Spiced Banana Stem Buttermilk ( A digestive Summer drink )

"What !!! U made Sol Kadhi again ? ".

That was hubby wailing from the kitchen as he spotted yet another pitcher of light pink liquid sitting prettily on the counter. Unlike me who spent more that a year in Pune savoring the unique culinary heritage of the place, the poor guy is yet to acquire a taste for Kokum or it's pungent flavor profile as he described it to one of his Odia friends.

"Nopes. There you go again. Judging by mere appearances. Why don't you just take a whiff ?", I replied back. Silence ensued. A full minute ticked by and then some more time lapsed. The suspense was getting on my nerves. Finally I saved the Word document on which I had been slaving for sometime and stepped into the kitchen. 

"Gotcha". I surprised him and in the process almost made the glass slip out of his hands. After finding him sipping merrily from my pitcher and simultaneously being engrossed in his phone, that was the least I could do to get back at him. Not a word of appreciation !! Hmm....aren't men perfect examples of slobs ? 

After experimenting with a variety of raw vegetable juices that can be included in my family's menu, this one turned out to be a pleasant surprise. Not only it is loaded with soluble fibers, the raw banana stem is beneficial in curing a variety of gastro-intestinal disorders. And it is especially good after a heavy meal or during the summer months when the digestive tract turns sluggish. Plus it tastes really good when mixed with buttermilk and a few spices. In fact, I found it to be a good substitute for rasam ( which gives warmth to the body ) on the hot days. 

But the single greatest advantage of this recipe is that it can also be prepared by people who lack the skills to chop the banana stem. That has been the major hindrance i face when I advice people to include this wonderful vegetable in their regular diet. 

Read on for the recipe -

• a pinch of cumin seeds

Preparation Time - 10 mins ( plus 1 hour standby )

Ingredients - 

• 2 cups buttermilk
• 2-3 inches of tender banana stem
• a sprig of curry leaves
• 1 dry red chili
• 7-8 peppercorns
• 1/4 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp oil
• salt to taste

Preparation - Remove the outer layers of the banana stem. Wash the inner core and wipe it dry. 

Slice off and discard about 1/2 inch of the banana stem from both the ends. Cut slices about 3-4 mm thick and soak the round pieces in the buttermilk. Keep aside for 1 hour.

Transfer the buttermilk and the banana stem to a blender jar. Give it a good buzz and then strain the liquid. Discard the fibrous solids.

Heat the oil in a tempering pan. Add the red chili, peppercorn, mustard and cumin seeds. 

Once they get popping, add the curry leaves too. Remove from the flame. 

Add the tempering to the buttermilk. Season with salt and check for the consistency. 

Serve at room temperature.

Can be enjoyed as a after-meal digestive drink. Or have it mixed along with rice during meals. 

Sugarfree Thandai Shrikhand ( A very Happy Holi to Everyone :) )

"Gulal hai Bhaiya ?"

"Kaunsa color chahiye Maam ?"

"Pink aur Green de dijiye ."

"Kaunse flavour mein doon ?"

"Excuse me."

"Madam kaunsa flavour chahiye ? Jasmine, mogra, gulab ya chandan ?"

I was almost tempted to ask "bas itni hai ? Aur char paanch flavor bhi rakhna tha na Bhaiya ". But better sense prevailed and I asked him to give whatever he wanted as I had to wind up last minute Holi shopping and get back home to prepare dinner.

However the next stall had an ever greater surprise in store. Gone are the days when we were happy with those pichkaris that cost around 10 bucks each. The salesman duly presented me with the latest water gun which had a 2 liter water storage tank attached to it. And even before I could close my jaw which had dropped to threatening levels, yet another specimen was placed in my hands. This one could spray three different colors. And predictably, this 'state of the art' did not come cheap. Each gun was marked above Rs 1000.

Anticipating another tantrum, I quickly placed them back on the makeshift counter and dragged the kid to another stall. His protests quickly drowned out as I handed him a 'Chota Bheem' gun which was priced much more reasonably.

The final stop happened to be the local supermarket. I needed a few things for preparing desserts for the next day. One look at the shelves revealed endless bottles of Thandai jostling for space with a variety of bottled beverages and tinned/canned sweets. A little voice in my head reminded me about my health/fitness resolutions. And that was the moment when I decided to ditch my plans for making kheer. I wanted to prepare something that captured the essence of the festival but without piling on the calories.

