Chicken n Kaleji Roll

Cooking Time Required: 30 mins
Required Preparation Time : 50-60 rupees

Ingredients: Chicken pieces ( 100 gm, includes 3-4 pieces of chicken liver), maida ( 1.5 cups, sufficient for 2 large rotis), tomato (1 small), onion (1 medium), green chilli (2 nos), ginger garlic paste (1/2 tsp), cumin powder (1/5 tsp), coriander powder (1/5 tsp), pepper powder (1 tsp), chilli powder (1/4 tsp), 2 eggs, tomato sauce, oil, salt to taste.


Preparation: Separate the bones from the chicken pieces. Add salt and turmeric to the pieces and marinate for half an hour.
Add a pinch of salt and 4-5 drops of oil to the flour. Mix well, add water and knead into a firm dough. Keep aside.


Cooking: Cut the onion into small pieces. Heat 2 tsp of oil in a cooker. When it starts smoking, add half of the cut onion pieces and one green chilli. Fry till the onion becomes slightly reddish, then add the ginger garlic paste. Fry for 3-4 mins, then add the tomato (finely minced), cumin and coriander powder. Add the chicken pieces along with salt after 1 min. Fry for 4-5 mins. Add little amount of water( the chicken should neither become too watery nor should it stick to the bottom of the cooker) , then close the lid of the cooker. Wait for a single whistle , then remove from fire.
Allow to cool and then break the chicken into small pieces.

Break the eggs into a bowl, add salt and beat well.

Separate the dough into two equal parts. Roll into large rotis.

Heat a pan. Put the roti on it. Cook on both sides. Pour a little of the beaten egg over the roti. Toss it over and remove from the pan after 30 seconds. Spread the onion pieces, chicken and liver pieces over the roti. Sprinkle pepper powder, chilli powder, salt and tomato sauce over it. Roll the rotis. Roll a paper napkin around one end .

Enjoy hot with a can of chilled coke/sprite.

Chattu Besara ( Odisha's delectable Mushroom curry)

Odisha is home to a huge variety of mushrooms, most of them sprouting in the wild during the humid monsoon months. I still remember the distinct flavor of the indigenous varieties like 'rugda', 'bihuduni', bhanu', 'nada' and 'pala' chattu which were sold in the local markets by the tribal women who gathered them from the forests. But most vivid are the memories of the 'bali' chattu or sand mushrooms that sprung up unexpectedly in our backyard during the rains. The incredible taste was reward enough for the hour or two that we had to spend in plucking them without damaging or breaking off the delicate stems.

Most of the mushrooms in Odisha are cooked in tangy mustard gravy . But sometimes, we used to stir-fry the delicately flavored ones with just a pinch of salt and turmeric. While the cultured varieties like the button mushrooms or the oyster mushrooms that are available in Bangalore can never match the sheer burst of flavor that the indigenous ones provide, once in a while I do cook the former in the traditional style. It is an easy-to-do recipe that is not only light but pairs up quite nicely with a simple steamed rice and yellow dal.

Read on for the recipe -

Cooking Time : 30-35 mins

Ingredients:

• 200 gm Button Mushrooms
• 1 medium potato 
• 1 medium tomato
• 1 small onion
• 10 garlic flakes
• 2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1-2 sprig coriander leaves
• 1 green chilli 
• 2 dry red chilis
• 1/4 tsp mustard seeds (for tempering)
• 2 nos dried mango pieces (ambula)
• 3 tsp mustard oil
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• salt to taste

Preparation: Fill a large vessel with water and add turmeric. Immerse the mushrooms in the water and leave for 10 mins. Drain the turmeric water and wash the mushrooms with sufficient fresh water. Pat them dry with a rough kitchen towel and use the same to remove their skin.

Grind the dry red chilis, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and garlic pods (4 nos) into a fine paste. Soak the dried mango pieces in about 1/2 cup of water.

Cut the mushroom, potato, onion and tomato into small pieces.

Cooking: Heat 2 tsp oil in a pan. When it starts smoking, add the mushrooms, potato pieces and little bit of salt. Stir fry till the potato is almost cooked.

Heat another pan. Add 1 tsp oil, 1/4 tsp mustard seeds, 4 flakes crushed garlic and 1 green chili. When the garlic starts to brown, add the chopped onion. Fry till the onion becomes transparent.

