Koli achara /Ber ka achar/Kuller Achar ( and a whiff of nostalgia )

'Koli' or 'barakoli' used to be one of my favorite fruits during the school days. I still prefer it to strawberry, raspberry, blueberry or for that matter, any other berry on this planet. Almost everything about it was so much fun. Eagerly gobbling a few of the still green ones and spitting them out in disgust, waiting for them to take on that slightly golden hue which signaled the ripening stage, throwing stones/beating the branches with long sticks to pluck the ripened berries from the tree, all accompanied with the admonishing from elders who forbid us to eat them before Saraswati Puja. Growing up in a small town like Rourkela where there were lots of 'barakoli' trees in almost every neighborhood, we surely had a great time. It was considered quite cool to snatch some berries from a neighbour's tree while the occupants of the house were having their afternoon siesta. And thankfully nobody branded a bunch of kids as 'kleptomaniacs' in those days.

Once Saraswati Puja was over, one would find the fruit being sold everywhere in the local markets. Though it was less fun as compared to savoring the first (read 'stolen') berries of the season, we still consumed them till we got stomach cramps or sometimes even a bad cough. But still these minor side effects did not deter us kids. Finally it would be time to pickle the berries. The ladies of the house would wash and dry the berries before pickling them. And we would finish more than half of the stuff even before they reached the pickling stage. So, my grandmother would pickle the remaining lot and keep it out of reach. Somehow she managed to ration the stuff so that it lasted almost the entire year. Aaah, those days were quite magical.

But these days we always buy our pickles off the supermarket shelves. Neither do they have the taste which my grandmother's pickles had nor will my kid have any such memories to hold on to. Maybe that's why I made this pickle so that he can experience some of the magic though in a much subdued manner. Here is the recipe -

Preparation Time - 15 mins (this is the coking time only, the drying process takes days)


Ingredients -

• 250 gms koli/ber
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp fenugreek/methi seeds
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp fennel/saunf seeds
• 3-4 dry red chilis
• 1 cup jaggery
• 4-5 tsp mustard oil
• 1/2 tsp salt or to taste

Preparation - Wash and clean the berries. Dry them a bit so that the surface moisture evaporates.

Crack open each one and check for insects. This is the most time consuming part but one has to be careful while doing it.

Sprinkle turmeric and a little salt on the berries. Mix thoroughly and sun dry for 3-4 days.

Cooking - Dry roast the mustard, fenugreek and fennel seeds. Once cool, grind them into a powder.

Separately dry roast the red chilis and cumin seeds. Once cool, grind them into a powder.

Heat the oil in a wok. Add the jaggery and the red chili-cumin powder. Sprinkle a few teaspoons of water. Once the jaggery melts and starts bubbling, add the dried berries. 

Cook for 2-3 minutes or till the jaggery thickens. Remove from flame and sprinkle the mustard-fenugreek-fennel seed powder and mix thoroughly.

Allow to cool down completely before bottling it up. Stays good for an year or even longer (that is if you can control the urge to gobble it up).

Note - Some people also prefer to make this pickle by cooking the dried berries in jaggery to which some chili powder has been added and finally adding a tempering of pancha-phutana or panch-phoran at the end.

Pancha-phutana or panch-phoran is a mix of mustard, cumin, fenugreek, nigella and fennel seeds in equal proportion. It is very frequently used in Odia and Bengali cuisine.

Sirini ( Satyanarayana Puja Prasad )

During my childhood days, most people would organize a 'Satyanarayan Puja' on the birthday of their kids. Usually they would pick the date for the Puja according to the 'thithi' or Hindu religious calendar leaving their kids free to celebrate the actual B'day ( as per the Christian calendar ) with a cake cutting ceremony. All the neighbours would be invited for the Puja and a big vessel of 'Sirini' would be prepared by the 'Nana' or the pujari. Sometimes if the pujari was lenient, he would allow some family member to prepare the prasad. In those days  Brahmins would not touch food prepared by any other caste than their own. Along with the 'Sirini', there would be a large plate holding dozens of 'Sitabhog' laddoos or 'Sareikela laddoo' as we call it in Rourkela. All the kids would be eyeing the laddoos and hoping fervently for the Puja to get over. The prasad would consist of a 'danaa' or bowl made with 'sal leaves' filled with delicious 'Sirini' and a Sitabhog laddoo.

