Thursday, October 31, 2013

Chitau Pitha

Hi,

This is another Odia authentic recipe. However, this is almost similar to the Tamil or Kerala Appam. The only difference is the way it is cooked. When I last visited Chennai, I had Appam at Nalla's and really liked the egg Appam. They cook Appam in a deep Kadhai. I had never seen that vessel before. Small in size but quiet deep. They pore the batter from the edges and it covers almost whole of kadhai. In Odisha we cook Chitau Pitha in Tawa and by covering it with a lid and it is sealed with a damp cloth. The similarity is in both case it is cooked only in one side and the batter consist of rice and coconut.

Lets now have a look at the recipe.


Ingredients :- 
1 cup rice (arua chawal not the parboiled rice)
1 cup grated coconut
salt to taste
oil to greese the tawa



Method :- 

Soak rice overnight. Grind the rice with freshly grated coconut. Add salt to the batter and the consistency should be little thinner than the normal dosha. Now, heat a tawa. Add little oil and greese the tawa. When its hot add little batter, cover it with lid and cook for 1 min, when its cooked remove and serve hot. In Odisha this is generally served with Dalma.

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Rogini Yam

Hi Readers,

This is a recipe that I learnt from one of the TV shows in Odia. I do not know why the dish was named Rogini? May be it has similarity to Rogan Josh which is a meat curry, so they have named it as such. I remember the movie Bwarachi starred by Rajesh Khanna, who played the role of a cook. On his first day at that family, he made a curry from Yam and everyone thought its meat. The interesting part is if Yam is cooked properly and the way meat is cooked, it tastes similar to meat (boneless meat).

In this recipe the look and color of gravy turns out the same brown color of Rogan Josh meat gravy. If you add a little bit  of meat masala or Rogan Josh meat masala the smell would be same.  Lets now have a look at the recipe.



Ingredients :-

100gms Yam cut into 1/2 inch width rectangular pieces.
3 tbsp corn flour
1 tbsp red chili powder
1 tbsp turmeric powder
1 1/2 tbsp onion paste
1 tbsp garlic paste
1/2 tbsp ginger paste
2 onion blanched and pureed
1 1/2 tbsp cashew and magaj paste(pumpkin seeds)
3 tbsp oil
1 tbsp cumin seeds
salt to taste
1 tbsp Meat Masala (optional)
1 tbsp Garam Masala
1/2 tbsp Amchur powder
Garnish - Coriander leaves



Method :- 
In a bowl take the Yam pieces, add corn flour, pinch of red chili powder, pinch of turmeric powder and little salt. Mix using water so that the corn flour paste sticks to each Yam pieces. Heat a pan and add oil. When its hot, fry these Yam pieces turning each side, so that it turns little brown in color. Remove from heat and keep aside. In same pan add cumin seeds. When it splutters, add Onion paste followed by garlic and ginger paste. Cook in medium flame till the raw smell is removed and masala starts separating oil. Add tomato puree, cashew magaj paste and cook for another 2 to 3 mins till masala is done. Add 1 cup water, turmeric powder, amchur powder, garam masala, meat masala(optional) let it cook till the gravy starts boiling. Add the yam pieces and cook for another 1 min. Serve hot garnished with coriander.

Note :- Corn flour makes it crispy.


Diwali Sweets and recipes

Hi Readers,

As Diwali is nearing and is on Sunday, this is a good time to make sweets and savory dishes and munch on them. My blog has many sweet dishes and a few savory dishes that are generally cooked during Diwali. This time, I have set aside a few dishes that I will make.

I have listed, Manda pitha ( Odia cusine), Ghujia (north Indian snack) and mixed Chiwvda ( south and maharastrian) dish to try this diwali. I will post them after making it. For now, here I present you the links to various sweets and savory that  you can try out. Wish you a very happy and prosperous Diwali.

Gajar ka Halwa / carrot halwa :-


Rasgulla  :- 













Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Aloo matar satwik gravy

Hi Readers,

In our country, many people do not have onions and garlic especially the Jain community. Apart from that Hindu's also do not have onion and garlic during auspicious occasions. This is Karthik masa in Odisha, and many would be fasting during this holy month. So, here I present you a recipe that do not use onions and garlic but tastes great.

