RCI Oriya Cuisine

This cuisine is very new to me and I loved to explore the tastes of their food. I realised the food variety ranges from use of dhall  to vegetables with a very unique combination of spices which enhances the flavours of food. The sweet is mostly made of cheese or milk based which varies from kalakhand to rosgullas..More about oriya cuisine at Wikipedia

I have tried all the recipes from 123Orissa.com with some changes for our taste. This is my contribution to Lakshmi from VeggieCuisine’s RCI, this month we are celebrating Oriya cuisine hosted by Swapna from Swad of India

Vegetable Biryani/Khichadi

• All you need
  1.5 cup Rice
  3/4 cup Lentils/masoor dhall
  2 Potatoes cubed
  1 cup carrots/beans/peas
  1 cup Peanuts
  1 Tomatoes
  10 Cashewnuts
  1 cup grated coconut
  1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
  4 Red Chillies
  1 cup Onions sliced
  4 pieces of Cinnamon
  4 Cardamoms
  1/2 cup Curd( i skipped)
  Salt & Turmeric Powder

Method:

• Soak Rice for half an hour 
• Grind the grated Coconut with Cumin seeds and chillies.
• The recipe used the extract of the ground paste but i preferred to use the grounded paste as it is
•  Take oil in a kadai  add cinnamon, cardamom fry until fragrant
• Add rice, lentils, peanuts, cashew fry for sometime until all look slightly coated with oil
• Add water along with the ground paste, salt and tomatoes.Let it boil now add the vegetables
• Pressure cook for 3 whistles. Serve hot.

This turned out delicious khichadi and tasted close to our Bisibhelebhath.

Phul Gobi Do Piaji

All you need
1 Cauliflower
cumin powder – 1 tsp
Ginger paste – 1 cube
 Vinegar
 garam masala – 1 tsp
Tomato – 1
Red chilli powder/green chilli paste – 2 tsp
 Onion – 1
panch phoran – 1 tsp
Salt

Method

• Cut the cauliflower into medium size pieces. marinate with ginger paste, cumin powder and chilli powder/green chilli paste and vinegar for an hour

•  Heat oil in a kadai and the panch puran spices and fry onion .

• Add  the cauliflowers into the pan and cover it with tomato pieces. Add the garam masala and salt for taste

• Cover the lid and lower the flame until cauliflower is cooked fully.

Bhanda kobi Khofta Curry

All you need
Cabbage – 1 cup shreded
onion – 1 sliced
gram flour – 1/4 cup
coriander leaves – 2 tsp
corn flour – 2 tsp
baking powder – 1 tsp

gravy
onion – 1 big
tomatoes – 1
ginger paste – 1cube
chilli powder – as per taste
coriander leaves for garnish
garam masala – 1 tsp

Method

• Mix cabbage, onions, salt and chilli powder and coriander leaves. let it stand for 5 mins

• The cabbage mixture will is slightly wet now, add gram flour and corn flour along with baking powder mix it well

• Deep fry the cabbage pakodas in oil and keep aside

• Make a gravy by grinding the half onions, tomatoes and ginger

• Take a kadai with oil fry remaining onions tomatoes along with the ground paste, and chilli powder and salt.

• Add 1 cups of water and let it boil, the tiness of gravy depends on liking once it reaches a gravy consistency do a taste check 

• Add the pakodas and serve hot with rotis/rice

I extremely enjoyed exploring Oriya Cuisine and my family were pleased with the outcome of every dish, Please visit Swapna’s blog for the roundup of the event.

RCI for Punjabi Cuisine

Punjabi cuisine is the most well known cuisine not only in India but around the world too. Punjabi food who doesn’t love them? Well I have never been to punjab but the i love the parathas curries and flavoured rice. Punjabis are great lovers of wheat, they hardly cook plain rice for regular meals. Their  rice is flavored with cumin/or a varied number of spices. To have a quick tour of the cuisine of Punjab visit Richa’s As Dear as Salt who is hosting Lakshmi from VeggieCuisine’s RCI  for Punjabi Cuisine.