Sirini was originally made with rice flour but sometime back people switched to using 'atta' or whole wheat four instaed of the former. The other ingredients are milk, mashed ripe bananas, sugar and crushed black pepper. Some people also add fruits like apples and pears. I have chosen to make this with a mix of rice flour and wheat flour in equal proportion.
Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 15 mins

Ingredients -

• 1/2 cup rice flour
• 1/2 cup wheat flour
• 2 ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup grated coconut
• 3 tsp sugar
• 2  - 2 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 tsp crushed black pepper

Preparation - Take all the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Use a hand blender to get a smooth and consistent mixture.

Serve immediately or chill for 20 mins before serving.

Dahi Bara - Ghuguni - Alu dum (Cuttack Style)

'Dahibara-Ghuguni-Aludum' is probably the most popular street food in Odisha after the ubiquitous Gupchup. Actually the two belong to different regions of the State, the Gupchup being a specialty in the Western parts while the former is more popular around the State capital. During my childhood years in Rourkela, we never saw this delicacy being sold on the streets. Visiting relatives from Bhubaneshwar would sometimes mention this and we would wonder why curries like alu dum and ghuguni need to be paired with dahi vadas. But as most of them had very high regards for the yummy 'Gupchup', we never bothered to find out.

It was only after I finished college  (or maybe sometime in the final year) that these cycle-wallahs with their big pots of dahibara and smaller pots of ghuguni/alu dum began to make their presence felt in my hometown. I have to admit that I was quite skeptical about it in those days. And maybe that's the reason I am not so nostalgic about it. My husband in comparison is completely nuts about it. He can have it for breakfast, lunch and also dinner. Nowadays you can find it in every nook and corner of Odisha and everyone keeps raving about it ( I guess the internet wave is behind its popularity to quite an extent. Check out FB.) . The potato crisis in recent times which had the cost of 'Gupchup' heading North came as another boon for this road side delicacy. With an affordable price tag starting at Rupees 5 per plate even the poor could afford it. An added advantage is that it packs in quite a good quantity for the price.

So, here is a very delayed post on Odisha's cult favorite( A big thanks to hubby for pointing out that it had been missing ). Schedule it on a weekend as this is quite an elaborate process. In order to save time, I would suggest doubling the quantity of masala being prepared for the alu dum and removing half of it before adding the potatoes. This masala can be used for preparing the ghuguni.

Read on for the recipe:

Preparation Time - 1 hour 30 mins

Ingredients -

For the Dahibara

•  1 cup Urad dal
•  1-2 green chillis (chopped),
•  1 1/2 cup curd (slightly sour preferably)
•  1/2 roasted cumin powder
•  1/3 red chilli powder
•  a pinch of baking powder
•  1 tbsp semolina
•  1/5 tsp black salt( kala namak )
•  salt to taste
•  oil ( for frying )
•  For tempering -
•  few curry leaves
•  1-2 dry red chillis
•  2 pinch asafoetida
•  few mustard-cumin seeds

For the Alu Dum

•  12-15 baby potatoes or 1 big potato
•  3 tsp grated onion
•  1/2 tsp Ginger garlic paste
•  4-5 cloves
•  1 small bay leaf
•  1 green cardamom
•  1/5 tsp cumin seeds
•  1 tbsp yogurt
•  1/2 tsp red chilli powder
•  1/3 tsp coriander powder
•  1/5 tsp garam masala (optional)
•  1 1/2 tbsp

For the Ghuguni

•   1 1/2 cup Yellow peas
•   1 medium sized potato
•   1 small tomato
•   1 medium sized onion
•   1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
•   1 tsp cumin seeds
•   1/3 tsp cumin powder
•   1/3 tsp coriander powder
•   1/2 tsp chilli powder
•   1/5 tsp garam masala powder
•   1 bay leaf
•   2 tsp oil
•   1-2 tsp chopped coriander stems
•   1/3 tsp turmeric powder
•   a pinch of baking powder (optional)
•   salt to taste

