Sprouts and Cracked wheat Khichdi

While most of the folks are done with Navratri and the fasting that goes with the territory, it is just the beginning of the fasting season for the people of Odisha. As the holy month of Kartik has already started and Margasira is next in queue, quite a few Odia folks will be scouting for 'no onion-no garlic' recipes. Not that Odia cuisine lacks such dishes, there are more then enough to last through these two months, but sometimes a little change is very much welcome.

This simple recipe is actually inspired by the 'Kanika', an aromatic and mildly sweetened rice preparation. I have given it a really healthy makeover by substituting the rice with cracked wheat or daliya and adding the goodness of sprouted lentils. It turned out to be a winner in all aspects and I enjoy this for lunch with a glass of spiced buttermilk.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 15 mins

Ingredients -

• 1/4 cup daliya
• 1 cup sprouted lentils ( i mix green moong and kala channa)
• 1/3 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 dry red chili
• 1/2 tsp ghee
• 1 inch cinnamon
• 1 green cardamom
• 2 cloves
• 6-7 peppercorns
• 12-14 rasisins
• salt to taste
• pinch of turmeric

Cooking - Dry roast the daliya till it gives off a mild fragrance and turns brown by a few shades. Keep aside.

Heat the ghee in a pressure cooker. Add the red chili, cumin and spices. Roast till fragrant. Throw in the raisins and saute for 10 seconds.

Wash the sprouts and the daliya. Add to the cooker.

Add about  1 1/2 to 2 cups water, the turmeric, salt to taste and close the lid. Cook for 3-4 whistles on medium flame.

Keep aside till steam escapes. Open the lid and cook uncovered for a few minutes if it is too watery.

Serve warm with buttermilk. 

Deviled Eggs with Guacamole and grilled Cherry Tomatoes !!

I love avocados. Apart from the mild buttery taste and texture, I love it for the fact that it helps me with my PMS symptoms. Yeah, it is one of those foods that actually make you feel better during those days of the month and hence I always stock up a few of these to beat my mood swings. Given the fact that it is very filling, a small quantity goes a long way. A good thing when one is actually feeling bloated.

This is one easy recipe that can also be served as starters at a brunch or a kitty at home. Replacing the egg yolks with guacamole, one gets a good dose of protein and healthy fats without any added cholesterol. The grilled cherry tomatoes add an interesting flavor and texture to this dish.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 15 mins

Ingredients -

• 2 hard boiled eggs
• 1/2 of an avocado
• 1 pinch pepper powder
• 2 pinch chili flakes
• 1/2 of a lemon
• chopped cilantro
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp olive oil
• 4-6 cherry tomatoes

Preparation - Peel the outer shell and slice each egg into two equal halves. Scoop out the yolks.

Take 1/2 of an yolk, 1/2 of an avocado, salt, pepper, chili flakes, olive oil, cilantro and lemon juice in a mixing bowl. Mash together.

Scoop up some of this mixture and place it on the egg whites using a small spoon.

Heat a pan. Drizzle a bit of olive oil and throw in the cherry tomatoes. Sprinkle a bit of salt. Toss on high flame till small black spots appear.

Serve these tomatoes along with the deviled eggs.

Bok Choy Dal (Bok Choy cooked with yellow lentils)

"When is something classified as foreign ?". That is a question that has been on my mind for the last few days. Why are we hesitant or scared to accept something that has been branded 'foreign' ? Is it because we are unaware of its characteristics/benefits or is it because we think that it might end up corrupting our indigenous ways. But haven't many of these so called foreign things, become a part of our life over a period of time. So when does foreign stop being foreign ? I think that happens when it has been accepted and assimilated ( with a tweak ofcourse ) into our culture in such a way that it becomes difficult to filter it out.