Handi Vegetable Biryani

All you need:
for the paste:
quartered – onions 1
ginger – 2 inch
garlic pods – 5

To make Rice:
Basmati Rice – 1.5 cups
whole garam masala
bay leaves – 2
cinamon – 1 large cut into medium pieces
black pepper – 1 tsp
cloves – 6-8

others:
chilli powder – 3 tsp
tumeric powder -1 tsp
garam masala powder- 2 tsp(punjabi everest)
yogurt/2 tbsp
tomatoes – 1
mixed vegetables(carrot/beans/cauliflower/peas)

to fry
cashews – 8
onions sliced thinely – 1
capsicum sliced – 1

Method:

• Make a paste of onion, ginger and garlic.
• Soak rice for half an hour. Cook rice in salted water and whole garam masala until grainy. keep aside let it cool.
• Take oil in a kadai, fry cashews to gloden brown drain keep aside.
• Fry onions until crisp drain and keep aside. Fry capsicums until soft.
• Half boil vege like beans/carrot/potato in  microwave for 2 mins, preserve the stock for gravy.
• Take a wok to make the curry, heat 2 tbsp ghee/oil
• Fry the paste until raw smell dissappears, add the masala powders and tomatoes cook until tomatoes are done
• Add mixed veges, salt Bring to boil add curds. stir well until oil seperates out.
• Take a oven proof casserole grease oil or butter
• Add the cooked1/4 of the cooked rice. Spread half of the curry. Add again 1/4 of rice spread the half of onions, cashews capsicums, coriander leaves. Again repeat with rest of the rice
• Seal the caserole and bake it for 15 mins at 230 c.
• Serve hot rice with any accompanied raita.

Recipe source: Bawarchi.com

Mushroom Mattar Makani (source: Tarla Dalal cook book)

All you need
Mushrooms – 2 cups(i used button mushrooms)
Boiled peas – 1/2 cup

For paste
onions – 1 sliced
tomatoes – 1 cut into chunks
garlic pods – 4
ginger – 2 tsp
cashews – 4 cut into pieces
Boil all the above and grind into paste

Others
jeera/cumin seeds – 1 tsp
kasuri methi – 2 tsp
garam masala – 1 tsp (punjabi Everest)
chilli powder – 2 tsp
Cream – 1 tbsp
coriander leaves for garnish

Method:

• Take oil/ghee in a kadai add cumin seeds when hot.
• Add the masala paste once the cumin seeds are light brown color
• Simmer for few minutes until oil seperates
• Add all the masala powders, salt and cream
• Add mushrooms and peas and bring to boil. Garnish with coriander leaves
• Serve hot with parathas.

Masale Bhaat and bhopli mirchi chi peeth perun bhaaji/Capsicum with cabbage and shallot fry

 RCI Maharastra, food of maharastra has bought back childhood memories though we spent hardly 2 years of our stay in Pune. I loved the climate the place for its simplicity and homely neighbours. The food loved for hot sabudana vadas, chats bhel puri, various kinds of wadis, polis . I can still remember the unique taste of bhel puri was hot and spicy but the flavors were excellent. The ganesh Utsav is a big bang for the 10 days rejoicing playing music and dance with the local community gathering was loads of fun from installing the madal to decorating, distributing sweets to the last day immersing the Ganesh idol in the near by river .  

Here I tried two simple dishes which were unique in taste. I loved the taste of both the dishes. My pressure pan never gave good result as my baingan were mushy. When I make vangi bhath with Baingan i usally cook rice seperately. Next time i will opt for cooking seperately with my old way . The brinjals i used were thai brinjals which take longer time to cook than the purple ones.

                                                     Masale Bhaat                                                        

All you need:
gherkins – 1 cup
peas – 1 cup
Brinjals – 1 cup
goda masala – 2 tsp ( thanks Tee)

turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
rice – 1.5 cups sokaed for half an hour
curry leaves – 1 sprig
whole garam masala
cinamon sticks – 2
cardamom – 2
cloves – 4
bay leaves – 2

Dry roast
1/2 cup coconut,
dry chillies – 4-5

Method:

• Heat oil in a kadai/pressure pan add whole garam masala fry until masala are plump add curry leaves
• Fry gherkins for a few minutes add peas and brinjals fry for a few minutes
• Add rice and fry for another 2 minutes. Add boiled water 1.5 times rice. Let it boil add the goda masala and roasted masala
• Add sugar and salt simmer until rice is cooked.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and fried cashews

Capsicum Cabbage with shallot fry

 

All you need
1 cup capsicums
1 cup cabbage
1 cup Shallots
1cup chick pea flour / gram flour (besan)
1 tbsp peanuts powdered coarsely
4 tsp chilli powder,
1 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
salt,
sugar (optional) to taste
cilantro/coriander leaves
1/2 tsp asafoetida
2 tsp mustard seeds
2 tbsp oil

Method:

• Wash the peppers,cabagge, shallots. Pat dry with a kitchen towel.
• Chop peppers and cabbage 1/2 inch square pieces.
• Dry roast gram flour until aromatic 
• In a bowl, combine gram flour, chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric, salt and sugar. Do not add water.
• Heat oil in a kadai. Add mustard seeds, asafoetida and the remaining turmeric powder.
• Add peppers, capsicums, shallots and fry till they are half tender.
• Add gram flour and mix well until all the pieces are well coated with the flour. Fry for sometime over medium heat.
•  Keep tossing the bhaaji until crisp and golden. Toss in peanut powder and fry for a minute.