For sprinkling on top:

• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 bunch coriander leaves, finely chopped
• 5-6 green chillis, finely chopped
• 1 cup thin sev
• kala namak
• jeera lanka gunda (roasted cumin-chili powder)

Preparation -
For the Bara: Soak urad dal for 3-4 hours. Grind into a smooth paste. Add salt and allow to stand for 5-6 hours.Take the batter in a mixing bowl. Mix in the suji and baking powder into the batter. Whip it lightly to incorporate some air into the mix.

Add a little portion of the curd ( approx 2 tsp )to some warm water in a mixing bowl. Add a little salt and mix well.

For the Ghuguni: Soak the yellow peas overnight.
Cut the onion and tomato into small pieces. Peel the potato and cut into small sized cubes.

Cooking -

For the bara: Heat oil in a wok for frying baras. Take a spoonful of the batter and carefully add to the hot oil. Do this 6-7 times per batch. Fry on all sides till it turns brown . Remove the fried vadas and add to the curd water prepared earlier. Allow the vadas to rest in the warm mixture for 1/2 hour.

Meanwhile, take the remaining curd in another bowl. Add salt, black salt, chilli powder, roasted cumin powder and chopped green chillis to it and beat gently to break any lumps. Add 2 1/2 cups water( you can add more if you like a thinner consistency ). Transfer the soaked baras into this curd mixture.

Heat 1 tsp oil in tempering pan. Add mustard seeds, broken red chilli, curry leaves and assfoetida. Pour this tempering over the dahi-baras. Keep aside for 3-4 hours.

For the ghuguni: Wash and put the soaked yellow peas in a cooker along with chopped potato, salt and turmeric powder. Cook for 2 whistles. Remove and keep aside to cool.

Heat oil in a deep vessel. When it starts smoking, add the cumin seeds and bay leaf. Wait till it splutters, and then add onion pieces and chopped coriander stems. Fry the onion for about 2-3 mins and then add ginger-garlic paste. Cook till raw smell goes away.

Add the tomatoes, salt and turmeric powder. Fry for about 5 mins or till the tomatoes turn mushy. Add the cumin powder, coriander powder and chilli powder. Stir fry for 2 mins and then add the boiled peas. Fry on Medium High for 3-4 minutes.

Add 2 cups hot water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 8-10 minutes on Low flame. Add the garam masala, mix well and remove from flame.

For the Alu Dum: Wash and cook the potatoes for 1-2 whistles . Allow steam to escape before opening lid. Peel the potatoes and cut into two.

Heat the oil in wok. Add the potatoes and fry for a few minute till they turn light brown. Remove and keep aside.

Add the cumin seeds, bay leaves, cardamom and cloves and fry for 20 seconds. Add the grated onion along with the GG paste. Fry till raw smell goes away. 

Add all the powdered masalas and fry for 1 minute. Add curd and fry till oil separates. Add the potatoes and fry along with masala for 1-2 minutes. Add 1 cup boiling water and bring to boil.

Simmer on low for 6-7 minutes before removing from flame. 

The toppings:

Getting your act together. Its showtime.

Place a few baras (4-5 nos) on a plate along with some of the watery curd. Pour about 5-6 tbsp ghuguni over it followed by 3-4 tbsp alu dum.

Sprinkle finely chopped onion, coriander leaves, green chillis, kala namak, jeera-lanka powder and crispy sev on the chat.

The final product :

What are you waiting for ????????????? Dig IN!!!!!

Kadali Kasa (Raw banana fry)

Simple fries served hot with white rice, dal and raita happen to be among my favorite meal options. Of course, my first choice would be some nice one-pot meal but since kid loves these fries so much that the one-pot meals are becoming increasingly rare.

