CRUNCHY CHANA DAL PAKORA

Ingredients :-
2 cups Chana dal (Soaked for 1 hr)
1 Chopped Onion
6-7 Garlic cloves
1 inch Ginger chopped
3-4 Green Chillies                                                                             
1 tsp Ajwain (Carom seeds)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Few chopped Curry leaves
Few chopped Coriander leaves
Salt as per taste

Method :-

Soak chana dal for one hour and drain water completely. Grind chana dal along with ginger pieces, garlic cloves, green chillies.{Don't make very fine paste}. Transfer this mixture into a bowl. Add chopped coriander leaves, chopped curry leaves, chopped onion, turmeric powder, ajwain seeds, salt and mix with the paste. Heat oil in a deep frying pan or kadhai. Wait for oil to get hot. Deep fry the pakodas from both side till golden brown. Remove from oil and soak in a tissue paper. Serve hot chana dal pakoras with tomato-ambeda chutney. 

NOTE:- Sending this recipe to ;

• "Kids Delight-Warm Food To Beat The Rain" hosted by Pradnya.

TOMATO-AMBEDA (HOG PLUM) CHUTNEY

Last time when I made dal vada, I wanted to try out something different of tomato chutney. This sweet n sour chutney is very simple to prepare and also easily available in home. You can enjoy this chutney with any snacks like samosa, pakoda, idli, dosa or upma etc!!

  

Ingredients :-

2 chopped Tomatoes 

2-3 sliced Ambeda (Hog plum)

6-7 Garlic cloves

3-4 Fresh Green chillies

Few chopped Coriander leaves

Salt as per taste

For Seasoning :-

1 tsp Mustard Oil

1 tsp Mustard seeds

Few Curry leaves

2 Dry red chillies

A pinch of hing

Method :-

Wash and clean the tomatoes and ambeda. Grind the above ingredients together in a blender. (don't make a very fine paste). Now heat oil in a kadhai. Add mustard seed, dry red chilli, curry leaves and a pinch of hing. Allow it to splutters and pour it over the tomato chutney and mix well. Now your spicy chutney is ready to served :)    

AMBEDA BESARA KHATTA [INDIAN HOG PLUM WITH MUSTARD PASTE]

Ingredients :-

Ambeda (Indian Hog plum) - 200 gms

Tomato - 2 nos.

Dry Red Chilli - 2 nos.

Sugar - 5 tsp

Pancha Phutana - 1 tsp

Haldi Powder (Turmeric powder)- 1/2 tsp

Few Bhrusanga Patra (Curry leaves)

Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp                                                                                          

Mustard Oil - 2tsp

Salt as per taste                    

For Paste :-

Mustard seeds (Sorisha) - 2 tsp

Cumin seeds (Jeera) - 1 tsp

Dry red chilli (Sukhila Lanka) - 2 nos.

Garlic cloves (Rasuna) - 8-10 nos.

Method :-

Wash and clean the ambeda and tomatoes. Cut them into four pieces. Grind all the masala to make a fine paste. Heat oil in a deep pan or a kadhai. Add pancha phutana, dry red chillies, curry leaves and sliced ambeda pieces. Fry it for 5-7 mins. When well fried, add mustard paste, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt and saute a while. Also add tomatoes and stir  it. Now add 2 cups of water and cover it to bring a boil. Cook it on a medium flame for 10 mins. Then add sugar to it and cook for another 2-3 mins. Switch off the flame and serve it with khichdi or plain rice :)                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

KADALI BESARA BHAJA (RAW BANANA FRY WITH MUSTARD PASTE)

Ingredients :-

Raw Bananas - 2 nos.

Potato - 1 no.

Haldi Powder - 1 tsp

Water - 1/2 cup

Salt as per taste

For Tempering:-

Onion chopped - 1 no.

Pancha phutana - 1 tsp 

Mustard Oil 2 tsp

For Paste :-

2 tsp mustard seeds

7-8 garlic cloves

2 nos. dry red chillies

2 nos. green chillies

Method :-

• Wash ans peel off banana and patato. Cut in lengthwise both. Boil banana and patato in water by adding salt and turmeric (haldi powder) for 5 mins.
• Grind the above masala to make a smooth paste.
• Now heat mustard oil in a pan. Add pancha phutana, when it started crackling, add chopped onion and fry. Then add mustard paste and stir fry for 1 min.[Don't fry mustard paste more time, otherwise it will taste a bitter]. Now add half boiled banana and patato and fry it with the paste for 5-7 mins. Fry the banana till light golden brown. Serve hot as side dish with rice or roti..

BANANA BLOSSOM (KADALI BHANDA) RECIPE

How To Clean the Flower?

Apply oil in your hands. Remove the outer red petals from top-down. Collect all the blossom (Flowers) from the red petals. Gently open the flowers and remove the hard plastic like small petal from each flower. These are very hard, that's why not used. Cut up the flower into small pieces. Boil the flowers in salt and turmeric water for 5 mins. Drain and soak in running water,squeeze it and keep aside.

