Caramel Custard

Caramel Custard is one gorgeous looking pudding which can also be quite low on the calorie meter. The soft layer of caramelized or slightly burnt sugar on top lends it a somewhat bitter yet distinct taste (quite like a tofee but little bitter ). A sure shot winner when served at sit down dinners, this one is surprisingly easy to prepare ( and ridiculously low-budget too ).

While the original calls for the use of eggs, I used the Brown & Polson Custard powder ( Vanilla flavour ) which is an egg-free formula. And as my readers already know, I am not into fancy molds/ramekins. So, I opted for a simple steel bowl or katori ( one can find them in all indian homes ) and it turned out quite well. With a whole lot of designs cropping up in the steel dinnerware, one can easily find square, oval or even flower shaped katoris.

I opted a pressure cooker ( with a stand inside ) for cooking the pudding. If you do not have one of these stands, use a raised steel/iron mesh ( the kind that is used to avoid putting a hot kadhai/vessel directly on the table ). Read on for the recipe:

Preparation Time - 30 mins

Ingredients - 3 cups boiled milk, 6 tbs milk powder, 3 tsp custard powder, 6 tsp sugar, 1/2 cup sugar for caramelizing, butter for greasing the bowls/molds.

Preparation - Lightly grease the bowls with butter. Dissolve the custard powder in 1/2 cup slightly warm milk.

Cooking - Heat the 1/2 cup sugar in a thick bottomed pan on a low heat. Stir at regular intervals. It will turn melt and turn golden brown. You can allow it to turn a few shades darker ( if you like a little bitterness ) but remove it from flame when it is just short of starting to smoke.

Pour into the bowls and swirl gently to cover the bottom of the bowls. Allow to stand and solidify .

Bring milk to a boil in a saucepan. Remove some of the milk to another cup, add milk powder, mix well and pour back into the saucepan. Add sugar and dissolve.

Pour the milk-custard powder mix into the saucepan slowly with continuous stirring. Cook for 3-4 minutes till it thickens. Carefully adjust heat to avoid burning the bottom contents of the pan. Remove from flame and pour into the bowls/molds.

Put a stand inside a wide mouthed pressure cooker. Place the bowls inside it and pour water gently so that the bowls are half immersed. Remove the weight and put on the lid of pressure cooker.

Cook on medium flame for 15 minutes. Switch off burner and allow to stand for another 5-10 minutes.

Open lid and remove the bowls. Insert a knife in the center and if it comes out clean, pudding is done. Else cook for another 4-5 minutes.

To unmold, run a knife around the sides of the bowl. Place a plate on top of each bowl and turn over carefully. The pudding will come out nice and wobbly. Pour the remaining caramel sauce over it.

Serve right away or chill if for 2-3 hours before serving.

Oats Khara Bhath

Khara Bhath or 'Masala Upma' is very popular South Indian breakfast. It is easy to make and good to eat. I used to make it and carry it for office lunch/breakfast at least twice or thrice in a week. As i used to put in lots of veggies and quite less oil, it packed a low calorie but nutritious meal. While it tastes great when hot, it is still good to eat after a few hours ( Read COLD ).

But as I have turned into a great fan of whole grains these days, I could not resist adding by favorite whole grain...Aka..OATS to this recipe. Combining semolina with oats in the ratio of 1:1 makes this dish even more wholesome and appealing to weight watchers / health conscious folks. Read on for the recipe:

Preparation Time : 25 mins

Ingredients: 1 cup semolina, 1 cup oats, 1 medium sized onion, 1 green chilli, 1 sprig curry leaves, 1/4 cup green peas, 1 small tomato, 1/5 tsp garam masala powder powder, 1/5 tsp coriander powder, 1/4 tsp red chilli powder,  a pinch of turmeric, 1/2 tsp kasuri methi, 1/5 tsp mustard-cumin seeds, 2 tsp ghee/oil, salt to taste, a dash of lemon/pinch of amchur (optional).

Preparation - Chop the onion and tomato into small pieces. Keep aside.
Make 2-3 small slits in the green chilli.

Cooking - Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan. Add the semolina and oats to the pan. Roast for 6-7 minutes till the semolina gives off a light fragrance. Remove and keep aside.

Add the remaining oil to the same wok. Add curry leaves, green chilli and the mustard-cumin seeds.

