Karamanga Khatta ( Star Fruit Curry from Odisha )

The outer. The inner. And a whole journey to encompass the voyage from the former to the latter. If seeing (the external) is believing, then knowing (the inner) is taking it to the next level of awareness. From the Western values of consumerism to the Indian values of spirituality, the differences between the two worlds could not have been more stark. And somehow this difference in approach crops up in the most mundane of things that we come across in everyday life.

Yeah. Something as mundane as the way we treat an ingredient like starfruit ! While the Western world is more than happy to use it as a pretty accessory to garnish those tempting fruit punches or even salads, the Eastern world makes good use of it's nutrients . From being made into juices to being candied or even curried, starfruit finds quite a lot of takers in this part of the world. 

Ofcourse, not to forget the fact that it is one of the most sought after 'food cravings' when it comes to pregnant women. But it is not just the tangy and slight sweet flavor that makes it such a hit during pregnancy when the changing hormones tend to play havoc on the taste buds. Nutrients in starfruit are believed to improve immunity and regulate the female hormones. Plus, those digestive juices are good for the guts and the stomach which tend to get sluggish during those nine months of gestation.

Here, I am sharing the recipe for a very simple starfruit curry that we usually prepare in Odisha. It is easy to prepare and low in calories. Read on -

Preparation Time - 25 mins

Ingredients - 

• 4-5 Lightly ripened Starfruits
• 1 tsp mustard paste 
• 1-2 garlic flakes 
• a sprig of curry leaves
• 1-2 dry red chilis
• 1/4 tsp pancha phutana
• 2 pinch turmeric power
• 1 tsp oil
• salt to taste
• 3-4 tsp sugar (or as per taste)

Preparation - Cut the starfruit across the length into pieces about 4-5 mm thick. 

Dissolve the mustard paste in about 1 cup water and let it stand for 10 mins.

Cooking - Heat the oil in a wok. 

Add the broken red chilis and pancha phutana. Once it starts spluttering , add curry leaves and crushed garlic. Saute for 20 seconds.

Add the starfruit pieces to the wok, sprinkle a little salt and saute on medium high for about 5 mins.

By this time the solids in the mustard paste would have settled down at the bottom of the cup. Carefully pour this water into the wok while still retaining the solid residue in the cup.

Add another cup of water to the wok. Sprinkle the turmeric powder and adjust the salt. Bring to a boil and then let simmer (covered) for 10-15 mins.

Finally add the sugar and let it just dissolve.

Remove from the heat.

Serve at room temperature. Best with steamed rice .

Kakharu Patra Bara ( Tender Pumpkin leaf Fritters )

Pumpkin leaves or 'Kakharu patra' is one of the many greens consumed in Odisha. Though the leaves are rather coarse to touch and one might have initial misgivings about consuming them, they are quite delicious if prepared properly. While the 'Kakharu Dunka Raee' is the most popular recipe that makes use of the leaves, there are lesser known stir fries made with the tender ones.

But it was one of those days when I wanted something crispy to go with my rice and dal. And these leaves were the only thing I had in stock. Hence I ended up chopping them finely, mixing them with some garlic, onion and a binding agent to prepare some nice pan-fried fritters.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 20 mins

Ingredients -

• 9-10 tender pumpkin leaves
• 1-2 small garlic cloves (finely chopped)
• 1 small onion (finely chopped)
• 1/5 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp besan
• 1 tsp cornflour
• salt to taste
• 3-4 tsp for pan frying

Preparation - Wash and shake off the excess water from the pumpkin leaves. Chop into fine pieces.

Take into a mixing bowl along with the garlic, onions, besan, cornflour, red chili powder and salt. Mix everything using a few drops of water.

Cooking - Heat a frying pan. Drizzle a teaspoon of oil all over the surface.

Take spoonfuls of the mixture on the pan and flatten into small discs. Drizzle more oil around each one.

Cook till brown spots appear on the surface. Flip them over.

Drizzle little more oil around each one. Remove them once they are crisp and done on both sides.

Serve hot with rice and dal.

Stuffed Spine Gourd Curry ( Pura dia Kaankada / Bharwan Kakrol )

The most popular spine gourd recipe in Odisha is the perhaps the stir fried or deep one, followed closely by the gravy version. While I do like this vegetables, all the above mentioned recipes consume a copious amount of oil which kind of puts me off. As a result, I rarely buy this vegetable these days.