Ingredients for recipe :-                                                       

Banana flowers

1 big Potato (cut in lengthwise)

1 big chopped onion

3-4 chopped green chillies

1 tsp garlic chopped

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Salt as per taste

2-3 tsp Oil for frying

Method :-

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard and cumin seeds. When it splutter, add onion, garlic chopped and grren chilli.Stir it for 2-3 mins. Add potato, turmeric powder, salt and cook for 2 mins. Now add boiled banana flowers and again fry. Cook for few minutes and switch off the flame. Serve with rice or roti etc.

NOTE:- Variety of dishes can be made from this banana flowers (flowers curry with mustard paste, Banana flower stir fry with moong dal, banana flower cutlet etc).

CHICKEN BIRIYANI

Ingredients :-

Basmati Rice - 3 cups (long grain rice)

Chicken Pieces - 500 gm

For Chicken Gravy:-

3 big sliced Onion

Bay leafs (tej patta) - 2

Cinnamon - 1 inch stick

Green cardamoms - 3 nos.

Cloves - 2-3 nos.

1 tsp ginger paste

1 tsp garlic paste

1 tsp green chilli paste

2 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 cup tomato puree

1 tsp garam masala powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 1/2 tsp chicken masala (Everest chicken masala)

3-4 tsp Oil for frying

Salt as per taste

For the Marinade:-

1 cup yogurt (thick curd)

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp garam masala powder

1/2 tsp black pepper powder

1 tsp ginger-garlic paste

Coriander leaves

Salt as per taste

For Garnishing:-

1/2 cup fried browned onion (heat oil, add 1 tsp sugar, add sliced onion and fry till brown)

A few drops of Rose water

1/2 cup boiled milk

Fresh chopped mint leaves

Fresh chopped coriander leaves

Method:-

• Mix all the marinade ingredients to a smooth paste. Add chicken pieces to it and leave for 1-2 hours.
• Wash and clean rice. Cook rice in plenty of water till 3/4 done. In boiling water add 1/2 of the whole garam masala (cinnamon, cardamom, cloves), bay leaf, salt and 1 tsp ghee. Drain out the water and allow the rice to cool.
• Heat oil in a deep pan. Add 1 tsp sugar, when it turns to brown add bay leaf, whole garam masala to it. After crackling of garam masala add chopped onion and saute till light golden brown. Add ginger-garlic paste, all above masala including tomato puree. Cook for 5 mins. and add marinated chicken pieces with it. Cook on low flame until chicken is tender. Don't over cook the chicken.

• Now take another pan, add 2-3 tsp of butter and heat. Place 1/3 of rice in the pan. Place half of the chicken over the rice. Again place rice to cover it. Place the remaining chicken over it and cover with remaining rice (place in alternate layers). Sprinkle milk, remaining garam masala, fried browned onions, mint leaves, coriander leaves in between the layers and on the top. Also sprinkle rose water over the rice. Cover and seal it tightly with a lid and further cook on low flame for 8-10 mins. Chicken Biryani is ready to serve. 

Note:- You can serve Biryani with egg slices. Also can add fried cashew nuts and enjoy it!!!

RAJJA SPECIAL PITHA

HAPPY RAJA TO ALL MY ODIYA FRIENDS!!!

"Raja" is the most important and unique festival of ODISHA. It is celebrated for 3 days continuously, as Pahili Raja, Raja Sankranti and Sesa Raja or (Bhuin daana). Celebration of Raja is one of the oldest tradition of Orissa. The festival is also associated with the Oriya delicacy of "pitha" (dough cake) which is prepared in almost all household. 

             In the first day of Raja, I have celebrated it with one of my favourite dish from my mom's kitchen. This is first time,I have made it myself and it tastes mind blowing..just wow!!! The best combination with Pitha is ghugni and chana dal chutney. So frndz please must try it in your kitchen....its very simple and easy to prepare!

                                                                                                                             

Ingredients :- 

                                                       

2 cups rice (chaula)                                                       

1 & a half cup black gram (biri)                                  

For Stuffing :-

2-3 big potatoes (cut in small pieces)

1 chopped onion

1 tsp chopped ginger

1 tsp chopped garlic

2 tsp chopped green chillies

2 tsp roasted Saunf

  seeds (Panamahuri)

1 tsp Panch phutana (a mix of cumin, mustard, fenugreek, fennel, kalonji)

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp Oil for frying

Salt as per taste

Method :-

Soak rice and black gram in water in separate bowls for about 6 hrs. Clean and wash them thoroughly and then grind into a thick batter. It need not be a fine paste (as like as Idli batter). Mix well and leave it for fermenting for about 7-8 hrs. Add salt and mix well.

Now for stuffing preparation, heat oil in a pan. Add panch phutana to it. When it crackles, add chopped onion, ginger -garlic chopped, green chillies and fry for a while. Add chopped potatoes to it and mix well. Add turmeric, salt and stir it. Keep it covered for 2-3 mins. Now add roasted saunf powder and mix it well. Don't over cook the potatoes because it will again cook with batter. After few seconds switch off the flame and keep aside.

