Phulakobi Batibasa ( Rustic Cauliflower Curry )

'Batibasa' is a traditional method of cooking that is used in Odisha. Hard working ladies who did not have much time at their disposal would cut up the vegetable or even fish/small shrimp and mix it with mustard oil and a mustard-garlic-green chili paste. This would then be the last dish to go into the oven ( mind you...these were earthen ones that were dug into the ground and wood-dried cow dung was used to fire them ) and the heat from the dying embers would be just sufficient to cook it. This method of slow cooking imparted the dish with a smoky flavour that I find hard to replicate in my modern kitchen fitted with all possible kinds of gadgetry. Some would suggest using a piece of burning charcoal for the smoky effect but it somehow results in a harsh flavor as opposed to the mellow one imparted by the wooden fire.

Coming back to the recipe, I have used black mustard for the paste. But those who find it too strong, can go for yellow mustard or even a mix of yellow mustard and poppy seeds for a still milder version. The mustard oil used in this recipe is akin to the HG (or Holy Grail) and I strongly discourage anyone to compromise on it. Read on for the details -

Preparation Time - 20-25 mins

Ingredients -

• 1 1/2 cup small cauliflower florets
• 3/4 cup cubed potato (if you have baby potatoes go ahead and use them)
• 2 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 tsp mustard oil
• 4-5 fat garlic cloves
• 2-3 green chilis
• 2 pinch turmeric
• salt to taste
• extra mustard oil for drizzling at the end

Preparation - Wash the vegetables and drain excess water. Transfer to a thick steel bowl.

Dry grind the mustard seeds first. Then add the garlic and 1 green chilli along with a sprinkling of water. Grind into a fine paste using as little water as possible.

Pour this paste over the vegetables. Add salt, turmeric, mustard oil and the remaining green chillis (slit lengthwise). Mix it up.

Cooking - Place the steel bowl over a grill placed on a regular gas burner or use an electric stove/induction stove (not tried doing this in a micowave). Cover with a heavy lid and cook for 15-16 mins.

Do check once or twice in between and add a little water if it is catching at the bottom (If the vessel is sufficiently thick and the flame is kept very low chances are rare) .

Once it is cooked, sprinkle mustard oil and lightly stir the vegetables. Carefully remove the bowl from the heat source.

Serve hot with white rice and dal or with pakhala.

Sindhi Biryani

It was by sheer chance that I saw a 'Shan Sindhi Biryani Masala' packet at Total superstore and decided to try out the recipe. Of couse, I did not buy the masala packet as I usually avoid the ready made masala mixes( with a few exceptions ofcourse when I am not too about the masala proportions.....should have mentioned this before but anyways thanks to one of my readers to point out this blunder ). Around the same time someone posted the recipe on FB which I thought was good but too much spicy. It made me browse around for sometime till I zeroed in on the ingredients I wanted to put into my version. Apart from the usual stuff, the important things that were supposed to go into it were the big potato chunks and some apricots. The heat from those green chilis is obviously negotiable. But since I did not have apricots in store, I used a mix of raisins and dried cranberries.

Read on for my recipe (it is a toned down version but those who dig the Hyderabadi dum biryani will still find it spicier) -

Preparation Time - 1 hour

Ingredients - 

• 1/2 kg Chicken pieces
• 3 cups Basmati Rice 
• 2 Onions (chopped) 
• 2 Tomatoes (pureed)
• 2 big Potatoes ( Boiled, peeled and cubed)
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric
• 1 tsp Red chilly powder 
• 2 tsp Coriander Powder 
• 1 tbsp Ginger garlic paste 
• 1 Bay Leaf 
• 1 black Cardamom
• 2 green Cardamom
• 2 inch cinnamon stick 
• 4-5 cloves
• Lemon juice 
• 1/2 cup raisins  
• 1/4 cup cranberries 
• Handful of Mint Leaves (chopped) 
• Handful of Coriander Leaves (chopped) 
• 2-3 Green Chillies 
• 1/2 cup Curd
• 2 Tbsp Oil + more for frying onions
• 2 Tbsp Ghee
• Salt to taste
• Orange food color (optional)

Preparation -  Slice the onions thinly.

Soak the raisins and cranberries in some hot water for 1 hour.

Wash and marinate the chicken with salt, turmeric, powdered masalas and yogurt.

Cooking - Heat the oil for frying the onions. Fry the onions till brown. Remove and keep aside.