Lets now have a look at the recipe


Ingredients :-
1 cup gree peas shelled
2 medium size potatoes boiled and peeled
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1/2 tbsp turmeric powder
1/2 tbsp coriander powder
1/2 tbsp gara masla
2 tomatoes chopped
salt to taste
1/2 tbsp red chili powder
1/4 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp oil


Method :-

Cut the potatoes into small cubes. Heat a pan, Add about 1 tbsp oil. When Oil is hot add the Potatoes and cook till all sides turn brown. Remove from flame and keep aside. In same pan add little more oil and when oil is hot, add cumin seeds. When it starts to splutter, add sugar. Now add tomatoes, turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala and cook till tomatoes and soft. Add little water if masala starts to stick. Now add the green peas, add 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook till peas are almost done. Add the potatoes and add water if required. let it cook for 2 mins, adjust gravy as per your requirement and serve hot garnished with coriander leaves. 



Beetroot Paratha

Hi Readers,

Yesterday, I had made beetroot paratha for dinner. My mom used to make different paratha's just to ensure we eat the veggi when young. Its a good way to make paratha's and feed anyone who does not like that veggi.  My husband also likes to have different paratha's than having normal roti.

Lets now have a look at the recipe.


Ingredients :- 

2 beet root, peeled and grated
3 cups wheat flour
salt as per taste
water to knead

Note :- You can boil the beetroots and grate if you want. You can also add in amchur masala, ajwain or cumin seeds if you like.


Method :-
In bowl, take wheat flour, add beetroot, salt and water. Knead it into a dough of chapati consistency. Allow the dough to rest for 10 mins. Divide the dough into small parts. Roll these and heat a tawa. Add this paratha and cook in medium flame till brown spots appear on both sides. Add little oil and spread it all over the paratha and cook it for another 1 min. Turn each side to coat the oil and cook. Serve with any curry. I have served this with green peas and potato curry.

If you are using boiled beetroot, then it will cook in less time. But, finely grated beetroot can be added directly and would give same taste. 



Monday, October 28, 2013

South Indian style cabbage curry

Hi Readers,

Today, its time again to provide you one easy and less time consuming recipe of Cabbage. In Odisha curry is generally made with lots of spice and potato. However, down south cabbage is just stir fried with other vegetables and tampered with curry leaves, coconut. Well, this is not an authentic South Indian cabbage curry as I have skipped coconut, chana dal in it. Why I did is, I do not prefer coconut and chana dal combination. However, the flavour of curry leaves, asafoetida, red chili tamper is something that I like very much.

Since, this recipe contains less spice and oil, I try to make this instead of Odia style cabbage curry. When I went home for the first time after I started working, I had made this dish and my father and brothers liked it very much. So, lets have a look at it. Next time, I will make the Odia style cabbage curry and provide you the recipe.


Ingredients :- 
1 cabbage head shredded
2 carrot chopped 
1 green chili chopped
1 tbsp mustard and fenugreek seeds
8 to 10 curry leaves
1/4 tbsp asafoetida
1/2 tbsp turmeric powder
salt as per taste
Note:- You can use  1/2 cup soaked chana dal and 1/2 cup shredded coconut along with the dish to make it authentic south Indian. You can also add green peas or french beans. 

In the second picture I have used beans and carrots but other pictures do not have beans.



Method :-
 Heat a pan, add little oil. Add turmeric to oil. Then add green chili, carrot and cook in medium flame till carrot turns light brown. Add shredded cabbage, salt and cook till cabbage is properly cooked. This will take around 15 mins, cook in medium flame and occasionally stir so that it does not stick at the bottom. 
For Tampering - Heat a tampering vessel, add 1 tbsp oil, when oil is hot, add mustard and fenugreek seeds. When it starts to splutter add red chili, curry leaves and asafoetida. Now, add this tampering mixture to cabbage curry. 

Note :- When we add turmeric to oil and later add vegetables it will give a light yellowish colour to dish and when we add same quantity of turmeric to the vegetables instead of oil, the colour will be bright yellow. 

If you are using chana dal and coconut. Then add chana dal when you are adding cabbage to the pan. Cook it properly till both chana dal and cabbage is done. Now, add coconut to it cook for another 2 mins and remove from heat add tampering and serve hot. 







