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Orrisa has different types of pitha's some need a lot of work and experience and some are real easy to whip up. Maida Chakuli is one such recipe that you can whip up in like blink of an eye. Its really quick, easy and yummy.  Ingredients: Maida – 1 cup Chini ( Sugar ) – 1/2 cup Pan Mahuri ( Aniseeds) – 2tsp Banana: 1 (Over Ripe) Milk: as required Tela ( Refind Tela ) – As per requirement Luna ( Salt ) – As per requirement Procedure :  Mash overripe banana into a paste Add maida, sugar, aniseed and required water to mashed banana to make a semi liquid batter (similar to pancake batter).  Whip well and keep it for 30 mins. Heat tawa (non stick will be better) on a medium flame. Spread a little oil (1tps) on the tawa. Take the batter in a tablespoon and spread it on the tawa like a dosa. Turn the pitha upside down after 1 min. When turns golden brown from each side, remove it from tawa and serve it hot. It can be served with your fav side dish like...

Mint mint every where don't know what to do with all of it. So tried mint pratha and I must say experiment successful. Ingredients: Atta - 2 cups Cumin Powder: 1 tsp Coriander powder - 1 tsps Green Chillies - 2 finely chopped Ginger - about 1/2 tsp grated finely Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder - 1 tsp Salt - to taste Boiled and grated potatoes - 1 big potato or 2 small ones Fresh mint - 1 big bunch chopped finely. Olive oil - 1/4 cup Water - to make the dough Procedure: Start with regular atta.  Finely chop the mint into small bits and add to the atta.  Add oil to the atta. Add boiled and grated potatoes and rest of the atta. Knead it into a soft dough by adding water a little at a time. Take medium sized balls of the dough and roll out into a not too thick- not too thin paratha. Place the paratha over the skillet. After a few seconds you will see the paratha change color and puff in different places. Then flip the paratha over...

Luchi is a deep-fried flatbread made of all purpose flour (maida) that is typical of Bengali cuisine, Assamese, Maithili and Oriya.  They are usually served with dum aloo, chole, egg curry and kheer. Ingredients: All purpose flour: 2 cups Sunflower or any white oil: 2 tbsp+1tbsp Salt: 1/3 tsp Warm Water Oil for deep frying Procedure: Sieve the all purpose flour with salt  Add 2 tbsp oil to the flour and mix with fingertips.  Add adequate water to make the dough, add water little at a time, if it becomes sticky add more flour. if hard, sprinkle little water and knead again. Luchi dough is needed to be very soft n smooth and this texture is only obtained by kneading the dough on an oiled surface.  Do the kneading with the heel of your palm.  When its done pour 1 tbsp of oil over it, cover and let it rest for half an hour. This will make the luchis soft and puffed up.  Then make small balls of pinching golf ball sized dough....

I am little late on this but still wanna wish all the Oriya ladies a blessed Savitri.  Savitri Brata or Savitri Amavasya  is a fasting day observed by all Hindu Oriya married women on the Amavasya, the last day of the dark fortnight, in the month of Jyestha. Married Hindu women, whose husbands are alive, observe it as a vow with great dedication and pray for their husband to have a long life. The word reflects the origin and significance of the Vat-Savitri puja. The fast is dedicated to Savitri and Satyavan; her husband who was destined to die within one year but was brought back to life by her penance. The God of death, Yama, is implored by Savitri when he is about to leave his body. Due to her sheer determination and devotion to her husband, she won him back to life. Soon Satyavan regained his lost kingdom. That was about the puja in short. Ladies observing the fast don't eat anything cooked and spend the day only on fruits and water. But there are situations when on...

