Piaja Sandha Bara ( Onion flower stalk Fritters )

Onion stalks are another seasonal delicacy that has flooded the local markets in Orissa these days. These crunchy greens are great as a stir fry ( with some potatoes ) or as baras/fritters ( pithau bhaja ). Moreover they are quite easy to prepare. Read on the recipe:

Preparation Time - 15 mins

Ingredients - onion flower stalks/piaja sandha (500 gms), 1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder, 2/3 cup raw rice(for making pithau), 4-5 tbsp besan/gram dal flour, garam masala/meat masala ( 1/3 tsp), cumin powder (2/3 tsp), salt to taste, 4 tbsp oil.

Preparation - Soak the raw rice for 3-4 hours. Wash and grind into a smooth paste (this is called pithau).

Wash and chop the onion flower stalks into small pieces. Remember to discard the flowers.

Transfer into a mixing bowl. Add the rice paste, besan, salt, cumin powder, red chilli powder and garam masala/meat masala. Mix thoroughly into a dough without adding any water.

Cooking - Heat a non-stick frying pan. Drizzle with 1-2 tbsp oil.

Divide the dough into 10 equal portions. Put each portion on the pan and spread a little with your fingers. Repeat with the remaining portions. ( I made the fritters in 2 batches )

Cook till a little reddish brown and crisp .Then flip over and cook on the other side as well.

Remove from pan and serve hot with rice or just by itself.

Note - This recipe is also prepared with spring onion greens. In that case the besan is usually skipped and only pithau is used.

Palanga Dalma

Odiya folks love their flavorful  Kosala/Leutiya/Khada/Sajanna Sagaa. And with a whole range of greens being available in the local markets around the year, it is hardly a surprise that the humble 'Palak' or palanga sagaa as we call it does not get the respect it deserves. However, with the latter being elevated to the status of a superfood, Odiya folks are trying hard to incorporate it in their menu.

No easy task adjusting to the slight astringency of the Spinach. Unlike the mellow sagaa's that we consume, this one has a overbearing effect on the palate. No wonder most North Indian recipes include generous amounts to ghee to tone down its strong taste. But copious amounts of ghee is a strict no-no in oriya food except for the osa-baras or the fasting days. Hence was born the 'Palanga Dalma', a variant of our 'Buta Dalma'. A nice combination of spinach, vegetables and lentils, this makes for a very nutritious sidedish without the added calories.

My very first post for 2014 had to be something healthy keeping in line with my New Year resolutions. So here it is. Read on for the recipe:

Preparation Time - 20 minutes

Ingredients - 3 cups chopped palanga/spinach, 1 1/2 cup split channa dal, 1 cup cubed pumpkin, 1/2 cup cubed potatoes, 3-4  dry red chillis, 1 tsp oil, 1 tsp ghee, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1/3 tsp jeera-lanka gunda (roasted cumin chilli powder), 1/5 tsp cinnamon powder/garam masala, 1/3 tsp turmeric, salt to taste.

Preparation - Wash and soak the channa dal for 2 hours.

Cooking - Take the channa dal, pumpkin cubes, potato cubes along with salt and turmeric in a pressure cooker. Cook for 1 whistle on high flame.

Heat the oil in a wok. Add the chopped palanga and stir fry till soft. Transfer to the pressure cooker and mix with the cooked dal.

Heat ghee in the wok. Add broken red chilli and cumin seeds. Pour the spluttering mix over the contents of the pressure cooker.

Put the pressure cooker back on medium flame. Add the jeera-lanka gunda and cinnamon powder. Simmer for 2 mins.

Serve hot with rotis/puri/paratha.

Sending this to the event Healthy Vegetarian Side Dishes hosted by Nandoo's Kitchen and Priya's Versatile Recipes .

Chingudi - Anda Jholo ( Prawn - Egg Curry )

This is a non-vegetarian combo curry that has become my family's favorite. With my husband being partial to prawns and myself being an egg person, a middle path had to be devised to stop us from squabbling over the dinner menu.