But on my last trip to the local market, I found a strikingly verdant lot on display. Tempted by the freshness of it, I bought a few. But once I reached home, I was in again besieged by the same dilemma. After some thinking on the low calories versus taste debate, I decided to settle down on both by choosing to stuff it with some spiced cottage and potato.

The curry turned out to be super delicious as well as light. And worked well both with rice and rotis !!

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 35 mins

Ingredients -

• 6-7 Spine gourd/ Kaankada /Kakrol
• 1 medium sized onion
• 1/2 inch ginger
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 1 medium sized tomato
• 1/3 tsp garam masala
• 1 dry red chili
• salt to taste
• 2 tsp oil

For the stuffing -

• 50 gm paneer
• 1 small potato (boiled and peeled)
• 1 small onion (finely chopped)
• 1/4 tsp GG paste
• 2 pinch coriander powder
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 pinch garam masala
• 2 pinch kasuri methi
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp oil

Preparation - Wash the spine gourd and rub the outer skin with a knife. Put a slit along the length .

Transfer to a pressure cooker and add 1 cup water. Close lid and cook on high for 2 whistles.

Keep aside till steam escapes.

Once it is bearable to touch, take each spine gourd and scoop out the innards without damaging the outer skin.

Cooking -

For the stuffing - Heat 1 tsp oil in a wok. Add the chopped onions and fry till translucent.

Add GG paste and fry till raw smell goes off. Add all the powdered spices, wait for 30 seconds and then add the mashed cottage cheese and potato. Season with salt.

Cook for 2-3 mins and then add kasuri methi. Cover and switch off the flame.

For making the gravy -

Heat 2 tsp oil in a wok. Add the dry red chili, diced onion, ginger and garlic cloves. Fry for 4-5 mins.

Then add tomato and cook till it starts to turn mushy.

Switch off flame, allow for cool down and transfer to a blender jar. Make a fine puree.

Transfer the puree back to the wok. Add 1/2 cup water and bring it to a slow boil. Season with salt and ddd garam masala. Reduce to a simmer.

Stuff the spine gourds and gently place them in the simmering gravy. Let it simmer for 5-6 mins.

Switch off the flame and garnish with chopped cilantro.

Serve hot with rice or rotis.

Bhee Gobi Masala ( Lotus Stem Curry )

Though lotus stem is one of those vegetables that I had never tasted in Odisha, it has become one of my favorites these days. Though it is somewhat bland with a slight hint of nuttiness, it reminds me strongly of the banana stem that we use in authentic Odia cuisine. Both of them tend to be quite fibrous and need to be cooked with the right combination of spices to make a tasty curry. But even more than the taste ( and it's good looks ), I was sold on the health benefits of this vegetable. It is power-packed with minerals like potassium, phosphorous, copper, zinc, iron and manganese while also being a source of vitamins B6, C, thiamine and pantothenic acid. It is also a good source of dietary fiber and protein. Lotus root is recommended to people suffering from blood pressure, slow bowel movements and also for aiding weight loss.

Being a very popular vegetable with the Sindhi folks, I first started looking up Sindhi preparations with lotus root. And I stumbled upon manyrecipes that belonged to Veitnam or Thailand. Turns out that it's a quite popular vegetable in those parts of the world. But anyways, I finally checked this wonder recipe 'Bhee Alu Vadi Masala' by Nisha Madhulika. Did some adaptations to suit my taste and made the curry. Turned out to be nice and easy.

The only time consuming procedure was cleaning the lotus root. The outer layer needs to be peeled and it should be sliced into thin slanting slices . If the holes inside have some mud sticking to them, soak in hot water for sometime and then clean with a soft brush.

Here's the recipe -

Preparation Time - 30 mins

Ingredients -

• 300 gm lotus root ( cut into thin slanting slices )
• 1 1/2 cups cauliflower florets
• 1/2 cup green peas
• 1 small onion
• 5-6 garlic flakes
• 1 1/2 inch ginger
• 1 green chili (optional)
• 2 large tomatoes 
• 50 gm paneer ( I think you can leave this out for a lighter gravy )
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder ( or to taste )
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 2-3 pinch garam masala 
• 3 tsp oil
• salt to taste

Preparation - Grind the onion, ginger and garlic into a fine paste. Keep aside.

Then make another paste out of the tomato, paneer and green chili.

Cooking - Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add the cumin seeds and let them splutter. Add the onion-ginger-garlic paste and cook for few mins till raw smell goes off.

Add the tomato-paneer paste and let it cook for a while ( 8-9 mins ) till oil starts to float on the surface. Sprinkle the turmeric, chili powder, coriander powder and garam masala. Cook for 3-4 mins.