Remove excess oil from the wok. Add the remaining whole spices ( keep aside the black cardamom and 2-3 cloves) and fry till fragrant. Now add the browned onions keeping aside a few for layering. Add the GG paste along with the crushed green chilis. Add chicken and fry for 6-7 minutes on high till it stops oozing water.

Add the pureed tomato, mint leaves and coriander leaves, and cook for 5-6 minutes. Add the boiled potato and pulped raisins and cranberries. By this time, the chicken should be cooked through.

Boil water in a large pan for cooking the rice. Wash the rice and add  to it. Drop in one black cardamom, 2-3 cloves, salt and 1/2 tsp ghee. Cook till 3/4th done. Drain immediately and keep aside uncovered.

Take a thick bottomed vessel. Brush the insides with ghee. Then spread 1/2 of the cooked meat followed by half of the rice. Then add the remaining meat and finally the remaining rice. Sprinkle fried onions, mint leaves, lemon juice, ghee and some food colour. Close the lid tightly so that no steam can escape ( use some dough to seal the edges ).

Cook on 'dum' for 15-20 mins. Keep aside for another 10-15 mins before opening.

Serve hot with raita and papad.

Falafel with Tahini Sauce

Made falafels for the first time yesterday using one of the All-stars recipe from Foodnetwork.com. As I scanned the ingredients list, I could vaguely recollect having made something similar but could not put my finger on it. However once the fritters were ready, I took one bite and the truth dawned upon me. Nothing short of a bollywood potboiler from the 70's, it was a long separated sibling of our very own 'piaji'. The cliched story of two brothers one of whom grows up to be an upright police officer while his good-at-heart sibling lurks on the fringes of the underworld flashed in front of my eyes. Made with garbanzo beans/, the Falafel is spiced with ingredients that are indigenous to the Middle east while our Piaji is made with gram dal and used local spices. Check the recipe for Piaji (here).

While opinions vary on the texture of Falafel, it is agreed upon that it should have a crunchy exterior while retaining a moist and fluffy core. The texture of the chickpeas paste plays an important role in this. Too coarse and it falls apart while too fine a paste makes the falafels dense. To achieve the right texture I made a fine paste out of half of the beans while leaving the other half coarse. The baking powder should always be added just before frying as it gets activated as soon as it comes in contact with water. The refrigeration time is also crucial as it allows the flavours to blend in. 

It is served with tahini sauce, a sesame-olive oil paste with lots of lime added for tang.

Read on for my recipe -

Preparation Time - 30-35 mins 

Ingredients - 

For the Falafel -

• 1 cup dry garbanzo beans/kabuli chana
• 1/2 of a small onion
• 2 fat garlic cloves
• 1 tsp chili flakes
• 1/4 tsp coarsely grounded pepper 
• 1-2 tbsp coriander leaves
• 1/2 tsp dried parsley (use the fresh flat-leaf parsley if you get it)
• 1 1/2 tbsp all purpose flour/maida
• 2/3 tsp baking powder
• salt to taste
• oil for deep frying

For the Tahini sauce -

• 2 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 3-4 tbsp water
• salt to taste
• a dash of pepper (optional)
• a bit of minced garlic (optional)

For making the Falafels -

Preparation - Soak the beans for 12-15 hours. Drain all the water and dry with paper towel before transferring to a food processor.

Pulse 2-3 times and remove half of the still coarse paste. Add all the remaining ingredients except baking powder and oil to the food processor. Pulse till everything is incorporated into a smooth paste. Add the coarse paste removed earlier and mix thoroughly using a spatula.

Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours (atleast) before using ( can be kept upto 48 hours ). Remove and add the baking powder.

Cooking - Heat oil in a wok. Once it reaches optimal temperature (not too hot nor too cold), make small balls out of the mixture and flatten them slightly. 

Let them into the oil, 3-4 nos at a time and fry till they turn brown on both sides. It usually takes about 6-7 minutes per lot. Remove and place on a paper towel to absorb excess oil.

To make the Tahini sauce - 

Roast the sesame seeds on a low flame till they start to pop. Keep aside to cool down.

Transfer to a food processor and blitz to powder them. Add the olive oil, cool water, lemon juice and salt. Buzz to get a smooth sauce. Add more water if the consistency is still thick. If it is too thin, stir in some hung curd.

Serve with the Falafels.

Daliya-Green Moong Khichidi

Doing a healthy twist on a classic recipe is always tough as the USP of the latter has to be kept intact. Muga Khichudi is a popular recipe during fasting days (in Odisha). A medley of fragrant rice, whole green moong, a hint of sugar, fresh coconut and spices, it is a combo of health and taste.

