Sajana Phula Bhaja

Drumstick flowers or Moringa flowers are known as 'Sajana phula' in Odia. Not very long back, a drumstick tree was a mandatory part of every garden in Odisha. The other must plants were the banana plant, papaya and a fruit tree like mango and/or guava. But with rising land rates and shrinking plot sizes, the gardens are being dispensed with and most people no longer have access to such a delicacy. And sadly one does not find it being sold in the markets.

Residing in Blore, I could only dream of having access to it. So, when I made the annual trip to my native, it was on my must-eat list along with 'karadi' and the famous Rourkela 'Gupchup' . Though I sometimes have it in Bhubaneshwar, the Gupchup here is simply a class apart. Almost everyone swears by the vendor in their own locality or a nearby place. But there are some crazy folks who would not mind making a trip (in some cases a long one)  to Sec 15/ Ispat Market /Sec 20 for savoring the stuff sold by a particular vendor. Since I no longer have the inclination to follow in their footsteps, I am happy to sample the stuff dished out by the nearest vendor.

Coming back to the recipe, it is a frugal one made with the simplest of ingredients. Read on -

Preparation Time - 10-15 mins (most of it is used for cleaning the flowers)

Ingredients -

• 2 cups drumstick flowers
• 1 green chili
• 2 pinch pancha phutana
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp oil
• salt to taste

Preparation - Pluck the drumstick flowers from the bunch. Throw away the dried and shriveled ones. Wash and clean them.

Cooking - Heat the oil in a wok. Add the broken green chili and pancha phutana. Once it stops spluttering, add the crushed garlic flakes along with the cleaned flowers.

Stir fry for 3 mins. Add the salt and mix in. Remove from the flame.

Serve as a side dish with rice/rotis and dal.

Note - The very tender drumsticks can also be fried along with the flowers. 

Ghora Manda

Yesterday was the first Gurubar(Thursday) of Margasira month (2014). The custom in my father's family is to observe Manabasa for every Thursday of this month, so my mother kept the Manaa (which symbolizes Goddess Lakshmi) and offered prasad three times a day. This may vary for some folks who may choose to keep the Manaa only after 'Prathamashtami' has been observed or even others who choose to keep it after Sankranti. Apart from this, these days one may also find some Odia women (m ostly those who are working) observing only the last Thursday of the month.

Each Manabasa Gurubar calls for a special 'bhoga' or offering. While the offering of the 'chakata bhoga' or mashed banana, chenna, milk and sugar/jaggery at the first prasad in the morning is common to all parts of the state, the anna bhoga or afternoon meal offered to the Goddess widely differs. Kheeri, Tarana, Khechudi, Arwa bhata, Dahi pakhala, Kanika are some examples of the 'anna bhoga'. The evening bhoga is usually a type of a pitha like Kakara, sijha manda, Malpua, attakali, gaintha, chakuli, etc. While some folks may also choose to offer the pitha along with the anna bhoga, the general rule it that it should contain rice as one of the ingredients. Though not a hard and fast rule ( and people do have a general tendency to twist the rules as per their convenience ), one can add a small amount of rice flour if making the kakara/manda/malpua with suji or maida.

One such pitha that is very popular in the Sundargarh (or more specifically Bonei) district is the Ghora or Ghura Manda. Made with a watery rice batter (not flour), this one has an amazing texture that it akin to to a pudding. The stuffing or 'pura' can be a mix of coconut, chenna (cottage cheese), sesame and groundnuts. Soft and melt-in-the-mouth types, this takes a few trials to perfect but is very much worth the effort. Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 45-50 mins

Ingredients -

• 1 1/2 cup arwa rice
• 1 coconut (grated)
• 1 1/2 cup chenna (cottage cheese)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• jaggery/sugar as per taste
• 2 tsp ghee
• a pinch of camphor
• 1-2 pinch cardamom powder

Preparation - Wash and soak the rice for 2-3 hours. Drain excess water and grind into a fine paste. Adjust the consistency to a flowing liquid one ( just like Chittau Pitha batter or Neer Dosa batter ).