With decently sized prawns costing somewhere between rupees 350 to 500, eggs were added as a supplement ( and a tentative experiment ) to add volume and bring down costs. The curry turned out to be hit and an encore has always been around the corner. The use of potatoes is optional and helps to further increase the volume and add more sweetness to the gravy. I personally prefer to mash one or two pieces of the cooked potato into the curry. This help to make a thicker gravy.

As this is my last post for the year, I take this opportunity to thank my readers and friends. This has been quite an eventful year with my blog getting listed in the top 100 (Indiblogger/blogtoplist) and crossing 2,00,000 page views. A Very Happy and Prosperous New Year to All.

Read on for the recipe:

Preparation Time - 40-45 mins

Ingredients - 500 gms prawns (shelled), 4 eggs (boiled & shelled), 1 large potato, 2 large onions, 1 garlic pod, 1 1/2 inch ginger, 2 large tomatoes, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp poppy seeds, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp turmeric powder, 1/5 tsp garam masala powder, 2 dry red chillis, 1 tsp sugar, salt to taste, 5 tbs oil.

Preparation - Clean prawn and add salt and turmeric. Allow to marinate for 15 mins.

Grind the cumin seeds, poppy seeds and red chillis into a powder. Add 1 onion, half of the garlic pod and 1 inch ginger to the same grinder jar. Grind till the paste is smooth.Keep aside.

Make the smooth puree out of the tomatoes and keep aside.

Chop the remaining onion and keep aside. Crush together the remaining garlic pod and ginger. Take care not to make a very fine paste.

Cut the potato into cubes.

Cooking- Heat 1 tbs oil in a pan. Add the marinated prawns and fry till golden. Remove and keep aside.

Add another tbs of oil into the wok. Add the eggs and potato pieces. Fry for 4-5 minutes. Remove and keep aside.

Heat the remaining oil in a wok. Add chopped onion and fry for 1 minute. Add the sugar and allow it to turn brown. Add the crushed garlic-ginger and fry for 2 minutes.

Add the ground masala along with turmeric and chilli powder. Fry for 5 minutes till the raw smell goes off.

Add tomato puree and fry for another 3-4 minutes.

Add 3 cups of boiling water to the wok. Bring to a boil on high flame.

Add fried eggs, potatoes and prawns to the wok. Cover with a lid and allow to boil for 10 minutes or till potatoes are cooked.

Add the garam masala and switch off the flame.

Serve hot with white rice.

Tawa Bara ( Pan fried Vadas )

Crispy vadas or 'bara' as we call them in Odisha are a perennial favorite with almost everyone I have come across.  But they are laden with oil and hence weight watchers/diabetics/people with blood pressure prefer to keep them off their menu.

However, during Manabasa Gurubar a pan-fried version of this delicacy is prepared for the Prasadam. Slightly flavored with curry leaves, green chillis, mango ginger and cilantro, they are a low-calorie treat. Read on for the recipe:

Preparation Time - 8 hours 30 mins ( 4 hours for soaking + 4 hours fermentation )

Ingredients - 2 cups chopa chada biri dali ( black lentil / urad dal ), 2 tbs chopped curry leaves, 2 tbs chopped cilantro, 2-3 chopped green chillis, 1 inch mango ginger (julienne), salt to taste, 4 tbs oil for pan frying.

Preparation - Wash and soak the black lentil for 3-4 hours. 

Drain excess water and transfer to a mixer jar. Grind into a smooth paste with minimum water. Keep aside to ferment for about 4 hours.

Add all the other ingredients except for oil. Mix thoroughly .

Cooking - Heat a frying pan. Drizzle with oil.

Put spoonfuls of batter on the tawa and lightly spread. Drizzle with more oil.

Flip over when cooked on one side.

Cook on the other side till light brown. Remove from the pan and serve hot.

Mango Ginger

Instant Gajar Halwa (Microwave Method)

Merry Christmas to All !!!!

Holidays are a time to catch up with friends and take a much needed break from work. However one does feel the need to savor/cook up a special meal on such days, especially when a friend decides to drop by. While I usually make a Chicken Biryani and raita for the main course, I used to be stumped when it came to desserts.

