Dalma

This is an authentic odiya dish, prepared in every odiya household. This is used as an accompaniment to rice. Since its main ingredient is Dal(Lentil), it is the usual accompaniment for rice in Odisha.I can also be had with roti.

Ingredients
Thoor Dal - 5 table spoons
Brinjal - 1
Pumpkin -6 to 7 cube sized pieces
Potato - 1
Tomato - 1
Beans - 4 to 5
Raw banana -  6 to 7 cube sized pieces
Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Bay leaf  - 1
Red chilli - 2
Ginger - 1/2 inch
Ghee -  1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tbs
 Salt - to taste

Procedure

• In a pan, fry the 1 tsp of jeera and the red chilli, till the jeera turns dark brown. Powder this, and keep it aside.
• Boil water in a vessel. Add dal, turmeric powder, and salt
• After 5 minutes, add the cut vegetables, and boil, till dal and vegetables or cooked. Alternatively, you could pressure cook the same.
• In a pan, pour in the Ghee, once it is hot, add jeera and bay leaf, fry for a minute. Add the cooked dal and vegetable mix to the pan, add the ground jeera chilli powder on the top,close the pan with a lid.
• Dalma is ready to eat.

You can add other traditional vegetables of your choice, like drumstick, papaya, etc. based on availability.

Potato in Curd Gravy

Normally the accompaniment for Aloo Paratha is simple Raita.This recipe helps to bring in a little more flavour to the usual raita, and at the same time does not to lose the taste of potato. It can also be had with chappathis, roti, parathas and rice.

Potato in curd gravy,onion raita and Aloo Paratha.

Ingredients

• Potatoes boiled and peeled - 3 medium. 
• Curd or yogurt beaten - 1 cup 
• Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Salt - 1 tsp 
• Dhania powder - 1/2 tsp 
• Turmeric powder -1/4 tsp
• Garam masala - 1/4 tsp
• Asafoetida - 2 pinches 
• Curry leaves -  1 sprig
• Coriander leaves chopped - 2 tbs
• Water - 1 1/4 cup 
• Ginger, garlic grated - 1/2 tsp each
• Green chillies slit - 2
• Cumin - 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Corn flour - 1/4 tsp 
• Oil - 1 tbs

Procedure

• Cut potatoes into big pieces. Mash 3-4 pieces fine with hand. Keep both aside.
• Mix all the dry masala in 1/4 cup water.
• Heat oil. Add the seeds (cumin and mustard). When they splutter, add ginger-garlic, chilli and curry leaves.
• Add the masala mixture and fry for 2 minutes.
• Add beaten curd and fry for 5 minutes or till the curd loses its whiteness. Stir continuously after adding curd.
• Add the remaining water and all the potato and flour. Stir well.
• Boil and simmer for 10 minutes or till gravy thickens
• Garnish with chopped coriander.
• Serve hot.

Note - I did not use coriander leaves, since I ran out of stock

Simba Rai/ Simba Besara

In odiya, Simba means broad beans, called avaraikai in Tamil and Chikkudikaya in Telugu.This particular dish is an East Indian dish, favoured in most of the Bengali and Odiya households.It is also called Simba Besara. Rai and Besara being used to denote those dishes where mustard seed paste is used.



Ingredients

• Broad Beans – 200 grm
• Tomatoes – 200grm
• Mustard seeds – 4tsp
• Garlic – 6 cloves
• Jeera (Cumin Seeds ) – 1 tsp
• Red Chilies Dry – 2pcs
• Curry Leaves – 1 sprig
• Turmeric Powder – ½ tsp
• Mustard oil– 2tbs
• Salt to taste

Procedure

• Cut the beans and tomotoes into small pieces and keep aside.
• Grind mustard seeds ( 3 tsp ), cumin seeds ( 1/2 tsp ),dry chilies ( 1 pc ) and garlic, to make a fine paste.
• In a pan, bring to boil one cup of water, add pieces of beans and salt to taste. Leave it on till the beans get cooked.
• Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dry chilies and curry leaves.
• After it starts spluttering add tomatoes and fry it till the tomatoes become a pulp.
• Then add the prepared paste and turmeric powder to it. Stir it continuously for sometime.
• Then add the boiled beans to the above paste and frequently stir till the paste gets coated to the beans.
• Add water 1 cup to it and salt to taste, stir well and cover with a the lid.
• Lower flame the flame and let it cook for 10 minutes. Serve it hot as an accompaniment for rice and dal.

Muga Dalma

This is an authentic odiya dish, prepared in every odiya household. This is used as an accompaniment to rice. Since its main ingredient is Dal(Lentil), it replaces dal, which is the usual accompaniment for rice in Odisha.I can also be had with roti.