Sunday, October 27, 2013

Chhachindra Besara Bhaja / Stuffed Snake Gourd



Hi Readers,

This is another Traditional Odia dish. In Odia cusine Besara(mustard paste) is commonly used  to stuff vegetables ad fry it. The interesting part is I never had stuffed snake gourd before my marriage. I had it in my in-laws place for the first time. My mom only used to prepare stir fry with snake gourds. I wanted to make the same dish as by my Mom in law. The best part is my husband taught me how to make the recipe.

So, here goes the recipe.


Ingredients :- 
1 large Snake Gourd (Chhachindra in Odia)
1 tbsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp mustard paste
1 tbsp garlic paste
1/2 tbsp cumin powder
salt to taste
2 tbsp oil
1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves for garnish


Method :-
Wash and cut snake gourd into 3 inch long pieces. Slit one side of it and remove the seeds. Heat a pan and add little oil to greese. Add the snake gourd pieces, sprinkle little turmeric and salt, cover and cook for 2 mins. Keep turning the sides so that it cooks from all sides. Remove the vegetable and in same pan add little more oil , add turmeric powder, mustard paste, garlic paste, cumin powder and salt. Cook in simmer just enough to evaporate the water . Do not over cook otherwise, mustard paste will turn bitter. Remove the paste. Now apply this paste in the inner part of Snake gourd and press gently to stick both sides. Now again fry these snake gourds so that brown spots appear on both the sides. Serve hot garnished with coriander leaves.





Saturday, October 26, 2013

Soya granules cutlet

Hi,

While surfing yesterday I got to know about a new variety of cutlet that is easy and healthy. It uses Soya granules that is rich in plant protein, it uses vegetables so again it has many good nutrients in it. Thus, this is a healthy snack or appetizer recipe. Lets now have a look at the recipe.


Ingredients :- 

1 cup soya granules
1/2 cup green peas boiled
1 carrot boiled and chopped
1 Onion chopped
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1 tbsp coriander leaves chopped
1 green chilli chopped
1/4 tbsp turmeric powder
3 tbsp Besan (gram flour)
1/2 tbsp red chili powder
1/2 tbsp chat masala
salt as per taste
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp Suji or Rawa


Method :-

Add the soya granules to boiled water and keep aside for 10 mins.  Strain the soya granules and take in a bowl. Add other ingredients except Suji/Rawa. Mix well and divide it into small balls. Heat a Tawa /griddle. Coat each ball with suji/Rawa and put it in tawa. Add little oil and cook both sides till brown spots appear in it. Serve hot with green chutney or any other dip.



Chakuli Pitha

Hi Readers,

This is another Odia dish, mainly a breafast dish. This has similarity with the South Indian Dosha. More or less both have equal ingredients, so now is the question how it differs from normal Dosha? Well, with the amount of its ingredients used. So, the taste is also different. It has more Urad dal(black gram lentil) compared to Dosha, and the flavour gives a smell and taste of the dal. It is cooked using mustard oil unlike gingely oil or peanut oil.




Ingredients :- 
1 cup rice.
1 cup urad dal
salt to taste
water
mustard oil 1 tbsp





Method :- 
Soak rice and urad dal overnight. Grind this to a fine paste. Add salt, if you use the batter immediately, it will form thin Pitha, however if you allow it to ferment for couple of hours, the Pitha will be thick. Both the varieties are quite well known. Now, heat a Tawa or griddle. greese little oil , when it is sufficiently hot, add a cup full of batter and spread it similar to Dosha. Add about 1 tbsp of mustard oil in all its side . When bubbles appear, turn it and cook for another 1 min. Remove and serve hot with chutney or sabzi.

Normally, Chakuli Pitha is served with Ghuguni or Ghanta in Odisha. This can be eaten with any kind chutney or dip. This batter usually forms soft Pitha, it cannnot be crispy like the Dosha due to more Urad dal composition.

Friday, October 25, 2013

Madras Sambar

Hi Readers,

When I was not married and used to stay with friends, we had a cook. Her hand made Sambar was delicious. I remember, we never had got Sambar Masala in our room, but she would manage to make it delicious and with same smell & taste without it. However, I never got a chance to see how she made it. She used to prepare food when we were out in Office.