We normally cook with onion and garlic and relish it a lot as well. On an auspicious occasion like sankratri, ganesh caturthi and many more when eating onion garlic is prohibited, you start wondering what to cook. So here is a version of mixed vegetable curry prepared without onion and garlic. Ingredients: Potatoes:2 medium cut into small cubes and soaked in water Carrot:1 medium cut into small cubes French beans: 1/2 a cup (Cut into 1/2 inch ) Corn kernel : 1/4 cup Shelled green peas:1/4 cup Oil:2 tablespoons Cumin seeds:1/2 teaspoon Salt to taste Turmeric powder:1/4 teaspoon Paneer (cottage cheese):50 grams Brown bread slices:3 Coriander powder:1 tablespoon Red chilli powder:1/2 teaspoon Ginger paste:1 tablespoon Tomato puree:1/4 cup Fresh coriander leaves,chopped:1 tablespoon Procedure: Heat oil in a non stick pan, add cumin seeds.  When the seeds begin to change colour, add potatoes, carrot, salt and turmeric powder and mix well. Cover and cook. Cut...

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...

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...

Diwali is here and its time to start cleaning up the house and decorating. Snack prep time is up and here is my last one to this years diwali snack list. Ingredients: Shakarpara: Maida (All Purpose flour) : 1 cup ( more you use more  shakaraparas it would make) Oil / butter: 2 tbsp Oil For deep frying Water for kneading the dough. Sugar Syrup: Water: 1 cup Sugar: 1 cup Procedure: Add oil/ butter to the flour and mix together. Knead the flour without water till the oil is nicely absorbed into it.  To know that the flour is ready take  a handful of the flour and close your fist tightly.  When you open your fist the flour should hold the shape but break when touched. Now knead the flour with adding little water at a time into a soft dough. knead the dough for about 1 to 2 minutes to make the dough smooth and pliable. Set the dough aside and cover it with damp cloth. Let the dough sit for at least 15 minutes. Heat the oil for deep frying...

Chuin or Drumsticks are available plenty in the state of Orissa. We have 4 trees in our backyard itself and fruit from 1 tree is too much to be consumed by a family of 4 ;) We distributed more than we ever used in our household. There are different versions of chuin bhaja and here is the most common and the easiest way to prepare it. Ingredients: Chuin (Drumstick) - about 4-5 longsticks Aloo (Potatoes) - about 2-3 small ones Oil - 1 tea spoon Panch Phutan Haldi (Turmeric) Salt Whole Red Chillies - 2  Procedure: Wash and Cut the Drumsticks to about 2 inches size. Wash and cut the potatoes in round shape. Do not take the skin off. Put the drumsticks and potatoes in a bowl with water and salt and turmeric and let it boil for 10-15 min until the drumsticks are a little soft. Drain water and keep aside. Take a deep pan, put the oil. Once it hot, add the red chillies and panch phutan. Let the phutan splutter for a ...

Durga puja is followed by the auspicious month of Kartik. In Orissa a lot of people turn vegetarian for a month and follow the fast of "Bada Ausa" on every monday of this month. Even a lot of people like my   parents even give up onion and garlic for the whole month. During the bada ausa the ladies who follow the fast eat only one meal a day, so most of the ladies prepare this special dalma called "habisha alma" with rice and may be some kind of saag and eat it after doing the puja late in the day but before suset so that they would not feel hungry during the night and would have some energy to carry out for the rest of the evening. This dalma is the only one curry in Odiya culture that is prepared without  turmeric, as only during inauspicious occasions people not use turmeric   is cooking. Also we do not use potato in this dish, its prohibited. Ingredients: Muga Dali : 1cup Saru (Arby) :2 cut into small square pieces Kancha Kadali (Raw Plantain) :...

Avocados are a good source of fiber, potassium, and vitamins. These are used in salads, sandwiches, smoothies and guacamole. Here is another way it can be used in daily diet that pleases even the Indian palette. Its easy, delicious and healthy. Ingredients: Avocado: 2 medium Whole Wheat Flour: 1 cup Green Chilli: 2 finely Chopped Salt: To taste Coriander Leaves: 2 tbsp chopped Lime Juice: 1 tsp Coriander Powder: 1 tsp Oil: 2 tbsp Extra Dry Flour : For rolling the paratha Procedure: Cut the avocado in half, remove the pits, and scoop the flesh out of their shells into a large bowl. Using a sharp knife, slice through the avocados in the bowl until they are finely diced. Add the lemon juice, green chilli, salt and coriander leaves and mix well, till its made into a smooth paste. Add the wheat flour to the avocado paste and knead into a smooth pliable dough. You would not any extra water but, if required add a few sprinkles at a time. Let the dough sit wra...

