Karamanga Khatta ( Star Fruit Curry from Odisha )

The outer. The inner. And a whole journey to encompass the voyage from the former to the latter. If seeing (the external) is believing, then knowing (the inner) is taking it to the next level of awareness. From the Western values of consumerism to the Indian values of spirituality, the differences between the two worlds could not have been more stark. And somehow this difference in approach crops up in the most mundane of things that we come across in everyday life.

Yeah. Something as mundane as the way we treat an ingredient like starfruit ! While the Western world is more than happy to use it as a pretty accessory to garnish those tempting fruit punches or even salads, the Eastern world makes good use of it's nutrients . From being made into juices to being candied or even curried, starfruit finds quite a lot of takers in this part of the world. 

Ofcourse, not to forget the fact that it is one of the most sought after 'food cravings' when it comes to pregnant women. But it is not just the tangy and slight sweet flavor that makes it such a hit during pregnancy when the changing hormones tend to play havoc on the taste buds. Nutrients in starfruit are believed to improve immunity and regulate the female hormones. Plus, those digestive juices are good for the guts and the stomach which tend to get sluggish during those nine months of gestation.

Here, I am sharing the recipe for a very simple starfruit curry that we usually prepare in Odisha. It is easy to prepare and low in calories. Read on -

Preparation Time - 25 mins

Ingredients - 

• 4-5 Lightly ripened Starfruits
• 1 tsp mustard paste 
• 1-2 garlic flakes 
• a sprig of curry leaves
• 1-2 dry red chilis
• 1/4 tsp pancha phutana
• 2 pinch turmeric power
• 1 tsp oil
• salt to taste
• 3-4 tsp sugar (or as per taste)

Preparation - Cut the starfruit across the length into pieces about 4-5 mm thick. 

Dissolve the mustard paste in about 1 cup water and let it stand for 10 mins.

Cooking - Heat the oil in a wok. 

Add the broken red chilis and pancha phutana. Once it starts spluttering , add curry leaves and crushed garlic. Saute for 20 seconds.

Add the starfruit pieces to the wok, sprinkle a little salt and saute on medium high for about 5 mins.

By this time the solids in the mustard paste would have settled down at the bottom of the cup. Carefully pour this water into the wok while still retaining the solid residue in the cup.

Add another cup of water to the wok. Sprinkle the turmeric powder and adjust the salt. Bring to a boil and then let simmer (covered) for 10-15 mins.

Finally add the sugar and let it just dissolve.

Remove from the heat.

Serve at room temperature. Best with steamed rice .

Apple Peppers Walnut Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Salads and more salads !! While it was black rice a couple of weeks back, now it is the turn of salads to capture my imagination. In sync with my fitness resolutions for the current year, I am substituting a bowl of salad for lunch at least 2-3 times in a week. Chickpeas, kidney beans or even tofu is a regular addition to my salad bowl as these ingredients have a high proportion of protein.

However last week, I ended up missing lunch on one of the days. Being caught up with some work, I realized quite late that it was well past 3 in the afternoon. As I did not want to eat anything heavy so late in the day, I skipped the dal-chawal lunch that I had prepared for kiddo. A quick raid on the fridge did not yield my usual protein sources. But I had quite a few apples in stock. And there were the walnuts from goingnuts.in that had arrived the previous day. So, I whipped up a quick salad with the aforementioned ingredients, some leftover colored peppers and a balsamic vinaigrette. It turned out to be delectable and filling to the core

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time -

• 1 apple (I used Gala, cut into thin slices)
• 1 cup mixed yellow and red peppers (thin long pieces)
• A few leaves of lettuce 
• 1/2 cup walnuts

For the Balsamic vinaigrette -

• 3 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tsp English mustard
• 2 pinch black pepper
• salt to taste

Preparation - Take all the ingredients for the vinaigrette in a bowl and whisk together till it forms a uniform mixture.

Toss in the apples, peppers, lettuce and walnuts in a big bowl. Drizzle some of the vinaigrette over it as per your taste.