Garnish with cilantro/coriander leaves and serve hot with chapati.

The bhajji was delicious, the flavour of gram flour was not strong but was crisp and nice combo to the bhajji.

Recipesource: mumbai-masala.com

These are my contribution for Nupur from OnehotStoves RCI for maharastra  and Sangeeta from Ghar ka khana’s  JFI Brinjal

Vegetable Biryani

This is another series of Rice pulavs. One of my daugther’s favorite pulav she calls it red pulav. My pulav did not turn out red may be due to the chillies. Rice pulavs are one of top for our weekend lunchs. You can prepare the gravy and Rice separely and bake in oven with layer of rice and gravy alternately for 10 mins. Garnish with spring onions and coriander to have colourfull layered rice. I did not have much time to do the same today.

Ingrediants

Vegetables(carrot/beans/cauliflower/cabbage/capsicum/peas of your choice)

onion thinly sliced- 1big

curds/yogurt – 2 tbsp

saffron/kesari  threads-  1/4 tsp

tomato – 1

ginger paste – 2 tsp

garlic paste – 4 tsp

Basmati rice – 2 cups

(star anise,cloves,cinamon) – for tempering

Coriander leaves – 1 cup

Ghee/oil for frying

masala powder

red chillies – 5-6

coriander seeds - 4 tsp

cummin seeds - 2 tsp

cinnamon – 1 inch

cardomom – 1 -2

cloves – 4

nutmeg/jajikayi – 2 flakes

• Soak Rice for half an hour

• Dry roast all the ingrediants for masala powder and powder it

• Heat ghee/butter in pressure pan add the whole garam masala fry for a minute

• add onions fry until translucent, add ginger garlic paste fry until raw smell dissappears

• Add masala powder tomatoes, fry until tomato is fried well

• Add curds and saffron mix and fry until all masala blend well

• Add rice vegetables (except cabbage/capsisum/cauliflower) mix well

• Add water and salt let it boil taste for salt now add the remaining vege mix well add coriander leaves and close the pan for 2 -3 whistles

• Garnish with fried cashews and serve hot with raita

 

 

Thai PineApple FriedRice

At last i am here with my AFAM for pineapple. I ever thought i could make it this time. This is my very first entry for the AFAM. Juicy pineapples who doesn’t love them. This yellow tropical fuit some say it signifies new begining, a great source of vitamn C. This is one fruit i love , like anything from this gojju, raita and now this is also on the list pineapple fried rice.

Everytime i went out to eat with my colleagues being a vegetarian i was always left with little choice. Once during our regular seminars we had to lunch in a Thai restuarant, hmm looking at the menu i scrolled a few pages then i was only left with the dessert which very inviting. My colleagues suggested collegues and helped me to instruct the waiter to prepare vegetarian pineapple fried rice which was had a very nice aroma with the fried onions, from that day onwards i just loved this fried rice. Maheswari from Beyond the Usual is hosting this event.

 All you need

1 pineapple

Rice – 1 cup (used basmati)

Ghee/oil – 1 tbsp

spring onions – 3 stems

garlic pods – 4

green chillies – 2

cashews – 20-25

raisins – 2 tbsp

peas – 1 cup

soy sauce – 1 tbsp

carrot grated – 1 cup

sambhar powder – 2tsp

fresh coriander

salt and sugar to taste

Lets start

• soak rice for half an hour and pressure cook.

• remove pulp from half of the pineapple and reserve the pulp for rice

• cut pineapple to small chunks to one cup

• Fry garlic, chillies and onions until translucent

• Add cashews, carrot, peas , sambhar powder and soy sauce fry for a minute

• Add rice, pineapple, raisins and fry on high flame, at this time add some yellow color sugar and salt if required

• Garnish with coriander and spring onions

Recipesource: Thaifood.About.com

Methi corn pulav

 All you need

Basmati rice – 2 cups

1 bunch methi leaves

small sweet corn – 4-5

Can add potatoes/peas

onions – 1 thin sliced

spring onion leaves – cut finely 1 cup

green chillies – 2

vangi bhath powder – 1 tsp

mango powder – 1tsp

turmeric powder – 1tsp

mustard seeds – 1tsp

channadhall – 1tsp

peanuts/cashews optional

sugar and salt to taste

• Wash Rise and soak in water for 20 minutes. Presure cook rice.