Post marriage, I thought of preparing this dish several times, but my dear husband would turn down my request, may be he thought I can't make it good. Lol... Last Saturday, I made my mind, though my husband had same response , I somehow managed to get his acknowledgement. I had a pack of Madras Sambar Masala sitting in my cup-board. You know what..my husband completed all the sambar that I made for Lunch. It was no doubt with same taste, same smell as my cook used to make though I had to use the masala. I made thick gravy as is available in Chennai. After, staying for more than five years in various parts of South India, I now know the difference in taste of Sambar from various places. :)

Lets now have a look at the recipe.


Ingredients 
Oil - 1 tsp
Ghee - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Curry leaf - 10 leaves
Coriander leaves - 3 springs
Madras Sambar Powder - 2 tbsp
Toor dal - 1 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Tamarind - a lime sized bal
Sambar Onion - 1 cup
Any vegetable - 2 cups(I have used drumsticks, Bhindi, Pumpkin & carrot)
Salt as per taste

Wash toor dal, add 2 cups of water and turmeric powder. Pressure cook until 3 whistle.

soak tamarind in 1 cup of water and extract the juice filtering the skin. Keep aside.

Heat 4 cups of water in a deep pan, when it comes to boil add whole onion, vegetable, sambar powder, cooked dal and salt. cover it up and let it cook for 5 min in medium flame, then add tamarind juice, when it boils cover up and cook for 10 min. Now add the grounded powder and cook for 5 min and turn off the flame.

Heat oil in a separate pan, add mustard seeds when it done popped switch off the flame, add asafoetida powder curry leaf, coriander leaf and ghee. Pour it on top of the cooked sambar. Stir well and serve hot with rice.




Thursday, October 24, 2013

Yam and Pumpkin Curry

Hi Friends,

This dish comes from Chattishgarh. I learned about it from my friend Deepa who hails from Chattishgarh. Madhya Pradesh is famous for Yam(Desi alu) and Arvi(Saru). Combining Yam and Pumpkin and making it into a complete dish is something that she taught me. Well, after my marriage when I prepared this dish, my husband was happy. Now a days, he demands to have this dish prepared.

Lets now have a look at the recipe.



Ingredients :- 

150 gms Yam
150 gms Pumpkin
2 tbsp Cumin seeds
2 Onions chopped
4 to 5 flakes garlic
1 inch ginger chopped
4 tbsp oil
1/2 tbsp turmeric powder
2 green chili
1 tbsp coriander powder
1 tbsp garam masala
2 tomatoes
salt to taste


Method :-
 Wash, peel and cut the Yam into medium size pieces. Cut Pumpkin into same size. Heat a pan, add about 1 tbsp oil and fry the Yam till it turns golden brown. Remove and keep aside, fry the pumpkins till brown spots appear on it sides.  Remove and keep aside. In same pan add 1 tbsp cumin seeds, when it starts to splutter add green chili, onion, garlic and ginger. Fry till onion turns pink. Remove and using a blender, blend the mixture along with tomatoes to make a thick paste. Now, heat the pan again. Add little oil. Add cumin seeds and let it splutter. Add the paste, turmeric powder, coriander powder , garam masala and salt . Add little water if it turns to be thick. When the gravy starts to boil add the Yam and pumpkin. Cook for 3 to 4 mins. You can make the gravy as you like, if you want more gravy add water. I have reduced the gravy and have made to just coat each Yam and Pumpkin pieces. 

Serve hot garnished with coriander leaves. This goes well with rice and chapati.




Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Lau/Lauki Kofta Curry

Hi Readers,

As promised in my earlier post Bharwa Lauki/Stuffed Bottle gourd, I had prepared Lauki or Bottle gourd Kofta curry in Odia style, in same method as my Mom used to cook. As a child this was one of my favorite dish prepared by mom. This is a common dish in most of the northern states in India. However, the Kofta preparation varies from places to places. My friend Preeti who belongs to Jharkhand prepares same dish in another method. However, both the taste would vary due to the method of cooking. Ingredients remain same. Mostly, kofta is served with tomato based curry. 

In this recipe, the Lauki filling does not have Besan added to it and it is dipped in Besan or gram flour Batter to form the outer cover. In other method, all ingredients of Kofta and mixed together and is directly depp fried.Lets now have a look at the Ingredients and preparation method.