Once the seeds almost stop spluttering, add the onion and fry till translucent.

Add the green peas and chopped tomato ( use can also use veggies like carrots and beans ). Stir fry for 3-4 minutes.

Add all the powdered masalas and cook for another 2 minutes.

Add 3 1/2 cups of boiling water along with salt. Add the roasted semolina-oats mix into the boiling water, mix well and cook on medium flame till all water is absorbed.

Add the lemon juice/amchur.

Serve hot with a coconut chutney.

Note : One can also add a fistful of cashews/peanuts to this recipe. But I have avoided the same as it was intended to be low in calories.

Gulgula

'Gulgula' or fried sweetened wheat balls are one of the dying varieties of Oriya street food/sweets. These were very popular and much in demand not too long back but have lost to the increasing popularity of other fast food items. However these remain a personal favorite and my Mom made a batch for me last week. While most of the vendors sell lemon sized balls of Gulgula ( which resemble the Mysore Bonda ), I dig these tiny bite sized ones . Read on for the recipe:

Preparation Time : 20 mins

Ingredients : 1 cup wheat flour, 1 very ripe banana, 1/3 cup grated coconut, 3-4 tsp sugar, pinch of cardamon, pinch of edible camphor, pinch of baking powder, 2 tsp semolina ( this is optional and Mom had used it as the batter had turned a little watery ), 1/3 cup milk, oil for deep frying.

Preparation: Take the ripe banana in a mixing bowl. Mash it well, add coconut, sugar and milk. Add the wheat little by little and make into a smooth batter with a heavy spoon.

Add cardamon powder, edible camphor and baking powder.

Cooking : Heat  the oil a deep wok.  Drop 5-6 spoons of the batter at a time and fry on all sides till deep brown. Remove and place on paper towels.

Repeat for the remaining batter.

Serve hot or cold.

Note - For better presentation( and if you are not feeling lazy ), serve with slices of banana, a drizzle of honey and a scoop of  vanilla icecream/whipped cream.

Saru Patra Chutney ( Arbi Leaf Chutney )

'Arbi' or Colocassia is otherwise known as 'Saru' in Oriya. While almost everyone is familiar with this root ( it grows underground just like potatoes ), the usage or consumption of its leaves is rather restricted. However, these leaves are quite delicious when tender and are popularly made into chutneys or fritters (pakodas) in certain parts of Orissa. The young leaves which have just uncurled or are about to do so are the best pick. Today I will be sharing one such recipe ( courtesy my Mom ). Read on:

Preparation Time : 15 mins

Ingredients: 7-8 nos Colocassia/Saru leaves, 1 medium sized onion, 1/2 tsp pancha phutana, 2 dry red chillis, 1 tsp tamarind paste, 2 tbs powdered jaggery, pinch of turmeric, salt to taste, 2 tsp oil.

Preparation: Roughly chop up the colocassia/saru leaves. Chop the onion into small pieces.
Dissolve the tamarind paste in 2 tbs of water.

Cooking: Boil 4-5 cups of water. Add the chopped leaves into it and boil for 5 minutes. Drain off all the water and keep aside.

Heat the oil in a oil. Add broken red chilli and pancha phutana. When the spluttering almost stops, add onion. Fry till translucent.

Add the boiled leaves and sprinkle salt and turmeric over them. Stir fry for 4-5 minutes till they start to somewhat dissolve.

Add tamarind paste and powdered jaggery. Cook for another 3-4 minutes or till it turns into a paste.

Serve with rice/rotis.

Pala Chattu Bara (Mushroom chop)

Mushrooms are a delight for vegetarians and people who want to lose weight. While being high in water content, they also happen to pack in a load of anti-inflammatory compounds and vitamins (especially Vitamin D ). One of the best substitutes for red meat, they are also fat-free, cholesterol-free and low in sodium. Little wonder that it finds its place of honor in Chinese medicine.

However a word of caution. Buy organic mushrooms or at least try to find where they are being sourced from as they happen to absorb heavy metals / toxins rather quickly.

'Pala Chattu' or mushrooms that grow naturally on rotting straws happen to be my favorite variety of mushrooms. As my visits to our villages have almost stopped, I do miss these mushrooms. But these days cultivated Pala Chattu is widely available in Orissa. These mushrooms have a distinct red color on the underneath.