Thandai Shrikhand seemed to the prefect answer to my dilemma. I was anyways preparing Thandai for Holi so it was a smart choice to use some of the extract to flavor a home made Shrikhand sweetened with a Zero calorie sweetener like Sugarfree Natura. As I had predicted, none of my guests could guess that it was a sugarfree dessert.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 15 mins ( plus overnight standby time for the hung curd )

Ingredients -

• 500 ml curd
• 1/3 cup milk
• 4 almonds
• 3 cashews
• 1/2 tsp khuskhus
• 1/2 tsp watermelon seeds
• 1/2 pinch fennel
• 1 green cardamon
• 4-5 peppercorns
• a few strands of saffron
• a few drops of rose syrup
• 3 tbsp Sugarfree Natura ( or as per taste )

For garnishing -

• Chopped pistachios
• dried rose petals
• rose syrup
• saffron strands

Preparation - Strain the curd overnight using a muslin cloth. This will remove all the excess water from it.

Soak the almonds, cashews, khuskhus and watermelon seeds together. (remove the almond skin once it is soaked)

Dry roast the peppercorns, fennel and cardamom till it gives off a fragrance.

Transfer the roasted spices to a grinder jar and powder them as finely as possible. Add all the soaked nuts to the same jar. Grind everything till it becomes a fine paste. [ Add 2-3 tsp milk to thin the consistency if it is getting too difficult to grind. ]

Heat the milk in a saucepan. Add the saffron strands to the still hot milk. Once it cools down to room temperature, add the nuts and spices paste along with rose syrup to it. Let it stand for 1 hour.

Use a muslin cloth to strain the extract into another vessel.

Transfer the hung curd, thandai extract and the sugarfree into a mixing bowl. Whisk together to get a uniform mixture. Refrigerate for a couple of hours.

Serve into small dessert bowls and garnish with rose petals, pistachios and saffron strands.

Serve .

Salted Caramelized Lime Mojitos

The tang of the lime. The freshness of the mint. Just the right amount of sweetness. The tingling sensation of the sparkling water on the palate. The subtle scents tantalizing the nostrils. The green sprigs soothing the tired eyes. And i am in mocktail heaven. No less !! These days I am addicted to mojitos in a big way and have been experimenting quite a bit.

However, the Caramelized Lime Mojito is adapted from www.storyofakitchen.com .  Caramelizing the limes adds a subtly different flavor (and a a little bit of bitterness too) to the regular drink. The bitter notes need more sweetness to create a balance. But I felt that a touch of salt instead of more sugar did the trick for me. Plus the ombre effect added by the caramelized lime juice ( don't stir before serving ) is quite a treat for sore eyes !

Now that's just another amazing mocktail/drink that you can try serving during a Holi brunch/lunch . With the temperatures soaring, coolers are more than welcome. Even more so than the usual oily snacks served during Holi. Go for some baked Dahi Bhallas or even a green banana dahi wada made in appe pans by none other than my talented blogger friend Parinaaz (recipe HERE)!!

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 15 mins

• 3 lemons
• a handful of mint leaves
• sugar syrup as per taste
• 600 ml sparkling water
• ice cubes
• sugar for caramelizing the lime
• salt to taste

Preparation - Cut 2 of the limes into halves. Dip the flat side into the sugar and place on a non stick skillet . Cook on low temperature till they caramelize . Take care not to burn.

Remove and keep aside till they cool down. Squeeze the juice into serving glasses.

Assembly - Add a few mint sprigs to each glass. Muddle a bit. Pour some of the sugar syrup and then pack with ice. 

Top with the sparkling water taking care not to stir/move the contents else the ombre effect will be lost !

Sprinkle the salt immediately before serving.

Cheers !!

Zero Oil Matar Paneer ( A Women's Day Special )

"Do I look fat in this dress ?"

"If my hips were smaller, I could easily slip into size 30 jeans !"

"This orange saree is so pretty. I wish I were fair enough to wear it ."

Doubts, doubts and more doubts. I wish we women had a genie who could appear by magic during moments like this and make us slim/tall/fair/whatever. But since that seems so far fetched a true friend will just about do. Someone who tells us stuff like  "Hey no problem . Just buy the next size" or "This looks so nice on you. The orange actually compliments your burnished skin tones.".

But since it is emotionally taxing for another person to continuously address our insecurities, every women needs to learn to love herself irrespective of shape, size or skin color. Because only then will you be allowing your inner beauty to shine through. Beauty that is sublime and yet radiates from within. The kind of beauty that transcends the passage of time and is able to reach the core of even the most hardened of souls. The kind of beauty that has the power to transform. To bring about a change in the way we perceive and act.

This women's day is yet another occasion when we can help it happen. By appreciating and helping ourselves. Not by merely sprouting mere rhetoric but actually reaching out and helping other women in every possible way that makes a difference. However small.