But since I discovered this very quick version of my favorite sweet, the Gajar ka Halwa, desserts have been a breeze. No more stirring the milk and carrots till one's arm went numb. And the best part is that it tastes as good as the one made by the traditional method. Read on for the recipe:

Preparation Time - 10 mins ( + time taken to grate the carrots )

Ingredients - 2 cups grated red carrots, 4 tbsp ghee, 1/3 cup whole milk, 4 tbsp milk powder, 3 tbsp sugar, pinch of cardamon, nuts for garnish (optional).

Cooking - Take the ghee in a microwave safe container and heat on high for 10 seconds.

Add the grated carrots and mix well. Microwave on HIGH power for 2 mins. ( Stir once in between )

Add the remaining ingredients and mix thouroughly. Microwave on high for 7-8 minutes . (Stir at interval of 2 mins)

Remove from microwave, garnish with the nuts and serve hot/cold.

Sending this to Cook With Red Event at Shweta's blog Merry Tummy.

Chana Sagaa Tarkari ( Green Channa Leaves Curry )

Chana sagaa is yet another type of leafy green vegetable that is available in the local markets of Odisha only during this season. I have always found local/seasonal vegetables to have their own charm. The anticipation to savor some and then the joy which follows when you spot the first batch at the mandiwala ( seller ) greatly enhance it taste.

This one has a quite distinct flavor and is a little bit chewy ( somewhat like the drumstick leaves ). One has to chop it really fine or it takes forever to cook ( I personally prefer using a pressure cooker ). The preparation is also similar to the Sajana Sagaa Tarkari / Sajana Sagaa Kharada. Read on for the recipe:

Preparation Time - 15-20 mins

Ingredients - 250 gms chana sagaa/saag, 1/2 cup cubed baigana/eggplant, 1/3 cup cubed saru/colocassia, 1 medium sized tomato, 1/3 cup split moong dal, 5-6 garlic flakes, 1/3 tsp mustard seeds, 2 dry red chilli, 2 tsp oil, 1/3 tsp turmeric, salt to taste.

Preparation - Remove and discard the stem ( the thick middle portion) from the chana saag . Finely chop the tender leaves. Chop the tomato into small pieces.

Cooking - Heat 1/2 tsp oil in a wok. Add the chopped tomato and cook till tender.

Dry roast the moong dal on a fryng pan till it gives off a fragrance. Remove from pan, wash and keep aside

Add the chopped saag and other vegetables including tomato to a pressure cooker. Add 2 cups of water along with salt and turmeric.

Cook for 2 whistles on medium flame. Allow steam to escape before opening lid.

Heat the remaining oil in a wok. Add broken red chilli and mustard seeds. When the spluttering is almost over, add crushed garlic flakes.

Pour the contents of the pressure cooker into the wok and let simmer for 2 minutes.

Serve hot with white rice/rotis.

Dhanu Muan

Margashira gives way to Pausa, kicking off a period of thanksgiving for the hardworking farmer community of Odisha. It's literally the time to reap the benefits of all that hard work put in over the last few months. A feast is in the offing as it is the perfect excuse for spending quality spend time with friends and family. But life is hardly meaningful without pausing for a few moments to express gratitude. Especially to the divinity, the human manifestation of the forces of nature. No celebration in Odisha (or for that matter elsewhere) is complete without invoking the Gods and thanking them for their divine blessings.

The first such celebration observed during this holy month is Dhanu Sankranti which marks the transition of the Sun into Sagittarius (Dhanu rashi as per the Indian Zodiac calendar). On this day, an offering of sweetened popped rice 'khai' called Dhanu Muan(or 'Muaa' in some dialects) is offered to the Lord Jagannath at Puri and to the various other Gods in different parts of the state. Made with 'khai' from newly harvested paddy,  jaggery from the season's sugarcane crop, fried coconut slices, and ghee, it is seasoned with a mix of spices like pepper, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, and fennel. The jaggery and spices provide warmth and help build immunity for the farmers and farmhands as they continue toiling in the cold weather. Post-harvest activities like threshing, milling (manual), parboiling, etc. are all labor-intensive and require a lot of energy. All the more reason to appreciate every morsel of rice that graces our plate. 

