Janhi Choppa Patua

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


Ingredients: Ridgegourd/ Janhi peels( 1 cup ), potato ( 1 no., medium ), mustard oil ( 2 tsp ), salt ( 1/5 tsp ), turmeric ( 1/5 tsp ), green chilli ( 2 nos ), garlic pods ( 6 nos ), mustard seeds ( 2/3 tsp ).

Preparation: Grind the mustard seeds. Add the ridgegourd peels along with the green
chilli, half of the garlic pods and a pinch of salt. Grind into a fine paste.

Cut the potato into thin strips.

Cooking: Heat 1 tsp oil in a wok. Add the potato and fry lightly for 2 mins.

Add the ridgegourd peel paste along with turmeric, salt to taste, remaining mustard oil and crushed garlic flakes. Mix well and add 1/3 cup water.

Cook with lid covered. Remove from fire once the potatoes and cooked and the raw smell of the ridgegourd peels goes off. ( Takes abt 7-8 mins )

Serve with white rice.

Alternately the raw potato pieces can be mixed with the peels paste along with salt, turmeric, oil and crushed garlic; wrapped in a banana leaf and cooked in a microwave/oven. Avoid adding any extra water.

Bharwa Karela

Cooking Time Required: 25 mins
Cost of Preparation: 30-45 Rupees


Ingredients: Karela or bittergourd ( 2 nos, medium sized ), oil for deep frying, salt ( 1/6 tsp ), turmeric ( 1/5 tsp ), chilli powder ( 1/5 tsp ).

For stuffing: Boiled potato ( 1 no, small ), finely chopped onions ( 1 no, medium ),
finely chopped green chilli ( 1 tsp ), chopped coriander leaves ( 1 tsp ), cumin powder ( 1/5 tsp ), corinder powder ( 1/5 tsp ), salt ( to taste ), oil ( 3 tsp ), raisins ( 2 tbs ), broken cashews ( 2 tbs ).

For Masala: coriander powder (1 tsp), amchur powder ( 1/3 tsp), saunf/fennel powder ( 1 tsp), red chilli powder ( 1/4 tsp ), turmeric ( 1/6 tsp), salt ( 2-3 pinch ), mustard oil ( 1 1/2 tsp ).

Preparation: Cut off the ends of the bitter gourd. Peel the outer surface and make a
slit along the entire length. Remove the pulp and seeds. DO not throw away the peels.
















Rub the salt, turmeric and chilli powder throughly all over the bitter gourd. Keep
aside for half hour.

Mix the ingredients for the masala and keep aside.

Cooking: Heat oil in a frying pan. Add the bitter gourd along with the peels. Fry till it is cooked well. Allow the peels to become crisp.















Apply the masala all over and inside the fried bitter gourd. Keep aside.















Heat the oil in a pan. Add the chopped onions and fry till translucent. Add the raisins and cashews and fry till the raisins swell up.

Add the boiled potato along with the corinder powder, cumin powder and salt. Fry till the potato is done. Then sprinkle chopped coriander leaves, green chillis and the crisped bittergourd peels. Add the remaining masala and mix well.

Stuff the fried karelas and fry lighly on a pan using a light spray of oil.

Baigana Khatta

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

Ingredients: Small brinjal (2-3 no), curry leaves( 2 sprigs), green chilli (1-2 nos), turmeric powder (1/5 tsp), black cumin seeds/ kala jeera (1 pinch), garlic flakes ( 3-4 nos), oil ( 2 tsp), powdered jaggery ( 3-4 tsp), thick tamarind juice ( 1- 2 tsp), salt to taste.

Preparation: Cut the brinjal into small pieces.

Cooking: Heat oil in a wok. Add the chopped green chillis, crushed garlic flakes, black cumin seeds, & curry leaves. Fry for a minute.

Add the brinjal pieces and sprinkle salt and turmeric. Fry for 5 minutes till it softens.

Add about 1 1/2 cups of water along with the tamarind paste and bring to a boil.

Cover with a lid and allow to simmer for 7-8 mins. Add the powdered jaggery at this stage and boil for 2-3 mins till it is mixed well.

Remove from stove and serve it with rice.

Karanji - a sweet snack

Cooking Time Required: 20-30 mins
Cost of preparation: 35-45 rupees

Ingredients:
For dough: Maida ( 2 cups ), ghee ( 3 tbs ), water, salt to taste.

For stuffing: coconut ( 1 no ), powdered jaggery / sugar ( 4-5 tsp ), cardamon ( 2-3
nos ), ghee ( 1 tbs ), salt to taste.

Oil for deep frying.

Preparation: Heat the ghee and add to the maida . Sprinkle salt and just enough water to make a stiff dough. Knead well and keep aside for 15 mins.

Grate the coconut and keep aside.

Cooking: Heat a pan. Add ghee followed by the jaggery and allow it to melt.

Add the grated coconut and stir fry for 5-6 mins. ( If sugar is used, add the sugar at this stage )

Sprinkle the powdered cardamon and mix well. Remove from the stove.

Make small balls from the dough. Roll into small circles.

Put a small amount of the stuffing on the circles and close the edges with a little water to get a semi-circular shape. ( One can also make use of the moulds available in the markets )

Heat sufficient oil in a wok. Add the karanji to the hot oil and fry to a golden brown.Remove from wok and keep aside.

This can be kept in a airtight container and consumed within 3-4 days.

Masala Lemonade

Preparation Time: 5-6 mins
Cost of preparation: 10-15 Rupees

Ingredients: Lemon ( 1 no, large ), beet salt/black salt ( 1/2 tsp ), chaat masala (1/2 tsp ), sugar ( 4 tsp ), ice-cubes ( 4-5 nos ), water ( 1 1/2 glasses ), salt ( 1 pinch ).