Finally add the lotus stem slices, cauliflower florets and green peas. Add 1/cup warm water. Close lid and cook covered on medium flame for 1 whistle.

Keep aside till steam escapes. Open lid and garnish with cilantro.

Serve hot with rotis/white rice and yellow dal.

Note - The original recipe by Nisha Madhulika had used potatoes and Amritsari Masala Urad dal Vadi. 

Paneer Kali Mirch ( A refreshingly different Cottage Cheese curry )

The start to this year has been rather low key. Health concerns have taken up all our priorities for the last few days. And added to that, we have made a resolution to cut down of meat and fish this year. Hence, a paneer curry was the natural choice for the first lunch of 2016.

I had noted down this recipe from one of the FB forums sometime back. And decided to add my own touch at the last minute. Result was a rich yet refreshing gravy that made our lunch quite festive.
Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 30 mins

Ingredients -

• 200 gm paneer cubes
• 1/2 cup milk / yogurt ( depends on whether you want that hint of sourness )
• 1 tbsp fresh cream
• 1 large onion ( chopped into thin long pieces )
• 1 tsp ginger juliennes
• 1 tsp crushed peppercorns
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 1/4 tsp cumin powder
• 2 tsp oil
• 2 tsp butter
• 1 tbsp chopped mint leaves
• salt to taste
• 5-6 cashews
• 2 cloves

Preparation - Soak the cashews in a cup of hot water for 20 mins.

Cooking - Heat the oil in a wok. Add the chopped onions and fry till brown. Remove from wok. Grind into a smooth paste along with the soaked cashews.

Heat the butter/ ghee in the same wok. Add the ginger juliennes and cloves. Fry for 30 seconds before adding the onion-cashew paste. Saute for another 2-3 mins.

Lower flame and add the milk/yogurt, crushed peppercorns, garam masala, cumin powder and salt. Bring to a slight boil and then add the cream.

Drop in the paneer cubes along with the chopped mint. Cover immediately. Switch off flame after a minute.

Serve immediately along with jeera rice / phulkas or naan.

Note - There are multiple variations to this recipe and hence taste will wildly vary. With mine, I have limited the use of strong spices which can mask the kali mirch or peppercorn flavour. Another version which I tried and liked was one by Tarla dalal which makes use of garlic. 

Broccoli Butter Masala ( Navratri Special )

When it comes to 'sattvik' or 'niramish' fare, i.e., cooking without using any onion or garlic, many of us have a mental blockade. "Will it taste good ?" or even "there can be no substitute for fish/chicken/or any other meat of your choice", are some of the common nags that I have come across. But over a period of time I have explored the sattvik fare from various regions of India and most of it has turned out to be delicious. For example, let us take the Monday/Thursday meals cooked in most households in Odisha. Rice, dal with veggies, minimal spices and a ghee tadka, a sweet-sour chutney kind of thing, stir fried veggies and greens (either stir fried or cooked with moong dal). Simple and, nourishing yet delicious enough to qualify for an everyday meal. People who prefer rotis over rice can opt for a simple 'vrat ke alu' or 'kachey kele ki subzi' with rotis or parathas made with Rajgire ka atta.

Having tackled the first question, let us move on to the second one. But what is one supposed to serve if guests drop in ? Well, there are 'no onion no garlic' versions of most curries like the Navratan korma, matar paneer and butter masala (and it is also available on my blog) along with delicious sattvik 'no onion no garlic' biryanis that one can choose from.

The 'Broccoli Butter Masala' is just an addition to this list and the fruit of my efforts to marry Indian cooking with exotic ingredients. Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 25 mins

Ingredients -

• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 2 medium sized tomatoes
• 10 cashews
• 15 raisins
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tsp fresh cream
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
• a pinch of garam masala
• 2 pinch turmeric
• 1 tsp butter
• 2 tsp oil
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp kasuri methi
• few whole spices ( 1 green cardamom, 2-3 cloves, 1" cinnamon, 1 bay leaf, 6-7 peppercorns )

Preparation - Boil sufficient water in a saucepan.Once it gets to a bubbling boil, add the broccoli florets and let it cook for a minute or two.

Remove and immediately dunk in cold water. Drain the water after 5 mins. This helps bring out the gorgeous green hue of the broccoli.

Soak the cashew and raisins in 1/2 cup warm water for 20 mins. Grind into a smooth paste.

Puree the tomatoes.

Make a paste out of the coriander powder, garam masala, red chili power and turmeric along with a little (2-3 tsp) water.

