Paneer Bhurji ( Mashed cottage cheese )

Cooking Time Required: 15-20 mins
Cost of preparation : 40-55 rupees


Ingredients: Paneer/cottage cheese (  200 gm ), finely chopped onion ( medium, 1 no. ), finely chopped carrot ( 1/3 cup ), minced tomato ( small, 1 no. ), green chilli ( 2-3 nos ), roasted cumin-chilli powder ( 1/3 tsp ), coriander powder ( 1/3 tsp ), garam masala ( a pinch ), minced coriander leaves ( 1 tbs ), ginger garlic paste ( 1/3 tsp), oil ( 1 tsp), salt.

Cooking: Boil water in a saucepan . Add salt and paneer pieces. Boil for 3-4 mins. Drain the water and lightly mash the paneer pieces.

Heat oil in a wok. Add the onions and fry till translucent. Follow with ginger garlic paste. Fry for 3-4 mins

Add carrot, green chilli and tomato along with a little salt. Add all the spices except for coriander powder. Stir fry for 3-4 mins.

Add the mashed panner and mix well. Stir fry for 2 mins.

Remove from the wok and garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve with rotis/paratha/rice.

Note: This recipe can also be prepared without onion and ginger garlic paste. Add a few juliennes of ginger instead,

Kakharu saaga Bhaja ( Pumpkin leaves fry )

Cooking Time Required: 10-15 mins
Cost of Preparation: 25-30 Rupees

Ingredients: Kakharu saaga and dunka ( use only the tender tips, 3-4 cups ),  ridge gourd (chopped into small pieces, 1/2 cup), potato ( chopped into small pieces, 1/2 cups), pancha phutana ( 1/2 tsp ),  dry red chilli ( 2 nos), garlic cloves ( 5-6 nos ), oil ( 3 tsp), salt to taste.

Cooking: Heat the oil in a wok. Add the dry red chillis and pancha phutana. Allow to splutter.

Add all the vegetables and mix well. Cover with a lid and allow to cook till tender. ( Takes abt 7-8 mins)

Remove the lid and allow excess water to evaporate.

Add salt and mix. Add the crushed garlic flakes and remove the wok from the stove.

Serve hot with rice.

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.

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.

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.

Coffee and orange flavoured French Crepes

Cooking Time Required: 15-20 mins
Cost of Preparation: 30-35 Rupees

Ingredients: Whole wheat flour ( 1/2 cup ), egg ( 1 no. ), milk ( 3/4 th cup ), cooking butter ( 3 tsp ), sugar ( 2 tsp ), salt ( a pinch ), baking powder ( 1/5 tsp ), grated orange rind ( 1/4 tsp ), coffee powder ( 1/4 tsp ), orange marmalade ( 2-3 tbs ).

Preparation: Break the egg in a bowl. Beat well. Add the milk, sugar, coffee powder, grated orange rind and salt. Beat for 2 mins.

Sift the flour with the baking powder. Add to the beaten egg and milk. Melt 2 tsp of butter and add to it. Beat for 4-5 mins.

Cooking: Heat a small frying pan to a low temperature. Add a few drops of oil/butter. Rub with a cloth to spread uniformly without leaving excess greasiness.

Take 2 tbs of the batter and tilt the pan to spread uniformly.

Cook for 40-45 secs on either side and remove from pan.

Spread a thick/thin layer ( as per taste ) of orange marmalade all over the pancakes
and twist into a tight roll. Cut up into bite sized pieces and serve immediately.

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.

Masala Dosa

Cooking Time Required: 30 mins

Ingredients:
For the dosa batter: Rice ( 2 cups ), urad dal ( split and dehusked, 1 cup ), methi ( 1 tsp ), salt to taste.

For the Alu masala:

• Boiled Potatoes ( 3 large )
• onion ( 1 large )
• green peas ( 1/2 cup)
• garlic flakes ( 7-8 nos )
• ginger ( 1 inch )
• garam masala powder ( 1/3 tsp ),
• kasuri methi ( 1 tsp )
• chilli powder ( 1/2 tsp )
• chopped coriander leaves ( 2 tbs )
• 2 tsp oil
• salt to taste

Garnishing -

• 1/2 cup grated carrot
• 1/2 cup grated coconut
• 4 tsp chopped cilantro
• oil/butter for cooking the dosa

Preparation: Soak the rice and urad dal for 5-6 hours. Add the fenugreek seeds and
grind into a smooth paste without adding too much water. Leave overnight.

