Capsicum boat stuffed with Chilli fish

Cooking Time Required 30-35 mins
Cost of preparation: 60-70 rupees

Ingredients: Fish fillet ( 150 gm ), Capsicum ( 2 large ), onion ( 1 large ), red/green chillis ( 5-6 nos ), chilli vinegar ( 1 tsp ), soya sauce ( 1 tsp ), finely cut garlic ( 1 tsp ), pepper powder ( 1/4 tsp), salt, tomato sauce ( 1 tsp ), ajinomoto ( 1/4 tsp), turmeric ( 1-2 tsp ), oil ( 3-4 tsp ), oil.

Preparation: Wash and marinate the fish with salt and a pinch of turmeric.

Cut the onions into thin long pieces. Slice the capsicum into 2 halves. Remove the pith and the seeds.

Cooking: Heat a pan. Drizzle with oil. Add the fish and fry lightly on both sides. Remove from the pan and allow to cool down.

Remove the bones from the fish. Mash lightly and keep aside.

Heat a pan. Add 2 tsp oil. Add the onions and green/red chillis, Fry lightly. Add the mashed fish and fry for 2-3 mins.

Add the chilli vinegar, soya sauce, tomato sauce, garlic pieces, ajinomoto, pepper powder and a bit of salt. Fry for 1 min.

Smear oil all over the capsicum halves. Stuff the chilli fish into the capsicum halves. Microwave / bake at 180 degrees for 3 mins.

Serve hot with tomato sauce as an appetizer.

Vegetable cutlet ( Vegetable Chop )

Cooking Time Required: 30 mins
Cost of Preparation: 45-55 rupees
Makes 8-10 nos.


Ingredients: Potato ( 2 nos, large ), finely chopped beetroot ( 4-5 tbs ), finely cut carrot ( 4-5 tbs ), green peas ( 1/2 cup ), onion ( 1 no, small ), green chilli ( 2 nos), coriander powder ( 1/3 tsp ), jeera-lanka (cumin-chilli) powder ( 1/3 tsp), bread crumbs ( 2/3 cup), turmeric, salt, oil for deep frying.

For the batter: 4 tbs besan ( gram flour), cornflour ( 2 tbs ), ginger garlic paste ( 1 tsp ), baking powder ( 1 pinch ), salt.

Preparation: Mix all the ingredients for the batter along with water into a paste of medium to thick consistency .Keep aside. Cut the onion and green chilli into small pieces.

Cooking: Boil the potatoes. Peel and mash them.

Heat 2 tsp of oil in a pan. Add the onion and chilli.Fry til onion becomes translucent. Add the beetroot, carrot and green peas. Stir fry till they are cooked .( Should not take longer than 4-5 mins ).

Add the turmeric powder, coriander powder, jeera-lanka and stir fry for 30 secs. Follow with mashed potatoes and salt. Mix all the potato and the other vegetables. Cook for 5 mins.

Remove from fire and allow to cool down to a tolerable temperature. Mould into oblong pieces of length 3 inches approx.

Put into the batter. Shake off excess batter and roll on bread crumbs. ( This step should be repeated 2-3 times if one prefers a thick crust )

Heat a wok with sufficient oil for frying. Add the vegetable cutlets 3-4 at a time. Allow to turn brownish red ( the beetroot gives it a reddish color ). Remove and keep on a tissue/blotting paper.

Serve hot with tomato ketchup.

Capsicum Rice

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

Ingredients: Rice (1 cup), capsicum ( 1 no), onion ( 1 no ), soya sauce ( 1 tsp ),
tomato sauce ( 1 tsp ), chilli flakes ( 1/2 tsp ), ajinomoto (1 pinch), salt, olive oil ( 1 tsp ).

Preparation: Cut the capsicum and onion into small pieces and keep aside.

Cooking: Cook the rice with salt and 2 cups water in a pressure cooker for 1 whistle.

One can also cook rice in a open vessel if one is not pressed for time.

Keep aside and allow to cool down completely.

Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a pan. Add the onion and saute till translucent. Add the
capsicum and fry for 1-2 mins.

Add ajinomoto, soya sauce and tomato sauce. Stir fry for 1 min.

