Chinguri Bhajja ( Oriya Style Prawn Fry )

Cooking Time Required: 10-15 mins
Cost of Preparation: 80-100 rupees

Ingredients: Small/Medium sized Prawns ( 500 gm ), cumin powder ( 1 tsp ), red chillis ( 3-4 nos ), turmeric ( 1 tsp ), garlic pods ( 6-7 nos ), green chillis ( 2-3nos ), vegetable oil ( 3 tsp ), mustard oil ( 1 tsp ), salt .

Preparation: Wash the prawns and remove the veins while keeping the shell. Add salt and turmeric, keep aside for 10-15 mins for marination.

Cooking: Heat a pan. Add the vegetable oil. When the oil starts smoking, break the red chillis into 2-3 pieces and add to the pan.

Add the marinated prawn . Sprinkle cumin powder. Stir fry till almost cooked. Do not overcook as the prawns will lose their juices and become dry.

Add the mustard oil and cook for 2-3 mins. Remove from fire.

Crush the garlic pods and green chillis and add a little bit of salt. Serve with the fried prawns.

This preparation perfectly compliments 'pakhala bhata', an oriya rice dish popularly consumed during the summer.


Shrimp

Nadia Ambula Raee (coconut- ambula Raita)

Cost of Preparation: 15-20 rupees
Cooking Time Required|: 10-15 mins

Ingredients: Coconut ( 1 no. ), ambulaa ( 3-4 nos ), curd/yogurt ( 1 cup ), mustard seeds ( 1 tsp ), green chilli ( 2-3 nos), curry leaves ( 2-3 nos ), cumin-chilli powder ( 1/2 tsp ), mustard paste ( 1/3 tsp ), red chillis ( 2 nos ), oil ( 1 tsp ), salt.

Preparation: Soak the ambula for 2-3 hours. Slit the green chilli into long pieces.

Grind the coconut into a fine paste . Transfer to a mixing bowl; add curd, ambula,
cumin-chilli powder, green chillis, mustard paste and salt.

Heat oil in a pan. Add the red chillis, mustard seeds and curry leaves. Pour the spluttering seeds into the mixing bowl. Mix well.

Serve with rice.

Yogurt

Panasa Tarkari (Kathal ki Subzi/Jackfruit curry)

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

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

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















Cooking: Cut the jackfruit into small cubes. Boil with salt for 5-10 mins and drain the water.















Heat a wok. Add 6-7 tsp oil . Add turmeric and cumin seeds. When the seeds start
spluttering, add the paste along with chilli powder. Stir fry for 1 minute.

Add the ginger-garlic paste along with salt. Cook the paste till the oil separates . Add cumin and coriander powder and the potato cubes. Stir fry for 3-4 mins.

Add the boiled jackfruit and green peas. Stir for about 5-6 mins.















Transfer to a pressure cooker and add 2 cups water. Close the lid and allow for 2 whistles.

Remove from the stove and allow steam to escape.

Serve hot with rice or rotis.


Jackfruit

Enduri Pitha ( Haldi Patra pitha )

Enduri Pitha is traditionally prepared during Prathamastami or Padhuanstami, a festival during which mothers offer prayers for their firstborn. Enduri pitha is also called 'Haldi patra pitha' in Western parts of orissa, especially in Sundargarh, Sambalpur, Bargarh districts. Prathamastami also marks the day when people first start making 'Badis' . The first batch of 'Badi' is worshipped with 'Doob' grass and vermilion (sindoor). Usually, people lay badi in these winter months (November-January) and store it for usage during the entire year. This is because the low temperature and mild sun ensure that the badi dries up evenly without cracking up at places.

In some parts of Orissa, like Cuttack or the nearby areas, seven pieces of Enduri pitha are offered to the God while other areas offer seven pieces of Chakuli as the prasad. The firstborn child is decked up in new clothes, Chandan/sindoor is applied on his/her forehead and 'Aarti' is done with raw rice, doob grass, flowers and a Deepam (lamp) in our place. However other parts of the state use about five to seven leafy greens to complete this ritual.

Cooking Time Required: 30 mins
Makes 8-10 pithas.