This stir fry is made with green banana that was boiled first. Hence it uses very little oil for cooking. Add that to the natural goodness of green bananas and you have a very healthy and tasty side-dish that will become a regular on your lunch/dinner menu. It was a regular at home when we were kids as we had a lot of these plants growing in our garden. It used to be fun plucking the fresh vegetables and taking them right into the kitchen for preparing lunch.

Read on for the super easy recipe:

Preparation Time - 15-20 mins

Ingredients - 

• 1 raw banana
• 1 dry red chilli
• 1/5 tsp cumin-mustard seeds
• a pinch of asafotida
• few curry leaves (optional)
• 1/5 tsp red chilli powder (optional)
• 2 pinch turmeric
• salt to taste
• 2 tsp oil

Preparation - Cut the banana into two. Put it in a pressure cooker along with 1 cup water and little salt.

Cooking - Cook the banana for 2 whistles. Allow steam to escape before opening lid. Remove the peel from the banana (this step becomes a lot easy in this case as opposed to peeling the uncooked banana). Cut into small cubes.

Heat the oil in a wok. Add cumin-mustard seeds and broken red chilli. When it starts spluttering, add asafoetida and curry leaves. Allow curry leaves to brown a bit.

Add the banana pieces along with salt, turmeric and red chilli powder. Fry for a few minutes till raw smell of turmeric goes away. Remove from flame .

Serve with rice/rotis.

Kadali Bara Tarkari ( Raw Banana Kofta Curry )

Raw banana or 'Kancha Kadali' is rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals. Though high in starch, it is classified in the 'resistant starch' category, i.e., this type of starch acts more like a fiber(insoluble). They help control blood sugar levels and lower the blood cholesterol levels while making one feel full for longer periods of time. Weight watchers would do good to add it to their menu. Infact I regularly use it as a potato substitute for my MIL who is a diabetic. It is also a good source of potassium and vitamin B-6.

Very popular in Oriya households, it is mostly consumed in the form of fries or added to 'dalma'/'santula'. On special occasions, when the lady of the house is feeling very indulgent, she may treat everyone to a special curry ' Kadali Bara Tarkari'. It is prepared just like the other kofta/bara curries which happen to be quite rich/greasy due to the quantity of oil that goes into their making. Hence the special appearance.

I personally like to pan fry/bake the bara with very little oil and have it as it is. For this I flatten them into the shape of tikkis(circles) as it is easier to cook the flat ones on a pan. They are quite tasty even without the gravy. But this time I was cooking for a 'Sunday special' hence the extra effort with making the gravy. Read on for my version of the recipe:

Preparation Time - 45 mins

Ingredients -

For the koftas :

• 1 large green (raw) banana
• 1 medium sized potato
• 1 small sized onion
• 2 green chillis
• 2 pinch of garam masala
• 1 pinch of roasted cumin powder
• 2 tsp finely chopped coriander leaves
• 1 tsp corn flour
• salt to taste
• oil for deep frying

For the gravy:

• 1 medium sized onion
• 1 large tomato
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
• 2 inch long cinnamon stick
• 2-3 cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cardamom
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/5 tsp turmeric
• 1/3 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/3 tsp coriander powder
• 1/4 tsp meat masala (optional)
• salt to taste
• 3 tsp oil

Preparation - Cut the banana into 2/3 pieces . Boil in a cooker for 2 whistles along with the potato. Remove from flame and allow steam to escape.

Peel the banana and potato and take them in a mixing bowl. Mash well so that no big lumps remain. Add the rest of the ingredients (except oil) mentioned under the 'For the koftas' heading. Mix everything together.

Pinch out small portions from the above mixture and make small balls by rolling between your palms. Grease your palms with a bit of oil while doing this step as it prevents the balls from sticking to your hand. Keep aside the balls.

Chop the onions and tomato required for the gravy.

Cooking - Heat oil for deep frying. Add the koftas, a few at a time. Cook on all sides to a light brown. Be careful while handling them as they tend to lose shape or crumble. Remove from wok and keep aside.

Heat 3 tsp oil in another wok. Add bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and cumin seeds.

Add chopped onions after 30 seconds. Fry till translucent.

Add ginger garlic paste. Fry for 3-4 minutes till raw smell goes away.