Spread the cooked rice over the onion and capsicum and sprinkle salt and chilli flakes.

Do not stir. Cover with a lid. Switch off the flame after 30 secs.

Note: This is one quick and easy to make lunch box recipe. It tastes good even if it is not so hot.

Panasa dalma ( Kathal wali daal )

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

Ingredients: raw jackfruit ( medium sized pieces, 1 cup ), moong dal ( 1 1/2 cup), potato ( 1 no, medium ), tomato ( 1 no., big ), fennel seeds ( 1 tsp ), red chillis ( 4-5 nos ), garam masala ( 1/5 tsp ), bay leaves ( 2-3 nos ), jeera-lanka powder ( 1/3 tsp ), ghee ( 1 tbs ), salt, turmeric.

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

Wash and cut the potato into cubes. Cut the tomato into half and deseed it.

Cooking : Wash dal and add to pressure cooker. Add the potato and tomato to the cooker. Add salt and turmeric along with cups water.

Close lid and boil for 1 whistle. Allow steam to escape.

Add the jack-fruit pieces along with garam-masala. Boil for 2 whistles. Keep aside.

Heat a pan. Add the fennel seeds, broken red chillis and bay leaves. Dry roast for 5-6 secs. Add ghee.

Pour the tempering over the boiled dal. Sprinkle jeera-lanka powder.

Serve hot with rotis/rice.

Lassi - My Holi Special!!!

Cost of Preparation: 30-40 Rupees
Preparation Time: 10-15 mins
Makes : 2 glasses

Lassi in Orissa is quite different from the one served in the North. During Summer months, all these small tents come up all around the main markets in the cities. . One which comes to a speedy recall is the 'Lingaraj Lassi' in Bhubneshwar. They sell this fantastic variety of lassi ( complete with rabri, grated coconut and crushed biscuits ). Well....i can say that if you grew up in such a place, you would acquire a taste for it.

I have tried out two low calorie variants of this yummy lassi which i served to friends who came to wish us on Holi.

For the coconut & choclate lassi:















Ingredients: Curd ( 1 1/2 cup ), milkmaid ( condensed milk, 3-4 tbs ), grated coconut ( 1 cup ), grated Cadburys chocolate ( 3-4 tsp ), vanilla icecream ( 2 scoops ), sugar/sugar-free ( 2 tsp or equivalent ), ice cubes.

Preparation: Churn the curd, milkmaid, suagr/sugar-free and 1 cup of water along with 2-3 ice-cubes till frothy. ( Do not add too many ice-cubes, it will turn the lasssi watery. )

Pour into glasses till 3/5th full. Add the icecream over it to make it 4/5th full. Add the grated coconut and chocolate to the remaining 1/5th part.

Serve immediately.

For the cinnamon cookies & dry fruits lassi:
















Ingredients: Curd ( 1 1/2 cup ), milkmaid ( condensed milk, 3-4 tbs ), crushed cinnamon cookies ( 3/4 cup ), sliced almonds & cashews ( 1/4 cup ), raisins ( 1/5 cup ), vanilla icecream ( 2 scoops ), sugar/sugar-free ( 2 tsp or equivalent ), ice cubes.

Preparation: Soak the raisins for 2-3 hrs

Churn the curd, milkmaid, suagr/sugar-free and 1 cup of water along with 2-3 ice-cubes till frothy. ( Do not add too many ice-cubes, it will turn the lasssi watery. ) Add the soaked raisins and churn for 5 secs.

Pour into glasses till 3/5th full. Add the icecream over it to make it 4/5th full. Add the crushed cookies and sliced dry fruits to the remaining 1/5th part.

Serve immdiately.

Kadali Manja Raee ( Plantain Stem Curry )

Kadali Manja or banana stem happens to be one of those delicious vegetables that are extremely low in calories and also loaded with fibers. It is highly recommended to those suffering from kidney/gall bladder stones, diabetes, hyper acidity and constipation. For ladies, who are usually prone to infections of the urinary tract, banana stem juice is considered to be an excellent home remedy.

