Dal Dhokli

A warm comforting dinner is Dal Dhokli for me. I just love to have this on a cold winter night, when you really crave to have a soupyyyyyyy drink.....It has all the flavours....spicy, tangy and slight sweetness.

Just a different way to have your roti, dal and sabji...for me its three in one.Going to be in our menu more often....

For Dhokli:

Whole Wheat Flour - 1 cup
Chickpea Flour(Besan) -1 Tbsp
Carom seeds(Ajwain)-1/4 tsp
Redchilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
oil-1 Tbsp
Water- 1/4 Cup

oil-1 Tbsp

 For Dal:
Toor Dal - 1/2 Cup
Raw Peanuts- 2 Tbsp
Water - 2cups

For Seasoning:
Mustard Seeds
Cumin Seeds
Cinamom
Cloves
Dry Red Chillies
Carom Seeds(Ajwain)
Green Chillies
Curry Leaves
Curry Powder
Frozen Green Peas
Coriander leaves
Asafoetida
Tamarind Pulp
Jaggery

In a pressure cooker put Toor dal , peanuts and water and pressure cook 4-5 whistles.....so that the dal is nicely cooked. Let the pressure subsidise on its own. Make a stiff dough by mixing everything under dhokli section. cover and keep aside for 10 minutes.
Now roll a thin circular disc and cut diamond shapes out of it .
Start boiling the dal again on the hob, add tamarind pulp and jaggery to it and start for the tempering.
Take another pan add ghee to it  add all the whole masalas, mustard , carom and cumin seeds.When it starts spluttering add the curry leaves, red chillies and asafoetida. Now add Green chillies and green peas and stir for 2 minutes . Now add curry powder and mix for a few seconds and add it to the cooking dal.
Now put the dhoklis into the dal and let it cook for 15 minutes. Garnish with Coriander leaves.
Tangy and Spicy Dal Dhokli is ready to be served.

Kadhi With Left Over Onion Pakoda

Yesterday evening we had lots of snacks  jhal muri, onion pakoda, cutlets and refreshing cup of masala chai. Although everything finished up but some of onion pakodas were still sitting on plate as no one had any place in their tummy...so these yummy onion pakodas became my super delicious accompaniment with rice for todays lunch as kadhi Pakoda which is always my comfort food.

Ingredients:

1 cup yoghurt
2 Tbsp Besan (Chick pea flour)
3 cups of water
Left over Onion Pakoda(or any pakoda of your choice)
1 Tsp Ghee
1/2 Tsp Mustard seeds
1/2 Tsp Turmeric Powder
2 Green Chillies slitted
3-4 Curry Leaves
Salt to taste

Mix Besan in yoghurt till it is a smooth paste and there are no lumps in it. Add Turmeric and water to it  and keep aside.
Heat Ghee in a pan add mustard seeds when it starts spluttering put greenchillies and curry leaves to it.Add the yoghurt mixture to it add salt to it and let it boil till it is little thick. Add the left over Pakodas to it and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Serve this with Steamed Rice.

Onion Tomato Cheese Mini Tart

The Name of this dish is a nutshell of the recipe....as the name says the filling is of onion , Tomato , cheese and some Green chillies.....Although I cant say this as a filling as it is an open tart.
This is a real easy and yummylicious snack....if you have a puff pastry sheet in the freezer. These light, flaky and tasty tarts are absolutely crowd pleasure......

Ingredients:

250ml Mascaropone cheese
1 Onion chopped
1 Tomato Chopped
2 Green chillies chopped(adjust to your taste)
1/4 Tsp Black pepper powder

Mix everything together with cheese and keep aside.

1 Sheet of Frozen Puff Pastry

Cut Circular discs out of puff pastry sheet.

Line them in a baking tray.

Put the cheese into the  pastry sheet.

Bake in an pre heated oven at 200 c for 15 min.

Enjoy a great snack.

Blackeye pea vada

I usually prepare black eye peas Dal or use it in curries with vegetables but these fritters are awesome 

evening snacks or an outing snack. Best served with Green chutney or Tomato Ketchup.

Ingredients:

1 cup Black eye peas Soaked for 5-6 Hrs
1 onion chopped
1 green chillies chopped
2 Tbsp Chopped Coriander Leaves
Few Curry leaves Chopped
1 Tbsp Besan or Chick pea Flour
Salt to taste
Oil to deep fry

Grind coarsely soaked peas add chopped onion, green chillies, coriander leaves, curry leaves, Besan and Salt. Mix together and make balls of it.
Now deep fry these balls till light golden colour. 

Anar Sherbet : Pomegranate Juice

Pomegranates are full of antioxidants equal to those in Green tea and Red wine. Pomegranates are loaded with vitamin C and pottasium, believed to lower Heart disease, Cancer especially Prostate and Breast, helps reduce your weight and also fight cell damage.