Now for preparing pitha, steam it in the traditional way. Take one wide mouthed pot (handi/dekchi), fill it upto half with water. Cover the pot mouth tightly around with a cotton cloth and let it bring to boil . Now add a layer of the batter about 1-2 cm thick over the cloth, spread potato stuffing (aloo masala) over the batter and again add a layer of batter to cover the masala about 1 cm thick. Cover the pot with a concave shaped lid and steam it in a high flame for 15-20 mins.

Check it and switch off the flame. Let it cool in a normal temperature and cut it in your desirable shape and serve with ghuguni, dalma, chutney etc. 

NOTE :- You can also prepare this pitha in idli stands as above my picture. 

NOTE :- Sending this recipe to ;

• "30 Minutes Meal Mela" hosted by Srivalli.
• "Show Me Your Hits -Rice Event" hosted by Vardhini.

CHANA DAL (BUTA DALI) CHUTNEY

Ingredients :-

1 cup Chana Dal

3-4 Green chillies

Fresh Ginger about 1 inch

Fresh Coconut - 1/4 cup 

3-4 Garlic cloves

1/2 tsp of Oil

2 Dried Red Chillies

Salt to taste

For Tempering :-

Oil : 1 tsp

Mustard seeds : 1 tsp

Dry Red Chilli : 1 no.

Curry Patta : 8-10 nos.

A pinch of hing

Method :-

Heat oil in a pan and fry chana dal for 2-3 mins till it turns brown. Also add red chillies and fry for a minute. Switch off the flame and keep aside to let them cool.  

Grind all the above ingredients together in a blender by adding little water. Transfer the chutney into a bowl.

Now heat oil in a kadhai. Add mustard seeds, red chilli, hing and curry patta to the oil. Fry for a few seconds. Pour this tempering directly on the chutney. Now its ready to serve with idli, dosa, chilla, upma etc.

Enjoy it !!!

DELICIOUS MANGO MILK SHAKE

Ingredients :-

2 cup Mango pulp

1 cup boiled milk

3-4 tbsp sugar (according to your taste) 

1 small cup Vanilla ice cream 

A pinch of salt

Ice cubes (as required chillness)

Method :-

Blend all the ingredients together in a blender or a juicer along with ice cubes. Taste and add sugar if needed and again blend it. Serve immediately by decorating top with ice cream and enjoy the lovely and colourful delicious mango shake in summer.

CRISPY SAMOSA RECIPE

INGREDIENTS :-

For Samosa Cover:

1 cup plain flour (Maida)

2 tsp warm oil or ghee

Water to knead the dough

Salt to taste

• For the dough, mix maida and salt. Add warm oil to it and mix well with fingers. Add water little by little to prepare it into a soft dough. Cover with a wet cloth and keep aside for half-an-hour.  

For the Stuffing:

4-5 medium sized boiled potatoes

1 big onion chopped

1 tsp ginger-garlic paste

3-4 chopped green chillies

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp roasted coriander (Dhania) powder

1/2 tsp fenugreek (Methi) powder

1 tsp garam masala powder

1/2 tsp turmeric (Haldi) powder

2 tsp lemon juice

Chopped coriander leaves

Roasted peanuts - 1/2 cup

Salt as per taste

Oil for deep frying

METHOD :-

• For the stuffing, heat oil in a kadai and season mustard seeds in it. When it splutter add onion, ginger n garlic paste, chopped green chillies and fry. Add haldi, roasted dhania powder, roasted methi powder, garam masala, peanuts and fry. Then add mashed potatoes and salt into it and stir for a minute. This masala should be dry. Remove from fire and cool it.

• Now divide the dough into small and equal parts. Roll them into round shape and divide it from middle. (Cut in the centre to make two halves). Take one half and fold it in conical shape and filled with masala. Seal the edges of the cone tightly with finger tips deeped in little water.

• Heat oil in a kadhai. Deep fry the samosas until they turn to golden brown. Don't fry on high flame. Always use a low-medium flame. Remove from oil and soak in a tissue paper. 

• Serve hot samosas with green mint chutney or tomato ketch-up.    

MASALA CHEESE RICE

This dish is one of  the favourite dish of my hubby! This fast and flavourful dish is a simple and quick one, without compromising taste and flavour... Its hardly take 10-15 mins. to cook. Please try it in your kitchen and share your comments in my blog page :)

Ingredients :-

1 cup half boiled rice

1 chopped onion

1 chopped capsicum

2-3 tsp curd

1/2 tsp Chilli flakes

1/2 tsp black pepper 

Chopped green chilli

Chopped coriander leaves

Salt as per taste

Grated Cheese - 1/4 cup 

Method :-

Heat oil in a pan. Add chopped onion, capsicum and fry. Now add cooked half boiled rice, curd, chilli flakes, green chilli. Saute for a while. Add the grated cheese over the rice, stir and cover for 5 mins. Add salt as per required. Switch off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot and yummy masala rice with pudina chutney..