Ingredients for Kofta :-
1 Bottle gourd/Lauki/Lau/Doodhi - peeled and shredded
4 to 5 flakes garlic chopped
1 green chili chopped
1 tbsp Coriander powder
1/2 tbsp turmeric powder
1/2 tbsp red chili powder (optional)
1/2 cup besan
salt to taste
1/4 cup water
oil to fry



Ingredients for tomato based gravy :- 
2 ripe tomatoes pureed
2 onions, 4 to 5 flakes garlic and 1 inch ginger , 2 green chili-make a paste
1/4 tbsp turmeric powder
1/2 tbsp roasted cumin powder
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp cumin seeds
salt to taste
chopped coriander leaves for garnish



Method :-
Kofta :- 
Heat a pan, add about 1 tbsp oil. When it is hot, add green chili, garlic and saute for 1 min. Now add the shredded bottle gourd, add turmeric powder, coriander powder, salt , red chili powder and mix well. Let it cook over medium flame. Mix this mixture in between and let it cook till all water from bottle gourd evaporates. Now, the filling is ready, take it out and let it cool for about 10 mins or till you can pick it by hand. In another bowl, take besan, salt and water. Mix this to form a batter of Pokora consistency. Take the bottle gourd filling in palm and form small balls give it the shape of your desire and deep it in besan batter and then fry it till all the sides are cooked properly. Remove and keep aside. This would look as shown in the second picture.

Gravy :-
After, all the kofta is done, remove excess oil from pan. In same pan add 1 tbsp Cumin seeds. Then add the paste made of onion,gralic,green chili and ginger. Let it cook over medium flame till the mixture starts separating oil. Add tomato puree, turmeric powder, garam masala and salt to it. Add water if it is too thick and let it cook for 2 mins. Now, add the kofta cover and cook for another 2 to 3 mins. 

Serve hot garnished with coriander leaves. 



Monday, October 21, 2013

Tawa fried Yam

Hi,

Back to Monday again. I wish I could have got one more extra day of holiday.This is my feeling on everyday, and that happens to all people who work. Sometimes, I think of people who have 6 days working day in a week, how would they be managing with just 1 day off. Thankfully, I have two days off but still I want another one. This weekend I had made two dishes of Yam and one south Indian dish. Sunday, I didn't cook much and went outside. I remember someone once told me, when I know cooking, why I eat outside. True, I love cooking, trying new dishes but still eating out has again another charm of getting rest.  \\\

You must have got bored with my schedule, so let me now provide you a recipe of one of the Yam dish that I had prepared. Yam is one of the famous vegetable of Madhya Pradesh and Kerala. This grows in marshy land and both the region have their own specialty of cooking it. In Odisha we normally add it into Dalma, or make a stir fry. Sometimes, we also add rice flour batter to it (that is called Pithau Bhaja) to make it crispy. This one uses that technique to make it crispy. Here, is the recipe for your use.


Ingredients:-
250 gm of elephant yam
3 tbsp of besan ( gram flour) 
1/4 tsp of turmeric powder 
1 tsp of red chili powder 
1/2 tsp of coriander powder 
1/4 tsp of crushed cumin powder
2 tbsp of rice flour 
5-6 of curry leaves, chopped 
salt to taste
4 tbsp + 1 tsp of oil 



Method:- 

1. Cut the yam into thin pieces of about 2" diameter. Cook them in boiling water with turmeric until soft yet they hold their shape (about 4-5 mins). Drain completely.
2. Transfer the cooked yam to a bowl and add the rest of the ingredients except the 4 tbsp oil (add the 1 tsp oil into the mixture too). Mix well until the masala coats the yam pieces uniformly. If you have the time, let this sit for a couple of hours or in the refrigerator if you want to keep it longer. Otherwise, proceed to the next step.
3. Heat the 4 tbsp oil in a wide pan or tawa (adjust oil amount to the size of your pan). Lay the coated yam pieces in a single layer over it and lightly roast both sides until crisp and golden here and there. Drain on kitchen towels.
Delicious tawa-fried yam is now ready. Serve hot.