Mix lightly and serve immediately.

Easy Chicken Tortillas

Hummph !!! Those capricious hunger pangs have a way of sneaking up at the most unexpected hours. Apart from making a regular call every afternoon, they have been getting more and more frequent as I find myself getting involved in more and more physical activities. Exercise and smart eating choices have helped me reduce weight, boost metabolism and feel more energetic than I did even in my early twenties. But of course, the obvious side effect has also manifested itself !

An active lifestyle often calls for smaller and more frequent meals. And tortillas stuffed with a good dose of protein and fibre is a smart anytime snack/meal. The protein can come from sources like grilled fish, chicken or even paneer. Vegans can opt for chickpeas or tofu. Lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, a variety of peppers, cabbage and onions add the fiber and make it even more filling.

This is one such whole wheat tortilla recipe in which I have used grilled chicken and a few veggies. But it is the addition of a gourmet sauce which takes this recipe to another level of deliciousness. The Sprig range of gourmet sauces are something that one can try if you like a touch of magic to your everyday dishes. Read on -

Preparation Time - 30 mins

Ingredients -

For the tortillas -

• 2 cups of whole wheat flour
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/3 tsp salt
• warm water

For the stuffing -

• 1 cup of bite sized chicken pieces
• 1 tsp lime juice
• 2 garlic cloves (finely minced)
• freshly ground pepper
• salt to taste
• 2 tsp Sprig Alphonso Mango and Jalapeno Pepper sauce
• 2 cups colored peppers
• 7-8 lettuce leaves
• 1/3 cup tomato slices
• 1/3 cup cucumber slices

Preparation - Take a large mixing bowl. Add the flour, salt and olive oil. Mix in. Then add just enough water to make a smooth dough.

Smear with a few drops of olive oil. Let it rest for 15 mins.

Knead it again for 5 mins. Then divide into 8-9 balls . Roll out each ball into a circle on a lightly floured working surface.

Marinate the chicken with salt, lime juice, minced garlic and pepper for 30 mins. 

Cooking - Heat a oven to 200 C. Line a baking tray with aluminum foil and spread the marinated chicken pieces. Roast for 12-14 mins or till tender.  Sprinkle the Mango and Jalapeno sauce. Toss lightly and put the tray back in the oven for another minute or two.

In a large bowl, add all the veggies. Toss in the chicken. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat a skillet . Rub in a few drops of oil on the surface. Add the tortillas one by one and cook on each side for about a minute on medium flame. Once small brown dots appear on the surface, they are done.

Layer the stuffing on one half of each tortilla. Sprinkle a little more Mango and Jalapeno sauce if you like it hot. Fold over. 

Grab one and get going !!!

Achari Aloo Salad ( Indian Potato Salad)

Last week I happened to find some really good freshly harvested baby potatoes at the local vegetable market. Coincidentally I had been craving for some Kashmiri dum aloo for sometime. So, it was the first dish that I cooked up with the lot. The next dish to go on the table was my favorite fish head curry with mustard paste. And I was still left with a sizable lot !

That is when I realized that I havn't had a decent salad bowl for almost a week. Eeeks !! I needed to do something about my eating resolutions. It has been just a month into the new year and I am already lagging behind. A potato salad with some protein and veggies seemed like the right choice for the next day's lunch . A few minutes of browsing threw up quite a few gems like the Mediterranean potato salad, an English potato salad and even a Russian one among all. Sadly I couldn't really find anything like an Indian version.

That was it ! I decided to make one on my own. But what flavour could encompass the entire width and breadth of a country that is better known for it's diversity ? Of course, the humble 'achar' or pickle. Though pickles from various regions make use of different ingredients, there are a few basic ingredients that are quite common. And using these very ingredients that are common to every Indian kitchen, I mustered up a yummy and filling bowl (actually two bowls) of potato salad !