Kadali Manja also happens to feature regularly in most odia meals. In the earlier days, almost every household had a few banana plants growing in their garden. Once the plant bore fruit and the plantain bunch was plucked, the plant was cut down and the tender portion of the stem extracted for consumption. Since, it is only the inner core of the stem that happens to be fit for consumption, the protective outer layers (more like a sheath) need to be discarded.

It is a rather cumbersome process yet the ladies in those days put in that extra bit of effort to ensure good health for the family. Given today's busy lifestyle, I have adapted the original recipe to reduce the cooking time as one cannot take any shortcuts with the prepping process.

Read on for the recipe -

Cooking Time Required: 15-20 mins ( Take it to be 45 mins including preparation )

Ingredients:

• 7-8 inches long Banana Stem
• 1 medium sized tomato
• 2-3 nos green chillis 
• 2 tsp thick mustard paste
• 6-7 nos garlic flakes (crushed)
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• salt to taste
• 2 tsp mustard oil for cooking
• 1 tbsp cut coriander leaves
• 1/2 tsp mustard oil for garnishing

Preparation: This is the most time consuming process. Clean and cut the banana stem into thin circles.

After slicing off one circle, one can feel the fibres when it tries to separate it from the remaining stem. Move you fingers in a circular motion and remove as much of the fibres as you can.

Cut the circles into small pieces. Add salt and turmeric and keep aside for half an hour.

After half an hour, squeeze out all the water from the banana stem pieces using both hands.

Cut the tomato into big chunks while removing the seeds.

Cooking: Take all the ingredients (except coriander leaves) into a pressure cooker. Add 1/4 cup water and close the lid. Cook for 1-2 whistles on medium flame.

Remove and keep aside till the steam escapes. Open lid and add the chopped coriander and 1/2 tsp raw mustard oil.

Note: Cook the banana stem immediately. If not then immerse in a bowl of warm water to which salt and turmeric has been added.

Muga Dali-Panasa Tarkari

Cooking Time Required: 30-40 mins
Cost of Preparation: 30-35 mins

Ingredients: raw jackfruit ( 1 no., small ), moong dal ( 1 cup), onion ( 1 no., medium ), tomato ( 1 no., small ), potato ( 1 no., medium ), garlic flakes ( 7-8 nos ), cinnamon ( 1 inch long ), cardamon ( 2 nos ), cloves ( 2-3 nos ), ginger-garlic paste ( 1 tbs ), cumin seeds ( 1 tsp ), coriander seeds ( 1 tsp ), red chilli ( 1/2 tsp ), whole red chillis ( 4-5 nos), pancha phutana ( 1/3 tsp ), salt, turmeric, oil, bay leaves ( 2-3 nos).

Preparation: Peel and cut the onion into cubes. Grind the onion cubes, garlic, red
chillis, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cardamon, cloves and cinnamon into a smooth
paste.

Cut the potato into long slices.

Cooking: Boil the moong dal with just sufficient for 1 whistle. Release the steam
immediately and cool it.

Cut the jackfruit into small cubes. Add to the half cooked moong dal with 1/3 cup water, salt and turmeric.
















Cook for 1 whistle or till the jackfruit softens.

Heat a wok. Add 6-7 tsp oil . Add turmeric, bay leaves and cumin seeds. When the seeds start spluttering, add the paste along with the sliced potatoes and chilli powder. Stir fry for 5-6 mins.

Add the ginger-garlic paste along with salt. Cook the paste till the oil separates .
















Add the boiled jackfruit and moong dal . Stir for about 5-6 mins.
















Add 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil and allow to simmer till the potatoes are cooked.

Remove from the stove.

Serve hot with rice or rotis.

Pudina (Mint) Chicken

Cooking Time Required: 14-15 mins
Cost of Preparation: 50-60 Rupees

Ingredients: Boneless chicken ( 250 gm ), white onions ( 1 no, large ), red chillis ( 4-5 nos ), garlic flakes ( 4-5 nos ), ginger garlic paste ( 1 tsp ), finely cut mint leaves ( 5 tbs ), finely cut coriander leaves ( 2 tbs ), yogurt ( 2 tsp ), cooking butter ( 3 tsp ), garam masala ( 1/3 tsp ), turmeric ( 1 pinch ), salt.

