Badi Jholo ( A Frugal delight from Odisha )

In a country of 631 million women, how is it possible to have just one ideal of beauty ? The Dove advertisement rightly challenges the concept of the fair skinned and dove eyed beauty that has been ingrained into our psyche for generation. In the face of such diversity, it makes much more sense to celebrate our uniqueness instead of looking for stereotypes.

The same applies to our cuisine as well. Somewhere in between the opulent excess of the North Indian cuisine (again a misnomer) and the fearsome spices of the Southern states, there are many unacknowledged cuisines that need to be explored. And one of them is the cuisine of Odisha. Odia cuisine revels in it's frugality and simplicity. And this curry is yet another example of both traits.

Badi Jholo is a rather simple dish which consists of Urad dal vadis cooked in a thin gravy of mustard and garlic. The right amount of chilis and just a hint of acidity is what makes this dish click. And for that reason it was usually prepared when one was convalescing from a fever or cold. Along with the 'Kanji', it is considered to be a sure-shot remedy for bitter taste buds. My grandmother used to call it 'Badi Phulaa' because once we put the fried Badi in the gravy, it tends to soak up the water and doubles up in volume. 'Phulaa' literally means 'to swell up'. Quite an interesting name for a recipe, isn't it ?

While it tastes best when prepared with the 'Kakharu Badi' or urad dal badis made with ash gourd extract, the regular badis will also do. Read on for the recipe -

Cooking time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

• 10-12 Urad dal Vadi/Badi (the pumpkin(pani kakharu) variety)
• 3-4 nos green chillies
• 1 dry red chili
• 4 tsp mustard seeds
• 7-8 garlic cloves
• 4 tsp mustard oil
• pinch of turmeric
• salt to taste
• 1 piece of ambula (dried green mango)

Pre-cooking: Keep aside 2 garlic pods and 1/4 tsp mustard seeds. Grind the rest into a fine paste along with the dry red chili.

Pure Nostalgia - Coconut shell bowl to keep the ground spices

Slightly crush the garlic pods and the green chillies.

Preparation: Heat 2 tsp oil in a pan. Fry the Badi till it becomes slightly golden and keep aside.

Add 2 tsp oil to a kadai (deep vessel). When it starts smoking, reduce the flame. add the mustard seeds, pounded garlic pods and green chillies.

Once the seeds start spluttering, add 1/2 cup water to the kadai. This cools down the temp and prevents the mustard paste from curdling.

Now add the mustard paste and another 2 cups water. Boil for about 6-7 mins.

Add the fried Badi and the ambula. Simmer for another 2 mins.

Take off the fire and let it stand for a while. Serve at room temperature.

Drumstick potato vadi curry ( chuien aloo badi )

Cooking time required: 20-30 mins
Cost of cooking: 30-40 rupees

Ingredients: Drumsticks ( 4 nos), potato ( 1 large), tomato ( 1 medium ), onion ( 1 large, optional ), garlic pods (5-6 nos), mustard seeds ( 3-4 tsp), turmeric powder (1/2 tsp), Badi (sun dried balls made from rice and dal paste), red chilli (1-2 nos), oil (2-3 tsp), salt to taste.

Preparation: Cut drumsticks into 2-3 inch long pieces. Also cut the potato and onion into medium sized chunks. The tomato should be finely cut . Grind the mustard seeds along with garlic pods into a fine paste.

Cooking: Heat oil in pan. Add turmeric, potato and onion pieces. Fry till the potatoes are half cooked . Then add the drumstick and tomato pieces. Fry for 2 more mins. Add the mustard paste and hot water (2-3 cups). Add salt to taste and cover the pan. Cook on medium flame for about 5-10 mins.
Fry the badi separately . Add to the curry just before removing from the fire. Serve hot with rice.


Tips: The traditional oriya recipe substitutes potato with Colocasia( also called saaru in oriya ).

Mango chutney

Cooking time : 10-15 mins
Cost of preparation: 10 -15 Rupees

Ingredients: Mangoes ( 1-2 nos, slightly ripened), 1 onion( medium to large depending on the number of mangoes), coriander seeds (2-3 spoons), jaggery (1-2 big chunks, according to taste), salt to taste, 1 tsp oil.

Preparation: Grate the onion and mango . Roast coriander seeds(without oil) and grind into coarse powder.
Heat oil in a pan, add the grated onion and mango. Cook for about 5 mins. Then add coriander powder, salt and jaggery. Keep on fire for about 5 mins. Remove and serve with rice.

Green pumpkin curry - oriya preparation

Cooking time : 30 mins
Cost of preparation: 50 rupees

Ingredients: Green pumpkin( 250 gm), tomato (2 medium sized), garlic pods (lagre,5-6 pieces), green chillies(2-3 nos.), mustard seeds (4-5 tsp), cumin seeds( 1/2 tsp), sunflower oil (3 tsp), mustard oil (1 tsp), coriander leaves, turmeric powder, salt to taste.

Preparation: Discard the outer rind of green pumpkin and cut into small pieces. Grind the mustard seeds and garlic pods into a smooth paste.