• Wash methi leaves allow to stand for a while so the water strains out.

• Heat oil in a pan, add channa dhal, mustard, hing fry until mustard splutters

• Add green chillies and onions and fry until the onions are slightly brown in color

• Add the washed methi leaves, salt and fry until the leaves are half done

• Add corn and continue to fry , you sprinkle some water if found the moisture is not enough for the corn and methi to be done

• Add the boiled potatoes/peas, half of spring onions stir and mix

• Add all the masala powder , mango powder and salt and sugar to taste and mix. Add the basmati rice and mix well and keep on low flame for 2-3 minutes. Taste for salt and you are done

• Garnish with cut spring onions leaves.

Note: This pulav can also be prepared with whole garam masala for the takda to add more fragrance

 

ಸಬ್ಸಕೇ ಸೊಪ್ಪು ವಾಂಗಿ ಬಾತ್/Dill Masala bhath

There are a variety of food prepared with sabaske soppu i am unaware of the english name for this. I could not take the picture of the spinach i will update the next time may be in a months time if i could get it.  Spinach could be used for preparing sambhar, koot,  chutney and even parothas.

 

2 bunch of Sabaske soppu/ jeerage keerai/Dill leaves

2 cups of basmati rice

4 pods of garlic

2 green chillies

1 big onion

2 medium siezed potatoes (boiled and cut in small cubes)

1 tablespoon of vangibhat masala

1/3 cup desicated coconut

amchur powder – 1 tsp

Heat 2 tablespoon of oil add garlic, green chillies. Let the garlic turn light brown now add the slit onions. Fry for few minutes until the onions are light brown in color. Add the sabaske soppu or jeerage keerai (cut it very fine), salt to taste fry for 2 minutes. Steam for 5 minutes until it is cooked well. This needs a little oil more than for lemon rice. Check the spinach if still raw stir fry and again steam it for sometime. This is best when the spinach is fresh. Add potato cubes, vagibhath masala, amchur powder, salt  and mix well. Add the cooked basmati rice and stir fry for sometime and steam in low fire for 2 minutes. Now add the desicatted coconut and mix well. Sabaske bhath is ready for serving.

 

Vegetable Pulav

All of us prepare vegetable pulav ( it is rich dish with a lot of vegetable flavour). Every one has its own taste of preparation. This is a recipe i learnt from my mother in law who is a great cook. This is a all time favorite of my family. Sometimes our meal would just pulav and raita. But i never happen to get my mother in laws taste. 

All that you need

Dry Masala

 

cloves – 4-5

coriander seeds – 3 tsp

cummin seeds – 1 tsp

cardomom  – 2-3 pods

cinnamon – 3 inch

pepper – 1 tsp

Dry roast and powder all the above

 

Wet masala

 

1 bunch of fresh coriander leaves

2-3 green chillies

garlic – 5-6 pods

ginger – 3 inch piece

Make a wet paste of all the above using very little water

 

Whole garam masala( bay leaves, cinnamon, cardomom,clove )

Vegatables(potato, carrrot, beans, peas and other of your taste)

1 big onion cut into thin slices

1 tomato cut into medium size chunks

2 cups of Rice

Salt to taste

 

Method: I usually prepare this pulav in pressure cooker but for a change i tried my husbands method to make in electric Rice cooker. Power on the rice cooker to cook, let it heat for a minute open the cover of the cooker pour Ghee or oil according to your preference. Add the sliced onions as the oil is heated, fry the onions well until light brown now add the dry masala fry for a few secs. Add the wet masala fry until oil seperates. Add the vegetables and Rice mix and fry for  a few minutes so that the rice and vege get coated with the masala. Add water according to the type of Rice, now  add whole garam masala, salt, tumeric, tomato slices if you would like to add cabbage add it at this time. Taste for salt and spice, if spice is not enough you can add 1-2 slit green chillies as you can see i have added. Close the cover of the cooker and wait for it to cook. Once it is ready let it stand in cooker for 5 minutes. Now transfer to serving bowl garnish with fried cashew and serve hot.