Add the chopped tomatoes and cover with a lid for 2 minutes. Cook till tender.

Add all the powdered masalas and fry for 1-2 minutes.

Add 1 1/2 - 2 cups hot water and adjust salt.

Allow water to reduce by 1/3 rd before adding the balls/koftas. Cook the koftas for 1-2 minutes on low flame.

Switch off the flame and allow to stand for a few minutes. This allows the koftas to soak in the gravy.

Serve hot with rice/rotis.

Note - Use grated onions instead of chopped ones if you like a fine gravy. Also replace the chopped tomato with tomato puree. Also add 1/2  tsp sugar if you prefer a hint of sweetness.

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.

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.

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.

      

Milk Cake

Ingredients: Milk solids  (leftover from preparing ghee at home) ( 1 cup ), milk (1 cup ), condensed  milk ( 1/2 cup ), roasted semolina/suji ( 2 tsp ).

Preparation: Take a vessel and add the milk solids, milk and condensed milk to it. Transfer onto a stove and bring to a boil.

Add the roasted semolina and stir continuously for 2-3 mins on a low flame.

Grease a baking tray and pour the mix into it.

Preheat oven at 180 degrees C and pop in the baking tray. Bake for 10-15 mins depending on the thickness of the layer.

Allow to cool down. Cut into pieces and serve.

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.

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.

Piaja Sandha Bhaja ( Onion flower stalk fry )

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

Ingredients: Piaja Sandha/Onion flowers stalks ( 1 bunches ), potato ( 1 no, medium
sized ), dry red chillis ( 2-3 nos.), roasted cumin-chilli powder ( 1/3 tsp ), turmeric ( 2-3 pinch ), salt to taste, vegetable oil ( 3-4 tsp ), pancha phutana ( 1/2 tsp ).

Preparation: Wash and cut the onion flower stalks into inch sized pieces.

Wash and cut the potato into small pieces so that both vegetables can cook togather.

Cooking: Heat a non-stick pan. Drizzle a little oil. Turn the flame to high.

Add the broken red chillis and pancha-phutana. Allow seeds to crackle.

Add the potato and onion stalk pieces. Sprinkle turmeric and salt. Mix well and cook
covered for 8-10 mins. Stir occasionally so that the vegetables do not stick to the pan.

Sprinkle the chilli-cumin powder, mix well and remove from the stove.

Serve hot with rice or rotis.

In a slight variation of this recipe, swap the pancha phutana with mustard seeds and add 1 tsp of mustard paste (diluted with 1-2 tbsp of water) towards the end of the cooking. Once this liquid is absorbed, swap the roasted cumin chili powder with fried and crushed urad dal badis. Remove from the flame and serve immediately to retain the crunch provided by the badis.

Onions flower stalks are available twice a year in most markets in Odisha, first during the early winter and then during late spring. They make a wonderful side dish with Pakhala too.

Kakharu Phula Bara ( Pumpkin Flower Fries )

We Odias will eat anything as long as it is sourced from a plant. Not that we do not eat non-vegetarian food. We do with utmost delight. But are very fastidious about it. Certain cuts of meat will never ever make it to our dining tables and the same holds true for a variety of salt-water fishes. But when it comes to a plant based diet, we will happily munch on the fruits, flowers, leaves, stems and even the roots of certain plants.

The 'Kakharu phula' or the pumpkin leaf is considered to be quite a delicacy in Odisha. But interestingly, it is only the male flowers that are plucked for consumption. The female flowers are always left behind on the creepers to develop into fruits.

Read on for the recipe of 'Kakharu Phula bara' -

Cooking Time Required: 10-15 mins

Ingredients  -

• 20 nos Kakharu phula/Pumpkin flowers
• 2-3 nos dry red chillis
• 1/3 tsp cumin seeds
• 5-6 tsp rice
• 1 tsp besan
• salt to taste
• 3-4 tsp of any vegetable oil
• 2 tsp freshly grated coconut ( optional ) 

Preparation - 

Remove all the parts of the flowers except for the petals. Wash them gently and pat dry with a paper towel.