Preparation: Cut the onion into big chunks.

Heat 1 tsp cooking butter in a wok. Add the onion, 2 red chillis and garlic flakes. Saute till onion turns translucent.

Transfer to a grinder, add 3 tbs mint leaves and 2 tbs coriander leaves and make a fine paste.

Clean the chicken and transfer to mixing bowl. Add the onion paste, ginger garlic paste, yogurt, turmeric and salt. Marinate for 2-3 hours.

Cooking: Heat the remaining butter in a pressure cooker. Add red chillis followed by the marianted chicken. Fry for 3-4 mins.

Add the remaining mint leaves, garam masala along with 1/2 cup water. Close the lid and cook for 8-10 mins.

Remove from stove and check if done. If not, repeat for 4-5 mins.

Serve hot with roti/rice.

Kabuli Chana Palau ( Chickpeas Pulao )

Cooking Time Required : 20-25 mins
Cost of Preparation: 50-55 Rupees


Ingredients: Basmati rice ( 2 cups ), red chillis ( 3 nos ), onion ( 1 medium ),
chickpeas ( 1 cup ), cinnamon stick ( 2 inch long ), star anise ( 2-3 nos), javitri ( 1 flower ), cardamon ( 3-4 nos ), cloves ( 4-5 nos ), bay leaf ( 1-2 nos ), ghee ( 3 tsp ), salt .

Preparation: wash the rice and drain away all the water. Spread on a plate and allow to dry natuarally ( or under a fan ) for 30 mins.

Cut the Onion into thin pieces.

Cooking: Boil the soaked chick peas for 2 whistles and keep aside to cool. Drain away the water.

Heat ghee in a pressure cooker. Add the onion and saute till translucent. Add red chillis and whole spices at this stage. Saute for 30 secs.

Add the washed and dried rice. Stir fry for 2- mins. Add the boiled chick peas and stir fry for 1 min.

Add 2 1/2 cups of water. Close the lid and cook for 10 mins.

Allow steam to escape, open the lid and keep aside for 5-6 mins ( this will prevent the rice from breaking when it is very hot ).

Serve with raita and a vegetarian side dish.

Note: This can also be preapared without onion. One can add a few coriander stems instead.

Thank You Soumya & Harika !!!

Got up on a Saturday Morning to find an award waiting for me!!! Had to pinch myself....M I dreaming...refreshed the page..Yipee....its still there!!!!

Feels wonderful...you made my day guys!!

Thank you Soumya ( http://entepachakalokam.com/blog/) & Harika (http://harikaskitchen.blogspot.com/) for passing this award to me!!! Please do visit then for some very innovative and drool worthy recipes!!

I am passing this award to my fellow food bloggers :

Ayeesha of http://tasteofpearlcity.blogspot.com/

Priya of http://priyaeasyntastyrecipes.blogspot.com/
Reshmi of http://funwidfud.blogspot.com/
Jay of http://tastyappetite.blogspot.com/
Kalpana of http://lifewithspices.blogspot.com/
Aipi of http://usmasala.blogspot.com/

Happy blogging guys!!!

Methi Moong Dal

Cooking Time Required: 20-25 min
Cost of preparation: 35-40 Rupees

Ingredients: Moong dal ( 1 cup ), methi/fenugreek leaves ( 2-3 cups ), tomato (1 large), boiled arbi chunks ( 3/4 cup ), fennel seeds ( 1 tsp ), red chillis ( 3-4 nos ), salt, turmeric, oil ( 1 tsp ), ghee ( 1/2 tsp).

Preparation: Dry roast the moong dal in a pan till it gives off a fragrance.

Wash and transfer to a pressure cooker. Add salt and turmeric and boil for two whistles.
Keep aside to let off the steam.

Deseed and cut the tomato into chunks.

Cooking: Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan. Add the fennel seeds and red chillis.

Follow with the arbi and tomato chunks . Once the tomato softens, add the methi leaves with a bit of salt and cook till done.

Add the contents of the pan to the boiled moong in the pressure cooker. Boil for 2-3 mins. Add the ghee and remove from fire.

Serve hot with rice or rotis.

Note: The arbi can be substituted with potato if one does not prefer the former.