Also been used in Ayurvedic medicine , the rind of the fruit and bark of the pomegranate tree are used to treat Diarhoea, Dysentry and intestinal parasites. The seeds and juice are used as a tonic for heart and throat. Juice consumption also inhibits viral infections.

Ingredients:

1 Pomegranate
Juice of 1/2 Lemon
Black Salt(Kala namak) to Taste
2 cups of Water

Take out all the seeds of pomegranate.

Blend Everything together with 2 cups of water. Now strain  the  mixture....

 and enjoy a healthy and vibrant red coloured juice.

Pudina Chaas : Mint Flavoured Buttermilk

Drinks are all time favourite at our home .....more during summer.....so lots of drinks this time of year.I make a lot of drinks with yoghurt as it is so cooling.....be it Lassi, Mango lassi, Strawberry lassi, a lot of varieties of chaas ....this pudina chaas being mostly on our menu.

Ingredients:

8-10 Mint leaves
1 cup Yoghurt
1 1/2 Cup Water
1 Tbsp Roasted Cumin Powder
Salt or Black Salt to Taste

Blend Everything together and enjoy a cooling and refreshing drink after a heavy meal.

Apple Banana Pear Oatie Smoothie

I just love these Oatie smoothies...Once my DH bought me an oatie smoothie on an outing...I just got hooked by that drink.Loved it so much that always try something different with these oats to make different kinds of smoothies.
As far as my family is concerned it is always a hit. Just give it a try and you will surely love it.
If you are not a breakfast kind of person then this is absolutely for you.
You can just skip the honey as I did ....as the fruits have their own sweetness.

Ingredients:

2 Apples
1 Banana
1 Pear
2 Tbsp Rolled Oats
2 cups Yoghurt
1 Tsp Vanilla Essence
Honey as per taste(optional) 

Blend everything together and your refreshing healthy Smoothie is ready to be served.

Carrot Kootu

I just love preparing these south indian Kootu recipes, so simple to make and delicious to eat.You can make these with any vegeatbles you have.
These are a great side dish to rice or rotis.

Ingredients:
2 cups Carrot Chopped
1/2 cup toor Dal
1 Tsp Sambhar Powder 
Salt to taste
1/2 Tsp Turmeric
2 cups of Water

Ground to Paste:
1/2 Cup Grated Coconut
3 Green Chillies
1/2 Tsp Cumin seeds

For Tempering:
1 Tbsp Ghee or oil
1 Tsp Mustard Seeds
A pinch of Asafoetida
2-3 Whole Red chillies
Few Curry Leaves

Pressure cook all the things in the ingredients list.Let the pressure subsidise.
Grind coconut, green chillies and cumin seeds to a paste.
Add the Ground paste to dal and carrot and let it boil for 5 minutes.
Heat Ghee in another Pan. Add all the ingredients for tempering, let it splutter and to cooked dal and carrot.

Serve with Roti or steamed Rice.

Sijha Manda Pitha (Steamed Stuffed Rice Flour Pithas)

Happy Raja to all my blogger and non-blogger readers. Raja is a four day long Odia festival.
Second day being the Raja Sankranti or Mithuna Sankranti which signifies the solar month of mithuna(Gemini) from which the rainy season starts.

During the first three days women are given a break from household work and time to play indoor and outdoor games. Unmarried girls decorate themselves beautifully. Girls play  swings, cards and Ludo.
Generally various Pithas are prepared during these days, Poda Pitha being the special one.

Today I am preparing Sijha Manda Pitha which is a steamed Pitha and resembles to Modak. Stuffing is of Grated coconut,Chenna,Jaggery or Sugar,Cardamom Powder. Although I have used here sugar but for a burnt brown colour u can use jaggery.

Ingredients:

For Stuffing

1 coconut Grated
1 cup of Chenna(optional)
6-7 Tbsp Sugar(or as per taste)/Jaggery
1/2 Tsp Cardamom Powder
1/4 Tsp Black pepper Powder

For outer Covering
2 cups Rice flour
4 cups Water
1/4 tsp Salt

For the stuffing take a pan Put coconut, chenna and sugar and cook for 5-6 minutes.Add black pepper powder and cardamom powder and switch off the flame.
Now let the stuffing mixture cool for sometime.

For  making chenna you can curdle the milk using vinegar or lemon. Strain the curdled cheese and your chenna is ready. Wash the chenna in cold water to get rid of vinegar or lemon smell before straining.

Now for the outer covering take a pan add 2 cups of water and salt. Let it boil. Now slow the flame to minimum and add rice flour slowly till it soaks up all the water.
Now switch off the flame and cover this mixture and let it cool.
Make ball out of it and stuff the stuffing mixture and steam it for 15 minutes inside a steamer or idly cooker.

Enjoy a healthy desert which is steamed yet really delicious.

Banana Peanut Butter Shake

If you love Peanut Butter as much as I do then you should definitely try this one. I just love these kind of shakes and smoothies for breakfast, needless to say most of us do.
Sometimes I dont feel like having my breakfast,Smoothies are best to make you feel good and get going throughout the day.