Chop the onion into small pieces. Peel the potatoes and mash them.

The garlic and ginger needs to be crushed into a not so fine paste.

Cooking: Heat the oil in a pan. Add crushed garlic, ginger and half of the chopped onion. Fry till onion turns translucent. Add green peas and sprinkle a little salt. Fry till the peas are half-cooked.

Add the powdered masalas. Fry for 1 min. Add the potato along with salt to taste. Stir and mix throughly. Cook for another 5 mins. Add kasuri methi and chopped coriander leaves.


















Heat a dosa tawa. Sprinkle a little oil. Rub with a cloth to spread the oil and absorb any excess.

Take 3/4th cup of batter and spread into a thin layer. Drizzle a few drops of oil on
all sides. Add the potato and vegetable mixture in the middle. Sprinkle a little
chopped onion, carrot, coconut and coriander. Allow the dosa to cook till light brown .

















Fold the dosa and close it. Serve hot.

Sabudana Khichdi

Sabudana Khichdi is a Maharashtrian recipe which is usually prepared on fasting days like Navratri. The recipe makes use of roasted and coarsely grated peanut powder which can be omitted in case one is allergic to peanuts. I used sesame instead when I make it for my hubby who suffers from peanut allergy.

The big tapioca pearls are preferable for this recipe as they turn out to be fluffier. But the soaking time required is more. When in a hurry, go for the smaller grains.

To cut down on the cholesterol, one can replace the ghee with refined oil and just add 3-4 drops ghee after cooking for that distinct flavour.

Cooking Time Required: 10-15 mins

Ingredients:

• 1 cup large Sabudana / Tapioca pearls
• 1 medium sized potato
• 2 green chillis
• 1 inch ginger
• 1/2 tsp roasted and crushed peanuts 
• 3-4 tbsp freshly grated coconut  (optional)
• 1/3 tsp cumin seeds 
• 1 tsp ghee
• 2 tsp oil
• salt to taste ( use pink salt during fasting )
• chopped coriander leaves 
• 1 tsp lime juice

Preparation: Chop the potato and green chilli into small pieces.

Wash and soak the sabudana for 3-4 hours. Drain well and keep aside. [ Soaking and cooking time will vary with the variety used ]

Cooking: Heat the ghee and oil in a pan. Add the cumin seeds followed by the green chilis and finely minced ginger. Add the chopped potatoes and fry till potato pieces become almost cooked.

Add the soaked sabudana along with salt. Sprinkle a little water if required and cook for 3-4 mins.

Garnish with the crushed peanuts, chopped coriander leaves, lime juice and grated coconut.

Serve with sweetened skimmed yogurt. A healthy snack/meal is ready.

Babycorn and Aubergine Salad

Cooking Time Required: 10-15 mins
Cost of Preparation: 60-70 rupees

Ingredients: Aubergine ( cut into small pieces, 1 cup ), babycorn ( cut into small pieces, 1 cup ), tomato ( 1 no, small ), onion ( 1 no, small ), capsicum ( 1 no, medium ), roasted cumin powder ( 1/3 tsp ), red chilli powder ( 1/3 tsp), lemon juice ( 1-2 tsp), salt to taste, oil for frying.

Preparation: Heat oil in wok. Lightly fry the aubergine and babycorn pieces. Remove and keep aside to cool down. Transfer to a mixing bowl.

Cut the remaining pieces into thin slices and add to the bowl. Add remaining spices and mix well.

Serve immediately .

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Sprouts Stir Fry

Cooking Time Required: 5-10 mins
Cost of preparation: 20-25 rupees

Ingredients: Green moong sprouts ( 1 cup ), boiled potato ( 1 no., small), onion (1
no., small), tomato (1 no, small), green chilli ( 1 no.), coriander powder ( 1/5 tsp), roasted cumin-chilli powder (1/4 tsp), cumin seeds ( 2 pinch ), 1 tsp oil, salt to taste, chopped coriander leaves ( 1 tsp ) .

Preparation: Chop the onion, green chilli and tomato into small pieces.

Cooking: Heat the oil in a pan. Add the cumin seeds followed by the onion pieces and
fry till translucent. Add the green chilli and chopped tomatoes and fry till tomato
softens.

Cut the boiled potato into small pieces and add to pan. Add the coriander and chilli
powder along with salt to taste.

Fry for 3-4 mins. Garnish with the chopped coriander leaves.

Serve with rotis and skimmed yogurt. A healthy and low calorie lunch is ready.


