Odisha Mo Odisha

I have been blessed with two amazing kids... one is pretty recent (2 & half months to be exact)... and the older one is 3 and half now... Being an American, who was born to Indian parents.. my son is still not used to eating very spicy food like any other Indian kid (in India) of his age...But he doesn't mind a little black pepper powder in his food... So I came up with this chicken curry specially for him, so that he knows the Indian flavors but without the red chili or too much spiciness. PS : The adults in my family also loved this version. They thought it was a nice change from the monotonous Indian style spicy chicken curry. What I used... 1.5 Lbs of chicken thing fillets - I cut them into but size pieces About 10 garlic pods - peeled & chopped fine 1 small red onion - chopped fine 1 small red plum tomato - chopped fine Cumin + Coriander powder - As per taste (I think I used about 2 tsps) Garam Masala Powder - 1 tsp Salt + Turmeric Mustard oil

The classic combination of green beans, cauliflower florets & bright orange carrots always reminds me of the Indian national flag... the ever so loved & respected... Tri-color Flag.. The Indian national flag has three stripes, Saffron (aka Orange) followed by White followed by Green. Each color symbolizes a trait that the nation follows. Saffron/ Orange shows strength & courage, White shows peace & Green shows growth. The flag also has the "Dharma Chakra" (Wheel of righteousness) in the middle. I remember back home, Baba will take out his National Flag & proudly let it fly on our roof top on every national holiday like the Republic Day or Independence Day. No matter, where we go, India has always been and will always be our first love, our homeland & our respectable dear nation !! We know we are always welcome there.. :) So here goes the tricolor bhaja ... in the memory of my dear nation... 8 -10 green beans, trimmed & cut int

Paneer is usually a Thursday affair in my household these days... why??? Because.. My Maa-in-law is with us.. and she's strict about the No-Onion-No-Garlic rule on Thursdays.. like many many Odiya married women.. who are Maa Laxmi devotees... So making paneer with just tomatoes & ginger is usually how we make it... usually.. until last week.. Wednesday when I made this... "Thaka" (meaning - Fake) Chili Paneer.. and it was Yum.. my son loved it... and everyone loved it.. with Roti Me? Follow Thursday rules?? Naa...Not so much.. I am god fearing, but I don't believe gods (or goddesses) have food rules... Yes, that is where I have always been cross with my family... Like if I don't eat onion or garlic on Thursday (and think about killing someone or think bad stuff for them), god will love me more !!! No Way.. its these old fashioned thoughts are where we Indians are kind of party poopers... there are so many things that just don't fall in line.. hen

It's 4am in the morning.. and I am tired because I haven't slept in days.. and the baby is still crying in her sleep.. she's on my shoulder.. and I have to do everything with my right hand.. while I support her with my left hand... I am hungry too.. because what I ate last night has been digested due to all the walking & strolling with the baby...Yes, all in one night... I remembered that we had some left over poha from last evening.. and all I wanted to do was to heat up & eat that.. but where's the fun in it... and its 4am... & I'm thinking.. if I have this.. it better be worth it... so.. I decided to make anda poha with the left overs... What I had... Poha (left over from last evening).... I am sure we can use the MTR ready-to-eat poha as well..and it will work just fine.. 1 egg salt & pepper Process.... Heat oil & crack the egg directly.. (remember I have only one hand at this time at my disposal for cooking) sprinkle sal

"Sabu dina ruti santula khai khai bore lagilani" Said my Maa-In-Law... And right she was... ever since she has been with us.. almost every night we have been having roti with some mixed veg.. sometimes its with tomatoes.. sometimes without.. etc etc... "Santula" is a very good dish.. I have no doubts about it in my mind.. but having it almost every night is not advisable for our stomach's & heart's sanity !! So here it is... a simple tawa fry type preparation... with green & orange bell peppers (we Indians call it Capsicum)... and potatoes... its not a santula so.. everyone's happy ... and went perfectly with roti.. What I used.... 1 green bell pepper - cut into stripes 1 orange bell pepper - cut into strips 2 small red potatoes - cut into long slices Salt + Turmeric + Pepper + Ruchi Subjee Masala (No onion + No garlic) Oil as needed Little bit butter Method is very simple... heat oil & splutter cumin seeds .. add the

