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Showing posts with label foodventures. Show all posts
Showing posts with label foodventures. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Parwal ke Meethey Paan

Just a few days back, my Instagram account (@swetabiswal) crossed the 1K mark . Nothing great about the numbers when compared to successful Instagrammers yet it is a personal milestone which i felt like celebrating. And going by the Indian way, we celebrate special occasions with something sweet . "Kuch meetha ho jaye" is what we say.Around the same time, I was running out of ideas to use up a big batch of 'parwal' that had arrived from Odisha. After exhausting all the savory dishes, I decided to make something sweet of out this summer vegetable.

Parwal ka meetha is a kind of sweet made from pointed gourd. Very popular in the Northern parts of India, it is something delightful and different. But not as daringly different as I like. When it comes to experimental cooking, I love to break all the rules. Hence, a further twist to this already different recipe.

Combining the desserts and meetha paan into one, the 'Parwal ke meethey paan' is not just a complete dessert in itself but so refreshingly different. Plus it is easy to prepare and stays good for almost a week. Tastes best when served chilled so make sure to prepare a big batch in advance before inviting guests to your home.

Read on for the recipe -

















Preparation Time - 30 mins

Ingredients -
  • 10-12 Parwal/Potolo/Pointed Gourd
For stuffing -
  • 100 gm mawa
  • 1/2 cup mixed dry fruits 
  • 3 tsp gulkand 
  • 2 tsp mukhwas
  • 2-3 tsp tutti-frutti
For the syrup -
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 3-4 betel leaves
  • few drops of edible green color
For final garnishing -
  • 2 tsp mukhwas
  • silver foil (optional)

Preparation - Peel the pointed gourd and make a slit along the length. Remove the pith.

Boil water in a saucepan. Once it gets to a full boil, dunk the pointed gourd and let it boil for 3 mins.

Around the same time, prepare the betel flavored sugar syrup. Take 3/4 cup water, 1 cup sugar, 4 betel leaves and the edible food color in a saucepan. Stir on a medium flame it the sugar is dissolved and the syrup thickens.

Strain the pointed gourd and add it to the flavored sugar syrup. Let it boil till soft. 

Remove from flame, strain the syrup and let the vegetables cool down. 

Put a non-stick pan on the burner. Add the crumbled mawa and keep stirring it constantly till it gets a brown hue.

Remove and mix in the rest of the ingredients (mentioned under stuffing).

Stuff a spoonful or so of the mixture into the parwal and garnish with mukhwas and/or silver foil.






















Put in the fridge for an hour or two.

Serve chilled .




Thursday, April 6, 2017

Omelette with Betel Leaf Pesto

IMP - Omelette with Betel Leaf Pesto is an original recipe created by the blogger and has been published for the first time on oriyarasoi.com. 

After almost a decade, I am visiting my native in Western Odisha during the scorching summer. While I always time my visits to coincide with the pleasant weather prevalent during the months of October-November, circumstances dictated my travel plans this time. It is strangely comforting to be back in the midst of an oppressive heat wave that makes its presence felt even as early as daybreak and extends well into the late hours of the night. A train journey to this part of Odisha presents a stark contrast with the Coastal regions of the state which still has some greenery to boast. A landscape of yellowed, wilted, scorched and burnt vegetation stretches out for as long as one cares to look. Everything stands still and if at all the winds blow, they are hot enough to scald the skin.

Pakhala seems to be the only source of respite for most folks as the roads wear a completely deserted look during midday. But today's post is not about Pakhala. This one has been in the drafting stage for sometime as I had been tied up with a couple of things in the past weeks. A very daring and experimental recipe that involves making a pesto out of betel leaves, this is part of my efforts to add a touch of gourmet to everyday food. Getting the flavors of the pesto right is the toughest part of this recipe. One might just need to tweak the proportions of the pesto ingredients to adapt it to their taste-buds.

Read on for the recipe -






















Preparation Time - 15 mins

Ingredients -

For the pesto -

  • 1/2 of 1 tender betel leaf
  • a handful of coriander leaves
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 4 tsp sesame seeds
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp lime juice ( or tamarind paste )
  • 1 tsp oil
  • salt to taste

Other ingredients -

  • 2 eggs
  • a few cherry tomatoes
  • 2-3 betel leaves
  • 2 pinch salt
  • a few drops of oil
Preparation - Grind all the ingredients for the pesto into a coarse paste. Taste and modify the proportions of the coriander, sugar and lime to balance the acrid taste of the betel leaf.

 Cooking - Break the eggs into a bowl. Add a little salt and beat gently.

Heat a non stick frying pan . Smear with a few drops of oil.

Toss a few cherry tomatoes and sprinkle a little salt over them. Cook for 2-3 mins and then remove.

Pour the egg onto the same pan and spread it into an even layer. Cook on both without browning.

Remove and keep aside.

Spread a layer of the pesto on one half of the omelette and fold.

Serve on betel leaves along with the cherry tomatoes.



Thursday, December 29, 2016

Black Rice And Pumpkin Soup ( My experiments with Ambila )

 IMP - Black Rice And Pumpkin Soup is an original recipe created by the blogger and has been published for the first time on oriyarasoi.com.


Ambila. Sweet, sour and with a hint of chilli, this traditional soup from Odisha is a hot favorite during the winter months. It has quite a few variations in terms of the vegetables used and the choice of souring ingredient. While availability of certain ingredients is definitely an important factor, the major influence lies in the preference of the local populace. Though dried mango is the most popular souring agent used, tamarind or even sour curd is preferred by certain people. The sweetness also varies as per personal preferences. Strangely enough, the absence of any sweetening agent is enough to label it as 'Kanji', another close cousin of the ambila.

While both these traditional recipes are quite popular in my home, I picked the 'Ambila' for a makeover because of the 'sweet' component. The strong earthy flavor of black rice pairs rather well with coconut and jaggery, both of which are integral to the 'Ambila'. The deep hue (anthocyanins) of the black rice adds a whole new appeal to this traditional recipe.

Read on for the recipe -

















Preparation Time - 35 mins ( plus 30 mins soaking )

Ingredients - 

  • 1/2 cup sliced pumpkin
  • 3-4 tbsp black rice ( coarsely ground )
  • 4 tsp jaggery ( or as per taste )
  • 1/3 cup freshly grated coconut
  • 1-2 dried mangoes pieces
  • 1/2 tsp pancha phutana 
  • 1-2 dry red chilis
  • 1 1/2 tsp canola/rice bran oil
  • a  pinch of turmeric
  • salt to taste


Preparation - Soak the coarsely powdered rice for 30 mins in 1/2 cup. 

Soak the dried mango pieces separately in 1/3 cup water

Cooking - Heat 1/2 tsp oil in a deep vessel. Add the pumpkin slices along with a pinch of turmeric. Fry for 3-4 mins.

Add about 4 cups of water and bring to a boil. Add the soaked rice and let it boil for 15 mins.

Stir in the jaggery and grated coconut. Boil for 5 mins.

Finally add the dried mango along with the water used for soaking. Adjust the salt. Keep boiling for 5 mins.

In another small pan, heat 1 tsp oil. Add the broken red chili and pancha phutana. Once it starts spluttering, pour it over the ambila.

Serve hot.
























Wednesday, December 28, 2016

Black Rice Modak ( Sijha Manda gets a Makeover )

IMP - Black Rice Modak  is an original recipe created by the blogger and has been published for the first time on oriyarasoi.com.



In Odisha, we have a very famous proverb which goes like 'bara masa teyra parba'. It means that the number of festivals that we celebrate outnumbers even the number of months in a year. And 'pithas' are a very important part of most Odia festivals. Traditionally made with rice, they are usually stuffed with a sweet coconut / chenna filling. A 'Pitha' is not very sweet like a dessert. Since most 'pithas' are usually served with a lentil curry or even warm milk, just a hint of sweetness is enough.

Sadly, semolina (suji) or maida/atta usually replacing rice in most 'pithas' these days. As people increasing view rice as a villain which causes weight gain, rice is being edged out from these traditional recipes. But while the 'pitha' made with semolina or refined flour may taste better, it can hardly be termed as an healthy choice. Switching to a better grade of rice seemed the most plausible decision. Being a food blogger, one is not only aware of current food trends but also the nutritional values of most ingredients. Hence, when I decided to keep it healthy as well as tasty, black rice turned out to be the top contender among all other ingredients.

Sijha Manda or Sukla Manda is one of the most popular 'pithas' from Odisha. It is an integral part of all the Lakshmi pujas. It can be described as a steamed rice dumpling with a sweetened stuffing. Hardly surprising that it was one of the first few recipes that came to my mind when I wanted to experiment with black rice as an ingredient in a traditional Odia dish. 

Read on for the recipe - 


















Preparation Time - 1 hour

Ingredients - 

  • 1 cup black rice
  • 2 tsp semolina
  • 2 tbsp almond meal ( powdered almonds )
  • 1/2 cup grated coconut
  • jaggery as per taste ( 3-4 tbsp )
  • 1 tsp ghee
  • 2 pinch cardamom
  • 2 pinch salt

Preparation - Wash and soak the rice for 1 hour.

Strain and spread out the rice grains on a flat surface. Let it dry in the sun for 2 hours or till surface moisture is no longer perceptible. 

Grind into a fine powder.

Cooking - Boil 2 cups of water in a pan. Add the jaggery, ghee, coconut and almond meal.

Once the jaggery is completely dissolved, add the powdered rice in small batches while stirring continuously. Take care to avoid the formation of lumps.

Cook on low flame for about 10 mins. Then add the semolina and cook for another 5 mins till everything forms a tight dough. Remove and keep aside to cool it down.

Once the temperature is bearable, rub a little ghee on your hands and knead the dough for 5 mins.

Divide the dough into 10-12 portions . Give a desired shape to each portion.

Steam the dumplings for 10-15 mins.

Serve warm.



Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Vegan Wood Apple (Bael) Panna Cotta

Mangoes rules the roost when it comes to the plethora of fruits that hit the markets every summer. But when you are in Odisha, you await the arrival of the 'Bael' fruit with as much fervor as the rest of India prays for the king of fruits to put in an appearance. Also known as 'Kaitha' in Hindi, it is an amazing though unsung fruit. Though it lacks the visual appeal of the mangoes, it is loaded with multiple health benefits. It is highly recommended for patients suffering from diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol, apart from benefiting those suffering from ailments of the stomach. But another reason why the Bael is so popular in Odisha is the fact that it is such amazing cooling properties. So, while the Southern states of India swear by their buttermilk and the Northern states place their bet on Shikanji, the Odia folks cant do without their 'Bela Panna' aka 'Bael ka sherbat'.

Just like mangoes, the 'Bael' fruit comes in different varieties. There are the small ones which have a deep orange colored pulp that is ridden with fiber, small seeds and has a hint of astringency, medium sized ones which have a faint mango like flavour and also big ones with a pale yellow pulp that could rival the 'shrikhand' . Luckily, the 'Bael' tree growing in my childhood home belonged to the last group. So apart from relishing the sherbat, I used to break the 'Bael' , sprinkle a bit of sugar over the halves and dig into the pulp straight from the shell. It was a part of my daily routine during the summer vacations. The medicinal properties of the pulp also prevented the stomach cramps that came from biting into too many green mangoes slices loaded with salt and red chili powder.

Since one does not find 'Bael' in Bangalore, I have one of my relatives bring some for me every summer. And given that the pulp keeps really well in the fridge, I get to consume my favorite 'Bela Panna' atleast a dozen times. Even though it turns darker when stored in the fridge, the flavor remains intact for upto a month's duration. Luckily, I had quite a bit of it remaining when I decided to experiment with a vegan version of the 'Panna Cotta'.

I am still hung-ho about the vegan phenomena that has taken social media by storm. And I keep tying out various recipes to find substitutes for my favorites. My first attempts at a Vegan Panna Cotta were not quite upto the mark as I had just replaced milk and cream with almond milk which is somewhat thinner. That is when I got the idea of adding some of the 'Bael' pulp to thicken it and also to give it a nice flavor. The recipe was an instant hit and I could happily dig into some guilt free dessert even if it is for a month or two. So, that was one of my 'foodventures' with 'Uncommon foods'. Yep, they are the ingredients that have not captured mainstream imagination yet. No wonder it came up as this fortnight's theme for a culinary adventured hosted by the Masterchef Vikas Khanna and food cum travel writer Vir Sanghvi !

Read on for the recipe -


















Preparation Time - 30 mins ( plus more for setting the panna cotta )

Ingredients -
  • 1 cup thick almond milk
  • 2/3 cup Bael pulp ( with seeds and fibers removed )
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 1 1/2 tsp agar agar powder
  • 1/3 cup sugar ( substitute with sugarfree powder if daibetic )
  • 2 pinch cardamom powder
  • 1 tsp rose essence

Preparation - Soak the agar agar in water water for 10-15 mins.

Cooking - Take the almond milk and the sugar in a saucepan. Bring to low boil on medium heat.

At the same time, boil the agar agar and water mixture. Keep whisking it till all the agar agar dissolves.

Switch off both the burners and add the agar agar solution into the almond milk. Whisk at a furious pace to bring everything together.

Wait for another 5-10 mins for the mix to cool down slightly before stirring in the 'Bael pulp'. Sprinkle the cardamom powder and rose essence. Whisk it again to mix everything uniformly.

Pour into the molds or bowls and close them. Let them stand till warm. then pop into the fridge for 5-6 hours to set the 'Panna Cotta'.

Once set, remove from the fridge and serve immediately.

















Any guesses what the two maestros are cooking up ?







Wow. Vir's Sushi on Fire sounds almost orgasmic !!







And Vikas has picked up the unheard of 'Shankalu' for his dish !!


Check out these amazing videos and take some inspiration. The Masterchef says that 'the new world belongs to the explorers' ! Already cooked up a storm. Share it HERE.

Will be looking forward to your comments !!







Thursday, April 14, 2016

Lemon Chili Popsicles ( A Blast from the Past )

Summers can be quite unforgiving in the interiors of Odisha. The oppressive dry heat coupled with hot gusts of wind can sap up one's energy levels within the first few hours of the day leaving one with that listless and parched feeling. Not very surprisingly, digging into something chilled on such days actually feels like being offered Manna from heaven. One such sweet memory from my growing up years in Rourkela, a tiny steel township in Odisha, is that of  'Popsicles', then fondly referred to as the 'kathi' (meaning stick) ice-cream or ice lollies.

Imagine the plight of a bunch of school kids being held to ransom ( for knowledge, no ulterior motives detected here ) behind the huge wrought iron gates of a convent on the blazing summer days. The interiors of the classrooms being no better than the fiery blast furnaces that the city is known for. We would wait eagerly for the last bell to go off before rushing out to descend on the lone ice-cream vendor stationed outside the gate. That too for the ice lollies which were available in just 1 flavor and about three to four shades. Talk about being uncomplicated. Orange, beetroot red and yellow, three distinct shades which were sadly identical in taste, but were labelled as different flavors by the wily vendor. Now that my memory cells are all jogged up, I remember that there was a white one too. Milk ice-cream to be precise but which was kept always relegated to the last. Only to be picked when the others ran out. While those lollies did a great job of quenching our parched throats, there were some obvious side effects. The dripping liquid stained the hands, tongue and sometimes even one's cheek. But the worst was when it dripped all the way down to strain our pristine white uniforms and socks. No prizes for guessing the fallout. That could take up another blog post or two if I were to put it in candid details. However with the advent of branded ice-cream parlours, the ice lollies became a thing of the past and I conveniently forgot about them. That is till they re-emerged in a brand new avatar. The dazzling display of colors that stared at me from the pages of a leading daily seemed nothing like the ice lollies that we had relished. Food ! Indeed, it has come a long way.

But then I have come a long way too. 1816 kilometers to be precise. No less. Jokes apart, sitting in the cool confines of my Bangalore flat, I admit struggling to get used to this alien sounding name which kind of interferes with those sepia tinted memories of mine. "What's in a name?", Shakespeare may proclaim. " A bunch of memories and maybe some more too", would have been my reply a new months back. But not any more.

Inhibitions are the single largest factor that get in our way to achieving 'food nirvana'. This realization hit home when I tried out octopus and squid for the first time (of course with a lot of trepidation)  and fell in love instantaneously. That led me to create a bucket list of all those wonderful dishes/ingredients that I had been missing for the longest time. And i have been revising it ever since.

So, when I tried my hand at making popsicles, I went all out in my efforts to make it something memorable. And hence the birth of the 'Lemon Chili Popsicles' which also packs the freshness of mint and that subtle flavor of sea salt ( or 'Himalayan pink salt' for the more fastidious folks ). It turned out to be a double delight when my popsicles ran out within 20 mins of making their maiden debut and within another hour, I got a email mentioning 'Sweet and spicy' to be the current #foodventures theme. Now, if you have been following my blog, 'Foodventures' is an exciting venture by my food inspiration Vikas Khanna, and my favorite food and travel writer cum host Vir Sanghvi which promises to change the way we have been looking at food.

For now, check out the recipe for 'Lemon Chili Popsicles'  -


















Preparation Time - 20 mins ( plus 4-5 hours freezing time )

Ingredients -


  • 1/2 cup lime juice
  • 2/3 cup sugar syrup
  • 1 cup water
  • a handful of mint leaves 
  • 3-4 green chilis
  • 2-3 pinch sea salt/ Himalayan salt

Preparation - To get the sugar syrup ready, boil sugar and water in equal quantities for a few minutes. Once it thickens, remove from flame and keep aside to cool down.

Take the green chilis and chop into small rings. De-seed them to minimize their heat. (It is ok if a few seeds are left behind)

Take 1/2 cup lime juice, 2/3 cups sugar syrup, 1 cup water, 6-7 mint leaves, a wee bit of green chili and 2-3 pinch sea salt in a blender jar. Blend for 2 mins.

Strain and pour the liquid into the popsicle molds and top each one with a few mint leaves and chilis .

Pop the molds into the freezer and let it set for 4-5 hours. Overnight is always preferable.


















De-mold by rubbing each one between the palms. Serve immediately.

That was my version of a 'Sweet and Spicy' foodventure. Check out this fabulous video which features the culinary giant, Vikas Khanna,  with his 'Sweet and Spicy' foodventure - 









If you are also passionate about embarking on adventures with food and have something in mind that fits the bill of being 'Sweet and Spicy', share it on #Foodventures by Axis Bank Dining Delights HERE. Who knows it might just be your lucky day and you could get a chance to feature in a video with one of the two food visionaries - Vikas Khanna or Vir Sanghvi !

Do not forget to drop a comment or two on the blog. I love to read them all.

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Spiced Yogurt with Rice Balls ( Kadhi Chawal with a Twist )

IMP - This i an original recipe created by the blogger and has been published for the first time on Oriyarasoi. 


Technology has changed the way we perceive food. Exposure to various TV channels, YouTube videos and mobile Apps has elevated the entire dining experience from a mundane level that merely seduced the taste-buds to an exotic gastronomic level that tickles one's imagination with terms like molecular gastronomy and food degustation being thrown at us with alarming regularity. Easy availability of exotic ingredients and equipment has further fueled this experimentation process.

If you been a part of the blogging journey since the early days, it will be easy for you to make out the general shift in the way I play with my food. From doing pretty traditional and often obscure Odia recipes, I have graduated to giving them a makeover. The Chuda Ghasa parfait for example, is one such traditional dish that I deconstructed and transformed into a layered dessert that can be loosely termed as a parfait. One of my leading inspirations has been chef Vikas Khanna and one of his television series in which we gives an innovative twist to traditional recipes.