Couple of days back I made mutter paratha, a Sunita inspired dish. Here is another recipe with peas, but this time it is inspired by another dear friend of mine Shanta. We moved to the states almost at the same time and have been friends since then. Mutter poori was kind of Shanta's go to dish when people would visit. After 3 years of marraige she prepares so many other delicious dishes but still this dish reminds me of her. I really don't know her recipe but here is my take. Ingredients: Stuffing Green pea:1 cup Ginger:1tbsp grated Cumin powder:1tsp Red Chilli Powder: 2 tsp Green chilies:2 whole Garam Masala Powder: 1 tsp Salt Oil Dough: Flour: 2cup Salt: 1tsp Oil: 2tsp Salt a pinch Water to make the dough Procedure: Stuffing: Wash the green peas and drain the water Make a paste of the peas, ginger and green chilies. Try to use as little water as possible and make a smooth paste. Heat oil(1tbsp) in a non stick pan. When the oil...

India is the largest producer of fenugreek in the world. Fenugreek has three culinary uses: as a herb (dried or fresh leaves), as a spice (seeds), and as a vegetable (fresh leaves, sprouts, and microgreens). Fresh fenugreek leaves are an ingredient in some Indian curries. The other day I was talking to Sunita regarding vegetarian cooking when she mentioned making methi saag on a regular basis, so inspired by her I bought a bunch but was not sure what to do.  So I tried to make methi paratha and it turned out pretty good. Ingredient: Methi Leaves: 1 bunch finely chopped Wheat flour: 2 cups Yogurt: 1/4 cup Red chilli powder: 1 tsp Turmeric powder: 1 tsp Cumin Powder: 1 tsp Salt: As per taste Oil For cooking Procedure: In a bowl mix the methi leaves, red chili powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder and salt to taste and mix well. Add the yogurt to the bowl and mix well. Add flour to the bowl little at a time and knead adding water as required. M...

The other day I was wondering what to cook for dinner and opening and closing the refrigerator just to figure out what to pick, when on the TV the food network chef prepared a whole 3 course meal on the grill. That gave me the idea to roast up some veggies and then cook them in a gravy or spices, that would be like vegetable kadhai but the only veggies I had that could use was cauliflower. So here is my roasted cauliflowers recipe. Ingredients: Cauliflower:1 large head broken into florets Oil: 4 tbsp Ginger: 1 inch peeled and minced Cumin Powder: 1 tsp  Green Chilis: 2 minced Coriander Powder: 2 tsp Turmeric Powder: 1/2 tsp Red Chilli Powder: 1/4 tsp Salt: as per taste Tomatoes : 1 large chopped Cilantro:  1/4 cup chopped Procedures Preheat the oven to 400°F.  Toss cauliflower florets with half of oil and some salt.  Spread on baking sheet.  Roast until caramelized and mostly tender, 15-20 minutes....

Raita is a important part of Indian meal, there are so many ways to incorporate raita as a part of your meal. Dahi wali Bidhi is another variation to the same. Ingredients: Bhindi(Okra): 6-8 medium sizes . Dahi: 1cup Water: 1/2cup Curry Leaves: 4-5 Mustard Seeds: 1tsp Oil: 1tsp Oil for deep frying Salt as per taste Sugar: 1 pinch Procedure: Wash and pat dry the bhindi. Cut each into 4-5 pieces. Sprinkle salt on the bhindi and let it sit for 5 mins. In the mean while heat oil for deep frying. Deep fry the bhindi till cooked through. Remove from oil and let the extra oil drain out. In a bowl bite the curd into till its smooth and water, salt as per taste(keep in mind eggplant has salt in it which will infuse into curd after some time) and sugar and mix it. In a pan heat 2 tbsp of oil and add mustard seeds. As they stop cracking add green chili, curry leaves and crushed garlic. Fry till garlic is golden. Add this to the bowl of curd and mix. Add the fried bhindi...