Note: For a variation in taste, one can add a little ginger garlic paste / sambar masala / capsicum pieces / kasuri methi.















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Burrani / Bhoorani Raita

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

Ingredients: Thick curd/yogurt ( 200 gm ), garlic cloves ( 3-4 nos ), black salt (1/4 tsp), roasted cumin powder ( 1/3 tsp ), ajwain powder ( 2-3 pinch )red chilli powder ( 2/3 tsp), salt to taste, sugar ( 1 tsp, optional).

Preparation: Add the curd to a mixing bowl and beat it for 2-3 mins . Crush the garlic cloves, and add to the bowl with the rest of the ingredients and a little amount of water. Mix well and keep aside for 10-15 mins.

Pass the mixture through a seive or a thin cloth to filter out the garlic pieces.

Serve (chilled) with Hyderabadi Dum Biryani.

Palak Sev Chaat

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

Ingredients: Paalak/Spinach ( a bunch ), besan/gram flour (8-10 tsp ), sev bhujia ( 1 cup), baking powder ( 1/5 tsp ), curd/yogurt ( 4-5 tsp), sugar ( 1-2 tsp ), cumin
powder ( 1/5 tsp), salt to taste, oil for frying, sweet/spicy tamarind chutney (
optional, to taste).

Preparation: Wash and cut the paalak into strips.

Transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the besan, baking powder, cumin powder and salt to
taste. Sprinkle a few drops of water if required to bind the besan with the leaves.

Beat the yogurt with sugar and 2 tsp of water.

Cooking: Heat oil in a wok/deep vessel.

Add the palak strips to the hot oil. Fry on both sides for 1-2 mins. Remove from wok
and keep aside on a plate.

Add the sev bhujia generously over the palak pakodas. Sprinkle a little sweetened curd and sweet/spicy tamarind chutney.

Tasty Palak Sev chaat is ready to be served hot.

Note: I had to make the palak pakodas with very little besan and a bit of cornflour as i realized that i had ran out of a very vital ingredient at the 11th hour. Had made up my mind by that time to have the chaat so went ahead and made it. But i can vouch that the version i had a friend's place with ample amount of besan was better.

Fish and brinjal Curry

Cooking Time Required : 15-20 mins
Cost of preparation: 30-35 rupees

Ingredients: Rohu/Mirkali pieces ( 2 nos, medium sized ), potato ( 1 no, small ),
brinjal ( 1 no, small), garlic flakes ( 2 nos ), green chilli ( 1-2 nos), turmeric ( 2 pinch), mustard oil ( 2-3 tsp ), kala jeera ( 1/2 tsp ), salt.

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

Cut the potato and brinjal into small pieces.

Cooking: Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan . Add the marinated fish and fry on both sides for
6-7 mins.

Heat the remaining oil in a wok. Add the chopped green chilli, kala jeera and crushed garlic flakes. Stir fry for 30 secs.

Add the potato and brinjal pieces along with a pinch of turmeric. Fry for 3-4 mins.

Add 1 cup of water along with salt and bring to a boil. Add the fried fish.

Cover with a lid and simmer for 7-8 mins til most of the water evaporates. Remove from the stove.

Serve hot with white rice.

Note: My MIL picked up this recipe during her stay in Kolkatta. Not sure about the name though.

Cheesy Dip

Ingredients: Cheese spread ( 1 tbs ), thick sour curd ( 2 tbs ), garlic & pepper tabasco sauce ( 2/3 tsp ), lime juice ( 1/3 tsp), garlic flakes ( 2 nos ), salt.

Prepartion: Crush the garlic flakes and add to the rest of the ingredients. Mix well.

Serve with Nancho/Salsa Chips/samosa.

Note: Keep refrigerated and use with 1-2 days.

Paneer Kaliyan

Cooking Time Required: 15 mins
Cost of Preparation: 20-25 rupees

Ingredients: Paneer cubes ( 200 gm), fennel seeds ( 2 tsp ), cumin seeds ( 1 tsp), soonth/dry ginger powder ( 2 nos ), garam masala (2 pinch), coriander powder ( 2 pinch), red chilli powder ( 1/2 tsp ), turmeric ( 1/4 tsp), salt, ghee ( 1 tsp ), milk ( 1 cup).

Preparation: Grind the coconut into a fine powder without adding any water and keep aside.

Cooking: Heat the ghee in a pan. Add the paneer pieces and fry till slightly golden on all sides.

Boil water in a saucepan with 1/2 tsp salt. Add the fried paneer and boil for 3-4 mins for softening.