Take the grated coconut, chenna, camphor and cardamom powder in a mixing bowl. Mash everything together.

Cooking - Slowly drain the batter into a large wok taking care to leave behind any solids (residue) in the bottom of the grinder/mixie jar. (If this residue gets into the wok, it makes the pitha grainy and spoils the overall texture.)

Add salt and a little jaggery to the wok. Switch on the flame taking care to keep it low. Keep stirring at regular intervals so that it does not catch at the bottom. Once the mixture thickens to that of a custard ( or somewhat thicker than Ragi malt ) consistency, switch off the flame.

Pour ladles of the hot mixture onto a greased steel plate or banana leaf. Gently spread (but not too much) using the back of a spoon. Layer with the stuffing of sweetened coconut and cottage cheese. Seal it or top it with more of the hot mixture. (While the more seasoned cooks can afford to touch the hot stuff, the rookies are warned to keep their fingers safe and unscathed)

Allow it to rest till it is completely cool.

Serve. (It tastes even better the next day so do remember to pop in a few pieces into the fridge)

Click here for details on the Manabasa Gurubar Puja .

A visit to Maa Cuttack Chandi

When I visited Cuttack recently, a visit to the Cuttack Chandi temple was on my must-do list. Cuttack Chandi or the living Goddess as referred to by the locals, is the presiding deity of the town. From where we had put up (Near to Biju Patnaik Chowk), it took us hardly 10 mins to reach the place by an auto. While it can be very crowded during the Dusshera and Kali Pujas, there were few people in the temple that day.

Image - courtesy Wiki

A small structure, the temple is quite inconspicuous by itself. At first glance, one would mistake it for just another temple like I did. Only when the auto driver took a U-turn and asked us to get down before the entrance, I realized that we had arrived at our destination. Like most temples, it had a little pond /tank to wash ones feet and a set of taps of clean ones' hand and mouth. Upon entering the temple, we found the usual shops selling earthen lamps, lali sankha (red bangles), chunni and the prasad items. Some pooja books were also available. One must be careful in asking the price (especially of the bundled items) while buying from such shops. The shopkeepers will usually mention the prices of 2-3 items and skip the rest. Once you return the basket after doing the pooja, they quote a higher amount thus taking you by surprise. Seasoned devotees/visitors do not fall for such traps but outsiders may sometimes be taken for a ride.

After lighting the lamps at the big lamp stand, we entered the temple and offered worship to the Goddess. While the temple is of recent origin, the actual deity is rumored to be an ancient one that belonged to the household of the Gajapati King. Legend has it that it was buried under earth to protect it from the plundering Muslim invaders. A purohit (priest) who happened to take an uneasy nap at the same spot was visited by the Goddess herself and the idol was reclaimed at her will. It is said that the piece of land yielded no less than forty bullock cart loads full of Red sindoor before the idol emerged. The temple has been built on the same land and the family (present generations) of the late priest Sri Hansa Panda is in charge of the daily rituals of the temple.

The beautiful idol of Maa rests on a silver throne and is adorned with silver jewelry. She is depicted having four hands, one holding a paasha (noose), the other holding an ankusha, while the other two hands convey the abhaya (fearless) and the vara (boon) mudras respectively. Adorned with the kapala (human head) mala made up of silver and lots of fresh flower garlands, the idol is very enchanting. It surrounds one with a divine feeling and one is left spell-bound.

The various avatars of Shakti

There are a few other idols/small temples situated within the premises. After offering our worship to all the Gods and Goddesses, we headed back home.

Bali Jatra 2014 (Odisha's Largest Fair)

Crowds set my heart rate soaring. I even start getting nauseous and my palms get cold with all that sweating. It is due to this reason that I avoid crowded places and even train journeys to whatever extent possible. Maybe it boils down to that childhood trauma of being separated from my father in a Puja mela. Even though it was only for a few minutes, those memories continue to haunt me at times. So, when I decided to visit the Bali Jatra fair this year, it took a solid resolve and a desire to put those demons to rest. "Some things just need to be done. Even if it feels like a kick in the ass."