For example, take the Bok Choy. It is chinese cabbage and lot of folks are not aware of it or prefer to cook it in a style that is more appealing to the Chinese or the Europeans. No wonder folks are hesitant to put it on their regular menu. But it is one wonder vegetable which is nutrient dense while being low in fat. Enough reason to consume it regularly. That inspired me to cook it in the way most greens are cooked in Odisha, i.e., with split moong dal. And it turned out to be delicious. I can also vouch that my son who will grow up eating this yummy dish will not consider Bok Choy as a foreign vegetable.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 15 mins

Ingredients -

Ingredients -

• 2 heads of Bok choy
• 1 cup split moong dal
• 7-8 garlic flakes
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 1/2 tsp oil
• 2 dry red chilis
• salt to taste

Preparation - Remove the outermost leaves and cut off the end/stem (not too much but abt 1 cm ).

Wash with loads of water to rinse off any dirt and insects. Drain and then chop into small bits.
Crush the garlic flakes.

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

Cooking - Wash and cook the dal with 1 1/2 - 2 cup water for 1 whistle. Keep aside till steam escapes.

Heat the oil in a pan. Once hot, throw in the mustard seeds and broken red chili.

Then add the garlic and allow it to brown slightly.

Now add the chopped bok choy, stir fry on high for 2 mins and then pour the cooked dal over it.

Let it simmer for 5-6 mins or till the bok choy is cooked yet firm.

Serve hot with rice or rotis ,

Broccoli Carrot and Baby Corn Soup

Today's recipe is a simple vegetable soup loaded with fiber and nutrients. As is typical of Oriyarasoi recipes, it is easy to prepare and tasty to eat !! This clear soup is sparingly flavored with some light soy sauce and chilli sauce. As I have mentioned before, soups are integral to any weight loss diet and act as great fillers in between meals.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 20-25 mins

Ingredients -

• 1 cup Broccoli florets
• 1 carrot (sliced into 2-3 mm pieces)
• 1 cup sweet corn ( chopped into medium sized pieces )
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• 3-4 garlic flakes (finely chopped)
• 1 tsp light soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp Chilli sauce ( or as desired) 
• 1 tsp olive oil
• salt to taste

Preparation - Wash the vegetables thoroughly. Drain off the excess water.

Cooking - Heat the oil in a large pan. Throw in the garlic and fry till brown.

Add all the vegetables and stir fry on medium flame for 3-4 mins.

Pour in the vegetable stock and season with salt. Bring to a quick boil and let it simmer for 15-18 mins.

Remove from the flame and pour into the soup bowls.

Season with soy sauce and chilli sauce as per taste. Serve immediately.

Cabbage Soup

An easy to soup with Italian flavoring, I tried it out recently with great results. There was this unused cabbage lying in the fridge for a week and nobody wanted to eat any cabbage curry. I had used a bit of it in a veg noodles recipe that I had made for my kid. With Maggie going off the shelf, I buy these big chowmein packets and cook it with lots of veggies. It is not only much more healthier but also works out to be cheaper. Coming back to the soup, I was confused about the kind of flavoring that I should use. With opinions divided between an Indian version and a Russian one, I somehow ended up with the classic Italian seasoning of EVOO, garlic and chili flakes.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 15 mins

Ingredients -

• 2 cups chopped cabbage (tightly packed)
• 3 tbsp chopped onions
• 2 cloves
• 1/2 inch cinnamon (optional)
• 10-12 peppercorns
• 2-3 garlic flakes
• 1/2 tsp chili flakes
• 1 1/2 tsp EVOO
• 1 tsp Pomace olive oil
• salt to taste
• freshly ground pepper

Cooking - Heat the olive oil in a pressure cooker. Add the peppercorns, cinnamon, cloves and onions. Fry for a minute before adding the cabbage.  Fry for 2-3 mins.

Add 3 cups water and salt to taste. Close lid and cook for 3-4 whistles. Keep aside till steam escapes.

Open lid and use a hand blender to puree the contents of the pressure cooker.

Take the EVOO in a pan. Add the crushed garlic and fry till it is golden. Add the chili flakes and fry for 20 seconds before pouring it over the cabbage soup.

Pour out into bowls, garnish with fresh pepper and serve immediately.