Soak the rice in a cup of warm water for about 2-3 hours.

Wash and grind the soaked rice along with the cumin, red chili and coconut into a smooth paste of medium consistency. Add the besan to this paste and mix it well.

Cooking: Heat a non-stick pan. Drizzle/spray a little oil.

Hold two of the pumpkin flowers together ( or you can do this with individual flowers too ) and dip into the batter. Put it on the pan.

Repeat with the remaining flowers.

Cook on one side till crisp and reddish. Flip over, spray a little oil and cook the other side till reddish in color .

Serve hot with rice as a side dish.

Papad Tarkari ( Popadom curry )

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

Ingredients: Yogurt ( 1/2 cup ), medium sized boiled potato ( 1 no ), green chillis ( 2-3 nos), chopped coriander stems ( 1 tbs ), mustard seeds ( 1/3 tsp ), mustard powder ( 1/5 tsp ), oil ( 3 tsp ), garlic flakes ( 2 nos ), fried and broken papad/papadom ( 1 cup), coriander leaves for garnishing, salt ( to taste).

Preparation: Peel and cut the potato into cubes.

Chop/slit the green chillis and completely crush the garlic flakes.

Add salt to the curd/yogurt in a mixing bowl along with 1/2 cup of water. Whisk it till no lumps remain.

Cooking: Heat the oil in a wok. Add mustard seeds followed by the crushed garlic, green chillis and chopped coriander stem. Stir fry for 30 secs.

Add the potato cubes to the wok. Fry for 2-3 mins. Switch off the flame and allow to
stand for 1 minute.















Add the whisked yogurt to the wok while stirring continuously. Do this for 2 mins.

Switch over to a low flame, add the mustard powder and continue stirring till the
contents come to a boil. Allow to boil for 3 minutes.















Add the papad pieces at this stage and switch off the flame.















Garnish with coriander leaves and serve immediately with plain white rice.

Note: I prefer using the Lijjat Urad dal papads for this recipe.

Fish head with baby potatoes and dried lentil dumplings

A very basic curry made with crushed fish head and potatoes, this one is symbolic of the very essence of Odia cuisine. Practicing frugality and making the most out of the scarce resources, the Odia women in rural areas come up with the most ingenious recipes to feed their families. This one for example used just the fish head (and also tail in some cases) with a large quantity of potatoes and onions. The abundance of potatoes make it somewhat sweeter in taste than the regular mustard gravies. The fat in the fish head melts and permeates the curry to give it that undeniably awesome flavor.

Cooking Time Required: 15-20 mins


Ingredients -

• 1 no. Maccha munda/Fish head 
• 1 tsp mustard-garlic paste
• 1 mediu sized onion 
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds 
• 10-12 baby potatoes / 1 large potato (if baby potatoes are not available)
• 2 nos dry red chili/green chilli 
• 8-9 nos boris/dried lentil dumpings ( optional )
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 3-4 tsp vegetable oil ( mustard oil is preferable )

Preparation: Clean the fish head thoroughly. Add salt and turmeric and keep aside for 15 mins. (Any large sized freshwater fish weighing 1 kg or more will do.)

Wash and cut the onion into chunks. Cut the baby potatoes into two.

Cooking: Deep fry the fish head till crispy, crush nicely and keep aside.

Heat 1 tsp of oil in a wok. Fry the boris/lentil dumplings to a reddish color and remove from the wok.

Add the remaining oil followed by the mustard seeds and broken red chillis . Allow seeds to crackle.

Add the onion chunks and stir fry till translucent. Add the baby potatoes at this stage and fry for 3-4 mins. Add the crushed fish head along with 1 cup of water, mustard-garlic paste, salt and turmeric . Bring to a boil.

Allow to simmer for 5-6 mins while stirring at intervals. Remove from fire, add the fried boris and keep aside for 10 mins.

Serve with rice and dal.

Note: Add 2 green chillis while making the mustard-garlic paste for upping the spice
content.

This is an old photo where I have used baby potatoes. For an added twist, this recipe is also prepared with dried/smoked fish.