For making the Muan, freshly popped 'Khai' is tipped into melted jaggery ( or sugar) that has been mixed with the spices. The garnishing bits at added at this stage. The still-warm mixture is either shaped into spheres or set into greased molds to give them a fancier shape. If the mixture is spread loosely instead of being molded, it is called Ukhuda or 'paga khai'. This mixture resembles granola, both in appearance and taste, but is made with locally sourced ingredients. 

While 'paga khai' or 'Ukhuda' is very commonly consumed/used as a 'bhoga' or even as a snack in most Odia households, a few special ingredients go into the making of Dhanu Muan. Not surprising considering that the 'Pusa' or 'Pausa' month is also described as the month of abundance with all the granaries overflowing with grains. The Dhanu Muan is considered a delicacy that is sold in the markets between Dhanu Sankranti and Makara Sankranti. During 'Pausa' masa, Dhanu Muan is also exchanged between families or sent over as a 'Bharaw' to a woman's parents to her in-law's house. In the earlier days, the married women used to go over to their parent's homes during this time of the year.

But this period is also considered as an inauspicious period in the Odia calendar and activities like marriage, thread ceremony, house-warming, or engagements are not usually forbidden. A famous festival called Dhanu Yatra is conducted in Western Odisha (Bargarh) during this month. 

One of the most famous and oldest shops selling this delicacy is Baiya Kora Khai / Baiya Khai Ghara which is situated in Old Town, Bhubaneshwar. The Kora Khai sold here is also offered as a prasad at the Lingaraj Temple.

[ Image taken from Wiki ]

Buy it online Here.

A Memorable Puri Trip

I am back from a short trip to Puri. While it is difficult to skip a visit on every trip back home (Bhubaneshwar), this was the first time we stayed there overnight. And it turned out to be quite happening (though not in the sense that we normally use it). And as an added bonus it was not as crowded as usual . The Phailin scare seems to have driven/kepy away many of the tourists who throng Puri every year (mostly during December).

As the new developed stretch of road connecting Bhubaneshwar-Puri is almost complete, we travelled by this route which sadly bypassed the Pipili village. While this village is famous for its applique work and a treat for the eyes, we later discovered that the same stuff can be bought at cheaper rates on the Puri beach /beachfront stalls. It took us a little more than an hour to reach Puri with no stops in between. However foodies can make a pit stop at Chandanpur and refuel themselves on the local specialty, Chudaghasa- Dalma. For the religiously inclined, a stop at the Bata-Mangala temple is a must.

Once we reached there by noon, we directly headed for the holiday home where we were booked. After a quick round of refreshments and a hour long nap, we headed for the beach. Rows of shops selling Khaja/Pheni jostled for space with the ones selling Sambalpuri sarees/bedsheets/kurtas/kurtis. As we inched closer to the beach, these were replaced with shops selling all varieties of junk jewelry and show pieces made from conch/shells.

[The above picture was taken at Bada Danda. One can see rows of make-shift stalls selling Khaja, the primary prasad of the residing deity Lord Jaganaath.]

[ Shops like this selling a variety of chenna (cottage cheese) sweets are to be found all over Puri, especially near the Jaganaath temple. One can spot Rasagulla, Rabdi, Rasabaali, Chenna jhili , Chenna Poda and last but not least, the eminently unforgettable Khira. Tender cheese balls that have been soaking in Rabdi, these just taste out of this world. I know that I have been sprouting a lot about eating healthy stuff, but am making an exception on this vacation ;)]


On reaching the beachfront, one was greeted with the sight of tourists frolicking among the waves. The nice golden sands felt warm but just a little bit dirty. Hence we settled down on one of the many benches near to a tea stall ( One can also rent/lease a chair for rupees 10, but be sure to ask the price beforehand). Within a span of half an hour, we had been approached by vendors selling myriad stuff. From religious books, handbags, show pieces, pearls to edibles like Jhal Mudhi and Chana Jhal, everything could be bought for a small price. Last but not the least, the animal rides also deserve a mention. Nicely decorated camels and horses are a hit with most of the children ( OK OK...I make an exception for those adults who have kept alive the child in them ).

[ People lounging on the beach. The long shadows on the sand indicate a late afternoon, the time of the day when this snap was taken.]

