Lanka Bhaja ( Chilli fry )

Cooking Time Required: 5 mins
Cost Of Preparation: 5-10 Rupees

Ingredients: Fresh green chillis ( 8-10 nos ), mustard garlic paste ( 1 tsp ), crushed garlic ( 2 cloves ), mustard oil ( 1 tsp ), salt.

Preparation: Make a slit along the length of the chillis but do not halve them. Transfer to a mixing bowl.

Add salt, crushed garlic, mustard-garlic paste and a few drops of mustard oil. Rub it all over the chillis. Keep aside for 10 mins

Cooking: Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan. Add the chillis and fry for 4-5 mins.
Serve as a side-dish with pakhala or any non-vegetarian curry.

Sabitri Osa ( Brata )

Sabitri Osa is celebrated in Orissa by married women on the Sabitri Amavasya day ( no-moon day of the lunar calendar). It marks the occasion when Sabitri brought back her husband from the dead by pleading with and out-witting Lord Yama.

The day starts with the worship of Gods Lakshmi-Narayan. Prayers are offered for the
husband's long life. A new saree, sindoor, sankha-chudi, brata (sacred thread),aina(mirror), kajala (kajal) and alta are first worshipped and then worn by the women.



















Women then touch their husband's feet as a mark of respect and devotion. The katha (story) of Sabitri Satyawan ( has its roots in the Mahabharat ) is then read by one of the married ladies of the house.

Women keep a fast and eat only fruits, curd or sagu (subudana) twice during the day.















As eating cooked food items are not permitted, the sagu( which is more filling as compared to fruits ) is soaked for 2-3 hours. Cut fruits, curd, coconut and sugar are added to it and mixed. This is not offered as prasad to the Gods. Rather it is eaten in addition to the fruits which were worshipped.

Vanilla Float

Cost of Preparation: 50-60 Rupees
Preparation Time: 5-10 mins

Ingredients: Chilled Coke/Pepsi/Thums up ( 250 ml), vanilla icecream scoops ( 2 nos ), crushed mint leaves /strawberry syrup/orange zest ( any one flavour ), icecubes.
For serving: Small sized ( 150 ml ) glasses ( 2 nos ).

Preparation: Add abt 50 ml of the coke to the mixer jar. Add the flavour of your choice and ice-cubes. Churn for 30-40 seconds.

Pour immediately into the glasses in equal amounts. Top up with the remaining coke and add the icecream on top.

Serve immediately.

Note: One can also experiment with other flavours. I had tried out only the above listed ones and liked the minty flavour the most.

Another Recognition - Interesting Blogg(er) Award!!!

This wonderful award was passed on to me by Chandrani Banerjee of Cuisine Delights. She has a lovely blog with lots of delightful Bengali recipies. Will keep visiting you Chandrani for more recipies and hope that others will follow me.....

















I would love to share this award with my friends :

1. Ayeesha of http://torviewtoronto.blogspot.com/
2. Shanavi of http://jellybelly-shanavi.blogspot.com/
3. Priya of http://priyaeasyntastyrecipes.blogspot.com/
4. Mugdha of http://mugdha-cookingfundas.blogspot.com/
5. Deepa of http://hamareerasoi.blogspot.com/

Butter Chicken

Butter Chicken is perhaps one of the most popular dishes to be ordered at any Punjabi restaurant. Chicken pieces simmered in a rich gravy, this is one curry which is low on the heat index. As one moves towards the Northern reaches of India, it even gets progressively sweeter and richer. However at the same time, it has a calorie count that is guaranteed to send you scurrying for the nearest gym on the very next day. At least some health freaks like me would be feel the same way !!

But it is my personal opinion that this is one dish that is enjoyed best at the roadside dhabas where it acquires a whole new flavor !! This is my own recipe which is relatively lower in calories and equally tasty. The trick lies in marinating the chicken for a longer duration and then cooking it on a low flame.

Read for the recipe -

Cooking Time Required: 35 mins

Ingredients:

For marination -

• 300 gm chicken pieces
• 2 tbsp thick yogurt
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 7-8 almonds ( 7-8 nos )
• 2 green cardamon
• 3 cloves
• 1 inch cinnamon
• 2 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 2 medium sized tomatoes
• 2 pinch turmeric ( a pinch )
• salt to taste

For cooking Butter Chicken :

• 4-5 crushed garlic cloves
• 1 large onion (finely chopped)
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 1 inch cube cooking butter
• 2 tsp oil ( 1 tsp )
• 1/5 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp kasuri methi 
• 2 tsp honey 
• salt

Preparation: Rub salt and turmeric on the chicken pieces and keep aside for 10 mins.

Grind the whole spices, almonds and tomatoes into a sooth paste. Add yogurt &
ginger-garlic paste and blend for 30 secs.

Transfer the chicken pieces to a large bowl. Pour the paste into the bowl and mix well. Keep aside for 1 hour.


Cooking: Heat the oil and cooking butter in a wok. Add the chopped onions and crushed garlic .Fry for 3-4 mins till the sides start turning brown.

Add the contents of the marination bowl. Stir fry for 10 mins. Add 1 tsp coriander
leaves along with 1 cup water and simmer for 2 mins.

Remove from the stove and add the cream. Stir continuously for 2-3 mins. Allow to simmer for 5-6 mins or till the chicken is done.

Sprinkle garam masala and coriander leaves, and remove from the stove. Serve hot with rotis.

Carrot & Dates Milkshake

Cost of preparation: 20-25 rupees
Preparation time: 10-12 mins

Ingredients: Diced carrot ( 1 cup ), dates ( 6-7 nos), milk ( 1 glass ), condensed milk ( 1 tbs ), ice-cubes, chilled water.