Sweet coconut stuffing + fluffy, soft white rice flour dough cover + 15 minutes steam = Yummy yummy Panda pitha !! Ingredients 3 cups rice flour 3.5 cups water 1 table spoon sugar 2 pinches salt 1 tablespoon ghee sweet coconut filling - Recipe here . Process Put water on medium flame & add sugar, salt & ghee. Get the water to a boil & lower the flame to lowest when water starts to boil. Mix the rice flour little by little into the water. Keep staring the mixture continuously, else it'll form lumps that'll be difficult to handle later. When the mixture has come together, turn off heat & cover the pan.  Keep the mixture covered for 10 mins. It'll be still warm & you should be able to handle the mixture. We'd need to knead it to a soft dough.  Knead the dough to a super soft dough, fluffy & white !! Next make small balls of the dough, flatten them with your palm (use water or oil to handle the stickiness of the dough)

My family... we love chicken... especially if it is spicy.. well... we are Odiyas and we love spicy chicken.. whats new in that??? New is... I have found a hack for making chili chicken which my family LOVED and ADORED.... so much that I have already made it twice in a 6 days range... Regular chili chicken calls for marinating the chicken (with may ingredients including egg) & deep frying it & then tossing it with bell peppers & sauces etc...  Well... I skipped the deep frying... skimped on marinating ingredients... added tons of veggies.. and viola.... Our super easy stir fry chili chicken was ready... We had it once with Roti & another time with Rice & Dal... both the times... we finished the whole pan full... Well yes.. we are Odiyas.. and we love spicy chicken !!!! What to use Chicken thigh fillets - 1Lb - Cut into small bite size cubes Green, Yellow, Red bell peppers - Cut into small bite size square pieces Red onion - 1 small - Cut into small

Do you believe in simple pleasures?? I do... to the core... the core of my heart... Yet another simple pleasure .. straight from my Ma-In-Law's kitchen (My mummy never made this...) Kalara Chips (Best enjoyed with steamy hot white rice + yellow dal) What she used 4 bitter gourds - scraped & cut into medium thin slices 2 tbsp corn starch (she totally eye balled it) Salt + Turmeric + Red chili powder Oil to deep fry How? Its so simple.... mix all ingredients together.. by shrinking little water so that the corn starch holds... Deep fry the gourd slices until they are crispy !! --------------------------------------------------------- Aloo Baigana Masala (We had it with hot round rotis for dinner) What I used 4 small red potatoes - sliced into quarters 4 small purple egg plants - cut into cubes 1/2 red onion - chopped 1 tbsp each of chopped ginger & garlic 1/2 tomato chopped Cumin seeds for tempering Cumin & Coriander powd

We welcomed 2017 in a special way. After very many years, my husband was super happy because his parents were with us for the new years. My sister & I planned a lunch spread to celebrate the new year. It was tiresome but totally worth it. I have posted most of the recipes earlier from the spread, but I want to jot down the pulao recipe here because that's something that held the spread together. Yum Yum Yummy !! What we cooked for the new years.... Paneer Pulao Jackfruit (Panasa) Tarkaari Tomato Khatta Chicken Kassa Chingudi Jhola (with coconut) Chenna Poda Salad & Papad Paneer Pulao Ingredients Rice - 2 cups basmati rice, washed nicely & soaked for 30 -45 mins 6 Oz Paneer block - Cubed into small cubes 1/4 cup each chopped carrots + celery + onions + green peppers 1/2 cup chopped mint leaves (pudina) Whole Garam Masala to temper - Jeera, cloves, bay leaf, green cardamom, pepper corns 1 tsp Garam Masala Powder Salt to taste Ghee