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 10 mins

Ingredients -

• 2 cups of boiled baby potatoes
• 1 cup boiled kidney beans (rajma)
• 1 cup of chopped veggies (tomato and cucumber)
• 1 small red onion (chopped into thin long pieces, optional)
• 1 tsp lemon juice (use more if required)
• 1 tsp mustard oil
• 1/6 tsp mustard powder
• a pinch of fennel powder
• a pinch of roasted fenugreek powder
• 1/4 tso chili powder ( use a little hot unless you like it really spicy )
• salt to taste
• fresh cilantro for garnishing
• a few drops of pickle oil ( optional )

Preparation - Peel the potatoes and cut each one into two halves.

Take all the ingredients (except salt) in a big mixing bowl. Toss them together . And let it sit for 15-20 mins for the flavours to come together. Season with the salt and garnish with chopped cilantro .

Serve at room temperature.

Note - If you do not want to use the powdered spices, go directly for the pickle oil which has already imbibed all these spices.

Garlicky Bok-Choy with Dried Shrimp !

Noodles. Fried rice. Manchurian. Chilli. Soups. Ummm. Cantonese. Hummmm. Ummm. Ahh....kung pao. And just when you think that you have exhausted the entire gamut of terms used to describe Chinese food, the real stuff reveals itself. By real, I do mean 'REAL' and not the heavily desi-fied variety that could literally give new meaning to the 'Hindi-Chini bhai bhai' sloganeering. I will leave those to some inspiration-deprived Bollywood bloke and his period drama. For now, I will just revel in the new found joy of discovering real Chinese food.

The Chinese are surely masters in the art of stir-frying. A chosen few ingredients, a large cooking surface that allows individual components to actually get fried instead of being steamed and the hottest flame that you can muster up in order to retain the crispness of the veggies are the key components that go into the making of this culinary dream. So, even before you attempt to replicate these stir fry recipes at home, make sure you have the right kind of wok and a really big burner. Else no amount of effort is going to give you the desired outcome.

Here is a real simple recipe to start with. I have stir fried Bok choy with some dried shrimp (as I was out of the fresh ones), lot of garlic and a dash of light soy sauce. Read on for the details -

Preparation time - 10 mins

Ingredients -

• 100 gm Bok-choy
• 1/4 cup dried/fresh shrimp
• 4-5 garlic cloves (finely minced)
• 1 tsp light soy sauce
• red chili (finely chopped)
• 1 tsp canola oil
• salt to taste

Preparation - If using dried shrimps, soak them in hot water for about 20 mins. Drain water, wash again with fresh water and squeeze dry.

Wash the bok-choy and chop it into medium sized bits.

Cooking - Take a wide wok. Add the oil and heat it to a high.

Add the minced garlic, red chili and shrimp. Stir fry at a high heat till the shrimp turns crisp. Takes about 3 mins.

Add the bok-choy and stir quickly to let off the steam without making it soggy.

Finally add soy sauce and very little salt . Give a quick stir and remove from the wok.

Serve hot.

Note - I personally like to have this stir fry with some steamed white/brown rice and a light dal/rasam.

A (Fish) Bone Of Contention and Some Delicious Resolutions

Though I have been rather fond of eating fish right from my childhood days, the 'fish head' was one part of the anatomy that was strictly off limits for me. I always found it too intimidating and it was much later (sometime in my mid twenties) that I gathered the courage (plus some accompanying good sense) to attempt a go at it. And it was made possible only because some good Samaritan introduced me to a fish head curry without giving away the secret ingredient. Most of them are quite delicious and with a multitude of ingredients, it is tough to pick out the fish unless one encounters the bony pieces.

But in most Odia homes, the head of the family and the fish head are considered to be a match made in heaven. The uncanny Odia folks do know a thing or two about good (read nutritious) food. While many communities discard the fish head or dress it up to a such an extent that whatever remains is barely a few pieces of bone joined together by a bit of cartilage. The Odia people however place a lot of stress on preserving every possible bit of the fish head which they believe to be highly nutritious. And regular consumption is rumored to make a person intelligent. Although the last statement is highly debatable, the fish head contains high levels of Vitamin A, Omega 3 fatty acids, iron, zinc and calcium. No wonder the head of the family, who is often the one making the highest contribution to the household kitty, stakes a n undisputed claim to it.