Cooking : Heat the sunflower oil in a pan. When smoking, add turmeric, cumin and mustard seeds. Add the green pumpkin pieces to the spluttering seeds and cook for about 4-5 mins. Remove from fire.
Put the half cooked cucumber pieces into a pressure cooker, add the diced tomato pieces, green chillies, mustard-garlic paste, mustard oil, coriander leaves and salt. Close lid, put on fire and allow for one whistle. Remove from fire and serve hot.

Dahi pakhala - an authentic rice preparation from orissa

Cooking Time Required : 20 Mins
Cost of preparation : 20-30 Rupees

Ingredients: Par boiled rice ( 1/2 kg ), curd (200 ml), onion ( 1 medium, diced ), green chilli (2-3 nos), curry leaves, coriander leaves,cumin seeds (1-2 tsp), salt to taste.

Preparation: Wash rice thoroughly (3-4 times) . Boil water in a vessel. Add washed rice and cook till soft( keep it slightly more soft than regular rice ). Drain off excess water. Add sufficient fresh water to completely cover the rice and allow to stand for 2-3 hours.
Add diced onion, green chilli, curd and salt to the rice. Heat oil in a pan. When it starts smoking, add cumin seeds and curry leaves. Pour the contents over the rice and garnish with coriander leaves. Eat with roasted papad/badi chura, spinach bhaji or fried ladies finger or any stir fry/poda.

Optional seasoning: Freshly grated coconut.

Makes for an excellent meal during the hot summer months.

Chicken curry - oriya preparation

The traditionally made chicken curry from Odisha ! Tastes best when country chicken is used.........

Cooking time required: 1 hour (approx)
Cost of preparation: Approx. 200-250 rupees

Ingredients: Chicken pieces( preferably Country chicken )(600 gm), Potato (1 large), Onion( 1 large), tomato( 1 medium), ginger garlic paste (1 tbs), cumin seeds (1/2 tsp), sunflower/rice bran oil ( 4 tps), mustard oil(1tsp), coriander powder( 1tsp), chilli powder (1/2 tsp), cumin powder (1/2 tsp)turmeric (1 tsp ), green chilli (2 nos), garam masala( 1 stick cinnamon, 2 pods small cardamon), sugar(1/2 tsp), salt ( to taste ).

Pre-cooking: Marinate chicken pieces with turmeric, salt and mustard oil. Set aside for 1 hour.

Grate half the onion and cut the rest into small pieces. Puree/dice the tomato . Cut the potato into 4 pieces along its length, deep fry and keep aside.

Cooking: Heat oil in a deep vessel. When smoking add 1/2 tsp sugar and a pinch of turmeric( for adding color). Add the cumin seeds. When the seeds start spluttering, add chilli and onion(grated & pieces). Cook for about 3 mins.

Add the ginger garlic paste and salt. Fry the paste for about 3-4 mins. Then add tomato, coriander powder, chilli powder, cumin powder. Cook for about 2 mins.

Add the marinated chicken pieces. Cook till the chicken changes color and oil starts to separate out. Put the contents in a pressure cooker, add potato pieces, 1-2 cups hot/warm water and allow for 1-2 whistles.

Take off the fire and allow steam to settle down. Open lid , add garam masala and mix thoughly.Close lid and keep aside for 2-3 mins.

Serve with par-boiled rice and papad.

Dalma - dal cooked with vegetables

Cooking time required: 20-25 mins (approx)Cost of preparation: Approx. 25-35 rupees
Ingredients: Dal (200 gms), vegetables ( string beans(4-5 nos), green banana( half ), raw papaya(100 gm), tomato ( 1nos, optional), potato ( 1 smal, optional ), drumsticks (2-3 nos ), green chilli ( 1 no.), cumin seeds (1 tsp), saunf (1 tsp), ghee (2-3 tsp), cumin-chilli powder (1/2 tsp), turmeric powder(1/2 tsp), salt, coriander leaves.

Preparation : Wash the dal and put in a pressure cooker. Add sufficient water cover dal and stand about 2-3 inches above it. Wash and cut vegetable into medium sized pieces . Keep the drumsticks aside and add rest of the vegetables to dal. Add turmeric powder and salt, and close the lid. Cook on medium flame.Allow for 2 whistles. Remove from fire and keep aside for 5-6 mins. Open lid, add the drumstick pieces and close lid. Put on stove for 3-4 mins on high flame. Remove from fire and keep aside.
Heat ghee in a pan. Add cumin and saunf seeds. Pour the spluttering seeds over the cooked dal. Add chilli-cumin powder and mix. Garnish with coriander leaves.


















Dalma Chakuli(Dosa)

For preparing chilli-cumin powder : Heat a iron pan, put whole red chiilies and cumin seeds. Roast till the chillies darken a little. Remove from pan, and grind into a coarse powder. Store in a airtight jar and use within 1 month.

Note - In authentic dalma recipe, tomato is not used . Yam, green papaya, taro and raw banana on the other hand are must haves !