Preparation: Soak the dates in a cup of milk for 3-4 hours. Deseed and add to a grinder along with the carrot cubes. Add a few tsps chilled water.

Grind into a smooth paste.

Now add the milk, condensed milk and ice-cubes. Churn for 1 min.

Pour into glasses and serve immediately. Add more ice-cubes if required.

Note: I have avoided adding sugar as the carrot, dates and the condensed milk contain sugar ( Also being calorie conscious i prefer less sugar ). One may add sugar as per taste.

Mango raita

Cooking time required: 20-25 mins
Cost of preparation: 15-20 rupees

Ingredients: Large green mango ( i used one that was just begining to ripen)(1 no), red chilli (2 nos), jaggery ( to taste ), garam masala ( 2 pinches ), jeera-lanka (
cumin-chilli ) powder ( 1 pinch ), salt to taste.

Cooking: Wash and put the whole mango inside the oven. Bake at 170-180 degrees for 18-20 mins.

Remove the mango and allow it to cool down. Remove the peel and scrape the pulp into a mixing bowl. Add the jaggery ( powdered ), cumin-chilli powder, garam masala and salt.

Roast the broken dry chillis on a pan without any oil for 30-40 secs, and add to the
mixing bowl. Slightly rub it into the mango.

Serve with rice and a non-vegetarian side dish.

Note: This is an authentic Malwani preparation which i happened to watch on the telly and the mango is traditionally cooked on a wood fire. The red chillis and cumin-chilli powder are not part of the original recipe.

Chicken popcorn

Cooking Time Required: 10-15 mins
Cost of Preparation: 35-40 Rupees

Ingredients:
For marinate : Bite-sized chicken pieces ( 100 gm ), beaten egg white ( 2 tsp ), cornflour ( 1 tsp ), soya sauce ( 1/2 tsp ), ajinomoto ( 1/5 tsp ), garlic flakes ( 7-8 nos ), onion paste ( 1 tsp ), pepper powder ( to taste), salt.

For deep frying : oil .

Preparation: Mix all the ingredients for marination in a large bowl. Keep aside for 1hour.

Cooking: Heat sufficient oil in wok for deep frying the chicken.

Add the chicken pieces in small batches. Lower the flame. Fry for 3-4 mins.
Remove from wok and keep aside.

Add the fried chicken to a bowl. Sprinkle coriander powder, chili powder, pepper powder and a pinch of salt. Shake it well to coat the spices all over the chicken pieces.

Serve hot as an appetizer or even a side dish.

Mudhi Bhaja ( Fried puffed rice )

Cooking Time Required: 10-15 mins
Cost of preparation: 20-25 Rupees

Ingredients: Mudhi ( puffed rice, 1 large bowl ), onion ( 1 small), potato ( 1 small ), peanuts ( 1/2 cup ), green chilli ( 1-2 nos ), curry leaves ( 1-2 sprigs ), salt, oil ( 2-3 tsp).

Preparation: Cut the onion, potato & green chillis into small pieces.

Cooking: Heat the oil in a wok. Add the green chilli and curry leaves. Fry for 30 secs.

Follow with the peanuts. When the peanuts start crackling, add the onion And stir fry for 1 min.

Add the potato and stir fry till cooked. Add the puffed rice at this stage and fry for 3-4 mins.

Serve hot .

Note: Garnish with mixture( Haldiram's will do)/farsan to make it spicier.

Simba Chadchadi

Cooking Time Required: 10-15 mins
Cost of preparation: 20-25 Rupees

Ingredients: Tender Simba/Sem/Flat beans ( 200 gm ), red chillis ( 2-3 nos ), thick
mustard-garlic paste ( 1 tsp ), pancha phutana ( 1/3 tsp), gota muga/biri dali (
de-husked) ( 1/3 cup ), turmeric, salt, mustard oil for cooking ( 2 tsp ).

Preparation: Clean and de-vein the flat beans. Cut into very small pieces.

Cooking: Take the cut beans in a sauce-pan. Add mustard-garlic paste, salt and just
sufficient water to cover the beans. Cover with a lid and cook for 7-8 mins or till
tender.

Remove from fire and keep aside. Do not throw away any excess water.

Heat the oil in a pan. Add the broken red chillis and pancha-phutana. Add the muga/biri dali and fry for 2 mins; follow with the boiled flat beans. Stir fry on a high flame for 2-3 mins.

Serve with rice/rotis.

Re-posting : A few random clicks from BBSR and around!!!

Tangi - A nondescript village situated approximately 10 kms from Cuttak, is famous for its 'Karaka' pitha . A delicious sweet prepared from maida cooked in milk, with a rich stuffing of chenna ( cottage cheese ), nadia ( coconut), guda ( jaggery ) and a flavouring agent like karpura/gujrati ( edible camphor / cardamon ).



















Kakharu Badi ( the large white ones)/ Khaee Badi - Dried dumplings of ( beeri )urad bal with green pumpkin / puffed rice & sesame seeds.

While the former is usually added to curries and used in badi chura, the latter is fried and consumed a snack or used in place of papad.


















Rasagullas being sold at a shop in Pahala. If one is fortunate/patient enough, one can get a glimpse of the entire process and a chance to sample some of the yummy chenna. Another speciality of Pahala is the 'Mati Handi Mansa' or mutton cooked in earthen pots.


































The awesome streets of BBSR......love the grafitti/paintings ( inspired by the Patta chitras ) which line the walls!!!