Muga Dali-Piaja Patra Tarkari ( Moong dal-Spring Onion curry )

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

Ingredients: Muga dali/moong dal ( 1 cup ), spring onions ( 200-250 gm ), dry red
chillis ( 2-3 nos.), pancha-phutana ( 1 tsp), garlic flakes ( 5-6 nos), turmeric (2-3 pinch ), salt to taste, any vegetable oil ( 3-4 tsp ) .

Preparation: Wash the spring onions and drain excess water. Cut into inch long pieces.

Dry roast the moong dal till it gives off a sweet fragrance.

Cooking: Wash and transfer the moong dal to a pressure cooker. Add salt, turmeric and 2 cups of water. Close the lid and cook for 2-3 whistles.

Remove from the stove and allow steam to escape. Lightly mash the dal.

Add the spring onions to the mashed dal and cook on medium flame for 4-5 mins.

Heat oil in a wok. Add the pancha phutana and broken red chillis. Crush the garlic
flakes lightly and add to the spluttering seeds. Fry for 10-20 secs.

Pour the contents of the wok over the dal and spring onions. Close the lid and simmer for 2 mins.

Serve hot with white rice/rotis.

Note: Reduce/increase the water content depending on whether you are planning to have it as a curry or dal.

Dahi Pacchadi ( Apple & coconut raita )

Cooking Time Required: 10-12 mins
Cost of preparation: 25-30 rupees

Ingredients: Yogurt ( 1 cup ), apple ( 1 no ), freshly grated coconut ( 1 cup ), green chillis ( 2-3 nos), pudina/mint leaves ( a handful ), amba ada/mango ginger ( 1 inch ), black salt ( kala namak, 1/5 tsp ), jeera-lanka ( cumin-chilli ) powder ( 1/5 tsp ), oil ( 1 tsp ), mustard seeds ( 1/5 tsp ), chopped graped ( 1/3 cup), sugar ( 1 tsp), salt ( to taste).

Preparation: Cut the apple into small pieces (preferably like matchsticks).

Crush the mint leaves and extract the juice. Crush amba ada and green chillis. Keep aside.

Take the yogurt in a mixing bowl. Add jeera-lanka powder, amba ada, green chillis, mint juice, sugar, black salt and salt along with 3-4 tbs water. Beat well.

Add the apple pieces and grated coconut to the mixing bowl with required amount of water and mix well.

Heat the oil in a wok. Add the mustard seeds to it. Pour the spluttering seeds over the contents of the mixing bowl. Garnish with chopped grapes. ( Optional: Few mint leaves can also be added to the garnish )

Serve as a side-dish with any non-vegetarian/vegetarian meal.

Note: Mango ginger is a herb of the turmeric family. It has a mild mango flavour with notes of ginger. Used for tempering dals, raita, chutneys and pickles.

Sukhua-Bilati Baigana ( Tomato ) Tarkari

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


Ingredients:

• 3-4 nos Sukhua (dried/smoked fish)
• 2 nos medium sized tomato
• 2 tsp cooking oil
• salt ( to taste)
• 1/6 tsp turmeric
• 2 green chilli 
• 5 garlic pods
• 1 tsp mustard seeds 
• 1/5 tsp pancha-phutana 

Preparation: Grind the mustard seeds with half of the garlic pods into a fine paste.

Cut the potato into chunks.

Soak the fish for 1-2 hours. Drain away the water.


















Cooking: Heat 2 tsp oil in a wok. Add pancha-phutana followed by crushed garlic pods
and green chillis ( broken into 2-3 pieces ).

Add the soaked fish, crush and fry lightly for 2 mins.


















Follow with the chopped tomato. Fry for 3-4 mins.


















Add the mustard-garlic paste along with salt, turmeric and a cup of water. Cover with a lid and cook for 8-10 mins.

Serve hot with white rice.

NOTE: Instead of using the salad variety of tomatos, use the desi ( country grown )
ones. The latter have a sour taste in addition to the sweetness which enhances the
flavour of the curry.