Ingredients: Black gram ( beeri dali, 1 cup ), rice rawa 3 cups or rice 2 cups, coconut ( 1 no. ), sugar ( 5-6 tsp ), ghee ( 1 tsp ), cardamom ( 1-2 nos ), turmeric leaves ( 8-10 nos ), salt, refine oil for greasing the leaves.

Preparation: Soak the black gram for 5-6 hours. Grind into a fine paste.

Soak the rawa for 1 hour. Squeeze out excess water. Add to the gram paste along with 1/2 tsp salt. Keep overnight or 10-11 hours.

Grate the coconut or cut into big pieces and grind into a coarse paste in a grinder.

Cooking: Heat a wok. Add 1 tsp ghee. Add the cardamon powder, grated coconut and sugar. Stir fry for 5-6 mins. Remove from the wok and keep aside to cool.

Heat water in a idli maker/pressure cooker. Bring to a boil.

Wash the turmeric leaves. Add 2-3 drops of oil and smear it all over each leaf. Take a blob of the batter and spread evenly on the leaf.

Spread 2-3 tsp of the coconut over the batter.
















Fold the leaf carefully and place on the idli stand.
















Repeat the process for the remaining batter/leaves. The leaves can be stacked one over the other for 2-3 layers. Close the lid and steam for 15-20 mins. Remove from the stove.

















Remove the turmeric leaves. Serve the pitha with ghee/sugar or dalma. Sada enduri ( without the sweet stuffing ) is very popular with Mutton Jholo or Mutton Kasa.

NOTE: Usually raw rice (aruwa) is used instead of rice rawa but I sometimes use rice rawa as it is cuts down soaking time and the subsequent grinding effort. The rice to black gram proportion is kept 2:1 . Rawa is used to cut down on the overall preparation time and simplify the dish without compromising on the taste.

Chuda Oats Bhajja ( Oats Chiwda )

Cost of Preparation: 20-25 Rupees
Cooking Time Required: 15 mins
Serves 2

Ingredients: Chuda ( Chiwda, 1 cup ), oats ( 1/2 cup ), cashew ( 1/3 cup ), raisins ( 1/4 cup ), curry leaves, onion ( 1 no., medium ), red chilli powder ( 1/ tsp ), red chillis (3-4 nos), fennel seeds ( 1/ tsp ), roasted coriander powder ( 1/ tsp ), oil, salt.

Preparation: Cut the onion into fine long strips.

Cooking: Heat a pan. Add 2 tsp oil. Roast the chuda for 4-5 mins. Remove from pan.

Add another tsp oil to the pan. Roast the oats for 5-6 mins. Remove from the pan.



















Heat 2 tsp of oil in a pan. Add the red chillis, fennel seeds, curry leaves, cashew and raisins. Roast for 1-2 mis till the cashews are puffed.



















Add the roasted chuda and oats. Stir fry for 1-2 mins.

Add the onions and coriander powder. Fry for another minute and remove from the fire.

Garnish with green chilli and coriander leaves.

Pumpkin-Kabuli chana curry

Cost of Preparation: 45-50 rupees
Cooking Time Required: 40-45 mins
Serves: 3-4

Ingredients: Pumpkin pieces ( 1 1/2 cup ), potato pieces ( 1 cup ), soyabean chunks ( 1 cup ), kabuli chana (chole, 1 cup ), onion ( 1 small ), tomato ( 1 small ), red chilli ( 5-6 nos ), coriander seeds ( 1 tsp ), cumin seeds ( 1/ tsp ), garlic ( 5-6 nos ), cinnamon stick ( 1/2 inch long ), cardamon ( nos ), cloves ( 5-6 nos ), fennel ( 1/3 tsp ), oil for frying, salt, turmeric .

Preparation: Soak the chole for 7-8 hours. Transfer to a pressure cooker , add salt and turmeric. Allow for 1-2 whistles. Drain the water and keep aside.






















Wash the soya chunks, soak for 1-2 hours. Transfer to a pressure cooker, add salt and allow 1 whistle. Allow to cool and squeeze out all the water . Keep aside.

Boil the pumpkin and potato pieces for 5-6 . Keep aside.

Gring the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, 1-2 red chillis, garlic, cinnamon, cardamon, onion and tomato into a smooth paste.