Saturday, October 19, 2013

Sweet Potato Pakora Curry

Hi,

In Odisha Pakudi Tarkaari (Pakora curry) is quiet a well known homely dish. I just made a twist by making Pakora with sweet potato. I really don't know much of using sweet potato in dishes. I love to roast it , peel and eat it. Same thing can be done with boiling too. But, since its quiet sweet, i do not like adding or using it in curry. For the first time tried this and somehow, the flavor got balanced and it tasted good, with a tomato based gravy and chatpata Pakora.


Ingredients for Pakora :- 
2 sweet potatoes - peeled and chopped into thin roundels.
1/2 cup besan
1 tbsp carom seeds(ajwain)
1 tbsp chat masala
pinch of turmeric
1/2 tbsp red chili powder
salt to taste
oil for frying
1/2 cup water

Ingredients for gravy :-
1 onion roughly chopped
2 tomatoes
4 to 5 flakes garlic
1/4 inch ginger
1/2 tbsp turmeric powder 
salt as per taste
2 green chili
1 tbsp cumin seed
1/4 tbsp red chili powder
1/2 tbsp garam masala


Method :-
 Mix all ingredients of pakora . Add water to make it thick batter. Heat oil in a pan and fry the sweet potato pakora. Turn each side and let it turn golden brown. Remove and keep aside. In another pan add about 1 tbsp oil, add cumin seeds, onion, garlic , green chili, garkic and ginger. when onion turns pink remove the content to a blender. Add tomatoes and blend it into fine paste. Again heat pan and the paste . Add little water, mix well. Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masla and add Pakora . Cook for another 5 to 7 mins over medium flame. Serve hot garnished with chopped coriander leaves. 



Friday, October 18, 2013

Poori

Hi Readers,

From my childhood, I liked almost all deep fried foods. So, poori was no doubt one of my favorite dish. My brother used to be health conscious when we both were on school. I would ask Mom to prepare Poori and he on other hand would suggest simple phulka. Sometimes, especially on festive days, Mom would make Poori and dum aloo.

Now, things have changed, even I do not make Poori often, except on occasions, that too hardly once or twice in a year. This time on Navami I had made Poori. This is simple thing but yes people do get into problem when Poori does not come out the way it should be, instead it becomes Papad, crunchy and flat. So, here is a recipe and tips that would make good Poori. This post is meant for beginners.


Ingredients :- 
1 cup whole wheat flour
About 250 ml oil for deep frying
water to knead
salt as per taste.



Method :-

Put flour in a bowl, add about 1 tbsp oil and salt . Mix this oil with the flour so that lumps do not form. Now, add water and form soft dough like chapati dough. Divide it into small parts are roll it using oil and rolling pin. (Note:- For rolling chapati we use flour for dusting, for Poori it is oil so that when you deep fry that do not leave behind flour in oil)

Heat a thick bottomed deep frying pan and add rest of the oil. When oil is heated but not too hot, add Poori. When it starts to come up in oil, using a spatula put little hot oil from above it so that it forms round and properly expands. Turn each sides and remove when it is cooked. Serve hot with any side dish. Dum-aloo, Chana masla, chickpea masla and matar paneer  goes well with this. In south India, Poori is served with Sagu ( south indian style mix veg). 



Thursday, October 17, 2013

Nariyal Suji Ladoo ( Coconut Suji Ladoo)

Hi Readers,

This is yet another, easy to make dessert recipe, that can be stored for a weeks duration. I had prepared this on auspicious Maha Navami. For the first time, I replaced the normal halwa with a Ladoo to distribute. Well,  occasionally when time permits,  I prepare food and distribute among the beggars outside temple. My thought behind doing this is, if I give them money, I do not know where they would spend it. It could be used for food, medicine or may be for alcohol. Moreover, they would seldom get a chance to eat something tasty. So, this time on Navami, I had prepared Poori, Chana aloo curry and Nariyal Suji Ladoo to distribute among them.

 The ladoo was a hit, my husband also liked it so very much. I had kept a box full of it separately for our household, and he finished it in just two days. That was awesome to see him liking it. So, here is my own recipe of it.