But since I am on a daliya (read High Fiber) eating spree these days, I could not resist replacing the rice with the former. Also, reduced the coconut (read High Cholesterol) content to keep it still healthy. It turned out to be good and both me and my son enjoyed having it for lunch. Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 30-35 mins

Ingredients -

1/2 cup daliya/cracked wheat
1/2 cup green moong dal (whole)
1 cup mixed veggies (carrot/potato/french beans/cauliflower/chopped into small pieces)
a pinch of turmeric
1-2 dry red chilis
1 green chili
1 tsp fennel seeds
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1 cinnamon stick
1-2 green cardamoms
1 bay leaf
1 tsp sugar (avoid for diabetics)
1 1/2 tsp ghee
1 tsp oil
1-2 tsp grated coconut
a dash of freshly cracked pepper
salt to taste


Cooking - Soak the green moong dal for 2-3 hours.

Heat half of the ghee and oil in a pressure cooker. Add the daliya and roast till it changes to slightly red color. Add the moong dal to the same cooker along with 3 cups water, salt and turmeric.

Close the lid. Cook for 4-5 whistles. Keep aside for steam to escape.

Add the veggies and green chili to the same cooker and mix in. Close lid and cook for another whistle. Keep aside for steam to escape.

Heat the remaining ghee/oil in a tempering pan. Add the broken red chili, fennel seeds and cumin seeds. Once they start to crackle, add the remaining spices. Fry for 10 seconds and then pour over the contents of the pressure cooker. Also add the pepper, sugar and grated coconut. Mix all ingredients nicely.

Check for the salt and also adjust the khichidi consistency. ( Add some hot water and simmer for 2-3 minutes if it is too thick. Do not worry if it seems to be very watery as it thickens considerably on cooling.)

Note - If you are making it for your kids, go easy on the spice content (green chili/red chili/pepper) and use just one among the three. I would suggest going for pepper especially during the monsoon/winter seasons.

The Kejriwals shop it out on Baggout!!!!!!!

It's been a few days since Mr Kejriwal has been MIA. He is lounging at home and planning for the next 'Dharna' aka 'sit-out' over an endless supply of tea (courtesy Mrs Kejriwal). One such day after drowning the umpteenth cup, he again requests Mrs Kejriwal for another cup only to be turned down by the latter. He threatens her with a dharna only to be met by a "Will file a RTI to find out how many cups of tea/coffee is one's husband entitled to in a day".

Their little spat is dissipated by the entry of their nosy neighbour Pammy ji who barges in with two huge bags to show off her "online-shonline" haul. She rattles on endlessly about this new site which her daughter had told her about. "One can see the biggest discounts at one place. No more haggling with multiple shopkeepers." she screeches. All the while she is pulling out stuff from her bags. Sarees, salwar suits, clutches, watches, earrings, bed covers, accessories, she has bought them all. Mrs Kerjiwal's eyes pop out looking at her loot. She is silently devising a plan to do some shopping and to make Mr Kejriwal foot the bill. Her thoughts are interrupted by the ringing of Pammy ji's phone. "It's a 2 hour flash sale they are having", announces the lady before running out in a hurry. Abruptly, she stops and turns back. "Oh..did I tell you that I am also getting paid for shopping at Baggout.com?? Well, they have this incredibly good cashback policy that deposits money in your account when you shop with them.". By this time, Mr Kejriwal who had been a uninterested listener is all ears.

"Let us check this new site", he announces as soon as their neighbour has left. "Wow...so much at one place". It is a simultaneous reaction from both. "Do they stock mufflers...yours are so worn out", says Mrs Kejriwal. Her search ends with a dazzling display of mufflers in all possible colours. "Let us buy that grey one with blue stripes and the other one in red and blacks checks", opines Mr Kejriwal to which his wife retorts "Why not buy them in all trendy colors to match all outfits. Take a leaf out of Siddhu Pajji's style guide. After all he is so popular". With his popularity on the wane, he decides it is in his best interests to let his wife have her way. Mrs Kejriwal is now gathering steam. "How about ditching the AAP caps and embracing something more 'aam' ? Hoodies are the new trend and what's more it looks good on both sexes."

Mr Kejriwal is completely sold on to his wife's suggestions for a revamp of the party's look. "Lets calculate how many core members and immediate party members are left. We need to order for all of them before announcing a press conference to showcase this juicier then 'aam'(mango) news to the media/public", he mutters. "Darling.. while you are at it, do you mind if I do some revamping for the house and for myself ??", she coos. "Of course not..if you do not mind making another cup of tea", he responds. She obliges happily having got her way and finally peaces descends on the Kejriwal's household. "Must check if I can get a steal deal one of those automatic tea makers/kettles on Baggout.com", she makes a mental note to herself before proceeding to the kitchen.