Cooking: Heat oil for frying. Add the soya chunks and fry till reddish-brown. Remove and keep aside.






















Heat 2-3 tsp oil in a wok. Add the remaining red chillis, fennel and cloves. Fry for a minute . Add the paste along with 1/3 tsp turmeric.























Cook till the raw smell goes off ( 6-7 minutes ).

Add the soya chunks, boiled chole, pumpkin and potato pieces. Mix well and stir fry for 5-10 minutes.





















Add 1 cup boiling water . Cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes.
Serve with rotis / puris.

Note: This dish is commonly prepared with bengal gram instead of chole .

Methi-Malai Paneer Tikka

Cooking Time Required: 20-25 mins
Cost of Preparation: 50-60 Rupees

Ingredients: Amul Malai paneer ( 200 gm ), tomato ( 1 no, small ), fresh methi(fenugreek) leaves ( 1 bunch, finely minced ), capsicum ( 1 no, medium ), sour curd ( 5-6 tbs ), chilli powder ( 1/2 tsp ), green chilli paste ( 1 tsp ), roasted cumin-coriander powder ( 1/2 tsp ), tomato puree ( 2 tsp ), turmeric ( 1/2 tsp ), salt, cooking butter ( 2 tbs ).

Preparation: Boil the paneer cubes along with salt and turmeric for 10 mins.

















Strain the water and keep aside to cool.

Transfer the paneer to a mixing bowl. Add the chilli powder, green chilli paste, sour curd, roasted cumin-coriander powder, tomato puree, finely cut tomato pieces and salt. Keep aside to marinate for 2 hours.


Cooking: Transfer the marinated paneer to a baking dish. Add the finely cut methi leaves along with the cooking butter.

















Pre-heat the oven for 5 mins to 180 degrees. Put the baking dish inside and allow to cook for 15 mins. Keep stirring in at an interval of 5 mins.

Add the capsicum pieces to the baking dish. Bake at 200 degrees for 5-6 mins.
Serve as a starter or a side-dish with the main course

Note: This malai panner-methi tikka is prepared without onion and garlic .One can also add diced onion pieces along with the capsicum for a different flavour.

My FIRST Blog Award!!!!

Guess what?? I woke up on a lazy Saturday morning to find this waiting for me!! I asked myself 'Does it get any better ?'. And my sluggish grey cells unanimously said 'No!!'.

This very special award was passed on to me by Rupali (http://recipegrabbag.blogspot.com/). Thanks a lot Rupali for sharing this lovely award with me!! Please do check out her delightful blog ( Phew!Quite a collection!! ).

I want to pass on this Best Blogger award to my friends : Priya(http://www.priyaeasyntastyrecipes.blogspot.com/) , Usnish(http://ushnish.blogspot.com/) , Homecookedoriyafood( http://homeoriyafood.blogspot.com/), Dr Sameera (http://myeasytocookrecipes.blogspot.com/, Sangeeta (http://banaraskakhana.blogspot.com/) and back to Rupali(http://recipegrabbag.blogspot.com/ ).

Please accept this award and pass it on to your friends.......

Vegetable Biryani ( without onion and garlic )

Cooking Time Required: 1 hour + 25 mins
Cost of preparation: 50-70 rupees
Serves 2

Ingredients: Long grained Biryani rice ( 2 cups ), diced vegetables ( 2 1/2 cup , includes beans, cauliflower, green peas , potato ), milk ( 1 cup ), cashew ( 6-7 nos ), khus-khus or posto ( 1 tsp ), khada garam masala ( cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves, mace, star anise, peppercorn, cardamon ), ghee ( 1 tbs ), sour curd ( 2 tbs ), tomato puree ( 2 tbs ), cumin powder ( 1 tsp ), coriander powder ( 2 tsp ), fenugreek powder ( 1/2 tsp ), red chilli powder ( 1 tsp ), tumeric ( 1 tsp ), oil ( 3 tsp ), salt.

Preparation: Transfer the diced vegetables to a mixing bowl. Add sour curd, tomato puree, fenugreek powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, chilli powder, turmeic and salt. Mix well and marinate for 1 hour.
















Grind the khus-khus and cashews into a fine paste.

Cooking: Heat oil in a wok.















