Macha Besara(Fish in mustard gravy)

This is a traditional and popular dish in my state, Odisha, on the east coast of India. Most of the people of the state are fish-loving. This recipe is on the request of one of my sisters, now away from home, who is missing her favourite dish. I hope she would now be able to make it herself.

Ingredients:
Fish -1kg(Rohu /salmon/catfish)
Salt-To taste
Haldi/turmeric powder-1tsp
Chilli powder-1tsp
Onion-1medium(Sliced)
Curry leaves-3-4
Tomato-2medium
Mustard oil-2tbsp(You can use refined oil/corn oil,but it tastes best with mustard oil)
Mustard paste:
Mustard seeds -2tbsp
Garlic pods-2
Green chilli-1
Salt-A pinch
For Garnishing:
Cherry tomatoes/Sliced tomatoes


Method:

1. Soak mustard seeds, garlic pods, and green chillies in Four tbsp  of water for 1 hour .Then grind them to a fine paste with a pinch of salt. By adding salt the bitterness of mustard will reduce. 
2. Wash the fish well  , add salt, haldi, chilli powder and leave it to marinate for  Thirty minutes. In a frying pan add 1 tbsp of oil and fry  both the sides of each piece of fish .Do not deep fry .Keep aside the fish.
3.  In the same pan add 1tbsp of oil, let the oil become hot, simmer the flame, add sliced onions,the tomatoes , curry leaves and the mustard paste. Saute' for a while add 1 cup of water and cover the pan. Let it boil, then add  salt, haldi powder and mix well.
4. When the raw smell of the mustard disappears, add the fish pieces slowly. Let it boil for more than Five minutes.  Switch off the gas. Garnish it with tomatoes and coriander leaves .
5. Tastes best with rice.

Kashmiri Pulao

This is a traditional recipe of rice from the Indian state of Kashmir.The speciality of the cuisine is  in its liberal blend of varieties of nuts and dried fruits making the dish a favourite for people of all age-groups. I place the recipe in response to the request of a friend.


Ingredients:
Long grain basmati rice-2cups
Onion-1medium(sliced)
Green chillies-2
Dry  fruits(Cashew, pistachio, raisin/kishmish)-1tbsp each
Milk -1Cup
Water -3Cups
Oil-2tbsp
Salt-To taste
Sugar-1/2tbsp
Fruits-1/2 can (canned fruits)(You may use fresh fruits like apples,cherries ,pineapples.I like using the canned fruits)
Saffron-a few strands dissolved in warm milk.
Whole spices :
Cloves/Laung-2-3
Badi elaichi/Cardamon -1
Bay leaf/tejpatta-2

Method:

1. Wash and soak the rice for  1/2hr.
2. In a pot heat oil  ,add sliced onions and green chillies.Fry till they become golden brown .Add whole spices and dry fruits . Saute' for a few seconds then add  rice .
3. Now add milk and water ,salt to taste ,sugar .Mix well ,simmer the stove and cover the pan.When rice is done add the dissolved saffron , fruits and mix well.
4. Ready to serve!!

(You can add  2tbsp of ghee/butter to the prepared Kashmiri pulao but it is optional.I didn't add ghee.)

Dark chocolate cake...

Ingredients:

Maida-1cup

Sugar-1cup

Baking Powder-11/2tsp

Cocoa powder-4tbsp

Vanilla essence-11/2tsp

Oil/Butter- 1/2cup

Salt-A pinch

Eggs-4

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F ,grease a round cake pan with oil and preheat .
2. Mix eggs,oil,sugar in a large bowl till its fluffy.Add  flour,baking powder,cocoa powder,salt slowly to the egg mixture and blend all properly.
3. Pour the cake mixture to the pre-heated pan and bake it for 30-40minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of cake comes out clean.
4. Let the cake cool down completely and then frost as desired.
5. Enjoy the chocolate  cake !!!

Mushroom,Broccoli cream soup....(Children will love this)

Ingedients:
Mushroom(slices)-1cup
Broccoli(Florets)-1/2cup
Milk-2cup
Cheese-4slices(Britannia cheese slice)
Cornstarch-1tsp(dissolved in water)
Salt-To taste
Pepper powder-To taste
Onion-2tsp(chopped)
Garlic-1pod(chrushed)
Butter-1tbsp

Method:

1.  Heat the butter in a kadai; add onion, garlic; fry them a bit. Add broccoli,and mushroom and fry them and put the cover on the kadai. Allow the vegetables to cook well.
2. After the vegetables get cooked, keep them aside to cool. Grind the cooled vegetables in a blender with 1cup milk for a while; don't make a paste; grind them coarse.
3. Put the vegetables back in the kadai; put milk, cheese, cornstarch  and heat in slow flame.When the soup thickens ,its done!!!