Preparation: Put the water in a mixer jar. Add sugar, ice cubes, black salt and chaat masala. Cut the lemon into two and squeeze the juice into the mixer jar.

Mix on lowest speed for 2-3 mins till sugar dissolves.

Pour into glasses. Top up with more crushed ice if required.

Tangy and refreshing cooler is ready.

Karadi Achara ( Bamboo shoot pickle )

Cost of Preparation: 30-40 rupees

Ingredients: Bamboo shoots ( cut into thin long strips, tightly packed into a 200 ml
cup ), lemon juice ( 3-4 tsp ), green chillis ( 5-6 nos ), turmeric ( 1/5 tsp ), salt to taste, mustard oil ( 6 tsp ), fenugreek powder ( 2 pinch ), cumin powder ( 2 pinch ).

Preparation: Dry the fresh bamboo shoots in the sun for 2-3 days. Transfer to a mixing bowl, add the salt, turmeric and lemon juice and mix well.

Transfer to a glass bottle. Keep aside for 5-6 days to soften, preferably in the sun.

After the bamboo shoots become very tender, add the mustard oil along with the powdered masalas. Mix well.

Keep in a airtight bottle.

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.

Mutton Rogan Josh

Cooking Time Required: 40-45 mins
Cost of preparation: 200-250 rupees

Ingredients: Mutton ( cut into small pieces, 500 gm ), onion ( 1 no., large ),
ginger-garlic paste ( 2 tsp), Dried Ginger/Soonth powder - 1 tsp, cumin powder - 1 tsp, coriander Powder - 2 tsp, Kashmiri Degi Mirch - 1 tsp, turmeric ( 1/2 tsp), asafoetida ( 2/3 tsp), fennel powder ( 1 tsp ), green cardamom - 2 pods, cinnamon - 1-inch stick, cloves- 2 nos, bay leaf - 1 no, peppercorns ( 8-9 nos), mace ( few strands ), whole red chillis ( 2 nos), yogurt ( 1/2 cup ), mustard oil ( 6-7 tsp ), salt.

Preparation: Wash and clean the mutton pieces. Drain all excess water. Add 1 tsp of
mustard oil and mix well. Keep aside for 10 mins.

Add the yogurt, salt and turmeric. Mix throughly and keep aside for 3-4 hours.
















Cooking: Heat 1-2 oil in a pan. Chop the onion into small pieces and add to the pan.
Fry till to nice brown shade. Grind into a smooth paste.

Heat the remaining oil in a wok ( one with a heavy lid ). Add the asafoetida along with dry whole spices. Fry till they give off a nice fragrance.

Add the onion paste and fry for 2-3 mins. Add the ginger garlic paste and fry till raw smell goes off.

Add all the powdered spices to the marinated mutton and mix well. Transfer the mutton pieces to the wok along with any remaining liquid and salt to taste.

Fry for 10-15 mins. Add 1 1/2 cups of water and cover with lid and allow to cook till the mutton is very soft and ready to fall off the bones.

Serve with white (Basmati) rice and a simple cucumber-tomato salad.

















Note: I have not used Ratanjot which gives the distinct red color to the original Kashmiri dish which is not freely available nowadays. Neither have i used red food coloring.

The gravy is a little thin and not very hot in the Original recipe and i have followed suit. One can add more chillis according to ones' preference.

Prestige Smart Kitchen Review

I am not a social reformer nor am i trying to make a name for myself by defaming others. But i believe that every voice counts and i need to make myself heard. Will be posting regular feedbacks on the products being launched in the market and my experiences with them.

These days Prestige is heavily promoting their 'Smart Kitchen' line. The company has also launched 'Exchange Offers' to boost the sales of its new products. The products are supposed to make one's life much better and easier.

I decided to buy their Induction Cook-Top as it is supposed to make cooking faster and also produces no heat thereby making the kitchen a much cooler place.

The dealer was all sugar and spice when making the sale. However our troubles started soon after when the unit developed an electrical problem within 3 months of use. It started sparking heavily and even blew out the fuse for the entire house.

We took the unit to the dealer and he said it would take 4-5 days as the company service person was not available on the same day. Ever since we have been following up with the dealer with no positive results.

Not only me but others in my office and in my friends circle have faced quality issues with Prestige products.

A word of caution for all : Please be careful when buying products from Prestige dealers.

Channa Chadchadi

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

Ingredients: Bengal gram ( 1 cup ), onion (1 no., small), green chilli ( 1 no.),
coriander powder ( 1/5 tsp), roasted cumin-chilli powder (1/4 tsp), cumin seeds ( 2 pinch ), mustard seeds ( 2 pinch ), fennel seeds ( 2 pinch ), fenugreek seeds ( 1 pinch ), 1 tsp oil, salt to taste, chopped coriander leaves ( 1 tsp ) .

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

Soak the Bengal gram overnight. Wash and cook for 2-3 whistles. Drain the excess water and keep aside.

Cooking: Heat the oil in a pan. Add the seeds ( mustard, cumin, fennel & fenugreek ) followed by the onion pieces and fry till translucent. Add the green chilli and boiled bengal gram along with salt.

Stir fry for 5 mins. Add the coriander powder, oasted cumin-chilli powder and chopped coriander leaves. Remove from fire.

Serve with mudhi/muri/bhel as a snack or with rice and dalma as part of a meal.

Note: Channa chadchadi with white rice and
href="http://authenticoriyafood-oriyarasoi.blogspot.com/2010/07/cooking-time-required-10-mins-cost-of.html">Dahi Aloo is a quick-fix lunch option and can be prepared in less than 15 mins ( if one boils the channa and potato the previous night ).















To reduce the calories, one can also substitute the yogurt in Dahi Aloo with
buttermilk.

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.