Most of my Odia readers would be well aware that being the largest trade fair in Odisha, the Bali Jatra is host to various artists and craftsmen of Odisha. The cultural programs are attended by eminent artists from all over India. Though it is not as popular as the Puskhar Mela or the Boat races of Kerala, the Bali Jatra has its fair share of tourists from outside the state. This fair is held on the Gadagadia ghat ('Gada' refers to the dilapidated Barabati fort) of the river Mahanadi and pays tribute to the rich maritime trade legacy of erstwhile Kalinga. 'Bali Jatra' literally translates as a journey to Bali or the distant lands where the sailors (known as 'Sadhabas' in local lingo) of Kalinga had established their trade links. However it is not uncommon to come across an ignorant person who puts Bali Jatra as a fair held on 'bali' (which means sand). Kartik Purnima is supposed to the holiest day in the Hindu calendar and the traders used to set sail on this particular day after worshiping their boats (also known as 'boita'). Hence the tradition of Boita Bandana or the symbolic sailing of paper/thermocol boats on Kartika Purnima.

The entrance to the fair grounds is in the shape of a gate which upholds a huge boat. The crowd start flowing in around 2-3 pm and peak time is usually from 6-9 pm. Though the crowd thins out after that, the fair goes on till the wee hours of the morning. With almost 1300 stalls and maybe an equal numbers of vendors displaying their wares, it almost takes the entire duration of the fair, that is seven days, to browse through it. Also, one must visit the Barabati Stadium and the Barabati fort which are situated very near to the fair grounds.

Once we entered the fair grounds, we encountered vendors selling almost everything from paper toys to hangings to artificial flowers. The stalls were taken up by the big and medium sized enterprises/traders of Cuttack and Bhubaneshwar. Home electronics, cooking ranges, furniture, two-wheelers, furnishings, cosmetics, home decor, name it and one will find it here.

However, we headed straight to the 'Pallishree' section of the fair which showcased the Handicrafts and traditional wares belonging mostly to Odisha and few other states of India. There were stall displaying Filigree work, brass artifacts, bamboo paintings, Sambalpuri sarees, Pipili hangings, and various pottery items.

Sambalpuri Weaves in gorgeous colors/patterns

All the shopping and bargaining had made us hungry and yet we were feeling reluctant to move away from the beautiful handicraft stalls. Finally when we could not take it any longer, we headed towards the Food Plaza held by Ruchi Foods. They were selling lassi in various flavours, milkshakes, biryani, tikka, chicken nuggets, spring rolls, malpua-aludum, etc.  In addition to the hygiene factor, they had something to suit everyone's tastebuds. However Bali Jatra is famous for its Thunka puri-chenna tarkari and Cuttacki Dahi bara- Alu dum, and the more adventurous folks should not miss it. There were also quite a number of stalls selling Mathura cake, lanka chop (Mirchi bajji), Kulfi, fried crabs and various chops.

Can you see the fried crab hanging in the middle ??

After a quick bite, we rushed to explore more stalls. As it was almost five, people had started flocking and it was getting increasingly difficult to take at dekko at the displays. Since we were staying near to the place, we decided to return home and get some rest. By the time we were back, the crowd had thinned out and it was easier to get a close look at the stalls. After picking some junk jewelry, a pair of mojdis, a few puja items, some artificial flowers and ceramic ware, the shopaholic in each of had reached an Utopian state. Happily trudging back home, I could not resist casting a last look at the fair grounds. One day is just not enough to soak in the flavours of Bali Jatra.

Great collection of junk jewelry at great prices

Manna with Goddess Lakshmi painted on it

Various moulds for making Rangoli/Muruja

Chaadaakhai Special

A quick recap of my top picks for this Chaadaakhai !! The recipes are already posted on my blog.


