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I have always prepared mutton the same way, the only way I know Tanmaya would love it. Using the traditional Oriya procedure. But one day he complained saying you don't try any other recipe with mutton only keep talking about it. So this time I decided to try my hands on mutton rogan josh, a kashmiri recipe. I did so internet research and figured out that there are so many different ways to make this rich and delicious recipe. So I mixed and matched steps from various recipes and the result was good. So here is my take on mutton rogan josh. Ingredients:  Mutton:2 lbs onion :2 large finely chopped ginger-garlic paste:4 tbsp Cumin powder - 1 tsp Coriander Powder - 2 tsp Kashmiri Degi Mirch - 2 tbsp Turmeric :1 tbsp Asafoetida: 1tsp Green cardamom: 2 pods Cnnamon : 1-inch stick Cloves: 4 bay leaf: 1 peppercorns: 10 whole red chills: 2  yogurt :1/2 cup Oil: 4 tbsp salt as per taste Preparation:  Wash and clean the mutton pieces.  Drain all ...

As I have mentioned earlier, besara is a very common and relished dish in Orissa. Here is another item that uses besara, is easy to make and delicious to eat. It makes a great side dish for pakhala and even rice dal or roti. Ingredients: Bhindi (okra): 1/2 pound cut into 1/2 inch pieces. Onion: 1 small finely chopped Tomato: 1 medium finely chopped Mustard seeds: 3 tbsp Garlic: 5-6 cloves Dry Red chili: 2 Pancha Phutana: 1 tsp Green Chilli: 2 whole Turmeric Powder: 1 tsp Oil: 1 tbsp Salt as per taste coriander leaves: 1 tbsp chopped for garnish. Procedure: Soak the mustard seeds & dry red chilli in warm water for 30 mins. Make a fine paste of mustard seeds, dry red chilli and garlic using little water. Heat oil in a kadhai add pancha phutana to it and as it stops spluttering add the chopped onion along with a pinch of salt. Mix well and cook till onions turn translucent. Add the garlic mustard paste and cook for 2 mins but don't let it burn. A...

My Nanaji was a great man, he was a business man with a huge heart. During his golden years he had  the capacity to feed a whole village and take care of them. He himself was a big time fan of good food. He loved to eat and feed others. As he grew old his strength along with his health started going down. But his eye for good food always remained the same. He is the one person from whom you should learn how to eat, he introduced us very delicious dishes. One of his favorite was fish fry in tomato gravy or as he called it tomato macha. It became my brother's favorite fish dish as well.  Its quick, easy and delicious. So lets get started. Ingredients: Fish : 4 slices (I used Tilapia) Onion: 1 medium thinly sliced Tomato: 1 - 2 large Chopped( adjust depending on how sour your tomatoes are) Garlic: 4-5 cloves crushed. Panca Phutana: 1 tsp Whole Dry Red chili: 1 broken Turmeric :  2 tbsp Green Chilli: 2-4 whole (adjust as per taste) Coriander powder: 1 tsp R...

Beans bhaja is one of Tanmaya's favorite side dishes, let it be with rice, roti or pakhala. Its easy, quick and delicious. Ingredients: French Beans: 1/2 pound cleaned and cut into 1/2 inch pieces. Potato: 1 medium peeled and cut into small cubes Ginger: 1/2 tbsp grated  Pancha Phutana: 1 tsp Dry Red Chilli: 1 Turmeric: 1 tsp Roasted red chili and cumin powder: 1 tbsp (adjust as per taste) Salt to taste Oil: 1 tbsp Procedure: In a kadhai heat oil. Add the pancha phutana and whole dry red chilli. As it stops spluttering add the turmeric powder to the oil and let it cook for 1 min, then add the grate ginger. Fry for 1 more minute and a beautiful aroma of ginger comes. Add the beans and potatoes to it, add salt to taste mix well, cover and cook till the vegetables are cooked through but not mushy. Remove the cover and cook on medium flame, string occasionally for 2 minutes. Add the roasted red chilli and cumin powder, mix well and cook till the vegeta...