This is a variation of stuffed dum aloo and its speciality is that it is cooked without any onion or garlic. I prepared this dish as a part of my Ganesh Puja special dinner. Ingredients: Baby Potatoes: 1/2 a pound or 2 large potatoes cut into half Paneer: 1/4 cup grated Cashew nuts: 1 tbsp finely chopped Sugar: 1 tsp Curd: 1tbsp Green Chilli: 1 finely chopped Green Chillies: 2 whole Poppy Seeds(posto/khuskhus): 1tbsp Oil : 1tbsp Oil for deep frying Turmeric Powder: 1 tsp Red Chilli Powder: 1 tbsp (adjust as per taste) Coriander leaves: finely chopped 1 tbsp Coriander leaves: for garnish Slat as per taste. Procedure: Soak the poppy seeds and cashew nuts foe 15 mins and make a fine paste of it. Wash, Peel and scoop the potatoes. Deep fry both the scooped and trimmed part of the potatoes in oil. Once cooked through remove from oil and place then on kitchen roll to remove all the excess oil. Mash up the trimmed potato parts alone with the paneer. Add...

It was Ganesh Puja yesterday and I was taken back to the my childhood days when it used to be a one of my favorite holidays. With Mandaps in every lane, music, incense sticks and smell of fruits and sweets flooding the air, kids running around wearing new cloths, its a scene to see. The 2 best part of the day were no studies and my moms famous meal. Every year my God Parents wold arrange the puja at their place and my Mom would prepare a feast for every body. It would generally have Vegetable pulao, bhog ki dal, tomato khata, Potala Rasa, kheer and salad. The whole family would sit together and the feast would be served in banana leaves freshly cut from our garden.  I wanted to live that moment but its not possible so I just tried to prepare a special meal for Tanmaya with as many items as I could prepare from my Moms menu. But unfortunately I could not find any Potala (pointed guard/parwal) so I prepared Posto Dum Aloo. So the menu was: Vegetable Pulao Posto Dum Aloo Tomat...

I love the smell of poori being fried in the morning. The truth is its not just morning, its any time of the day. Every time I cook it, or see somebody cooking it , I remember the advertisement for Sundrop where a kid would be summersaulting in a hip of pooris ;) as a kid I used to think wow how lucky that kid must be!!!! I know its weird but, what can I say I am a big time foodie !!!! What I serve with poori you ask, the answer is everything, gobi aloo, dum aloo, chicken, egg bhurji, you name it and I have tried it. But my favorite is poori and aloo pani (aloo curry). Aloo pani is my Mom's recipe. Its very simple and and be prepared in a jiffy. So here I am going to share my love with you :) Ingredients: Poori: Aata (Wheat Flour) – 1cup Luke Warm water: about 1/2 cup use more if required Salt: 1/2tsp oil:1sp Water Refined oil -for deep frying Aloo Pani (Aloo curry): Potato-1 large cubed Tomato-1 large cubed Green Chilli: 2 whole Turmeric pow...

Dalma is a medley of lentil and vegetables from Orissa. Privously I have posted the recipe for mooga dalma, which uses moong dal. Today is a typical dalma, I would be using arhar/toor dal, but you can also use channa dal for the recipe. Ingredients: Arhar Dal: 1cup Potao: 1 medium cut into chunks Pumpkin: 1/2 cup cut into chunks Eggplant: 1/2 a medium sized cut into chunks Peas: 1/2 cup Carrot: 1 large cut into chunks Radish: 1 large cut into chunks Ginger: 1/2 inch grated Asafetida: a pinch Turmeric Powder: 1 tsp Tomato: 1 medium sliced salt to taste For Tempering: Whole red chilli: 2 Cumin seeds: 1 tsp Oil: 1 tbsp Ghee: 1tbsp For flavor: Cumin Seeds: 4 tbsp Whole Dry Red Chilli: 10 Procedure: Wash and soak the dal for 15-20 mins In the mean while dry roast the 4 tbsp cumin seeds and 10 whole red chilli. Let it cool down and then make a fine powder out of it. We would actually need just 1 -2 tbsp of this powder but you can store it in a air...