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 -
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.
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.