Dedicating this 'Zero oil Matar Paneer' recipe to all the women. Not because they need to lose weight in order to meet someone's approval. But because they need to stay fighting fit. For, whatever be our position in life or society, women never have it easy.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 20-25 mins (plus 5-7 mins standby)

Ingredients -

• 200 gm Paneer / Cottage cheese
• 1 medium sized onion
• 4-5 garlic cloves
• 1 inch ginger
• 1 mediun sized tomato
• 1 cup green peas
• 1 inch cinnamon
• 1 green cardamom
• a tiny bit of mace
• 6-7 peppercorns
• a pinch of fennel
• 2 pinch cumin seeds
• 1-2 dry red chili 
• 1 tsp kasuri methi
• 10 raisins ( else add 1 tsp honey just before taking off the flame )
• salt to taste
• 1/2 cup milk (optional)

Preparation - Take all the ingredients except for the paneer, kasuri methi and milk in a pressure cooker. Add 1 cup water and a little salt.

Close the lid and cook for 2-3 whistles on medium flame.

Remove and keep aside till steam escapes. Open lid and drain the excess liquid into a cup . Once cool, puree the solids.

Add a small cube of paneer ( 1 inch ) to the blender jar and give another quick buzz.

Heat a wok. Transfer the puree to the wok along with the green peas and let it cook till any raw smell goes off (takes about 5 mins).

Add the reserved liquid and the milk to the wok. Rub the kasuri methi between your palms before adding them to the wok. Let the gravy simmer for 4-5 mins .

Add the paneer cubes. Switch off the flame immediately and let it stand for 5 mins before serving.

Taste great with Indian breads or steamed rice.

Kokum and Rose Mojito ( A Refreshing Non-alcoholic Cooler )

 IMP - Kokum and Rose Mojito is an original recipe created by the blogger and has been published for the first time on oriyarasoi.com.


March has just begun and the mercury has already started climbing up ! If predictions are going to come true, then we are all bracing up for one of the hottest summers in the recent years. Once again, all that talk about global warming, deforestation and depleting polar caps is going to grab the limelight. Everyone worth their salt or even otherwise to going to add their opinion and suddenly social media is to get abuzz with a new trending topic. But till that happens, let us just chill. Kyunki alarm abhi baja nahi !!

Coming back to yours truly, summers are all about coolers. Given that I love guzzling water and make it a point to drink atleast 3 liters in a day, summers somehow make me crave for something extra. A dash of lemon to my regular water or a teaspoon of 'Rooh-afza' or even a teaspoon of glucose is a must ! But apart from these, I love to indulge in a variety of natural drinks like 'Aam panna', 'Bel panna', 'Thandai', 'Ragi sherbat', 'lassi' and buttermilk .

Lately I have started loving the sparkling ones like Mojitos  or ginger ale. But since I love to add my own twist to every recipe, I experimented a bit and came up with this a very traditional touch to the mojito. Rose and Kokum Mojito is one such drink that turned out to be a hit with my family and friends !

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 5 mins ( plus 20 mins standby )

Ingredients -

• 2-3 Kokum pieces
• 1 tsp rose syrup
• 3-4 sprig mint leaves
• ice cubes
• 1/2 lemon
• plain syrup (as per taste)
• soda water / sparkling water 

Preparation - Steep the kokum pieces in 1/2 cup of hot water. Let it stand for 20 mins.

Take the mint leaves and kokum pieces (along with the water) in a tall glass and muddle a bit. Add the lime juice, rose syrup and plain syrup.

Pack with ice cubes and top with sparkling water.

Serve immediately !

Bachelor's Egg Curry ( 1 tsp Oil Calorie Recipe Series )

 IMP - Bachelor's Egg Curry is an original recipe created by the blogger and has been published for the first time on oriyarasoi.com.


During the years spent as a bachelor, I have stayed at quite a few rented places. The furnished ones are always the first preference for most of us but sadly very few of them live up to their claims. A majority of the owners make it a point to provide the basic stuff and leave out small but useful appliances . A mixer-grinder is one such item that most flat owners like to classify as a luxury. While it is totally possible to cook a meal without using one, we Indians are suckers for curries steeped in onion-ginger-garlic gravy. But is it possible to make a decent gravy without the use of a mixer-grinder ?