While chattu is more commonly consumed as a curry (tarkari) in these parts of Orissa, 'Chattu Bara' or 'Chattu Chop' also happens to be a popular snack option. Read on for the recipe:

Preparation Time - 30 minutes

Ingredients - 500 gm Pala Chattu, 1 large boiled potato, 1 large onion, 3-4 green chillis, 5-6 garlic flakes, 3 tbs chopped coriander leaves, 1 tbs roasted cumin-chilli powder (jeera-lanka gunda), 2 tsp turmeric powder, salt to taste, oil for frying.

Preparation - Take water in a large vessel. Dissolve 1 1/2 tsp turmeric in it. Add the mushrooms and allow to soak for 30 minutes.

Drain off the water and chop into small pieces. Do not throw away stem as it is also edible.

Chop the onion into small pieces. Crush/grate the garlic flakes.

Cooking : Heat 2 tbs of oil in a wok/frying pan. Add the chopped mushroom along with remaining turmeric powder and 1/2 tsp salt, and stir fry on high flame till all the excess water evaporates. Remove and allow to cool down.

Transfer the mushroom to a mixing bowl. Add the boiled potato, chopped onion, green chilli, cumin-chilli powder, coriander leaves, crushed garlic flakes and salt to taste. Mix well.

Pinch some part of the above mixture and shape into flat circles of about 1/2 inch thickness .

Heat a frying pan. Drizzle generously with oil. Place the baras over the pan and cook on both sides to a light brown/deep brown as per preference. Each side takes about 6-7 minutes on a low flame ( preferable ).

Serve with a hot sauce as a starter or have it with white rice as a side dish.

If you do not happen to be lazy like me, you can make/cut it into interesting shapes and roll it in bread crumbs before deep frying them. Makes for a better appearance and crisper baras.

Maccha Besara Jholo (Its' Chadaa Khai Today)

Well......while the Panchuka period officially got over by Sunday (Kartika Purnima), the succeeding days of Monday and Tuesday had many people putting their 'Chadaa Khai' plans on hold. Hence the majority of us who had forsaken non-vegetarian items for the Kartika month (or atleast the Panchuka period ) will be eating out to our heart's content today.

Here is the 'Maccha Besara' that my mom made for Chadaa Khai. However if you are not particularly budget conscious ( and i really mean it as the prices of Non-veg goes through the roof during Chadaa Khai in Orissa ), I would recommend the  mouth-watering Kancha Illisi Tarkari, or the very delicious Mansa Kasa (though you can also opt for Mutton Rogan Josh if you like light gravies). For the Chicken lovers, there is the Classic chicken curry or the Chicken Kasa waiting to be sampled.

It's my special dish for today. Needless to say Mom's cooking is always special (more so if you are staying away from her). Get the recipe below:

Preparation Time : 20 mins

Ingredients :

• 4-5 pieces Rohu fish 
• 1 large potato 
• 2 medium sized tomato 
• 1 small onion
• 1-2 green chillis
• 4-5 tsp mustard oil
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• 1 small piece of dry mango (ambula)

For the mustard paste :

• 2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 5-6 garlic flakes
• 1 dry red chilli

Preparation: Add salt and 1/4 tsp turmeric to the fish pieces. Allow to marinate for 10 minutes.

Dry grind mustard, cumin and red chilli. Add the garlic flakes and a little water. Grind into a smooth paste.

Chop tomato and onion into small pieces and keep aside. Peel and cut the potato into chunks.

Cooking: Heat a non-stick tawa or skillet. Drizzle with 3 tsp oil. Add the marinated fish pieces and cook on both sides till light brown. Remove from tawa and keep aside.

Heat the remaining oil in a wok. Add the potatoes. Fry till light brown, then remove and keep aside.

Add the chopped onion and green chilli . Saute till the onions turn translucent.

Add chopped tomatoes and sprinkle a little salt on them. Keep covered for 1-2 minutes till they turn a little soft.

Dissolve the mustard paste in 1/2 cup water. Drain into the wok slowly while taking care to leave any solid residue in the cup. Add another 1 1/2 cups of water.

Bring to a boil. Add the fried potato and fish pieces. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder and add more salt if needed. Cook covered till the potatoes are done. Add the dry mango and simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Mash 2-3 pieces of potatoes into the gravy if you need a thicker version.

Drizzle a little mustard oil (about  1/2 tsp) over the gravy if you like the raw smell of mustard oil. Switch off the flame.

