RAJA PITHA ( RICE CAKE )

This is a traditional cake made in Odisha, India of rice and coconut. It tastes best after cooling completely.You can have it  with or without curry.This cake is made during in Odia houses at the time of Raja  festival during the starting of monsoon season.

Ingredients-
Rice flour -3cups
Jaggery -2cups
Salt-1tspn
Grated coconut -1//2cup
Sliced coconut -1/2cup
Water-6cups

Whole pepper -8 ( Ground to coarse powder )

Ginger sliced into small pieces -1/2tspn
Saunf -1/4tspn
Elaichi (cardamom) powder -1tspn
Ghee-1tspn
Banana leaves-4medium



Method-

Boil water in a heavy bottomed vessel. Add jaggery , let it mix well.Add grated coconut, sliced coconut,  pepper powder , ginger, salt, saunf and elaichi powder then mix well .Add the rice flour slowly and continuously mix so that no lumps are formed in low flame. Place a pan vessel on low flame , place on it a layer of banana leaf .Apply ghee all over the leaf with your hand. Put the rice mixture over in and cover it with another layer of banana leaf and cover it with a tight lid .Let the cake cook on slow flame  for 20 minutes. Then turn the cake and let it cook on slow flame for 20 minutes or till done.To check whether the cake is done ,prick a knife in the center ; when removed it should come out clean. Let the  cake cool down completely .Serve it with any curry of your choice or eat it like that....Enjoy !!!!

Lemon rice

Ingredients -

• Steamed white rice -2cups
• Cashew nuts-10
• Oil-2tbsn
• Curry leaves-A few
• Peanuts-10
• Turmeric powder (haldi)-1tspn
• Lemon -1(extract the juice )
• Green chilli- 2
• Salt-To taste
• Asafoetida(hing)-A pinch
• Urad dal-1tspn
• Channa dal-1/2tspn
• Mustard seeds -1tspn

Method-

Heat oil in a wok ,add asafoetida(hing)  and mustard seeds.Let these splutter. Add Urad dal, Chana dal,green chilli and curry leaves.Sauté till the Urad dal and Channa dal turn golden brown .Add cashew nuts and peanuts,sauté till they are golden brown .Add the steamed white rice ,add salt,haldi powder. Switch off the stove. Add lemon juice to the rice and mix well.  Serve with sambar or rasam .Enjoy !!!

Ridge gourd with khus khus (poppy seeds)

Ingredients-
 Ridge gourd -1kg
Potato-1medium
khus khus-4tbspn
Onion-1medium
Tomato-1medium
Garlic-2medium
Chilli -2
Salt-To taste
Oil-2tbspn
Water-10tbspn


Method-

Cut ridge gourd and potato into cubes.Heat oil in a pan ,add onion ,saute till brown.In the mean while soak khus khus (poppy seeds) and garlic in 12tbspn of water for 1/2hr,then grind into fine paste.After the onion is done add chilli , ridge gourd and potato and sauté till done.Add salt to taste.Cover the lid and let the vegetables cook till half ,add garlic and khus khus paste ,mix well .Cover the lid till the vegetables are completely done and the khus khus and garlic paste is cooked well.Serve hot with roti or rice....enjoy!!

Coconut Chutney

 
Ingredients:-

• Shredded coconut-1cup 
• Roasted channa dal-1cup 
• Salt-To taste 
• Curd -2tbspn 
• Coriander leaves -1/2cup 
• Green chillies -2 

For tempering -

• Oil-1tspn 
• Mustard seeds -1/2tspn 
• Curry leaves -A few 

Method:-

Grind shredded coconut,roasted channa dal, green chilli, curd and coriander leaves to a smooth paste.(You can add little water to make a smooth chutney if required). Add salt to taste and keep aside.In a small pan heat oil,reduce the flame add hing(asafetida),mustard seeds and curry leaves.Pour this tampering on the coconut paste and mix well.Serve with any snacks .Enjoy!!

VEGETABLE BESARA-- VEGETABLES COOKED WITH MUSTARD & GARLIC PASTE

This is  a mixed vegetable recipe from the land of Odisha ( a State in India). It is cooked with mustard paste over slow fire.It tastes best when served with rice!!

Ingredients:

• Mixed vegetables-2cups(brinjal, potato ,plantain,drumsticks ,desi alloo(yam))
• Mustard paste-2tspn (Soak 3 tspn of mustard seed in water ,3 garlic pods and 1 chilli for 1/2hr and the grind  into a smooth paste )
• Oil-1tspn
• Tomato-1 medium(chopped)
• Salt-To taste
• Turmeric powder(haldi)-A pinch
• Water-1 cup

Method:

Heat oil in a pan, add mustard paste and saute till the raw smell goes.Add the chopped tomato. When done, add the vegetables and 1 cup of water .Add salt to taste, haldi powder and cover the lid and let the vegetables cook on low flame till they are cooked well. Serve it hot with steamed white rice. Enjoy!!!

EGG CAPSICUM MASALA

Ingredients :
Hard boiled eggs-3  (slice then into half)
Capsicum-1large (Sliced)
Onion-1medium (sliced)
Tomato-1medium (sliced)
Garam masala powder-1tspn
Green chillies -2 (whole)
Garlic pods-1large (chopped)
Corn flour -1tbspn
Oil-1tbspn
Water-3tbspn
Coriander leaves -To garnish


Method:
In a pan take oil; to it add cumin seeds. Let it splutter, add the sliced garlic and green  chillies, sauté   till the raw smell goes. Add sliced onion and sauté till brown. Add the sliced tomatoes. Fry till done . Then add the sliced capsicum and mix well till done. Add  salt to taste, haldi powder, garam masala powder and mix well. Keep aside.
In a pan heat a little oil. .In a bowl take the corn starch,  add water and make a smooth paste. Add a pinch of salt to the corn starch paste and mix well .Now take a sliced egg ,dip it in the paste and sauté in the pan from both sides .Do the same with all sliced eggs. (By doing so the yolks will remain intact and will look colorful in the masala). Then add the fried eggs in the masala and mix well .Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with chappati/roti!

FISH CUTLET

Ingredients:

Fish-1kg (boiled in salt and turmeric (haldi) powder

Ginger & garlic paste-1tbspn

Garam masala- 1tbspn (mixture of cloves ,cardamon ,bay leaves ,pepper ,cinnamon sticks)

Boiled potato-1 medium

Mint leaves (pudina) -1tbsp (chopped)

Bread crumbs- For coating the cutlets

Salt- To taste

Oil- To fry the cutlets

Method :

In a bowl take the boiled fish pieces ,remove the bones and mash the boiled fish. Add ginger & garlic paste ,garam masala, salt to taste ,boiled mashed potato ,mint leaves and mix well. Take a portion in hand and make into small cutlets. Roll them in bread crumbs and shallow fry in oil till the cutlets become golden brown. Serve hot with tomato ketchup or any sauce of your choice.

Enjoy !!!