After a good two hours on the beach, we headed back to our room for a change and some snacks. The latter accomplished (around eight in the evening ), we marched towards the Jaganaath Temple-Bada Danda. Now this is one stretch that witnesses a sea of humanity ( and our ubiquitous holy cows too!! ) at any time of the day (and till very late in the night too). This is the right place to buy brass stuff (decorative and functional both) and images of Balabhadra-Subhadra-Jaganaath. If you like to sample some fresh chenna, head to one of the many vendors squatting on the road and selling pots of still warm chenna.

Once we entered the temple premises, we duly made the rounds of all the deities. Apart from the siblings Jaganaath-Balabhadra-Subhadra, Bimala, Mahalaxmi, Sakhi gopala, Nilamadhaba and Kanchi Ganesh all have temples dedicated to them. After visting all these temples, we made our way to the Anda Bazaar, the market where all kinds of prasad is sold. This is where we discovered the 'Tanka Torani', a delicious mix of rice water, lemon juice, curry leaves, ginger, green chilli and salt.
( With no cameras being allowed inside the complex, I was unable to capture any of the above mentioned places )

This was the discovery of the day. Matar-Pani or a steaming hot hot hot yellow peas soup. A strictly no onion no garlic preparation, the watery gravy of the yellow peas is flavoured with lots of green chillis, tamarind, coriander leaves, mint leaves and the black salt. Check the photo below to see the loads of green chillis (near the vendor's left hand) that go into this.

Once we returned to our home stay, we were welcomed with hot 'Abhada'. This is the special prasadam that is offered to Lord Jaganaath. Check the Arwa anna, dali, besara and saaga tarkari in the earthen pots below. A special thanks to our caretaker for making the arrangements.

This kind of meal has that special element that is so typical of Oriya food. It is made to satiate both the body and the soul. Tired with all the travel and walking around, it had an immediate soporific effect on us. Hence we retired for the day to recharge ourselves for more exploration/shopping on the second day.

[ To be continued......]

PhulKobi-Rohi Macchar Jholo ( Cauliflower & Fish Curry )

A yummy medley of fish and vegetables, this curry was born out of necessity. While typical oriya curries like Muhura and Chenchedda liberally incorporate vegetables in a non-vegetarian preparation, the individual identity of each ingredient is somewhat lost. A slight variation of the typical 'Masala dia Maccha Jholo', one can add cauliflower/pointed gourd/okra/eggplant to enhance its flavor. Read on for the recipe:

Preparation Time - 30-40 mins

Ingredients - 4 pieces of Rohu/Bhakura/Mirkali fish, 2 cups of cauliflower florets, 2 medium sized potatoes, 2 ripe tomatoes, 1 tsp turmeric, 1/4 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 2 pinch cinnamon powder, salt to taste, 8 tbs oil.
For the masala paste - 1 large onion, 2/3 inch ginger, 7-8 garlic flakes, 1-2 dry red chilli.

Preparation - Marinate the fish with salt and turmeric. Cut the potato into long pieces.
Grind all the ingredients for the masala paste till smooth.
Grind the tomatoes into a puree.

Cooking - Heat a tawa/frying pan. Add 2 tbs oil.
Add the fish pieces and fry on both sides till light brown.

Heat 4 tbs of oil in a wok. Add the cauliflower florets and potato pieces along with salt and turmeric.
Stir fry till semi cooked. Remove from the wok and keep aside.

Add more oil into the wok if needed. Add the masala paste and fry till raw smell goes off.

Add chilli powder, turmeric and cumin powder. Stir fry for 1-2 mins. Add the tomato puree and fry till it starts to leave oil.

Add the fried cauliflower and potatoes. Mix with the masala paste and fry for another 4-5 minutes.

Add 3 cups of boiling water. Bring to boil and simmer for 2 minutes.

Add the fish pieces and cook covered for 10-12 minutes. Sprinkle the cinnamon powder and switch off the flame/heat source.

Serve hot with rice/rotis.