Add tomato pieces to the pan and sprinkle a little salt on them. When the tomato becomes mushy, add the mustard-garlic paste, turmeric and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Then add the fried mushroom and potato. Adjust salt and let it simmer for 10 mins

Finally, add the soaked mango pieces(ambula) along with the water used for soaking . Boil for 5-6 mins. Add the coriander leaves, 2 crushed garlic flakes, a few drops of mustard oil and remove from the fire.

Serve at room temperature along with rice and yellow dal.

Note - To avoid making the curry bitter, dissolve the mustard-cumin paste in 2 cups of water and let it stand aside for 10 mins. Carefully drain the water into another bowl taking care that the solid residue is left behind. Add the drained water to the curry and throw away the solids.

Masala dia Maccha Jholo( Fish Curry )

Cooking Time Required: 30 mins
Cost of preparation: 50-60 rupees

Ingredients: Rohu (4-5 pieces, 250 gm), onion ( 1 large), tomato (1 large), ginger-garlic paste(1-2 tsp), green chillies ( 1-2 nos), maggie bhuna masala ( 1 tbs), pancha phutana (1/5 tsp), turmeric (1/3 tsp), oil (6-7 tsp), garam masala (1/4 tsp), cumin powder (1/3 tsp), coriander powder (1/2 tsp), tamarind (1 small piece), salt to taste.

Preparation: Add salt and turmeric to the fish pieces. Heat 3-4 tsp oil in a non-stick pan and fry the fish till it turns slightly reddish on both sides.
Gring the onion & tomato into a fine paste and keep aside.

Heat 3 tsp oil in a deep vessel. When it becomes hot, add the green chillis and pancha phutana. when the seeds start spluttering, add the onion-tomato paste . Fry for 3-4 mins and then add the ginger-garlic paste, turmeric and salt. Cook till the smell of the ginger garlic goes off and paste turns brownish. Add the bhuna masala, cumin powder and corinader powder. Fry for 2 mins, then add 2-3 cups water. Bring to a boil. Add the fried fish. Boil till the fish softens. Add the tamarind and boil for about 5 mins. Finally add the garam masala and close the lid. Remove from fire.

Serve hot with rice.

Tips: Peel the onion, cut into two halves and put in a pressure cooker. Cut the tomato into two, and add to the cooker along with little bit of salt and sufficient water. Boil for 5-10 mins. Remove from fire and keep aside to cool .Crush the boiled mixture into a fine paste. Tomato-onion paste is ready without shedding any tears. Also useful given the frequent power cuts which prevent one from using the mixer.

Ghuguni

Preparation Time - 25 mins


Ingredients: Yellow peas (200 gm), potato ( 1 small), tomato ( 1 medium), onion ( 1 medium), ginger-garlic paste ( 1 tsp), cumin seeds (1/5 tsp), cumin powder (1/3 tsp), coriander powder (1/3 tsp), chilli powder ( 1/2 tsp), garam masala powder (1/5 tsp), bay leaf ( 1 no.), oil (2 tsp), coriander leaves, turmeric powder, salt to taste.

Preparation: Soak the yellow peas for about 8 hours. Wash and put in a cooker along with potato, salt and turmeric powder. Wait for 2 whistles. Remove and keep aside to cool.
Cut the onion and tomato into small pieces. Peel the potato and cut into medium sized cubes.


Cooking: 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. Fry the onion for about 2-3 mins and then add ginger-garlic paste. Cook till it slightly reddens, then add the potato pieces ,tomatoes, salt and turmeric powder. Fry for about 5 mins. Add the cumin powder, coriander powder and chilli powder. Stir for 2 mins, add the boiled peas, and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil.
Add the garam masala, mix and remove from fire. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.




Facts: Some of the combinations in which Ghuguni is consumed in orissa are idli-chutney-ghuguni, aloo chop-ghuguni, dahi wada-ghuguni.


















A platter consisting of ghuguni, aloo chop, pakoda and chicken kasa.

Gupchup - orissa style 'Pani-puri'

Cooking Time Required: 30 mins
Cost of preparaton: 40-50 rupees


Ingredients:

For the puri - Maida(flour) (1 cup), Suji(semolina) (1 cup), rice flour (1 tsp, optional), salt, oil for frying the puris.

For the filling - Potatoes ( 2 large), onion ( 1 large), boiled yellow peas (1/4 cup), green chillis (2 nos), coriander leaves, coriander powder (2/3 tsp), cumin-chilli powder (2/3 tsp), salt to taste.

For the pani - Tamarind, jal jeera (1/3 tsp, optional), chilli powder, coriander leaves(minced), salt to taste.

Preparation:

Puris - Mix the maida, rice flour, suji, salt and few drops of oil. Add very little water and knead into a stiff dough. Make small balls out of the dough. Spread into thin rotis and cut out small circles using a cutter. Fry till its puffs up well and becomes really crisp.

Filling - Boil the potatoes and yellow peas. Allow to cool. Peel the potatoes and mash it. Finely chop the onions, green chillies and coriander leaves. Add the yellow peas, chopped onions, chillies, and coriander leaves to the mashed potaoes. Sprinkle coriander powder, cumin-chilli powder and salt over it. Mix well.



Pani - Add water to the tamarind and squeeze out the pulp. Add more water, jal-jeera, chilli powder, coriander leaves and salt. The pani should be slightly sour and spicy.




Serving - Make a small hole on one side of the puri. Put in the mashed potato-onion-peas filling. Dip the puri into the tangy pani and savour the taste.

Bhendi Sorisha Khatta

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

Ingredients: Ladiesfinger(bhendi) (200 gm), green chilli (1 no.), curry leaves (5-6 nos), garlic (5 pods), coriander seeds (1/4 tsp), mustard seeds (2 tsp), lemon (1 no), turmeric powder(1/4 tsp), oil, salt to taste.

Preparation: Wash the ladiesfinger and cut across the section into 1.5 inch sized pieces (do not slit it along the length). Keep aside a few mustard seeds and one pod of garlic for the tempering. Grind the mustard seeds and remaining garlic pods into a fine paste.

Cooking: Heat 2 tsp oil in a deep vessel and fry the ladiesfinger pieces till the stickiness goes away.
Remove from vessel and keep aside. Add another tsp oil. When it starts smoking, add the coriander and mustard seeds. Add the curry leaves, green chilli and garlic pod to the spluttering seeds. Stir for about a min and add the mustard-garlic paste along with 1 cup of water. Bring it to a boil and add the fried ladiesfinger pieces along with turmeric powder and salt to taste. Allow the curry to boil for 5 mins or till the ladiesfinger becomes soft. Then squeeze the lemon over it and cook for another 30 secs. Remove from the fire and serve with rice.


Tips: The lemon can also be substituted with tamarind (tentuli/imli) or dried mango pieces (ambula). Boil the curry for an additional 5-7 mins for the sour taste to get imbibed.

Maccha Posta Jholo

Cooking Time Required: 30 mins
Cost of preparation: 50-60 rupees














Ingredients: Rohu (4-5 pieces, 250 gm), posto(khuskhus seeds) ( 3 tbs), sorisha(mustard seeds) ( 2 tsp), garlic (7-8 pods), green chillies ( 1-2 nos), cumin-mustard seeds (1/5 tsp), turmeric (1/3 tsp), mustard oil (4-5 tsp), coriander leaves salt to taste.

Preparation: Add salt and turmeric to the fish pieces. Heat 3 tsp oil in a non-stick pan and fry the fish lightly on both sides.
Keep aside two pods of garlic for the tempering. Grind the posto, sorisha and remaining garlic in a fine paste.

Heat 1 tsp oil in a deep vessel. When it becomes hot, add the green chilli, garlic pods and cumin-mustard seeds. when the seeds splutter, add the posto-sorisha-garlic paste along with 2-3 cups of water and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil and then add the fried fish and 1-2 tsp mustard oil. Let it boil for about 10-15 mins. Add the coriander leaves and remove from fire.

Serve hot with rice.

Tips: Grind the dry posto and mustard seeds at first. Then add garlic pods, little bit of salt and water. Grind the wet mixture into a fine paste.

Bread Pizza - Nothing oriya about it!!!

Cooking Time Required: 5 mins
Cost of preparation: 15-20 rupees

Ingredients: Bread (4 slices), Tomato ( 1 no., medium), Capsicum (1 no., medium), onion (1 small), garlic (1-2 pods), cheese (2 cubes), pepper powder( 1 tsp), salt to taste.