Fish is  the life line of costal state of Orissa. There so many different ways to prepare it. Some are quick and some take some measurements and planning. When everybody is rushing to get ready and be on time for school and office, mom would be busy making something to feeds us. She would make this quick version of fish that would have not much spices and would have a very thin gravy, but would taste devine. Mom called it machha haladi jhola ( fish in turmeric gravy). This is my most cherished recipe from my moms kitchen. Here by I am sharing my love of fish with you. Ingredients: Fish is Tilapia: 4 pieces Potato: : 1 large cut into wedges. Onion: 1 medium finely chopped Pancha Phutana: 1 tsp Dry Red chilli: 1-2 Tomato: 1 large chopped Turmeric powder:1 tbsp Coriander leaves: 2 tbsp chopped Salt As per taste Oil: 2 tbsp Green chili : 2 or 3  Ambula (dried Mango): 1 small (optional) Method: Wash the fish pieces and place ...

Saffron rice is a dish made from saffron, white rice. Saffron rice is found in the cuisines of many countries. The recipe is similar to Plain cooked rice with addition of ingredients. Indian saffron is richer, darker in its red-orange color then the Spanish or Italian, and gives a better flavor to rice.  Ingredients: Basmati Rice: 1 cup Powdered saffron:  1/8 tsp Boiling water:  2 cups Butter:  2 tsp Salt:  1 tsp Procedure: Steep the saffron in 1/2 cup boiling water. In a skillet melt the butter over medium-high heat.  Stir in the rice and salt.  Cook, stirring constantly, until the rice begins to absorb the butter and becomes opaque, but do not brown the rice. Transfer the rice into rice cooker. Pour in the remaining 1 1/2 cups boiling water along with the saffron water. Close the lid and cook on white rice mode. Once the rice is done let the cover on for another 2-4 mins. I served it with the side of yummy and ric...

Shrikhand is an Indian sweet dish made of strained yogurt. It is one of the main desserts in Maharashtrian cuisine and Gujarati cuisine.  Preparation of this dish is very simple but it takes some time to process yogurt properly or you can simply use greek yogurt to prepare it :) Ingredients: Greek Yogurt: 2 cups Sugar: 1/2 cup (adjust as per taste) Milk: 2 tbsp  Saffron: 1 tsp and some for garnishing cardamon Powder: As per taste Procedure: Warm the milk and add saffron to it, stir and let it sit for 5 mins. In a bowl take the greek yogurt add the sugar and beat it till its all smooth and creamy. Should take about 5 mins. I used the hand mixer, but you can always put in some elbow oil. Add the saffron milk and cardamon powder to the yogurt. Mix well till everything is blended well. The shrikand is ready. Pour it into the serving bowls and chill it for couple of hours. Before serving garnish with saffron strands of your favorite nuts and se...

As I have mentioned in my earlier post drumstick is used widely in Oriya cuisine. Here is another variation of this healthy vegetable. Ingredients :  Chuin ( Drumstick ) -7  Potato -2 medium size  Mustard seed -2tbsp  dry chili  -2  Garlic -7 cloves  Onion: 1 small finely chopped. Turmeric powder -1/ 2 tbsp  Pancha phutana : 1tsp Tomato: 1 medium finely chopped Ambula(dry mango): 1 oil  - 2 tbsp (preferably mustard oil, but you can use oil of your choice ) Salt :to taste Procedure :  Peel off the outerlayer of drumstick (chhuin) and cut it into 2 inch pieces.  Cut patato in to small pieces ( preferably circles or semi-circles).  Wash the pieces of potato and drumstick properly.  Make a fine paste of mustard seed , dry chili  and garlic cloves.  Heat oil in a pan and add pacha phutana and as it stops spluttering add the chopped onion along with a pinch of salt and cook till onion...