Ingredients
Moong Dal - 5 table spoons
Brinjal - 1
Pumpkin -6 to 7 cube sized pieces
Potato - 1
Tomato - 1
Beans - 4 to 5
Raw banana -  6 to 7 cube sized pieces
Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Bay leaf  - 1
Red chilli - 2
Ginger - 1/2 inch
Ghee -  1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tbs
 Salt - to taste

Procedure

• In a pan, fry the 1 tsp of jeera and the red chilli, till the jeera turns dark brown. Powder this, and keep it aside.
• In the same pan , fry the moong dal for 2-3 minutes. This is to remove the raw smell of moong dal. 
• Add this moong dal to boiling water. Add turmeric powder, salt to the Dal.
• After 5 minutes, add the cut vegetables, and boil, till dal and vegetables or cooked. Alternatively, you could pressure cook the same.
• In a pan, pour in the Ghee, once it is hot, add jeera and bay leaf, fry for a minute. Add the cooked dal and vegetable mix to the pan, add the ground jeera chilli powder on the top,close the pan with a lid.
• Muga Dalma is ready to eat.

You can add other traditional vegetables of your choice, like drumstick, papaya, etc. based on availability.

Khajur Khatta

This is a Odiya dish, an accompaniment to rice, a side dish to the effect of a pickle, mildly sweet in flavour.

 Ingredients

Green chillies - 2
Panch Phutana - 1 tsp
Sugar - 2 tsp
Oil - 1 tsp
Tomatoes - 2
Dates(seeds removed) - 6 to 8
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Jeera powder - 1/2 tsp

Procedure

Heat oil in a pan. Add panch phutana and let it splutter.
Add cut green chillies and curry leaves and fry for a few seconds.
Add cut tomotoes and fry till tomotoes become a pulp
Add sugar and salt. Let the sugar melt.
Stir in turmeric powder, add the dates.
Add some water, put the flame to sim, and leave the pan closed, till the dates gets cooked.
Add chilli powder and Jeera powder,stir and switch off the stove.

Chilli Paneer

This is a variation of Chilli paneer which I learnt from my mother in law. It uses less oil as compared to the original recipe, and that is good with me. It tastes as good, so I dont have any complaints.

Ingredients

Capscicum - 2
Onion Medium - 3
Green chillies - 2
Soya sauce - 1 tsp
Vinegar - 1 tsp
Chilli Galic sauce - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Oil - 2 tsp
Ajonomoto - a pinch
Paneer - 200 gms

Procedure

Cut the paneer into cubes. Cut Onion and capscicum into rough squares. Chop green chillies into small pieces.
In a pan, add oil. Once it is hot, add onion, capscicum and green chillies and fry till the onion becomes translucent. 
Add the paneer cubes and fry them till they become light brown(once side brown also will do)
Pour in all the sauces and vinegar, add salt and ajonomoto. Toss around for a few minutes and switch off the stove.
Goes well with fried rice, pulao or roti.

Vegetable pulao

Ingredients

Basmati Rice - 2 cups

Onions sliced - 3

Onions shredded - 1

Beans (cut into small pieces) - 1 cup

Carrots(cut into small pieces) - 1 cup

Cauliflower (cut into small pieces) - 1 cup

Green peas - 1/2 cup( I did not use them as I did have them)

Green chillies - 2 

Cinnamon sticks - 2 

Cardomom pods - 4

Cloves - 4

Star Anise - 1

Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp

Bay leaves - 2

Mint leaves - a handful

Salt to taste

A pinch of Ajonomoto

Oil for frying.

Procedure

• Wash and boil Basmati rice in 8 cups of water.Add crushed cardomon seeds, cloves to the rice, while boiling. Drain and spread it on a plate to cool.
• Add oil to a pan. Fry the sliced onions to golden brown, drain the oil and keep aside
• Fry the shredded onion, sliced green chillies, till the onion become transluscent. 
• Add, fennel seeds, star anise, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks and fry for 2 mins.
• Add the chopped vegetables, mint leaves and fry them for a while. Add salt.Then lower the fire to sim, close the pan with a lid till let the vegetables get cooked in the steam. Add the cooled rice, ajonomoto and  mix well.
• Close the lid and switch off the stove after 5 mins. 

Serve with onion raita.

