Odisha Mo Odisha

Someone very very intelligent had once said.. "When the going gets tough.. the tough gets going" ! It essentially means, that when life throws you off the road.. you've gotta be very tough to get through its challenges.. Well, in my opinion.. everyone has their own way to get out of tough situations. We don't really need anyone to tell us how to manage our problems or how to get out of crappy situations.. somehow I feel.. we do approach people when we are lost.. but in the process of getting suggestions and consolations and what not... we eventually figure out our own way... do you guys agree?? Anyways... why am I talking about all this?? Well.. I came across a very similar situation myself.. and I had no one to reach out to.. I wanted to make the very famous Odiya "Amba Khata" at my sister's place.. but the her spinster pad kitchen had no jaggery .. no chili-cumin powder.. and no curry leaves.. but she wanted "amba khata".. and it ...

A few years back..I used to have crazy eating habits... I'd go vegetarian for a year and then again start eating non-veg for some time and then go veg again.. Not sure what made me do all those things.. but Hey... only human beings do crazy things right !!!!.  It was a time when I had started eating non-veg after a break of year and half.. and all my friends are very happy because I would not drag them to a vegetarian restaurant anymore for Friday lunch or dinner. But, I had not started eating everything non-veg. It was only eggs, fish and shrimp.  Talking of shrimp, I made this easy curry that is the basic style Odiya gravy (used for almost every non-veg dish) and we had it for a Wednesday lunch. Of course, I was at home that Wednesday... otherwise cooking lunch on a weekday is a far-fetched dream here.  Mami used to make this typically on weekends (or whenever Baba gets shrimp from the market) and we would slurp the gravy off of the plate and eat loads of ri...