook on a medium flame for 5-6 mins till almost done. Remove from stove, drain excess water and allow to cool down.

Heat a non-stick pan. Drizzle a little oil on it.

Dip the boiled suran pieces in the rice paste and place on the pan. Fry on both sides till lightly crisp.















Serve hot with white rice.