Preparation: Cut the tomato, capsicum, and onion into thin slices. The garlic should be minced into flakes.

Cooking: Heat a pan. Layer the tomato, capsicum and onion over the bread slices. Grate the cheese cubes over it. Add pepper, garlic flakes and salt to taste. Place the bread on the pan and cover with a lid. Wait for 2 mins and remove pan from stove. Keep it covered for about 2-3 mins.
Eat it hot with tomato/tabasco/mustard sauce.


Tips: For those who are not very inclined towards onion and garlic, shredded cabbage can be used as an ideal substitute.

Carrot Vermicelli Kheer

Cooking Time Required: 30-40 min
Cost of preparation: 50-60 rupees


Ingredients: Carrot ( 200 gm or 2 nos), vermicelli (1/2 cup), milk (1/2 ltr), milkmaid (condensed milk, 1 cup), ghee (3 tsp), raisins, kaju , sugar to taste.

Preparation: Grate the carrot and keep aside. Roast the vermicelli in a pan using very little ghee. Also fry the kajus to a golden shade.


Cooking: Heat a deep vessel. Add the ghee followed by the grated carrot. Fry the carrot for about 5 mins. Add milk, and bring to a boil. Allow to cook slowly for 15 mins. Add raisins, kaju and milkmaid. Boil for another 5 mins and add sugar (according to taste).

Tasty kheer is ready to eat.

Chicken Kosha

Cooking Time Required: 1 hour
Cost of preparation: 50-60 rupees

Ingredients: Chicken pieces (250 gm), onion ( 1 large), tomato puree ( 2 tsp), green chilli (1 no.), lemon ( one half), ginger garlic paste ( 1 tbs), coriander powder ( 1/2 tsp), cumin powder (1/2 tsp), chilli powder (1/2 tsp), fennel seeds (1/2 tsp), soya sauce (1/2 tsp), garam masala (1/3 tsp), turmeric , oil (5-6 tsp), salt to taste.

Preparation: Wash the chicken pieces. Add turmeric, lemon juice and salt. Allow to marinate for 30 mins. Cut the onion into two halves. Grate one half and mince the other half into fine pieces.

Heat oil in a kadai. when hot, add fennel seeds . Then add the grated onion . Fry for about 2 mins. Add the finely cut onion and green chilli pieces, followed by the ginger garlic paste after another 2 mins. Fry for about 5 mins. Add tomato puree, coriander powder, cumin powder and chilli powder. Add the marianated chicken after 1-2 mins. Cover with a lid and cook till the chicken softens. Then add the soya sauce and garam masala. Mix thouroughly and remove from fire. Keep covered for about 5 mins. Enjoy with hot rotis.


Tips: For those who are forever looking for short-cuts, the grated onion, ginger garlic paste and tomato puree can be substituted with Maggie Bhuna Masala.



Broiler Chicken- الفروج المشوي

Sunday Fish Dhamaka

Cooking Time Required: 2 hours
Cost of Preparation: 150 - 200 rupees

Ingredients: Pomfret (2 nos, medium), Rohu ( 200 gm), fish eggs (100 gm), onion (1 small), green chillies ( 2 nos), rice (3 tsp), coriander powder ( 2 tsp ), cumin powder (2 tsp), red chilli powder (2 tsp), turmeric powder (1 tsp), oil (suffient for frying), salt to taste.

Preparation: Wash the fish and fish eggs separately. Add turmeric, cumin powder, coriander powder, chilli powder and salt to the fish. Keep aside for 5-10 mins. Soak the rice overnite and grind into a fine paste. Add to the fish eggs along with the cumin, coriander, chilli powder, turmeric and salt.

Heat a flat pan. Add 5-6 tsp oil. When it starts smoking, add the pomfret and rohu pieces. Fry on both sides till the fish turns slightly reddish. Remove from pan and place on tissue paper to absorb excess oil.

Heat a kadai (deep vessel). Add sufficient oil for deep frying. when the oil becomes hot, add blobs(pakodas) of the fish egg mixture. Fry the blobs (pakodas) till they turn reddish brown. Remove from oil and place on tissue paper.