AT the same time, combine the remaining spices except for garam masala with 1 cup of water in another wok and bring to a boil. Boil for 4 mins.

Remove the paneer pieces from the salt water and add to the boiling spices mixture. Add mil and garam masala. Boil for another 5 mins.

Remove from pan and serve hot.


Note: This recipe is adapted from Tarla Dalal's cookbook. Made a few changes to suit my palate.

Cookies Stuffed Paratha (meetha parata)

Cooking Time Required: 15 mins
Cost of Preparation: 20-25 Rupees


Ingredients:

For Paratha: Wheat flour ( 1 1/2 cups ), ghee ( 1 tsp ), ripe banana ( one half ), salt ( a pinch), water to knead the ingredients into a soft dough.

For Stuffing: Crumbled chocolate-chips cookies ( 3-4 nos), sugar ( 3 tsp).















Ghee to fry the parathas.


Preparation: Mix all the ingredients for the paratha togather along with a little warm water. Keep aside for 10 mins covered with a warm moist cloth.















Divide the dough into 4 equal parts. Roll out the balls into small roties ( more like a puri )and keep aside.

Spread the crumbled cookie and sugar over one roti and close by putting another roti over it.















Roll the sides or press a little to close the parathas.

Repeat for the second paratha.

Cooking: Heat 1 tsp of ghee on the pan. Add the parathas and cook on each sides for 2mins each.

Serve hot.

Quick capsicum stir-fry

Cooking time Required: 5-8 mins
Cost of Preparation: 15-20 rupees

Ingredients: Capsicum ( 1 no, large), garlic flakes ( 2-3 nos ), mustard-poppy-garlic paste ( cooked, 1 tsp), green chillis ( 1-2 nos ), oil( 1 1/2 tsp ), salt , turmeric ( a pinch ).

Preparation: Cut the capsicum into even sized pieces. Remove the seeds.


Cooking: Heat the oil in a pan. Add the chopped green chillis and garlic flakes. Stir fry for 30 secs.

Follow with the cooked mustard-poppy-garlic paste. Add the capsicum pieces along with a pinch of turmeric and salt to taste.

Stir fry for 5-6 mins or cover with a lid to get it done faster. Stir fry is ready to eat.


Note: I had made Gota Bhendi Bhaja ( Stuffed Okra ) the previous day and was having the cooked mustard-poppy-garlic paste sitting in the fridge . While rummaging through the fridge contents the next morning, i decided to use it with capsicum ( the lone veggie in my stock along wth a half slice of tomato and a limp bunch of greens ) for a quick stir fry.

Packed it with white rice and had a lovely lunch.

Spicy Coconut Rice

Cooking Time Required: 10 mins
Cost of Preparation: 20-25 rupees

Ingredients: Cooked Rice (1 1/2 cup), channa dal ( 2 tbs ), fresh coconut pieces ( 1/3 cup ), green chilli ( 1-2 nos ), jeera/cumin powder (2 pinch), coriander powder ( 2 pinch), red chilli powder ( 2 pinch ), pancha phutana ( 1/5 tso), curry leaves ( 1 sprig), salt, oil ( 1 tsp ).

Preparation: Grind the coconut into a fine powder without adding any water and keep
aside.

Cooking: Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan. Add the green chillis, pancha phutana, curry
leaves and saute for 30 secs. Add the channa dal and stir fry for 1-2 mins till it
starts turning reddish/brown.

Add the cooked rice and coconut and sprinkle salt, chilli powder, jeera powder &
coriander powder. Stir fry for 3-4 mins on a low flame.

Eat it hot or pack in a lunch box.

Note: This is one quick and easy to make breakfast/lunch box recipe. Usually i make it a bit more spicy if i have to pack it for lunch.

Instant Sabudana Kheeri

Cooking time required: 5-8 mins
Cost of preparation: 15-20 rupees

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Sabudana/Sagu
• 1 1/2 milk 
• 3 tsp raisins
• 2 tsp cashews 
• 3-4 tsp sugar 
• 1/2 tsp ghee 

Preparation: Soak the sabudana for 2-3 hours.

Cooking: Heat the ghee in a saucepan. Add 1 tsp sugar and allow it to turn brown.

Next add the raisins & cashews. Stir fry till the raisins swell.

Add the milk and soaked sabuadana.

Boil for 5-6 mins while stirring at short intervals as it tends to stick to the bottom of the pan.

Serve hot.

Note: One can also add a little cardamon/saffron for the flavouring.

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