Prawn Curry

 Ingredients:
        Prawn-1kg
        Salt-To taste
        Jeera/Cumin powder-1tsp
        Onion(chopped)-1/2cup
        Green Chilli-2
        Panch phooran-1tsp
(Panch phooran-It is a mixture of whole masalas like jeera,saunf,mustard seeds,kala jeera and methi /fenugreek  seeds.)
        Oil-4tbsp
        Haldi/Turmeric powder-1/2tsp
        Potato-1large(cut into small pieces )
        Tomato-1large
        Garam Masala-11/2tsp
        Water-11/2cup

For marination-
     Haldi/Turmeric powder-1tsp
     Chilli powder-1tsp
     Salt-To taste

For grinding-
     Onion(chopped)-1/2cup
     Garlic-3 pods
     Ginger-1/4 "(chopped)

Method:

1. Wash the prawns and add  haldi powder ,chilli powder and salt .Mix it well.Let it marinate for 1/2hr.
2. Grind the onion,garlic,ginger without adding water.Keep it aside.
3. In a kadhai/frying pan add 2tbsp of oil,let the oil heat up nicely then lower the flame and fry all the marinated  prawns till done.Keep the prawns aside.
4. In the same kadhai add 2tbsp of oil,after the oil is hot ,lower the flame and add the green chillies and panch phooran .When they turn color add the chopped onion,when the onion becomes brown add the masala to it.Stir till the raw smell vanishes.
5. Add the chopped tomato, when the tomatoes are done add salt,haldi powder, jeera powder.
6. Now add the potatoes and cover the lid till the potatoes are cooked well.When the potatoes are done add the fried prawns and 11/2cups of water and leave it to simmer for 10mts on low flame.
7. When the prawns and pototoes are visible from the gravy then the curry is done. Add garam masala powder and garnish it with coriander/cilantro leaves.
8. Prawn curry is ready!!!

     It tastes best when served with rice.

Dahi Vada -A very popular North Indian dish

Ingredients:
Urad dal-1cup
Moong dal-1handful
Curd-200gms
Oil-For frying the vadas
Water  -To soak the vadas


For garnishing:
Salt-To taste
Jeera/Cumin powder(Made from baked jeera)-1tsp
Chiili powder-1tsp
Elaichi/Cardamom powder-1tspn
Kala namak(Black salt)-1tsp
Sweet tamarind chutney-1tbsp


Method:

1. Soak urad dal and moong dal in enough water overnight.Next day grind it to a fine paste with little water and set aside for 4-5hrs .Let the batter get little fermented.(This will make the vadas soft and spongy)
2. Add little salt to the batter.Put enough oil in the kadhai so that the vadas can be fried properly .Let the oil heat nicely, then lower the flame and  make small vadas (dumplings) with the batter. When done take them out and put them in  water for 15-20mts. Take out the vadas from the water and squeeze out the excess water pressing vadas between the palms.
3. Blend the curd in a blender or a hand whisker adding little salt and chilli powder to it.Put a tbsp of  curd over the plate and arrange the vadas over it .Now over the vadas put the curd and leave it for 2mts for the vadas to soak in the curd nicely.
4. Garnish the dahi vadas with little salt,kala namak(black salt),elaichi powder, chilli powder ,jeera powder and sweet tamarind chutney .
5. It is ready to serve !!!!!!!!!

Chuda Upma(A popular item for breakfast in Odisha )

Ingredients :-
Chuda(chudwa)-1cup
Mustard seed-1/2tsp
Curry leaves-few
Salt-To taste
Onion-1small
Green chillies-2
Hing(Asafoetida)-A pinch
Haldi powder-A pinch
Peanuts -A handfull
Bengal gram-1/4tsp
Boiled potato-1
Boiled pumpkin-1cup
Oil-1tbsp
Cilantro/Coriander leaves-To garnish




Method:

1. Wash the chudwa in water and keep aside for 5mts so that all water is drained out.This will make the upma dry and not soggy.
2. Then take a kadhai ,add oil,then pinch of hing .To that add the peanuts and bengal gram and the green chillies. Fry them till they turn their colour and get roasted.
3. To that add the onions and curry leaves.Fry till done .To that add pumpkins and potato.Fry them so that they change their color.
4. Then add the chudwa and add salt,haldi powder and mix well.
5. Garnish it with coriander leaves and serve hot with coriander chutney.

Sukha Channa Masala(Dry Channa Masala)

Ingredients:


White Kabuli channa(chickpeas) - 1 cup
Onions - 1 (sliced)
Garlic/Ginger paste - 1tbsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Dhaniya powder(coriander) -1tsp
Jeera powder(cumin) -1tsp
Salt to taste
Tomato-1medium
Garam masala-1tsp
Green chillies -2
Haldi  powder(turmeric)-1/4 tsp
Cilantro -to garnish




Method :


1.Soak channa overnight with enough water.
2. Wash well in the morning in fresh water, drain and cook in pressure cooker.Drain the water completely as you are making sukha channa.
3.  Heat oil and fry onion,after the onion is done add ginger /garlic paste,green chillies .Then add tomato finely cut.Let the tomato mix well then add  dhaniya powder,haldi powder and jeera powder.Fry till oil shows on top.
4.  Then add the  boiled channa ,mix well .Add salt to taste .
5. Remove from fire and garnish with cilantro/coriander leaves.