But during the community feasts, there would have been too many claimants on this bounty. Any kind of refusal could only lead to slighted egos and fights. Hence, some devious chef might have come up with this idea to appease everyone's egos and palates. Instead of dunking the fish heads into the gravy, they were cooked with an assortment of vegetables, leafy greens or even lentils. Not only a new non-vegetarian dish was added to the menu, it was also extremely delicious . And it also spared me the horror of looking into those lifeless eyes. Or the guilt of tossing it into the waste.

Here is a list of those delectable 'Fish Head' preparations that grace Odia cuisine. These are the more common ones  -

1. Fish Head cooked with Malabar spinach and other vegetables ( Poi Chenchedda ) -

Read recipe HERE.

2. Fish Head cooked with Cabbage (Bandha Kobi Chenchedda ) -

Read recipe HERE.

3. Fish head cooked with lentil dumplings (badi), potatoes and mustard paste
 ( Maccha Munda Besara ) -

Read recipe HERE.

4. Fish head cooked with split Bengal gram and few vegetables (Mudhi Ghanta) -

Read recipe HERE.

5. Fish Head cooked with a medley of seasonal vegetables (Maccha Mahura) -

Read recipe HERE.

Almond Pumpkin and Shallots Soup (Vegan recipe)

A tentative foot inches out from beneath the blanket. The cold is intimidating. Almost on reflex, it is withdrawn immediately into the warm confines of the quilt. And just as the brain begins to lull itself to slip back into a dreamy state, the shrill alarm goes off. Yet again. Only to be put on a snooze.

This childish little game of peek-a-boo continues for half an hour ever morning before another alarm goes off. This time in another room. The kitchen to be precise. Letting out a sigh I throw off the quilt and swing my legs off the bed. My eyes are barely open as I stumble and fumble to reach and turn off the irritating device. Even before I switch off the alarm, I switch on the electric kettle placed right next to it. Throughout the year, I like to kick start my day with a glass of warm water. But with the cold weather playing havoc with my immune system, I need a glass of warm water even for splashing on to my face. Open pores be damned.

No wonder warm fluids are the mainstay of my life during the winter months. And after endless glasses of warm water and half a dozen cups of tea, piping hot soups are very much a part of my everyday routine. Especially on days like today when I have a bad throat and everything tastes like sawdust. As usual ended up skipping lunch in favour of a big bowl of Pumpkin and Shallots soup. Roasted the stuff in an oven for added flavor though it can also be prepared in a pressure cooker.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 40 mins ( takes just 20 mins if pressure cooked )

Ingredients -

• 1 cups pumpkin slices (about 4 mm thickness)
• 10-12 shallots
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 4-5 almonds
• a dash of paprika
• a pinch of powdered cloves
• salt to taste
• olive oil
• 1/4 tsp sugar (optional)
• 2-3 cups vegetable stock

Preparation - Soak the almonds overnight . Wash and peel them.

Place the pumpkin slices , 4-5 shallots and garlic cloves on a baking tray. Drizzle with a little olive oil and a dash of salt.

Place it in a pre-heated oven and bake for 30 mins at 200 C. Remove .

Transfer the roasted vegetables to a blender jar along with the almonds and 1/2 cup of hot vegetable stock. Blend for 2 mins .

Pour the liquid into a saucepan and place it on a low flame. Add the sugar and paprika. Adjust the consistency of the soup by adding more vegetable stock. Let it simmer for a few minutes.

In the meanwhile, peel and chop the remaining shallots into tiny rings. Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a pan and add the shallots. Fry on low flame till they are caramelized. Remove and keep aside.

Pour the soup into the serving bowls. Garnish with the caramelized shallots.

Serve hot.