Serve hot with white rice.

Attakali ( Gaintha pitha )

Gaintha pitha or Attakali is a special pitha that is usually prepared during the oriya month of 'Margasira'. The thursdays that fall in this month are celebrated as 'Manabasa Gurubar', the worship of a vessel filled with rice grains that symbolizes Goddess Lakshmi. The married women keep a fast, eat only arwa or raw rice, prepare a variety of pithas from rice/rice flour and read a text called the 'Manabasa' Bahi. In some parts of Orissa the 'Lakshmi Hathi', brass figurines that symbolize Goddess Lakshmi are also worshiped on this day. These figurines are usually a family heirloom and are passed down by the lady of the house to her daughter in law. Check the snaps below:

In the left hand side corner of the above picture one can see the 'Dhana Benti', long stands of harvested paddy which also form an important part of this Puja. This year the first Gurubar of Margasira Masa falls on 21st November. But since Prathamasthami falls after this date (26th November), it will be celebrated in some parts of Odisha on 28th November.

The Kalasa ( on the left corner ) and the Manaa ( on the right corner behind the Deepam ) being worshipped in the above picture. The manaa is filled with paddy/rice and covered with a new cloth.

The special stone vessels known as 'Pathuri', used to offer the prasadam to Goddess Lakshmi.

Read on for the recipe for Gaintha pitha:

Preparation Time - 30-40 minutes

Ingredients - 2/3 cup arwa rice ( Sita bhog, Gobindo Bhog or even Sona masuri raw rice will do ), 1/2 tsp coarsely ground pepper, 2-3 green cardamon, 2-3 tsp ghee, (1/2 cup + 2-3 tsp) sugar, 3 cups milk, 1/5 tsp salt.

Preparation - wash and soak the rice for 2-3 hours. Drain all water and spread on a plate to dry (preferably in the balcony or under a fan) for 1-2 hours.

Take the rice in a grinder jar and grind into a smooth powder.

Cooking - Heat 2 cups of water in a wide base non-stick vessel. Add salt, pepper powder and 1-2 crushed cardamon to the boiling water. Add 2-3 tsp sugar.

Use a sieve to gently sift the rice flour into the boiling water. Keep stirring all the time to prevent formation of lumps.

Cook the rice flour till it turns into a stiff dough and leaves the sides of the vessel.

Allow to cool down for 10-15 minutes till it is bearable to touch.

Add the ghee to the dough and knead for 3-4 minutes to smooth/even it out. Take small lumps out of the dough and roll into small balls (smaller than a lemon).

Bring the milk to boil in a deep vessel. Add the sugar and remaining cardamon. (One can also add a little condensed milk at this stage).

Add the balls. Initially the balls will sink to the bottom. Boil for 5-7 minutes or till the ball begin to rise to the surface. This is now done. (Do not boil any longer or the balls will melt/break)

This recipe can also be prepared with suji (semolina).

Note - I recently came to know that they make a very similar recipe down south called Pala Undrallu.

Happy Kartika Purnima (And Happy Boita Bandana to my Oriya Friends)

Kartika Purnima is touted as the Holiest day in the Hindu calendar. As per folklore, people who die on this day go directly to Heaven. This day is observed with much religious activity in most parts of India. 'Deepam Daan' or 'Dipa Daana' as we call it in Oriya is a must on this day. Bali Jatra on the banks of river Mahanadi also kicks off on this day.

Boita Baandana is also celebrated on this day. While it started in very ancient times in reverence of Orissa's (then 'Kalinga') rich maritime heritage, it has turned out to be one of the most popular festivals. Most people get up at the crack of dawn, take a bath in the river and set afloat a small boat 'Boita' which has an earthen lamp, flowers and incense sticks in it. Traditionally this boat is made from the large red/maroon petals of the banana flower or the white banana stem ( you can see those in the below picture ).

Thermocool boats cut out in fancy shapes and decorated with colors and bunting are also popular these days. In case you find it difficult to find a water body nearby, do feel free to sail your boat in a large water tub or pool. Go grab your boat now !!

15 minute Choco Muffins (Children's Day Special)

Children are a nation's most valuable resource and its best hope for the future. These sentiments of  former US President J.F. Kennedy found an echo in our very own Chacha, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.  He understood the importance of children in building the country's future and proposed free primary education for all children. He was also the first proponent of the 'midday meal' scheme as we call it today. As a tribute, we celebrate his birthday (14th November) as Children's Day.