Ingredients:
2 Bananas
2 Tbsp Peanut Butter
2 Cups Chilled Milk
Honey(as needed)

Blend all the ingredients together and enjoy a delicious breakfast drink or an afternoon refreshing summer drink.

Aloo Bharta

Aloo Bharta is another typical odia food cooked always in most of the household. Being one of my favourite is always cooked during weekends.While cooking dal I usually put potatoes in it to boil and this easy Bharta for lunch which goes perfect with steamed Rice and Dal.
Aloo Bharta is a comfort home cooked food. Now coming to the recipe.

Ingredients:
2 medium sized Potatoes boiled and mashed
1 Onion chopped
1 Green chilli chopped
Few Curry leaves
Coriander leaves chopped
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
Salt to taste
1 Tbsp Oil(I prefer Mustard oil for this one)

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds and let it splutter , add the onion and fry till it is cooked slightly and then add the green chilli and curry leaves.
Add the mashed potato and salt to it.cook for 2-3 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Rose flavoured semiya

Light Pink Semiya ..... is colourful to eyes and flavourful in taste. I think after using rose syrup in drinks and fruit pudding, using it in Semiya also imparts its colour and flavour to the dish.

Ingredients:

1 cup Roasted Semiya/Vermicelli
1 Tbsp Ghee
2 Tbsp Sugar
1 Tbsp Rose Syrup
1 Tbsp Cashews
Pinch of Cardamom Powder
2 cups Water

Heat Ghee in a pan ,add cashews and fry for few seconds till it is slight golden brown.
Add the vermicelli, sugar to it.
Add the water and rose syrup to it.Let it boil and cook till all water evaporates.
Add the cardamom powder and serve.

Tomato Khajuri Khatta (Tomato Dates Chutney)

This Khatta is an  odia recipe which is really simple and delicious, mostly served with rice and dalma which I have posted earlier.On puja days it is served with khicdi and you will surely love the taste.
This is a dish with  a sweet, spicy and tangy taste.

Ingredients:
5 Tomatoes
6-7 Khajuri/Dates
Few curry Leaves
1 tbsp oil
1/2 Tsp Mustard Seeds
1/2 Tsp Cumin Seeds
1 Slit GreenChilly
Salt to taste
1 Tbsp Sugar/Jaggery
Bhaja Jeera lanka gunda (Roasted cumin and red chilli powder)

Take a pan heat oil and add mustard seeds,cumin seeds.when it starts to splutter put curryleaves and green chilli . Add the dates and fry far a minute and then add the tomatoes.
Add salt , sugar and mix and cover. Let it cook for 10 minutes.
Stir in between.
Once all the tomatoes are cooked add jeera lanka gunda and serve.

Sending this to Akila's Kitchen

Veg Paneer Roll

Rolls are a favourite fast food all over India and now spreading all over world although with a diifferent name... Wraps.
Its the best outing food you can take with you....easy to prepare and eating without mess and a yuuuumm.....reaction.
Now coming to recipe you can use any veggies u want according to ur taste. I am preparing it in Odia style.

Ingredients :

2 cups Maida
1 Tbsp oil
Salt
Water for making dough

Mix everything together to make a dough.


For stuffing:

2 cups shredded Cabbage
1 Onion Sliced
100gms Paneer cubed
Salt to taste
1/2 Tsp black pepper powder
1 Tsp Curry Powder
1 Tbsp Chilli Garlic Sauce (optional)(use instead Tomato ketchup)
1 Tsp Green Chilli Sauce

Prepare chappati with the dough. Brush with little oil or butter and keep aside.

For preparing the stuffing  add oil to a pan and add onion, cabbage and paneer and stir fry for 5-6 minutes. Add salt, black pepper powder, curry powder and mix and cook for 2 minutes. Add greenchilli sauce and chilli garlic sauce and cook for 2 minutes.

Now put the stuffing inside chappatti and wrap it and enjoy a delicious street food.

Palanga Saaga Bhaja

Palanga saga  bhaja is an Odia recipe. It is a very simple fry with onion , potato, aubergine with some badi(dried lentil dumplings).
It is best served with Rice and Dal.In Summer it is relished with pakhala(water rice) which I will be posting soon.

Ingredients:

1 Bunch of palanga Saaga(Spinach Leaves) chopped finely
1 medium onion chopped
2 green chillies chopped
1 medium Potato chopped
1 small Aubergine Chopped
1 Tbsp oil
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
7-8 Badi crushed
Salt to taste

Heat oil in a Pan add mustard seeds.When it starts to crackle add chopped onion and green chillies and fry for 2-3 minutes.Add Potatoes and Aubergine.Cover and cook for 5-6 minutes till the vegetables are cooked. Add the Spinach leaves and crushed badi and salt. let it cook on high flame till all the water evaporates from spinach.