Note - I have written this article for an online contest announced by Baggout.com. Check this given link for more details (here).

Kadhai Paneer

Kadhai Paneer is a hit recipe with almost all vegetarians and a few non-vegetarian folks too. The peppers and coriander seeds-cloves spicing is indispensable to this dish. While it is supposed to have a semi dry consistency, some of the restaurants serve it with a rich onion-tomato-cashew gravy. I am no fan of the latter and prefer to stick to its dry form which can also double up as a starter. It is quite easy and does not consume much time. One can make the masala powder in more quantity and store in a airtight container in the fridge. For those who dislike peppers, sliced baby corn and carrots can be used instead.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 20-25 mins

Ingredients -

1 cup soft paneer (cut into triangles)
3/4 cup diced red peppers
3/4 cup diced green peppers
1 big onion + 1 small onion
1 tsp GG paste
1 medium ripe tomato
1 1/2 tbsp kasuri methi
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/5 tsp turmeric
3 tsp rice bran oil
coriander leaves for garnishing

To be powdered -
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
5-6 cloves
2 inch long cinnamon seeds
1 bay leaf

Preparation - Chop the small onion into fine pieces. Dice the big onion into chunks.

Peel and chop the tomato into small pieces.

Cooking - Dry roast all the ingredients listed under 'To be powdered' till they let off a fragrance. Remove from flame and allow to cool down. Transfer to a mixer and ground into a powder.

Heat oil in a wok. Add the finely chopped onion. Fry till translucent. Add the GG paste and fry till the raw smell goes away.

Add the finely chopped tomato along with the chili powder, turmeric and a bit of salt. Cover with a lid for 2 mins. Remove lid and mash up the softened tomato with a spatula. Add the diced onions and peppers. Cover with lid and cook till it softens a bit.

Add the paneer pieces along with the powdered masalas and kasuri methi. Add 1/3 cup hot water and adjust the salt. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove from flame and garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with rice or rotis.

Palak Kofta Curry

When I made the 'Malai koftas' last week, I had some leftover paneer-potato mix that I had planned to use as a sandwich filling. But while cleaning the fridge on the next day, I found some spinach that was starting to wilt. So, I decided to use both the leftover ingredients and make a curry for dinner. But since I had those koftas the night before, I kept this dish simple. No frying. Just baked the tikkis in the oven. Also, I omitted the butter and added just a hint of cream. Healthy and tasty.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 20-25 mins

Ingredients -

For the koftas -

• 200 gm paneer
• 1 medium sized potato
• 1 tsp cornflour
• a pinch of garam masala
• 1/3 tsp chilli powder
• salt to taste
• oil spray

For the palak gravy -

• 1 bunch palak/spinach leaves ( 2 cups )
• 1 medium sized onion
• 5-6 garlic flakes
• 1 inch ginger
• 2 green chilis
• 2 pinch garam masala
• 1 tsp oil
• 1-2 tbsp butter (reduce the quantity if you want)
• 2-3 tbsp fresh cream (optional)
• salt to taste

Cooking - Cook the potato with 1 cup water in a pressure cooker for 2 whistles. Keep aside till steam escapes.

While the potato is cooking, chop the onions, peel the garlic and ginger. Also, blanch the spinach and keep aside.

Heat 1 tsp oil in a wok. Add the onion, ginger and garlic. Fry till onion turns translucent. Add the blanched spinach, green chillis and garam masala. Fry for 2-3 mins. Transfer to a mixer and make a smooth paste.

Peel and grate the boiled potato into a mixing bowl. Also grate the paneer into the same bowl. Add salt, cornflour, chili powder and garam masala. Mix thouroughly and divide into 6-7 portions. Shape each portion into a flattened circle about 2/3 cm thick.

Preheat oven to 200 degree Celcius. Take a baking tray and line with butter paper/foil. Spray on some cooking oil. Place the paneer-potato tikkis and bake on each side for 3-4 mins (use the upper grill of the OTG).

Heat 1 tsp butter in a wok. Add the spinach gravy along with 1/3-1/2 cup hot water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 3-4 mins. Add the fresh cream and some more butter. Mix in. Add the koftas and switch off the flame.

Cover and keep aside for 5 mins before serving. (This will allow the koftas to absorb the gravy)

Serve hot with phulkas.

Note - One can also fry some tomato and grind it with the palak to give a hint of tang this dish.