In case you have not planned anything special for your little one, this recipe comes just in the nick of time. These muffins are also a life saver when you have unexpected visitors. Since they need very little time and effort, one can easily prepare a batch while doing other household chores. Very useful when the kids suddenly ask for something sweet.

With a little chocolate frosting and decor sprinkled on top, these are good enough to serve as party snacks.

[As these disappeared as soon as they got out of the muffin tray, will upload a photo when i make the next batch]

Preparation Time - 15 mins (Makes 6 nos)

Ingredients - 1 cup all purpose flour, 1/2 cup Fortune refined rice bran oil, 1/2 cup sugar, 2/3 tsp baking powder, 1 egg, 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 tsp ENO, 2 1/2 tsp cocoa powder.

Preparation - Take the sugar in the dry grinding jar of a mixer-grinder. Grind for 1 minute.

Transfer to the whipping jar. Add the oil, egg and milk. Buzz for 3 minutes.

Take the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and ENO in a sieve. Sift gently into the whipping jar. Buzz for 30 seconds to 1 minute till the batter just comes together.

Cooking - Preheat the oven to 160 degrees.

Grease the muffin tray with butter/oil. Sprinkle a little flour.

Pour the batter into the cups till 2/3rd full.

Insert the tray into the oven and bake for 10 minutes.

Prick the center of the muffins with a tooth-pick to check if done. If not, bake for another 2 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Enjoy.

Boondi Raita

If I were asked to name a Raita that goes best with rotis (or any indian bread for that matter ), this one would win hands down. It was my dish of choice for breakfast/dinner along with rotis/parathas. While i was quite fussy when it came to vegetables in those days, nowadays I have it along with a simple roti-dry subzi.

Very easy to make if you have a packet of salted boondi (say Haldiram's ) lying at home. In fact this one is so simple that i felt silly posting the recipe. But i persisted thinking that if nobody else it might help some of my bachelor/single friends who find it quite a task to even whip up an omelette ( and its not always a case of lacking culinary skills but also the hectic schedule that we follow ).

Read on:

Preparation time : 30 mins ( 25 mins is the standby time when the boondi itself does all the work...yeah it has to soak up all that water)

Ingredients - 1 cup salted boondi, 1 cup yogurt, 1 cup water, 1-2 dry red chillis, 1 sprig of curry leaves, 1/4 tsp pancha phutana or only mustard/cumin seeds (as you wish), 1 pinch roasted cumin powder,  1 pinch powdered asafoetida,1/2 tsp oil, salt to taste.

Preparation -  Whisk the yogurt lightly to get a smooth texture. Take the boondi, beaten yogurt and water in a bowl. Allow to soak for 25-30 mins. (this may vary as some boondis become soft very soon)

Cooking - Heat oil in a tadka (tempering) pan. Add broken chilli and pancha-phutana/mustard/cumin. Once spluttering almost stops, add the curry leaves along with asafoetida.

Pour the mixture over the soaked boondis. Sprinkle salt and roasted cumin powder.

Mix well and serve (no need to chill).

Random snaps from my parents' Garden

Lemons waiting to be harvested. I rediscovered the heavenly taste of lime juice made from ripe lemons plucked right off the tree.

                                                                                                         
                                                               

The 'Annapurna' or Kewda/Kewra leaves. These very fragrant leaves were used to flavor Kheer or Chawal in earlier times. With a plethora of exotic spices being available these days, they are becoming something of a rarity. Pure nostalgia. They are also known as Pandan leaves.

Turmeric leaves waiting to be harvested for Prathamasthami. These form the outer warp of the 'Enduri pitha', a must have on the day. The fragrance of these leaves is very enticing.

Kalama sagaa vine bearing beautiful white flowers. The leaves and flowers if this plant are edible and quite a delicacy.

Betel nut (Paan) vine stealthily climbing the outer walls of the house. While a paan is usually offered to the guests by the host at the end of a typical Indian meal, the leaves have much religious importance too.






'Arbi' or Colocassia plant growing in the shade of a mango tree. While it is still time for the leaves to wither off and the 'arbi' lying under the soil to mature,  there is no stopping me from sampling a yummy chutney made from these tender leaves.