Add the khada garam masala and fry for 1 min. Add the khus-khus and cashew paste. Fry for 4-5 mins and then add the marinated vegetables.

Cook the vegetables till they are done. Remove from fire.















Wash the rice and transfer to a pressure cooker. Add the cooked vegetables, 1 cup water, 1 cup milk, ghee and salt and mix well . Cover the lid and allow to cook for 13-15 mins or 2 whistles.

Remove from stove. Allow to stand till the steam is let off. Remove the cover and let it stand for another 5 mins. Serve with raita.

Note : I have not used garlic or onion for this preparation, instead the cashew-khuskhus paste is used to add richness to the dish.


Vegetable Biryani

Stuffed Baingan Bharta

Cooking Time required : 30-35 mins
Cost of preparation: 20-25 rupees

Ingredients: Brinjal/Egg plant/Aubergine ( 1 no, large ), onion ( 1 medium ), garlic pods ( 5-6 nos ), green chilli ( 2-3 nos ), red chilli powder ( 1/ 2 tsp ), sour curd ( 1 tsp ), mustard oil ( 2 tsp ), cumin powder ( 1/2 tsp ), finely cut coriander leaves ( 2 tbs ), salt.

Preparation: Slice off the top of the brinjal. Make a deep hole into the brinjal and remove some of the inner core. Rub in the sour curd inside the hole.

Cut the onion into small pieces. Crush the garlic pods and cut the green chillis into long pieces.

Cooking: Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan. Add half of the onion pieces and crushed garlic pods along with the red chilli powder and salt . Stir fry till reddish brown.















Remove from the pan and stuff inside the brinjal.















Make slits along the length of the brinjal, Rub in salt and mustard oil. Put back the sliced top of the brinjal and secure it with toothpicks and pins.















Put inside a pre-heated oven/microwave and roast for 15 mins at alternate temperature of 150 degrees and 200 degrees for 5 mins each.

Remove from the oven and cover with a vessel for 5-10 mins.

When the brinjal is cooled down a bit, remove the outer peel of the brinjal. Add the salt, cumin powder, green chilli, remaining mustard oil , onion pieces and coriander leaves. Mash togather .

Serve hot with rice or roti.


Stuffed Eggplant - "Bharwa Baingan"

Mansa-kaleji Jholo

Cooking Time Required : 1 hour
Cost of preparation: 200-225 rupees

Ingredients: Mutton ( 600 gm ), liver ( 200 gm ), potato ( 1 large, optional ), onion ( 2 nos, large ), tomato ( 1 no., large ), red chilli ( 4-5 nos ), ginger garlic paste ( 2 tbs ), sour curd ( 1 tbs ), mustard oil ( 7-8 tsp ), turmeric ( 1 tsp ), cardamon ( 2-3 nos ), cinnamon sticks ( 2 inch long ), bay leaf ( 2-3 nos ), coriander seeds ( 2 tsp ), cumin seeds ( 1 tsp ), cloves ( 2 nos ), chilli powder ( 1 tsp ), salt .

Preparation: Dice 1 onion into big chunks and grind the other onion along with the cinnamon, cardamon, cloves, bay leaves, corinader seeds and cumin seeds.

Add salt, turmeric, 1 tsp ginger garlic paste, diced onion, curd, 1 tsp mustard oil and chilli powder to the mutton and liver pieces. Mix well and allow to marinate for an hour.

Cooking: Heat 2-3 tsp mustard oil in a pressure cooker. Add the red chillis and the diced tomato. Stir fry for 3-4 mins. Add the marinated mutton and liver pieces.

Close the pressure cooker and allow for 1-2 whistles. Remove from stove and keep aside.

Heat a wok. Add the remaining oil. Cut the potato into long slices and add to the wok. Stir fry till golden brown. Remove and keep aside.

Add the ground masala to the wok. Stir fry for 4-5 mins. Add the ginger-garlic paste . Cook till the raw smell goes off.

Transfer the contents of the wok to the pressure cook containing the mutton. Add the potato pieces along with 2 cups of boiling water. Close the lid and boil for 10-15 mins or till 2-3 whistles.

Remove from fire and allow for the steam to escape. Serve with rice and raita.

Note: The liver can be omitted if one does not pefer consuming it.