Aloo Dum

Ingredients

• 10 small potatoes
• 3 medium sized onions
• 2-3 tbsp shredded coconut
• A small piece of ginger
• 4-5 green chilles
• 2-3 cardammom pods
• 1/2 cup yoghurt
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• 1 tbsp poppy seeds
• 2 1/2 tsp dhania(coriander) powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves
• Salt to taste
• Oil for deep frying the potatoes
• 2 tbsp cooking oil/ghee(clarified butter)

Procedure:

• Boil the potatoes. Peel them and prick the potatoes with a fork.
• Fry the potatoes in hot oil till they turn slightly brown.
• Drain and set aside.
• Heat oil in a shallow pan and fry the onions to light brown.
• Grind the coconut, poppy seeds, cardamon, ginger and green chillies to a paste.
• Add the paste to the onions. Fry till the oil seperates.
• Add chilli powder,cumin powder and dhania powder and
• stir for 5 mins.
• Add the yoghurt , salt and the fried potatoes.
• Add enough water to cover the potatoes and simmer till
• the gravy is thick for about 10 minutes.
• Now add the garam masala powder and mix well.
• Garnish with the chopped coriander leaves.
• Eat with chapathi/nan.

Mint Chutney

Ingredients

1 bunch mint leaves, washed and chopped
1 small onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 small piece ginger, sliced
4-5 green chillies, chopped
1 tsp coconut(optional), shredded
2-3 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp cumin seeds or powder
1 tsp urad dhal
1 tsp channa dal
Salt to taste

Method

Fry all these in a little oil, one by one.
Blend to a smooth paste using a little water.

Note :- If required, tempering could be done. Heat 1 tsp oil, add  1/2 tsp mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add a few curry leaves, fry for a few seconds and add to the chutney mixture.

Coconut tomato Chutney

Ingredients

2 cups of fresh coconut, shredded
10 dry red chillies
1 sprig curry leaves
A large pinch of hing (asoefetida)
1/2 tsp methi(fenugreek) seeds
2 tsp urad dhal
2 tsp channa dhal
1 small tomato
Salt to taste

For tempering :
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
A few curry leaves
Oil - 1 tsp

Method

Heat some oil and add the dhals, curry leaves, hing, methi and red chillies.
Fry till done.
Add this to the coconut and tomato and blend into a smooth paste.
Add salt to taste.
Heat  oil, add mustard seeds, after they crackle, add curry leaves, fry for a few seconds. Pour this over the chutney paste.

Goes well with dosas, idli and plain rice.

Vegetable biryani

Ingredients required

A.
Basmati Rice - 1 cup
Cardamoms - 3

B.
Spices
Cinnamon stick(dalchini) - 1 inch
Cloves (Laung) - 5
Cumin(jeera) - 1 tbs
Fennel(Saunf) - 1 tbs
mace and nutmeg - a little

C.
Ginger - 1 inch
Garlic - 20 flakes

D.
Onion(Big) - 2
Oil - 4 tbs
Bay leaf - 1
Tomato(small) - 1
Green chillies - 4 (slit in middle)
Mint leaves - 1/2 cup
Red Chili powder - 1/2 tbs
turmeric powder - 1/4 tbs
Coriader Leaves - 1/2 cup(chopped)
Assorted vegetables(carrots,french beans, cauli flower, green peas, potato) diced(except peas) - 2 cups
Fresh Curd - 1 cup
salt - to taste

Procedure :-

1. Make a coarse paste of ginger and garlic and keep aside.
2. Powder the spices vide B. coarsely  and keep aside.
3. Cut 1 onion into slices. 1 onion into small pieces.
4. Cut tomato into small pieces
5. Boil rice along with crushed cardamoms, in a pressure cooker, with slightly less water.The rice should be about 90% cooked. After it is so cooked, spread it on a large plate and let the remaining water sticking to the rice evaporate. Each rice should be separate and should not stick to another.
6. Pour oil in a large thick deep bottomed kadai. After it is hot, fry the sliced onions till golden brown. strain it, remove from oil and keep aside. This shall be used to garnish later on.
7. In the same oil, add, the remaining onions, green chillies, bay leaf, fry a little, then add ginger garlic paste, the ground spices and fry till onions turn golden brown.
8. Add mint leaves and fry for 3 minutes.
9. Add tomato and fry till the tomato is completely cooked blended into the mixture.
10. Add the diced vegetables,turmeric, chili powder, salt and fry for 5 - 8 minutes, till the vegetables are half cooked.
11. Add 1/2 of the curd and stir. Put the stove in sim. Close the kadai with a lid and keep weight on the lid, so that no steam escapes. Let it be for 5 more minutes.
12. The water in the curd would have evaporated, leaving a thick gravy. Cover this gravy with half cooked rice. Top it with remaining curd. Close the Kadai and replace the weight. Leave it like that for ten minutes.Switch of the stove and let the content fo kadai cook in steam for ten more minutes.
13. Open the lid, add chopped coriader leaves, fried onions and mix the contents well.
14. Serve hot with raita.