Ingredients :-

Suji/Rava - 1 cup
Coconut/Kopra Powder - 1 cup
ghee - 2 tbsp
jaggery - 4 tbsp
milk - 1/2 cup
magaj(pumpkin seeds ) - 2 tbsp
Sesame seeds - 1 tbsp


Method:- 
 Roast Suji/Rava  on low flame till pink.Add little ghee and mix well.
Take it out and keep it aside. Now, add 1 cup water, and jaggery.
Mix well and keep cooking to form syrup consistency.
Add Suji, coconut & milk to it and cook for more 2-3 mins.
Mix the Magaj and sesame seeds, turn off gas and let it mix well.
When the mixture is little cold and you can form balls out of it, take small quantity and form balls.
You can also spread this in a baking tray and when its cool, cut it into square pieces. 




Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Phula Kobi aloo tarkari ( Cauliflower and potato curry)

Hi Readers,

Now, with the season changing from summer's to winter, fresh Cauliflower is available in market. I like to get the fruits and vegetable that are seasonal so that I can get the fresh and good quality of it. Today, I had prepared Cauliflower and potato curry in Odia style. This is traditional curry and quiet famous as a regular home made curry.


Ingredients :- 
Cauliflower  – 1kg
Potatoes  – 200 grm
Onion – 200grm
Ginger  – 1inch
Garlic – 15 cloves
Green Pea – 100 grm
Tomato  – 100grm
Red Chili Powder – 1tps
Cumin Powder – 1tps
Coriander powder  – 1tps
Turmeric powder  – 1 tsp
Coriander leaves – 40 gm
oil  – 75 grm
Salt to taste


Method :- 
To start with , make a fine paste of onion, garlic and ginger.
Remove the leaves and stem of the cauliflower and cut it into pieces (florets). Peel off the potatoes and cut into cubes .
Remove the niblets and take out the green peas . Finely chop the tomatoes and coriander leaves.
Heat oil (3btps) in a pan, add cauliflower and salt to taste and fry till it turns light brown, take it out and keep it aside.
Again heat oil (1btps) in the same pan. Fry the potatoes till it turns golden brown and take it out of the pan.
Heat the rest of the oil in the pan and add the prepared paste .
Add turmeric powder, chili powder, cumin powder , coriander powder to it. Fry the paste with frequent stirring over medium flame till it turns light brown.
Add the tomatoes and stir well.
Add the fried cauliflower florets, the potatoes cubes, green peas and continue stirring till it gets properly mixed with the paste.
Then add 3-4 cups of water , salt to taste , stir well and cover it with a lid.
Boil it on a lower flame, for another 20 minutes till the vegetables are tender and the gravy thickens to the desired consistency.
Finally remove the pan from flame, garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves and serve hot.

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Black Chana Aloo masala( Black Chickpea potato gravy)

Hi Readers,

This is quiet a common dish that is prepared in India. It has many variations, this can be prepared without onion garlic , can be dry or with gravy. Adding potato is also optional. Generally, we the people of Odisha like curry with Potato, but in South potato is not liked. So, the choice is all yours. I like it with hot Poori's or paratha. Here, is a recipe for you.


 Ingredients
1 cup Black chickpeas - (kala chana)
salt
1  Medium-sized onion - peeled and chopped
1  Fresh ginger about 1 inch - peeled and chopped
3  tablespoons Vegetable oil
A generous pinch ground asafetida or tiny lump asafetida
1/4 teaspoon Whole cumin seeds
4 Medium-sized potatoes - peeled and quartered
1 teaspoon Ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon Ground turmeric
1 teaspoon Garam masala
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon chaat masala

Method
Sort and clean the chickpeas and wash them under cold water. Drain. Soak for 8 hours in a bowl . Place chopped onion, garlic, and ginger in the container of a blender with 3 tablespoons of water. Blend at high speed until you have a smooth paste. In a 4-quart pot, heat the oil over a medium-high flame.

When hot, put in the asafoetida and cumin seeds. After a few seconds, when the asafoetida expands and the cumin darkens, put in the paste from the blender, keeping face averted. Fry, stirring, for about 5 minutes. Now drain the chickpeas and add them to the pot. Also put in the potatoes, coriander, turmeric, garam masala, salt,chat masala, the cayenne pepper, and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Cover, and allow to simmer gently.Serve hot garnished with coriander leaf. To serve: This dish tastes very good with hot pooris or parathas. Some kind of relish-perhaps cucumber and tomato with lemon juice-should be served with it. For a complete meal add a green vegetable dish.