1. Mutton Jholo - click here 

2. Chicken Chettinad - click here

3. Chicken Biryani - click here

4. Chingudi Jholo - click here

5. Kanchaa Illishi Tarkari - click here

[Sorry about not being able to provide the images. There seems be a network/server issue this morning]

Wishing a very Happy Kartik Purnima and Guru Nanak Jayanti to all !!

For all my Odia friends/readers, wishing you all a very happy 'Boita Bandana' !!

Aa ka maa boi
pana gua thoi
pana gua tora
masaka dharama mohara
dinaka dharama tohora

Phalahari Choley (No onion No garlic recipe)

Today is the first day of Panchuka or the five holiest days of the Hindu month of Kartika. While it is a standard practice among all (almost) oriya folks to refrain from eating non-veg throughout the month, these five days are strictly adhered to. The days begin with 'Brundawati Puja' or the worshiping of the Tulsi plant. Beautiful and colorful patterns called 'Muruja' ( Rangoli ) are drawn around the Tulsi 'Chaunra' or the pot/pedestal on which the plant has been placed. In addition those folks who observe 'Anla Nabami' or the day preceding 'Panchuka', a small 'anla' or gooseberry plant is also worshiped along with the Tulsi.

As this month is the peak time for all Shiva devotees, one witnesses long queues at the Shiva temples or 'Dhams' especially on the Mondays. Most folks residing in or around Bhubaneshwar try to visit Dhabaleshwara or Lingaraja, both of which are popular Shiva temples. Another popular destination during Panchuka is the Jaganaath Dham at Puri. Lord Jagannath and his siblings take up five different get-ups or 'Beshas' during those five days. These are in the order - 'Lakshmi-Narayana Besha', 'Bankachula Besha', 'Tribikram Besha', 'Lakshmi-Nrusingha Besha' and the 'Raja Rajeswari Besha'. The last day getup or the 'Raja Rajeswari Beshi' is a splendid sight with the deities decked up with huge golden ornaments and limbs.

In some of the Odia families Panchuka also means giving up on eating onions and garlic. Hence the lunch menu is largely restricted to dalma, arwa anna, saga, bhaja and khatta. For dinner, it is usually paratha/puri along with dalma or a no onion-no garlic version of alu dum/kabuli chana/santula/buta dali-kakharu tarkari. While I usually prepare kabuli chana/choley with onions, there is a very delicious version that is reserved for osa-bara days. Read on for the simple yet delicious recipe -

Preparation Time - 30 mins


Ingredients -


2 cups kabuli chana/garbanzo beans
3-4 small potatoes (cubed)
1 1/2 cups pumpkin cubes
2 small tomatoes
1 1/2 tsp choley masala/curry powder (use a no onion-no garlic one)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1-2 dry red chili
1 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tbsp kasuri methi
1/2 tsp turmeric
salt to taste
3 tbsp oil


Preparation - Soak the kabuli chana overnight. Wash and cook with 1 cup water, salt and turmeric. Remove from flame after 4-5 whistles on medium flame. Keep aside till steam escapes. Drain excess water

Boil the potatoes and pumpkin cubes till just done. Drain the excess water and keep aside.

Cooking - Heat the oil in a wok. Add the broken chili and cumin seeds. Once they start to splutter, add the finely chopped tomato.

Allow the tomato (2-3 mins) to soften before adding the choley masala, chili powder, potato and pumpkin pieces. Fry for 4-5 mins till they start getting mushy. Add the drained kabuli chana at this stage. Mix together and cook for 3-4 mins.

Add 1 1/2 - 3 cups boiling water along with garam masala and sugar. Rub the kasuri methi between the palms to warm it before adding it to the wok. Bring to a boil and allow to simmer for 5-6 mins.

Remove from the flame. The consistency of the curry will thicken as and when it cools so be careful about the water proportion.

Serve hot or warm with paratha/phulka/rotis.