Kobi Pakudi ( Gobi Pakora )

Piping hot pakoras served over cups of tea are an instant hit at any gathering of close friends. Made with tender cabbage leaves, this one is a winter special. Read on for the recipe:

Preparation Time - 20 mins

Ingredients - 2 cups finely shredded cabbage, 1 cup besan ( gram flour ), 1 large onion, 3-4 green chillis, 5 tbs chopped cilantro, 1/2 cup red chilli, 1/5 tsp garam masala, a pinch of baking powder, salt to taste, oil for deep frying.

Preparation - Take all the ingredients except for oil in a mixing bowl. Add sufficient water to make a thick batter ( If the batter is runny pakoras will soak up more oil ).

Cooking: Heat oil in a deep wok. Take spoonfuls of the batter and put into the hot oil. Do not put in more than 6-7 spoonfuls at a time.

Fry on all sides till crisp and light brown. Remove and put on paper towels to soak up the excess oil.

Repeat the process for remaining batter.

Serve hot with ketchup/tomato chutney.

Chenna Matar (Odisha style Matar Paneer)

Green peas are very much in season. Yes, they are harvested in the winters and frozen for use throughout the year. Most of us who shop at supermarkets tend to miss out on these details and assume that most vegetables are harvested and hence available throughout the year. Here is a delicious curry prepared from fresh green peas. A variant of the Matar-Paneer that most people from North are really fond of, this one substitutes the Panner cubes with fried 'chenna balls'. However I am not naming it 'Chenna-Matar' instead of 'Matar-Chenna' as the Chenna turned out to be the star of this home production. The soft succulent 'melt in the mouth' balls floating in an light aromatic gravy interspersed with tender green peas make for an unforgettable gastronomic journey. Read on for the recipe:

Preparation time - 50 mins

Ingredients - whole milk ( 1 litre ), sour curd ( 1/2 cup ), maida ( 1 tsp, heaped ), finely chopped onion ( 1 no., large ), shelled green peas ( 2 cups ), ginger garlic paste ( 1 1/2 tsp ), tomato puree ( 6 tbs ), whole spices ( 1 cardamon, 2 cloves, 2 inch long cinnamon stick, 1 bay leaf ), soy sauce ( few drops, optonal), sugar ( 1 tsp ), turmeric ( 1/2 tsp ), red chilli powder ( 1 tsp ), cumin powder ( 1 tsp), coriander powder ( 1 tsp ), salt to taste, sufficient oil for shallow/deep frying.

Preparation -

To prepare chenna - Bring milk to a boil. Add the sour curd and wait for a few minutes till the milk soilds separate from whey. The whey should have a clear apperance at this point. If not add more curd and boil for another 5 mins.

Once all the solids separate, strain the chenna using a fine cloth or even a strainer with very fine mesh. Allow to stand for sometime till excess water is drained.

Take the chenna in a vessel/mixing bowl and add the maida. Crumble and knead the chenna to remove lumps and it just comes togather into a soft dough ( takes abt 5-6 mins, do not overdo the kneading ). Pinch small lumps out of the dough and shape into balls. These balls can either be shallow fried or deep fried.

Cooking: Heat sufficient oil in a wok. Put one ball into the wok and test if it holds togather. If yes, add the remaining balls into the wok and fry them to a brown color on medium heat. (If it starts to crumble/break, add little more maida to the chenna dough and knead for another 2-3 mins.)

Once the balls are fried, keep them aside and drain the excess oil from the wok.

Put the whole spices into the remaining oil in the wok and stir fry for 30 seconds. Add the chopped onion and saute on low flame till light brown ( abt 6-7 mins to allow the sugar in the onion to start caramelizing ). At this stage add the sugar and allow it to melt. Once the sugar melts, it gives a deep brown color to the onion. Sprinkle the soy sauce at this point.

Aded ginger garlic sauce and stir fry for 2-3 minutes till its raw smell goes away. Pour in the tomato puree and cook for another 2 minutes.

Add green peas and stir fry for 7-8 minutes.

Now add turmeric, chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and salt. Roast the masalas for 1-2 mins.

Add about 2-3 cups of water and bring to boil. Allow water to reduce to 2/3rd.

Put in the fried chenna balls and simmer on medium flame for 2 minutes. Cover with lid and switch off the flame. Allow to stand for 5-10 minutes.

Serve Hot.

Sending this to Cooking With Green: