Karele ka Bharta (Kalara Bharta/Bittergourd bharta)

For most of us, the term 'bharta' evokes images of a popular Punjabi eggplant recipe. But there is nothing Punjabi about this one. Nor does it use any eggplant. This is one of the simplest things that one can do with bittergourd or 'karela', which is also termed as the 'manaa' for diabetics. It contains atleast three compounds ( one of them being polypeptide-p which also acts like insulin )which help to reduce/regulate blood sugar levels . Even the leaves of this plant are edible and are consumed for its medicinal properties.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 15-20 mins

Ingredients -

• 2 medium sized bitter gourd
• 1 medium sized onion
• 2 green chilis
• 1/2 tsp pancha phutana (panch phoran)
• 2 tsp mustard oil
• 1-2 cloves garlic 
• 1 tsp lemon juice (optional)
• 1/3 tsp turmeric
• salt to taste

Preparation - Wash the bitter gourd and cut into two. Cook with 1/2 cup water, salt and turmeric in a pressure cooker. Remove from flame after 2-3 whistles. Once the steam escapes, open the lid and drain off excess water.

Mash with salt and green chili.

Chop the onion into medium sized pieces.

Cooking - Heat the oil in kadai / wok. Once it starts smoking, add the pancha phutana and the onions. Fry till onions turn translucent.

Add the mashed bitter gourd and cook for another 6-7 minutes till it starts to brown a bit.

Remove from flame. Sprinkle lemon juice and crushed garlic, and mix.

Serve hot with rotis.

Note - One can also add some tomatoes instead of the lemon juice.

Panasa Cutlet ( Low calorie recipe )

Cutlets are a great way of making use of any leftovers. Every time we have any leftover vegetables or even fish/chicken, I fashion them into cutlets which give them a fresh lease of taste and look. However, since cutlets seemed so mundane to me, I never thought of featuring them in my blogs. However, I have been seeing quite a few cutlet recipes floating around these days, so thought of adding my bit too.

I have seen quite a lot of folks avoiding them as they are invariably cooked/fried with a lot of oil. My sincere request to all of you to invest in a good quality non-stick tawa/frying pan and enjoy these yummies without the guilt. This is a classic odiya style recipe sans the breadcrumbs bit. If we are having it with hot rice or pakhala, I do not use breadcrumbs. But it is a must when the cutlets are to be served as a snack. One can also avoid the potatoes if one has high sugar levels. Use some soya kheema and a bit of chuda powder instead.

Read on -

Preparation Time - 20 mins

Ingredients -

• 3 cups boiled jackfruit cubes
• 1 cup boiled potato cubes
• 1 medium sized onion ( finely chopped)
• 1/2 tsp grated ginger
• 1/2 tsp grated/crushed garlic
• 1/2 - 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 1/4 tsp garam masala
• a pinch of turmeric
• 4-5 tsp oil
• salt to taste

For the outer layer

• 2 tsp besan
• 2 tsp rice flour
• a pinch of salt
• a pinch of chili powder
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs

Preparation - Mash the jackfruit and the potatoes. Break any lumps but do not make it too smooth.

Make a thin batter out of the rice flour, besan, salt and chilli powder.

Cooking - Heat 2 tsp oil in a wok. Add the onions and fry till translucent.

Add the ginger and garlic and fry for 2-3 mins. Now add the mashed jackfruit and potatoes. Sprinkle all the
powders except garam masala. Mix and fry for 4-5 minutes on medium flame.

Sprinkle garam masala and coriander leaves. Mix and switch off flame.

Allow to cool down to a tolerable temperature. Then pinch small balls out of the mix and fashion into round/diamond/heart shaped cutlets.

Dip into the batter and gently roll over the bread crumbs to make a uniform coating. Make similar cutlets out of the remaining mix.

Heat a non-stick tawa/frying pan. Drizzle with a little oil or use a oil spray.

Place the cutlets over it and cook on both sides for a few minutes till little brown spots appear. Remove from the tawa/frying pan.

Serve immediately with some ketchup or even as a side dish with hot rice and dal.

Methi Sagaa Kharada (Stir fried Fenugreek leaves)

Methi or Fenugreek leaves are great for diabetics and people suffering from high cholesterol levels. Additionally, regular consumption of methi leaves also benefits skin and hair. These bitter but fragrant leaves can be a little overwhelming when consumed on its own. But they lend their aroma and taste when cooked in combination with other vegetables or even made into delicious methi parathas/rotis.

While the North Indian style preparations of methi call for use of garam masalas and tomatoes, people in Odisha prefer to savour its original taste. Usually only a little amount of a vegetable like aubergine or ridge gourd is combined with it and made into a stir fry. But I have added some potatoes as well to reduce the bitterness and make it palatable for my kid. Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 15 mins

Ingredients -


2 cups fenugreek/methi leaves (cleaned and chopped into small pieces)
1 cup aubergine (chopped into medium sized cubes)
1 medium sized potato (boiled, peeled and cubed)
1 medium sized onion (chopped into thin long pieces)
1-2 dry red chillis
1/2 tsp panch phoran/pancha phutana
2-3 garlic cloves (crushed)
2-3 tsp oil
salt to taste
a pinch of turmeric


Cooking - Heat oil in the wok. Add broken red chillis and pancha phutana. When the seeds start spluttering, add the onions and garlic. Fry till translucent.

Add the methi leaves and fry on medium to high for 2-3 minutes.

Add the potato and aubergine cubes along with salt and turmeric. Cook covered while stirring at regular intervals.

Remove from the flame after 6-7 minutes or once the methi leaves and aubergine are cooked through.

Serve hot with rotis or rice.

Posto Patua

Posto or poppy seeds is very commonly consumed in the western regions of Odisha. Infact, it is used as a substitute for mustard seeds in quite a few curries. Its cooling properties make it an ideal addition to the summer diet. This is a very simple recipe that goes great with hot rice as well as 'Pakhala', the famous watery rice dish from Odisha.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 12-15 mins

Ingredients -

• 5-6 tbsp poppy seeds (posto)
• 1 small onion, chopped into medium pieces
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 green chillis
• 1 tsp coriander stems (use whites only)
• 2 pinches of pancha phutana
• 1 dry red chilli
• 2 pinch turmeric
• 3 tsp oil
• salt to taste

Preparation - Dry grind the poppy seeds to a coarse powder in the chutney jar of a grinder. Add a little salt, garlic cloves, green chillis and coriander stems along with a little water to the same jar. Buzz for a few seconds. ( If it is too dry to be ground, add water little by little)

Heat the oil in a wok. Add broken red chillis along with pancha phutana.

Once spluttering starts, add onions. Fry till translucent.

Add the poppy seeds paste along with 1/4 cup water, turmeric and a bit of salt (if required).

Cook till constant stirring till most of the water dries up and the poppy seeds paste does not taste raw anymore. Remove from flame.

Serve hot with white rice and toor dal.

Besara ( Vegetables in a light mustard gravy )

Besara is an authentic oriya dish that is light and spicy, all at the same time. It is part of the abhada or the prasad offered to Lord Jaganaath during midday. While the former does not make use of any onion or garlic, I have been generous with garlic in my version.

Also i have skipped ambula in favour of tamarind as the latter adds a lovely color to the dish. This is one recipe which my South Indian friends would really enjoy (Most of them find the Oriya vegetarian fare stuff a little bland). Read on:

Preparation Time - 20 mins

Ingredients - 1 cup diced pumpkin, 1 cup diced eggplant, 1 cup sliced potato, 1/2 cup diced pointed gourd,1/2 cup chopped okra, 2 medium sized tomatoes, 4 slit green chillis, 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, 4 tsp oil, salt to taste, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 2 dried mangoes slices ( ambula ) or 1 tsp tamarind paste.

For the mustard paste - 2 tsp mustard seeds, 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, 7 garlic flakes, 1 red chilli.

Preparation - Dry grind the mustard seeds, cumin seeds and dry red chilli. Add the garlic flakes and a little water at a time. Grind into a smooth paste.

Add 1/2 cup of water and allow to stand.

Soak the ambula in 1/2 cup water . Or if using tamarind paste dilute it with 1/2 cup water.

Cooking - Heat 3 tsp of oil in a wok. Add the chopped okra and fry on a high flame for 2-3 mins. Add pumpkin, potato, eggplant and pointed gourd. Fry on medium to high flame for 3 minutes. Remove from wok and keep aside.

Add 1 tsp of oil to the wok and add the tomatoes. Fry for 2-3 minutes till soft. Remove and keep aside.

Add 4-5 cups of water to the wok. Add the mustard paste ( drain the cup slowly into the wok so that the sediments settle down in the bottom of the wok. This removes the bitterness of the mustard seeds. ), salt and turmeric.

Bring the water to a boil and then add the fried vegetables. Once the vegetables are almost done, add the fried tomatoes. Boil for 8-10 minutes or till veggies are a little mushy.

Add the ambula/tamarind and slit green chillis. Boil for 3-4 minutes.

Remove from wok and serve hot with white rice . ( Garnish with coriander leaves/fried boris if desired )

Poee Raee

This is my 300th post and such a special occasion is the right time to get the spotlight back on Orissa. When i first started writing this blog my sole objective was to showcase the cuisine and food habits of Orissa. My initial posts do bear a testimony to that. But since we all inhabit a cosmopolitan world, my latter posts were influenced by the varied cuisine that i came in contact with.

'Raee' or vegetables cooked in a light mustard gravy is a signature dish of Orissa. While some people add cumin along with the mustard, garlic may or may not be added depending on the day(vrat/osa bara). Usually vegetables  like raw banana, colocasia and brinjal are added to this preparation but i have skipped those due to a food allergy in the family.

Preparation Time-20-30 mins

Ingredients - 4 cups chopped poee, 1 cup pumpkin cubes, 1/2 cup ridge gourd cubes, 1/2 cup potato cubes, 1 medium sized tomato chopped, 2-3 garlic flakes, 1 small onion chopped, 1/2 tsp pancha-phutana or mustard seeds, 1 dry red chilli, 1/3 tsp turmeric, salt to taste, 4 tsp oil.

For the mustard paste: 1 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 5-6 garlic cloves, 1 red chilli.

Preparation: Grind the mustard, cumin and red chilli into coarse powder in dry state .Then add a little water along with garlic flakes and grind again into a fine paste.

Cooking: Heat 1-2 tsp oil in a wok. Add the chopped poee and stir fry on high flame till excess water evaporates. Remove and keep aside.

Add the remaining oil to the wok. Add the broken red chilli and pancha-phutana/mustard. When it starts spluttering, add the crushed garlic flakes and onion. Stir fry for 1 minute.

Add the mustard paste along with a little water and stir fry for 1-2 minutes. Add 2-3 cups of water and bring to a boil. Add all the vegetables and cook with lid covered till they soften.

Add the fried poee to the wok and cook for another 3-4 minutes.

Serve hot with white rice.

Bandha Kobi Muga dali tarkari ( cabbage-moong dal curry )

Preparation time: 15-20 mins

Ingredients: Cabbage ( 1 no., medium sized ), muga dali/moong dal ( 1/2 cup ), ginger ( 1/2 inch, juliennes ), cinnamon powder ( 1/4 tsp ), coriander powder ( 1 tsp ), red chilli powder ( 1 tsp ), ghee/oil ( 2 tsp ), turmeric ( 1/4 tsp), salt to taste.

Preparation: Chop the cabbage into small pieces.

Dry roast the muga dali till it gives off a faint smell.

Cooking: Transfer the muga dali along with 1 cup water, salt and turmeric into a pressure cooker and cook for 1 whistle.

Heat the oil in a wok. Add the turmeric and red chilli powder masalas followed by the ginger juliennes and fry for 1 minute. Add the chopped cabbage and fry for sometime till it starts releasing water. Add the cooked muga dali at this stage and mix well.

Transfer the wok contents into a presure cooker and cook on medium flame for 1 whistle. Remove and serve hot with rice/rotis.

Note: This recipe can be had on Osa bara/ Vrats as it does not contain onion and garlic. For added flavour garnish with freshly grated coconut and coriander leaves before serving.

Muga dali dai kakharu saaga ( pumpkin leaves preparation )

Cooking Time Required : 20-25 mins
Cost of preparation: 30-35 rupees

Ingredients: Pumpkin leaves and tender stems (250 gms), drumstick leaves ( optional, a fistful ), moong dal ( 1 cup), red chillis ( 2-3 nos ), pancha phutana ( 1/3 tsp), garlic pods ( 3-4 nos), oil ( 2-3 tsp), salt.

Cooking: Dry roast the moong dal till it gives off its distinctive smell . Transfer to a pressure cooker and add 1.5 cups water along with a bit of salt. Allow to cook for 5 mins or till the dal is 3/4th cooked. It should not become mashy. Drain excess water and keep aside.

Heat a wok. Add the oil. When it starts smoking, add the pancha phutana and red chillis. Crush and add the garlic pods. Fry till the garlic pods turn golden.

Add the finely chopped pumpkin leaves and stem and stir for 10 minutes. Add the drumstick leaves along with the cooked moong dal and salt, and allow to cook till any excess water evaporates.

Note- Keep stirring and separating the leaves so that they do not get bunched up during the cooking.

Kakharu saaga Bhaja ( Pumpkin leaves fry )

Cooking Time Required: 10-15 mins
Cost of Preparation: 25-30 Rupees

Ingredients: Kakharu saaga and dunka ( use only the tender tips, 3-4 cups ),  ridge gourd (chopped into small pieces, 1/2 cup), potato ( chopped into small pieces, 1/2 cups), pancha phutana ( 1/2 tsp ),  dry red chilli ( 2 nos), garlic cloves ( 5-6 nos ), oil ( 3 tsp), salt to taste.

Cooking: Heat the oil in a wok. Add the dry red chillis and pancha phutana. Allow to splutter.

Add all the vegetables and mix well. Cover with a lid and allow to cook till tender. ( Takes abt 7-8 mins)

Remove the lid and allow excess water to evaporate.

Add salt and mix. Add the crushed garlic flakes and remove the wok from the stove.

Serve hot with rice.

Kakharu Dunka Raee ( Pumpkin leaves/stem curry)

A delicious curry made with pumpkin leaves, stems and tendrils.


Cost of Preparation: 50-60 Rupees
Cooking Time Required: 30-35 mins


Ingredients: Chopped Kakharu dunka ( tender pumpkin stems, tendrils and leaves ) 4 cups, pumpkin ( 1/2 cup), potato ( 1/2 cup), colocassia/saru ( 1/3 cup ), brinjal ( 1/2 cup), tomato ( 1 cup ), ridge gourd ( 1/2 cup), pointed gourd/potola ( 1/2 cup), garlic pods ( 10-12 nos), red chilli ( 3-4 nos ), mustard seeds ( 2 tsp), cumin seeds ( 1 tsp), pancha phutana ( 1/2 tsp), oil ( 3 tsp), turmeric ( 1/4 tsp), salt to taste.

Preparation: Grind the mustard  seeds, cumin, 2 red chillis and 7-8 garlic pods into a fine paste.

Cooking: Heat the oil in a wok. Add the red chilli and pancha phutana. Allow to splutter.
Add all the chopped vegetables except for the pumpkin leaves and tomato. Add turmeric.

Stir fry the vegetables for 5-7 minutes. Add the pumpkin leaves and tomatoes and mix well. Sprinkle salt and cover with lid for 3-4 mins.

Add the mustard-cumin paste. Pour 1/2 to 1 cup water and cover with a lid.

Bring to a boil and allow to simmer for 10 minutes. ( If the veggies are still not done , pressure cook on a high flame for 2-3 mins. )

Crush and add the remaining garlic flakes just before removing the wok from the stove.

Serve hot with white rice.

Besara dia Matti Alu Bhaja ( Suran fries )

Cooking Time Required: 10-15 mins
Cost of Preparation: 30-35 Rupees


Ingredients: Matti Alu/ Suran ( 200 gm ), cooking oil ( 7-8 tsp ), salt ( to taste), turmeric ( 1/3 tsp ), soaked rice ( 2-3 tsp), mustard seeds ( 3 tsp ), green chilli ( 1-2 nos ).

Preparation: Grind the mustard seeds with the green chilli into a fine paste.

Grind the rice separately into a thin watery paste. Add a pinch of salt to this paste.

Cut the suran into 1/2 cm thick pieces. Wash throughly.

Cooking: Take the suran pieces in a wok. Add the mustard seed paste along with salt and turmeric. Pour just enough water to cover the pieces.

Cook on a medium flame for 5-6 mins till almost done. Remove from stove, drain excess water and allow to cool down.

Heat a non-stick pan. Drizzle a little oil on it.

Dip the boiled suran pieces in the rice paste and place on the pan. Fry on both sides till lightly crisp.















Serve hot with white rice.

Piaja Sandha Bhaja ( Onion flower stalk fry )

Cooking Time Required: 10-15 mins
Cost of preparation: 15-20 rupees

Ingredients: Piaja Sandha/Onion flowers stalks ( 1 bunches ), potato ( 1 no, medium
sized ), dry red chillis ( 2-3 nos.), roasted cumin-chilli powder ( 1/3 tsp ), turmeric ( 2-3 pinch ), salt to taste, vegetable oil ( 3-4 tsp ), pancha phutana ( 1/2 tsp ).

Preparation: Wash and cut the onion flower stalks into inch sized pieces.

Wash and cut the potato into small pieces so that both vegetables can cook togather.

Cooking: Heat a non-stick pan. Drizzle a little oil. Turn the flame to high.

Add the broken red chillis and pancha-phutana. Allow seeds to crackle.

Add the potato and onion stalk pieces. Sprinkle turmeric and salt. Mix well and cook
covered for 8-10 mins. Stir occasionally so that the vegetables do not stick to the pan.

Sprinkle the chilli-cumin powder, mix well and remove from the stove.

Serve hot with rice or rotis.

In a slight variation of this recipe, swap the pancha phutana with mustard seeds and add 1 tsp of mustard paste (diluted with 1-2 tbsp of water) towards the end of the cooking. Once this liquid is absorbed, swap the roasted cumin chili powder with fried and crushed urad dal badis. Remove from the flame and serve immediately to retain the crunch provided by the badis.

Onions flower stalks are available twice a year in most markets in Odisha, first during the early winter and then during late spring. They make a wonderful side dish with Pakhala too.

Kakharu Phula Bara ( Pumpkin Flower Fries )

We Odias will eat anything as long as it is sourced from a plant. Not that we do not eat non-vegetarian food. We do with utmost delight. But are very fastidious about it. Certain cuts of meat will never ever make it to our dining tables and the same holds true for a variety of salt-water fishes. But when it comes to a plant based diet, we will happily munch on the fruits, flowers, leaves, stems and even the roots of certain plants.

The 'Kakharu phula' or the pumpkin leaf is considered to be quite a delicacy in Odisha. But interestingly, it is only the male flowers that are plucked for consumption. The female flowers are always left behind on the creepers to develop into fruits.

Read on for the recipe of 'Kakharu Phula bara' -

Cooking Time Required: 10-15 mins

Ingredients  -

• 20 nos Kakharu phula/Pumpkin flowers
• 2-3 nos dry red chillis
• 1/3 tsp cumin seeds
• 5-6 tsp rice
• 1 tsp besan
• salt to taste
• 3-4 tsp of any vegetable oil
• 2 tsp freshly grated coconut ( optional ) 

Preparation - 

Remove all the parts of the flowers except for the petals. Wash them gently and pat dry with a paper towel.

Soak the rice in a cup of warm water for about 2-3 hours.

Wash and grind the soaked rice along with the cumin, red chili and coconut into a smooth paste of medium consistency. Add the besan to this paste and mix it well.

Cooking: Heat a non-stick pan. Drizzle/spray a little oil.

Hold two of the pumpkin flowers together ( or you can do this with individual flowers too ) and dip into the batter. Put it on the pan.

Repeat with the remaining flowers.

Cook on one side till crisp and reddish. Flip over, spray a little oil and cook the other side till reddish in color .

Serve hot with rice as a side dish.