Yes, it is entirely possible. As with a majority of our inventions (that we so lovingly label as 'jugaad'), this gravy was born out of necessity. I learnt to stir up a mean gravy without using any appliances and that too in record time. And it was made possible by the use of a pressure cooker !! Plus, the entire process helped me to cut down on the quantity of oil that I used to put in my curries.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 15 mins

Ingredients -

• 2 eggs
• 1 small onion
• 1 medium tomato
• 1/2 inch ginger
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 2 cloves
• 1 green cardamom
• 1 inch cinnamon 
• 1 dry red chili
• 2 pinch cumin seeds
• 2 pinch red chili powder
• 1 pinch garam masala
• 1/2 tsp kasuri methi
• 2 tsp chopped cilantro
• 2 pinch turmeric
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp oil
• 1 bay leaf (optional)

Preparation - Peel and cut the onion into 4 pieces. Chop the ginger and garlic into small pieces.

Transfer to a pressure cooker along with 1 cup water.  Add the remaining whole spices and tomato.

Close the lid and cook for 2-3 whistles on medium flame.

Drain the water into a cup and remove the cloves, cinnamon and cardamom. Crush the remaining ingredients with a back of a heavy spoon.

Cooking - Heat 1 tsp oil in a wok. Add the cumin and bay leaf.

Once the cumin seeds start spluttering, add the turmeric powder. Immediately add the onion-tomato paste.

Cook for 5 mins. Add the chili powder, garam masala and kasuri methi along with the saved water.

Bring to a boil. Break the eggs gently and add most of the whites to the curry. Stir the curry gently for about a minute.

Once they are cooked, add the yolks and close with a lid. Let it simmer gently for 2 minutes if you like them runny inside. Else cook for 2-3 mins more.

Garnish with cilantro.

Serve hot with rotis/phulkas or even some white rice.

Mackarel Fish Curry ( With Mustard paste and dried mango )

Changing priorities dictates our changing preferences. From working out to eating out, nothing has been left untouched as we (my husband and me) inch towards the mid-thirties. With lifestyle diseases already taking a toll on some of our dear friends and colleagues, it could have hardly left us unaffected. Weight gain from a slowing metabolism, hyper-acidity from faulty eating habits, back ache and joint pains from the body being subjected to years of abuse, the signs of ageing slowly but surely start to manifest themselves. And hence the desire to hold on to 'youth' for a little longer. Not just to hoodwink death, even if it is for a fewer more breaths. But to live a life that is uncomplicated by health problems.

These days the workouts have become more regular and intense. Eating out has reduced drastically and even on those rare occasions, the menu is thoroughly scrutinized for healthier choices. The menu at home has not been spared either. Mutton is on the way out and fish is the preferred non-vegetarian favorite. So, it was but natural that we would start with exploring new varieties. While fish like Basa and Seer fish are undoubtedly tasty, they produce less than amazing results when prepared the traditional way. The mustard gravy is as essential part of the Odia meal and we love to stick to it also because it is lower in calories as compared to other curries. Out of the varieties that we experimented with, the Mackarel is the only one which passes the 'taste' test with flying colors. And thank god for it ! One of the richest sources of omega 3, it is one of your best bets to combat the aging process .

So, read on for this easy-to-prepare recipe -

Preparation Time - 30 mins

Ingredients -

• 600 gm Mackarel 
• 1 large potato 
• 1 large tomato
• 1 small onion
• 2 green chilis
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/4 tsp mustard seeds
• 3 tsp mustard oil
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• juice of half lime
• cilantro for garnishing
• 1-2 dried mango pieces 

For the mustard paste -

• 3 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 5-6 garlic cloves
• 1-2 green chili

Preparation - Wash and clean the Mackarel fish.

Soak it in warm water ( 15 mins ) to which 1 tsp salt and lime juice has been added. This helps in removing the fishy odors to some extent.

Remove and pat dry with paper towel. Marinate with salt and turmeric.

Make a fine paste out of the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, green chilis and garlic cloves.

Chop the onion in small pieces . Quarter the tomato.

Peel and dice the potatoes.

Soak the dried mango in 1/2 cup warm water.

Cooking - Heat 2 tsp oil in a non stick pan. Add the fish and fry for 6-7 min on both sides on a medium flame.

Remove and keep aside.

Now throw in the potatoes and fry till light brown. Remove and keep aside.

Add the remaining oil to the same wok. Add the mustard seeds and let them start popping. Then add the slit green chili and crushed garlic.

Once garlic turns light brown, add onion pieces. Fry to a translucent.

Then add the tomato pieces and sprinkle little salt. Cover and cook till mushy.

Add the mustard paste along with two cups of warm water. Slide in the fried fish and potatoes.

Add a little turmeric and adjust the salt. Cover with a lid and let it simmer till the potatoes are done.

Add the soaked mango pieces along with the water used for soaking. Simmer for 3-4 mins.

Remove from the flame and garnish with the chopped cilantro.

Serve hot or warm with steamed rice.