Kadhi Chawal is a yummy light yogurt based gravy that is simmered with pakodas ( deep fried gram flour fritters ) and paired with exquisitely aromatic Basmati rice. With the 'meal in a bowl' theme running though my mind and given my desire to assuage my craving for this dish at any time during the day, I started experimenting quite a bit. After a few not so savory outputs, I hit upon the right combination. In this particular recipe rice is transformed into crisp vegetable and rice balls that I serve on a bed of slightly chilled yogurt gravy. And best part is that it can be garnished and passed off as some exotic kind of snack. One can barely guess what goes into it until one has taken a good bite of it. It takes a group encounter with the tantalizing sour-sweet yogurt, the fragrant rice grains and the crisp veggies for one to realize that one is but meeting an old ally in a fascinatingly new avatar.

Read on for the recipe -




















Preparation Time - 25 mins

Ingredients -

For the Kadhi -
  • 1 cup dahi
  • 2 tsp besan
  • 1/2 tsp grated ginger
  • 1-2 finely chopped green chili
  • 2 1/2 cups water
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • salt to taste
For tempering the Kadhi -

  • 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
  • a pinch of fenugreek seeds
  • 1/4 tsp coriander seeds
  • a sprig of curry leaves 
  • 2 Kashmiri chilis
  • 1 tsp oil

For the Rice Balls -

  • 1 cup cooked rice ( use a sticky and aromatic variety like Gobindobhog )
  • 1 cup finely chopped veggies ( carrots, green peas, french beans, spring onions )
  • 1/4 cup mashed potato ( I prefer the newly dug out ones that are sticky )
  • 1/4 tsp red chili powder
  • 2 pinch garam masala
  • salt to taste
  • 4 tsp oil for cooking rice balls in a appam pan

Preparation - Take the yogurt in a mixing bowl and whisk it gently to break down any lumps. Add salt, besan, grated ginger, chopped green chili and salt.

In another mixing bowl, add all the ingredients (except for oil) mentioned for the rice balls. Mix and mash lightly till it come to a stage where the mixture can bind together. Divide into small portions. Roll each portion into a ball.

Cooking - Transfer the yogurt mixture to a wok and bring to boil on a medium flame. Once it starts bubbling, let it simmer for a few mins before removing from the flame.

Meanwhile, take 1 tsp oil in a tadka pan. Add the Kashmiri chili, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, coriander seeds, asafoetida and curry leaves. Once the seeds start spluttering, immediately remove from the flame, cover and keep aside for 5 mins. Strain the oil which would have imbibed all the flavors and pour it over the kadhi.  Pop it into the fridge to chill for a while.

Heat a non-stick appan pan. Pour a little oil in each hole. Place the rice balls gently into the holes taking care not to splash the hot oil onto your hands. Turn after a few minutes and cook to an even brown color on all sides. Remove from the pan and place on plate.

Serve the crisp and hot rice balls on a bed of chilled kadhi. Do not forget to garnish with some chopped cilantro and a dash of amchur (if you need that extra kick).


















It was quite a co-incidence that even as I was putting the final touches to my recipe and looking to share it on my social media channels, I stumbled upon a post that immediately grabbed my attention. A exciting venture by my food inspiration Vikas Khanna, and my favorite food and travel writer cum host Vir Sanghvi was staring at my face. Check out this video to learn what's cooking between the two -







As I went through the video, I realized that my adventures with food might just be the tip of an iceberg. There are limitless avenues to be explored and new dimensions of taste to be developed. If you share the duo's passion for food, you can also share some interesting tale of your experiments with food on the website HERE. It might have been some necessity that drove you to concoct something extraordinary out of the mundane or maybe it was just a stroke of pure genius, you never know what might please the judges. Who know's it might just be your lucky day and you could get a chance to feature in a video with the food visionaries.

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