Cooking - Heat the oil and butter in a wok. Add the masala paste and fry for 2 mins.

Add the tomato puree and fry till oil starts to separate.

Add the cashew and raisins paste and cook for 3 mins.

Finally add the milk and 1/4 cup water along with the blanched broccoli florets. Sprinkle Kasuri methi on top.

Bring to a boil on low heat and let it simmer for a while till the broccoli turns soft and the gravy coats the florets evenly.

Add the cream. give it a mix and remove from flame.

Serve hot with puris or a simple pulao.

Maa Ki Daal ( Mother's day Special )

Happy Mother's Day to everyone!! Well, actually I would like to wish all the mothers every single day throughout the year since it is a 24 X 7 job with no pay and no leaves. But since the second Sunday of May is the designated day, hence a special post that is dedicated to all the mothers who follow by blog :) !!

Read on -

Preparation Time - 1 hour

Ingredients -

• 2/3 cup black lentils (urad dal)
• 1 medium sized onion
• 1 1/2 tsp GG paste
• 2-3 medium sized tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder
• 1/3 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp Garam masala
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp Kasuri Methi
• 3 tsp oil
• salt to taste
• cilantro for garnishing

Preparation - Wash and soak the black lentils overnight.

Chop the onion into small pieces. Grind the tomato into a puree.

Cooking - Heat the oil in a pressure cooker. Add the cumin seeds an allow to splutter.

Add the chopped onions and fry till translucent.

Follow with the GG paste and fry for 2-3 mins.

Add the powdered spices and fry for 30 seconds before adding the fresh tomato puree. Cook till the oil starts to separate from the tomatoes.

Wash and drain the soaked lentils. Add them to the pressure cooker along with salt, 21/2 cups water and the Kasuri methi. Cook for 7-8 whistles. Remove from flame and allow steam to escape naturally.

Return it to the burner, this time with the lid open. Allow it to simmer for 10-12 mins( take a dal masher and lightly mash the lentils while it is still on the burner).

Finally add the cilantro just before removing from the flame.

Serve hot with roti or white rice.

Note - One can also cook the dals separately and then add to the onion tomato gravy. This method is advisable when the lentils are old or the tomatoes are too acidic/sour, both of which will increase the cooking time.

Amritsari Alu Gobi

Amritsari Alu Gobi is a simple yet flavorsome Punjabi curry with a hint of a tang. The cauliflower florets and the potatoes are cooked to a very tender stage and as a result one gets a curry that has an almost mashed kind of texture. It goes great with some piping hot rotis !!

While it does remind me of our 'Phulakobi Jholo' or Odia cauliflower curry, this one has more tang, garam masala and almost zero bite when compared to the former. Call it an Odia thing if you wish, but we Odias prefer to have a bite to our veggies / meat. Almost like al-dente. And hence I take care not to overcook the cauliflower when I make this curry as my husband refused to eat it the first time.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 40 mins

Ingredients:

• 250 gm Cauliflower
• 1 large onion
• 1 large potato 
• 2-3 green chilis
• 2-3 tsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 large + 1 medium sized tomatao
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1/4 tsp garam masala
• 1/3 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/3 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 pinch asafoetida
• 1/4 tsp amchur (or as per taste)
• 2 tsp kasuri methi
• 1-2 nos green cardamon 
• 1 inch long cinnamon 
• 1-2 nos cloves
• 1 no bay leaf
• 5 tsp oil
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp sugar (my addition)
• cilantro for garnishing

Preparation: Cut the cauliflower into medium sized florets. Potato should be cut into cubes.

Cut the onion into small pieces. Make a paste out of it and keep aside

Make a puree out of the tomato or chop into very fine bits.

Cooking: Heat 3 tsp oil in a wok. Add turmeric followed by the cauliflower florets and stir fry for 7-8 mins. Add the potato cubes and fry for 3-4 mins more. Remove from pan and keep aside.

Heat remaining oil in the same wok. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and whole spices. Fry till fragrant. Add the asafoetida and the chopped green chilis and fry for 30 seconds.

Add the onion paste along with the GG paste and fry till raw smell goes away. Add all the powdered masala (except amchur) and fry for 1 minute.

Add the tomato pureed/finely chopped . Cook till oil starts to separate out.

Add the fried florets and potatoes along with the kasuri methi, salt and 2-3 cups of water.

Boil for 8-10 mins or till the gravy thickens to ones' preference. Finally stir in the amchur powder and sugar just before removing from the flame.

Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with rotis/paranthas.